Re: Book Thread number ?
A Year in the World: Journeys of a Passionate Traveller by Frances Mayes I’ll be upfront in saying I have neither read or watched the movie of Under the Tuscan Sun. This book was okay though it really isn’t a year in the world as she focuses her trip mainly on areas around the Mediterranean: Greece, Greek isles, Turkey, Italy, Sicily, France, Spain and Portugal with a little foray to England. Parts of the book I enjoyed, the sights they saw and the foods they ate, though no pictures which is a bummer. Other parts of the book her following the footsteps and telling the stories of writers and poets I have never heard about I had no interest in.
Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews An excellent spy novel set in modern times with New Russia, the twisting tale of a mole inside the SVR, his CIA handler and the honey trap set by the Russians to find the mole. