The February reader's report:
1. The Historian (remaining two-thirds). Really could have used some vigorous editing, but I did enjoy it. Much more elegantly written than DaVinci Code and light-years ahead of The Rule of Four.
2. In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote. Chilling story told in compelling prose; easy to see why this is considered such a groundbreaking book. My haphazard internet research found an interesting series of articles from a Kansas newspaper that looks at the legacy of the Clutter murders and the Capote book here. Nope, haven't seen "Capote" yet.
3. Confessions of a Teenage Sleuth, by Chelsea Cain. Okay, I'll admit it: I had every Nancy Drew book as a kid. Yep, all fifty of 'em, their bilious yellow spines lined up on top of my dresser. This is a breezy, snappy parody of them. Lightweight & enjoyable, but if you've never read Nancy Drew, don't bother.
4. The Lighthouse, by P.D. James. Latest in her Adam Dalgliesh mystery series; high quality, veddy British writing.
5. Manhunt, by James L. Swanson. Fascinating story of John Wilkes Booth's flight from Ford Theater to Virginia after assassinating Lincoln. My history education was woefully deficient so I didn't know much about this at all. I even discovered a piece of Philadelphia trivia: Asia Booth Clarke, the assassin's sister, lived in Philly at the time of Lincoln's shooting, and her husband was an actor and manager at the Walnut Street Theatre.
Coming next week: Blog against Sexism Day, Top 5 Copyright Myths, and more!
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7 comments:
"Confessions..." sounds fun- I had all the Nancy Drews, too. Wonder what our daughters will think of them if they read them.
So I guess a book for your birthday would be the perfect present, huh?
Thank you for the links to the "In Cold Blood" resources! I am just about to finish the book and I've loved it. I will read and view these resources to keep the experience going!
Next: The movie, Capote....
P.D. James is my favorite mystery writer. May she continue to write--I heard mutterings that this may be her last book. She is around 82, I believe.
Yes indeedy I love me some P.D. James, too. Have you ever read anything by Edmund Crispin? He's one of my very favorites. If you like British mysteries that at are well written, you might give him a try. Gervase Fen, the main character is ecentric in the extreme and not at all realistic, so if kind of thing bothers you, yadda yadda yadda.
No, no. Ian Rankin.
Re playing around with stripes, here's a fun link:
www.kissyourshadow.com/stripe_maker.php
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