Category Archives: books

Light of the World by James Lee Burke  (US) 2013 / 560 pages read by Will Patton 19h 3m rating:  A+ (crime) (# 20 in Dave Robicheaux series) Oh I waited for this one and got it within minutes of it’s … Continue reading →

The Stockholm Octavo by Karen Engleman  (US) 2012/ 433 pages rating  7.75 /   historical fiction Octavo:   a book or pamphlet made up of one or more full sheets of paper on which 16 pages of text were printed, … Continue reading →

The Science Fiction Omnibus Great Books Foundation 2007 / 592 pages Rating:   A  (Sci-Fi short stories) I have no idea why these works were selected for the Omnibus – perhaps for marketability,  perhaps for relevance to today’s readers,  perhaps … Continue reading →

Mortimer Gray’s History of Death by Brian Stableford; 1995 /  67 pages Rating: A+  (sci-fi/novella) (first appeared in Asimov’s Science Fiction: 4/1995) Mortimer Gray is an Earth historian in the early 29th century who is concerned primarily with death – specifically,  he … Continue reading →

The Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis by Tim Egan  (US) 2012/384 pages rating  9.25 /history-biography I love reading about American Indian history and culture and I don’t feel I’ve read … Continue reading →

I’m currently reading  “The Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher” by Tim Egan and keeping my little notes and doing my little searches.  I came across the name Alexander Upshaw which was vaguely familiar but I wanted a refresher and … Continue reading →

Vanity Fair: A Novel without a Hero by  William Makepeace Thackeray (English) 1847-48 (serial) 564 pages started 7/10 – finished 7/ rating:  10 / classic This is basically the story of two young women in early 19th century England,  Becky Sharp and … Continue reading →

Houston, Houston, Do You Read? by James Tiptree Jr. 1976 /  56 pages Rating:   7.75 / classic sci-fi novella (included in Great Books Science Fiction Omnibus) Three men are on their way home to Earth from a trip around … Continue reading →

Final Theory by Mark Alpert (US) 2009/480 pages Read by Adam Grupper 12h 50m Rating A- /crime & sci-fi/techno-thriller Finished 7/17/2013 My son recommended this (Thank you,  Isaac!)  and my kids rarely recommend books to me so I try to … Continue reading →

The Winter of Frankie Machine by Don Winslow 2006 / 320 pages read by Dennis Boutsikaris 9h 12m rating: B / crime Why would anyone want Frank Machianno,  a bait-shop owner and aging surf-bum in San Diego,  dead?   He’s a nice … Continue reading →

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigeria/US) 2013/ 496 pages rating: 9.5 / contemp. immigrant fiction I read both of  Adiche’s prior novels,  Purple Hibiscus and Half a Yellow Sun,  years ago – when they were published to much acclaim.  This one is … Continue reading →

The Second Chair  (Dismas Hardy #10) by John Lescroart (US) 2003 / 624 pages read by David Colacci – 14h 11m rating:  A / crime fiction I was reading he Dismas Hardy books in order until I came to the … Continue reading →

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson (Brit) 2013 / 544 pages read by Fenella Woolgar 15h 34m rating:   6   – historical-speculative fiction Well,  I’m 2 hours into this and so far nothing has happened at all –  only … Continue reading →

The House of the Dead by Fyodor Dostoevsky (Russia) 1862 / (Kindle – about 300 pages?) Rating  9/  (classic fiction) (This was/is also published as “Memoirs from the House of  The Dead”  and “Notes from the Dead House.”) I’m reading this … Continue reading →

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker (US) 2013 / 496 pages read by George Guidell Rating 7 –   historical fantasy I can’t help myself –  “Once upon a time in New York…”  there arrived, separately,  a golem … Continue reading →

At some point  last week I realized I had some time on my hands before July 1 when I could start on my next scheduled reads – (see READING NEXT).  I was real tired of crime novels.  I also realized I had … Continue reading →

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (US) 1952/124 pages Rating:   9.5 / classic Oh my.  I saw this and realized that I read this so long ago I couldn’t remember the ending –  I’m thinking high … Continue reading →