Firebreak – Richard Stark – December 29
I got this out of the library after reading The Getaway Man nonstop.This is a Parker novel which reads fast. This time Parker is involved in a stolen art heist. It's ok to steal art which was already stolen, isn't it?
The Getaway Man – Andrew Vachss – December 27
Dave gave me this book for Christmas and I was going to save it for our spring trip but couldn't wait. The writing style is a little different but very comfortable. It's about a kid, a juvenile delinquent, actually, who wants to grow up as a driver, a getaway man. He succeeds nicely but we all know that crime doesn't pay.
Falls the Shadow – William Lashner – December 25
I've read other books by Lashner which I enjoyed and this one was just as good as the others. The main character in his books is Victor Carl, a lawyer who spends more time acting as a detective than as a lawyer. This case involves a dentist who tries to do good things but his methods are not always good.
Bad Move – Linwood Barclay – December 19
This sounded like it would be a fun read. The write-up on Linwood Barclay made him sound like another Carl Hiaasen or Elmore Leonard. His writing was ok but the stupid things that the narrative character did were funny at first but he quickly became a real jerk. My practice of getting two books at a time from the library paid off. I put this one down and picked up the other.
1st to Die – James Patterson – December 18
I started reading another book (Lux by Maria Flook)but half way through it I decided I didn't like it. So I decided to read someone I knew I'd like, James Patterson. I picked up one of his books at the library and saw it was the fourth in a series so I hunted for the first, might as well start at the beginning. This has more turns than a corkscrew and I couldn't read it fast enough. Fun!
Captiva – Randy Wayne White – December 10
Like Carl Hiaasen the locale for White's books is southwestern Florida and he uses many of the same characters. There are the natives (the good guys) and the developers (the bad guys) and great, good-hearted women. The writing is easy to read but the story is only so-so.
One True Thing – Anna Quindlan – December 5
I like the way Anna Quindlan writes. The subject of the book (the mother dies slowly of cancer) is not one I would pick but it was done so well I really enjoyed it and it was thought provoking.
Gentlemen and Players – Dianne Harris – November 14
I saw this book listed in the QPB catalogue at Tracy's and decided to give it a try. Tracy Library had it so I took it out as soon as I returned home. It's a murder mystery centered around a private school outside of London. A kid from the "wrong side of the tracks" wishes to attend but knows it will never happen. The kid eventually goes to live with mother in Paris and comes back years later to teach at the school. Then bad things start to happen.
Double Whammy – Carl Hiaasen – November 6
Carl Hiaasen is one of my favorite authors and he never disappoints me. The title comes from the name of a favorite lure used by bass fishermen. The book is about competitive fishing tournaments and the shenanigans surrounding them.
Dead Until Dark – Charlaine Harris – November 3
Tracy took this out of the library and thought I would like it. I did. It's a different take on the vampire genre (if there is such a thing). It's about a vampire trying to go human and the girl who loves him. At some point I'll get Living Dead in Dallas, another of her "vampire" stories.
No Great Mischief – Alistair MacLeod – October 26
This is a book of family reminiscences written by "one of the great undiscovered writers of our time" (according to Michael Ondaatje, whoever he is). It's the story of the MacDonald family who set sail from the Highlands of Scotland and came of age in the beautiful Cape Breton landscape. This is a work of fiction but if it were true I imagine the MacDonald descendants would enjoy it but I'm not sure of others (except Michael Ondaatje).
So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish – Douglas Adams – October 18
I finished the last book on a weekend so I couldn't go to the library, that left my own bookshelf (and Julie wonders why I don't read these before going to the library). I picked this short (204 pages) book because I wanted to finish it before leaving for the West. This is the fourth book in the Hitchhiker trilogy and it was as absurd as that last statement. Here is a sample. "Rob McKaenna was a miserable bastard and he knew it because he'd had a lot of people point it out to him over the years and he saw no reason to disagree with them except the obvious one which was that he liked disagreeing with people, particularly people he disliked, which included, at the last count, everybody. He had read somewhere that the Eskimos had over two hundred different words for snow, without which their conversation would probably have got very monotonous."It's the type of book that only those with a strange sense of humor, like son Dave, would enjoy.
