Everyday Life in Early America   David Freeman Hawke
An outstanding social history of the American colonies in the first half of the 17^th century. Well written, highly informative, and very enjoyable. Too bad he didn’t use footnotes. Even so, a great step on my reading of American History. Very good.

Lucifer’s Tears   James Thompson
Second well-written novel in the inspector Kari Vaara series. He’s now in Helsinki with his wife and daughter, working homicide, and causing as much trouble as he is stopping. Tough, kinky, interesting, lovely, brutal, and a lot of fun. A very enjoyable read.

Hokusai   Matthi Forrer
Beautiful collection of woodblock prints and paintings by the late 18^th-century Japanese artist. Really enjoyed browsing through this book again.

Snow Angels   James Thompson
Gripping novel about a police detective in a small town in northern Finland investigating the very brutal murder of a film star. Complicated character and relationships, and kind of depressing like the weeks of total darkness around Christmas. Plan to read the next two in the series.

This Was America   Martin W. Sandler
Collection of photographs taken between 1890 and 1910. Interested because this toward the end of Mary Ann Burnham Freeze’s life. Disappointing for me because they are concentrated in the Eastern U.S. But it was worth it.

The Darkening Field   William Ryan
Second novel with Militia Detective Korolev solving a murder in Odessa and avoiding the political consequences in the Soviet Union in 1937. Takes a while to get going, and a little too much interviewing, but enjoyable, nicely written, and worth the time. Introduces a nice new character in Slivka. Not too bad.

You Suck, A Love Story   Christopher Moore
Second novel of the vampire trilogy. Now, Tommy is also a bloodsucking fiend and the lovers are trying to dodge the vampire who turned Jody and is trying to kill Tommy. More bumbling, hilarity, and the introduction of the new minion, Abby Normal, one of the great characters of vampire fiction. Still entertaining.

Bloodsucking Fiends, A Love Story   Christopher Moore
First volume of Moore’s vampire trilogy about Jody and Tommy and how she becomes a vampire and chooses Tommy as her minion. Funny, lighthearted, and endearing. Enjoyed the characters, the deft prose, and the love story. Very enjoyable.

A Spy by Nature   Charles Cumming
Very well written and constructed spy novel about the recruitment and failure of the spy Alec Milius. Industrial espionage against the Americans in the search for oil. Because of his personal inadequacies, Milius wrecks everything he gets involved in and harms those he loves. Really disliked the character, but very well done.