"The Answer Is..." by Alex Trebek

This book was a Christmas gift. I would not have sought it out on my own but it was a very quick and interesting read. I am not a diehard "Jeopardy!" follower but I have casually tuned in over my entire lifetime and have always loved the show. They have truly crafted a competition that makes the viewer feel like an active member. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't found Trebek to be a bit smug at times. The way he would correct contestants answers could sometimes feel condescending. It certainly never gave me a bad impression of him. However, this was a major reason, I was surprised to read Trebek state that he held, in the highest regard, his necessity to not come across as condescending but, insteaad, supportive. The book is a collection of backstory, anecdotes, humble brags and humourous or sentimental moments from his life. I was pleased that not one thing I read felt like information I had already heard. He lived an inspirational life. He was a kind, caring, humble man with the mindset of a through and through Canadian. As a Minnesota native, I appreciate this immensely. A slight political agenda does come out of the pages at moments but in a very calm, measured and grandfatherly manner. It was a quick read but I appreciated getting to see, more deeply, a man whom I thought I have known my whole life.

"A L'ombre des Jeunes Filles en Fleur" par Marcel Proust

I will confess that my French is barely servicable for this caliber of literature in the original format. I need to slow down in my English readings and tackle both versions concurrently to truly appreciate the majesty of the prose. Regardless, this book is a work of art. I loved the journey in English and can recognize the impressive quality in French. Volume 3 is up next and I'll be working back and forth from my English version for maximum benefit.

"More than 9 Lives" by E. B.

I wasn't sure what I expected but this book was a bit too self-agrandizing for my tastes. I would have preferred the stories without a righteous and inflated sense of importance in the summaries. The book details what is certainly a remarkable chapter of life for a person but I did not think the reader needed to feel a frequently increased sense of gravity imposed by the author.

"Tiktok of Oz" by L.Frank Baum

I haven't read anything else by Baum but this book found it's way into my possession so I decided to give it a try. Perhaps I am mistaken but, it seems to me that this story was not as well composed as his most famous work "The Wizard of Oz". The characters feel like caricatures, the plot mechanisms feel simply transposed from reality and the morals of the story are very blatantly given. My best guess is that this book is truly intended for younger readers than myself. From their point of view, I can imagine a young mind being bewitched by many facets of this story. I can't make myself into a child so I shall not seek another work by Baum.

"Tree of Smoke" by Denis Johnson

A glimpse into the Vietnam War from numerous perspectives, this novel was a delight. We spend most of the to journey with Skip Sands and how his uncle the Colonel affects his trajectory as a member of the U.S. Psy Ops team. We also get perspective from Bill and James Houston as they journey through parts of the war as members of the U.S. military. Kathy Jones provides a view from a volunteer in a war torn country. We also get the world view of a Vietnamese businessman, a prospective Vietnamese double agent for the U.S. and a number of foreign assasins. The writing was compelling and it was easy to absorb over a hundred pages in a sitting. Johnson intertwines the stories of numerous characters with interested arcs and dramatic experiences. I was disappointed to run out of the pages to read. I enjoyed the macro picture as the story drew to a close. Sprinkled throughout, philosophical questions about the morality and justification of war, come to a worthy conclusion. The only people who come out the other side of war in one piece are those who do what they can to ease suffering.