Fade by Kyle Mills; 2005; St. Martin’s Press, New York; 312 pages; Fiction Mills/0-312-33577-6; 4/26-4/27

Salam Al Fayed, Fade to his friends, has been an assassin for the CIA, but then when he is injured they turn their collective backs on him. Fast forward to years later, when some bureaucrat thinks it is time to bring Fade back to work for the new department of Homeland Security. He sets in motion events that lead to confrontation between Fade and an old friend. Ride most of this today because it was so hard to put down. Mills still knows how to write a thriller that will keep you guessing and looking forward to the next page. Mr. Mills has a great ability to write multifaceted characters who are as complex as real people. RRR

On Deck; The Homeschool Handbook by Mary Griffith

“It is those we live with and love, and should know, who elude us.”
Norman Maclean in A River Runs Through It

“The tallest monuments we build in life, the kind that pigeons can’t perch upon, are the human ones we build within the walls of our homes.”
Senator Gordon H. Smith in Remembering Garrett

Remembering Garrett, One Family’s Battle with a Child’s Depression by United States Senator Gordon H. Smith; 2006; Carroll & Graf Publishers, New York; 208 pages; 616.85844 S648r/ 978-0-78671-762-0; 4/25-4/26

Senator Gordon Smith and family lost their son Garrett to bi-polar disease. His disease caused him to commit suicide, his depression was chemical. His family was unable to recognize the warning signs of his disease and since the suicide have learned much and have tried to teach others and more adequately fund those who would attempt to help those with mental illnesses. There was a real sense of bi partisan ship in the Senate. However when the bill went to the house, I wanted to throw things. It is a good thing that Senator Smith didn’t name names, because I would have fired off some angry emails. These people did not want to pass legislation because there were Democratic co-sponsors in the Senate. Many people from both parties however were very empathetic and sympathetic to Senator Smith and family. If you want to see a father’s love for his son, or what friendship really means and also how petty a few people can be read this. RRR

On Deck; Fade by Kyle Mills

Bear v. Shark, The Novel by Chris Bachelder; 2001; Scribner, New York; 251 pages; Fiction Bachelder/0-7432-1946-5; 4/24-4/25

Well let me quote Chapter 5 in it’s entirety to you “The old Televisions had an off switch.” The novel is just that strange. It is the story of a family traveling to the country of Las Vegas, to see a virtual battle between a Bear and a Shark. It is moving at the end as the son and the father connect. It is the weirdest thing I have ever read, often making no sense, but yet their is something compelling about it that urged me onward. You would have to be in a certain frame of mind to read it (and I am not quite sure which frame that would be.) RR

On Deck; Remembering Garrett, One Family’s Battle with a Child’s Depression by Senator Gordon Smith

Negro Baseball…Before Integration by Effa Manley & Leon Hardwick; 1976; Adams Press, Chicago, IL; 128 pages; 4/20-4/24

An intriguing look at the Negro Baseball leagues by Effa Manley, who co-owned the Newark Eagles of the Negro National League, with her husband Abe. Not concise, not chronological but insightful and interesting because of her viewpoint. This is more like a series of vignettes, highlights of her memories. A lot of the material I had just read because James Overmyer, quotes frequently and very liberally from this book. I enjoy reading books about this period in baseball and especially from an unique perspective. RRR

The picture is of Artie Wilson, who played for the Birmingham Black Barons in the Negro Leagues. Ruth Ann sews for his wife and I have had the wonderful opportunity to go and listen to Artie talk of the old days.

On Deck; Bear v. Shark by Chris Bachelder