Enigma of China

Qiu Xiaolong - Shanghai Chief Inspector Chen Cao series. Story of high official found hanged. Question whether was suicide or murder. Then the investigating police inspector is run over in a set up car accident. Neither is fully resolved. The real story is the present situation in Shanghai and China. Touches on high party corruption, control of media, internet usage to highlight and bring down corruption and how Internet is tried to be controlled by state. Interesting series as early books presented life of the pre-development era and through various stages of that process esp. the building and property boom which has led to explosive growth of riches for a very few but poverty for the masses.

Nature Wars: The Incredible Story of How Wildlife Comebacks Turned Backyards into Battlegrounds

Jim Sterba - details the conflict between animals and birds of nature and people of sprawl in suburbs and also rural areas and urban. Traces the great forest of the East coasts from early colonial times through its almost complete elimination by 1900 and then the gradual revival to present as New England now is over 75% forested. Along the way tells the story of the animals extirpation and renewal leading to the present conflicts. Traces the stories of beaver, deer, turkeys, geese and bear specifically and the problems associated with feeding birds, feral cats. Well done even handed reporting with no sides taken, just laying out the story.

Caravan of Thieves

Loser! Thin plot, thin story. Gave up quickly.

Inventing Wines

Tedious history of wine from the beginning of time. Really drags. Overly pedantic.

The Golden Egg

Donna Leon - we were at the library the other day, escaping the humidity and perhaps to find something to read. As closing time approached, I grabbed a couple books from the shelves and Lyn offered "the Golden Egg" from a cart, knowing that I have read a few of her books in the past. I hesitated but just grabbed it anyway. Charlie had offered the book back a while, but I had declined the offer as the recent Leon books had become more and more, how should this be explained, languid. The last was particularly so, but then that was about summer in Venice and perhaps an appropriate tone. At the time of the offer I wasn't ready for that. While the Egg is once again a slowly proceeding and developing story, the exploration of Venetian life, Italian nature and life in general is rather interesting. Turned out to be a good read. Thanks, Charlie, for the offer though it possibly would not have been a good time for it then. Rather nice now.

The Short Reign Of Pippin IV

John Steinbeck - written in 1950s and a political satire of goings on in France but touches on government shenanagins everywhere. Light satire.

Keeping Bees in Towns and Cities

Luke Dixon - Nice overview of beekeeping in urban settings. Not a comprehensive guide but top level and fun read.

The Billionaire's Apprentice: The Rise of The Indian-American Elite and The Fall of The Galleon Hedge Fund by Anita Raghavan

A long look at Indians/S Asians that move to US since mid 70s, their background, schooling, success at B schools. Focus on several that got involved in hedge funds like Galleon and in consulting like at McKinsey. Follows Rajat Gupta's rise at McKinsey, international success with major companies and governments and cooperation with Galleon. Also follows the career of Raj Rajarathan and leader of Galleon and its success. Unfortunately too much cooperation leads to insider trading. Trials of both and the build up to them is detailed. Good interesting tale but could use good editing as she goes off on completely new episodes in the middle of paragraphs.

The Queen of Katwe

Tim Crothers - story of the deep poverty of slums of Kampala, Uganda, and a program established to bring soccer and then chess in to inspire the children. A young girl joins the chess group and is a natural. Quickly learning and becoming very proficient, wins local tournaments and does well at an international one in Siberia. Could do more but limited funds hamper progress. Very inspiring tale.

The Great American Railroad War

Dennis Drabelle - Building of the Central Pacific RR part of the Trans-Continental RR and all the goings on with it - the financing, the bad construction, the onerous rates and methods of control of the politics involved in CA and the Congress. The main four, the robber barons, are highlighted, esp Collis Huntington who was the DC man pouring money in bribes of the Congress to get the loans and grants for the work. Big focus on the loans and the 30 year term of no interest or principle payment with a balloon due in 1896 or so. As time approached, a big effort to absolve the loan and then to push payment out for 85 years at 2% interest. Next segment gets into newspapers of Hearst and their battle to defeat that Funding Bill led by Ambrose Bierce with scathing articles exposing the lies and misleading testimony of Huntington. Ultimately defeated. Part Three follows Frank Norris, novelist, and his development and writing of The Octopus, an exposé of the control the RR had on the state and devious rates and rules for traffic. Long and boring at times with stray diversions into background that doesn't seem relevant. Interesting about the four Robber Barons: Stanford, of University fame - founded by his wife after he died, Mark Hopkins, as in hotel, Crocker, possibly the bank but nothing mentioned, and Huntington, of our State Park fame - from an estate developed by a niece and donated to the state, not from Collis who used his takings for fancy mansions.

The Woman Who Wouldn't Die

Colin Cotterill - Dr Siri mystery set in Laos, 1978. Another low key and quiet tale of the culture of Loas during the difficult times of the Pathet Lao and aftermath of French rule.some insight into the spiritual beliefs with spirits and ghosts. Boat races, recovering old treasure.

Waking the Giant

Bill Miller - survey of the interaction between climate and earth structure. How changing overall temps affect volcanos, earthquakes, land slides. Significance of glaciers and their weight on earth crust. Also weight of water in ocean basins and big reservoirs.

Le Road Trip

Vivian Swift - nice sketchy account of trip through western France. Cute water color sketches and chatty dialog.

Evel Knievel Days

Pauls Toutonghi - nice story of Egyptian in Butte, MT, growing up with the challenge of being abandoned by his Egyptian father and living with American mother next to the huge copper pits. Goes to Cairo to find and meet father. Explores cultures of both locales in nice way.

The Violinist's Thumb

Sam Kean - survey of DNA, genes, the history of the discoveries, the association of genes to specific characteristics, and trace of the mutations back through the millennia. Lot of stuff covered bit superficially. Like how do they really know this stuff - can't really say that it was answered.

Death and Transfiguration

Gerald Elias - musical tale set in Berkshires and NYC of famous symphony orchestra with tyrannical,oppressive conductor. Protagonist - blind, grumpy, disheveled, former violin master investigates conductor background after he humiliates violinist seeking concert master position. Looks at his background in Prague and Tokyo. Good read, well written.

Blessed Are the Dead: A Novel by Malla Nunn

South Africa in 1952 - dives into complexities of apartheid segregation there between different black sectors and whites like English v Boer. Simple life but hard fast difficult rules. Story of white and a black police trying to solve murder of tribal daughter and a gardener with a suspicious and strange wealthy white school boy on loose. Good story.

Severe Clear by Stuart Woods

Quick but vapid read. Pres of US and Mex meeting at fancy new hotel. Terrorist plot to blow place up. Violent pieces. Meant to be movie perhaps. Read about half on flight - skipped rest.

OS X Mountain Lion Pocket Guide-O'Reilly Media

Chris Seiblod - handy guide to mt lion. Concise, but maybe a little too much. Still might want the e book version.

The World We Found

Thrity Umrigar - four close college friends in Mumbai, India, 30 years later. How their lives have veered, yet how close they remain when brought together to visit one who settled in US and is now terminally ill with brain cancer. Intense tale of the multi-cultural problems in India. Gripping and well written.

The Lawgiver

Herman Wouk (also did Caine Mutiny 60 years ago) about getting movie about Moses written and produced. Who knew Wouk was still alive and the agony that goes into putting on these efforts. Still considerable shift in genre from normal spy/murder/police stuff of late. A nice airy read. Very much into Jewish sects, surprisingly complicated and unforgiving. Fun read carried on as series of emails, letters, phone calls between characters as try to develop script, tie up actors.