Charlie's bookshelf: all en-US Tue, 06 Dec 2022 17:38:16 -0800 60 Charlie's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[Love, Clancy: Diary of a Good Dog]]> 60784493
You’ve probably never met someone like Clancy. He’s keeping a diary, he’s falling in love, there are rivals for his affections, he lives with his best friend and his worst enemy � even taken together, these factors are maybe not that unusual, except that Clancy is a dog. His point of view is therefore perhaps…different.

Told in Cameron’s signature style, a tremendous cast of wonderful characters find themselves jointly and separately navigating the challenges of life, of love, and…other pets, including Clancy's “worst enemy� - one very disdainful cat. It’s a lot to keep track of, especially when things start to spin hilariously out of control, but fortunately, we’ve got the observations of Clancy, a very good dog, who shares a valuable perspective on what is really important.

FROM
THE DOG'S PURPOSE
A Dog's Purpose / A Dog's Journey / A Dog's Promise

THE DOG'S WAY HOME
A Dog's Way Home / A Dog's Courage

OTHER TITLES FROM
Love, Diary of a Good Dog
A Dog's Perfect Christmas
The Dogs of Christmas
The Dog Master
Emory's Gift

THE RUDDY MCCAN
The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man / Repo Madness / The Midnight Dog of the Repo Man


FROM
THE PUPPY TALE
Ellie's Story / Bailey's Story / Molly's Story / Max's Story / Lily's Story / Shelby's Story / Toby's Story / Bella's Story / Cooper's Story / Lacey's Story

THE LILY TO THE RESCUE
Lily to the Rescue / Lily to the Two Little Piggies / Lily to the The Not-So-Stinky Skunk / Lily to the Dog Dog Goose / Lily to the Lost Little Leopard / Lily to the The Misfit Donkey / Lily to the Foxes in a Fix / Lily to the The Three Bears]]> 336 W. Bruce Cameron 1250163544 Charlie 5 3.58 Love, Clancy: Diary of a Good Dog
author: W. Bruce Cameron
name: Charlie
average rating: 3.58
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/12/06
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Dog's Promise (A Dog's Purpose, #3)]]> 43263220 A Dog's Promise continues the story of Bailey, the good dog whose journey started in A Dog's Purpose and continued in A Dog's Journey (both major motion pictures). This time, Bailey is joined by Lacey, another very special dog, who helps Bailey fulfill his promise over the course of several lives.

This charming, wise canine soul brings joy, laughter, and comfort as he unites a family fractured by life's inevitable obstacles. The love and loyalty of these two memorable dogs shows us the incredible power of hope, truth, and unending devotion in this moving novel by award-winning author W. Bruce Cameron.]]> 384 W. Bruce Cameron 125016351X Charlie 5 4.26 2019 A Dog's Promise (A Dog's Purpose, #3)
author: W. Bruce Cameron
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2019/10/21
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Dog's Purpose (A Dog's Purpose, #1)]]> 9862267 A Dog s Purpose which spent a year on the New York Times Best Seller list is heading to the big screen! Based on the beloved bestselling novel by W. Bruce Cameron, A Dog s Purpose, from director Lasse Hallstrom (The Cider House Rules, Dear John, The 100-Foot Journey), shares the soulful and surprising story of one devoted dog (voiced by Josh Gad) who finds the meaning of his own existence through the lives of the humans he teaches to laugh and love. The family film told from the dog s perspective also stars Britt Robertson, KJ Apa, John Ortiz, Peggy Lipton, Juliet Rylance, Luke Kirby, Pooch Hall and Dennis Quaid. A Dog s Purpose is produced by Gavin Polone (Zombieland, TV s Gilmore Girls). The film from Amblin Entertainment and Walden Media will be distributed by Universal Pictures.

Heartwarming, insightful, and often laugh-out-loud funny, A Dog's Purpose is not only the emotional and hilarious story of a dog's many lives, but also a dog's-eye commentary on human relationships and the unbreakable bonds between man and man's best friend. This moving and beautifully crafted story teaches us that love never dies, that our true friends are always with us, and that every creature on earth is born with a purpose.

Bailey's story continues in A Dog's Journey, the charming New York Times and USA Today bestselling direct sequel to A Dog's Purpose.

A Dog's Purpose Series
#1 A Dog s Purpose
#2 A Dog s Journey

Other A Dog's Purpose Books
Ellie's Story: A Dog s Purpose Novel
Bailey s Story: A Dog s Purpose Novel
Molly's Story: A Dog's Purpose Novel (forthcoming)
The Rudy McCann Series
The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man
Repo Madness

Other Books
A Dog's Way Home (forthcoming)
The Dog Master
The Dogs of Christmas
Emory s Gift

"]]> 333 W. Bruce Cameron Charlie 5 4.42 2010 A Dog's Purpose (A Dog's Purpose, #1)
author: W. Bruce Cameron
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2010
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2016/12/17
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Dog Master: A Novel of the First Dog]]> 22238176 Set against the most dramatic time in our species' history, The Dog Master tells the story of one tribe's struggle for survival and one extraordinary man's bond with a wolf--a friendship that changed mankind forever

Thirty thousand years ago, ice was storming the planet. Among the species forced out of the trees and onto the steppes by the advancing cold was modern man, who was both predator and prey.

