What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

[bertilak]

The next Parker novel, The Black Ice Score. The corrupt President of a small nation steals its treasury, and this time Parker is only hired to plan a heist to steal it back. But now he has to worry about Claire, and of course someone gets greedy... Poor Parker!

The first line of each Parker novel ...

The Hunter (December 1962): "When a fresh-faced guy in a Chevy offered him a lift, Parker told him to go to hell."
The Man With the Getaway Face (March 1963): "When the bandages came off, Parker looked in the mirror at a stranger."
The Outfit (September 1963): "When the woman screamed, Parker awoke and rolled off the bed."
The Mourner (December 1963): "When the guy with the asthma finally came in from the fire escape, Parker rabbit-punched him and took his gun away."
The Score (July 1964): "When the bellboy left, Parker went over to the house phone and made his call."
The Jugger (July 1965): "When the knock came at the door, Parker was just turning to the obituary page."
The Seventh (1966): "When he didn't get an answer the second time he knocked, Parker kicked the door in."
The Handle (February 1966): "When the engine stopped, Parker came up on deck for a look around."
The Split (March 1966): "When he didn't get any answer the second time he knocked, Parker kicked the door in."
The Damsel (1967): "Grofield opened his right eye, and there was a girl climbing in the window."
The Rare Coin Score (1967): "Parker spent two weeks on the white sand beach at Biloxi, and on a white sandy bitch named Belle, but he was restless, and one day without thinking about it he checked out and sent a forwarding address to Handy McKay and moved on to New Orleans."
The Green Eagle Score (1967): "Parker looked in at the beach and there was a guy in a black suit standing there, surrounded by all the bodies in bathing suits."
The Black Ice Score (1968): "Parker walked into his hotel room, and there was a guy in there going through his suitcase laid out on his bed."
The Sour Lemon Score (1969): "Parker put the revolver away and looked out the windshield."
The Dame (1969): "Grofield, not knowing what it was all about, got off the plane and walked through the sun into the main terminal building."
The Blackbird (1969): "Grofield jumped out of the ford with a gun in one hand and the empty satchel in the other."
Deadly Edge (1971): "Up here, the music was just a throbbing under the feet, a distant pulse."
Slayground (1971): "Parker jumped out of the Ford with a gun in one hand and the packet of explosive in the other."
Plunder Squad (1972): "Hearing the click behind him, Parker threw his glass straight back over his right shoulder, and dove off his chair to the left."
Butcher's Moon (1974): "Running toward the light, Parker fired twice over his left shoulder, not caring whether he hit anything or not."
Comeback (1997): "When the angel opened the door, Parker stepped first past the threshold into the darkness of the cinder block corridor beneath the stage."
Backflash (1998): "When the car stopped rolling, Parker kicked out the rest of the windshield and crawled through onto the wrinkled hood, Glock first."
Flashfire (2000): "When the dashboard clock read 2:40, Parker drove out of the drugstore parking lot and across the sunlit road to the convenience store/gas station."
Firebreak (2001): "When the phone rang, Parker was in the garage, killing a man."
Breakout (2002): "When the alarm went off, Parker and Armiston were far to the rear of the warehouse."

I forget where I got these from. Wherever it was, I think I added the last one or two. I have read them all.

[Metsfan91]

On the Shortness of Life - Lucius Annaeus Seneca!!!

[littlerfish]

The Sour Lemon Score, by Richard Stark (Donald Westlake). In this, the bank heist goes just fine, but when they get back to the hideout, someone gets greedy, and Parker has a frustrating week trying to track down the money. Do we see a theme emerging? Poor Parker!

[littlerfish]

I was looking at the Saint novels up in the Internet Archive yesterday. I first read The Saint In New York when I was young and impressionable, and then I found as many others in the series as I could. The Saint was a proto-Bond, a dashing Robin Hood figure who robbed crooks and, well, sometimes gave to the poor, while foiling various evil schemes in a very Bond-like fashion.

Getaway, a chase across 1932 Europe, made an impression I still remember today. And I see that Project Gutenberg has one of them online, the first: Meet the Tiger, from 1928.

[MP173]

"Cold Cold Heart" by Tami Hoag.

A young woman is kidnapped by serial killer. She escapes by killing him but suffers significant brain and physical damage. After therapy she returns to her hometown where 8 years earlier her best friend went missing. With memory loss, she tries to put the pieces together of what happened to her friend.

