So, besides The Big Short, I've been reading some young adult stuff and a few more mature mysteries. The young adult material intrigues me - the books I've read have a wonderful blend of escapism and adventure, in the proportions I always tended to prefer. I just finished a book called The Mysterious Benedict Society where some kids have to defeat an evil genius bent on controlling the minds of everyone making up regular society. The kids are odd, of course, very smart, with talents that make them outcasts among their peers but give them a leg up on solving this mission.

I've also read a CJ Box novel, featuring game warden/detective Joe Pickett, called Below Zero. In this one, Pickett's oldest daughter Sheridan starts receiving text messages from someone claiming to be their lost adopted daughter April. Trouble is, April was killed in an explosion (in an earlier book) during a shootout between some survivalists and the FBI. And it seems that whoever is sending these messages is somehow associated with a string of murders occurring across the country. Good tense novel. I love the outdoors angle to Box's novels.

I'm currently reading Box's latest (I think) called Nowhere To Run. In this one Pickett goes into the mountains to investigate a case where some bow hunters say they killed an elk but when they got to it, the animal had already been butchered. Pickett doesn't know what he's about to run across. Nor do I, yet...since I'm only about 100 pages into it.

I also read a book called Theme Park Design by engineer Steve Alcorn. Alcorn worked on EPCOT for Disney, specifically, the pavilion in the World Showcase called The American Adventure. This book is a sort of primer on the technical and creative processes that go into designing a theme park, and into the attractions in any given park. It's a book that is to be enjoyed by a specific audience. (I fall into that audience, I guess.) Alcorn has an earlier book out called Building A Better Mouse which talks more specifically about EPCOT's construction. I'd like to get that one. He also has a couple of mysteries out. Don't know anything about those.

My son has an idea for a young adult novel, and so I'm trying to help him out with the story. How long till I take it over completely? I think his idea has some potential. It will be fun to see if we can come up with anything for it.

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