'The Tao of Bill Murray' by Gavin Edwards

The Tao of Bill Murray, Gavin Edwards (3.0)

This is an interesting little book for any big Bill Murray fan. The book consists of many stories (mostly told second hand) of Murray antics and encounters throughout the years.  They vary from how he has not had a manager for many years so one is required to call a 1-800 number to reach him and hope for the best, to the many occasions which he has wondered into an event or joined a party unannounced (much to delight of the hosts). Mr. Edwards has taken the time to validate numerous rumors of this legendary crazy behavior. The last section of the book is a filmography with descriptions and critiques of each of Mr. Murray’s films. I wrote at least 3 down that I either wanted to re-watch or happened to have missed.  I should note that the book does not appear to be sanctioned by Mr. Murray, but the stories are not so earth-shattering to be doubted.

'Maus' by Art Spieberger

Maus, Art Spieberger (3.5)

This is a graphic novel that tells the tragic tale of Mr. Spieberger’s parents’ experiences as Jews in Poland before and during WWII. He has made a unique artistic choice by making the Jews mice, the Polish people pigs and the Nazis cats. These affectations take a slight edge off an otherwise hard to read narrative. As his parents try to hide from the Nazis, they don fake pig noses to blend in with the other Polish people. The story begins as the son visits the father and begins to hear the detailed story of his survival. Spieberger has captured the frustration of parents and children from remarkably different times as, through the story, the son tries to understand why his father behaves the way he does. Graphic novels are not for everyone, but this one is memorable.

'Hidden Figures' by Margot Lee Shetterly

Hidden Figures, Margot Lee Shetterly (3.0)

After seeing the movie based on this book, I was surprised by several things in this non-fiction account of many people involved in the flight and space programs in Langley, VA. First, the book covers a larger period of history. It starts after WWII and finishes well past the moon landings of the late 60’s. I was also surprised by the number of people and experiences covered in the book that were basically attributed to the three main characters of the movie, though it understandably made for a more dramatic film. Lastly I was somewhat disappointed in a few things left out of the film, mainly the implication of Virginia’s blatant disregard for federal desegregation laws. Who knew that some counties in Virginia had closed their public schools for 5 years so that white children would not go to school with African American children! Which is even more shocking given the number of scientists and engineers working in Langley at the time. Overall the book had some interesting points and the subject is an important part of history. I liked the plot drivers in the movie, but reading the book pointed out typical Hollywood touches (flaws?) in the movie that were added to increase the drama and increase sympathy for the characters.

'Dark Matter' by Blake Crouch

Dark Matter, Blake Crouch (4.0)

It is hard to write this review, as I don’t want to ruin any of the surprises. I will say that while this book was advertised as Science-Fiction, it is not the space ship type Sci-Fi but fits into the Philip K. Dick (‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep) realm of Sci-Fi. Basically the plot surrounds our hero, who has been abducted in the first pages, as he fights his way to get home. Of course nothing is as simple as it seems. The hero was a budding physicist in college who was on the verge of a Quantum Mechanics breakthrough before marrying and settling into a quiet life. I take some issue with the science in parts of the book, but generally was able to suspend belief and buy into the overall theme of the impact of paths not taken and regrets in life. If you enjoy the puzzle of Schrodinger’s Cat or are a fan of PKD, you will enjoy this book.

'The Name of the Wind' by Patrick Rothfuss

The Name of the Wind, Patrick Rothfuss (3.0)

I generally enjoyed this book, but was surprised by the 4.5 ave. rating on Goodreads. It is a somewhat typical fantasy novel with magic, demons, and a reluctant hero. The main difference is that it starts with the hero, Kvothe, in adulthood and seemingly in hiding as the owner of a pub in the middle of nowhere. He tells his tale to a Chronicler who has come to his pub. In this telling we learn his story from childhood to partway through his education. The question of what Kvothe really is and how he became it is compelling, though not fully answered in this book. Given that it is the first of a series, the characters are not fully developed, but the main character in particular made troubling choices. The foreshadowing is clumsy and the results of his bad choices seem very obvious. If you consume fantasy novels at a fast pace, this will fit in nicely, but if you are looking for something special and unique, I don’t think this will fit the bill.