Only 55 books read in 2006 against a goal of 100 - a little over halfway there.  Disappointing but not altogether unexpected given that I forgot to factor in the fact that I don't get a lot of reading done once the weather turns warm and I'm spending my free time working in the yard.  Still, I would have liked to have seen more than one a week, as at that rate, I'll never get through my library!

• Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman:  A funny story of the fantastic!  Fat Charlie, a British gentleman with an ordinary life, ordinary until he discovers that his deceased father was a god, and that his brother Spider has inherited dad's gifts.  I can't give away anything by going further - just read it!  (04-21-06)

• And You Know You Should Be Glad by Bob Greene:  Wow.  Twenty years ago I read Bob's Be True to Your School, which was a diary of 1964 when he was in high school in Bexley, Ohio.  That novel introduced the reader to his friends Allen, Chuck, Dan, and Jack, collectively known as ABCDJ.  At the beginning of this book, Bob gets a call from Jack that he has advanced cancer.  The balance of the story has Bob and Jack revisiting their past, coming to terms with the illness, and finding new things to experience in the town they've known all their lives.  If you're contemplating life's passing, as I am, this is an excellent book to remind you that everyone goes through it.  Read "Be True.." first, though, so you understand the characters.  (05-31-06)

• Anonymous Lawyer by Jeremy Blachman:  An 18-year veteran of a firm tells, in blog format, of his abuses of the associates and summers, his quest for the chairman position, and his competition with "The Jerk," the other partner being groomed.  The story has all sorts guessing at his identity, and by the end, you don't know who you're rooting for, but you've enjoyed the book!  (08-26-06)

• Another Bullshit Night in Suck City by Nick Flynn:  Let's be honest - I judged a book by its cover, or in this case the title thereon.  This is a memoir of the writer and his father and their time apart together and apart in a homeless shelter.  To be honest, I thought this book would inspire some sadness, but it really didn't.  There are some good segments, and some that are just difficult to read.  (03-20-06)

• Becoming Justice Blackmun by Linda Greenhouse:  Foremost, it was inspiring to see the law school portraits of the two men that would become Justices Blackman and Burger, and to read the early correspondence between them as they worry about which careers to pursue (as I share that concern).  A man shadowed by his writing in Roe v. Wade (a 7-2 opinion), he nevertheless had a great impact on the Court, particularly in a period contemplating personal rights.  This book should be read by anyone applying to law school, as it provides not only insights to how the Court operates, but perhaps more importantly, it illustrates that the Justices are just people, and that they sometimes rule against their own beliefs where Constitutional authority dictates a different result.  (11-11-06) 

• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott:  I've scanned this book in the past, but as I've fallen behind on my 2006 resolution to get some major writing completed, I needed to go back and read a book to inspire that activity to completion.  This is a realist's view of writing and publishing, and although the seemingly humorous witticisms grow old midway through the book, it is worth it as a reminder that very few writers actually make a fantastic living off of their works.  (02-19-06)

• Black Order by James Rollins:  Once again, the author takes us to the brink of a ridiculous plot, but somehow makes it work and entertains us in the meantime.  The characters from Sigma are back, and somehow all end up investigating the same case of mutated animals, Nazi secrets, a South African family plot to take over the world, and in the midst of it, quantum physics.  Like I said, entertaining.  (07-03-06)

• Brother Odd by Dean Koontz:  Odd Thomas is quickly becoming one of my favorite fictional characters, as Koontz has endowed him with both the interesting gift of seeing the lingering dead and a humble wit.  This story picks up where "Forever Odd" (see below) left off, depositing Odd at a monastery where, of course, mysterious forces threaten the lives of the nuns, brothers, and children living there.  Insert an interesting Russian librarian, and the characters really carry this story, even if the plot is somewhat artificial (look for the word "floppy" - no spoilers here).  (12-20-06)

• The Burning by Bentley Little:  This was a bit different from the normal Bentley Little book, as there wasn't that one evil person or entity at the center until midway through the book.  Until that point, there are really four different stories going on with little connection other than some haunted mumblings, visions, and black mold.  It wrapped up at the end, but I wasn't really satisfied.  (08-12-06)