No stranger to the experiences that make us human--a mother's love and a father's betrayal, tribal war and increasing famine, political intrigue and forbidden love, joy and hope and devastating loss--our ancestors competed for scant resources in a brutal landscape.

Mankind stood on the cold brink of extinction...but they had a unique advantage over other species, a new technology--domesticated wolves.

Only a set of extraordinary circumstances could have transformed one of these fierce creatures into a hunting companion, a bodyguard, a soldier, and a friend. The Dog Master by W. Bruce Cameron is an evocative glimpse of prehistory, an emotional coming-of-age saga, a thrilling tale of survival against all odds, and the exciting, imaginative story of the first dog.]]> 416 W. Bruce Cameron 0765374633 Charlie 5 to-read
I'll be totally honest, I just love this author. W. Bruce Cameron is the guy who wrote "A Dog's Purpose" (one of my all-time favorites) and he's just a wonderful author. Fans of his will tell you, he does a lot to make sure that his books help animal rescue and he really stays in touch with his readers, so I bought this book to support his work. What I mean is, I had great reasons to BUY this book, but I rated it 5 stars because it really is that good.

I tried to be objective here, because comparing a novel like this one to a story like "A Dog's Purpose" is hard to do, but this is really a superb, gripping story that will keep you turning the pages. There are moments that are fun and sweet, like his other novels, but at the core this is a real, visceral human story. The setting is historical, the story is timeless, and the emotions are as primal as you can get. This book is a boon to the genre of historical fiction.

W. Bruce Cameron is a master storyteller, and this might just be his masterpiece. There's not much else to say!

If you like what he writes, or if you like this type of book, you'll be very satisfied. Since this is a very early review I hope I can convince some skeptics to give it a chance. Like his other work, you only need to read the first page or two and you won't be able to walk out of the bookstore without it. ]]> 4.12 2015 The Dog Master: A Novel of the First Dog
author: W. Bruce Cameron
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2015/08/04
date added: 2015/08/04
shelves: to-read
review:
Bought it because I love the author, Loved it because the book is amazing.

I'll be totally honest, I just love this author. W. Bruce Cameron is the guy who wrote "A Dog's Purpose" (one of my all-time favorites) and he's just a wonderful author. Fans of his will tell you, he does a lot to make sure that his books help animal rescue and he really stays in touch with his readers, so I bought this book to support his work. What I mean is, I had great reasons to BUY this book, but I rated it 5 stars because it really is that good.

I tried to be objective here, because comparing a novel like this one to a story like "A Dog's Purpose" is hard to do, but this is really a superb, gripping story that will keep you turning the pages. There are moments that are fun and sweet, like his other novels, but at the core this is a real, visceral human story. The setting is historical, the story is timeless, and the emotions are as primal as you can get. This book is a boon to the genre of historical fiction.

W. Bruce Cameron is a master storyteller, and this might just be his masterpiece. There's not much else to say!

If you like what he writes, or if you like this type of book, you'll be very satisfied. Since this is a very early review I hope I can convince some skeptics to give it a chance. Like his other work, you only need to read the first page or two and you won't be able to walk out of the bookstore without it.
]]> Nocturnal 12099550 Infected and Contagious � rebooted the biotech thriller in Ancestor …now, in his most ambitious, sweeping novel to date, he works his magic on the paranormal thriller, taking us inside a terrifying underworld of subterranean predators that only his twisted mind could invent.

Homicide detective Bryan Clauser is losing his mind. How else to explain the dreams he keeps having—dreams that mirror, with impossible accuracy, the gruesome serial murders taking place all over San Francisco? How else to explain the feelings these dreams provoke in him—not disgust, not horror, but excitement?Ěý

As Bryan and his longtime partner, Lawrence “Pookieâ€� Chang, investigate the murders, they learn that things are even stranger than they at first seem. For the victims are all enemies of a seemingly ordinary young boy—a boy who is gripped by the same dreams that haunt Bryan.Ěý Meanwhile, a shadowy vigilante, seemingly armed with superhuman powers, is out there killing the killers.Ěý And Bryan and Pookie’s superiors—from the mayor on down—seem strangely eager to keep the detectives from discovering the truth.

Doubting his own sanity and stripped of his badge, Bryan begins to suspect that he’s stumbled into the crosshairs of a shadow war that has gripped his city for more than a century—a war waged by a race of killers living in San Francisco’s unknown, underground ruins, emerging at night to feed on those who will not be missed.

And as Bryan learns the truth about his own intimate connections to the killings, he discovers that those who matter most to him are in mortal danger…and that he may be the only man gifted—or cursed—with the power to do battle with the nocturnals.

Featuring a dazzlingly plotted mystery and a terrifying descent into a nightmarish underworld—along with some of the most incredible action scenes ever put to paper, and an explosive, gut-wrenching conclusion you won’t soon forgetâ€�Nocturnal is the most spectacular outing to date from one of the genre’s brightest stars.ĚýĚý]]> 566 Scott Sigler 0307406342 Charlie 4
Pick this up if you're ready for a dark, ambitious thriller and ONLY if you're ready to be taken for a ride! This book moves pretty quickly, and I spent the first few chapters trying to find the story's "center," not really sure who the protagonist was, or where things were headed.

Sigler keeps pace after that. Things build slowly but the story gets bigger and bigger until the final, climactic chapters. I'm reserving that fifth star because of some cheesy, rushed moments but I have to admit this really was a blast to read.

