As I continue to insert cartooning into my reading material. I thought it would be easy to do this, but it is tough. I have a history of Andy Jackson and indians book I’m reading and want to keep reading. It’s tough enough to add fiction. Cartoon fiction is even tougher. But I really need to take in more cartooning collections.

Shazam!: The Greatest Stories Ever Told VOL 01 by Bill Parker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A mostly great collection of the comic book stories of Captain Marvel. This collection begins with the earliest story by C.C. Beck in 1940 to 1998. This also chronicles the deterioration of the comic book industry. The stories start off as light good guy vs. bad guy and transform into a muddled soap opera. I cared about the earlier stories and couldn’t care less about the later, despite all of the bleeding heart mess.

So, I would not define these as “the Greatest Stories” or even the “Greatest” mediocre ones. The first half of the stories fit the title.

The incredible work of C.C. Beck is the best reason to pick up this volume. He had so much fun with his stories. From crazy creatures of the past to talking worms and tigers. Today there is some weird idea that all of this must be explained, as if explanations make any of it more real. It’s just fun and fun is hard to find these days.

Bottom line: i half recommend this book. 7 out of ten points.



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More entertaining today! Today in the community of Lakeville, north of Orlando and south of Apopka.Celebrating an 80th birthday!

Entertaining for a wedding rehearsal in Tampa.Still not feeling my best, but my creative side was working really well.I admit to really liking how a lot of these turned out.

Preacher’s Quest by William W. Johnstone

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Another tale of Preacher leading a group of Easterners west. This one much better plotted than most. There are all sorts of incidents that get in the way of the path Preacher is taking throughout the book and many well written exciting encounters. Otherwise, the dialogue is standard. As usual the characters are the greatest strength in the book. The settings are lightly covered and atmosphere well done.

Bottom line: i recommend this book: 7 out of ten points.



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Another wedding had me out performing in north St Johns County, south of Jacksonville tonight.

A History of Fort Jefferson by U.S. National Park Service

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A short bit that crams a lot into too few pages. The history is well laid out from construction to the point of publication. The information is direct and specific.

I like this booklet. Most short booklets created in the past 30 years are leaden with graphics with the writing lost. However, the National Park Service has been specifically good at producing materials of parks and this very early one is no exception.

Bottom line: I recommend this booklet. 8 out of ten points.



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The Seminole Wars: America’s Longest Indian Conflict by John Missall

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Still another coverage of the Seminole Indian Wars. This one takes the tale and approaches it with a more objective view. unfortunately weigh down with P.C. mess. Also, the nasty fingerprints of editor Gary Mormino can be found in this.

This is an easier to digest history as the authors better connect events than others have done that I’ve read. There’s also a welcome relation of war events and what is going on otherwise in the U.S. and world.

Problems are early on and could lose readers. There are the constant references to “whites”. “Whites”? What the hell are “whites”? The author seek to ball all of any skin color of lightness (whatever that is) into something they called “white”. This goes on throughout the book. They mean Americans, but refuse to use the term and don’t explain why. Is this a Mormino edit? Does sound like his kind of inanity.

There’s another line of “…religious fervor, speculative greed and racism” involving the Americans continuing historical man’s efforts to conquer. They write this as if it was only an American ideal. Worse they never throughout the book recognize the “…religious fervor, speculative greed and racism” were exactly the issues the indians had, too. There’s a line against “nationalism” involving the Americans. Yet, that is, also, exactly what the indians sought, too. This last is the stuff of Mormino, who refuses to recognize that “…religious fervor, speculative greed and racism” is what drove the Spanish conquistadors…to ultimate evil violent ends.

There’s much good of the book, outside of treading old territory. The objective views are very helpful. The grave exceptions being the addition of the temporary viewpoints of the time of the writing that will change and change again.

Bottom line: I don’t recommend this book. 5 out of ten points.



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Just met with Justin of the University of Florida Health college to pass along the 5 paintings of graduates.We met stone of my new favorite stores,2nd & Charles, in Jacksonville. Folks there were terrific and let us use a table to put them in frames.

Been doodling stories today in The Villages! Great folks who have volumes of life!

Henry S. Sanford: Diplomacy And Business In Nineteenth Century America by Joseph A. Fry

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A very thorough writing of the activities of Henry Sanford during his professional life. The book is broken up into sections of time and then those are broken up in other sections of activities. Since a direct time line is not followed and many pages of activities over lap with other activities, it can be hard to follow all Sanford was going through collectively at the time. Especially in that some much he injected himself into went wrong time and time again.

The writing is good, but could have a bit of flare throughout. This is straight history. No photos or images. There is an impressive comprehensive bibliography, footnotes and very good index.

I did discover a few errors in the book. Specifically involving the development of the City of Sanford, the encounter with Jacob Summerlin and the Democrat-Republican-Independent battle in Florida Sanfrod was involved with. Those errors do have to make me wonder about the accuracy of the rest of the book.

Bottom line: i recommend this book: 8 out of ten points.



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The Last Man Club by Ellery Queen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Two dynamite mysteries in one volume. Each could be figured out -IF you pay attention. Both very well written. I’m not nutty about the later works of the duo behind the name.These two are better written and plotted. Especially the first over the second.

These two also have the better writing of the standard characters of Queen, Inspector Queen, Nikki, etc. The Queen writing duo at their best.

Bottom line: i recommend this book. 7 out of ten points.



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