Farrah reading.I don't like to list the years' best books. But I do think once in a while I should mention books not necessarily forgotten.
So settle for this: what did you read last, now, next?
Me: Last: Ticket to Ride (Gorman), Now: Hummingbirds (Gaylord) (I only read it in ms and that was several years ago), Next three: the Raymond Carver biography, Murder in Four Parts (Crider) and The Thirteenth Tale (Setterfield) for my book group.
How about you?
39 comments:
Just finished The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Steig Larsson.Am now reading The Collected Stories of J.G. Ballard and Ten Plus One by Ed McBain.Next will either be ulian Comstock by Robert Charles Wilson or Skin by Mo Hayder.
Was Hornet's Nest up to the standard of the first twp?
Just finished Trail of the Burned Man by Tom McNulty. Am now reading another book to be reviewed: Liberty and the Law Badge by Chap O'Keefe. I need to take a break from Westerns after this - will probably read either Charlotte Gray by Sebastian Faulks or maybe some Sherlock Holmes.
I finished The Two-Bear Mambo last night and am getting ready to start Chasing The Bear next.
And I am determined to read a Western. Just bought one by Richard Wheeler. The only ones I've read till now are by Ed Gorman and James Reasoner.
Ed Gorman and James Reasoner - those are hard acts to follow. Try some Elmer Kelton - I loved Sons of Texas.
Just finished a novel in verse my Alma Fullerton (very good), picked up a Toni Morrison book in passing at the library yesterday.
I'm looking for something new to read, so I'll be checking out some of the books mentioned. Dying for something different.
In verse. Holy cow. Have you read THE LITTLE STRANGER, Sarah Waters. If you are a patient reader, it's gold.
If you want short, have you read Castle Freeman's Go With Me. Amazing.
Patti maybe this could be the year you read Elmore Leonard - especially if you're going to read a western next. His Complete Western Storis is a good place to start, you'll recognize a few movies in there and When the Women Come Out to Dance also has a couple of really good western stories, "Hurrah for Capt. Early," and "The Tonto Woman," and even a story that's not a western but that stands with the best Raymond Carver, "Hanging Out at the Buena Vista."
I'm reading James Crumley now.
Last: THE STORIES OF BREECE D'J PANCAKE Now: THE SAVAGE DETECTIVES by Roberto Bolano and Next: Maybe 2666 by Roberto Bolano. It's hard to guess what I'll pick next. I sometimes change my mind at the very last minute. Happy New Year!
Last: A MODEST HARMONY by Sheila Gordon, subtitled Seven Summers in a Scottish Glen, it's the non-fiction recounting of a family's summers in a stone house on a loch near a small isolated village in the Scottish Highlands. Different, entertaining, full of wonderful descriptive passages and interesting history.
Now: A CHRISTMAS BLIZZARD by Garrison Keillor, about a Chicago health drink tycoon who is stuck in a small town during a blizzard at Christmas time and how the experience affects him. Somewhat predictable and Keillor's humor is unrelenting, but I'll finish it.
Next: DAWN PATROL by Don Winslow, a well reviewed 2008 book by an author I like but haven't read for a while.
There is one little tiny problem with this: I have a lot of new books from Christmas, and they are ALL calling out to me, as well as a couple I have under way, since I seem to read more than one book at a time. So the Next book is only my best guess.
LAST: The Pulp Jungle by Frank Gruber.
NOW: Panic Attack by Jason Starr.
NEXT: High Priest of California by Charles Willeford.
Last: SWAN PEAK, by James Lee Burke
Now: SHAKEDOWN, By Charlie Stella
Next: COMPLICATIONS, by Atul Gawande
LAST: The Eustace Diamonds by Anthony Trollope (Great!)
NOW: The Lost Origins of the Essay Edited by John D' Agata (Great!)
NEXT: Too Much Happiness By Alice Munro (Great reviews!)
New Years' Resolution, John.
Lisa-Another book I have meant to read. I gave 2666 to my DIL last Christmas but don't know if she ever read it.
Randy-The titles intrique me.
Rick-Loved THE DAWN PATROL. That Scottish book sounds great.
Yay, Cullen. I missed you. . I am saving the last Hoke Mosley book for when my death sentence arrives and I need cheering up.
I used to revere Munro, but somehow the last two collections have seemed...less. But I know I will probably read it. And I also vow to read a Trollope this year. What is his shortest work? Did he do any graphic novels?
I have never read a Jamie Lee Burke either. How can I have read so many books and missed so much despite it.
Last:
East of A - Russell Atwood
Intent To Kill - James Grippando
The Blue Religion - Michael Connelly ed.
Now:
The Doaker's Story - Neil M. Isaacs
Cult Magazines A to Z - Earl Kemp & Luis Ortiz
Next:
Dark Places - Gillian Flynn or
Sweet, An Eight-ball Odyssey - Heather Byer or
Bone Machine - Martyn Waites
Just finished: The Lady in Red by Hallie Rubenhold, non-fiction about the scandalous (was there any other kind?) divorce of Lord & Lady Worsley in the 18th century. The odd thing is, they were never actually granted the divorce, they were just legally separated for many years until Lord Worsley died and Lady W could (finally!) have access to her inheritance. That was the most interesting part of the book--the legal manouvers that women had to go through to gain access to their own property.
