Reading List
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Reading List 2010-2011-2012
The following is a list of the books I have read recently. As you can see they are a good mix with old,
new fiction and non-fiction. I you have a question about any of them, let me know.
Fiction, Contemporary
Fall of Giants
by Ken Follett
A fascinating look at the world around the World War I. A very well done piece of writing that tries
to capture the look and feel of the era. Could not help making comparisons to the Loss of Eden
trilogy by John Masters and especially Heart of War and By the Green of the Spring. Decided to go
back and re-read both volumes and Masters still comes out ahead but for different reasons. Follett is
excellent as a story teller and he holds your interest throughout. Masters, on the other hand-while
also a great storyteller-has such a gripping descriptive capability that after reading a chapter about a
trench warfare incident you feel as though you should stand up and brush the dirt and mud off your
clothing.
That Old Cape Magic
by Richard Russo
The Children of Men
by P. D. James
An Irish Country Village
by Patrick Taylor
A Thousand Splendid Suns
by Khaled Hosseini
The Enchantress of Florence
by Salmin Rushdie
Bridge of Sighs
by Richard Russo
The Guernsey Literary and Potato
Peel Society
by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie
Barrows
Non-Fiction, Contemporary
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher
(A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective)
by Kate Summerscale
So you like British mystery and detective fiction, well this will be a little different type of challenge
for you since it’s a true story. However, it reads better than most novels and is written as though it
is one.
Ms. Summerscale is the former literary editor of the Daily Telegraph and what she has done is to
completely re-create the real story of the Kent family murders of 1860 and the beginnings of the
detective department of the U.K.'s Metropolitan Police and Scotland Yard itself. Here is the game of
“Clue” come alive, as this is also the crime that inspired the concept of the country-house murder
mystery.
At the time, the murders at Road Hill House attained national interest and were said to be followed
closely by such as Wilkie Collins (The Moonstone), Charles Dickens (The Mystery of Edwin Drood)
and a follow by the name of A. C. Doyle (some say a certain investigator by the name of Sherlock was
inspired by Detective Whicher).
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher is an absolutely fascinating read that follows the actual time line of the
investigation and filled with the actual investigative reports from the Metropolitan Police and the local
newspapers of the time. I won’t tell you who did it and neither will Ms. Summerscale¬¬¬-until the
end, of course¬-which is as it should be (and no, Col. Mustard did not do it in the library with a gun).
A great lesson in 1860 police work-where it worked and where it didn't.
Fiction, 20th Century
Fiddler's Green
by Ernest Gann
Reading novels of favorite authors of a half century ago is a true delight. There's something about the
writing and the ability to tell a story that is difficult to find today and Fiddler's Green by Ernest Gann
is no exception.
Admittedly, this novel is a bit different from what I'm used to from him, as it deals with commercial
fishing. Gann is more remembered for stories dealing with flying such as Island in the Sky, Fate is the
Hunter, The Aviator, In the Company of Eagles and Twilight for the Gods. But, as with all his stories
he brings his life experience to the table as Gann spent time as a commercial fisherman on the West
coast—something I didn't know—which is where the story emanates from.
While the novel was published in 1950 by William Sloan Associates, New York, you will recognize a
good deal of it as the subject matter and stormy ocean scenes are very similar to those appearing in
The Perfect Storm. However, I gravitate to the Gann story as I find it richer in relationships,
especially between the father and son, and also the generational divide that begins to disappear when
the characters are away from the corrupting influences of technology and are obliged to depend only
upon their basic structures of honesty and integrity.
If you can find a copy at your next library book store or quality used book store, pick it up—
especially if you're of a seafaring disposition.
