My mom’s a big Dick Francis fan, but I’ve never read any of 'em. Are you a fan, astorian?
I’m reading Germania by Simon Winder. It’s a history of Germany written in a rambling tone, with many personal asides. I’d normally be okay with that – in fact, a well-written rambling book can be quite enjoyable – but Winder’s personality shines through too much, and his personality seems to be a bit prickly. He’s much more forthcoming with negative criticisms of art, architecture and food than he is with praise of the same, and when he does have a compliment, it tends to be of the backhanded variety.
Reading a 450-page book written by someone with whom I doubt I’d want to spend five minutes is something of a chore, and I’m considering setting it aside for awhile.
Stilwell and the American Experience in China 1911-45. by Barbara Tuchman
and
World War Z by Max Brooks
An odd contrast in that WWZ starts out in China and mentions some of the same places. I keep expecting a Stilwell like character to pop up.
Also listening to Lolita on tape, which is awesome.
Just finished Colleen McCullough’s *The October Horse *and started Antony and Cleopatra.
The graphic novel *Pride of Baghdad *(sniff).
Ken Croswell’s Planet Quest.
The first three volumes of Ellis and Cassady’s Planetary.
The only really new stuff I’ve read lately are the first two *Star Trek *“Typhon Pact” novels.
Right now I just started Griftopiaby Matt Taibbi. It’s excellent, it’s funny and well written and informative as hell about how investment banks killed the economy and the state of foreclosures in America, but it’s depressing in the extreme and makes me angry to read. I have to do it in small doses.
Starting again on Joe R. Lansdale’s Two Bear Mambo, which I was forced to abandon a few weeks ago. Yep, still good!
My first book of the year is Tishomingo Blues by Elmore Leonard. It’s my first go-around with him. I’m impressed with his writing, especially the dialogue, but so far the mystery in this mystery hasn’t raised its head.
I liked that one. It’s reportedly Leonard’s favorite of the ones he’s written. There was supposed to be a movie version starring Don Cheadle, but that got scrapped.
I read it; it was pretty good. Wiki says it’s Elmore Leonard’s favorite book of all those he’s written!
Just listened to the audiobook of David Sedaris’s short story collection Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk, which was a disappointment, overall, I have to say. It’s all stories about anthropomorphized animals, sort of like a latter-day Aesop’s Fables. The best of the bunch are “The Mouse and the Snake,” about a doting mouse who raises a small snake she finds; “The Crow and the Lamb,” about a sly bird and the sheep who doesn’t realize he’s up to no good; “The Sick Rat and the Healthy Rat,” about life in a lab cage; and “The Grieving Owl,” my favorite, about an owl who gives his prey a chance to save their lives by telling him something he doesn’t know.
I cannot think of the title, but there’s another book where some of the characters from Tishomingo Blues reappear. The Indian ball player and the landlady, and it’s set just before the main character in Tishomingo appears. I’m thinking a book of short stories, and they’re in one of the stories. Not long at all, their chapter. The wife and I have both read Tishomingo and both read this other book, but she can’t think of the other title either.
I loved that Bryson book. He gets Florence, Rome and Capri exactly right.
I am mostly done reading How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming by Mike Brown. Great title and even better book. Brown is a luminous writer with a sly sense of humor and humanity. Highly, highly, highly recommended.
I love the title - and the brief introduction by Mike Brown on Amazon has me very intrigued. I’m not sure my interest is deep enough to encompass a whole book - but based on that introduction I have to agree that he seems to have a great sense of humor. I have put it in my queue for further consideration.
If you do think of it, please let me know. I really like the landlady’s character.
I wish I could. But it’s a very short story, one of several. Maybe 10 or 20 pages long. I’m not even sure if all of the stories are by Elmore Leonard. The wife has read this too, so I know I’m remembering correctly. It’s a conversation at home between the two, and I know it takes place just before the action in Tishomingo Blues because the Indian mentions seeing the main character arrive for his job interview that very day.
Meanwhile, I have finished The Wings of the Dove, by Henry James. Poor London girl is in love with penniless journalist. Girl’s rich aunt wants her to marry a lord or else she’ll let her remain in poverty. Girl befriends wealthy young American lady who is smitten with girl’s boyfriend. Wealthy young American lady is secretly dying of some unspecified disease. Plot is hatched to have penniless boyfriend get in good with dying American to inherit her money. Antics ensue.
I liked it better than his The Ambassadors but still can’t say I liked it. The language is so plodding. I’ve read many writers from this period – American, British, French, Russian (but always in English) – and enjoyed them all. James I just can’t get into. I’ve read two of his books now and decided he’s simply not for me.
I made the same decision after The Turn of the Screw and The Beast in the Jungle. They’re called novellas but they feel like novels - really, really long novels. A pox upon James and his turgid, plodding, overblown prose.
How’d you like to have to spend three days in a car with him on a road trip? 
Oh, I forgot. I shall now begin The Journeyer, by Gary Jennings. Loved his Aztec.
Brady Udall’s Lonely Polygamist, which I know several of you have read already. It starts a little slow – at about the 100-page mark, I thought “do I want to keep reading?,” but I’m glad I did. Ended up liking it a lot; reminded me a little of (good) John Irving, who himself can be pretty uneven, but the John Irving I like I like a lot.
Well-developed characters seen from several points of view, very funny in spots, very touching in other spots. Udall can really turn a phrase.
Recommended.
I’m so glad you did! I’ll be interested to see how you like The Journeyer - about Marco Polo, isn’t it?
Nearly finished with James Heriott’s All Creatures Great and Small. Very pleasant semi-autobiographical tale of a veteran’s life in rural England before WWII. His sense of humor almost reminds me of Wodehouse.