Jeff's Recommended Reading
|
| ||||||||||
| Author |
Title |
Date Finished | ||||||||
| Douglas Adams |
The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy It's hard to beat for sheer silliness in a picaresque novel. |
1982-08-04 | ||||||||
| Solly Angel |
The Tale of the Scale |
2005-12-12 | ||||||||
| Maya Angelou |
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Poignant, moving, lyrical, memorable; a beautiful memoir of Angelou's childhood. |
1983-06-17 | ||||||||
| Nancy Atherton |
Aunt Dimity Beats the Devil A series I like to recommend. A book dealer once described them to me as "sentimental", quaint village mysteries. Yes, and they are very, very good at it. |
2001-10-07 | ||||||||
| Jane Austen |
Pride and Prejudice If I'd known how funny and ironic Jane Austen is, I'm sure I'd have read her long before this, but in my mind she was a "classic" and bound to be stuffy. Who knew? |
1982-12-03 | ||||||||
| Jo Bannister |
The Hireling's Tale Her series of crime novels have sometimes been hard to find in stores or the library, but I have found all of them to be unusually satisfying. |
2002-09-30 | ||||||||
| Gorman Bechard |
The Second Greatest Story Ever Told Unexpectedly, one of the funniest books we've ever read. |
1993-05-21 | ||||||||
| E.F. Benson |
Mapp and Lucia There's a whole series of these quaint satires staring Lucia, but this one, in which she meets her nemesis Mapp, is the best. |
1987-04-06 | ||||||||
| Kai, and Martin J. Sherwin Bird |
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer |
2007-09-04 | ||||||||
| James P. Blaylock |
The Last Coin He's written several types of novels; this one is described as "fantastic" (as in at the fringe of believable), and one I particularly enjoyed. |
1999-10-02 | ||||||||
| Lawrence Block |
Hitman I like reading Block; I'm fascinated (and envious) of anyone who can construct such good stories and yet be so prolific. These stories about his assassin-for-hire with a conscience are particularly satisfying. |
2003-03-07 | ||||||||
| Lawrence Block |
A Long Line of Dead Men Block's Matthew Scudder series is good hard-boiled stuff, but notable because his main character learns and grows as the books progress! This one I note because it had one of my favorite scraps of dialog: "I come from a long line of dead men." |
2003-03-11 | ||||||||
| Valerie Block |
None of your Business I really like the story and the witty way she told it. |
2003-09-08 | ||||||||
| Christopher Bram |
Father of Frankenstein A beautifully written, wonderfully told story. A book I recommend to anyone who asks. |
1999-02-06 | ||||||||
| Rita Mae Brown |
Rubyfruit Jungle At the time I read it, this book was a revelation: it was funny, it talked about forbidden things, it was about a DYKE! |
1983-11-10 | ||||||||
| John Brunner |
Stand on Zanzibar I seem to remember liking this Brunner the best, but I no longer remember why. |
1988-05-12 | ||||||||
| Anthony Burgess |
A Clockwork Orange Simply an amazing book. |
1982-03-20 | ||||||||
| James Lee Burke |
In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead I very much liked Burke's book--once. Unfortunately, he writes the same book over and over, uses the same (good) metaphors and the same (good) adjectives repeatedly. Plus, Dave Robichaux never, ever learns the lessons life teaches, no matter how often he's hit over the head. This may be the one I'd choose to read. |
2003-06-14 | ||||||||
| Robert Ferrar Capon |
The Supper of the Lamb Theological reflections and recipes for lamb. Why not? The book that we've most often given our friends as a gift, because we think everyone needs to read it on the path to enlightenment. |
1996-11-10 | ||||||||
| Raymond Chandler |
Stories & Early Novels: The Big Sleep, Farewell My Lovely, and The High Window I don't know why it took me so long to read Chandler, but I'm sure glad I did. He's brilliant. I'd be happy if I could write half so well as he did. |
2002-06-12 | ||||||||
| Paul Collins |
Banvard's Folly Vignette's about some of history's biggest failures and how they got that way. Fascinating, enlightening, a bit scary, but great fun to read. |
2002-11-01 | ||||||||
| Thomas H. Cook |
The Chatham School Affair I like mystery thrillers that delve deeply into the characters' histories to uncover the root of their problems--this is one of the best I've read. |
2003-03-31 | ||||||||
| Lindsey Davis |
The Course of Honor Not one of her Didius Falco series (which are entertaining but have their flaws), this is described as a "Roman romance". Even though we know how it will end, it's very good reading. |
2004-01-09 | ||||||||
| Richard Dawkins |
The Ancestor's Tale |
2005-12-08 | ||||||||
| Michael Dibdin |
Blood Rain One title from an electrifying series of crime novels set in Italy. |
2000-07-05 | ||||||||
| Philip K. Dick |
Time Out of Joint Phil Dick can be horribly uneven, but I usually read him anyway. Of his novels, this was my favorite for its prime Dickian paranoia. |
1987-11-24 | ||||||||
| Stephen Dobyns |
