Skulls and Coffee

Quick but lots to think on

10:44 am 24 November 2017

Waiting for the Taliban: A Journey Through North Afghanistan - Anna Badkhen

This has been my eBook read while at work. Good but more like a magazine article. Did come away with some great food for thought about why Afghanistan is such a quagmire in terms of help, assistance, and why the war is dragging on with no end in sight.

Also, I learned lots of new words like kleptocracy (rule by a thief or thieves). Love that term!

Footprints in Oklahoma

9:56 am 6 November 2017

Footprints in the Dew, Damon "Chub" Anderson and the unsolved Mullendore Murder - Dale R. Lewis

I loved this book! It was a great look at another crime in northeastern Oklahoma and a great local read companion to "Killers of the Flower Moon."
This is truly the story of Chub Anderson, outlaw and roughneck, and his wild life. The whole book centers around the E.C. Mulledore III's murder in 1970. However, there is so much more to Chub's life and your drawn into this wild ride of guns, drugs, hiding from the cops, and eventually Chub's last days.
Recommend for true crime buffs and Oklahoma history readers.

true-crime oklahoma 2017-reads

October into November

6:30 pm 2 November 2017

After not reading anything in July and August, then a small amount of books in September, October was definitely my friend. Between working on a children's reading list and the Dewey Readathon I was able get 10 books read!

7 kids books, a short story collection, and two adult books! October also saw me meeting my Goodreads yearly challenge of 25 books.

I've got a full month of reads for November and what doesn't get finished will get pushed to December as I've just got light Christmas reads scheduled. The last four books on the graphic is things coming out in November and/or things I'm waiting on the library to physically attain.

I should be done with "Footprints in the Dew" in the next couple of days. Then I'm delving into "The Black Hand" and my next batch of kids books. Here's my list for November TBR:

november October 2017 monthly wrapup

Readathon Update

8:03 pm 21 October 2017

So I ended up napping this afternoon. Usually this would be a problem as I won't sleep tonight. However, with the readathon ongoing I'll just stay up and read ;)

Starting a small book and once that's finished, I'll cook dinner and read on a kids book. I've prioritized my batch for this evening. I have 4 kids books that I would like to get read tonight. Plus I've got two short story collections that I would love to finish. We'll see what I get finished tonight!

Reading progress update: I've read 200 out of 384 pages.

11:23 am 21 October 2017

I usually love this series and this author...but man, this one is dragging!

Going to take a break and check out the readathon hashtag before delving back in to this one.

9:50 pm 20 October 2017

Gonna be indulging in #DeweysReadathon tomorrow!

This is my TBR stack and some potential switches (those that are standing up).

Killers of the Flower Moon

6:00 pm 10 October 2017

This has been the hot book of Tulsa this summer. Probably the most butchered title also. As a librarian, I have gotten really good at figuring out that our customers wanted this book when they ask for "Flower Killers," "Moon Flowers," or "Flower Killer Moon."

"Killers of the Flower Moon" is the story of Osage Indians being murdered for mineral rights or headrights in Oklahoma. However, the story is deeper and darker then that. It's about white man's greed, systematic injustice towards the Osage, and the lack of justice. It's also about the beginning of the FBI and how Hoover parlayed the agents' case into a national spotlight on the burgeoning FBI.

This was right in my wheelhouse as it was a great combination of true crime and history. Add to that description it happened not far from where I currently live and it definitely felt like history was close enough to touch.

Recommended if you enjoy true crime, history...I would recommend this to anyone. Toss it in their hand and say, "You must read this. We must do better than our history."

Under the March Sun: The Story of Spring Training

6:00 pm 13 April 2017

I think I've learned more about baseball business deals than I ever wanted to know!
Lots of numbers, lots of moves by teams...and yet, I found the book intriguing. I had never thought of how spring training started. Or how African American players were treated in the south once Jackie Robinson had integrated baseball.

Recommended for baseball fans.