If you liked his other stuff, go for it! You won't be disappointed. ]]> 4.04 2007 Nocturnal
author: Scott Sigler
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 2015/04/28
date added: 2015/05/06
shelves:
review:
At this point, I've read everything by Scott Sigler except for "Ancestor," this was one of my favorites!

Pick this up if you're ready for a dark, ambitious thriller and ONLY if you're ready to be taken for a ride! This book moves pretty quickly, and I spent the first few chapters trying to find the story's "center," not really sure who the protagonist was, or where things were headed.

Sigler keeps pace after that. Things build slowly but the story gets bigger and bigger until the final, climactic chapters. I'm reserving that fifth star because of some cheesy, rushed moments but I have to admit this really was a blast to read.

If you liked his other stuff, go for it! You won't be disappointed.
]]> One Good Dog 6928893 your sister called. What no one knows is that Adam’s sister has been missing for decades. That she represents the excruciatingly painful past he has left behind. And that her absence has secretly tormented him all these years. When his assistant brushes off his request for an explanation in favor of her more pressing personal call, Adam loses it. And all hell breaks loose.

Adam is escorted from the building. He loses his job. He loses his wife. He loses the life he’s worked so hard to achieve. He doesn’t believe it is possible to sink any lower when he is assigned to work in a soup kitchen as a form of community service. But unbeknownst to Adam, this is where his life will intersect with Chance.
Chance is a mixed breed Pit Bull. He’s been born and raised to fight and seldom leaves the dirty basement where he is kept between fights. But Chance is not a victim or a monster. It is Chance’s unique spirit that helps him escape and puts him in the path of Adam.

What transpires is the story of one man, one dog, and how they save each other—in ways they never could have expected.

]]> 310 Susan Wilson 0312571259 Charlie 0 to-read 4.05 2010 One Good Dog
author: Susan Wilson
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/04/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Killing Floor (Jack Reacher #1)]]> 78129 474 Lee Child 0515141429 Charlie 5 4.08 1997 Killing Floor (Jack Reacher #1)
author: Lee Child
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.08
book published: 1997
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2015/04/18
shelves:
review:

]]> The Dogs of Christmas 17332247
While nursing a broken heart, Josh Michaels is outraged when a neighbor abandons his very pregnant dog, Lucy, at Josh's Colorado home. But Josh can't resist Lucy's soulful brown eyes, and though he's never had a dog before, he's determined to do the best he can for Lucy―and her soon-to-arrive, bound-to-be-adorable puppies.

Soon in over his head, Josh calls the local animal shelter for help, and meets Kerri, a beautiful woman with a quick wit and a fierce love for animals. As Kerri teaches Josh how to care for Lucy's tiny puppies and gets them ready to be adopted through the shelter's "Dogs of Christmas" program, Josh surprises himself by falling for her.

But he's fallen even harder for his new furry family, which has brought incredible joy into Josh's life. He barely has time to sit down, between chasing after adventurous Sophie and brave Oliver, but when he does, his lap is quickly filled by the affectionate Lola. And Rufus and Cody's strong bond makes Josh wonder about his own relationships with his family.

With Christmas and the adoption date looming, Josh finds himself wondering if he can separate himself from his beloved puppies. At odds with Kerri, Josh isn't willing to lose her, but doesn't know how to set things right. Can a surprise litter of Christmas puppies really change one man's life?

W. Bruce Cameron's The Dogs of Christmas is a charming and heartwarming holiday tale that explores the power of love, trust, and a basket full of puppies.

A Dog's Purpose Series
#1 A Dog’s Purpose
#2 A Dog’s Journey
#3 A Dog's Promise

Books for Young Readers
Ellie's A Dog’s Purpose Puppy Tale
Bailey’s A Dog’s Purpose Puppy Tale
Molly's A Dog's Purpose Puppy Tale
Max's A Dog’s Purpose Puppy Tale
Toby's A Dog's Purpose Puppy Tale
Shelby's A Dog's Way Home Novel

The Rudy McCann Series
The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man
Repo Madness

Other Novels
A Dog's Way Home
The Dog Master
The Dogs of Christmas
Emory’s Gift]]> 233 W. Bruce Cameron 0765330555 Charlie 5 4.02 2013 The Dogs of Christmas
author: W. Bruce Cameron
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2015/04/16
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Dog's Journey (A Dog's Purpose, #2)]]> 13167796 The direct sequel to the New York Times and USA Today bestselling A Dog's Purpose.

Buddy is a good dog.

After searching for his purpose through several eventful lives, Buddy is sure that he has found and fulfilled it. Yet as he watches curious baby Clarity get into dangerous mischief, he is certain that this little girl is very much in need of a dog of her own.

When Buddy is reborn, he realizes that he has a new destiny. He's overjoyed when he is adopted by Clarity, now a vibrant but troubled teenager. When they are suddenly separated, Buddy despairs―who will take care of his girl?