The Church of Dead Girls I have thoroughly enjoyed everything I've read by Dobyns, and some of them, like this one, are positively outstanding novels (even though you might find it in the mystery section). |
2000-06-10 | ||||||||
| A. Conan Doyle |
The Complete Sherlock Holmes Still the top of the list in classic crime writing. |
1982-09-01 | ||||||||
| Brendan DuBois |
Shattered Shell An exciting and evocative thriller by a very stylish writer. |
2003-04-16 | ||||||||
| John Farrow |
City of Ice Outstanding suspense & beautiful prose. |
2003-07-15 | ||||||||
| Harvey Fierstein |
Torch Song Trilogy Reading this play affected me profoundly, and I think it should be on everyone's reading list. |
1996-01-07 | ||||||||
| Frances Fyfield |
Undercurrents I don't know why she isn't mentioned in lists of top mystery writers; I've found each of her books to be very satisfying in every way I judge crime novels (or any novel). |
2002-04-05 | ||||||||
| John Gardner |
The Art of Fiction I think this may be the only book about writing that I've read that was worth much of anything, and everything he says in it is worth its weight in gold. I'd be hard to convince that anyone understands the process of writing any better. |
2000-06-29 | ||||||||
| James Gleick |
Isaac Newton |
2005-09-13 | ||||||||
| Temple Grandin |
Thinking in Pictures An incredible, fascinating biography by an autistic women who designs cattle chutes for stockyards. Sound odd? Read it and learn more than you ever expected. |
1997-02-06 | ||||||||
| Martha Grimes |
The Train Now Departing I've always at least enjoyed her crime novels. I feel that she's improving with age, and I was particularly impressed with this book of stories/novellas. |
2000-08-31 | ||||||||
| Reginald Hill |
Dialogues of the Dead Hill's earlier books (in the police procedural genre) are good--well above average. But even better: as he's gotten older his novels have become outstanding character studies. |
2002-10-02 | ||||||||
| Reginald Hill |
Death's Jest-Book To my eye, he just keeps getting better--and that means that by this point he's so good it's scary. |
2004-12-04 | ||||||||
| Douglas Hofstadter |
Godel, Escher, Bach A unique book that I found unusually rich in ideas and uncommonly stimulating. |
1986-08-17 | ||||||||
| Scott Huler |
Defining the Wind Brilliant, poetic, & informative. |
2008-03-22 | ||||||||
| Michael Innes |
From London Far The first of a large number of high-falutin', absolutely ridiculous mysteries by Innes that I read, and probably my favorite of the lot. Unusual for me: I laughed out loud several times. |
1982-09-13 | ||||||||
| Michael Innes |
The Case of the Journeying Boy I really like Michael Innes for his wit, but this book amazed me with what could be done with a chase plot. |
1982-01-13 | ||||||||
| P.D. James |
Original Sin Again, just one novel to represent a long and distinguished series of novels she's written. |
2002-05-12 | ||||||||
| Hugh Johnson |
The Principles of Gardening One of the few gardening books I've ever read right through, it's engaging and practical both. |
1990-04-01 | ||||||||
| Mark Kurlansky |
Salt A fun and informative example of the history of an idea/thing, that follows a thread through the fabric of history. |
2003-04-13 | ||||||||
| Jane Langton |
The Face on the Wall I've read and enjoyed every novel she's written, although I'm not sure I think each one succeeded at what she was trying to do. This is one I remember liking the best. |
1999-10-24 | ||||||||
| Joe R. Lansdale |
Captains Outrageous I'm very hard to please when it comes to farcical, comic hijinks mysteries, but his two characters are characters very much to my taste. |
2003-04-25 | ||||||||
| Joe R. Lansdale |
A Fine Dark Line Perfect suspense and atmospheric nostalgia. |
2004-03-29 | ||||||||
| Elmore Leonard |
Get Shorty An hysterical plot told with lots of fun (and rather better than a movie could do it, too). |
2003-08-07 | ||||||||
| Peter Lovesay |
The House Sitter I've always enjoyed Lovesay's books, some more, some less, and I like this Detective Diamond--this latest novel in the series I found delightfully entertaining. |
2003-11-03 | ||||||||
| Henning Mankell |
One Step Behind Outstanding style, character, plot, everything. Is it the translation, or does it read this way in the oringial Swedish? Either way, all of his books I have actually been excited to read. |
2003-05-11 | ||||||||
| Adam Mars-Jones |
Monopolies of Loss Elsewhere I've recommended Mars-Jones novel; this is a collection of short stories and it's hard to imagine anything better written or more worth reading. |
1996-01-26 | ||||||||
| Adam Mars-Jones |
The Waters of Thirst A tour-de-force, literary novel that I read as compulsively as a best-selling page-turner. Breathtaking seems an understatement. |
1997-02-15 | ||||||||
| Armistead Maupin |
Tales of the City Perhaps a sentimental favorite after all these years, and better known now from the televised versions, but still an important book that's fun to read. |
