BOOKS


Fortunately, I haven't read nearly as many books lately as I have movies! Although I sometimes prefer the books, I have been enjoying the movies for a change... and this reviewing movies thing is already beginning to feel old, so I'm glad for a change of pace. 

For Love of the Game, Michael Shaara-LOVED THIS BOOK!!! I picked it up because I was looking for another war novel by Shaara (author of The Killer Angels... another great book that I read back in middle school). I had never heard of this book, but there is a quote on the front cover from the Los Angeles Times that reads, "Moving, beautiful... If Hemingway had written a baseball novel, he might have written For Love of the Game.".  The quote hit the nail on the head; not only is the book beautiful and moving, it most definitely has a dry and cynical Hemingway feel to it.
The story is about a professional baseball player who has been loyal to one team his entire career, only to find out that the team plans to trade him as soon as the season is over. Because the information was spilled and no one else knows of the trade, Billy Chapel is able to literally throw every ounce of himself into his very last game. The story draws parallels to another of my all time favorite stories, Peter Pan. Chapel and his female companion of sorts learn to love each other, and to grow up. By the end of the book Chapel has conquered his loneliness and is prepared to leave his Never Never Land.... it's a fantastic and short, yet very well told story.

A Painted House, John Grisham-Grisham always tells a marvelous story. Well, he usually tells a marvelous story... unfortunately, A Painted House did not really hold my attention. I was able to finish the book only because I kept assuming that it would get better... Grisham has never disappointed (until, of course, this book). The story had no purpose; the characters were interesting enough, but there were so many empty points that I feel like Grisham is mocking me. Maybe my hopes were too high, but this book was nothing more than an utter disappointment.

The 100th Kill, Charles W. Sasser-One of the best war novels that I've ever read (and I've both read and loved a good many). It was violent, vulgar, and very much the story of American snipers in Vietnam. The protagonist is an American journalist who is in Vietnam to cover the war. He becomes intrigued by a Marine sniper who intends to kill 100 Vietcong. We follow Mike (the journalist) as he attempts to discover what it is that makes "Dog"/Johnny Abel (the sniper) such a cold-blooded killer, and also as he uncovers details of the young marines past that cause him to see himself in a new way. Great read, and great look into the soldiers that fought in Vietnam only to return home to protests and angry citizens who had no idea what was really going on. Loved it!