Winter, by Rick Bass

A beautiful, even soothing, account of the author's first winter as a resident of the Yaak valley in Montana.

Biography from Rick Bass's web site.

Bleeding Hearts, by Ian Rankin

This is not an Inspector Rebus novel. It is, instead, a novel told partly in first person by a hired assassin, and partly in third person about the private detective who pursues him from England to America.

After a few Rebuses, I was disappointed to find myself noticing some cardboard-cutout characters, and not-so-great writing.

I did read the whole thing. It was well-plotted, even including a religious cult, and a fictional account of a real-time financial error made in the time of Manuel Noriega and the Iran-Contra scandal.

New York Times review.

Joyland, by Stephen King

A Hard Case Crime Novel.

This is another Stephen King novel that could be described more as a mystery, or noir-crime novel, than a typical King supernatural thriller. There is, however, an element of the supernatural (maybe he just can't help that) contained in the story, but nevertheless, this is a valid and very entertaining mystery novel.

Set mostly in the vicinity of Wilmington, NC,  this is the story of young Devin Jones, who takes a summer job with a carnival.  Jones, after losing his college girlfriend, finds himself at loose ends, and begins to focus more on his life as a carnival employee. He learns that there is an unsolved mystery associated with the carnival, and here we go. There is a lot of nostalgia and terrific carnival atmosphere. The book cover harkens back to the days of pulp fiction.

King is practically criticism-proof. He hands you a story like this, what are you going to do? If you don't feel like reading it, don't. It's not to be taken as great literature -- but what is it? Merely an entertainment? Somehow, while putting on a great show, King manages always to sneak in a little commentary, a little observation of the human condition, and maybe a little criticism of his own.

I'm a fan.

LA Times Review

The Colour of Magic, by Terry Pratchett

An audio book.

Having heard of Mr. Pratchett's recent death, and having read much praise and regret from his readers and friends, and having heard of him in the past, though dimly and filed somewhere in the outer reaches of my little brain, I thought I should perhaps find out what all the buzz is about.

The first hour of listening to this book has already answered that. I have a familiar happy and comfortable feeling with this text that reminds me of the days when I read the works of Douglas Adams, another sorely missed Englishman.

Here's an interesting Guardian article in which the question is asked, is The Colour of Magic a good introduction to Terry Pratchett?

Based on this novel, I don't know how much farther I'll go with Pratchett. His reputation is such that perhaps I should give him more of a try. The novel is not bad, but it is just a little bit silly.

Tatiana, by Martin Cruz Smith

A novel in the Arkady Renko series. This is set in post-Soviet Russia. Renko begins an unauthorized investigation into the death of Tatiana Petrovna, an investigative reporter not loved by those in power, who died falling from a window. Her death is generally considered a suicide, but Renko has doubts.

At the beginning of the book, we witness the murder of a translator who has been working for a group of wealthy businessmen. The translator keeps a coded notebook, which was in the possession of Tatiana Petrovna before her death.

Set against a backdrop of cynical corruption, Renko's investigation requires a persistence that borders on insanity. Indeed, one of the characters describes him as "Sisyphean."

A New York Times review says "In “Tatiana,” his eighth crime novel dominated by the lawless landmass once known as the Soviet Union, Martin Cruz Smith sets his Slavic sleuth, Arkady Renko, on the case."

This Wheel's on Fire, by Levon Helm with Stephen Davis

Levon Helm and the story of The Band.

This is pretty obviously "co-written," and gets a little thin at times, but it is an interesting account of one of my very favorite musical groups. Levon Helm came from Arkansas, the rest of The Band came from Canada.

In this book we learn of the roots of The Band, from Ronnie Hawkins and The Hawks, to the many jobs backing Bob Dylan, and the subsequent recording sessions and performances that made their place in history under their super-generic name.

Worth reading just for the biographies and anecdotes of the time.

New York Times review.

The Paying Guests by Susan Waters

Set in the years soon after World War I, this novel evokes a time when many aspects of life were still what we would consider primitive. For example, the home that is central to the plot does not have an indoor lavatory or commode; its residents visit an outhouse in the garden. The mother and daughter around whom the plot develops, Mrs. Wray and Frances, have lost much in the war, including Frances' two brothers. Her father died soon afterward, though not as a result of military action.

The Wrays, short on funds, do a bit of remodeling and advertise for boarders, "paying guests." The couple that move in provide an instant accelerant to the plot, which becomes very fascinating and tense when one of the paying guests is found murdered near the house.

This was thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining, and gave what I believe to be a good picture of what life in England might have been like at this period of time. Furthermore, the issue of homosexuality at this time is dealt with, and we are shown a plausible image of how it might have been to be gay or lesbian then.



Sarah Waters' website