Reading now: Three, Three, The Rivals by Anthea Fraser, a British mystery published in 1992.
Next up (and subject to change): The Pesthouse by Jim Crace. I went to the library to check out Crace's The Gift of Stones, a novel set at the point where the Stone Age was giving way to the Bronze Age, but I saw this book on the shelf next to it and saw that it was a post-apocalyptic novel, a theme I enjoy, so had to check it out.
Last, "Sarek." Now, "Masters of the Hashomi" and "The Trellisane confrontation." Next. I don't really know. Probably a western.
Patti--to follow up on your comments about Trollope and Burke. Even though it's a long novel, I recommend Trollope's The Way We Live Now. The pages will fly by--and it's just as relevant now as it was when it was first published.
As for Burke, I recommend reading In the Electric Mist with the Confederate Dead and call it a day. I know some people love his writing, but I think his style is very purple and over-written.
Loved Being Dead by Crace. What a concept. Also loved Dark Places-quite a talent.
Have we done a forgotten books-westerns? We must have. Or fantasy/adventure.
No Westerns-only/primarily FFB round, nor fantasy-adventure, though I've certainly done westerns (Ms. Lee Hoffman, Marcia Muller, Ester Wier's YA THE LONER...all by women, no less), among many other westerns by others. And not a few Gabriel Hunts and more blantantly fantastic adventures by various folks (my closest approaches there being various anthos including adventurous fantasies and probably the rather horrific timeslip fantasy THE EXILE by William Kotzwinkle).
Most of mine are in audiobook:
Last - Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood by Michael Lewis (non-fiction)
Now - just finished (minutes ago) Head Games by Craig McDonald
Next - The War That Killed Achilles by Caroline Alexander (non-fiction)
p.s., I finishing Pariah by Dave Zeltserman in softbound book.
Patti-Hornet's Nest was as good as the first 2.
I have to disagree with Deb on James Lee Burke. I think there are two ways to approach the books. One is to start with and of the first 4, personally I'd pick BLACK CHERRY BLUES or MORNING FOR FLAMINGOS. The other is to read TIN ROOF BLOWDOWN, which is very good and gives a perspective on crime in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. My reaction to the book was "I'd forgotten how good Burke is."
Patti-I have read every James Lee Burke book. Not a bad one in the bunch.
I have Pariah on the TBR pile. My DIL and son are dying to read Hornet's nest. I should order it for them. We should do westerns then. I adored MacDonald's Rogue Males. I have his novels on the TBR pile too.
I agree with Deb that THE WAY WE LIVE NOW makes for compulsive reading. I'm also not an admirer of James Lee Burke's work. Reading Burke is like eating a hot fudge sundae and feeling ill afterward.
Last: A Big Little Life by Dean Koontz; Don't Bleed on Me by Basil Copper; Ground Zero by F. Paul Wilson
Now: Sleep No More by L. T. C. Rolt; Tom Swift and His Wireless Message by "Victor Appleton" (Howard Garis); Houston Homicide by Bill Crider and Clyde Wilson
Next up: The Secrets of Dr. Taverner by "Dion Fortune" (Violet Firth); Night Walker by Donald Hamilton; The Stoneground Ghost Stories by E. G. Swain
Last: Mr. Monk in Outer Space by
Lee Goldberg
now: Tomato Red by Daniel Woodrell
next: The Jugger by Richard Stark
Last - Frost at Christmas by R.D. Wingfield
Now - The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon
Next - The Last Good Kiss by James Crumley
Last: Goddess of the Market -Ayn Rand and the American Right by Jennifer Burns
Now: Ellison Wonderland by Harlan Ellison
Next: The Fabulous Clipjoint by Fredric Brown
Still working on the copy of Some Buried Caeser sent by Bouchercon. (Not that I hate it, I'm just taking my time.) Last was Carney Kill by Robert Edmond Alter and A Loss of Innocence by Richard Aleas. (I'm quirky that way.)
No bias here: Re-reading Queenpin. (Hooked by that opening line.)
A bit of Guest, a tad of Ginsburg and other Beats, and *shrug8 who knows.
Last: Ticket to Ride (Ed Gorman) reviewed at my place yesterday.
Now: Murder in Four Parts (Bill Crider) review to come end of week.
Next: The Talented Miss Highsmith (Joan Shenkar).
Last read was Ed Gorman's "Blood Game", which I thought was the last of his splendid Leo Guild western series. I've since learned there's a fourth, which I have ordered. These are among the best westerns I've ever read. Currently reading "Full Dark House", the first of Christopher Fowler's Bryant & May series. Up next is Stephen Hunter's latest, "I, Sniper". Looks like there's a mini-Gorman revolution going on. Well, there should be. He's terrific.
Last book I read was Nick Quantrill's Broken Dreams, which was very good, and I'm currently enjoying Rober Anton Wlison Explains Everything .
May be late in posting this, but had to share. My next book read was supposed to be Jim Crace's The Pesthouse, but the library called and said a book I'd put on hold a while back had come in. It was Don Choan's Await Your Reply and I read it yesterday--an utterly fascinating book about identity theft and so, so much more. I strongly recommend it if you haven't already read it. I guess The Pesthouse is next up now.
Sorry--that's Don Chaon. Await Your Reply is such a great book, the least I can do is spell his name correctly.
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