I gave it a 4.0 of 5. It was a good page turner but had a few inconsistancies.

Ed

[littlerfish]

Unexpected Night, by Elizabeth Daly. Her first Henry Gamadge novel, written when she was 60 years old. An old-fashioned murder mystery, very twisty, set in a summer hotel on the Maine coast and golf resort. Humor, clever twists, engaging character portraits. Set in the present, which was 1940 at the time it was written. I liked it.

I got it from Faded Page (https://www.fadedpage.com/) which has a number of her titles available for download.

[bfeenix44]

The Tech Coup, Marietje Schaake
The Mighty Red, Louise Erdrich
Nemesis, Gregg Hurwirz (Orphan X #10)
Life in the Fasting Lane, Dr Jason Fung

[doobiedoo]

The 6:20 Man by David Baldacci was quite good.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59586621-the-6 Goodreads 4.15

"Every day without fail, Travis Devine puts on a cheap suit, grabs his faux-leather briefcase, and boards the 6:20 commuter train to Manhattan, where he works as an entry-level analyst at the city’s most prestigious investment firm. ..
Sara Ewes, Devine’s coworker and former girlfriend, has been found hanging in a storage room of his office building — presumably a suicide .."

From Civilian Reader: https://civilianreader.com/2024/05/19/v ... d-central/
"Sometimes the story takes some fortuitous turns, at others rather sudden shifts. There are plenty of red herrings, and they’re mostly well-executed. Almost every character has an ulterior motive; readers will even come to question his roommates, who are an interesting and diverse cast of characters. The novel contains pretty much everything we’ve come to expect from the author’s books. There’s also plenty of commentary about the finance industry, including its brutal entry-level work .. and the questionable ethics of anyone able to amass fortunes in the billions."

[Nicolas]

I’m reading volumes 1-16 of the Comics Kingdom reprints of the classic Thimble Theater, later called simply “Popeye”, newspaper comic strips from 1928 on, drawn by E.C. Segar. I’ve already learned that Olive Oyl has an older brother named Castor, and she lives with her mother and father, “Nana”, and “Cole”, respectively. Also Olive had a boyfriend before Popeye, named Harold Hamgravy.

Popeye hasn’t appeared yet in Volume 1, it’s all about Olive’s trials and tribulations with Harold. She later ditches him for Popeye. I find these early comics to be both imaginative and charming. I can see influences in R. Crumb’s work so I think he must be familiar with Thimble Theater. In fact Mr. Natural bears a resemblance to Cole Oyl and Flakey Foont looks a lot like Harold Hamgravy!

[MP173]

"See How they Hide" by Allison Brennan.

This is the 6th in the Quinn and Costa series (FBI agents), the first I have read. Interesting concept. Identical murders occur in Virginia and Washington with poppies left with the bodies. Thus begins a series of murders tracing to a cult located in remote Colorado. I was at a disadvantage of not being up to date on character development, but overall it was an entertaining mystery. Rated 4.2

I will read more of the author's work.

Ed

[Barkingsparrow]

Alexander at the End of the World - The Forgotten Final Years of Alexander the Great - Rachael Kousser

This story starts with Alexander capturing then destroying Persepolis, and is an account of the last 7 years of his relentless campaign all the way to the Indus River. I'm enjoying the book, but I cannot help but think that she is extrapolating at times here; because although the book is well-documented, I think there has to be a healthy skepticism towards the reliability of sources going back this far back in time.

[yankees60]

Alexander at the End of the World - The Forgotten Final Years of Alexander the Great - Rachael Kousser

This story starts with Alexander capturing then destroying Persepolis, and is an account of the last 7 years of his relentless campaign all the way to the Indus River. I'm enjoying the book, but I cannot help but think that she is extrapolating at times here; because although the book is well-documented, I think there has to be a healthy skepticism towards the reliability of sources going back this far back in time.

Before I read what you wrote at the end ... I had been wondering about the reliability of the sources.

[StrugglingGuitarist]

Deep Under Cover by Jack Barsky. It's about a former KGB spy who broke away after moving to America. I'm still pretty early into it, but it's a good read so far!