A charming and heartwarming story of hope, love, and unending devotion, A Dog's Journey asks the question: Do we really take care of our pets, or do they take care of us? More than just another endearing dog tale, A Dog's Journey is the moving story of unwavering loyalty and a love that crosses all barriers.]]> 336 W. Bruce Cameron 0765330539 Charlie 5 4.38 2012 A Dog's Journey (A Dog's Purpose, #2)
author: W. Bruce Cameron
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2015/04/16
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right]]> 6667514 The New York Times bestselling author of Better and Complications reveals the surprising power of the ordinary checklist

We live in a world of great and increasing complexity, where even the most expert professionals struggle to master the tasks they face. Longer training, ever more advanced technologies—neither seems to prevent grievous errors. But in a hopeful turn, acclaimed surgeon and writer Atul Gawande finds a remedy in the humblest and simplest of techniques: the checklist. First introduced decades ago by the U.S. Air Force, checklists have enabled pilots to fly aircraft of mind-boggling sophistication. Now innovative checklists are being adopted in hospitals around the world, helping doctors and nurses respond to everything from flu epidemics to avalanches. Even in the immensely complex world of surgery, a simple ninety-second variant has cut the rate of fatalities by more than a third.

In riveting stories, Gawande takes us from Austria, where an emergency checklist saved a drowning victim who had spent half an hour underwater, to Michigan, where a cleanliness checklist in intensive care units virtually eliminated a type of deadly hospital infection. He explains how checklists actually work to prompt striking and immediate improvements. And he follows the checklist revolution into fields well beyond medicine, from disaster response to investment banking, skyscraper construction, and businesses of all kinds.

An intellectual adventure in which lives are lost and saved and one simple idea makes a tremendous difference, The Checklist Manifesto is essential reading for anyone working to get things right.]]> 208 Atul Gawande 0805091742 Charlie 0 4.00 2009 The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right
author: Atul Gawande
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/04/16
shelves:
review:

]]> Agent 6 (Leo Demidov, #3) 8501590 Child 44, and one of the most critically-acclaimed new writers of our time—returns with a thrilling and provocative new novel: Agent 6.

How far would you go to solve a crime against your family?

It is 1965. Leo Demidov, a former secret police agent, is forbidden to travel with his wife and daughters from Moscow to New York. They are part of a "Peace Tour," meant to foster closer relations between the two Cold War enemies. On the tour, Leo's family is caught up in a conspiracy and betrayal that ends in tragedy. In the horrible aftermath, Leo demands one thing: that he be allowed to investigate and find the attacker that struck at the heart of his family on foreign soil. From the highest levels of the Soviet government, he is told No, that is impossible. Leo is haunted by the question: what happened in New York?

In a surprising, epic story that spans decades and continents—from 1950s Moscow to 1960s America to the Soviet war in Afghanistan in the 1980s—Leo's long pursuit of justice will force him to confront everything he ever thought he knew about his country, his family, and himself.]]> 469 Tom Rob Smith 0446550760 Charlie 0 3.77 2011 Agent 6 (Leo Demidov, #3)
author: Tom Rob Smith
name: Charlie
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/04/16
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Secret Speech (Leo Demidov, #2)]]> 6045456 Former state security officer Leo Demidov is struggling to change as the Soviet Union changes around him. The two young girls he adopted have yet to forgive him for his part in the death of their parents, and they are not alone; now that the truth is out, Leo and his family are in grave danger from someone consumed by the dark legacy of Leo's past.

Tom Rob Smith - the author whose debut, Child 44, has been called "brilliant" (Chicago Tribune), "remarkable" (Newsweek) and "sensational" (Entertainment Weekly) - returns with an intense, suspenseful new novel: a story where the sins of the past threaten to destroy the present, where families must overcome unimaginable obstacles to save their loved ones, and where hope for a better tomorrow is found in the most unlikely of circumstances . . .
The Secret Speech

Soviet Union, 1956. Stalin is dead, and a violent regime is beginning to fracture-leaving behind a society where the police are the criminals, and the criminals are innocent. A secret speech composed by Stalin's successor Khrushchev is distributed to the entire nation. Its message: Stalin was a tyrant. Its promise: The Soviet Union will change.

Facing his own personal turmoil, former state security officer Leo Demidov is also struggling to change. The two young girls he and his wife Raisa adopted have yet to forgive him for his part in the death of their parents. They are not alone. Now that the truth is out, Leo, Raisa, and their family are in grave danger from someone consumed by the dark legacy of Leo's past career. Someone transformed beyond recognition into the perfect model of vengeance.

From the streets of Moscow in the throes of political upheaval, to the Siberian gulags, and to the center of the Hungarian uprising in Budapest, The Secret Speech is a breathtaking, epic novel that confirms Tom Rob Smith as one of the most exciting new authors writing today.]]> 416 Tom Rob Smith 0446402400 Charlie 0 3.78 2009 The Secret Speech (Leo Demidov, #2)
author: Tom Rob Smith
name: Charlie
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/04/16
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man (Ruddy McCann #1)]]> 20518822 “The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man introduces my favorite kind of flawed cynical protagonist in Ruddy McCann, former football star, now Repo Man in a small town full of memorable weirdos. It's suspenseful, action-packed, romantic, and above all, truly funny.Ěý I loved it.”—Nelson DeMille, New York Times bestselling author

Ruddy McCann, former college football star, has experienced a seismic drop in popularity; he is now Kalkaska, Michigan’sĚýfull-time repo man and part-time bar bouncer. His best friend is his low-energy Basset hound Jake, with whom he shares a simple life of stealing cars.

Simple, that is, until Ruddy starts hearing a voice in his head.