1984

6:00 pm 12 November 2016

I finally got "1984" finished. I had started this last year and spent the summer ignoring this one. Turns out that last summer was the calm before the storm and was probably not the best time to be reading anything. Which explains why I've become so hooked on fan fiction.

One of the best quotes from this book:

We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a Revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power.

Kinda chilling considering the current political climate.

Why did I read 1984? It is on the Amazon 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime list. Also, considered a classic and something that I needed to read at least once in my lifetime.

Full blog post here: http://skullcoffee.blogspot.com/

Career of Evil

6:00 pm 16 March 2016

Not the best book when you're going though a big life change as it has taken me two months to read this while packing, making lists, and making decisions. However, Galbraith has written another intriguing Strike and Robin book that took my attention away from my problems.

Five quick thoughts:

1. Matthew, Robin's fiancee, is kinda loathsome. In fact, I don't see how this is going to last with them.

2. More background on both Robin and Strike. Which made this book feel even darker and violent. Definitely need something a bit light-hearted in the next installment.

3. Go ahead and load Blue Oyster Cult into your favorite music player. It's the background to the book.

4. Really glad Strike's relationship goes the way it did in this book. What is up with him and the women he date?

5. Read this series in order. You'll come to love these characters and get more out of this book.

The Little Snowplow

6:00 pm 15 March 2016

Read this at work after checking it in. The pictures were cute and reminded me somewhat of Thomas the Tank Engine and the Little Engine that Could. Great message of being prepared and you can accomplish anything.

Really want to get my nephew a copy of this!

Devil's Bridge (Alexandra Cooper)

6:00 pm 20 August 2015

5 Thoughts...

1. Stayed up till 5 am reading this book!
2. Loved Chapman view in this book.
3. Actually knew about the Little Red Lighthouse. Great kids book! Also, will totally take a trip to NYC when the Little Red Lighthouse is open!
4. Mike may not be upper crust but he has the brains for any neighborhood.
5. I'm excited for the next installment-seems Fairstein has regained her mojo.

Someone Cry for the Children: The Unsolved Oklahoma Girl Scout Murders and the Case of Gene Leroy Hart

6:00 pm 8 August 2015

5 Thoughts...

1. It takes nearly 2/3 of the book just to capture Hart!
2. Interesting intersection of Native beliefs and white men.
3. It's August in Tulsa. Today's heat index was 106. I can't imagine hiking through the woods looking for Hart in the summer in Oklahoma. In fact, I couldn't go hiking today. The cops that did go looking are amazing.
4. Man, this book is dark, haunting, and sad.
5. This is in the top 4 must read true crime books.
(In Cold Blood, Stranger Beside Me, Helter Skelter make up the rest of that list.)

Journal of an American Prisoner at Fort Malden and Quebec in the War of 1812

6:00 pm 20 July 2015

How boring it is to be a POW

3 Quick thoughts:

1. Historians and genealogists will get more out of this than the average reader.
2. Full of primitive spelling and lots of waiting.
3. Quick read. Make sure to read the footnotes as you go!

Signature Kill: A Novel (Frank Behr)

6:00 pm 11 July 2015

5 Thoughts:

1. Book 1 in this series is good, book 2and 3 I struggled with, but this one is fantastic.
2. Love the setting-Indianapolis-and the main character who manages to piss off everyone in his life.
3. If this ever comes to the screen; The Rock should be Frank Behr.
4. The ending, the last 30 pages are a killer. I need answers and book 5 ASAP!
5. I really really like Mistretta. More of her please!

The Stolen Ones

6:00 pm 5 July 2015

5 Ideas on this book...

1. Solid but not as breathtaking as earlier books in series.
2. Continues the theme of issues that affect society-this time around sex trafficking.
3. Windmere and Stevens are one of my fave crime fighting duos and this is a great series to try.
4. Great summer book-especially since Stevens gets pulled off of his vacation.
5. Minor quibble-there's too many one page chapters in this book!