Category: Books

Genre: Book

Grade: A-

Notable People: Philip Kerr

Title: Greeks Bearing Gifts

Review: This is the most recent in Kerr’s very long running Bernie Gunther series. The books started taking place in Pre-War Berlin in 1939 and have now followed reluctant Nazi Bernie, through much sturm and drang, to 1957, where he finds himself acting as a pseudo insurance adjuster first in Munich and then in Athens. Kerr’s’ books are historically vivid and rich with characters and story lines and this one is no exception. I was captivated by the mostly true story until I thought it fizzled out a bit at the end…seeming less plausible after being so dead on for 500 pages. But, I’ll line up for the next one anyway.

Genre: Book

Grade: B+/B

Notable People: Bill Bryson

Title: Neither Here Nor There

Review: I was so smitten by Bryson’s “A Walk in the Woods” that I got three more Bryson books from the local library (they have a lot of them- apparently he is more popular than I realized-especially in Vermont- since he lives in Dartmouth, NH area). Frankly, it was a disappointment. Bryson is witty and acerbic-and a great social and political commentator in his travels….but it got kind of thin the second time around-for me. This one is his 1992 reprise of a back packing trip across Europe that he had previously taken in 1972 The reminiscences about the earlier trip were much more enjoyable to me- partially because they included the great irascible Katz sidekick character- and partially because I too backpacked Europe in 1972 and there were very familiar signs of the times. Katz being missing took a lot away from this book, I thought….and the jokes became over familiar. Still, he is quite the unique travel writer…but I think I’ve had my share for a while As an aside, the film version of “A Walk in the Woods” is available on Amazon Prime, and though not as rich as the book, Nick Nolte is gem as the bedraggled Katz…though Robert Redford as Bryson seemed like a stretch.

Genre: Book

Grade: A-

Notable People: Steve Hamilton

Title: Winter of the Wolf Moon

Review: this is the second of the series of Hamilton’s Alex McKnight books that I have read….and was really impressed with the progress in writing style from the first one. McKnight is an ex-Detroit cop with a lot of baggage, who basically lives a hermit life in the far reaches of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula- surrounded by Ojibwa Indian reservation folks. He is a very reluctant private investigator -surrounded by a wooly cast of characters. The action is fast and furious and the characters are well written. Hamilton’s sense of the UP is magnificent. Somewhat farfetched-as in how could one person survive this many near death beatings..…but hugely entertaining. I read this one in two days flat.

Genre: Book

Grade: A

Notable People: Bill Bryson

Title: A Walk in the Woods

Review: My good friend, the Nave (short for Naven , as in “ the phone book’s here, the phone book’s here) , gave me this book for my birthday-before we left the hinterlands for Vermont. He told me I would laugh out loud while reading it, which I took to be a metaphor….but NOT. I could not stop laughing out loud… even while reading in bed, and waking up Jenn and Lucy. Bryson is REALLY funny in a very dry, acerbic kind of way….and this may be the best “travel” book I have ever read. Two old, out of shape guys decide they will rediscover America by thru-walking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine (2200 miles). Needless to say, adventure and misfortune awaits. I have now rounded up five more of Bryson’s deep catalog of “travel books” from the local library, which typically is not that well stocked- but has lot of Bryson. Turns out everyone in the world (almost) had read this guy …but me. Gonna start from the beginning…too god to pass up. Thanks, Nave!

Genre: Book

Grade: B+

Notable People: William Shirer

Title: The Rise and Fall of Adolph Hitler

Review: OK- this is a really odd choice for a read…but we were getting ready to leave Ohio for Vermont and I did not want to take any new books out of the library-so hit my archived book shelves at home….and found this book I have owned my entire life , but never read. Not even sure how I came to have it, but it said “Mousie” on the cover and was from the Bronx public library, so I’m guessing I somehow got if from a local neighborhood legend where I grew up who has stolen it from the library. But enough context, no? Shirer wrote this book in 1961 when the end of the war was still pretty fresh and people did not yet know much about the Third Reich. It is very dry and academic, only moderately well written but a fascinating history of the lunatic’s strange life, and of the time (1961 ) when it was written. Pretty short an easy to read (very big type)….another in a long line of informative books about a time in history that seems unimaginable to have been so recent. Not foe everyone, but a good choice if you are a history buff of the era.