• Chippewa Lake Park by David & Diane Francis:  After the 1978 season, the gates were locked and the park closed for good.  Many of the rides still stand in an area now overtaken by nature, and the roller coaster remains in ghostly silence above the old entrance.  I never saw the park when it was open, but this book brought it alive for me.  Regrettably, David Francis, who had been the marketing manager at the park, passed away earlier this year.  (11-26-06)

• The Club Dumas by Arturo Perez-Reverte:  Who knew the underworld of rare book trading could be like this?  The story focuses on a book that presumably contains the secret to summoning Satan, and the lengths to which some collectors will go to acquire the book.  The characters are interestingly developed, but there were points where I was somewhat clueless as to where the plot was ultimately going and how some events were related - this was pretty decently wrapped up at the end.  (06-21-06)

• Coyote Blue by Christopher Moore:  I've read a few of this author's books before - easy and hilarious reads!  This was no exception - a story about an Indian youth who has to leave the reservation as a teenager, meets up with an Indian god who causes a bit of trouble in the former's quest to save a beautiful girl from her biker ex-boyfriend, and is helped along by a casino troubleshooter and Pokey the medicine man.  It's not literature, but it IS fun to read!  (02-15-06)

• The Creative Writing MFA Handbook by Tom Kealey:  Yep, I'm thinking of going back for another one!  This book concentrates a bit too much on residency programs versus distance options, and is oriented towards the just-finished-undergrad crowd, but is a useful guide to understanding the admissions requirements and the expectations once you're in.  Keep your fingers crossed for my eventual acceptances...  (07-13-06)

• The Dark Tower, Book One (The Gunslinger) by Stephen King:  This series has been on my shelf for a LONG time - and generally I don't make a seven-book investment before reading the first of the series.  Now that I have, I am not certain how soon I want to pick up Book Two.  It wasn't bad really, but it wasn't good either.  In the foreword, King notes that he wasn't sure where the series was going when he wrote it - that comes across very clearly.  (01-26-06)

• The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band by Motley Crue:  Whew - what a title!  I was into these guys back in high school, and although I'm glad things worked out otherwise, like every other 17-year-old male at the time, I wanted to be one of them.  This story definitely highlights the debauchery that the group was known for, but also shows that they all had a human side - Vince losing his four-year-old daughter to cancer, Tommy writing in prison for spousal assault.  Although this will never be listed amongst the classics of our time, it was a good book and worth the read for anyone that grew up listening to the band. (11-26-06)

• A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore:  I can not adequately describe this book in a single paragraph, but will tell you that it is well-written and quite funny.  Charlie, finding a tall man in mint green clothing hovering above his just-deceased wife reacts as we all would, then discovers that he may have a calling besides being a used clothing dealer.  Throw in a few demons, the squirrel people (a curious collection of animated animal skulls attached to hams), and a threatened takeover of the world by ancient dark gods, and you have this book!  There is a character revival, from Coyote Blue (see below), and it is always fun to come upon old friends in unexpected places!  (04-11-06)

• The Finishing School by Michele Martinez:  I picked this up off the front table at Borders, with no familiarity with the author.  The premise rests on two dead society girls, one missing janitor's daughter, and heroin imports.  At the end, it was a book, simply a book.  Everything wrapped up at the end, no loose strings, and absolutely no desire to see any of the characters again.  (01-24-06)

• The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman:  The latest in the writing books I've read in an attempt to keep myself focused on getting through a few short stories and the novel.  This is a decent book, using grossly-exaggerated examples of bad writing to highlight different aspects of setting, characters, and dialogue.  I recognized a few issues with my own writing as a result of this book, and now just need to apply the lessons!  (12-25-06)

• Forever Odd by Dean Koontz:  I liked this character when he was introduced to us 2-3 years ago in Odd Thomas and was happy to see him come back.  The story is a bit thin, more-or-less a woman wanting Odd to summon ghosts for her evil amusement and Odd doing what he can to save a friend, but it was a decent, quick read.  (01-29-06)

• Gentlemen & Players by Joanne Harris:  I enjoyed this book, but the multiple first person viewpoints needed a bit more clear transition.  I'll admit that I was midway through the book before I was able to match the past and present voices, but the ending wasn't expected.  (01-19-06)

• The Geographer's Library by Jon Fasman:  Fantastic!  This book started a bit slow, but I enjoyed the characters and the way the plot developed.  This is the typical historical thriller - one story in the present and one story in the past, but instead of the Catholic church and/or Templars (seemingly the focal point of every history-based novel these days) it looks at the eternal youth offered by alchemy.  I would definitely recommend this book!  (03-26-06)

• Getting Stoned with Savages by J. Maarten Troost:  I was happy to interrupt my regularly-scheduled reading to dive into this book, having finished his "Sex Lives of Cannibals" earlier this year.  His stories make me want to quit my job a move to a depressing South Pacific island!  This book was a bit more serious than the last, and the islands that he and his (now) wife were on were a bit more civilized than the last book, but there are still some really funny stories hidden herein!  Before picking this one up, though, start with Cannibals.  (07-06-06)

• Gil's All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez:  Ha!  This is a funny book, and one that anyone can push through in a few hours.  Take a teenage girl that wants to bring the old gods into this dimension, throw in a diner as the chosen portal, then add a werewolf, vampire, and a waitress as those that will keep Armageddon at bay, and you have this book.  It is a fun book, and well-recommended.  (10-09-06)

• The Gospel of Judas by Bart D. Ehrman:  Given the recent furor surrounding the identification of this "lost" text, I thought I'd give it a read given Judas' proximity to Christ.  This is not an easy read for two reasons, and by no fault of the authors.  Foremost, this is an ancient text that has missing pieces, so the reader is regularly greeted with parenthetical notations like "missing five lines."  Second, this is a translation, which means almost every word may have an alternate meaning, and every page bears 3-4 footnotes to explain the possible differences.  Reading this is more like working through a textbook than a novel.  The second half of the book contains essays by various authors, so the reader sees the same theories repeated over and over, but in different words.  Interesting opposite view of the relationship of Christ and Judas, but not the best read on the topic.  (06-24-06)

• Harbingers by F.Paul Wilson:  Repairman Jack is back, and as advertised, this book is getting darker as the Otherness encroaches on mankind.  Enter the yeniceri, a cult-like protectorate of the Ally's Oracle, and Jack getting closer to regaining a legal status as the birth of his child approaches.  Through in some tragedy and Jack's specialty of fixing things, and Mr. Wilson has created a fantastic follow-up.  This is the Gauntlet Press edition - you'll be waiting awhile to find this on Amazon...  (05-10-06)

• High School Confidential by Jeremy Iversen:  A 24-year-old goes back to high school with the blessings of a Southern California principal.  At the beginning of the book, the students are "kids" and the author is an observer, but as the book progresses, he befriends his fellow students and almost becomes one of them.  A true story, it leaves you pondering the excesses and thinking of "back when I was in school."  It also makes you wonder, as it is a true story, how many of the teachers that the author observed are able to keep their jobs!  A splendid, easy read.  (09-24-06)

• The Hunt Club by John Lescroat:  This one grabbed me more quickly than his last book, which I have yet to pick back up.  Dismas Hardy is back, but so far only as a character in the background to a child welfare agent turned private eye.  I enjoyed this book - it introduced a character that I'd like to see come back in future novels, and a decent enough plot.  (02-06-06)

• The Husband by Dean Koontz:  Mitch, a self-employed gardener has found himself in the midst of his wife's kidnapping in the standard don't-know-who-to-trust scenario.  This is a fairly easy read and somewhat entertaining, but for those that have enjoyed Koontz for the flash of the paranormal, you won't find it in this book.(07-09-06)

• I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell by Tucker Max:  Don't buy this book.  Admittedly, it does have several funny stories, and we've all known someone like the author who appears likable but just doesn't have many redeeming qualities.  Each page introduces a new love interest (put lightly) and the consumption of vast amounts of alcohol.  That's it though.  You won't walk away from this book with anything other than a contempt for yourself and the time invested in pushing through these stories.  Google the guy if you're curious, as his website has a few stories, then save your money and pride by avoiding this title.  (03-20-06)

• In the Company of Ogres by A. Lee Martinez:  This book was a fantastic bit of funny fantasy very much in the tradition of Douglas Adams, Harry Harrison, and Terry Pratchett.  Never Dead Ned, so named not for his ability to avoid death but rather to continuously rise from it, is appointed to be commander of the less-than-disciplined Ogre Company military unit where he struggles not to be killed by a fish and an Amazon that wish to employ him for "romantic" <ahem> ventures.  Ned ultimately learns his true nature when he battles an army of demons, and the story wraps up with a very pleasing ending.  This is a fun, light read.  (08-19-06)

• Indecision by Benjamin Kunkel:  The main character would have difficulty describing this book, and so do I, as I have not yet even decided if I enjoyed it.  Dwight is fired from his support desk job at Pfizer and decides to fly to Ecuador to meet his dream-girl from his prep-school days ten years past.  Mom, dad, and sister, as well as Vaneetha, his uncommitted "girlfriend," provide a disfunctional backdrop, so it's not a surprise when the dream girl takes off the day after Dwight arrives.  The book has its philosophical moments, and made for good airline reading.  (12-08-06)

• Killer Instinct by Joseph Finder:  I discovered this author a few years ago with Paranoia, and immediately purchased his backlist.  What Grisham did for lawyers behaving badly, Finder is doing for business execs.  Jason is a salesguy who befriends an ex-special forces fellow who begins arranging events to help Jason's career, but of course Jason grows a conscience mid-story and becomes the ex-SF target.  There are some implausible situations in this story that may leave you thinking "wake up idiot" and "why would you do that?" but all-in-all, it's a good novel and a pretty quick read.  (05-15-06)

• King Dork by Frank Portman:  This is described as a "young adult" book, but I picked it up after being intrigued by the dust jacket and the appearance of my ancient title on the cover.  The story traces 14-year-old Tom, who is tracing a mystery of his deceased father while playing in an semi-imaginary band, discovering girls, and being picked upon by students, administrators, and family.  It is a quick read for an adult, and if you're anything like me, it will inspire a memory or two from your high school days.  (05-22-06)

• The King of Lies by John Hart:  This is a great first book about a lawyer caught in a world somehow still controlled by his murdered father, who had also been a lawyer but one focused on his checkbook.  As the main character finds himself a suspect when the father's body is found, he battles his marriage, his supposed friends within the local bar, and finds a life that he had set aside.  The author has introduced a tapestry of fantastic characters, and I would be disappointed not to come across a few of them again in a future read.  If you enjoy mysteries or legal fiction, this is definitely one that you'll want to pick up!  (07-11-06)

• The Last Cato by Matilde Asensi:  Well, it was a book.  A nun, a professor, and the head of the Vatican's Swiss Guard go on an improbable mission of reclaiming pieces of the True Cross stolen by the Staurofilakes, their only guide being paths secreted within Dante's Inferno.  Like every book just like it that has come out since DaVinci, there's a perfect combination of people, and here the nun and professor seem to know every one of the ancient languages.  The last chapter or two really does nothing for the story, and as it is written in a fleeting first person, the reading gets rather tedious at times.  I was happy to be done with it.  (12-16-06)

• The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury:  Okay.  The flap copy caught my attention and I bought the book.  But, enough's enough.  The Da Vinci Code was a decent book, not a classic of American literature, but a decent book.  The Last Templar wants to be the Da Vinci Code, and it isn't.  It's not a bad book, and if I hadn't already read the same histories of the Templars ala Dan Brown, it might even be a good book.  So, wait for the paperback.  (02-11-06)

• Letters to a Young Lawyer by Alan Dershowitz:  I needed a quick read for the plane trip today, and this was pretty good, if dedicated to a limited audience.  The overall theme - the law is flawed, jurists and attorneys are flawed, the system is flawed, BUT that this imperfect system has the capacity for good and is dependent upon each lawyer and judge therein.  The book is slightly preachy, but one might expect from the title that it imparts a fair bit of advice.   (05-01-06)