The voice introduces himself as Alan Lottner, a dead realtor. Ruddy isn’t sure if Alan is real, or if he’s losing his mind. To complicate matters, it turns out Katie, the girl he’s fallen for, is Alan’s daughter.

When Alan demands Ruddy find his murderers, Ruddy decides a voice in your head seeking vengeance is best ignored.Ěý When Alan also demands he clean up his act, and apartment, Ruddy tells him to back off, but where can a voice in your head go?

With a sweet romance, a murder mystery, a lazy but loyal dog and a town full of cabin-fevered characters you can’t help but love, New York Times bestselling novelist W. Bruce Cameron’s The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man is yet another laugh-out-loud, keep-you-up-late, irresistible read.Ěý]]> 336 W. Bruce Cameron 0765377489 Charlie 5
I truly hope there are more Ruddy McCann books in the works because this series could easily become a new addiction. This is a page-turning thriller with excitement, laughter and plot twists that will keep you guessing through every satisfying moment. As with all of W. Bruce Cameron's novels, the characters are funny, sincere and purely entertaining. As a huge fan of "A Dog's Purpose" I was really glad to see there was a four-legged best friend in this one, but I have to admit it was really fun to see this author in full sprint in a totally different creative direction. You would think this was one of many thrillers he has written, because he so naturally adapted his beautiful, playful prose to the genre.

W. Bruce Cameron is proving himself to be a master storyteller. Whether or not you've read any of his other work this is a fantastic book; one that belongs on the shelf of any serious reader right alongside your collection of Lee Child, Nelson DeMille and Lawrence Block.

This one hasn't even hit stores yet and I'm already eager for the next one!

]]> 4.00 2014 The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man (Ruddy McCann #1)
author: W. Bruce Cameron
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2014/09/08
date added: 2014/09/08
shelves:
review:
I was lucky enough to get an advance copy, have already read this one twice!

I truly hope there are more Ruddy McCann books in the works because this series could easily become a new addiction. This is a page-turning thriller with excitement, laughter and plot twists that will keep you guessing through every satisfying moment. As with all of W. Bruce Cameron's novels, the characters are funny, sincere and purely entertaining. As a huge fan of "A Dog's Purpose" I was really glad to see there was a four-legged best friend in this one, but I have to admit it was really fun to see this author in full sprint in a totally different creative direction. You would think this was one of many thrillers he has written, because he so naturally adapted his beautiful, playful prose to the genre.

W. Bruce Cameron is proving himself to be a master storyteller. Whether or not you've read any of his other work this is a fantastic book; one that belongs on the shelf of any serious reader right alongside your collection of Lee Child, Nelson DeMille and Lawrence Block.

This one hasn't even hit stores yet and I'm already eager for the next one!


]]> Emory's Gift 9756659 After 13-year-old Charlie Hall’s mother dies and his father retreats into the silence of grief, Charlie finds himself drifting lost and alone through the brutal halls of junior high school.

But Charlie Hall is not entirely friendless.Ěý In the woods behind his house, Charlie is saved from a mountain lion by a grizzly bear, thought to be extinct in northern Idaho.Ěý

And this very unusual bear will change Charlie’s life forever.

Deeply moving, and interwoven with hope and joy, Emory’s Gift is not only heartwarming and charming coming of age story, but also a page-turning insightful look at how faith, trust, and unconditional love can heal a broken family and bridge the gaps that divide us.

]]> 359 W. Bruce Cameron 0765327813 Charlie 5
Truthfully, my opinion may be somewhat biased because I have recently begun helping to administer a facebook fanpage for ADP, but I think it just goes to show how wonderful this book really is.

As for this book, it was an unexpected treasure. It hooks you from word one, immediately interesting, keeping your interest throughout and leaves you yearning for more. It is the type of book that you'll contemplate re-reading the moment you finish. Like his last one, this book is a joy to read, the characters are very real and easy to connect with, and by the end you'll feel the way you do after a long vacation; it is refreshing and moving, you'll laugh and cry and you'll return to your life with a new and wonderful perspective. It reminds me of the books that first got me hooked on reading as a young man. Novels like "Ender's Game" and "Catcher in the Rye" come to mind. It takes a book of exceptionally high quality and readability to get someone reading at that time of life, and this one is of that caliber, without a doubt. I wish I had a young person to buy it for! Do yourself a favor and buy two copies of "Emory's Gift." One to keep for yourself and one to give away, you won't regret it.]]> 4.01 2011 Emory's Gift
author: W. Bruce Cameron
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2011/08/31
date added: 2011/09/11
shelves:
review:
This book is absolutely fantastic! I was a huge fan of "A Dog's Purpose," written by the same author, and I can say without reservation that this one is every bit as satisfying. I am always nervous when an author I like decides to go in a different direction like this, but "Emory's Gift" is proof in my eyes that this author has more stories to tell. Personally, I'll be reading W. Bruce Cameron novels as long as he writes them.

Truthfully, my opinion may be somewhat biased because I have recently begun helping to administer a facebook fanpage for ADP, but I think it just goes to show how wonderful this book really is.