Genre: Book

Grade: A-

Notable People: Paul Auster

Title: Invisible

Review: Yes….I am in the midst of a Paul Auster obsession at the moment…but well worth it…and this is my last one for now. Bug…what a beauty. Auster is always dark and complicated, but this one takes the cake….a book within a book within a book…all focusing on a few turbulent months in 1967. Set in NYC and Paris, it is a moving story of a young man trapped in the giddiness of youth at Columbia University and new exotic friends- that turns into a life changing exploration of regrets and promise unfulfilled. This is not for the faint of heart…material is explicit….but very, very worthy. The guy is master.

Stu’s Reviews

Genre: Book

Grade: A-

Notable People: Paul Auster

Title: Oracle Night

Review: I have been on quite an Auster kick over the last six months and none of his work disappoints…but this was quite a shift from the joie de vivre of “Brooklyn Follies”. Back to very, very dark Auster…with plots within plots within plots….so much so that you have to stop and consider which story line you are on. Oracle Night is the title of story by a writer within a story Auster is wring about a writer (figure that out). On top of all the writers writing stories , the protagonist ,Sid’s, story, is quite convoluted as well. Auster always does a great job of capturing internal dialog and external setting (Brooklyn-his favorite),and this book is hard to put down (I finished the 180 pages so in three days)- but I found the ending surprisingly dissatisfying…..seemed like an easy way out. Still, Auster is Auster…which makes it worth the effort.

Genre: Book

Grade: A

Notable People: Jim Harrison

Title: The Ancient Minstrel

Review: Jim Harrison is the undisputed King of the Novella form. From is early efforts with Legends of the Fall through his death a few years ago, he continued to find maybe his greatest strength as a writer in this medium. This volume, written a few years before his death, pretty much sums up all his lifetime writing themes. The first story, set in Montana, is most clearly his own- dealing with his aging and swan song (the ancient minstrel), the second is one of those famous stories, for which he became mush acclaimed, told from a first person woman’s point of view and in the third he brings back one of his infamous UP (Upper Peninsula of northern Michigan) characters- the retired lecherous detective, Sunderson (no first name!) . I absolutely love these stories and have great sorrow that there will be no more. These are perfect for late winters afternoon reading.

Genre: Book

Grade: A-/B+

Notable People: John Clarkson

Title: Bronx Requiem

Review: Wow…this one is barn burner. This is apparently a series featuring James Beck- former convict in the NY penal system- a pretty tough guy, wrongly accused for killing a cop, who gets his conviction overturned after eight hard years in the joints and sets out with his crew to make things right for ex-cons. a kind of Robin Hood crew of ex-cons who do a lot of good things and lot of very bad things to bad people. I could not put this book down even though I would not say the writing is “A” caliber. But the story is fast paced and tantalizing, the characters are great and the guy knows the Bronx- every inch of it. Certainly an escapist read…but I’m going for more.

Genre: Book

Grade: A+

Notable People: Paul Auster

Title: Brooklyn Follies

Review: Paul Auster is an absolute gem…a treasure…I try to sparse out my readings of his substantial catalog so as not to take these excellent books for granted. Many of Auster’s’ catalog of writings are very dark and morbid, but he may be having a change of life as I found this beautiful book to be quite uplifting and energizing. Aging man comes to Brooklyn from his life in the Burbs to get ready to die and finds family and renewal in a quirky set of characters and circumstances. I found the protagonists- Uncle Nat- to be downright heroic. Doesn’t hurt that there is a wonderful road trip to Vermont thrown in to the mix. Read Auster….soon.