Scott Freeman

It has been a year since I retired from 20 years of active full-time ministry. In that time I have embarked on a library career that will, hopefully carry me to retirement.

There is so much that has happened over the past 18 months that I never really took the time to process through and write out. This blog used to serve that purpose and maybe it is time to let it play that role once again.

I had toyed with turning this into a strict book blog but as you can see that petered out about 50 books ago.

Instead, I want to go back to simply blogging for myself. Talking about the things that interest me: church, entertainment, etc.

Tomorrow, I will give an overview of the last 18 months and where we hope to go from here. I have been tinkering with the idea of blogging again for a while now. Well, here I am.

To be honest, I was not looking forward to reading this book. A steady mounting of “to-read” books on my bedside table almost propelled me to forgo this book entirely. In addition, I made the mistake of Googling the word “Gaff.” I won’t do that again without some more information in the search bar. So, I almost didn’t read it.

That would have been a huge mistake.

Correa has done a masterful job of bringing us into Hawaiian culture and, in the process, shining a needed light on the barbarous world of cock-fighting.

Paul’s father has made a living out of raising roosters after a lumberyard accident has rendered him incapable of doing more rigorous work. Paul knows where the roosters go but it is not until he is forced to attend a cockfight that he becomes determined to get his family out of the business.

This is a highly recommended book for upper elementary/middle school kids to get a glimpse at an important subject that is not often talked about. In the process they will meet some indelible characters and learn more about the Hawaiian culture and language.

For more information make sure you go to the Peachtree publishing blog here.

One of the things that I look for when it comes to recommending books to my children and younger patrons at the library are those works that deal with important issues and try to convey a deeper truth.

In the midst of all of the more fluff of young adult literature there is a surprising amount of depth. The lessons in the Harry Potter series, for example, are replete with important lessons on friendship, faith and courage. The latest John Green offering Will Grayson, Will Grayson is an important entry in YA books dealing with LGBT issues.

That capacity to teach and inform is one of the things that drew me to Banks’ short novel. Set in 1937 Alabama James “Brother” Longstreet Sayres has lived a virtually cloistered existence among other white people. After a tragic incident changes his family dynamic his life changes and, ultimately, he will befriend another boy his same age. The only difference is that Champion Always Lucky is black. Unfortunately, that kind of relationship does not set well with some people.

Banks does a great job introducing race issues to younger readers while at the same time keeping a tone light enough to avoid being too somber a read. I would have appreciated a bit more character development but ultimately this book works because it broaches a subject that is still timely today and does so without being heavy handed.

A worthwhile read, especially for the 9-11 set.

For more information make sure you go to the Peachtree publishing blog here.

A thanks to Peachtree Publishing for letting me participate in this blog tour.

As the father of three girls I am always looking for books that have appeal to all of them. Brain Full of Holes is just such a book. Between the three of them they have interests that range from humor to young adult relationship issues to mysteries. Chatterton’s novel delivers on all three accounts.

What makes this book such a fun read is the “Brain” from the title: Theophilus Nero Hercule Sherlock Wimsey Father Brown Marlowe Spade Christie Edgar Allen Brain. (Aside: It is this sort of wink and a nod that Chatterton infuses throughout the novel that makes this a delightful read for the 42 year old father as well. Pop culture references abound that kept me turning the pages even when they weren’t around.)

But, back to The Brain. Along with his sidekick, Sheldon, and a 14 year old beauty named Helga they set out to find Helga’s father who has inexplicably gone missing. Without giving away too much of the investigation they also have to determine why the Swiss cheese no longer has holes and other wacky happenings.

This book is a fun read and highly recommended for pre-teens and younger teens as well. For that matter, this adult looks forward to reading more exploits from Sheldon and The Brain.

For more information make sure you go to the Peachtree publishing blog here.

Who am I kidding trying to blog about every book I read. It’s not like anybody reads this blog anymore anyway. I should try to be controversial again.

Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Volume 1–Skip it. The illustrations were disappointing.
Vampire Kisses: Blood Relatives, Volume I –A decent graphic novel
The Wolves in the Walls by Gaiman, Neil–Everything Gaiman does is great
King Rat by China Mieville–I see flashes of brilliance in the first novel of the three time winner of the Arthur C. Clark award. I plan on reading more of his. This is a modern day retelling of the Pied Piper
Library 2.0 and Beyond: Innovative Technologies and Tomorrow’s User by Courtney, Nancy–Good if you are in the industry.
Burn by Phillips, Suzanne This is a 2011 High School Sequoya nominee about bullying. It left me underwhelmed.
Lift byCorrigan, Kelly–A nice letter to her daughters. A slight read but touching and poignant.
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by Green, John Important subject matter, well written.
Never Look Away: A Thriller by Barclay, Linwood–Great Thriller
Still Missing by Stevens, Chevy–There are a number of authors whose work that I will rush out and buy as soon as it becomes available. If Still Missing is any indication of what we can expect from Chevy Stevens I have a new name to add to that list.

Annie O’Sullivan was an up and coming Realtor when she was abducted at the end of an open house. Held captive for a year she finds her entire life affected by the trauma. Told in the form of therapy sessions, Annie tells us bit by bit both the frightening reality of her captivity and the equally harrowing attempt to put her life back together again.

This is a masterfully written book that will not let you go. Just when you think the drama is over, Stevens finds a way to ramp it up again. This is an author that needs to be watched.

On the Grid: A Plot of Land, An Average Neighborhood, and the Systems that Make Our World Work by Huler, Scott–In 2003 I was living in Michigan when the power went out at my office. Little did I know at that time that a large swath of the northeast region had lost their power as well. That was my first personal experience with a mass blackout that was not weather related.
Since that time I have often thought about the infrastructure that makes our world work. Scott Huler has written a book that answers many of those questions. On the Grid is a telling look at those systems that we depend on, often without giving them a moment’s thought. Huler does a great job of taking material that could be dry to the point of unreadable and creating a solid narrative that hooks the reader beginning on page 1. It is high praise to take material such as this and making it interesting. I never realized I could be so fascinated by my garbage disposal.
A true good read.

I Am Ozzy by Osbourne, Ozzy Hands down the best introduction to an autobiography I have ever read. This is an excellent work.
The Wall by Long, Jeff–As with The Descent Long has a great premise but can’t stick the landing. Ho-hum.
Prince of Thieves: A Novel by Chuck Hogan Not very good.

Chloe,

It is hard for me to believe that you have blessed my life for 9 years now. It was just a short time ago that you introduced me to the world of parenting. Everything I know about it now is because of you.
As you are growing up I can already see glimpses of the amazing young woman you will become. These next few years are going to be interesting for us as you continue to find out who you are. I’m so thankful to be able to come along for the ride.
Chloe, it means the world to me that we share so many of the same loves. Whether it is a book that we read together, a video game that you help me beat or a movie that we both enjoy I love nothing more in this life than experiencing these things with you.
No matter what happens in this life you will always be my little girl and my source of hope, life and joy. You mean the world to me.
I love you,
Daddy.

I remember when I first got Internet access in 1994. I had a 14.4 modem and accessing any information was painfully slow. In those early days I tried Compuserve, Prodigy and America Online for my providers. I ultimately stuck with AOL for those first 2 years online. What I didn’t realize at the time was that I did not have free unfettered access to the World Wide Web but only what AOL wanted us to access.

When I was finally able to access the web I was unsure of how to get to places I wanted to visit. I went through a number of search engines as there seemed to be a new one every day back in the late 90s: Alta Vista, Yahoo, etc.

I now rely on Internet search for a large part of my work. As a reference librarian I have to be able to access the information people want when they want it. I had read a good deal about how Google does searches but I was intrigued, and a little overwhelmed, by how they establish page ranks. I was especially interested to learn the origin of link bombing.

