Category: Stu’s Reviews

Title: Paradise City

Genre: Novel

Grade: A-

Notable People: Archer Mayor

Review: Everyone already knows I am biased as Archer has become a friend of mine. If you like serial murder mysteries (he publishes one a year- 22 in all to date) you can’t go wrong with this series or this one. Joe Gunther gets out of Vermont to Northampton MA in this rather convoluted but entertaining story; lots of focus of the erratically interesting Willy Kunkle character. Good late night reading.

Title: 11/22/63

Genre: Novel

Grade: A

Notable People: Stephen King

Review: Right off the bat- I am not a big fan of the King Man’s work; his shtick is just not usually my genre. But this is an am zing book. Could not put it down. Probably more than you ever wanted to know about Lee Harvey Oswald- but an absolutely credible, detailed and riveting story about a man going back to the past to try an change the course of history. King is an exceptional writer and this is great material. A tome at almost 900 pages. If you like a long book for cold nights- this is a “don’t miss”

Title: In One Person

Genre: Novel

Grade: B

Notable People: John Irving

Review: This is Irving’s 13th novel over a period of 40+ years and probably his most unusual. Irving is an absolutely great writer- so it’s really hard to tell if this first person account of man’s life from 1955 to the present is autobiographical or just fiction from pure knowledge, research and imagination. This is the story of a boy growing up bi-sexual in rural Vermont and the many “sexual suspects” (a term first used in the early 70s in GARP) that influence him. In some ways it is a reflection on homosexuality in the last half of the American 20th century. Is this about Irving? Who knows- but it does have all the usual accoutrements: bears, wrestling, New England prep school and small town, Vienna..and is told in his inimitable style. I had some trouble with this one; maybe just did not relate to the protagonist’s struggles- maybe not written as well- I’m honesty not sure. Worth considering a read.

Title: The Family Corleone

Genre: Novel

Grade: B

Notable People: Edward Falco

Review: As many of you know, I am a total devotee of the Godfather series- both in written an film form- and believe it represents an extraordinary metaphor for American life as well as a tutorial on organizational life and leadership (Really!!!) I also think Mario Puzo was a brilliant writer and that the first two films are in the top five of any American films EVER . so- it was with great anticipation that I learned about this novel which was taken from an outline and notes for a screenplay that Puzo left behind- and sought to bridge the gap between the emerging young Vito Corleone from the “coming to America” portion of the second movie- and the opening of the original movie in mid-war 1940’s America; where the Godfather has emerged in full bloom. What a concept; the Don with his young family, a volatile teen age Sonny, a baby Michael and the empire in its infancy in 1920-1942 New York. And to top it off- the Puzo family chose an English Dept. Chair named Ed Falco to write the book- who happens to be the uncle of Edie Falco- the iconic Carmella Soprano. Naturally, Paramount films is all over this and trying to see if Al Pacino can be had for a sequel. So…the book…well. It’s not Puzo. I was actually ready to stop reading (which i never do!) about halfway through- -but persevered and it got better. Falco is not a great writer- but the compelling story that unfolds almost overcomes that.. and the character development like Clemenza, Tessio, Luca Brazzi (who is a main character – and a wacked out one) are hard to not admire. In the end…not for everybody- you probably have to really like this stuff to like this book. Leave the gun, take the Canoli!

Title: The “Kamil Pasha” series

Genre: Novels

Grade: A-

Notable People: Jenny White

Review: OK- so I’ve become a bit obsesses with 19th century Istanbul. These are a series of novels- like the ones I had previously reviewed featuring the “eunuch detective”- set at the end of the reign of the Turkish empire. White’s novels are better written than the first set and captivating. The protagonist- Kamil Pasha- is a “magistrate” in the local courts and a compassionate crime solver; a man ahead of his time in highly structured and rigid society. The historical basis are fascinating and the mysteries are great. White is a social anthropologist at Boston University and knows her stuff. This is a well worth it summer reading project.