Graham Masterton’s Chaos Theory. Edgewise is next, and this summer i’ll tackle Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child’s Pendergast novels *Dance of Death * and *Book of the Dead * so i can **finally ** read Wheel of Darkness. I’m way behind, as you might guess.
Then i need to see if there’s a new **Repairman Jack ** ready to be snatched up…
I finally requested a couple of things at the library that I know are on the shelves so I won’t have to go without for a third record-breaking week.
The Ruins, by Scott Smith-- I’ve read it before, but not for a good long time.
The God Delusion, by Richard Dawkins-- I’ve been actively avoiding this one. Although I’m an atheist who occasionally gets very annoyed with the theists I know, I’ve got a feeling that Richard Dawkins just wants to act like a jerk.
Honestly, much as I sympathize with Dawkins’s viewpoint, I found the book pretty boring, I think in part because I DO sympathize with that viewpoint, so his preaching to the choir and saying the same things I already know is kind of pointless.
Yep, that’s about what I expect. sigh
I’m almost through Tom Swift in the Race to the Moon - I’m trying to get through my stored up Tom Swift Jrs. I’ve finished my original ones. Crap, but fast reading crap.
However I’ve just started rereading The City and the Stars in memory of Sir. Arthur.
Why don’t you have anything to read? I’m worried for you. Is it because you’ve run through all the good stuff in your library? Or you can’t get to the library?
I’d be glad to send you something. It’s making me anxious that you’re not reading.
It’s making me anxious too! Sometimes I just find myself walking around the house aimlessly and standing in odd places, just not knowing what to do next.
Actually, I have a long list of stuff reserved at the library but it’s all brand new so it either hasn’t come out yet or they just haven’t received it. It’s been a long time since I went through a dry spell, so I guess I’ve just been spoiled.
I appreciate your offer to send something, but actually if you’d like to recommend something that’s not real fresh and hot, I might be able to just find it on the shelves. Got any ideas?
Yeah, I do. Garnethill by Denise Mina. Scottish noir, is how it’s labeled. A young woman with a psychiatric history wakes up to find her married lover murdered in her apartment.
She has a new book out that’s getting a lot of attention (good), but Garnethill is her first and there shouldn’t be a waiting list.
I’d be glad to send you my copy if your library doesn’t have it.
They don’t have it. 
They’ve got other ones, though…I hate to put you to the trouble of sending something.
Well if Dung Beetle doesn’t want it, and you feel compelled to lend it to someone, just let me know! 
It’s no trouble.
How about I send it to one of you and then you can pass it on to the other? It can be like that traveling garden gnome thing from Amelie.
Dung Beetle needs it more than I do … why not send it to her first? (It looks good, though!)
You’ve talked me into it. I really appreciate it, AuntiePam!
Glad to be able to help! I’ll get it mailed today before the snow hits. Weatherman says 6-10 inches is possible!
Back to the OP – I’m reading Independent People by Halldor Laxness. I wish I liked the main character, Bartjur the crofter, but I don’t. He cares more for his sheep than his wife, for pete’s sake. But I love the book – the descriptions of the land especially, and the mundanities of daily life in a sod house in the middle of nowhere. And the people – Laxness simply cuts. I’m not sure how I came by this book – it’s a first edition.
I’ll be standing at the mailbox, praising your name. 
Hmm, crime novels aren’t my usual thing, but this Scottish noir genre sounds intriguing.
My recent reads:
Georgette Heyer’s The Quiet Gentleman was one of her mysteries, and not quite as charming as the two pure romances of hers that I’ve read.
The King’s Gambit, the first in John Maddox Roberts’ SPQR mysteries, was okay, but not as good as Steven Saylor’s books which have the same setting. I’ll try one more of these before giving up.
I finished the third of Charlie Huston’s Joe Pitt books, *Half the Blood of Brooklyn. * I’m still very impressed with his writing even though I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first two.
His Excellency: George Washington, by Joseph Ellis, read in honor of my visit to Mount Vernon over the weekend. It was an enjoyable biography. I’d like to read his books on John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
Next up: Sharpe’s Fury, the newest in Bernard Cornwell’s Richard Sharpe series.
Me neither – maybe one or two a year – but then I read a review of Mina’s newest novel (Field of Blood) in the NY Times, and it made her sound a bit like Pat Barker (only Scottish instead of British). Barker writes “kitchen sink” novels – seedy but not sordid, and her characters are always interesting.
What impressed me most about Garnethill was Maureen, the main character. She was abused as a child, her mother is alcoholic and in denial, and her siblings (except for one) resent her. She’s very, very brave, but it’s kind of an unconscious bravery – she just wants to do the right thing, and she’s empathetic when others would be trying to protect themselves. She embraces the kind of people that I’d cross the street to avoid. I admire her terribly and she makes me feel like I’m not a very good human being.
The plot isn’t the book’s strong point, but the characters were so good, it doesn’t matter.
Finished Kitty and the Silver Bullet.
Pretty typical stuff for that genre. I’ve been saying that I wanted light reading due to the stress at work, but I think I’m over that now. I need something with a little more meat.
I’m about 100 pages into The Face of Death by Cody Mcfadyen. If you like psychological thrillers (The Red Dragon, etc) then I recommend Cody McFadyen. I guessed the surprise ending of his first book Shadow Man, but it was well written for all that. The Face of Death is equally well written, although the heroine is wallowing too much in self-pity and introspection. There is too much: Gee I hate my job but I’m so good at it and someone must catch these monsters and so I’ll make the sacrifice. Perhaps it is because I’m hating my job and basically one of my rules is: When you hate getting up more often than you don’t, it is time to move on. (Yes I’m looking.) In any case, I keep wanting to say “Get over yourself, either do your job or move on.” No doubt hunting serial killers *is *a tough job. And Will Graham in The Red Dragon had many of these same types of moments. But Harris pulled it off better, IMO.
None-the-less, so far I will still recommend Mcfadyen to fans of the genre.
Khadaji, I like that genre, but the Kitty novels aren’t very good, especially that newest one. Have you read Tanya Huff? She’s probably my favorite. Also Patricia Briggs has a new series that’s very good. I know you read Butcher and I think I remember that you read Harrison, but have you tried Charlaine Harris, Kelley Armstrong, and P.N. Elrod?
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