We'll Always Have Parrots

We'll Always Have Parrots by Donna Andrews

Meg Lanslow joins her boyfriend Michael for a weekend at a scifi fan convention for his hit television show.  Little did she know that once again she would have to solve a murder, while dodging escaped monkeys, parrots, and rabid costumed fans.

This is the first series in quite a while that I haven't gotten sick of the main character, although Meg's story is beginning to resemble Murder She Wrote.  I wouldn't want to be related to her... I'd eventually be arrested for murder.  But thankfully she'd be there to solve the case, and meanwhile provide the name of a good lawyer.

Rin Tin Tin: The Life And The Legend

Rin Tin Tin: The Life And The Legend by Susan Orlean

The story of the original German Shepherd hero Rin Tin Tin, rescued during WWI by Lee Duncan, and trained as one of the original "Wonder Dogs" of silent films.  Orlean also includes how the German Shepherd breed became popular, how dogs went from ranch protectors to doted family pets, and how obedience training developed after WWI.  The author admits that no one agrees on how many Rin Tin Tins there were, hence the subtitle.

The readers who didn't enjoy the book are not used to Orleans' style of writing.  This is not just a story of Rin Tin Tin... if so, it would have stopped after around page one hundred, when the first Rin Tin Tin dies.  The author typically includes a background of the era, and the people who were important at the time.  If you can follow along, it's an interesting read. Since I have a short attention span, I love her writing style.