As my friend Matt pointed out over at his blog earlier today the ALA has released the list of the 10 most challenged books of 2009. I was a little surprised to see Gossip Girl drop out of the top 10 and somewhat amazed that the reason for the Twilight challenges had nothing to do with crappy writing.
“And Tango Makes Three” is again near the top of the list. Non-fiction can be threatening when it goes against peoples prejudices. Homosexual themes are becoming more and more of a lightning rod with these challenges. It makes me wonder what kind of future awaits Will Grayson, Will Grayson.
I expected to see Ellen Hopkins on this list but I guess she just needs to try harder in the future.
As a member of both the OLA and ALA Intellectual Freedom Committees I try to stay up to date and read much of what is challenged. Alas, I have only read 6 of the 10. Those that I have read are in bold below.

As a side note, The Color Purple is still one of my favorite novels of all time.

1. ttyl, ttfn, l8r, g8r (series) by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: Nudity, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs

2. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
Reasons: Homosexuality

3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Anti-Family, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs, Suicide

4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Reasons: Racism, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

5. Twilight (series) by Stephanie Meyer
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group

6. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

7. My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Reasons: Sexism, Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs, Suicide, Violence

8. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things by Carolyn Mackler
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unusuited to Age Group

9. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

10. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
Reasons: Nudity, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

An Dantomine Eerly by JRD Middleton–Just awful

I’ll Mature When I’m Dead: Dave Barry’s Amazing Tales of Adulthood by Dave Barry –I can take or leave Dave Barry’s writings. This book is no exception. I laughed at times. Just ok.

A New Kind of Christianity: Ten Questions That Are Transforming the Faith by Brian McLaren –I appreciate Brian McLaren and all that he does to make progressive Christian thought more accessible to people. His books are a great primer to what is being put out there by people such as Borg, Crossan and Butler Bass. The only reason I didn’t enjoy this more is the feeling that I have read this before. That makes sense because we have read the same source material. If you haven’t read non-evangelical Christian writing then you should pick this up.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith –These mashups have passed the tipping point and need to come to a swift conclusion soon. However, this is not just Little Women and Werewolves. It is, instead, an alternate history. Grahame-Smith has written a highly readable book that is enjoyable if you like this sort of thing. I was a little disappointed there there wasn’t more action. I wanted a little less Abraham Lincoln and a little more Vampire Hunter. Still, it was fun.

The Compound by S.A. Bodeen –This Young Adult novel is a 2011 Sequoyah nominee. This dystopian tale pits a family in an underground compound spending a 15 year period while the radiation of a nuclear attack dissipates. However, things might not be what they seem. It is a slight read and doesn’t invest too much in character development. What does take place comes off as somewhat wooden but is still a worthwhile way to spend a couple of hours.

The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld–I expected more. It was just a’ight.

*This Review is from an Advanced Reader Copy*

One day 12 year old Alyssa Merrimon goes missing. Two weeks later his father leaves overwhelmed by the guilt of having not picked her up when he was supposed to. A year later Alyssa’s twin, Johnny, is still looking for her. He knows the town, its history, and the characters who just might be responsible for his sister’s absence.
What follows is an absolutely gripping mystery filled with indelible characters and dense plotting. Alyssa’s disappearance has shaken police officer Clyde Hunt …more One day 12 year old Alyssa Merrimon goes missing. Two weeks later his father leaves overwhelmed by the guilt of having not picked her up when he was supposed to. A year later Alyssa’s twin, Johnny, is still looking for her. He knows the town, its history, and the characters who just might be responsible for his sister’s absence.
What follows is an absolutely gripping mystery filled with indelible characters and dense plotting. Alyssa’s disappearance has shaken police officer Clyde Hunt who has spent the last year, as well, looking for her. Part of that is added by personal feelings for Alyssa’s mom, Katherine, who is now just a shell of a woman.
I found myself unable to put this book down after a while. Hart has put together a tour de force of mystery that leaves me longing to read more of his work.