[littlerfish]

The Big Over Easy, by Jasper Fforde

Fforde is a British writer semi-famous for his literary detective series featuring Thursday Next. But this one is a standard Golden Age British detective novel featuring DI Jack Sprat and the not-all-that-contrary DS Mary Mary. Investigating the demise of Humpty Dumpty. Did he jump or was he pushed? Or is there a third possibility? Written absolutely deadpan and filled with puns and inside jokes. Twist ending. I'm liking it.

[rockstar]

Doctor Who - Ghost Light

This is the novelization of the serial by the same name by the same writer. The book did fill in gaps in the televised serial. It was definitely better. I’d recommend if you’ve seen the serial and wanted more stuff explained. And the book is pretty short too.

[mancich]

Leadership in Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Pretty good so far.

[YeahBuddy]

America: The Farewell Tour by Chris Hedges

[nisiprius]

Finished Robert Caro's The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Means of Ascent. I found it absorbing. I can't believe I was thinking of skipping the stuff about the 1948 election because of not knowing anything about Coke Stevenson. When I got into it, I can't believe how much of a page-turned and cliffhanger it was. It was like an "inverted" mystery story, like "Columbo," where you know up front that Johnson is going to win, and yet you are desperate to know how.

Started The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Master of the Senate, and feel like I just had a major repair job done on my understanding of US history in general, and the Senate in particular, from 1789 up to 1948.

Yes, I'm smugly proud of having read so much.

[littlerfish]

Finished Robert Caro's The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Means of Ascent. I found it absorbing. I can't believe I was thinking of skipping the stuff about the 1948 election because of not knowing anything about Coke Stevenson. When I got into it, I can't believe how much of a page-turned and cliffhanger it was. It was like an "inverted" mystery story, like "Columbo," where you know up front that Johnson is going to win, and yet you are desperate to know how.

Started The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Master of the Senate, and feel like I just had a major repair job done on my understanding of US history in general, and the Senate in particular, from 1789 up to 1948.

Yes, I'm smugly proud of having read so much.

All four books are tremendous, but I really enjoyed Means of Ascent, as well. Wait till you get to the start of Passage to Power!

[MP173]

Agree..."Passage to Power" (Caro) is excellent. Anyone know when the final LBJ is due out? I believe it deals with the Viet Nam conflict and the last couple years of the Presidency.

Currently reading something much lighter - "Chain Reaction" by James Byrne. Picked up in the new book section at the library it is a Dez Limerick series book (3rd in). Similar in style to Reacher series. Just a fun read. Lots of violence, hot women, and James Bond type activity.

Ed

[YoungHopper]

A History of the United States in Five Crashes: Stock Market Meltdowns That Defined a Nation by Scott Nations

[ruralavalon]

The Revolutionary, Samue, Adams.

This is a good biography focused on the years leading up to the Revolution War, it's very detailed.

Recommended.

[yankees60]

Finished Robert Caro's The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Means of Ascent. I found it absorbing. I can't believe I was thinking of skipping the stuff about the 1948 election because of not knowing anything about Coke Stevenson. When I got into it, I can't believe how much of a page-turned and cliffhanger it was. It was like an "inverted" mystery story, like "Columbo," where you know up front that Johnson is going to win, and yet you are desperate to know how.

Started The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Master of the Senate, and feel like I just had a major repair job done on my understanding of US history in general, and the Senate in particular, from 1789 up to 1948.

Yes, I'm smugly proud of having read so much.

I read the first one over 40 years ago and some parts of it have still stuck with me. Coke Stevenson! Johnson does not steal those votes from him and none of us would have ever heard of Johnson.

[yankees60]

Finished Robert Caro's The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Means of Ascent. I found it absorbing. I can't believe I was thinking of skipping the stuff about the 1948 election because of not knowing anything about Coke Stevenson. When I got into it, I can't believe how much of a page-turned and cliffhanger it was. It was like an "inverted" mystery story, like "Columbo," where you know up front that Johnson is going to win, and yet you are desperate to know how.

Started The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Master of the Senate, and feel like I just had a major repair job done on my understanding of US history in general, and the Senate in particular, from 1789 up to 1948.

Yes, I'm smugly proud of having read so much.

All four books are tremendous, but I really enjoyed Means of Ascent, as well. Wait till you get to the start of Passage to Power!

I have also read all four of them. I cannot wait to start the next one when it finally gets published!