• Limitations by Scott Turow:  A just-okay story about a judge with a conscience, facing a case that reminds him of his own actions in days long past.  At 197 pages, it's not that you can't put it down, but rather that you just want to get it over with.  I didn't really get a feel for the characters, and indeed, several just float in-and-out of the picture as if in a hurry to escape themselves!  (11-18-06)

• The Lost Continent by Bill Byson:  What a great book!  My friend Kara bought me one for Christmas (A Short History on Nearly Everything) and I've now gone out for a few others.  In this one, Bill travels the United States in the late eighties, enduring and enjoying numerous small towns and tourist meccas.  Not only was this an interesting exploration of 38 states, it was fun to see the random flashbacks to a now-gone decade.  (03-09-06)

• Mad Dog Summer by Joe Lansdale:  I picked this up in Chicago to keep me company on a plane ride, and really enjoyed it.  The author shows quite a bit of versatility in this collection of short stories, and his use of language to paint a portrait is fantastic.  The stories are perhaps best labeled as Americana, with the exception of one which is Verne-Burroughs meets Dante's Inferno, as they tend to expose normal folks in situations that just might happen.  (10-22-06)

• My Secret by Frank Warren:  A gift from a coworker, this book defies any category I might assign it.  It consists of postcards sent to the author, some meticulously decorated, others containing only a few words.  It is voyeuristic, funny, and depressing all at the same time.  Some of the entries really invite the reader to spend more time contemplating some pretty sensitive subjects.  Frankly, I don't know what I think of this book...  (12-23-06)

• Night by Elie Wiesel:  Although it kills me to read anything noted by Oprah, I made an exception to read this book about the Jewish holocaust.  This is actually a short book of approximately 120 pages detailing the author's experience in the camps, detailing the hunger, the pain of losing loved ones, and the disbelief that even those involved expressed.  Everyone should take the time to read this book, even if it leaves you shaking your head at the human condition.  (01-30-06)

• The Righteous Men by Sam Bourne:  Wow!  This goes on my Best Reads list for being a great piece of story-telling wrapped around the Jewish folklore of the righteous men.  I can't reveal too much here, but can say that the author creates a fantastic piece of fiction in the vein of a Da Vinci Code (but better) where the reader is constantly trying to figure out the end, but failing.  (09-06-06)

• Riverview Amusement Park by Dolores Haugh:  This was a heralded Chicago Amusement Park that closed in 1968, falling to the same societal preferences and financial pressures as many other parks.  It has been referenced in many other amusement park histories, and a recent trip to Chicago put this book right in front of me at the local Borders.  A great, if sad, read for fans of the park.  (12-24-06)

• The Ruins by Scott Smith:  As a reader, I really liked this book.  As a want-to-be writer, I am troubled by some of the techniques, but they don't steal that much from the story overall.  I was very satisfied with the ending, as this author is one of the few that I've read recently that understands that there doesn't need to be a happy ending for everyone.  The characters (especially the "odd" one) and the interactions between them were very good, and they had to be given the limited setting of the story.  Definitely worth the time!  (10-03-06)

• The Secret Supper by Javier Sierra:  Not that great.  This is one of those quasi-fictional accounts that you don't know to believe or disbelieve.  Take a Catholic Inquisitor and put him in the abbey where The Last Supper is being painted by Leonard DiVinci, throw in a few Cathars, and a mysterious tarot deck, and you have this book.  Unfortunately, it's just not that interestingly written - you can put it down without a second thought.  (04-03-06)

• The Sex Life of Cannibals by J. Maarten Troost:  Come in for the title, stay for the story.  After that last book, I was in the mood for another travelogue and it was between this and Bill Bryson.  Maarten follows his wife's employment to a tiny island nation of Kiribati, hoping for an island paradise, and finding something else entirely.  Even if the book has little to do with a native sex life, the title may still raise the eyebrows of the elderly lady next to you at the bagel shop!  (02-27-06)

