Where Is the Fiction?

     Why do I almost never read fiction?  Did I have enough of romantic fantasy during my thirty years between husbands?  Did I hear too much hooey during my twenty-five years at the welfare board?  Maybe the old saw about truth being stranger than fiction means reality makes for a better read.
     Here are the mini reviews of what has been on my Kindle recently:

     With or Without You by Domenica Ruta - A story about growing up in a dirty house with a drug addict for a mother.

     David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell -  Do you have a disability (especially dyslexia)?  Are you stuck attending your back up college instead of your first choice?  Are there twenty-eight children in your kid's first grade class?  After reading this book, you might come to the conclusion that a lot of perceived negatives could be blessings.

     Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris - This is yet another collection of humorous essays by Mr. Sedaris.  Who knew the English are the world's worst litterbugs?  The dog poems in the last chapter are an unexpected surprise.

     F in Exams by Richard Benson - This is a collection of the funny wrong answers from people who didn't study hard enough for their tests.  It was funny at first, but it got old fast.

     My Boyfriend Barfed in My Handbag by Jolie Kerr - It's a collection of how to's for house cleaning and laundry.  Heloise did it first, and did it better, if you ask me.

     Heads in Beds by Jacob Tomsky - After ten years in the hospitality business, Mr. Tomsky was burned out.  He quit and wrote a book.  You'll never valet park your car again after reading this. The long and short of it is probably just tip everyone generously and you'll have a good vacation.

     Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell - I pretty much love anything Malcolm Gladwell has to say.  You can have a genius IQ, but most of the time you need timing and lucky circumstances more than smarts to get ahead.

     A First Rate Madness: Uncovering the Links Between Leadership and Mental Illness by Nassir Gaemi - When times are good we need sane people in charge; however, in times of crisis the mentally balanced are not our best bet.  Our best crisis leaders have been a little wacky. Whether they be depressed, manic and depressed, or sex addicted, Mr. Gaemi assures us nut jobs are best at the helm and  extreme personalities are the second best.  I'm not completely comfortable with that.

     Pilgrim's Wilderness by Tom Kizzia - It's a true crime story.  Robert Hale, aka Papa Pilgrim, relocated to the Alaskan wilderness.  He presented himself and his brood (a wife and fifteen children) as simple Christian folk.  He was really a sociopath, an abuser, and a child molester.

     I read one "real" book, Anne Perry and the Murder of the Century by Peter Graham.  In 1954 Juliet Hulme and Pauline Parker, New Zealand teenagers, murdered Pauline's mother, Honora Parker.  After serving a few years in jail both left New Zealand and settled in Scotland. Pauline changed her name to Hilary Nathan and lived in obscurity.  Juliet Hulme changed her name to Anne Perry and became famous for writing mystery novels.