Kafka comes to America, Fighting for Justice in the War on Terror, A Public Defender’s Inside Account by Steven T. Wax; 2008; Other Press, New York, NY; 380 pages; 978-1-59051-295-1;8/25-8/30

I was as moved by this book as much as I was by Final Salute, but in an entirely different way.  This book made me so angry that I had to put it down several times. Steven Wax was the attorney for Brandon Mayfield, the Portland Attorney who was arrested by the FBI (pronounced Feeb, as in Feeble) in connection with the bombing of the trains in Madrid, Spain.  At the same time Wax was representing several individuals who were being held in Guantanamo, Cuba including a charity worker named Adel Hamad.  This is the story of his work to get both of these men released.  He constantly had to fight against the ever changing rules of the Mad Hatter, George Bush.  It’s seems like this administration had decided at some point that the laws of the United States do not apply to them, they make Nixon look almost righteous.  Their assertions that the constitution does not apply to Guantanamo because it isn’t part of the United States is ridiculous.  I am getting angry thinking of all the crap they are pulling.  I think I am really angry because for awhile I bought the crap they were selling.   Then it was like a blindfold was taken off and I saw they were heading for a dictatorship as they ignored the constitution, the Supreme Court and their constituents.  They managed to get most of congress to join their tea party by preying on their fear of looking soft on terrorism.  Brandon Mayfield was eventually released and apologized to and paid $2 million (not nearly enough in my opinion).  After five years of confinement Adel Hamad was released, no charges were ever filed against him and I hope there is some mechanism whereby he can collect something from the US government.  I hope that if I ever get in trouble I have an attorney as committed as Steven Wax.  I also hope that the Mad Hatter and his men don’t barricade themselves at the Tea Party in January.  RRRR

A Lion’s Tale, Around the World in Spandex by Chris Jericho with Peter Thomas Fornatale; 2007; Grand Central Publishing, New York, NY; 412 pages; 978-0-446-58006-9; 8/25-8/25

Chris Irvine’s parents encouraged his interest in wrestling, his Mom watching with him and his father taking him to the events using his sports connections.  His father was a former NHL player who always encouraged his son to follow his dream.  Chris’s Mom was paralyzed in a domestic dispute with a boyfriend after she divorced Chris’s Dad.  Both of them continued to encourage his dreams.  Chris early influences were Holk Hogan and Stryper.  As he got older he followed his dream and went to wrestling school and then wrestled in all kind of small promotions and then around the world in Japan, Germany and all over the United States.  It is an interesting read as he leads us right up to the day he started in the WWE.  He takes us through his career and life as he works various promotions including the WCW before he signs with Vince McMahon, great stories of life on the road, the good and the bad. He pulls no punches about those he worked with or even himself.   RRR

Jack, Secret Histories by F. Paul Wilson; 2008; A Tom Doherty Associates Book, New York; 302 pages; 978-0-7653-1854-1; 8/24-8/25

Jack, Weezy and Eddie are exploring the Pine Barrens outside of the town of Johnson when they stumble across a mound of some type.  In the mound they find two things a cube and a body.  Both of these drive the story as the killer is uncovered  by Jack, and the cube intrigues people all the way to the Smithsonian.  The main plot is uncovering the killer, with lots of red herrings thrown in, which Jack does, while helping his friend Steve, get help for his alcohol and drug problem.  The cube can only be opened by Jack and one other character, there are all kind of seemingly pre-Columbian symbols all over it, in it is a small pyramid with matching writings.  It’s story will continue in future volumes of the series which are prequels to the Repairman Jack novels.  RRRR

The Roots of Desire, the myth, meaning and sexual powers of red hair by Marion Roach; 2005; Bloomsbury, New York, NY; 244 pages; 1-58234-344-6; 8/23-8/23

I was really looking forward to reading this to see why I think that red headed woman are the best looking women around (other than my wife, who is the best looking woman).  I have always found red heads attractive and wondered if maybe there was some mysterious power or pheromone they have that makes men react to them.  I was disappointed in this book; it was too scientific and too hard to read.  Marion Roach, a redhead herself, traces the roots of red hair and its myths back to the Garden of Eden and through various tales and such, it is a good history, but there seems to be no soul to this book.  It is just a collection of facts, delivered without any feeling.  I was disappointed, to say the least.  Rr

No One Cares What You Had for Lunch, 100 ideas for your blog by Margaret Mason; 2007; 128 pages; Peachpit Press, Berkeley, CA; 0-321-44972-X; 8/22-8/22

A straight forward book which is exactly what it says it is.  Its 100 ideas for things to blog about from the author of the Mighty Girl and Mighty Goods website.  Ideas that are derived from many of the millions of blogs that are out there.  It is quick and easy reading since each idea is no longer than 2 pages long.  This one will be in easy reach for when I am reading something that will take more than a day.  RRRR