Peter Dirksen

Finished listening to a book:

Book #63 of 2025

Darkness, Take My Hand (Kenzie & Gennaro #2) by Dennis Lehane (1996)

Liked this one much better than book 1, despite serial killer aspect. All the main characters are interesting and surprising. Everyone is at fault, some more than others.

#booksky

Finished listening to a book:

Book #62 of 2025

Let the Dead Lie (Emmanuel Cooper #2) by Malla Nunn (2010)

Well written and conceived mystery in South Africa Post WWII. All the characters are interesting. The action is well told. Unique (for me) setting. I very much enjoy these books.

#booksky

What Are You Reading? Friday

Reading
- The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (1998)
- The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides (1993)
- The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown (2018)

Listening
- Let the Dead Lie (Emmanuel Cooper #2) by Malla Nunn (2010)

#booksky #wayrf

We already started book two. She wanted to hear the first chapter immediately. She also checked out a physical copy from her school library today at read it to her friends. Both of Roz’s sacrifices, to let him go and to give up herself, are gut wrenching. But as a parent, they are both so necessary.

Finished reading a book:

Book #61 of 2025

The Wild Robot (Wild Robot #1) by Peter Brown (2016)

Great experience reading this to my daughter. Just like the movie, it’s an incredible story about parenting. I loved it so much. Can’t recommend it enough. The movie too.

#booksky

Finished listening to a book:

Book #60 of 2025

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim: Essays by David Sedaris (2004)

Probably my favorite of his books. He is at his best when writing about his family. There are multiple excellent Paul stories in this one.

#booksky

What Are You Reading? Friday

Reading
- The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (1998)
- Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie (1995)
- The Wild Robot by Peter Brown (2016)

Listening
- Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim: Essays by David Sedaris (2004)

#booksky #wayrf

Finished listening to a book:

Book #59 of 2025

The Unquiet Grave: The FBI and the Struggle for the Soul of Indian Country by Steve Hendricks (2006)

Interesting and detailed history of AIM and its clash with the FBI, who were generally harassing the Tribes of SD, ND, and MN in the 70’s.

#booksky

Finished reading a book:

Book #58 of 2025

A Firing Offense (Nick Stefanos #1) by George Pelecanos (1992)

Slow until the last quarter, but still really well done crime/amateur sleuth story, set in DC, reminiscent of Elmore Leonard and S. A. Cosby. I will definitely read more Pelecanos.

#booksky

What Are You Reading? Friday

Reading
- The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (1998)
- A Firing Offense (Nick Stefanos #1) by George Pelecanos (1993)

Listening
- The Unquiet Grave: The FBI and the Struggle for the Soul of Indian Country by Steve Hendricks (2006)

#booksky #wayrf

Finished listening to a book:

Book #57 of 2025

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn (2009)

Despite the very dark subject matter, I enjoyed the messy farm family setting and the mystery for most of the book. But the resolution to the mystery and the end of the story both fell flat for me.

#booksky

I have loved the first two of her books, but this one isn’t grabbing me as quickly. It’s a slightly different tone, told by naive/ignorant narrators. I miss her dialogue, but still appreciate her social commentary. But I do know how widely well reviewed it is, so I will keep reading.

What Are You Reading? Friday

Reading
- The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (1998)
- A Firing Offense (Nick Stefanos #1) by George Pelecanos (1993)

Listening
- A Death in Tokyo (Kaga #9) by Keigo Higashino (2011)

#booksky #wayrf

Finished listening to a book:

Book #56 of 2025

Riding the Rap by Elmore Leonard (1995)

One of my favorite Leonard books. Excellent tension and characters. Shifting alliances. Questionable good guys. Bad Guys. Worse bad guys. Quick read.

#booksky

Unlike her first few books, it’s taking me awhile to get into. Trying to clear out some of my other TBR books to give it focus. I know she switched up her narration style, so the voice is throughout. But I’m about 100 pages in and I’m missing her entertaining characters and dialogue.

Finished reading a book:

Book #55 of 2025

THEM: Adventures With Extremists by Jon Ronson (2001)

Very entertaining. My first Ronson book. These extremists are largely incompetent. More palatable when he wrote it two decades ago. Plus a bonus prefame batshit appearance from Alex Jones.

#booksky

What Are You Reading? Friday

Reading
- The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (1998)
- THEM: Adventures With Extremists by Jon Ronson (2001)

Listening
- The Night Manager by John le Carre (1993)

#booksky #wayrf

Finished listening to a book:

Book #54 of 2025

Under the Bridge: The True Story of the Murder of Reena Virk by Rebecca Godfrey (2005)

Focuses on the teens involved in a brutal murder. FX adaptation was very different. Interesting, but I wish there was more about Reena and her life.

#booksky

THEM is great. My first Ronson. Reminds me of Hunter S Thompson a bit so far. I love Kingsolver, but this one has taken me forever. Have more time to read right now, so trying to power through. Under the Bridge is interesting, and so far, quite a bit different from the FX adaptation.

What Are You Reading? Friday

Reading
- The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (1998)
- THEM: Adventures With Extremists by Jon Ronson (2001)

Listening
- Under the Bridge: The True Story of the Murder of Reena Virk by Rebecca Godfrey (2005)

#booksky #wayrf

Finished listening to a book:

Book #53 of 2025

The Brutal Telling (Inspector Gamache #5) by Louise Penny (2009)

This is the best of the series so far. I enjoyed it a lot. Real consequences for the village. Interesting back stories revealed. Gamache pushing for the truth no matter what.

#booksky

Finished listening to a book:

Book #52 of 2025

Arc of Justice: A Saga of Race, Civil Rights, and Murder in the Jazz Age by Kevin Boyle (2004)

Apprecited the teaching Black history from Restoration to 60’s while also relating the main story of pioneering turned attempted murder by mob.

#booksky

What Are You Reading? Friday

Reading
- The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (1998)
- Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto by Chuck Klosterman (2003)

Listening
- Arc of Justice: A Saga of Race, Civil Rights, and Murder in the Jazz Age by Kevin G Boyle (2004)

#booksky #wayrf

What Are You Reading? Friday

Reading
- The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (1998)
- The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven: Stories by Sherman Alexie (1993)

Listening
- Arc of Justice: A Saga of Race, Civil Rights, and Murder in the Jazz Age by Kevin G Boyle (2004)

#booksky #wayrf

Finished listening to a book:

Book #51 of 2025

A Drink Before the War (Kenzie & Genaro #1) by Dennis Lehane (1994)

Great action. More crime than mystery. Tense all the way through.

#booksky

Finished listening to a book:

Book #50 of 2025

When the Thrill is Gone (Leonid McGill #3) by Walter Mosley (2011)

I continue to enjoy the characters and the voice and the world in this series, but still haven’t loved the actual mysteries.

#booksky

What Are You Reading? Friday

Reading
- The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (1998)
- The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven: Stories by Sherman Alexie (1993)

Listening
- When the Thrill is Gone (Leonid McGill #3) by Walter Mosley (2011)

#booksky #wayrf

Finished listening to a book:

Book #49 of 2025

Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation by Jeff Chang (2005)

Great book about a subject I find endlessly interesting. Music and culture shaped by current events, adversity, and joy. I wish there was an updated version.

#booksky

What Are You Reading? Friday

Reading
- The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (1998)
- The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven: Stories by Sherman Alexie (1993)

Listening
- Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation: by Jeff Chang (2005)

#booksky #wayrf

What Are You Reading? Friday

Reading
- The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (1998)
- Blindness by Jose Saramago (1996)

Listening
- Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation: by Jeff Chang (2005)

#booksky #wayrf