[yankees60]

Agree..."Passage to Power" (Caro) is excellent. Anyone know when the final LBJ is due out? I believe it deals with the Viet Nam conflict and the last couple years of the Presidency.

"Caro, 87, told the Associated Press that the next installment in The Years of Lyndon Johnson series won’t be coming out anytime soon. “It is huge,” he said of the next book. “You can’t speed up the research.”"

[Beensabu]

Just started Cloud Cuckoo Land, which my brother had been mentioning he kept meaning to bring me for about a year, and which I have let collect dust within arm's reach of where I spend most of my sit-on-rear time for several months. I think I'm going to enjoy it very much, now that I've opened it and begun to read the words.

[like2read]

Ways and Means by Roger Lowenstein

Excellent read.

From Amazon:

"From renowned journalist and master storyteller Roger Lowenstein, a revelatory financial investigation into how Lincoln and his administration used the funding of the Civil War as the catalyst to centralize the government and accomplish the most far-reaching reform in the country’s history.

Upon his election to the presidency, Abraham Lincoln inherited a country in crisis. Even before the Confederacy’s secession, the United States Treasury had run out of money. The government had no authority to raise taxes, no federal bank, no currency. But amid unprecedented troubles Lincoln saw opportunity—the chance to legislate in the centralizing spirit of the “more perfect union” that had first drawn him to politics. With Lincoln at the helm, the United States would now govern “for” its people: it would enact laws, establish a currency, raise armies, underwrite transportation and higher education, assist farmers, and impose taxes for them. Lincoln believed this agenda would foster the economic opportunity he had always sought for upwardly striving Americans, and which he would seek in particular for enslaved Black Americans."

[yankees60]

Ways and Means by Roger Lowenstein

Excellent read.

From Amazon:

"From renowned journalist and master storyteller Roger Lowenstein, a revelatory financial investigation into how Lincoln and his administration used the funding of the Civil War as the catalyst to centralize the government and accomplish the most far-reaching reform in the country’s history.

Upon his election to the presidency, Abraham Lincoln inherited a country in crisis. Even before the Confederacy’s secession, the United States Treasury had run out of money. The government had no authority to raise taxes, no federal bank, no currency. But amid unprecedented troubles Lincoln saw opportunity—the chance to legislate in the centralizing spirit of the “more perfect union” that had first drawn him to politics. With Lincoln at the helm, the United States would now govern “for” its people: it would enact laws, establish a currency, raise armies, underwrite transportation and higher education, assist farmers, and impose taxes for them. Lincoln believed this agenda would foster the economic opportunity he had always sought for upwardly striving Americans, and which he would seek in particular for enslaved Black Americans."

Looks like an excellent one and my kind of reading, especially combining three of my favorite reading genres of war / politics / money.

On the Amazon wishlist!

[like2read]

I think you'll enjoy it!

[bikefish]

Agree..."Passage to Power" (Caro) is excellent. Anyone know when the final LBJ is due out? I believe it deals with the Viet Nam conflict and the last couple years of the Presidency.

"Caro, 87, told the Associated Press that the next installment in The Years of Lyndon Johnson series won’t be coming out anytime soon. “It is huge,” he said of the next book. “You can’t speed up the research.”"

You might appreciate this about Caro. From a few years ago in the WSJ. I figure it is worth sharing. https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-lbj-bi ... _permalink

[jginseattle]

Far From The Madding Crowd, by Thomas Hardy.

[yankees60]

Ways and Means by Roger Lowenstein

Excellent read.

From Amazon:

"From renowned journalist and master storyteller Roger Lowenstein, a revelatory financial investigation into how Lincoln and his administration used the funding of the Civil War as the catalyst to centralize the government and accomplish the most far-reaching reform in the country’s history.

Upon his election to the presidency, Abraham Lincoln inherited a country in crisis. Even before the Confederacy’s secession, the United States Treasury had run out of money. The government had no authority to raise taxes, no federal bank, no currency. But amid unprecedented troubles Lincoln saw opportunity—the chance to legislate in the centralizing spirit of the “more perfect union” that had first drawn him to politics. With Lincoln at the helm, the United States would now govern “for” its people: it would enact laws, establish a currency, raise armies, underwrite transportation and higher education, assist farmers, and impose taxes for them. Lincoln believed this agenda would foster the economic opportunity he had always sought for upwardly striving Americans, and which he would seek in particular for enslaved Black Americans."

Finished reading it last night.

Now fast reading as every paragraph and sentence was packed with information.

An A+ book!

[heartwood]

Presumed Guilty by Scott Turow. The 3rd of his Rusty Sabicch novels (others Presumed Innocent, Innocent).

IMO, really needed more editing. He's got a good story, but it's somewhat hidden in ~500 pages with too many side distractions. I've read 75% and will finish; he writes good sentences and descriptions, but I found too much that does not advance the story as opposed to filling pages. The first hundred pages were a particular slog for me. As is often my personal peeve and perhaps my shortcoming, initially too many character names (I went back and made a list of who's who). The read gets clearer and better as the story gels.

Still I do recommend it, but perhaps be prepared to skim some.

[ResearchMed]

I've just devoured the first few books of a new series by Anthony Horowitz (of Foyle's War fame).
The first was The Word is Murder, and the second is The Sentence is Death.

The conceit here is that he is writing about himself, along with another main character (a fictitious ex-detective), in a work of fiction.

So it's easy to wonder... is *this* part of it true, or not?
For example, it mentions Foyle's War. Obviously that's true, that he wrote it. And at least some of the discussion of that is also correct, such as his mention of Honeysuckle Weeks as the driver.
However, most of the book is fiction, no surprise.

It was very easy reading, except for the occasional "Did *this* part really happen or is it happening only in this book/series?"

I did find myself wondering, not for the first time, how good novelists (fiction writers) can think up all of the various major twists and turns as well as all of the embellishments along the way to make a good story. And to make it readable without losing the reader.

I can't compare it to reading Foyle's War, as we watched that on TV.

RM

[LilyFleur]

"The Waiting" - Michael Connelly.

A Ballard/Bosch book and probably the worst book in the whole series. It seems the author is now just going through the motions, maybe just laying out plot-lines for the TV show. There's no development here, just a random set of investigations, including one that stretches credulity. I found the book tedious and had to force myself to finish. I bought the book new and I regret the waste of $$$.

I've been listening to Michael Connelly books lately on the Libby app, free from local libraries. There are usually audio books that are immediately available. Connelly is my second choice of authors at the moment. I'm finding the violence gets boring. I'm much more intrigued by character development.

On the Libby app, I place holds for audio books quite a bit. It's a treat when they become available!

I prefer Tana French to Connelly, and when I get access to one of her books, I stop, temporarily, on whatever Connelly book I have going. Tana French's books are read in a lovely Irish accent.

French's character development is much deeper and more interesting to me at the moment than Connelly's. Her work has a beautiful sense of place and I feel like I've been to Ireland afterwards.

[LilyFleur]

I've just devoured the first few books of a new series by Anthony Horowitz (of Foyle's War fame).
The first was The Word is Murder, and the second is The Sentence is Death.

The conceit here is that he is writing about himself, along with another main character (a fictitious ex-detective), in a work of fiction.

So it's easy to wonder... is *this* part of it true, or not?
For example, it mentions Foyle's War. Obviously that's true, that he wrote it. And at least some of the discussion of that is also correct, such as his mention of Honeysuckle Weeks as the driver.
However, most of the book is fiction, no surprise.

It was very easy reading, except for the occasional "Did *this* part really happen or is it happening only in this book/series?"

I did find myself wondering, not for the first time, how good novelists (fiction writers) can think up all of the various major twists and turns as well as all of the embellishments along the way to make a good story. And to make it readable without losing the reader.

I can't compare it to reading Foyle's War, as we watched that on TV.

RM

Reading novels is a great way to keep our minds agile!

[LilyFleur]

The next Parker novel, The Black Ice Score. The corrupt President of a small nation steals its treasury, and this time Parker is only hired to plan a heist to steal it back. But now he has to worry about Claire, and of course someone gets greedy... Poor Parker!

The first line of each Parker novel ...

