Category: Books

Title: The Bellini Card

Genre: Novel

Grade: B+

Notable People: Jason Goodwin

Review: OK- so this is a real under the radar series about an Ottoman empire Istanbul detective in the mid 18th century who travels to Venice to acquire a famous and mysterious Bellini painting for the new child Sultan. The detective (Yashir) also happens to be a Eunuch. Loaded with intrigue, history, romance and characters that are a cross between film noir and Dickens. What’s not to like??? This is the third in a series and I ran out to the library to get the first two. Written by an academic form Cambridge… this is way out there. A Eunuch detective????

Title: Tag Man

Genre: Novel

Grade: A/A-

Notable People: Archer Mayor

Review: this is the latest in Archer’s long running Joe Gunther series centered on a Vermont detective. Overall, I think this is his best yet (though many of you know I may be biased about these books). The villain if the first in the series that is also part hero- and this book focuses on him a lot; a real departure for this series. Very complex character development, great story, great serialization of the major characters- and a lot of love writing for Vermont. This a twisting story with a lot of red herrings. The lone down side for me was that the ending seemed a bit pat and formulaic which is not typical of his books. If you’ve read them before- you want to read this one. If not- take a shot.

Title: Hunger Games Trilogy (Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay)

Genre: Novel

Grade: B+

Notable People: Suzanne Collins

Review: These novels are under the category of “young adult fiction”. I say young adult, schmung adult…these are captivating books regardless of your age. Well written, good characters, amazing story. Very dramatic telling of a strange future for our world. A very good wintertime read. Katniss Everdeen is a wonderful character.

Title: An Object of Beauty

Genre: Novel

Grade: B+

Notable People: Steve Martin

Review: The wild and crazy guy is a pretty good writer. Well crafted novel about the NY art world from the 90s through the early 2000s. Not what you’d expect from the King Tut man.

Title: Tabloid City

Genre: Novel

Grade: A-

Notable People: Pete Hamill

Review: If you don’t know Hamill you should. He was part of the great 50s-60s crew at the NY Post with Jimmy Breslin and Norman Mailer- and is still around writing really good books into his mid 80s. This is the story of a few days in the life on an aging newspaperman in NYC- as the paper folds around him; taken over by the web. A number of other stories of the city are woven in between. Hamill loves NY and its denizens and it shows. A captivating read.

Title: The Reserve

Genre: Novel

Grade: A-

Notable People: Russell Banks

Review: This is classically dark Banks novel that takes place in the Adirondacks in the 1930’s. A little hard to follow the back and forth in time- but a compelling story that mixes in historical characters and events- mostly set against the back drop of the Depression and the impending war with Germany. A book I found it hard to put down.

Title: Burn

Genre: Novel

Grade: B

Notable People: Nevada Barr

Review: The latest in the Anna Pidgeon series; she’s a national park ranger who gets into a lot of very sticky situations. Ms. Barr is also a lifer in the Park service so she knows of what she writes. Each book is in a different national park and the settings are really good. This one has the unusual setting of an urban park setting in post Katrina New Orleans. Good stories and characters, decent writing. Serial readers could get attached. Not her best effort.

Title: I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive

Genre: Novel

Grade: B

Notable People: Steve Earle

Review: Yes- it’s THE Steve Earle- the wonderful singer songwriter of alt country fame. First novel; strange concept. Junkie lost doctor in South Texas doe abortions and communes with the ghost of Hank Williams. Loved the characters; faded a bit at the end. You’ve got to be interested in south Texas, drug addiction, Catholicism and Hank Williams to REALLY like this book.

Title: The Glass Rainbow

Genre: Novel

Grade: B+

Notable People: James Lee Burke

Review: The umpteenth in the Dave Robicheaux series does not really cover new ground- but if you’re a fan – you’ll eat it up. Very good depiction of life in post Katrina Louisiana and a deep sense of what it’s like to live your life in a ritualistic southern environment. This book is his most focused yet on Dave’s iconic partner, Clete Purcell, who you will love or hate (or both). Good summer read.

Title: The Paris Wife

Genre: Novel

Grade: B+

Notable People: Paula McLain (Author)

Review: a very interesting novel in the first person by Hemingway’s first wife- Hadley. Took it to Paris with me; it’s mostly set during the early (pre fame)Paris years and has a notable cast of characters (Gertrude Stein, Scoot Fitzgerald, Sherwood Anderson, Picasso). A sad tale of the end of thier marriage and his falling for his 2nd wife. Well told and very detailed research. This is must for anyone who is fan of EH or Paris.