State of Fear – Michael Crichtom – October 14
Another book from son David's library. As David says, "Crichton is not known for his character development but his plots are great." This one is about global warming or at least the claims that the Earth is warming. His research of the subject is impressive, there are many footnotes and the bibliography is pages long. His conclusion is that the danger of global warming is very exaggerated. I don't think the liberals out there would enjoy this book.
The English Passengers – Matthew Kneale – October 7
David lent me this book because he thought I would enjoy it. He was right. It's not the type of story I would read often but it was a fun read. David's review (you'll have to page down) is accurate but I would add that the aborigine Peevay's account of the adventure was the most entertaining. I'm sure it's based on more fact than fiction seeing as how most of the early English settlers were criminals or not much better. The next most entertaining was the ship's captain, Illiam Quillian Kewley. He couldn't get a break.
The Winter Queen – Boris Akunin – September 22
Boris Akunin, nee Grigory Chkhartishvili, writes mysteries that take place in nineteenth century Russia. I didn't attempt to remember all of the names of the characters, such as, Xavier Feofilaktovich Grushin, but tried to remember their position in the narrative. His writing style reflects the times and is laced with subtle humor. There are several twists and turns in the story and it moves quickly to a not anticipated ending.
Marked Man – William Lashner – September 16
I like William Lashner's mysteries. They move along with humor and twists and the lead character in all his books is Victor Carl, a poor lawyer who always gets suckered in to defending the defenseless.
Tell Me Lies – Jennifer Crusie – September 12
Last year I read Bet Me by Jenifer Crusie which was hilarious. I think it was the only one she wrote meant to be that funny. This one is a mystery where the lead character's husband is murdered. It was semi-interesting and sometimes amusing but is the last Crusie book I read.
Politics Lost – Joe Klein – September 5
Joe Klein is a political columnist for Time magazine and the author of Primary Colors. His thesis is that the country is being led by political pollsters. Both parties are in disarray and the party leaders and candidates won't do or say a thing until their consultants say it's OK. He uses as examples the presidents Truman through George W. and their campaigns. He writes very entertainingly and it's hard to argue with what he says. He admits he's a Democrat and more liberal than conservative but he is no kinder to his party than to the Republicans. I like nonfiction that reads like a novel.
Drums of Autumn – Diana Gabaldon –
August 30
Diana Gabaldon writes on and on and on. In this case for 1070 pages. Her writing style is easy to read but she invites scanning on occassion, well, many occassions. This is the fourth of six (so far) novels relating the many adventures of Clair Randall and Jamie Fraser. Through some "time travel" the story takes place in the 20th and 18th centuries although most of it occurs during the late 1760s. It started in Scotland but then moved to America I assume to bring in some pirates and indians.
Grant Comes East – Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen –
August 5
This is the second of three novels examining the "what-if" of American history. This alternative history of the Civil War is pretty good reading. The use of actual names and events makes it very believable and as the battles play out it's very exciting. The last one is Never Call Retreat which covers the last battles of the war. I'm looking forward to it.
The Big Bad Wolf – James Patterson – July 28
Not terrifically heavy but enjoyable just the same. A Washington D.C. detective gets hired by the FBI and almost immediately gets put on a case which irritates others in the Bureau. A character known as "Wolf" is a Russian ex-KGB who is part of the Mahfya and suspected of arranging the kidnapping of beautiful women not for ransom but for sale. Yeah, white slavery.
Blinding Light – Paul Theroux – July 21
I decided to list this book even though I didn't finish it. I read about 90 pages and was bored by a story about seven people who take a guided tour in the jungle in Columbia to find some exotic drug. None of the seven interested me and the story wasn't that good so I dropped it and picked up Demolition Angel which was terrific. After I finished that I decided to give Theroux another chance. After all, I have read other things by him and enjoyed them. After another 20 pages I put it down for good.