• A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson:  This is a great book!  What amazes me the most is the ability of the author, who apparently is not a scientist, to discuss atomic weights, gravity, and all things science with ease and a sense of sarcasm unrivaled elsewhere.  (01-15-06)

• The Templar Legacy by Steve Berry:  I just can't seem to get away from books starring a conspiracy wrapped around the Templars!  I enjoy this author, so I was willing to face yet another novel split between this "secret" society and its modern day adherents!  This didn't disappoint - great characters and a decent quest around seemingly-accurate history (doesn't matter if it is, only that it feels real).  I'd definitely recommend this one to anyone enjoying the new DaVinci Code genre.  (03--05-06)

• The Testament by Eric Van Lustbader:  Picked this up in Toronto while waiting for the wife to do a bit of shoe-shopping, and absolutely loved it!  It follows the same formula as Da Vinci and its progeny - a religious cabal, an ancient secret arising in the modern world, and the man-woman pairing that save it all.  In the midst of it all, however, the author creates a few great characters (though Bravo's ability to decode and speak umpteen languages is a bit overdone) that I'd like to meet again.  (10-20-06)

• Three Weeks with My Brother by Nicholas Sparks:  Had you told me that I'd be reading one of this author's books, I would have likely granted you an odd look or laughter, depending on my mood at the moment.  A colleague at the office tossed me his copy alongside a testimonial, and he was right - it WAS a good book.  There are really two stories here, intertwined throughout the book.  The first traces Nick's relationship with his siblings and parents from early youth and takes the reader through his own family and ascension to the bestseller's list.  The second is a travelogue as Nick and his brother Micah tour the world for three weeks.  As with my workplace buddy, I'd recommend this book.  (02-24-06)

• Thriller by James Patterson (editor):  Fantastic collection of, well, thrillers that run from historic, to spy "stuff," to adventure.  There are thirty stories here by some of my favorite writers, including F. Paul Wilson and James Rollins.  This is a great intro to some writers you may not have read.  (07-29-06)

• Turning Angel by Greg Iles:  A seventeen-year-old is found dead and an affair with a forty-year-old doctor is discovered.  Not bad, but not as good as The Quiet Game.  (01-05-06)

• Wrong Man by John Katzenbach:  This author has a fantastic knack for creating characters, and then thrusting them into precarious situations.  In this case, a young college woman hooked up with a psychopath who keeps proclaiming his love even as he destroys her life.  I got an inkling of how it would wind up early on, but I was looking for it and even then I wasn't disappointed!  (11-04-06)

• Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury:  I have a mixed reaction to this book, as there are points where the author seems very enamored by his own ability to spin words, yet I did pick up some valuable pointers about creating and building upon existing ideas.  The book is really a collection of his essays written over years, but for the price of a paperback and the evening it takes to get through is likely worth it.  (09-28-06)

Sometimes you just can't get into a book, not necessarily because it's a bad plot etc., but simply because the timing isn't quite right.  These are those stories...

• God Knows by Joseph Heller:  The story of King David, beyond the Bible.  I've been reading this book for nearly five months - it's not bad, has some extremely funny parts, but at the same time is just not an easy sit-down-and-read book.  Time to put it back on the shelf and wait for next year.

• Guitar for Dummies by Mark Phillips & Jon Chappell:  For quite a LONG time, I've wanted to learn how to play the guitar, and my present break from academia has offered the opportunity to focus for awhile.  I've learned, however, that unlike law study, having more books doesn't teach your fingers where to go any faster, so I'm concentrating on the book my instructor assigned for now.

• Understanding Antitrust and Its Economic Implications by E. Thomas Sullivan & Jeffrey Harrison:  Let's be honest - unless you're a law student or one of the other eight people who otherwise care, you probably aren't rushing to Amazon to order this one...  :-)

• Why Most Things Fail:  Evolution, Extinction, and Economics by Paul Omerod:  Okay, let's hope this picks up.  It is a book on economic theory and its application to events we've all heard of, but so far it remains a less-than-exciting return to my college economics courses!  Maybe Spring isn't the best time to start reading this one...