Please Pass the Guilt
by Rex Stout
If only Rex Stout had been writing in the 21st century when the food channel could fully appreciate
him. Nero Wolf is the perfect character for a world obsessed with consuming food, although surely
not the food we now consume. Today’s detectives consume fast food by the truckload and rarely
communicate in words of more than two syllables; they’re slim, fit and ready to run a four minute mile
with a Big Mac in one hand and a bowl of chili in the other. Wolf is over three hundred pounds, rarely
ever leaves his brownstone in Manhattan, dislikes and distrusts women, never speaks in less than five
syllables and is most often found in his kitchen arguing with his chef over the number of juniper
berries to include in the marinade. What, never read a Nero Wolf mystery by Rex Stout? Well, your
literary education is very much unnourished. Find a Nero Wolf mystery to devour; I’ve never come
across a poorly written or inadequately concocted plot and they are all filled with positively delicious
characters. Please Pass the Guilt is a great example. You won’t be disappointed.
By the Green of the Spring
by John Masters
Vendetta for the Saint
by Leslie Charteris
(Why is it that the great mystery writers of the 20th century seem to have such a leg up on their
contemporary cousins? The fast cars, flamboyant lifestyle, the ease of movement from one culture to
another on a worldwide scale, they’re readily available on today’s best seller lists but there’s
something missing isn’t there? Could it be the quality of the writing? Could it be that they focus on
the story line and main character rather than getting lost in extraneous sex and violence descriptions?
Simon Templar is surely not a saint when it comes to his interpersonal life and Charteris makes no
attempt to hide it from the reader but he doesn’t let it get in the way of the story and he doesn’t write
of it exploitatively. Vendetta for the Saint is a great read and if you're unfamiliar with Charteris and
his Simon Templar character I would suggest seeking him out in your favorite book store.)
The Jungle
by Upton Sinclair
(There's a reason why this novel continues to be relevant today especially with a segment of society
believing government regulation is unnecessary. Yes, Sinclair was a socialist but he took to task both
corporations and unions for their uncontrolled exploitation of American workers where profit and
power were more important than life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. A great and important re-
read whether you like Sinclair's personal politics or not.)
The Long Good-by
Raymond Chandler
Absolam Absolam
by William Faulkner
By the Pricking of My Thumbs
by Agatha Christie
The Winter of Our Discontent
by John Steinbeck
Heart of War
by John Masters
Lord Jim
by Joseph Conrad
Fiction, 19th Century
The Pickwick Papers
by Charles Dickens
Yes, February 2012 marks the 200th birthday of author Charles Dickens,
however, in all honesty, I decided to read The Pickwick Papers without being
aware of this literary anniversary.
Dickens has always been one of my favorites (especially since studying and
analyzing Bleak House in graduate school). In addition to reading and re-
reading his novels on an irregular basis, I continually search for motion
pictures and made for television versions on Turner Classic Movies and PBS's
Masterpiece Theatre (I prefer the dramatic rather than the theatric musical
versions as the latter usually misses the mark and loses the Dickens creative
element in favor of the entertainment musical additions).
The Pickwick Papers is a joy to read. Following th adventures of Samuel
Pickwick, Augustus Snodgrass, Tracy Tupman and Nathaniel Winkle has been
one of the highlights of the year thus far. No serial killers, vampires, or
zombies; no formula plots filled with evil government conspiracies and heroes
doing everything an unheroic manner, just people getting by day by day in the
mid-nineteenth century, looking for love, happiness and fairness within their
own sphere of influence.
Here is Charles Dickens doing his best as he presents us with a somewhat
Victorian Canterbury Tales. He is the master of writing with a smile and a
twinkle in his eye while the pointed stick in his hand tweaks all those in need
of tweaking. It is fascinating to see him extrapolate the grass to see the field
and the twig to see the forest.
Read some Dickens and see the twentieth-first century come alive as you travel
through the nineteenth.
The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes
by Arthur Conan Doyle
Shirley
by Charlotte Bronte
Fiction, 14th Century
The Divine Comedy
by Dante Alighieri
Non-Fiction
History, American
The Best and the Brightest
by David Halberstam
American Creation
by Joseph J. Ellis
American Lion
by Jon Meacham
The Civil War A Narrative
Fort Sumter to Perryville
by Shelby Foote
Philosophy/Theology
The Social Animal
by David Brooks
The Hero with a Thousand Faces
by Joseph Campbell
The Confessions of St. Augustine
by Augustine, Bishop of Hippo
The Great Transformation
The Beginning of our Religious Tradition
by Karen Armstrong
The following is a list of the books I have read recently. As you can see they are a good mix with old,
new fiction and non-fiction. I you have a question about any of them, let me know.