The Hunter (December 1962): "When a fresh-faced guy in a Chevy offered him a lift, Parker told him to go to hell."
The Man With the Getaway Face (March 1963): "When the bandages came off, Parker looked in the mirror at a stranger."
The Outfit (September 1963): "When the woman screamed, Parker awoke and rolled off the bed."
The Mourner (December 1963): "When the guy with the asthma finally came in from the fire escape, Parker rabbit-punched him and took his gun away."
The Score (July 1964): "When the bellboy left, Parker went over to the house phone and made his call."
The Jugger (July 1965): "When the knock came at the door, Parker was just turning to the obituary page."
The Seventh (1966): "When he didn't get an answer the second time he knocked, Parker kicked the door in."
The Handle (February 1966): "When the engine stopped, Parker came up on deck for a look around."
The Split (March 1966): "When he didn't get any answer the second time he knocked, Parker kicked the door in."
The Damsel (1967): "Grofield opened his right eye, and there was a girl climbing in the window."
The Rare Coin Score (1967): "Parker spent two weeks on the white sand beach at Biloxi, and on a white sandy bitch named Belle, but he was restless, and one day without thinking about it he checked out and sent a forwarding address to Handy McKay and moved on to New Orleans."
The Green Eagle Score (1967): "Parker looked in at the beach and there was a guy in a black suit standing there, surrounded by all the bodies in bathing suits."
The Black Ice Score (1968): "Parker walked into his hotel room, and there was a guy in there going through his suitcase laid out on his bed."
The Sour Lemon Score (1969): "Parker put the revolver away and looked out the windshield."
The Dame (1969): "Grofield, not knowing what it was all about, got off the plane and walked through the sun into the main terminal building."
The Blackbird (1969): "Grofield jumped out of the ford with a gun in one hand and the empty satchel in the other."
Deadly Edge (1971): "Up here, the music was just a throbbing under the feet, a distant pulse."
Slayground (1971): "Parker jumped out of the Ford with a gun in one hand and the packet of explosive in the other."
Plunder Squad (1972): "Hearing the click behind him, Parker threw his glass straight back over his right shoulder, and dove off his chair to the left."
Butcher's Moon (1974): "Running toward the light, Parker fired twice over his left shoulder, not caring whether he hit anything or not."
Comeback (1997): "When the angel opened the door, Parker stepped first past the threshold into the darkness of the cinder block corridor beneath the stage."
Backflash (1998): "When the car stopped rolling, Parker kicked out the rest of the windshield and crawled through onto the wrinkled hood, Glock first."
Flashfire (2000): "When the dashboard clock read 2:40, Parker drove out of the drugstore parking lot and across the sunlit road to the convenience store/gas station."
Firebreak (2001): "When the phone rang, Parker was in the garage, killing a man."
Breakout (2002): "When the alarm went off, Parker and Armiston were far to the rear of the warehouse."

I forget where I got these from. Wherever it was, I think I added the last one or two. I have read them all.

This post is a great read!

[gamboolman]

This is a fun read.
This was the first of a series.
Do recommend.

[turtlebug]

Just finished 44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith. Delightful read & highly recommended.

[MP173]

Currently on "Jimmy Page - The Anthology". I huge picture book and written commentary about his recording career. Well composed and great photos. Photos are either historic or current. Often he will show a guitars or clothing played or worn during concerts with current day photos of the same item. He discusses certain pedal effects used and the results. Not so much a autobiography of his life but more a history of what he did in recording studio or concert hall, what he played, and what was worn.

This is a 400 page, 10" x 12" giant of a book. Page must have kept just about everything, including guitars, clothing, appointment calendars, LZ schedules, and other items. He is an excellent archivist, not only of LZ but also his life.

Also finished reading "Jane and Dan at the End of the World" by Colleen Oakley. A couple go out to a very expensive dinner, where the wife announces she wants a divorce. Meanwhile terrorists storm the restaurant. A funny look at marriage, parenting, and life in general. Enjoyed it. Gave it a 4.6.

Ed

[yankees60]

"The Waiting" - Michael Connelly.

A Ballard/Bosch book and probably the worst book in the whole series. It seems the author is now just going through the motions, maybe just laying out plot-lines for the TV show. There's no development here, just a random set of investigations, including one that stretches credulity. I found the book tedious and had to force myself to finish. I bought the book new and I regret the waste of $$$.

I've been listening to Michael Connelly books lately on the Libby app, free from local libraries. There are usually audio books that are immediately available. Connelly is my second choice of authors at the moment. I'm finding the violence gets boring. I'm much more intrigued by character development.

On the Libby app, I place holds for audio books quite a bit. It's a treat when they become available!

I prefer Tana French to Connelly, and when I get access to one of her books, I stop, temporarily, on whatever Connelly book I have going. Tana French's books are read in a lovely Irish accent.

