Killing...

I have now read 3 of the 4 books by Bill O'Reilly in his assassinations series.  The latest is Killing Patton, which works on the theory that Patton's death by car accident was, in fact, no accident.

All three books read like fiction.  They are fast paced and character driven.  They are not complete biographies, they cover the last few years of their lives, leading up to their deaths.  The slowest one for me was Patton.  The war scenes dragged on and Patton was a bit... unlikeable.

My favorite was Killing Kennedy.  I think the authors' memories and emotions of that time were reflected in that book.  However, you will also find their political leanings coloring the description of Kennedy and his administration.  This seems to be the biggest criticism of these books from other reviewers.  Additionally, the authors suggest a conspiracy and cover up of his assassination. 

These are easy to read and move at a fast pace.  I recommend these to fans of popular history, though some on the left might not be pleased. I have not read Killing Jesus, the other book in this series. 

The Andy Cohen Diaries

I wanted to read something light and funny to combat the cold dark days, so I chose this diary by Andy Cohen.  Honestly, if you don't know who Andy Cohen is, then stop right here.  You probably won't be interested. 

Andy is a television producer/NYC socialite/St Louis native responsible for the addictive Real Housewives series and several other Bravo shows.  He hosts his own late night show, Watch What Happens Live on Bravo.  This is a diary of his life from 2013-2014. 

I found myself breezing through this book, I think Andy is entertaining and he  spills a lot of gossip about celebrities.  He regularly hangs with Sarah Jessica Parker, the Seinfelds, reality TV stars, and Anderson Cooper.  It's kind of amazing how celebrities live, staying out til wee hours of the night, flying cross country every week, and taking vacations every month. 

Andy uses self deprecating humor and sarcasm throughout the book, keeping it light and fun.  He also talks extensively about his newest love affair...with his rescue dog Wacha.  Wacha really helps Andy "think about something other than myself."

I recommend this book for reality TV fans and readers of celebrity biographies and memoirs.

Playing with the Enemy by Gary Moore

At first glance, one might think Playing with the Enemy by Gary Moore is a baseball book. However, it really is a book about many things, World War II, rural life, and dealing with disappointments.

Gary Moore wrote the book about his father who was an amazing player. At 15 he was drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers. However, World War 2 began and baseball came to a standstill as players enlisted in the service. Gary's father, Gene was able to enlist as well and was placed on a team that traveled the globe playing baseball. Everything changed when the U.S. captured a group of German soldiers and, for reasons you'll have to read to find out, had to keep them secret. The ragtag team of baseball players were forced to keep close watch over these prisoners. So what did they do? They played baseball with them.

This is a great uplifting read from a local (ish) author.