lumineaux

49. Murder on Waverly Place by Victoria Thomspon

I figured out who the murderer was fairly early in the book, but it was interesting to figure out how the murderer managed it. The tentative Malloy/Sarah romance doesn't advance, though.

50. Josephine: A Life of the Empress by Carolly Erickson

A decent biography that straddles the line between popular and academic. During the period between the 1789 Revolution and the ascension of Napoleon, the French were all kinds of Not Right. Just one example: Victim's Dances . . . with women wearing red ribbons around their necks to simulate the mark of the guillotine and people dancing with lolling heads.

51. To the Scaffold by Carolly Erickson

A biography of Marie Antoinette. The parallels between France prior to and during the early days of the 1789 revolution and the United States right now are troubling. Everyone swimming in debt, the government over-extended and unsure of what to do . . .

52. How Newark Became Newark: The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of the American City by Brad R. Tuttle

Probably only of interest to hard core New Jerseyans like myself, or those who are fascinated by the life cycle of a city. I found it very interesting because the events in the second half of the book (from the 1967 riots onwards) shaped a lot of the circumstances of my life. I grew up in a town that used to be part of Newark and I've spent most of my career working there.

So: It's June 2nd and I've hit 52. Should I continue to log what I'm reading or just shut up now? ;-)