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Location: Vero Beach, Florida, United States

My name is Pat and I live in Florida. My skin will never be smooth again and my hair will never see color. I enjoy collecting autographs and playing in Paint Shop Pro.,along with reading and writing. Sometimes, I enjoy myself by doing volunteer "work" helping celebrities at autograph shows. I love animals and at one time I did volunteer work for Tippi Hedren's Shambala Preserve.

Sunday, April 23, 2017

Bury My Heat at Wounded Knee

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown.
Hardcover
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (1617)

487 pages.
ASIN: B01JXQNN28

(Book 13)

Immediately recognized as a revelatory and enormously controversial book since its first publication in 1971, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee is universally recognized as one of those rare books that forever changes the way its subject is perceived. Now repackaged with a new introduction from bestselling author Hampton Sides to coincide with a major HBO dramatic film of the book, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee is Dee Brown's classic, eloquent, meticulously documented account of the systematic destruction of the American Indian during the second half of the nineteenth century. A national bestseller in hardcover for more than a year after its initial publication, it has sold over four million copies in multiple editions and has been translated into seventeen languages.

Using council records, autobiographies, and firsthand descriptions, Brown allows great chiefs and warriors of the Dakota, Ute, Sioux, Cheyenne, and other tribes to tell us in their own words of the series of battles, massacres, and broken treaties that finally left them and their people demoralized and decimated. A unique and disturbing narrative told with force and clarity, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee changed forever our vision of how the West was won, and lost. It tells a story that should not be forgotten, and so must be retold from time to time.
 
There is not a lot I can say about this "history" book. Some of it we have heard or read about over the years.
The first 12 pages of this book is more then heartbreaking.  The people who came to this country were, in my opinion, truly "sick of mind"... sadly, some things never change.   Greed.

Quoting from the book cover:
"Traditional texts glory in our nation's western expansion, the great conquest of the virgin frontier.  But how did the original Americans... the Dakota, Nez Perce, Utes, Poncas, Cheyenne, Navaho, Apache, and others... feel about the coming of the white man, the expropriation of their land, the destruction of their way of life?  What happened to Geronimo, Chief Joseph, Cochise, Red Cloud, Little Wolf, and Sitting Bull as their people were killed or driven onto reservations during decades of broken promises, oppression, and war?
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee is a documented account of the systematic plunder, of the American Indians during the second half of the nineteenth century, battle by battle, massacre by massacre, broken treaty by broken treaty.Here for the first time is their side of the story.  We can see their faces, hear their voices as they tried desperately to live in peace and harmony with the white man."

This is one of those rare books that will  have to be pried out of my cold dead hands.  That's all I can say.

Monday, April 10, 2017

Cheech is not my Real Name.. But don't Call me Chong

Cheech, Is not my Real Name ...but don't call me Chong! by Cheech Marin.

Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing;(March 14, 2017)
ISBN-10: 145559234X




 

The long-awaited memoir from a counterculture legend.

Cheech Marin came of age at an interesting time in America and became a self-made counterculture legend with his other half, Tommy Chong. This insightful memoir delves into how Cheech dodged the draft, formed one of the most successful comedy duos of all time, became the face of the recreational drug movement with the film Up in Smoke, forged a successful solo career with roles in The Lion King and, more recently, Jane the Virgin, and became the owner of the most renowned collection of Chicano art in the world.

Written in Cheech's uniquely hilarious voice, this memoir will take you to new highs.

My girlfriend Cathy bought me this book for my birthday.  Cheech had been on shows promoting the book and it was being said that it was written with much humor.  I figured I needed some humor and mentioned the book and the next thing I know there it is!

The book IS written with humor. 

I can't say I followed his whole career so it was interesting to read that I knew more of his career than I thought I knew.  And still much I didn't know. It was a good story if a rise to fame and the good and bad that comes with it.  I did have one disappointment.. I knew drugs were involved with Cheech and Chong, but for whatever reason I thought it was more Chong, then Cheech.  It probably was but the disappointment (for ME.) was to hear that many still use some.  But that's just me.  I never felt that anyone needed "help" to enjoy yourself or to be happy.  To me, that's a false happiness.   So.. whatever... I still enjoyed the book and thin "Cheech" did a lot of good to make people happy.  That's got to be a good feeling for all comedians... making others happy.

Thanks Cheech.  And although you thought Cheech and  Chongs Corsican Brothers was your worst movie.. I loved it!

 

 

 

 

Saturday, April 01, 2017

The Book of the Dead

Book of the Dead by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child.
Paperback: 621 pages
Publisher: Warner; P edition (2007)
ISBN-10: 0446618500



Amazon review
An FBI agent, rotting away in a high-security prison for a murder he did not commit...
His brilliant, psychotic brother, about to perpetrate a horrific crime...
A young woman with an extraordinary past, on the edge of a violent breakdown...
An ancient Egyptian tomb with an enigmatic curse, about to be unveiled at a celebrity-studded New York gala...

This book took me a long time to read.. NOT because I wasn't enjoying it though.  Life got in the way.  But I finally finished it  and can say I still enjoyed it.
I came to find out that the main characters did 2 books before this one.  It didn't seem to bother the reading of this book. I thought about reading the other two books, but looked around at all the books I have here and decided to not push my luck. 
There was a multitude of "mysteries" going on at once.
Why was the FBI agent in prison?
Who stole the diamonds and sent them back all crushed?
Why were people who went into the tomb being found dead? 
To find out the answers.. you'll have to read the book!