French's character development is much deeper and more interesting to me at the moment than Connelly's. Her work has a beautiful sense of place and I feel like I've been to Ireland afterwards.

Speaking of Bosch .. .according to this we get to season 3 of Bosch Legacy this coming Thursday!

https://www.msn.com/en-in/entertainment ... ngNewsSerp

[yankees60]

Currently on "Jimmy Page - The Anthology". I huge picture book and written commentary about his recording career. Well composed and great photos. Photos are either historic or current. Often he will show a guitars or clothing played or worn during concerts with current day photos of the same item. He discusses certain pedal effects used and the results. Not so much a autobiography of his life but more a history of what he did in recording studio or concert hall, what he played, and what was worn.

This is a 400 page, 10" x 12" giant of a book. Page must have kept just about everything, including guitars, clothing, appointment calendars, LZ schedules, and other items. He is an excellent archivist, not only of LZ but also his life.

Also finished reading "Jane and Dan at the End of the World" by Colleen Oakley. A couple go out to a very expensive dinner, where the wife announces she wants a divorce. Meanwhile terrorists storm the restaurant. A funny look at marriage, parenting, and life in general. Enjoyed it. Gave it a 4.6.

Ed

Would definitely read the Jimmy Page book. However, it will be a while as even though the book is now 5 years old it still has a hefty used price.

Saw Led Zeppelin in 1969 and 1970.

Also, going to see Lez Zeppelin next month for about the sixth time.

[Barkingsparrow]

"The Waiting" - Michael Connelly.

A Ballard/Bosch book and probably the worst book in the whole series. It seems the author is now just going through the motions, maybe just laying out plot-lines for the TV show. There's no development here, just a random set of investigations, including one that stretches credulity. I found the book tedious and had to force myself to finish. I bought the book new and I regret the waste of $$$.

I've been listening to Michael Connelly books lately on the Libby app, free from local libraries. There are usually audio books that are immediately available. Connelly is my second choice of authors at the moment. I'm finding the violence gets boring. I'm much more intrigued by character development.

On the Libby app, I place holds for audio books quite a bit. It's a treat when they become available!

I prefer Tana French to Connelly, and when I get access to one of her books, I stop, temporarily, on whatever Connelly book I have going. Tana French's books are read in a lovely Irish accent.

French's character development is much deeper and more interesting to me at the moment than Connelly's. Her work has a beautiful sense of place and I feel like I've been to Ireland afterwards.

Other mystery writers that I now prefer over Connelly now are Elizabeth George's Inspector Lynley series, and Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti series. I'll definitely add Tana French to my reading list.

[LilyFleur]

I've been listening to Michael Connelly books lately on the Libby app, free from local libraries. There are usually audio books that are immediately available. Connelly is my second choice of authors at the moment. I'm finding the violence gets boring. I'm much more intrigued by character development.

On the Libby app, I place holds for audio books quite a bit. It's a treat when they become available!

I prefer Tana French to Connelly, and when I get access to one of her books, I stop, temporarily, on whatever Connelly book I have going. Tana French's books are read in a lovely Irish accent.

French's character development is much deeper and more interesting to me at the moment than Connelly's. Her work has a beautiful sense of place and I feel like I've been to Ireland afterwards.

Other mystery writers that I now prefer over Connelly now are Elizabeth George's Inspector Lynley series, and Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti series. I'll definitely add Tana French to my reading list.

Yes, I really enjoy Elizabeth George. I took a novel writing class from her at a local community college back in the day. She has a very well-developed, disciplined writing process.

Last night I listened to an Anne Perry book, set in Victorian London. It was available in the Audible library for no extra charge.

[Artful Dodger]

Just started
Billy Summers by Stephen King.

I really enjoyed this. Have probably read 40-50 of King's books, would put this in the top 10 personally, maybe even knocking on top 5.

Two books I recently fnished:

The Wager - by David Grann
Non-Fiction, a Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder
I think this has been cited somewhere earlier in this long thread, but a fantastic read and really makes you reflect on what these explorers went through in the 18th century.

Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945 - by Max Hastings
Covers the entire span of WW2 from start to finish, covering all major theaters, battles, and dives into the stories with many first-hand accounts. Very long read, but worth it and put a new perspective on the war from my view as an American.

