# Whatcha Readin' May 2011 Edition **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 30, 2011, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277 "2011-04-30T12:15:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/1 "2011-04-30T12:15:20Z")
Happy spring all, and Happy Mother’s day to all you mothers. I am reading _Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold_ So far I am very much enjoying it. [Link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=602766)to April’s thread. Happy reads! ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/2 "2011-04-30T13:12:04Z")
I am simply swamped in work right now, but next in the lineup is _Wizard of Lies_ about Bernie Madeoff. ---
**Author:** ![ExcitedIdiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ea5d25/32.png) [@ExcitedIdiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExcitedIdiot)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/3 "2011-04-30T13:43:06Z")
Cuba Libre by Elmore Leonard. I’m loving it so far. I’ve been working my way through his books, it took a while to get used to his writing style. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/4 "2011-05-01T03:16:06Z")
About halfway through _Killer in the Rain, and Other Stories_, by Raymond Chandler. Chandler is always excellent. So far, I’ve read all of these in one form or another, but it’s always good to revisit him. What he would do is take several that appeared in magazines like _Black Mask_ or _Dime Detective Magazine_ and hammer them into one complete novel. Not sure if I’ve read all of his novels, but some of these short stories I recognize, although they have their own separate endings. (The novel and movie _The Big Sleep_ famously leaves one murder unsolved in the confusion, and even Chandler admitted he didn’t know who killed the character. But what happened is clear in the short story “Killer in the Rain,” which forms part of the _The Big Sleep_, although it would not have been plausible to go that route in the larger novel, what with the changes that had to be made to accommodate the new story.) ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/5 "2011-05-01T13:36:40Z")
I have just started _Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition_ by Daniel Okrent. I have a lot of other reading to do, so I may have to renew this one from the library before I can finish it while reading several other books in the meantime. But so far it’s an interesting social history. Also, update: _Charlie Chan: The Untold Story of the Honorable Detective and His Rendezvous with American History_ by Yunte Huang won the Edgar Award this week in the category of Critical/Biographical. I thought it was excellent and several other people expressed an interest. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/6 "2011-05-01T16:53:58Z")
I’m about to dump (or skim) the new Hap and Leonard by Joe Lansdale, _Devil Red_. I wasn’t too happy with _Leather Maiden_ or _Vanilla Ride_ either, so this might be the end of my Lansdale addiction. ---
**Author:** ![Kim\_o\_the\_Concrete\_Jungle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ee7513/32.png) [@Kim\_o\_the\_Concrete\_Jungle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kim_o_the_Concrete_Jungle)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/7 "2011-05-01T22:45:38Z")
The Haunter of the Ring & Other Tales, by Robert E. Howard. It’s a collection of short stories that covers all the Howard stuff that’s _not_ Conan the barbarian. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/8 "2011-05-01T22:47:43Z")
About to embark upon **Djibouti** , by Elmore Leonard. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/9 "2011-05-02T00:14:44Z")
I’ve started CJ Cherryh’s _Faded Sun_ trilogy. 100 pages in and not much has happened. I’m also starting Richard Dawkins’ _The Greatest Show on Earth_. Whatever you think of him he’s a lucid entertaining writer. I finished _Godel Escher Bach_. Not sure it was worth the effort. the ideas are more clearly explained in _I am a Strange Loop_ and Nagel and Newman do a better job explaining Godel’s proof. Also finished a bunch of hard boiled detective fiction by George Pelelcanos. Very very dark. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/10 "2011-05-02T00:19:48Z")
I have heard great things about _Godel Escher Bach_, but just a cursory view of it made me think it would be a lot of work to read. I’ll have a look at _I am a Strange Loop._ ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/11 "2011-05-02T00:24:44Z")
I am currently enjoying a mystery novel entitled _The Unbelievers_ by Alistair Sim. Its a really cool murder mystery, set in Victorian era England. I love it so far. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/12 "2011-05-02T05:00:40Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > About to embark upon **Djibouti** , by Elmore Leonard. I’ve been interested in that. Of course you’ll tell us how it is. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/13 "2011-05-02T16:25:54Z")
