The Road Warriors, Danger, Death and the Rush of Wrestling by Joe "Animal" Laurinaitis with Andrew William Wright; 2001; $24.95; 368 pages; Medallion Press, Inc., Aurora, IL; 978-160542142-1; checked out from Multnomah County Library, Central; 6/30/19-7/2/19
I have watched sports entertainment even before it was sports entertainment. One of our neighbors around 1986 was a pro wrestler little person who was the brother in law of Crush from the Legion of Doom. I would sometimes ride from Portland to Eugene with him to go to shows he was doing there. One of my favorite tag teams from the 1980's was the Road Warriors, so when I saw this I decided to read. I didn't realize the Joe Lauriniatis was the brother of John and Marc who were also wrestlers and the father of James who played at Ohio State and then in the NFL. This is his story of growing up, becoming a wrestler and the triumphs and tragedies in his life, from watching Hawk drown in drugs to winning multiple championships. He shares how he and Hawk both turned their lives around by becoming Christians. It is a good backstage look at an industry and doesn't pull too many punches, telling his version of what happened.
10/10
Reaper, Threat Zero by Nicholas Irving with A.J. Tata; 2019; $27.99; 309 pages; St. Martins Press, New York, NY; 978-1-250-127365; checked out from Multnomah County Library, Woodstock; 6/28/19-6/29/19
It's family day at Camp David and the families of the cabinet members are on their way to meet their respective family members there. In a flash there is an explosion and in the chaos every Secret Service agent and every family member, men, women and children are savagely murdered.
Former Army sniper Vick Harwood is called to be a member of a team that will seek retribution for these murders. As he and the team begin to target those who allegedly target the families something seems off to him. Partnering with a female FBI agent he is soon targeted by various elements of the U.S. government and the allies of those he targeted.
As Vick and his partner flee they also are investigating the circumstances and figuring just how high the corruption and how someone is trying to manipulate them for their own political gain.
10/10
Backlash by Brad Thor; 2019; $27.99; 378 pages; Emily Bestler Books, New York, NY; 978-1-9821-0403-0; checked out from Multnomah County Library, Belmont; 6/25/19-6/27/19
Scott Harvath awakens onboard a Russian airplane surrounded by mercenaries. He awakens that several of his friends were murdered when he was kidnapped. The plane crashes shortly after he awakes and he begins a mission of revenge and escape. He knows who is responsible for the murder and kidnapping. He has crash landed in Russia near the Finnish border. Scavenging through the wreckage of the plane he finds supplies and clothing to help him escape. Meanwhile back in the U.S.A. his friends and colleagues are mobilizing to rescue him. They must do so without the citizens of the United States or the Russian Government know that they are aware of where he is and what is happening.
An exciting adventure that has all the earmarks of a great Brad Thor story. It will be interesting to see where he goes from here since so many of the supporting characters are gone.
10/10
Sacred Duty, A Soldier's Tour at Arlington National Cemetery by Tom Cotton; 2019;$28.99; 301 pages; William Morrow, New York, NY; 978-0-06-286315-7; checked out from Multnomah County Library, Hollywood; 6/18/19-6/20/19
Senator Tom Cotton is a former member of the Old Guard, an Army unit that provides the following: guards at Arlington National Cemetery, guards for Presidential events, and guards for parades. The best known portion of the unit is the Sentinels, who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
With his inside knowledge of the unit and access to the current members of the unit he is able to convey the meaning of the unit and its policies and procedures. This is a moving book.
10/10
Dear Marcus, A Letter to the Man Who Shot Me by Jerry McGill; 2012; $22.00; 169 pages; Spiegel & Gray, New York, NY; 978-0-8129-9307-3; checked out from Multnomah County Library, North Portland; 6/21/19-6/25/19
At age thirteen, as he was walking home from a friend's house, Jerome McGill was shot in the back and became a quadriplegic. The shooter was never apprehended so therefore the identity of his shooter remains a mystery. Thirty years later, he decided to writer a letter to the person who shot him. He arbitrarily picked the name Marcus and shares his feelings and the results of the shooting, physically, mentally, emotionally and relational. McGill now goes by Jerry, because things that Jerome wanted will never be. He has recovered some use of his arms, he has gotten a bachelors in literature from Fordham University and a masters in education from Pacific University. He currently lives in Portland. It is a very good book that gives insight into the life and mind of one person.
10/10
