The Fifth Risk (2018) by Michael Lewis

This is good nonfiction. The theme is the impact of the Trump presidential victory on various government agencies and departments. Politics is in, expertise is out.  It's better than the usual current events political book.  There's an in depth look at various scientists with NOAA, USDA etc which makes it worth reading.

grass in the middle yard oak tree circle

There was once an oak tree in the middle yard.

Then in about April 2016 we got a permit to remove it. It was breaking the foundation of the storage room.

We've decided we want grass.  Taoster put in drip irrigation and ordered 80 sq ft of St. Augustine and it's a little more than half installed.

Now, first day of summer, the grass is coming in thick  and lush green and is pretty well established...

Odds Against Tomrrow by Nathaniel Rich (2013)

Novel about a neurotic smart guy who predicts disasters, and how a disaster changed him. It was okay.  It was easy, but not too meaty.  I wish I liked it more.

Say Nothing: A True Story ofMurder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe (2019)

You ever wonder how a legit freedom fighting outfit devolved into bankrobbing gangsters? This book may point you in the right direction. It explores the Time of Troubles in Northern Ireland by focusing on one murder of a mother of 10 during that time.  You follow the spoke from the wheel to the hub-- i.e. Gerry Adams.

This is an interesting, original way to study an important subject.  This is a great read.

Coach: Lessons on the Game of Life by Michael Lewis (2005)

This is a very short book by author and journalist, Michael Lewis, about his high school baseball coach.  We all have those adults in our lives who taught us about life.  For Michael Lewis, it was his coach who taught him how to overcome fear and failure and how to tough it out.  Now parents are trying to get rid of that same coach for teaching those hard lessons. 

Though short, it's an interesting and provocative book. 

Go coaches!

Golden State: A Novel by Ben H. Winter (2019)

This is an interesting premise for a sci-fi story.  California is now its own country called the Golden State. It is a state based upon truth.  Lies can land one in jail.  The writing is good and the plot is interesting until the end, when the story just wilts.

computer room setup with Herman Miller

We've been fixing up the computer room because I'm working there more now. Last weekend checked Craigslist for a Herman Miller. We met a guy who had a bunch of them at a storage facility in San Gabriel and bought a used one (we think manufactured in 2008) for $375.  We also got our printer, a brother MFC J985DW, this week.

So 2 of 3 desks and the chair are used.

The work continues.