I was wondering if anyone had posted on The Wager. I’d just seen it at Barnes & Noble and it looked interesting. I think I’ll pick it up.

I am right now listening to Hastings’ Inferno and finding it an enjoyable “read”. I like how he includes the viewpoints of different soldiers / sailors from all ranks. War is brutal.

[heartwood]

I really enjoyed this. Have probably read 40-50 of King's books, would put this in the top 10 personally, maybe even knocking on top 5.

Two books I recently fnished:

The Wager - by David Grann
Non-Fiction, a Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder
I think this has been cited somewhere earlier in this long thread, but a fantastic read and really makes you reflect on what these explorers went through in the 18th century.

Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945 - by Max Hastings
Covers the entire span of WW2 from start to finish, covering all major theaters, battles, and dives into the stories with many first-hand accounts. Very long read, but worth it and put a new perspective on the war from my view as an American.

I was wondering if anyone had posted on The Wager. I’d just seen it at Barnes & Noble and it looked interesting. I think I’ll pick it up.

I am right now listening to Hastings’ Inferno and finding it an enjoyable “read”. I like how he includes the viewpoints of different soldiers / sailors from all ranks. War is brutal.

You can search this thread for "The Wager" in the space above the first post on the page

Here're the results I got" search.php?keywords=%22the+wager%22&t=147398&sf=msgonly

including my post.

EDIT: BH has a lot of tools, like search. Respectfully, I wish we all searched for a book or song before posting a new entry. I find it more interesting to see a series of comments, pro or con.

[heartwood]

I'm most of the way through Pro Bono by Thomas Perry

https://www.amazon.com/Pro-Bono-Thomas- ... 220&sr=8-1

I enjoy Perry's writing and story-telling. I recommend this one

[Bjm403]

Everything is Tuberculosis -John Greem

[jebmke]

I'm most of the way through Pro Bono by Thomas Perry

https://www.amazon.com/Pro-Bono-Thomas- ... 220&sr=8-1

I enjoy Perry's writing and story-telling. I recommend this one

I like Thomas Perry; have read a lot of them. Didn't realize he had a new one.

[ResearchMed]

I've just devoured the first few books of a new series by Anthony Horowitz (of Foyle's War fame).
The first was The Word is Murder, and the second is The Sentence is Death.

The conceit here is that he is writing about himself, along with another main character (a fictitious ex-detective), in a work of fiction.

So it's easy to wonder... is *this* part of it true, or not?
For example, it mentions Foyle's War. Obviously that's true, that he wrote it. And at least some of the discussion of that is also correct, such as his mention of Honeysuckle Weeks as the driver.
However, most of the book is fiction, no surprise.

It was very easy reading, except for the occasional "Did *this* part really happen or is it happening only in this book/series?"

I did find myself wondering, not for the first time, how good novelists (fiction writers) can think up all of the various major twists and turns as well as all of the embellishments along the way to make a good story. And to make it readable without losing the reader.

I can't compare it to reading Foyle's War, as we watched that on TV.

RM

And... now I've read another in this series, The Twist of a Knife.

Hmmm... what to say...
This almost seems at times to be written by someone else.
There are some strange omissions/discontinuities. A few of them get cleared up later, but not in time for the reader not to wonder, "what about <this!?>", etc., when there was no reason to delay the explanation other than perhaps he forgot to mention it earlier? One was especially odd; sorry to be cryptic. It involved his wife, or rather, it did *not* involve his wife. Just a minor point, but there was an immediately obvious (to me, anyway) thought of, "But what about his wife?" It just seemed a bit sloppy.

And then the ending.
This was one of the most convoluted final endings. It just seemed that too many characters were introduced simply to increase the confusion/complexity (or to add to the total number of "words"?).
I don't want to describe it, because that would involve too much of a spoiler.
I suppose some readers will find this aspect appealing (?). Maybe.

This book was a bit of a disappointment.
And "surprise"... apparently his next book in the series is being published almost as I type, and DH already ordered it for me as a surprise!
I'll definitely give it a chance; I think it's the last of this particular little series (?) by Horowitz.
I hope it matches his previous works and not the immediately preceeding book.

It's still a bit odd wondering throughout, "Is THIS real?" or "Did THIS really happen?" or are they just part of the fictional storyline.
It's an interesting writing twist for him (and in general).

I'll be giving a try to some of his earlier books, some that I hadn't even noticed before.

RM