'First Family' by David Baldacci

This is the first that I've picked up by this author, and it was of
course one in a series, but I was still able to make sense of it
without reading the preceding books.

Sean and Michelle are former Secret Service agents turned private
detectives. When the President's niece is kidnapped, the First Lady
calls her old friend, Sean, for assistance. She wants somebody that
she can trust on the case, that is less likely to be hindered by
government procedures and politics. The book is interesting, as you
are eager to find out why the girl was taken, but I also felt sympathy
for her captor. What drove him to do such a thing?

It's a quick and engaging story, and I didn't find it to be too
predictable, as it seems a lot of books are these days. I really
enjoyed this one, and will likely check out more of Baldacci's work.

'Long Lost' by Harlan Coben

This is the first that I've picked up by this author, and it was of
course one in a series, but I was still able to make sense of it
without reading the preceding books.

Myron Bolitar is an ex-NBA player that now works as an agent for
celebrities. He gets a call from an old friend who is desperate, and
is in the midst of a strange mystery surrounding the death of her
child ten years prior. Myron gets wrapped up in the investigation,
which becomes a whirlwind involving terrorists and questionable
identities.

It was a very interesting storyline, far-fetched yet not so out of
reach by today's technology and radical terrorists. It was a fun and
fast-moving story.

'Lost Boys' by Orson Scott Card

Wow. This book was amazing, and nothing like I expected. It made me
cry and disturbed me, but I also found it beautiful and touching.

The book is about a young Mormon family that moves from Indiana to a
town in North Carolina. Step, the father, is a software developer. His
wife, DeAnne, is a stay-at-home mom. They have three children, Stevie
(age 7), Robbie (age 4), and Elizabeth (age 2), with another baby on
the way. Stevie has trouble adjusting, and has a teacher that is quite
cruel to him. Soon, he begins talking to imaginary friends, which his
parents attribute to his stress of moving and difficulties with his
teacher. All the while, the town has had young boys disappearing,
beginning before the family arrived in town, causing a panic with area
parents.

The family background is very autobiographical on the part of the
author, who is himself a Mormon. One of the interesting aspects of the
book is the insight given into the rituals and beliefs of Mormons.
Another bit of fun is the nostalgia aspect, as Step is a software
engineer in 1983, just as the PC is being introduced. Commodore 64 is
the reigning King in this world, with doubts that the PC will ever
take off.

This was a wonderful book. It has a very original storyline, and was
probably influential in several other books and movies that have since
been released since this book was published in 1992. I highly
recommend this book, but be sure to have a box of tissues handy as you
reach the end.

More Zoo Pictures from my Sister-In-Law

These were sent from my sister-in-law Ann, from 8-15-09 when we all
went to the Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls.