Category: Books

Genre: Book

Grade: A-

Notable People: Donna Leon

Title: Death in Strange Country

Review: The second in Leon’s award winning series featuring Commisario Guido Brunetti of the Venice policia. Wonderfully written with great-gusto characters who are not merely Italian- they are Venetian……. which I’ve learned, is most definitely a thing. Brunetti is a thoughtful character- much more cerebral than physical and a lifelong Venetian. The detailed descriptions of life in the canal city are absorbing and alluring and the mysteries well-conceived and well developed- with a wry commentary on power and corruption. If you are looking for something to sink your teeth into for a while, there are 32 books in this series that started in 1992 and Leon is still actively writing. Roba fantastica.

Genre: Book   

Grade: A-

Notable People: Walter Mosley

Title: Cinnamon Kiss

Review: after a month reading the laborious Pillars of the Earth, I went for down and dirty, reaching back to an old friend, Walter Mosley, who is like a well-worn pair of jeans. Had been a few years since my last dance with the fabled LA private dick, Easy Rawlins (think Denzel) and his mega- dangerous killer associate, Mouse Alexander, but it was like I nave left. Picked up with this gem, set in post Watts LA in 1963, where Easy follows up on some Sam Spade like intrigue, while ruminating on the world’s condition, the purpose of war and especially on racism in America……. all set in La and San Francisco at the dawning of the 60s counterculture. It’s a lot to unpack, but brilliant story by one of the best ever in the genre, and I read the dam things in 3 days. Mosley originally set this series immediately post war with the general, and especially African-American, LA boom of returning GIs and this ones takes us up to  the summer of love-written in 2005 and the 10^th in this wonderful series, that the magnificent Mosley is still writing. You Go, Easy!

Genre: Book

Grade: A-

Notable People: Ken Follett

Title: Pillars of the Earth

Review: This almost 8 pound, 1000-page hardcover book took me a month to read (some read In between for a break) and gave me forearm cramps juts holding it up (might want to consider this one on kindle). But-its’ a beauty. Follett is a master writer of spy fiction-dating back to the Cold War- but took a break in 1989, defying convention, to write this, the first of three works on medieval history/culture and the building of the giant European cathedrals. This book has it all: love, lust, extreme evil, power brokering rarely seen, extraordinary perseverance, enlightenment, scientific discovery- all around the lives of a group of people in 12^th century Britain, over a 60-year period and amidst the building of a historically designed massive cathedral (without power tools). It is an amazing wok of historical fiction and filled with unique highs and lows in the reading of it. Hard not to love and hate the characters and hard to take the sheer brutality of the lust for power and control, but this is a brilliant piece of work worthy of your time (a lot of it). And, Follett’s circa 2000 updated intro is worth the price of admission

Genre: Book  

Grade: A-

Notable People: Richard Ford

Title: Woman with Men

Review: Ford has been called America’s best living writer, by some. I’m not sure about that. For one, he is not very prolific and he is also a bit Hemingway-esque, which is not for everyone. But, he is really, really good and this 1997 collection of short fiction fully embodies his style and texture. One of the modern masters of short fiction, these three novellas are set in Chicago, Montana and Paris (hmmmmm? Who does that sound like.? Exceedingly well written and engaging, you get the feel of these places while entering the tortured souls of the principles. Ford will never be accused of being Pollyanna- ish. Dark, intense, often gripping tales of struggles of the soul take you deep inside. Might be a good thing they are short. This is an essential author, whom I’m glad to reconnect with.

Genre: Book  

Grade: A-

Notable People: Frederick Forsyth

Title: The Odessa File

Review: got back to Vermont and discovered I had left the books I wanted to read back in Ohio and the ones I ordered from library here not in yet………so had to hit the shelves of the home library to check out the benefactress’ collection, which was more soft- smut than not. But, came up with this gem from 1972 that I knew of, had seen the film, but never read. Mistake corrected! Wonderful follow up novel (with a lot of real historical facts and characters) to Forsyth’s international bestseller “The Day of the Jackal”. Set in Germany at the height of the cold war, when a young German reporter finds a diary on the body of a suicide victim on the night of the JFK assassination. The diary reveals the story of the top secret Odessa, whose only mission is to protect and prosper former Nazi SS leaders. A wild goose chase across Germany follows. Filled with adrenaline, drama and insight into the post war collective guilt, it is a fascinating and hard hitting tale. I’d challenge the idiot deniers to read this one. A bit dated, but well worth the read.

Genre: Book

Grade: B+

Notable People: Thomas Perry

Title: Vanishing Act

Review: The first in Perry’s Jane Whitefield, published in 1995. Jane is a Native American guide who leads people out of the wilderness–not the tree-filled variety but the kind created by enemies who want you dead. She is in the one-woman business of helping the desperate disappear. She is a member of the Wolf Clan of the Seneca tribe in the northern Adirondacks and grown up to be trained to fool any pursuer or cover any trail, and is an expert at providing her clients with new identities, complete with authentic paperwork. This is an unusual series both in its cultural setting and very unique heroine, both of which I liked a lot and found fresh and new. The story itself started out like gangbusters, grabbing my attention, but waned a bit in the latter part of the book, though the twists, turns, and curves kept me interested. Perry is a good writer, who drifts into extend verbiage at times, but I am eager to try a few more editions in this unusual series.

Genre: Book  

Grade: A-

Notable People: Donna Leon

Title: Death at La Fenice

Review: The fist in this wonderful series. Begun, in the early 90s, featuring Commissario Guido Brunetti of the Venice police. Recommended to me by my all-time book guru (and Freshman English Instructor at Ohio State in 1970!!!, Neil Berms. …..which makes it a given that it is going to be good. There are a lot of these books and I am eager to dive further into the streets and canals of this magical city as the Commissario, who is a bit like Martin Walkers’ Bruno of Southern France, fights the forces of evil with a twinkle in his eye and a shrug of his very, very Italianate soldiers. Great mystery story as an aside featuring the death of a famed Maestro at the Venice opera house. A definite keeper.

Genre: Book  

Grade: A-

Notable People: Christy Lefteri

Title: The Beekeeper of Aleppo

Review: Quietly moving book I got for my b’day from old friend Deborah, who now lives in the Michigan woods and frequents her local small town bookstore, and comes away with stuff like this. Lefteri is British from Cypriot refugee parents and has composed a heart wrenching second novel about a family feeling fleeing the ravages of war, hate and brutality in Syria- and their incredible journey across continents, and in the face of all odds, to get to England and safety. Not an easy book, and the I found the constant shifting back and forth in time a bit of a challenge, but the ultimate arc of people’s desire to survive and live in a humane way wins the day. This book took me quite a while to finish as its sometimes troubling and you just need to go in short bursts, but we should all be familiar with this, right?

Genre: Book 

Grade: A-

Notable People: Tana French

Title: The Searcher

Review: The Irish authors 2020 novel about a Chicago cop who retires and takes his disillusionment to very rural Ireland to live a quiet life amongst the sheep and the bogs but becomes embroiled in age old mysteries and clans. Seductively draws you in with the overlay of peaceful landscape and centuries of tradition juxtaposed with the tension of the intrusion of the modern world in the form of greed and secrecy. Loved the main characters and the descriptions of a place fixed in a long ago time. Surprisingly engaging.

Genre: Book 

Grade: A-

Notable People: Ken Follett

Title: Never

Review: Recommended to me by my friend and retired dentist, Kay H., this is one riveting read. I have never read the prolific Follett before, but will be delving into his long catalog of spy and political mysteries after reading this chronicle of a world on the brink of a third (Nuclear) World War. Set alternately in West Africa, Beijing and The White House as Pauline Green, the gritty successor to Trump tries to avert a global war with China. Absolutely fascinating behind the scenes look at how power, pride and insecurity can escalate to the worst possible outcomes. Extremely well written with great character development and an assortment go story lines merging simultaneously amid various global hot spots. Great read of 800 plus pages- that will go as fast as you let it.