Eisenhower - Carlo D'Este – July 26
This book about Eisenhower's rise to command the troops in World War II was lent to me by a friend who read it for a class he taught on Ike. It's been a "tweener" (a book read between other books) for about two years. It is an exhaustive book about Eisenhower's life and the conduct of the war and the people, mostly generals, who were involved. There was so much detail it became repetitious and invited scanning. Julie made me finish it so we could return the book. It's a wonder we won the war.
Demolition Angel - Robert Crais – July 25
I was browsing the stacks at the library and the cover of Demolition Angel stood out with Robert Crais boldly displayed. I particularly enjoyed Hostage by Crais so I picked it up. I wasn't disappointed. This is about the Los Angeles bomb squad and one of its members, Carol Starkey, who gets killed by a bomb but is brought back to life at the scene. There is a battle between Starkey and a serial bomber called Mr. Red. This book is so exciting it's tough to read every word because I can't read fast enough. The ending is terrific.
Pleading Guilty - Scott Turow – July 19
Scott Turow's style is good. He's not too wordy and his dialogue is realistic. This story involves the lawyers in a large law firm but fortunately there is no courtroom stuff up with to put. Someone has absconded with a lot of money and the solution is not predictable. This book is a little different in that the hero is not an Adonis and the heroine is not particularly beautiful.
If You Knew Me – Anne Roiphe – July 13
A story of relationships particularly between two in their early forties who had given up on finding someone. The style is wordy and invites scanning which I did, freely. I can't recommend it.
Faking It – Jennifer Crusie – July 7
Time to for me to pick up a Crusie book for a laugh and I'm not disappointed. You could call this one a murder mystery/romance novel. The lead character (always a woman) has resigned herself at age 35 that all men are not to be trusted and she will spend the rest of her life painting. All her painting to this point has bordered on fakes/forgeries which were sold at her late father's gallery. Enter gold-diggers, FBI, a hitman, and a "good guy." You can figure out most of the ending but the trip is fun.
Open Season – C. J. Box – July 4
Another good story about Game Warden Joe Pickett's efforts to keep the Wyoming hills free of bad people. C. J. Box spins a good yarn that keeps you turning pages and no scanning because you might miss something. Fortunately there are more books in this series.
Labyrinth – Kate Mosse – July 2
A story about two women, Alice in the twenty-first century and Alais in the thirteenth century.Their stories are similar and they were to be tied together at the end. I never made it and stopped half way through, boring. I hate to say this because I like women authors but she wrote like one who should have been writing for Harlquin Press. They loved it in Britain, though.
Trunk Music – Michael Connelly – June 25
The title comes from the term the homicide detectives use for a corpse found in the trunk of a car. This case looked like a mob job but detective Harry Bosch thought otherwise and, guess what, he was right. This mystery had more twists and turns than Little Lake Sunapee Road. This book had a little bit of everything, good cop, bad cop, romance, sex, etc. That's what makes Connelly's books a great divertissment.
The King of Torts – John Grisham – June 15
I'm about to give up on Grisham. This wasn't bad for about three quarters but then it turned boring. I did a "Harry" (as in "When Harry Met Sally) and read the last five pages. It ended as I thought it would so I didn't miss anything. Poor lawyer gets offered millions to bring a class action suit and becomes greedy and wants more. In the end he gets his just rewards.
Founding Mothers – Cokie Roberts – June 11
I didn't read this book in two days. This was a "tweener" that I read between the mysteries. It is a look at history, the Revolutionary War through Washington's presidency, through the eyes of the wives, mothers, sisters, etc. of the important men of the time. From Cokie's point of view the women had to be a lot more resourceful than the men. While the men were coming up with the Declaration of Independence the women were running a business to feed their families (they were always pregnant) and support their husbands. They also had to avoid the English armies who were prone to rape and pillage. Cokie writes with a sense of humor which made for an entertaining read.
Slipping into Darkness – Peter Blauner – June 9
Stephen King said, "One of the best books I've read in a long, long time." I'd have to agree that it was pretty good but, "one of the best", I'm not sure. A detective "solves" a big homicide case and sends a 17-year old up for 25 to life. Unfortunately the kid was not guilty. After 20 years he gets out on a technicality and shortly after his release a similar murder occurs. Now the same detective wants to send him back in for both murders. Good character development makes for a great story.
Past Due – William Lashner – June 5
Lashner's books are all about a defense attorney, Victor Carl, and his cases. Victor is the prototype struggling lawyer who does the right thing. His sense of humor is good, maybe not as good as Robert Parker, but pretty good. This time his client gets murdered and the Philadelphia court system does its best to thwart Carl's efforts to solve the mystery killing. There are some well developed characters that make the book very enjoyable.
The Greatest Game Ever Played – Mark Frost – May 27
The best part of this book is its chronicalling of the beginning of golf in the United States. The second best part is the recounting of the 1913 US Open in which Francis Ouimet defeated Harry Varden and Ted Ray, the two best professionals from England and probably the world. Mark Frost's style made for pleasant reading about a subject which many would find very boring.
Perish Twice – Robert B. Parker – May 16
Parker either writes with Spencer the main character of Sunny Randall as the heroine. This one is with Sunny, a private eye who is divorced but is still in love with her ex and he with she. Makes for some entertaining dialogue. Whether its Spenser or Sunny the humor is the same, good. She investigates a suicide where the suicide note says he killed a woman. This makes it easy on the Boston police, they can close two cases at the same time. Sunny doesn't like it and starts nosing around. Another entertaining Parker novel.
School Days – Robert B. Parker – May 14
When I started this book I thought it was familiar but I couldn't remember how it concluded so I kept reading. Parker writes so well that I read it in a day and enjoyed it. Turns out I read it a few months ago and enjoyed it then, too. Parker's books are like Lays chips, you can't read just one. Or maybe they're like Chinese food, an hour later you feel like reading another one.
Tears of the Giraffe – Alexander McCall Smith – May 13
Precious Ramotswe is the eminently sensible and cunning proprietor of the only ladies' detective agency in Botswana, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. In Tears of the Giraffe she tracks a wayward wife, uncovers an unscrupulous maid, and searches for an American man who disappeared into the plains many years ago. In the midst of resolving uncertainties, pondering her impending marriage to a good, kind man, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, and promoting her talented secretary, she also finds her family suddenly increased by two. Smith's books read easily and are an enjoyable break from anything too heavy.
Resistance – Anita Shreve – May 10
My neighbor, Ollie Dorr, asked me if I liked Anita Shreve. I said, "Very much." So she lent me this book. Shreve's descriptions of battle, life, and the Gestapo during WWII are riveting. This is the story of a downed American pilot who is hidden by the resistance in an attic of a young married couple. The wife isn't too happy with the husband so you can start to figure out what comes next. The ending is a little different from what you might expect, though.
Empire Falls – Richard Russo – May 7
I read Mohawk back before the millenium and I don't know why it took me so long to read another by Richard Russo. This book also takes place in a small, depressed (economically) New England town. The central character, Miles Roby, undergoes family, marital, and business problems but the story is so well written that it is not depressing. It is interesting to see how he handles them.
Captain Alatriste – Arturo Perez-Reverte – April 21
Another good story about a swordsman (old definition) in Spain in the seventeenth century. Fortunately this is the first in a series.
Cuba Libre – Elmore Leonard – April 17
Julie and I listened to this on the way back from NC. This is an interesting yarn about Cuba during the "war" with the US. It includes the mining of the battleship Maine.An entertaining and easy listening story.
Stormy Weather – Carl Hiaason – March 19
Julie and I listened to this on the way down to North Carolina and enjoyed it. It recounts rather humourously what some miscreants will do to take advantage of those who are wiped out by a hurricane. Carl really hates what the "developers" have done to Florida. He is an ardent "tree hugger" and makes all the others bad guys.
Innocent Blood – P. D. James – March 16
I've always enjoyed her mysteries but this isn't a mystery. This is a rather heavy story of family ties and love or the meaning of it. The novel's central character, Philippa, is a girl of eighteen who was adopted when she was eight. When she was eight her father raped a twelve year old girl and her mother killed her. The father died in prison and the mother was released after ten years. The law in England allows an adopted child to find their parents. Philippa finds her mother but also looking for her mother is the father of the child that she killed. P. D. James explores the feelings of everyone, Philippa, the child's father (the mother dies), and the adoptive parents, toward each other and of themselves. Interesting but not overly entertaining.
Deception – John Altman – March 10
This is a really cool book. The heroine is unwittingly involved in an insurance fraud so she takes a friend's offer of a ticket on a cruise to the Greek islands. But on board she becomes sucked into a scheme to produce a WMD and an extraordinary adventure begins.
Dying for You – Geraldine Evans – March 6
Another English author but only so-so. It is supposed to be a good mystery but the main character makes so many stupid mistakes that it is very hard to have any sympathy for him. Maybe woman authors just aren't my thing.
Case Histories – Kate Atkinson – March 2
I've got a thing for English authors. Their way of expressing themselves and describing situations or feelings is just enough different from this side of the ocean that it is fun to read. The book is about three police unsolved case histories that come together through the lead character, a private detective.
Tooth and Claw - T. C. Boyle - February 24
This is a collection of short stories that are really weird. One's about a woman who wants to study dogs so she tries to become one (walking on all fours, living in the yard). Another is about a disc jockey who wants to set a world record for staying awake. After two weeks he can't go to sleep and ends up dying. Weird. I didn't read all of them.
The Big Love - Sarah Dunn - February 20
The library puts out a list of new books and the one-line description read a lot better than the book. It's the story of a 25 year old virgin who is deciding how to give it up while looking for mr. right. This is really too chick-lit.
School Days - Robert B. Parker - February 18
This is a typical Parker book, enjoyable and a fast read. Spenser gets hired to prove the innocence or guilt of a student who confessed to taking part in a school shooting.
Fast Women - Jennifer Crusie - February 16
Every once in a while I have to read a "feel-good" book and this was it. While at Tracy's I read Bet Me By Crusie and loved it and knew that I would get one of her books out of the library as soon as I needed a book. This is a romantic murder mystery and an easy read.
Shantaram - Gregory David Roberts - February 12
This is a long book but it reads more like three or four books under one cover. Judging from the description of the author on the back cover it appears that the book is a fictionalized autobiography. The titular character is an oxymoron; he escaped an Australian prison where he was serving a 20 year sentence for a series of armed robberies and fled to Bombay, India where he became deeply involved with the Indian mafia yet he can't help doing good deeds for the poor and disadvantaged of Bombay. He falls in love with an American girl who has been in Bombay for years and then loses her, gets her back then loses her, gets her back then leaves her, until he finally falls out of love with her. Understandably he constantly self analyzes. The story almost made me want to visit the Bombay slums. Thanks for the book, Dave.
Chasing Cezanne - Peter Mayle - January 15
I'm going to miss Tracy's books. Chasing Cezanne is a humorous story of art dealers and forgeries and the respectable and not so respectable people involved. A little entertaining light reading.
The Book of Illusions - Paul Auster - January 13
Tracy keeps dropping unusual books on me. This story is totally fabicated but reads like a non-fiction biography of a silent screen comedian of the late 1920s. It's funny, sad, a great love story, and enough twists worthy of a mystery.
Three Junes - Julia Glass - January 9
This book is about a family in Scotland, they all play a part, father, mother, older brother, and twin brothers. The first part builds the characters, the second part is all the older brother, and the third part is conclusion. The second part is the longest and least interesting to me. The older brother is gay, the guy's all right but I'm not totally comfortable with gay relationships. It's written well, though, so I finished it but I can't recommend it.
Tepper Isn't Going Out - Calvin Trillin - January 2
This book is a little different from the usual. It's about a guy who likes to park on a street in Manhattan and sit behind the wheel and read a newspaper. Innocent enough until other drivers pull up and ask him if he's going out. He's not going out until the meter runs out and the other drivers think he's nuts and taking a good spot. The author cleverly builds on this slim premise.
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