Curl up with a good book...

In between my posts of silly musings on dead plants and horse trailers I try to throw in a little bit of dignified adult intellectual culture... okay so I haven't as of yet, but maybe I should start... :)

This last spring when I visited Oaklawn I was telling Al & Kat from Virginia that I would like advice on books to read. Al named off a few titles and I should have written them on a napkin or something because naturally I forgot what they were. But today he sent me this list and I thought I'd post it for all to see his recommended readings. As I told him, he spent way too much time on writing out this book review than for me to just keep it to myself.

His added disclaimer- "Some of these are not easy reading. Some are excessively long, some are uncomfortable reading, some are both. All of these works, if available at all, should be available in paperback. They are in no particular order."

Al's Top Ten Reading List:

• The Quiet Game (GREG ILES) – this is the 4th of his novels. In my opinion, he is one of the best at character development and explaining why his folks act the way they do. (Crime/Suspense/Mystery). If you can’t find this one, almost any of his novels are excellent.
• The Bone Collector (Jeffery Deaver) – this is the 1st of the “Lincoln Rhyme” novels, and a classic. Great plot, and terrific page turning suspense. It was made into a movie that didn’t do it justice. (Crime/Suspense/Mystery)
• Black Cherry Blues (James Lee Burke) This is the 3rd book of the “Dave Robicheaux“ series. James Lee Burke writes the way I would write if I could. It’s almost a shame that his stuff is in the mystery section. The story is almost secondary to the vivid descriptions of where he is, and what’s happening. Tough, gritty…and beautiful. This is the book that brought national attention to Burke. Edgar Award winning, and very deserving. Dave will become a real person to you, and then you’re hooked for life – like the rest of us. (Crime/Suspense/Mystery)
• Geek Love (Katherine Dunn) I am truly concerned about mentioning this one. Everyone I’ve ever recommended it to has loved it; but it’s a tough piece of literature. It will disgust and appall you. But it may also change the way you look at things, and it may very well steal your heart. It’s very weird; but very powerful. If you start it; don’t give up on it. In its own way, it is one of the finest novels I’ve ever read about family love. You should feel much differently about it when you finish than you did when were on page 100. (Literature)
• Spangle (Gary Jennings) This incredibly well researched work of historical fiction is set in the mid to late 1800s. It is extremely long, very graphic, and unless you have, or want to acquire, a love for the circus, it could be daunting. However, it is probably no longer available, anyway. It was released in 2 volumes in paperback; because of its length, and didn’t sell very well. You might have to go to a library to find it in hardback, and even that might not be doable. If you can find it, it is more than worth the trouble of looking. If you can’t, there is good news. Gary Jennings’ 1st historical novel Aztec, is usually readily available, and is just as good. (Apparently most folks think it’s better because it is still in print, I think.) It chronicles the life of an Aztec who lived during the time of the Spanish conquest. It is also very long, very graphic and very powerful. (Both works are in the 1200 page range.) Both are on my top ten list; but if I put them separately, I would have had a Top Eleven List, and that just sounds unprofessional. (Historical fiction)
• The Eyre Affair (Jasper Fforde – that’s right – 2 “ff’s) IMHO, Fforde is one of the cleverest, and most imaginative guys writing today. If you have a relatively sound background in English literature, you will really enjoy his puns, literary nuances, and references to the great works of the past. I would have to put it in the Science fiction/Fantasy/Humor category – not many writers other than FForde and Douglas Adams fit into this category. A fun read with a literary twist. (Literature)
• Paradise Alley – (Kevin Baker) This is the 2nd work in the New York trilogy. I firmly believe that the screenwriter for the movie Gangs of New York, plagiarized part of this work. It chronicles the goings on in New York (and many other places) around the time of the Civil War. It is a sweeping epic that is a great read. (Historical fiction)
• Guns, Germs and Steel (Jared Diamond) A research work that explains why certain societies evolved, and others didn’t. Extensive and exhaustive; but informative. Probably could (and should) be read in small doses. (Non Fiction)
• Folly (Laurie King) Ms. King is best known for her series about Sherlock Holmes’ apprentice (who evolves into his wife through the series). This is a stand alone work that far exceeds the series in both complexity and depth. It is the story of a woman who is trying to regain control of herself, and her life, by taking on a seemingly insurmountable task. (Crime/Suspense/Mystery)
• Lucky You (Carl Hiaasen) I might as well close out the list with a bizarre comedy. I love almost all of his stuff, and I think this is my favorite. (Humor/Literature)

I recall he told me about Guns, Germs, and Steel... that's probably the one I'll start with. I prefer historically accurate works that have been well researched, and this sounds right up my alley. Spangle sounds interesting as well, if I can find it. I'll be hunting the campus library...

Happy reading folks!