Finished _Truthseeker by C.E. Murphy_. Murphy writes light fast-paced urban fantasy which I generally enjoy - and I enjoyed this one. Usually her books are part of a series, but can stand alone, but this does not. Whether it is a dualogy or a trilogy is unknown. Lara Jansen is born with the ability know when people are telling an untruth. Truth echos through her like music and lies send a discordant note. She is sought by an unseelie prince to help him find the killer of his brother. There were times when I felt Murphy kind of shoe-horned in explanations of how the magic in this world works, in order to fit the plot, but I overlooked it. I will finish the series. Still reading (and liking) _Carter Beats the Devil_ and I’m about 2/3 of the way through it. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/14 "2011-05-02T16:46:05Z")
Just finished [Declare](http://www.amazon.com/Declare-ebook/dp/B000UKOMYU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1304354577&sr=1-1) by Tim Powers. Good story that held my interest despite the fact that that man needs an editor. Jeez, the exposition and side bars went on for pages and pages. I’ve just started [A Talent for War](http://www.amazon.com/A-Talent-For-War-ebook/dp/B004P5OZ02/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1304354465&sr=1-6) by McDevvit. heard good things, so I’m kind of excited for the series. I so picked up [The City and the City](http://www.amazon.com/The-City-ebook/dp/B001NLKYQ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1304354692&sr=1-1)by Meiville. I loved Kraken, but have not been a fan of his Un Lun Dun universe, so we shall see. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/15 "2011-05-02T17:32:51Z")
As I mentioned in the other thread, I’m in two book clubs at the moment, both of which, coincidentally, have chosen chick lit written by women named Paula for our current reads. Paula McClain’s _The Paris Wife_ is a romantic historical novel about Ernest Hemingway’s first wife; Paula Froelich’s _Mercury in Retrograde_ is a _Sex in the City_-style name-dropping, fashion-obsessed NYC comic novel. I gave up on the first last week; I’m still reading the second. Utterly silly, kind of fun, but not at all my usual kind of book. I’m also still dipping into Theodore Sorensen’s nonfiction memoir _Kennedy_ and Susanna Clarke’s very good short story collection _The Ladies of Grace Adieu_ now and then. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/16 "2011-05-02T19:19:57Z")
Put down _The Physics Of Consciousness._ Evan Harris Walker - a man with a PhD in physics, attempts to take on the riddle of the meaning of life and what Consciousness is. He starts by giving us a foundation in physics and though he tries to make it accessible to the layman, some of it is still a over my head. But the reason I put it down is the underlying sadness of the book. Mr. Walker started this journey when a loved-one died young. In each chapter he relates memories and the sad tone is not one that I want in my life at this moment. I suspect that if I see it through, there will be offered a message of hope or gladness, but for now, I will put it aside to await a less-stressed time in my life. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/17 "2011-05-02T20:44:30Z")
_Ender in Exile_ - Orson Scott Card. After having re-read Ender’s Game and Ender’s Shadow, then going through the rest of the Shadow books for the first time. Almost finished, so will soon have to decide what to move on to next (something different, this finishing my current run of previously unread Ender series books). ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/18 "2011-05-03T13:22:37Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > I’m about to dump (or skim) the new Hap and Leonard by Joe Lansdale, _Devil Red_. I wasn’t too happy with _Leather Maiden_ or _Vanilla Ride_ either, so this might be the end of my Lansdale addiction. Uh oh, I just started Devil Red this morning and Leather Maiden will be next! So far, I’m only about 10 pages into Devil Red and I’ve found three typos. I just finished The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton, about the mystery surrounding a little girl abandoned on a ship headed for Australia. The mystery turned out not to be all that amazing, but it was a cozy journey and I was pleased with the rate at which puzzle pieces were handed out. I did have to jot down some notes for myself in order to keep character’s relationships straight, but that may be due to my meager amount of reading time and the fact that the story is told through various people at various times. I also just finished a children’s book called [The Tilting House](http://www.amazon.com/Tilting-House-Tom-Llewellyn/dp/1582462887), by John Llewellyn. It was just okay, promising a lot more than it was able to deliver. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/19 "2011-05-03T14:12:57Z")
Started and finished _The Third Man_ by Graham Greene in the last couple days. I never saw the movie, but this little novella was not great. It probably should have been a full length novel, but it reads like it might have been rushed to coincide with the movie’s release or something. > [@Khadaji](#): > > Still reading (and liking) _Carter Beats the Devil_ and I’m about 2/3 of the way through it. Good to know, since it is sitting on my shelf waiting for me. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277/20 "2011-05-03T15:12:19Z")
Now reading _The Hole We’re In_ by Gabrielle Zevin. Its a pretty bleak book actually, but pretty engrossing because the characters are all in one family and they are utterly believable in their chaotic mess of debt, hypocrisy and greed. Time to head to the library today to reload. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2011-edition/580277.md?page=2)