What Are You Reading

Harp · Sep 7, 2008

KittyT said:
"A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole. The only "modern" novel that I consider to an American masterpiece.

Reallytrullynotwowaysaboutit?

Kassia · Sep 7, 2008

Slate Shannon said:
I've started reading a couple of series-type novels by two lady writers.

I'm almost finished with the first of the Jade Del Cameron series, entitled The Mark of The Lion by Suzanne Arruda, which is set in post World War I East Africa.

And I recently finished the first of the Amelia Peabody series, entitled Crocodile On the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters, which concerns a lady Egyptologist. The series spans the late 19th Century thru the early 20th Century.

I've enjoyed both of them and will continue thru the other books in the series.

If you like mystery novels about Egypt is highly suggest "The Scroll of Saqaara" by Pauline Gedge... It's set in anciet times and has a few good twists and turns.. For that matter any of Gedges' books are good, most of them set in Egypt or other anciet civilizations...

AudreyH · Sep 7, 2008

"Emma" by Jane Austen...I know I'm one of the rare 13 year olds who actuially reads Jane Austen novels lol , and no it's not for school I just enjoy it.

carter · Sep 7, 2008

Slate Shannon said:
I've started reading a couple of series-type novels by two lady writers.

I'm almost finished with the first of the Jade Del Cameron series, entitled The Mark of The Lion by Suzanne Arruda, which is set in post World War I East Africa.

I've read the three books in the series. I started with #3 and then ordered the first two. I actually think the first two were better than the third but look forward to the fourth.

I'm currently rereading some of Peter Robinson's Inspector Banks Mysteries. Right now it's Wednesday's Child .

Slate Shannon said:
And I recently finished the first of the Amelia Peabody series, entitled Crocodile On the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters, which concerns a lady Egyptologist. The series spans the late 19th Century thru the early 20th Century.

This series sounds interesting. Thanks for the tip.

Bourbon Guy · Sep 7, 2008

Feraud said:
I am just about finished reading my Chandler. Can anyone recommend similar hardboiled mystery writers of the era?

Chandler is the best of the best. Anything else is watered-down drinks. I suggest you graduate from mystery and crime to spy novels. Mess around with Ludlum for a while if you want, but when you get serious, go to LeCarre. Take his books in order. Tinker is the pinnacle.

Haversack · Sep 8, 2008

Another set of mysteries, (police procedurals, really), set in Egypt are the Mamur Zapt series by Michael Pearce. Chronologically, they run from 1908 up into WWI. The protagonist is Welshman who runs the Khedive's secret police on behalf of the British Residency. If that sounds convoluted, it rightly reflects the culture and politics of that time and place where British, Turkish, Egyptian, French, Greek, Islamic, and Coptic interests all co-mingled. It is a heady stew which the author navigates through and it gradually introduces us to cultural complexities which continue to today. The author grew up in the Anglo Egyptian Sudan and many of his characterizations are very clearly shaped by this experience.

Haversack.

Feraud · Sep 8, 2008

Thanks for the tip Boubon Guy and Haversack.

I started reading a biography of Bill Robinson (Mr.Bojangles), a vg read btw, and will probably jump back into crime afterwards.

Kermez · Sep 11, 2008

Last month I finished reading every Nero Wolfe story in chronological order, so I'm pretty proud of that.

Right now I'm reading Nero Wolfe: The Archie Goodwin Files, edited by Marvin Kaye

Chas · Sep 12, 2008

Finishing "Guadalcanal - Starvation Island" by Eric Hammell.

Hopefully finishing off "The Master Plan" which is about SS Archaeology.

DeaconKC · Sep 13, 2008

Gaudalcanal was rough. More troops died from starvation and disease than combat. Gonna have to check that one out.

LocktownDog · Sep 13, 2008

The Bishop Murder Case - Van Dyne. Good mystery series, if you can find it in print. The only ones I've been able to find and read are the original 1930s printings found in thrift stores.

classyguy · Sep 13, 2008

A Farewell to Arms

by Ernest Hemingway, its a little slower than his other books but still enjoyable.

Scuffy · Sep 13, 2008

classyguy- Good show sir! I love Hemingway dearly. Just started re-reading Garden of Eden the other day. It was actually the first Hemingway novel I had the pleasure of reading. From then on I collected and read everything else I could find by or about him. Have ya read any of his other works??

russa11 · Sep 13, 2008

I've read that LocktownDog. I really enjoyed it. I bought that and also a few others in a second hand thrift store in New Hampshire while I was up there visiting my parents. I find that you need to keep with his stories as they take time to build but once it gets going they are really good.

Joan · Sep 13, 2008

LocktownDog said:
The Bishop Murder Case - Van Dyne. Good mystery series, if you can find it in print. The only ones I've been able to find and read are the original 1930s printings found in thrift stores.

I'm slowing working my way through these (in order). I just finished The Garden Murder Case. Our library network has most of them, and I've bought a few secondhand on eBay. You can also download electronic versions from Project Gutenberg Australia (http://gutenberg.net.au/plusfifty-n-z.html#letterV), if that medium works for you.

SS Van Dine was the pseudonym of Willard Huntington Wright, who was essentially a self-absorbed, pretentious nut. The detective, Philo Vance, appears (to me) to be modeled on Lord Peter Wimsey, but where Wimsey is endearing, Vance is (to me, again) annoying. I find the stories amusing, though.

Right now I'm rereading The 39 Steps, which is nothing like the Hitchcock movie except that they're both about a man who, falsely accused of murder, flees the police, traveling through Scotland and returning to London to solve the mystery. I heartily recommend this one. (I liked the movie, too, btw.)

Charlie Noodles · Sep 13, 2008

I found "Darkly Dreaming Dexter" by Jeff Lindsay in a bargain bin the other day.

vonwotan · Sep 14, 2008

Provence by Ford Maddox Ford

LocktownDog · Sep 14, 2008

Joan said:
SS Van Dine was the pseudonym of Willard Huntington Wright, who was essentially a self-absorbed, pretentious nut. The detective, Philo Vance, appears (to me) to be modeled on Lord Peter Wimsey, but where Wimsey is endearing, Vance is (to me, again) annoying. I find the stories amusing, though.

I find Vance to be annoying as a character also. The Van Dine narrative itself is a persona that's well written however, and the other characters are highly structured. The ambience and attention to detail really pulls it all together.

cgab1 · Sep 14, 2008

"Moby Dick", and I love it! When I'm finished, I think that I'll watch the movie.

Cgab

Lulu-in-Ny · Sep 14, 2008

I lucked out last week- my boyfriend managed to snag an Advance Reader's Copy of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. It's a kid's book about a boy raised by ghosts in a graveyard. Like anything he writes for kids though, it's just as enjoyable for adults. A good story is a good story. I definitely recommend it.

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