As for this book, it was an unexpected treasure. It hooks you from word one, immediately interesting, keeping your interest throughout and leaves you yearning for more. It is the type of book that you'll contemplate re-reading the moment you finish. Like his last one, this book is a joy to read, the characters are very real and easy to connect with, and by the end you'll feel the way you do after a long vacation; it is refreshing and moving, you'll laugh and cry and you'll return to your life with a new and wonderful perspective. It reminds me of the books that first got me hooked on reading as a young man. Novels like "Ender's Game" and "Catcher in the Rye" come to mind. It takes a book of exceptionally high quality and readability to get someone reading at that time of life, and this one is of that caliber, without a doubt. I wish I had a young person to buy it for! Do yourself a favor and buy two copies of "Emory's Gift." One to keep for yourself and one to give away, you won't regret it.
]]> <![CDATA[The Andromeda Strain (Andromeda, #1)]]> 7670
Two years later, seventeen satellites are sent into the outer fringes of space to collect organisms and dust for study. One of them falls to earth, landing in a desolate area of Arizona.

Twelve miles from the landing site, in the town of Piedmont, a shocking discovery is made: the streets are littered with the dead bodies of the town's inhabitants, as if they dropped dead in their tracks.
--back cover]]> 327 Michael Crichton 0060541814 Charlie 0 currently-reading
I still haven't read this one, I keep getting caught up in Gawande and Connely]]> 3.92 1969 The Andromeda Strain (Andromeda, #1)
author: Michael Crichton
name: Charlie
average rating: 3.92
book published: 1969
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2011/05/04
shelves: currently-reading
review:
I love Crichton, I heard he wrote this one in Medical school, can't wait to read it!

I still haven't read this one, I keep getting caught up in Gawande and Connely
]]> <![CDATA[The Lincoln Lawyer (The Lincoln Lawyer, #1; Harry Bosch Universe, #16)]]> 79885
Haller is the Lincoln Lawyer, a criminal defense attorney who operates out of the back seat of his Lincoln Town Car. He travels between the far-flung courthouses of Los Angeles to defend clients of every kind. Bikers, con artists, drunk drivers, drug dealers � they’re all on Mickey Haller’s client list. For him, the law is rarely about guilt or innocence � it’s about negotiation and manipulation. Sometimes it’s even about justice.

A Beverly Hills playboy arrested for attacking a woman he picked up in a bar chooses Haller to defend him, and Mickey has his first high-paying client in years. It is a defense attorney’s dream, what they call a franchise case. And, as the evidence stacks up, Haller comes to believe this may be the easiest case of his career.

Then someone close to him is murdered and Haller discovers that his search for innocence has brought him face-to-face with evil as pure as a flame. To escape without being burned, he must deploy every tactic, feint, and instinct in his arsenal � this time to save his own life.]]> 404 Michael Connelly 0739465511 Charlie 5
A thriller that kept me engaged from start to finish, it does everything you want a good novel to do. It was provocative, enticing and very cool. Great characters and a writing style that really makes you feel like you're part of the action. Are the others in this series this good?

I don't feel like I need to see the movie now, the book was so good ]]> 4.15 2005 The Lincoln Lawyer (The Lincoln Lawyer, #1; Harry Bosch Universe, #16)
author: Michael Connelly
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2005
rating: 5
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date added: 2011/05/01
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I loved this one!

A thriller that kept me engaged from start to finish, it does everything you want a good novel to do. It was provocative, enticing and very cool. Great characters and a writing style that really makes you feel like you're part of the action. Are the others in this series this good?

I don't feel like I need to see the movie now, the book was so good
]]> Contagious (Infected, #2) 3605324
Across America, a mysterious pathogen transforms ordinary people into raging killers, psychopaths driven by a terrifying, alien agenda. The human race fights back, yet after every battle the disease responds, adapts, using sophisticated strategies and brilliant ruses to fool its pursuers. The only possible the epidemic is driven not by evolution but by some malevolent intelligence.

Standing against this unimaginable threat is a small group, assembled under the strictest secrecy. Their best weapon is hulking former football star Perry Dawsey, left psychologically shattered by his own struggles with this terrible enemy, who possesses an unexplainable ability to locate the disease’s hosts. Violent and unpredictable, Perry is both the nation’s best hope and a terrifying liability. Hardened CIA veteran Dew Phillips must somehow forge a connection with him if they’re going to stand a chance against this maddeningly adaptable opponent. Alongside them is Margaret Montoya, a brilliant epidemiologist who fights for a cure even as she reels under the weight of endless horrors.

These three and their team have kept humanity in the game, but that’s not good enough anymore, not when the disease turns contagious, triggering a fast countdown to Armageddon. Meanwhile, other enemies join the battle, and a new threat � one that comes from a most unexpected source � may ultimately prove the most dangerous of all.

