Category: Books

Genre: Novel

Grade: A-
Notable People: Robert Galbraith
Title: The Cuckoo’s Calling

Review –This is a the first novel in a series (three to date) by the author who is really J.K Rowling of Harry Potter immortality. Why she is using a pseudonym and still telling everybody who she is – is one of those literary world secrets or inside jokes I guess. So, first off I am not a Potter fan. Tried the books once, but did not really take, and have not seen the movies (my kids were already grown when the books were the rage). That said, she/he is a brilliant writer- these books are very well written and the stories are pointedly told, and she has a great ear for dialog. Cormoran Strike is a down on his luck private detective in London, who has lost his leg in Afghanistan and his heart to a tigress. He is also the estranged bastard son of a famous rock star- and is called on, very mysteriously, to investigate the apparent suicide of a super model. This one is filled with wild goose chases and greedy, manipulative characters. London is well portrayed. I’m going out and get the next two.

Genre: Novel

Grade: A-
Notable People: James Hamilton- Patterson
Title: Cooking with Fernet Branca

Review –This is a hilarious and irreverent book about and English writer living in the hills of Tuscany. The wacked out story is secondary to the two narrators’ musings about life, art and each other. The book is interwoven with the primary narrators’ recipes that can best be described as haute- disgusting (stuffed udder in butterscotch sauce). Very well written with some laugh out loud moments- a perfect light summer book and would carry over onto the fall. Very unusual.

Stu’s Reviews

Genre: Novel

Grade: A+
Notable People: Harry Brandt (Richard Price)
Title: Whites

Review – I have no idea why Price is writing under a pseudonym-especially since his real name is one the cover…but who cares. This guy is a master of his genre…..or any other. A truly great, great writer of dark, urban stories. “Whites” is the name for the kind pf perp who plagues a cop for his entire career- someone who gets away with some heinous act but cannot be brought to justice. This is the underlay for this amazing story set in NYC. Lots of demons, lots of underbelly, lots of characters. This is a real keeper.

Stu’s Reviews

Genre: Novel

Grade: A-
Notable People: Paula Hawkins
Title: Girl on the Train

Review – Well written first novel form this British journalist. Quite the suspenseful ride- with a few too many red herrings for my taste. Not very likeable charters, but believable and compelling. Took me a while to warm to the cadence of this one- told in diary style from several characters. This either is or will be really good movie. (Trying not to give much away her- as my friend, the Nave, was just visiting and is in mid-book)

Genre: Novel

Grade: B+
Notable People: Jonathan Miles
Title: Dear American Airlines

Review – Interesting first novel given to me as gift…with some personal connection…wonder what. Generally the book is one massive complaint letter to American from a guy stranded in Chicago trying to get to his estranged (since birth- never seen her) daughter’s wedding to walk her down the aisle. The complaint runs into a life story, mostly amusing, at times bit over the top…and fully blended in with a wacked out story from a lost Polish masterpiece novel. Well written- maybe a bit too cute, but worth the read.

Author: Herman Koch

This book is intense! Koch is a Dutch write an the book is translated from the Dutch. The entire book (pretty short) takes place over the course of an exotic dinner in an upscale Amsterdam restaurant, between the protagonist and his brother who is about to be elected prime minister (with their wives). It starts out like an interesting treatise on family life and fraternal competition, but takes some wild twists via flashback. A totally unexpected story-and not all that pleasant a one; well written, not that easy to like. Lots of surprising violence.

Grade: B+

Genre:   Novel

Title:  The Dinner

This is an exhaustive account of the American violent underground movement of the 60s and 70s …which actually lasted well into the 80s. An extremely well researched and vivid portrait of the Weathermen, The Black Panthers, the Symbionese Liberation Army and more (see Patty run!)- it is a fascinating look at a truly unbelievable period in our history (45 bombs were set off in one month in the early 70s in New York city alone). It’s a really long book and you have to really want to know this stuff to get through it . Very detailed with good portraits of some of the famous players: Bernadine Dohrn, Jeff Jones, Mark Rudd) but pretty dry and probably too much for most casual readers. Fascinating though.

Notable People: Bryan Burrough

Grade: B+

Russo is a really good writer- he won the Pulitzer Prize for his 2001 novel Empire Falls-which was well deserved. His books all take place in fictional NY state Adirondack area towns and are sweeping chronicles of life in that area and culture. This one follow two generations and three families over a 50 year period in both upstate NY and Venice (the bridge of sighs is a Venice landmark). Russo writing is pretty heady with a lot of metaphor and symbolism. His story is sweeping and ambitious. This is a long read and not a very quick one- but worth it if you have the time and patience.

Genre: Novel
Author: Richar Russo
Grade: A-

Block is prolific-has written over 50 novels in about six different series (Matthew Scudder is the most famous )- mostly in the mystery genre. And he’s good at it. This one is out of the variety of series he does and is a standalone and mighty well done. Keller is a hit man with a conscience and a therapist. Leads a pretty normal life in NYC except when he goes off to do murder for hire. Everywhere he goes he has major fantasies about moving to. Quite witty and with a good sense of place- Block is really good at what he does. A quick and entertaining summer read.

Genre:   Novel

Grade: A-

Notable People: Lawrence Block

Stu’s Reviews #187

Genre: Novel

Grade: A-

Notable People: M.L. Steadman

Title: The Light Between Oceans

Review – Brilliant first novel by this Australian author. Set in remote western Australia after the first work war, a sweeping 50 year tale of life as lighthouse keeper and a wild ride of beauty and trauma. Very well written with excellent historical base. I was really moved by this book an sat in tears at the end. Highly recommended.