Killing Kennedy by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard

I know I know. This blog has been inactive for the last few weeks. While I could make excuses like I was in Las Vegas or that I've been coaching basketball, the truth is I haven't been reading as much. I finished Killing Kennedy on the Vegas plane ride. A co-worker recommended it for me and it turned out it was right up my alley.

The book chronicles JFK's presidency and assassination. If you remember, I read a too-thorough JFK book a year ago that I didn't end up finishing. Killing Kennedy was more to the point and told a story. There were a bunch of random facts, such as JFK's friendships with stars like Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe. Or the more unnecessary details of JFK's womanizing. Shocking to hear but no one has ever made a stink about it.

There are many reasons while I liked the book. I love true stories. Recent history is interesting. The story was told in a way that made you want to keep turning the pages even though you knew the ending. I did like the background info on certain people and situations as I was a naive on some of that.

One thing I would have liked the book to do more is delve into some of the conspiracy theories. I'm not big on conspiracy theories, but I'm pretty sure there are some out there that have some substance to them. Killing Kennedy hones in on Lee Harvey Oswald and doesn't give more than a paragraph that conspiracies exist.

Also, books with two authors...who actually wrote the book? Like is Bill O'Reilly just using his name to sell copies? It's always one famous person and one true author. Always wondered about that.

My rating for Killing Kennedy: 4 stars out of 5. Get it here!

Weapons of Mass Instruction by John Taylor Gatto

I'm trying to read all the books that somehow ended up on my wish list on Amazon. Some of them have been on there over a year. Frankly I'm not sure how others, like Weapons of Mass Instruction, ended up on there. But I decided to give it a shot.

John Taylor Gatto taught for nearly 30 years in New York City. He was named teacher of the year late in his career, and then quit because he had finally had enough of the school system. He has some radical takes on schooling. His main point his schools do not truly educate students. He spends the entire book trying to support this notion.

While I think some parts of his argument are right (and some parts are out there), I don't think he offers a real solution. The two biggest takeaways were to have students write on their tests "I would prefer not to take your test" or get home schooled. Not sure that is the answer. He says, "You either write your own script, or you become an actor in somebody else's script". Well, if everyone wrote their own script, there would only be monologues.

I will say that the book is filled with a lot of interesting facts. I actually used post it tabs to bookmark a few spots. And he was an English teacher, so the vocabulary is top notch and the grammar is spot on. I think it's good to read books you may not completely agree with. It is good to expand your knowledge on certain topics. Education is one of those topics considering its impact on life and society.

My rating for Weapons of Mass Instruction: 2 stars out of 5. Get it here.

Year in Review: 2012

A lot happened in 2012. But not much has changed. Still working at the same place, still living at home, still coaching, still hanging out with the same guys at the same places, still single. I made it out to Wichita, Mount Washington, Chicago, Bloomington, and Louisville. Plus the local places like Philly, Boston, Saratoga, and Rhode Island. And I got a Jeep. Enough personal stuff though. Onto books and blogging...

This year I finished 34 books, compared to 23 books last year. Considering I only read for 6 months last year and I set a goal of 50 books this year, it's a slight disappointment. I also attempted to read 5 books but couldn't stand to finish them...most of them ended up in the junk box. In addition to books, I reviewed 3 movies and 1 CD. Add in a mid-year review, a book battle, a Nook experience, and a few others, and I wrote 44 blog posts this year (including this one)!

Evaluation of Last Year's Priorities:
No spoilers - There weren't any, right?
Consistency - Wheels fell off these past few months. Whoops.
Focus - Read more of what I want to read.
More previews - Eh, I tried to mention when a book recently came out.
Mobile - Does anyone view the blog on their phone?

Top 5 Books of 2012:
The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom
Fooling Houdini by Alex Stone
Breaking Night by Liz Murray
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand

Honorable Mention:
A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard
No Easy Day by Mark Owen
Born to Run by Chistopher McDougall
Personal Foul by Tim Donaghy

Things to look forward to in 2013:
1) Celebrate 100 posts (currently at 68) and 100 books read (currently at 57)
2) Nick's Library's 2nd birthday
3) Meet 2 authors in 2013
4) A new rating system. I said this in July, but I mean it; I want something new
5) Favorite books of all time? Favorite authors?
6) E-reader reviews (Santa got me an e-reader)

Lastly, as with every "Year in Review", I want to tell you about my Christmas giveaway. Each year, I give away books I previously read to friends who would enjoy them. I spend hours matching up each friend with a book, wrapping, and delivering each book either in person or by mail. This year I set a personal record by giving away 18 books! I was happy to hear many friends who received a book last year were looking forward to receiving one this time around. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

P.S. I'm trying to take a count of how many followers I have. Click the "thumbs up" box below if you're visiting! Thanks!!