Catapulting the reader into a world where humanity’s life span is measured in hours and the president’s finger hovers over the nuclear button, rising star Scott Sigler takes us on a breathtaking, hyper-adrenalized ride filled with terror and jaw-dropping action. Contagious is a truly grand work of suspense, science, and horror from a new master.]]> 438 Scott Sigler 0307406318 Charlie 4 4.13 2008 Contagious (Infected, #2)
author: Scott Sigler
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2008
rating: 4
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date added: 2011/03/21
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I loved this one! I bought it before I got to read "Infected" so I was a little confused before realizing this was a sequel. Can't wait to go out and read the first one, I think I'm developing a soft spot for these gun-toting thrillers.
]]> <![CDATA[Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex]]> 2082136 Mary Roach, "The funniest science writer in the country" (Burkhard Bilger of The New Yorker), devoted the past two years to stepping behind those doors. Can a person think herself to orgasm? Can a dead man get an erection? Is vaginal orgasm a myth? Why doesn't Viagra help women - or, for that matter, pandas? In Bonk, Roach shows us how and why sexual arousal and orgasm - two of the most complex, delightful, and amazing scientific phenomena on earth - can be so hard to achieve and what science is doing to slowly make the bedroom a more satisfying place.]]> 319 Mary Roach 0393064646 Charlie 3 3.83 2008 Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex
author: Mary Roach
name: Charlie
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2008
rating: 3
read at: 2011/03/05
date added: 2011/03/05
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So far I like it! Stiff was also great, made me run out and get this one.
]]> In Cold Blood 168642
As Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, he generates both mesmerizing suspense and astonishing empathy. In Cold Blood is a work that transcends its moment, yielding poignant insights into the nature of American violence.]]> 343 Truman Capote 0679745580 Charlie 4 4.08 1966 In Cold Blood
author: Truman Capote
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.08
book published: 1966
rating: 4
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date added: 2011/03/05
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]]> ’Salem’s Lot 11590 Librarian's Note: Alternate-cover edition for ISBN 0450031063

Thousands of miles away from the small township of 'Salem's Lot, two terrified people, a man and a boy, still share the secrets of those clapboard houses and tree-lined streets. They must return to 'Salem's Lot for a final confrontation with the unspeakable evil that lives on in the town.]]> 483 Stephen King 0450031063 Charlie 3 4.06 1975 ’Salem’s Lot
author: Stephen King
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.06
book published: 1975
rating: 3
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date added: 2011/03/05
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]]> How Doctors Think 185897 How Doctors Think offers direct, intelligent questions patients can ask their doctors to help them get back on track.

Groopman draws on a wealth of research, extensive interviews with some of the country’s best doctors, and his own experiences as a doctor and as a patient. He has learned many of the lessons in this book the hard way, from his own mistakes and from errors his doctors made in treating his own debilitating medical problems.

How Doctors Think reveals a profound new view of twenty-first-century medical practice, giving doctors and patients the vital information they need to make better judgments together.]]> 307 Jerome Groopman 0618610030 Charlie 3 3.92 2007 How Doctors Think
author: Jerome Groopman
name: Charlie
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2007
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2011/03/05
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]]> Piece of Cake 1321736 569 Derek Robinson 0394532929 Charlie 2 4.40 1983 Piece of Cake
author: Derek Robinson
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.40
book published: 1983
rating: 2
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date added: 2011/03/05
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]]> Already Dead (Joe Pitt, #1) 21277
There’s a shambler on the loose. Some fool who got himself infected with a flesh-eating bacteria is lurching around, trying to munch on folks� brains. Joe hates shamblers, but he’s still the one who has to deal with them. That’s just the kind of life he has. Except afterlife might be better word.

From the Battery to the Bronx, and from river to river, Manhattan is crawling with Vampyres. Joe is one of them, and he’s not happy about it. Yeah, he gets to be stronger and faster than you, and he’s tough as nails and hard to kill. But spending his nights trying to score a pint of blood to feed the Vyrus that’s eating at him isn’t his idea of a good time. And Joe doesn’t make it any easier on himself. Going his own way, refusing to ally with the Clans that run the undead underside of Manhattan–it ain’t easy. It’s worse once he gets mixed up with the Coalition–the city’s most powerful Clan–and finds himself searching for a poor little rich girl who’s gone missing in Alphabet City.

Now the Coalition and the girl’s high-society parents are breathing down his neck, anarchist Vampyres are pushing him around, and a crazy Vampyre cult is stalking him. No time to complain, though. Got to find that girl and kill that shambler before the whip comes down . . . and before the sun comes up.]]> 268 Charlie Huston 034547824X Charlie 4 3.84 2005 Already Dead (Joe Pitt, #1)
author: Charlie Huston
name: Charlie
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2005
rating: 4
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date added: 2011/03/05
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]]> <![CDATA[Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything]]> 1202
These may not sound like typical questions for an economist to ask. But Steven D. Levitt is not a typical economist. He is a much heralded scholar who studies the stuff and riddles of everyday life -- from cheating and crime to sports and child rearing -- and whose conclusions regularly turn the conventional wisdom on its head. He usually begins with a mountain of data and a simple, unasked question. Some of these questions concern life-and-death issues; others have an admittedly freakish quality. Thus the new field of study contained in this book: freakonomics.

Through forceful storytelling and wry insight, Levitt and co-author Stephen J. Dubner show that economics is, at root, the study of incentives -- how people get what they want, or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing. In Freakonomics, they set out to explore the hidden side of ... well, everything. The inner workings of a crack gang. The truth about real-estate agents. The myths of campaign finance. The telltale marks of a cheating schoolteacher. The secrets of the Ku Klux Klan.

What unites all these stories is a belief that the modern world, despite a surfeit of obfuscation, complication, and downright deceit, is not impenetrable, is not unknowable, and -- if the right questions are asked -- is even more intriguing than we think. All it takes is a new way of looking. Steven Levitt, through devilishly clever and clear-eyed thinking, shows how to see through all the clutter.

