Library books

Library books I read.

Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli

Written by Mark Seal, this is the story of how The Godfather was made.  An entertaining read for sure.  

How to Invent Things

Years ago, I saw a t-shirt with every useful scientific discovery printed on it.  “If you’re trapped in the past, these are the things you need to know.”  I could never find it again, which always made me sad.  Then I discovered that the brilliant Ryan North took the premise and wrote a whole book on it.  He does it with his customary humor and intelligence, and I love how he makes learning such a fun experience.  

He also wrote “How to Take Over the World,” which I started but wasn’t in the mindset to finish.  I’m sure I’ll get back to it someday.

A Month in the Country

I picked this up on the recommendation of some rare book seller on Youtube.  I figure it was slim enough to be worth the time investment.  It tells the story of a WWI vet recovering from PTSD as he restores an old church mural in a tiny, idyllic town.  I liked the concept and plot, but there was something about the writing that didn’t work for me.  It was a little too dreamy and abstract, and J.L. Carr doesn’t explain things quite enough.  I was forced to make just a few more connections than I wanted to, fill in a few more blanks than I was comfortable with.