BOOK REPORT: Grisham, Moore, Hemmingway, and Leonard

'The Partner' by John Grisham
When you need an interesting, reliable fast read, John's your man. 'The Partner' by John Grisham is unfortunately, also utterly forgettable.

'Downsize This' by Michael Moore
I've seen a couple of the movies (including Farenheit 911, which came out since I've been here-thanks to a volunteer going home for the holidays), but 'Downsize This' was the first of Michael Moore's books that I've read. Its a little dated at this point (having been written in the mid-nineties), but its still interesting, and at times appauling and shocking. In case you didn't pick it up from the films, Moore is quite the blue-collar socialist. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course... The book lays out his

'For Whom the Bell Tolls' by Ernest Hemmingway
The classic novel, 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' by Ernest Hemmingway was sent to me by my friend Rob (thanks Rob!) since I clearly had some time to do some reading. For me, at least, the book was a 'real time' story of an american spanish teacher who decides to save Spain from the fascists by blowing up a bridge in the mountains. The 'translations' from spanish are a little annoying at first, as is the slow pace of introductions, but like all great books, it draws you in. Pretty soon, you can imagine being there with Robert and his band of rebels. Its a great book- one that means something after you put it down.

'Tishomingo Blues' by Elmore Leonard
A daredevil diver, the Detroit mob, and a few Mississippi hicks all converge across the river from Memphis for a little relaxation, a little southern fun (in the form of Civil War reenactments) and lots of surreal action. Its a bit on the fantastic side, but the author of 'Get Shorty', among others has created an interesting and sometimes funny look into what gets people up in the morning.