Favorite books, bump when you read a good book |
Favorite books, bump when you read a good book |
Jan 10 2009, 11:12 AM
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 336 Joined: 26-April 08 Member No.: 787 |
Have you read any good books recently? Here's a roundup of my favorites that I read in 2008:
General fiction The Gone-Away World In the near future, much of the world has been rendered unhabitable, thanks to the effects of a great war and some unusual weaponry. Human society limps along in a narrow Livable Zone. Then the pipeline keeping that area stable catches on fire. Uh oh. A dark, comic, conspiracy-laden, epic debut that unfolds slowly in unexpected directions. Plenty of plot twists kept me involved in the story. Pirates? ninjas?? mimes??? It's a love-it-or-hate-it book, and I'm firmly in the love-it camp. The Art of Racing in the Rain Enzo, a lab-terrier mix and the narrator of this novel, is the companion of Denny, a struggling mechanic/racer. Enzo is a wise and philosophical dog who hopes to be reincarnated as a human (he saw a documentary on tv that suggested this was possible). In the meanwhile, he is a steadfast friend to Denny and Denny's family, and is witness to some of the darkest times in Denny's life. It's hard to describe this book without making it sound like a melodramatic mess, but it's an emotional, compelling look at the human--and canine--condition. (Edit: forgot the following) Last Night at the Lobster Manny is the conscientious manager of a Connecticut Red Lobster. He's committed to his job and should be the envy of any corporate restaurant chain. Despite his efforts, however, he's been informed that his location is performing below expectations and will be closed. He wants to have a great last day and lock the restaurant up with some sense of dignity and accomplishment. But fate intervenes in the form of a northeastern blizzard, keeping much of his crew from coming in and making customers few and far between. This novella deals with the mundane, but provides rich characters, good dialogue, and a pitch-perfect feeling of everyday life. |
Jan 13 2009, 08:08 AM
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Spends WAY too much time at CBTL Group: Members Posts: 3,237 Joined: 8-December 06 From: MC Member No.: 3 |
Yes, madoff sure believed in the little man all right. Isn't the Michael jackson afterschool daycare center part of that conglomerate?
The difference between genius and stupidity is that there are limits to genius. Albert Einstein
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Apr 1 2009, 10:04 PM
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 336 Joined: 26-April 08 Member No.: 787 |
A couple new and great books I've read recently:
Lush Life A haunting novel by Richard Price (Clockers; co-writer, HBO's The Wire) that details the circumstances surrounding a street shooting in New York. Loosely arranged as a police procedural, the book probes the aftermath of the event from the point of view of the victim's family, witnesses, investigators, and perpetrators. It perfectly evokes its New York setting, and Richard Price has a keen ear for believable yet engaging dialogue. Thriller fans beware--this novel unfolds very slowly. But the believable and nuanced characters and thought-provoking story are worth the investment. Clocking in at just over 450 pages, this is somehow a page-turner but still a very weighty book. I'm still thinking about it weeks later. Hardly Knew Her: Stories Short stories from the acclaimed crime writer Laura Lippman. IMO there are no weak stories in this collection. Each story hooked me from the start, even when the theme (women behaving in unexpected ways) prepared me for the "twist" in several stories. A first-rate read; cold-blooded yet wry. A fascinating collection. [parental warning: some of the content is not safe for kids or the faint of heart]. |
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