The Invisible Thread

I read this book in one evening. One evening!

She was a sales executive and he was a pan handler. They both lived in Manhattan just two blocks away from each which is still hard to believe.  One day she passed him on the street and he asked her for money.  Initially she passed him by after all so many people asked for money in New York City,

She started crossing the street when for some inexplicable reason she turned around and went back to talk with him.  Turns out he was hungry and she took him to McDonald's where they ate lunch together.  From that day on they had this Invisible Thread that tied them together.

There were similarities in the way the grew up.  Although she lived on Long Island's North Shore, she came from a very abusive environment. Outwardly she appeared to be from a lower middle class family that looked normal from the outside but it was anything but that.

Maurice for the most part lived on the streets.  Every one of his family member were on drugs except him. His father and Uncles were abusive.  His Mother was an addict in and out of jail. Life was incredibly hard and the fact that he survived was amazing.

They started having Dinner every Monday.  They became family and while Laura may have helped save Maurice's life, he did the same for her.  It was truly an unusual friendship between two very different people and it was a great book.

Listen to what Maurice said.

The Clancys of Queens

Every family has its own rhythm.  What seems odd to you feels like home to them.  Tara Clancy wrote The Clancys of Queens to talk about her family.

Obviously part of her life was lived in queens but because of the man that her mother met after she divorced Tara's father she also had a glimpse of what life was like in the Hamptons.  It certainly proved to be two very different worlds

Her grandparents were very influential in her life since her Mom was a single Mother and she spent a good deal of time with them.  I can so identify with spending time with a grandmother since mine moved in with us when I was in Muddle School.  She was there when we came home for school and was like a second Mother.

Before she moved in with us, she would rent a place in Far Rockaway during the summer.  If I was very lucky I got to visit her at the beach for a few weeks.  When my Grandfather was alive he would take us to play Skee Ball on the boardwalk.  Sadly he died when I was in elementary school but I still spent time with my Grandmother.

This was a quick read and I found it to be an interesting read...

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

No Man's Land

All I can say is thank God for David Baldacci and a long holiday weekend. I just never tire of his books and this one has one of my favorite characters, John Puller.

John Puller's Dad is a three star General loved by the men who served with him but not particularly close to John. His Mother disappeared when he was young.  This fact was buried in the memories of the Puller men and really never spoken about until a former neighbor accuses Fuller Sr. of killing his wife.

 It is plausible because evidently his Mom and Dad were not getting along well.  Also his Dad was suppose to be out of town but as it turns out he returned a day early even though he did not come to the house right away.

John sets out to clear his Father's name and steps knee deep into a Government cover up.  His books are always fast paced with a good story.  Once again he stares death in the face and is lucky to be alive. I can't wait for him to write his next book!