Fiction, Contemporary
Fall of Giants
by Ken Follett
A fascinating look at the world around the World War I. A very well done piece of writing that tries
to capture the look and feel of the era. Could not help making comparisons to the Loss of Eden
trilogy by John Masters and especially Heart of War and By the Green of the Spring. Decided to go
back and re-read both volumes and Masters still comes out ahead but for different reasons. Follett is
excellent as a story teller and he holds your interest throughout. Masters, on the other hand-while
also a great storyteller-has such a gripping descriptive capability that after reading a chapter about a
trench warfare incident you feel as though you should stand up and brush the dirt and mud off your
clothing.
That Old Cape Magic
by Richard Russo
The Children of Men
by P. D. James
An Irish Country Village
by Patrick Taylor
A Thousand Splendid Suns
by Khaled Hosseini
The Enchantress of Florence
by Salmin Rushdie
Bridge of Sighs
by Richard Russo
The Guernsey Literary and Potato
Peel Society
by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie
Barrows
Non-Fiction, Contemporary
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher
(A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective)
by Kate Summerscale
So you like British mystery and detective fiction, well this will be a little different type of challenge
for you since it’s a true story. However, it reads better than most novels and is written as though it
is one.
Ms. Summerscale is the former literary editor of the Daily Telegraph and what she has done is to
completely re-create the real story of the Kent family murders of 1860 and the beginnings of the
detective department of the U.K.'s Metropolitan Police and Scotland Yard itself. Here is the game of
“Clue” come alive, as this is also the crime that inspired the concept of the country-house murder
mystery.
At the time, the murders at Road Hill House attained national interest and were said to be followed
closely by such as Wilkie Collins (The Moonstone), Charles Dickens (The Mystery of Edwin Drood)
and a follow by the name of A. C. Doyle (some say a certain investigator by the name of Sherlock was
inspired by Detective Whicher).
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher is an absolutely fascinating read that follows the actual time line of the
investigation and filled with the actual investigative reports from the Metropolitan Police and the local
newspapers of the time. I won’t tell you who did it and neither will Ms. Summerscale¬¬¬-until the
end, of course¬-which is as it should be (and no, Col. Mustard did not do it in the library with a gun).
A great lesson in 1860 police work-where it worked and where it didn't.
Fiction, 20th Century
Fiddler's Green
by Ernest Gann
Reading novels of favorite authors of a half century ago is a true delight. There's something about the
writing and the ability to tell a story that is difficult to find today and Fiddler's Green by Ernest Gann
is no exception.
Admittedly, this novel is a bit different from what I'm used to from him, as it deals with commercial
fishing. Gann is more remembered for stories dealing with flying such as Island in the Sky, Fate is the
Hunter, The Aviator, In the Company of Eagles and Twilight for the Gods. But, as with all his stories
he brings his life experience to the table as Gann spent time as a commercial fisherman on the West
coast—something I didn't know—which is where the story emanates from.
While the novel was published in 1950 by William Sloan Associates, New York, you will recognize a
good deal of it as the subject matter and stormy ocean scenes are very similar to those appearing in
The Perfect Storm. However, I gravitate to the Gann story as I find it richer in relationships,
especially between the father and son, and also the generational divide that begins to disappear when
the characters are away from the corrupting influences of technology and are obliged to depend only
upon their basic structures of honesty and integrity.
If you can find a copy at your next library book store or quality used book store, pick it up—
especially if you're of a seafaring disposition.
Please Pass the Guilt
by Rex Stout
If only Rex Stout had been writing in the 21st century when the food channel could fully appreciate
him. Nero Wolf is the perfect character for a world obsessed with consuming food, although surely
not the food we now consume. Today’s detectives consume fast food by the truckload and rarely
communicate in words of more than two syllables; they’re slim, fit and ready to run a four minute mile
with a Big Mac in one hand and a bowl of chili in the other. Wolf is over three hundred pounds, rarely
ever leaves his brownstone in Manhattan, dislikes and distrusts women, never speaks in less than five
syllables and is most often found in his kitchen arguing with his chef over the number of juniper
berries to include in the marinade. What, never read a Nero Wolf mystery by Rex Stout? Well, your
literary education is very much unnourished. Find a Nero Wolf mystery to devour; I’ve never come
across a poorly written or inadequately concocted plot and they are all filled with positively delicious
characters. Please Pass the Guilt is a great example. You won’t be disappointed.
By the Green of the Spring
by John Masters
Vendetta for the Saint
by Leslie Charteris
(Why is it that the great mystery writers of the 20th century seem to have such a leg up on their
contemporary cousins? The fast cars, flamboyant lifestyle, the ease of movement from one culture to
another on a worldwide scale, they’re readily available on today’s best seller lists but there’s
something missing isn’t there? Could it be the quality of the writing? Could it be that they focus on
the story line and main character rather than getting lost in extraneous sex and violence descriptions?
Simon Templar is surely not a saint when it comes to his interpersonal life and Charteris makes no
attempt to hide it from the reader but he doesn’t let it get in the way of the story and he doesn’t write
of it exploitatively. Vendetta for the Saint is a great read and if you're unfamiliar with Charteris and
his Simon Templar character I would suggest seeking him out in your favorite book store.)
The Jungle
by Upton Sinclair
(There's a reason why this novel continues to be relevant today especially with a segment of society
believing government regulation is unnecessary. Yes, Sinclair was a socialist but he took to task both
corporations and unions for their uncontrolled exploitation of American workers where profit and
power were more important than life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. A great and important re-
read whether you like Sinclair's personal politics or not.)
The Long Good-by
Raymond Chandler
Absolam Absolam
by William Faulkner
By the Pricking of My Thumbs
by Agatha Christie
The Winter of Our Discontent
by John Steinbeck
Heart of War
by John Masters
Lord Jim
by Joseph Conrad
Fiction, 19th Century
The Pickwick Papers
by Charles Dickens
Yes, February 2012 marks the 200th birthday of author Charles Dickens,
however, in all honesty, I decided to read The Pickwick Papers without being
aware of this literary anniversary.
Dickens has always been one of my favorites (especially since studying and
analyzing Bleak House in graduate school). In addition to reading and re-
reading his novels on an irregular basis, I continually search for motion
pictures and made for television versions on Turner Classic Movies and PBS's
Masterpiece Theatre (I prefer the dramatic rather than the theatric musical
versions as the latter usually misses the mark and loses the Dickens creative
element in favor of the entertainment musical additions).
The Pickwick Papers is a joy to read. Following th adventures of Samuel
Pickwick, Augustus Snodgrass, Tracy Tupman and Nathaniel Winkle has been
one of the highlights of the year thus far. No serial killers, vampires, or
zombies; no formula plots filled with evil government conspiracies and heroes
doing everything an unheroic manner, just people getting by day by day in the
mid-nineteenth century, looking for love, happiness and fairness within their
own sphere of influence.
Here is Charles Dickens doing his best as he presents us with a somewhat
Victorian Canterbury Tales. He is the master of writing with a smile and a
twinkle in his eye while the pointed stick in his hand tweaks all those in need
of tweaking. It is fascinating to see him extrapolate the grass to see the field
and the twig to see the forest.
Read some Dickens and see the twentieth-first century come alive as you travel
through the nineteenth.
The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes
by Arthur Conan Doyle
Shirley
by Charlotte Bronte
Fiction, 14th Century
The Divine Comedy
by Dante Alighieri
Non-Fiction
History, American
The Best and the Brightest
by David Halberstam
American Creation
by Joseph J. Ellis
American Lion
by Jon Meacham
The Civil War A Narrative
Fort Sumter to Perryville
by Shelby Foote
Philosophy/Theology
The Social Animal
by David Brooks
The Hero with a Thousand Faces
by Joseph Campbell
The Confessions of St. Augustine
by Augustine, Bishop of Hippo
The Great Transformation
The Beginning of our Religious Tradition
by Karen Armstrong