[Groop]Re: Summer reading list

Kevin Hall kevin.hall@umassmed.edu
Sat, 17 Jun 2000 09:01:12 -0400


Two Sheds wrote:
> 
> First of all, let me echo Larry's suggestion of
> Lawrence Block's Tanner series and expand it to
> anything by Block.  If you like humorous mysteries
> (The Bernie Rhoddenbarr "Burglar" series) or even
> serious hard-boiled fare (the Matt Scudder books),
> you'll find Block satisfies every time.

First off, kudos to Larry for his great suggestion. (The whole thing,
not just the books he recommended). We all love reading, and this is a
GREAT way to try out some things we might not have tried otherwise.

I've picked up a couple of the Burglar series (my library is very scant
on the Evan Tanner series - had to do those through interlibrary loan)
and one of the Tanner books. Personally, I prefer the Tanner books.
While I agree with Arthur that the Burglar books are fun, they seem to
be a little rote. The character is fun, and funny, but the plots &
situations don't seem to change at all. One note of interest about the
Tanner books: Larry had called them wonderfully "dated" or some such
thing. It's VERY interesting to read them because of this - in one
chapter he's meeting with people who are a group fighting for an
independent Croatia, something the author mentions as one of the groups
with a lost cause which will never happen. :)

Ok, on to my suggestions: it's tough to think of good books that people
might not know. Bradbury, Tolkien, etc. all spring to mind, but those
are ones we've all read. Ok, I'll try 2 suggestions - Jonathan
Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. Only takes an hour or so to read,
and if you really enjoy it, try Illusions by him as well. I know
everybody has heard of this, but I'm always surprised by how few have
read it. My second recommendation is a James Bond book by Ian Fleming.
It wouldn't be fair to the movies or the books to compare the two,
because in all seriousness they are two COMPLETELY different series.
Fleming is GREAT at making you sit on the edge of your seat. He really
is a master of intrigue & suspense - there's very little to do with
stunts & explosions. :) I found it VERY hard to put down the books as
you seriously did become concerned as to how things would turn out.

Kevin

PS Also, thanks to Arthur for his suggestion. The story behind the story
is certainly intriguing...an author who kills himself due to bad reviews
of a book that wins the Pulitzer. Really makes you wonder about
"critics". I realize opinions are subjective and different people have
different tastes, but in this case it seems like someone calling boiling
hot water ice cold. Sheesh.