Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

About Jake

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Jake's Reviews:

How It Happened Here

True Crimes and Misdemeanors: The Investigation of Donald Trump by Jeffery Toobin

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Jeffrey Toobin’s books are the perfect ones to explain legalese for the layperson. His OJ Simpson one is far and away the best out of that sordid saga. His Bill Clinton one took a clearheaded look at impeachment. I wanted to read his explanation of the 2000 election recount but I just haven’t had the heart for it. This one doesn’t disappoint either. In fact, save for the fact that it ends at the same time the coronavirus pandemic began, I would say this is […]

Tales of the Times

Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Crosby

What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton

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I read two books this week, a new one I was excited about and one that I’ve been putting off for three years. Both are good. Blacktop Wasteland This one was pretty hyped. I’ve seen S.A. Crosby’s image everywhere and it was covered review-wise by all the big ticket spots, including The New York Times. I’ve had my eye on Crosby for a while, even though I had yet to read him. A chance encounter at the library helped me nab this one. It absolutely meets the […]

Bad Men

Quarry by Max Allan Collins

I Got a Monster: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Corrupt Police Squad by Baynard Woods & Brandon Sodeberg

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I read two books over the weekend about bad men. One fiction, one non-fiction. Both good in their own respective ways. Quarry 4 stars This month’s Hard Case Crime tale was one I had actually been avoiding for a while. I find Max Allan Collins to be insufferable. In interviews I’ve read with him, he seems to be the kind of blowhard-ish know-it-all I don’t care for in the crime community. His verbal racism at the Shamus Awards was obnoxious. Really, how hard is it to […]

Aaron Burr, Sir

Burr by Gore Vidal

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Like many who have seen or are familiar with the popular musical Hamilton, I’ve become interested in the titular character’s primary nemesis: his friend, rival, and ultimate murderer Aaron Burr. Yet I knew little about Burr save for him being once Vice President and the duelist who felled Hamilton. Historical fiction isn’t the best place to learn about someone; I went down a wiki wormhole a few years ago and found the man lived a fascinating life on his own. I had tried Vidal’s work with […]

Hurt People Hurt People

Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man by Mary L. Trump

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Read as part of CBR12 Bingo: No money. This was a library book. I wasn’t gonna read Mary L. Trump’s book as I assumed it would be the kind of armchair psychoanalysis I detest and find harmful. But it was on Scribd and a short listen via audio so I “read” it and am glad I did. Mostly, I am reminded that our childhood rearing dictates so much of who we will become, for better and for worse. It really seems like Donald Trump was […]

The Blood of the Lamb

Once You Go This Far by Kristen Lepionka

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Read as part of cbr12bingo: Gateway. I frequently recommend Kristen Lepionka’s work to budding mystery fans, especially ones looking for an LGBTQIA+ author and/or protagonist. I don’t know how long Kristen Lepionka plans to continue with this series. I believe her next book is going to be a standalone separate from Roxane’s character (and perhaps universe?). I think she’s of the modern age sort of writer that unless you really catch bestselling fire with a series (a la Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch), there comes a […]



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