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A well-written and perfectly crafted story that is pure Gaiman. I loved it. It was lovely and haunting and sad and suspenseful and just all around a great story. As usual, Gaiman also did a fantastic job reading it. I always feel like I'm curled up listening to a creepy bedtime story whenever I listen to any of his audiobooks. A fantastic reading experience.

My only complaint, and what forced me to give it 4 stars instead of 5, was the music. Overall, I enjoyed the music and at times it really added to what was happening in the narration. However, I don't usually listen to music when I read. At times, it was horribly distracting for me. There was a few times I got lost in the intense music and realized I hadn't been listening to the spoken words. I had to go back and listen again. Also, sometimes the music was way more intense than what was actually going on. It added a strange suspense to events that weren't very suspenseful, which was a bit odd.

Don't get me wrong; the music itself was great. It's just that sometimes it was a little too good and distracted me from the actual story.

The story itself is for sure 5 stars, but the audiobook listening experience was a little too intense at times with the music, which is why I bumped it back to 4 stars. Still a great read.

Eddie has a pet goat named Gardenia who gets into too much trouble for Father to put up with, so Uncle Ed offers to have Gardenia on his ranch in Texas to live, and Eddie to stay with them for a few months.

Goodreads.com

I found a 1960s copy of this on a recent thrift store trip and was initially curious about it because 1) I'm always a little curious about old books in shops and 2) gardenias are my favorite flower. So happy I took a gamble on it because this story is seriously adorable!

Eddie is a little boy who has a pet goat named Gardenia. As much as he loves her, she is a handful! Gardenia really does it one day when she chews up the cloth roof on Eddie's dad's new Buick. Fed up with all the recent damages, Eddie's dad lays down the law and says the goat has to go. He suggests that Eddie write to Uncle Ed in Texas and see if he'll let Gardenia live on his ranch there. Eddie writes this letter and waits. Not only does Uncle Ed agree to take on the goat but he also invites Eddie out for a few months to live on the ranch and visit with his cousin Georgie.

But the trip doesn't turn out to be as straightforward as you'd think. Eddie travels with Gardenia to Texas by train, but en route the goat manages to free a flock of chickens AND ends up getting moved to the wrong truck, nearly ending the story before it's begun. Luckily, Uncle Ed swoops in in time and sorts things out. But even at the ranch, getting Gardenia acclimated is more of a process than anyone anticipated.

It's a charming story full of humor and love of family and nature, just the sweet journeys of Gardenia trying to live her best goat life. There are some dramatic moments, but nothing too violent or scary. This story would also serve as a good primer for young readers as far as introducing them to ranching terminology and lifestyle customs.

This book is disappointing. I don't understand any of the basketball, hip hop and football references. Which means I am missing most of the jokes. 

Also, damn, his parents are hella abusive.

My husband would be so disappointed to learn the husband isn't an idiot, like on the show.

"ENDURING COURAGE" brings vividly to the reader the essence of the man who was Eddie Rickenbacker (1890-1973). Pioneer race car driver, mechanic, World War I fighter ace and squadron leader, national hero, airline executive, and controversial figure. Rickenbacker looked death in the eye many times, both in war and peace, and miraculously survived each time. No-one who knew Rickenbacker ever forgot the experience, for he endeared himself to as many people as well as those he alienated through his brusque, hard-nosed manner.

My only fault with the book was the author's tendency to sometimes resort to hyperbolic, overblown prose. Otherwise,"ENDURING COURAGE: Ace Pilot Eddie Rickenbacker and the Dawn of the Age of Speed" made for engrossing reading.