Finshed two books

The Big Change: America Transforms Itself 1900 - 1950
Frederick Lewis Allen

This was an interesting book, if a touch "dry". How interesting can fifty years of history really be? As it turns out interesting enough to finish the book and learn a few things along the way. I picked this book up off the paperback 1/2 price rack at Durham's Book Exchange and paid little more than a dollar, quite a bargain when Amazon carries the same book, a later printed edition of course, for just under $28. The only problem with reading the book was I had no personal perspective of 1950 so when the author would say things like "the same man who paid $5.24 in income tax in 1900 would today pay close to $15.89", well, I just couldn't put that into a frame of reference. Still, this was a good book, thoroughly researched and well written. My favorite quote: "one day the newly discovered transistor may totally displace the vacuum tube." He hit that one on the head!

Carrie
Stephen King

Ah, King's first published novel. It was an odd one, flow wise, with the story being interjected with copies of police reports, commission findings, and the like (all fictitious, of course). Adding these "extras" help draw you into the story and made you feel more like a witness by the end. As with all King's books the story is well written and imaginative. I don't remember my proms all that well, they were nothing of special note, but the population of Chamberlain, Maine will never forget the prom of '79!

If you have seen the movie I'd suggest you read the book, especially if you liked the movie. As these things usually are the book is far better and I found the ending to be much more believable. Good stuff.

What's next on the reading plate? I was going to reach for The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway but instead I picked up The Wastelands, Part 3 of King's seven part epic The Dark Tower. I wanted to take a break from King, as I feel that any reader should enjoy the works of many authors, but I wanted to find out what happens to Roland Deschain next. I suppose I'll find out shortly (not much as happened yet, I only managed to read 10 or so pages into this book after finishing Carrie last night).