Category: Books

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.

Genre: Stories

Grade: A
Notable People: C.J. Box
Title: Shots Fired

Review – as you all may recall, I am a big fan of the lost art of short stories and seek out those who really master this oft-forgotten art form. I have ben lucky to find a number of really good practitioners of this art in last few years and Box is high amongst them. This set of stories, all set in modern day Wyoming are wonderfully written small works of art. Box does Wyoming like Hemingway did the UP and Irving does New England…loves the place and lets us learn how to love it. Four of the stories are related to his Joe Pickett series for those of you who have dabbled in that. My favorite is about a faux Shoshone Indian who goes to Paris to be in wild west show because French woman want to have his wild – nature babies. This is a good read- easily done in small segments- perfect for bedtime

Genre: Novel

Grade: A-
Notable People: Jake Wallis Simons
Title: The English German Girl

Review –Very interesting book by noted British journalist that chronicles a German Jewish family’s experience in Berlin starting in the late 1930s and through the rise of Nazi power. As expected, a rather heartbreaking tale that I found pretty compelling. Not a happy ending, as is the norm for tales of this time and place. Pretty well written but not a great writer, but the material and the story make it more than worthwhile.