1983-02-15 | ||||||||
| Larry Millett |
Sherlock Holmes & The Secret Alliance I don't often warm up to reused characters, but his entire series of Sherlock Holmes in America is true to detail and the are very well told. |
2003-01-17 | ||||||||
| Paul Monette |
Halfway Home I've been overwhelmed by all of Monette's writing, but this novel is the one I think I enjoyed the most. |
1996-01-03 | ||||||||
| John Mortimer |
Rumpole and the Angel of Death Rumpole is one of the most memorable characters in all of crime fiction, and I envy Mortimer his skill at laying out a credible and entertaining plot with such wit. |
2002-11-25 | ||||||||
| Sharan Newman |
To Wear the White Cloak Her entire series of Medieval mysteries Catherine LeVendure have unusually satisfying depth and development of character as the series progresses. |
2003-01-25 | ||||||||
| T. Jefferson Parker |
Silent Joe Parker writes thrillers of the type that I like to read, and this is one of the more memorable. |
2003-04-29 | ||||||||
| John Allen Paulos |
Innumeracy Concerning most people's uncomfortable relationship with numbers, and why that's a bad situation, this was a very memorable book. |
1990-10-25 | ||||||||
| Ellis Peters |
A Rare Benedictine I like all the books about the medieval monk Brother Cadfael; this is a collection of short stories, and contains what I think is one of the most perfect stories I've ever read. |
1994-06-02 | ||||||||
| Ellis Peters |
Brother Cadfael's Pennance Merely one title in a series of medieval mysteries (Brother Cadfael) that are all worth reading. |
1996-03-09 | ||||||||
| Karl Popper |
Conjectures and Refutations The most influential philosopher in my life, this is his best collection of writings. |
1991-11-07 | ||||||||
| Ian Rankin |
A Good Hanging I think good suspense/mystery stories are very hard to come by, but these were particularly satisfying. |
2003-09-26 | ||||||||
| Ruth Rendell |
Master of the Moor I am a devoted Rendell fan, and I can recommend all of her books. But this one I remember as the only book that ever made me gasp aloud with surprise. |
1989-06-26 | ||||||||
| Richard Rhodes |
The Making of the Atomic Bomb |
2005-07-06 | ||||||||
| Richard Rhodes |
Dark Sun |
2005-12-05 | ||||||||
| Peter Robinson |
Aftermath Very atmospheric, very evocative, and very chilling. I've enjoyed all the Robinson titles I've read, although this one stands out. |
2003-02-23 | ||||||||
| Laura Joh Rowland |
The Samurai's Wife The series is set in 17th century Japan, and very evocative of times around the Shogun. But, historical or not, the writing and storytelling are very satisfying. |
2004-01-03 | ||||||||
| Oliver Sacks |
Uncle Tungsten All of Sack's writing is brilliant and inspiring, but this autobiography is particularly noteworthy. |
2002-11-29 | ||||||||
| Carl Sagan |
The Demon-Haunted World He sets out clearly and persuasively the problem with scientific illiteracy in modern American society |
2004-10-14 | ||||||||
| Brian L. Silver |
The Ascent of Science |
2005-09-27 | ||||||||
| Muriel Spark |
Loitering with Intent The first book I read by Muriel Spark, and it was a revelation to find someone whose prose is so beautiful that each sentence sparkles. |
1983-09-26 | ||||||||
| Leonie Swann |
Three Bags Full This book about a flock of sheep who solve a murder mystery is clever and charming. |
2007-10-16 | ||||||||
| Julian Symons |
The 31st of February I've enjoyed everything by Symons that I've read, but this one stands out in my memory as a particularly chilling psychological plot. |
1990-10-23 | ||||||||
| Peter Tremayne |
The Monk Who Vanished Oddly, every time I start reading one of the books in this Medieval Mystery series with Sister Fidelma, I start out thinking it ponderous and pedantic, but once I pick up the rhythm I can't stop until I've finished. |
2002-08-07 | ||||||||
| Barbara W. Tuchman |
The First Salute This is her rather personal look at the American Revolutionary War, and just about the best history I have ever read. |
1989-04-25 | ||||||||
| Edward R. Tufte |
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information A fun, quirky book about how we look at and interpret visual information. |
1986-06-25 | ||||||||
| Barbara Vine |
Anna's Book This is just one of Rendell's books from a long list of outstanding crime novels. She's absolutely at the top of my list of favorites. Read any one of her novels and marvel. |
2002-07-07 | ||||||||
| Barbara Vine |
The Blood Doctor I like all of Barbara Vine's (Ruth Rendell's) books, but this one was extraordinary in all respects. |
2003-12-11 | ||||||||
| Margaret Visser |
The Rituals of Dinner Visser's look at the history of table manners is simply incredible. That's why it's at the top of our recommended reading list here at Bjornslottet. |
1992-12-18 | ||||||||
| Peter Watson |
Ideas A brilliant book about virtually everything. |
2008-03-15 | ||||||||
|
Total Number of Titles: 82 |
||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||