Freakonomics establishes this unconventional premise: If morality represents how we would like the world to work, then economics represents how it actually does work. It is true that readers of this book will be armed with enough riddles and stories to last a thousand cocktail parties. But Freakonomics can provide more than that. It will literally redefine the way we view the modern world.
(front flap)]]> 268 Steven D. Levitt 0061234001 Charlie 4 4.01 2005 Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
author: Steven D. Levitt
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2005
rating: 4
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date added: 2011/03/05
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]]> <![CDATA[A Dog's Purpose (A Dog's Purpose, #1)]]> 7723542
Surprised to find himself reborn as a rambunctious golden haired puppy after a tragically short life as a stray mutt, Bailey's search for his new life's meaning leads him into the loving arms of 8 year old Ethan. During their countless adventures Bailey joyously discovers how to be a good dog.

But this life as a beloved family pet is not the end of Bailey's journey. Reborn as a puppy yet again, Bailey wonders, will he ever find his purpose?

Heartwarming, insightful, and often laugh out loud funny, this book is not only the emotional and hilarious story of a dog's many lives, but also a dog's eye commentary on human relationships and the unbreakable bonds between man and man's best friend. This story teaches us that love never dies, that our true friends are always with us, and that every creature on earth is born with a purpose.]]> 319 W. Bruce Cameron 0765326264 Charlie 5 Incredible book! It grips you from page one and despite being very touching (I teared up) it is surprisingly funny.
I would recommend this book to anybody, dog lover or not. I can't wait for the movie! ]]> 4.34 2010 A Dog's Purpose (A Dog's Purpose, #1)
author: W. Bruce Cameron
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2010
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2011/02/10
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I absolutely loved this book! After I finished reading it I couldn't decide whether to loan it to somebody else so they could experience it or read it again. I decided to buy two more copies so I could read it again while I loaned it to my boss and my roommate. The author has a website where my rottweiler Maverick was almost voted dog of the week (we lost to a puppy, such is life). I found out that the book is going to be a Dreamworks movie (anyone know a release date?) and the author of the book has agreed to write the screenplay!
Incredible book! It grips you from page one and despite being very touching (I teared up) it is surprisingly funny.
I would recommend this book to anybody, dog lover or not. I can't wait for the movie!
]]> The Art of Racing in the Rain 3153910
Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through.

A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life ... as only a dog could tell it.]]> 336 Garth Stein 1554681723 Charlie 1 Nice try, but misses the mark for me.
]]> 4.22 2008 The Art of Racing in the Rain
author: Garth Stein
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2008
rating: 1
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date added: 2011/02/01
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This one was recommended to me after I read "A Dog's Purpose" by W. Bruce Cameron. I was really disappointed! A Dog's Purpose is a touching story about a dog with a very believable personality (reminded me of my dog). This one is just a little too heavy. It was sort of like reading siddartha, it is all about this one guy and for no reason at all it is told from the point of view of the dog (at least he tried). I dunno, I guess it was a let-down because I expected it to be a book told by a dog. What's the point of telling the story from the dog's perspective when the dog thinks just like a person?
Nice try, but misses the mark for me.

]]> Life of Pi 4214 460 Yann Martel 0770430074 Charlie 4 3.94 2001 Life of Pi
author: Yann Martel
name: Charlie
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2001
rating: 4
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date added: 2011/02/01
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]]> The Kite Runner 77203 371 Khaled Hosseini 159463193X Charlie 3 4.34 2003 The Kite Runner
author: Khaled Hosseini
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2003
rating: 3
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date added: 2011/02/01
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]]> <![CDATA[Ender’s Game (Ender's Saga, #1)]]> 375802
But Ender is not the only result of the experiment. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway almost as long. Ender's two older siblings, Peter and Valentine, are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. While Peter was too uncontrollably violent, Valentine very nearly lacks the capability for violence altogether. Neither was found suitable for the military's purpose. But they are driven by their jealousy of Ender, and by their inbred drive for power. Peter seeks to control the political process, to become a ruler. Valentine's abilities turn more toward the subtle control of the beliefs of commoner and elite alike, through powerfully convincing essays. Hiding their youth and identities behind the anonymity of the computer networks, these two begin working together to shape the destiny of Earth-an Earth that has no future at all if their brother Ender fails.]]> 324 Orson Scott Card 0812550706 Charlie 3 4.31 1985 Ender’s Game (Ender's Saga, #1)
author: Orson Scott Card
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.31
book published: 1985
rating: 3
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date added: 2011/02/01
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]]> Child 44 (Leo Demidov, #1) 2161733 509 Tom Rob Smith 0446402397 Charlie 4 4.10 2008 Child 44 (Leo Demidov, #1)
author: Tom Rob Smith
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2008
rating: 4
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date added: 2011/02/01
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]]> <![CDATA[Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance]]> 213233 Salon). Gawande's investigation into medical professionals and how they progress from merely good to great provides rare insight into the elements of success, illuminating every area of human endeavor.]]> 288 Atul Gawande 0805082115 Charlie 4 4.24 2007 Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance
author: Atul Gawande
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2007
rating: 4
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date added: 2011/02/01
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]]> <![CDATA[Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science]]> 4477 270 Atul Gawande 0312421702 Charlie 4 4.27 2002 Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science
author: Atul Gawande
name: Charlie
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2002
rating: 4
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date added: 2011/02/01
shelves:
review:

]]>