Missoula by Jon Krakauer

Missoula: rape and the justice system in a college town by Jon Krakauer - 367 pages

I discovered while writing this entry that its very hard to type Missoula when you live in Missouri, the fingers just want to finish it with ri.  That's about the only levity I felt regarding this book.  It's a hard read but I think a valuable one.  Krakauer was inspired to write the book after learning how many women in his life had been a victim of acquaintance rape.  His research led him to Missoula where a flawed system in a college town was allowing rapists to continue in their horrible activities unchecked.  The book covers several pivotal cases and the Department of Justice investigation that helped bring about a new dawn in Missoula in how sexual assaults are prosecuted. 

The Glass Cafe by Gary Paulsen

The Glass Cafe, or, The Stripper and the State: How My Mother Started a War with the System that Made Us Kind of Rich and a Little Bit Famous by Gary Paulsen - 99 pages

It all started because Tony decided to be an artist.  His teacher had told the class that all artists did life studies of the nude form.  So he drew pictures of his mother's fellow workers at the Kitty Cat Club.  Someone made a complaint and his mother was investigated for abuse.  Then it just got crazy.
I picked up this audio to listen to over the weekend.  I knew it was short.  I didn't look at the info enough to realize that it was only an hour.  So I finished it in a day.  I really enjoyed the story.  It was funny and heartwarming.  A great book for older kids.