The Editor's Book Reports When we are on the desert, there are days when unless one plays golf, goes to a movie, or grocery shopping...or maybe swimming, it is delightful to just sit on the patio with a good story. Somehow when we are 'home', the time is more pressing and leisure is in short supply. Anyway, I read a couple of winners last winter, and want to share: DREAMS OF MY FATHER, by Barak Obama, Senator from Illinois. (D), of course. This is not a political book, just the story of his father, and his own life...Senator Obama is bi-racial, and the book tells of how that works...also, in my own liberal way, I sincerely hope to see (sometime soon if we're lucky) a GORE/OBAMA...Presidential ticket.. 'nuf said. Read for yourself. DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY, by Erik Larson An intriguing story wound up with the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. A mystery of felony and waste and the success of the Fair all run together. Since I was born on the south side of Chicago, and moved back there to finish High School, many of the places were familiar from my childhood ...like Jackson Park...I could not put this book down. It's as good a mystery as you'll find. Appealing to men and women alike. * * * "Never let the fear of striking out get in your way!"     George Herman Ruth * * * I went to Barnes & Noble the other day and bought President...Oh...I mean Former Vice President AL GORE's new book, about which there is some discussion nation-wide...SOME... whether or not you agree with the ideas, it seems to make sense to figure it out for yourself...myself...so I'm going to try to listen... AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH - I thought it would be a narrative and good bedtime reading...NO...not narrative. It is full of charts and graphs and comparisons and scary truths supposedly. I'm a fan, so I believe him...am sure he has done his homework. I worry about my grandchildren...not myself or you...we will be long gone before the ice is gone...but they have to endure the consequences. Amazingly, my kids and their kids are very environmentally savvy...they do all the right things, ride bikes when they can instead of driving...live GREEN, eat organically grown food...don't smoke (any more), carry Trader Joe's canvas bags for their groceries, and VOTE. They have opinions on almost every subject, and can argue with the best of them. And they take responsibility... Decisions, decisions. No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit. Helen Keller. Next page 2006 Newsletter:   Part 1     Part 2     Part 3     Part 4     Part 5     Part 6     Part 7     Part 8 Newsletter Home Page