What are you reading?

[geek the girl]

Thanks for the tips, everyone! I forgot to mention that I've read and loved both Dennis Lehane and James Ellroy. I have yet to read all their books, though - so far, I've stayed away from Dennis Lehane's Kenzie/Gennaro mysteries, just like I've avoided Coben's Bolitar series. I tend to prefer crime novels without a token detective/hero. Overall, I like dark, sort of seedy and grimy crime novels where the distinction between good and bad isn't crystal clear.

Jonathan Kellerman is another writer I've been wanting to check out, so thanks for the tip.

Does anyone know if Lehane will publish a new novel soon? Shutter Island is one of my favourites within the crime novel EVER - right up there with And Then They Were None, LA Confidential and The Big Sleep - so I can't wait for a new one.

Sorry 'bout the third degree btw. I will start studying literature in January, basically covering everything from Homer to Hemingway in one semester, so I very much doubt I'll have time to read my beloved crime novels after Christmas break.

[unfoundnowfound]

I just finish Stephen King's Dark Tower series. Blows Lord of the Rings out of the water with the first book in the series, The Gunslinger. I would say, if you want to spend two months captured in a story, The Dark Tower is calling...

[Dinahann]

I just finish Stephen King's Dark Tower series. Blows Lord of the Rings out of the water with the first book in the series, The Gunslinger. I would say, if you want to spend two months captured in a story, The Dark Tower is calling...

unfoundnowfound! to the FoRT. I'm always glad to see another King fan. I loved The Dark Tower series! What else do you read?

[Broadway]

I just finished reading David Baldacci's Split Second. Highly, highly recommended for all of you that love crime novels. David Baldacci is at the top of the game.

[Dinahann]

I've just started on State of Fear, Michael Crichton's newest novel. It's pretty interesting so far.

[phat32]

The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World by A.J. Jacobs

Jacobs attempts to read the entire Encyclopædia Britannica to see if reading it makes him more intelligent. Chock-full of interesting facts that Jacobs runs across during his quest. So far, the one that has brought the biggest smile to my face has to do with Nathaniel Hawthorne (The Scarlet Letter) and Herman Melville (Moby Dick).

Apparently, Hawthorne and Melville were buddies until Melville decided that he found Nate Dawg too stodgy. Not only did Melville end their friendship, but he wrote a poem satirizing Hawthorne. Fascinating that "hip-hop" type rivalries existed even in those days. (Not to mention I knew there was a reason I hated Melville and Moby Dick.)

Recommended.

[Dinahann]

The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World by A.J. Jacobs

I think I've read about this guy. Sounds interesting. I love to read but I don't think I'd find the time to read the encyclopedia!

[nausicaa]

Journey to the End of the Night, Louis Ferdinand Celine.

How retro cool am I??

ETA: Also rereading Diana Wynne Jones' Howl's Moving Castle in anticipation of the Miyazaki movie by the same name. I tell ya, when that thing hits the silver screens in North America, there's not gonna be enough spittoons to catch my drool.

[Dinahann]

I recently read State of Fear by Michael Crichton. I was fascinated by his point of view. He even included footnotes to promote his stance. He is amazingly well versed on so many subjects. If I were stranded on a desert island with one other person I would choose him to be stranded with (He's not bad looking, either).

I finished the latest two Charlaine Harris books, Club Dead and Dead to the World yesterday afternoon. They're labeled as "Southern Vampire" genre - probably the chick lit version of Laurell Hamilton's Anita Blake novels.

For Christmas I was gifted with several books I'd been looking forward to reading. I read Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz last night (meh - just okay), and started on Chronicles Volume 1 by Bob Dylan. Now THAT'S more like it! I'm wondering if Dylan actually wrote the book himself or if it was ghost written. I tend to think he wrote it himself because it jumps around a bit, but so far it's been very entertaining. I had to force myself to put it down about midnight. This is one that I want to digest carefully, and I'm like an addict with a crack pipe - I don't want to stop.

[phat32]

I recently read State of Fear by Michael Crichton. I was fascinated by his point of view.

I received State of Fear for Christmas but haven't started it yet. I know what it's about, and I'm eager to read his point-of-view. I remember as far back as Jurassic Park that he had Ian Malcolm utter something to the effect of "Global warming being good for living creatures because we thrive on the sun."

I've waited over ten years to hear Crichton explain what the hell he's talking about.