I forgot to list what I am reading. Currently, The Ruins (Scott Smith), Collapse (Jared Diamond), a novel about Fort Dearborn, called Fort Dearborn (can’t remember who that is by), and The Fellowship, which is about Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin Fellowship.
I liked Cabinet. It was my first Preston-Child book and it was better than I thought it would be.
Come back and say how you’re liking The Lincoln Lawyer, please. I’ve been thinking about getting that one.
I’m reading Cabinet of Curiosities right now and enjoying the hell out of it. I’ve also got Forever Odd by Dean Koontz as a backup book at the moment (Odd Thomas was one of the few Koontz books I have actually liked so felt as tho the sequel might be a good read, MAYBE) & in the car (for lunch hour reading) is A Portrait In Sepia by Isabelle Allende, my 2nd time thru this really excellent book! Still trying to get the local library to find their long-lost (apparently) edition of **Three: Wise Blood, A Good Man is Hard to Find, & The Voilent Bear It Away ** by Flannery O’Connor, and I see that Fevre Dream by George RR Martin is ready for me to pick up today!
Cool.
–Beck
Oops, that’s The VIOLENT Bear It Away, as you Flannery O’Connor readers will surely have surmised.
–Beck
[QUOTE=Sonia MontdorePrincesses: the Six Daughters of George III by Flora Fraser
Guinistasia, I’m looking forward to reading that, too! It’s on my Christmas wish list. Since I probably won’t get to read it until January, would you kindly spoil it a little for me? Who does Flora Fraser think fathered Thomas Garth? Does she lean toward the Duke of Cumberland or general Garth?[/QUOTE]
I’m not Guinastasia, but I did read this book, so I’ll answer for her. Fraser doesn’t merely lean towards General Garth, she names him flat-out and completely discredits the Cumberland-as-Daddy-notion. I enjoyed the book, although I don’t think Flora is quite as readable a writer as her mum. Definately well worth the read, though.
jsgoddess, did you enjoy the Brent book? I was the one who recommended them, so I feel a certain responsibility. Still, it’s a quick read, just in case you didn’t like it.
As for me – my husband was working from home all month, so I’ve been reading slower than usual. But I’m working my way through the Modesty Blaise novels (written by Peter O’Donnell, who was also Madeline Brent) and enjoying them very much. I’m one of those people who has to read books in order, though, so as of 20 minutes ago (when I finished A Taste for Death), I’m taking a break from Blaise until Amazon sends the rest of my order.
No worries, though. I’ve got a big stack of books here to see me through. I’ve got several mysteries (Electric Blue by Nancy Bush, and Messenger of Truth by Jaqueline Winspear) and I just picked up Charlaine Harris’ latest, Grave Surprise. I’ve also several children’s books here (Gail Carson Levine’s
Fairest, Cinderella (As If You Didn’t Already Know the Story) by Barbara Ensor, and an anthology of modern fairy tales, The Dark of the Woods, edited by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling.
Kevin left for Texas this morning and will be gone at least a week, so I imagine I’ll get through quite a few of these before he gets home.
So, you’re the culprit! 
I did. If you’ve read that particular one, would you consider it pretty representative of Brent’s other work?
So glad to hear it, Mrs. DiMwiiter. I loves me a Preston/Child convert.
I had to sneak back into this thread and gush about The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield. I nabbed myself an advance copy of this a few months ago and forgot about it until yesterday when I started to casually flip through it and wound up reading over half the thing in one sitting.
It’s great – a little Gothic wonder with nods to Shirley Jackson, the Brontes, Daphne du Maurier, Wilkie Collins and others who write this kind of book. My favorite kind of book, I think.
I haven’t finished it yet, but if it ends as well as it starts, it may be the best thing I’ve read since The Last Witchfinder. If she screws up the ending, well then, nevermind.
Here’s an excerpt.
Culprit, I!
Very representative. All of the Brent books are excellent – if you like one you’ll probably like them all. Seek out Stranger at Wildings next, just because it’s my favorite. Love the hero in that one.
koeeoaddi, please report back after you finish The Thirteenth Tale. I’ve picked that one up several times, but haven’t bought it yet. Mostly because I’m so far behind in my reading already. If it’s good, though, I’ll grab it next time I’m at the book store. I have a return anyway, that I’ll be getting store credit for (I bought a book I already owned, like a dummy, and then lost the receipt!).
Oooh, Fevre Dream is a goodie! One of the best vampire novels ever. George RR Martin sure can span the genres.
[QUOTE=Sonia Montdore]
She believes it was Garth, although she DOES say it’s possible that the Duke did indeed assault his sister.
[QUOTE=Guinastasia]
Thanks! 
Rereading a couple of King’s: Different Seasons and Hearts in Atlantis.
Also hitting Catch-22 again.
Nothing new.
You’re most kind. blushes modestly
I’ve lately caught up on some of the John Carter of Mars series after finding some downloads on the internet. I saw jetan, Barsoomian chess, on the Variant Chess website and it went on from there. (Ever since reading the rules for jetan thirty years ago, I’d be wondering how winning a game under the “Chief takes Chief” rule could ever actually happen. I’ve worked it out at last.)
I put The Road on my list. I love PA fiction!
I just started The Reckoning, a book about the murder of Christopher Marlowe. I didn’t know there was any controversy surrounding his death, until I was reading a romance novel last week starring Marlowe as a vampire and from the references in the novel I gathered there was more to his death than a simple tavern brawl.
I just finished it. I suppose I should take some time to reflect. To think about what might be incongruous or improbable or too perfectly wrought. Nah. The book was fabulous! Go read it.
[You know that quick little hair-on- the-back-of-your-neck chill you get at the moment you realize where the plot is going? That sucker lasted for at least 60 pages. Maybe I’m coming down with something.]
I feel like an underachiever this month, only have two books going (not counting the Magic Treehouse books for the youngest son) -
The Wounded Land Stephen R Donaldson (Book 4 of the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant)
and
The Art of the Rifle by the late Jeff Cooper
As soon as I finish the Covenant books, I’m going to dive headfirst into the Aubrey/Maturin series again. I’ve a stack of archaeological books that I’m trying to avoid reading, so I’m going back through some of the oldies but goodies.
Are you enjoying this? Enough to recommend? I had to add it to my library request list after reading your post as the subject matter interests me greatly.
LOVE these threads, thanks for this one, XaMcQ!
–Beck
About halfway through The Master of All Desires by Judith Merkle Riley (sp?). Nostradamus, Catherine de Medici, dysfunctional family, angels and demons, and it’s hilarious.
I’d read another Merkle, The Oracle Glass, and while it was good, I don’t remember it being so witty. Highly recommended.
Speaking of Marlowe, I just finished Harry Turtledove’s Ruled Britannia.
As a fan of Shakespeare and Marlowe I thought it was a lot of fun. The major characters–Shakespeare and Lope De Vega–were well-drawn, as were many of the supporting cast–Marlowe, Burbage, Will Kemp, and various fictional characters.
(Ah, to dream of the plays Kit would have written in a additional five years–Alexander, El Cid, Caligula…)
In my day I read many books. From Flaubert to Dickens to Grisham. In the last ten years since I have had the internets I have been sorely lacking in my literary consumption.
What with message boards and chat rooms (no, not those kind) and the new TV season I have no time to open a book. But I want to, i really do. I’m looking forward to reading the Augusten Burroughs and David Sedaris semi biographies, and some of you have gotten me interested in other authors. I hope I can tear myself away from the Law & Order trilogy long enough to read some wonderful prose, but I can’t bank on it.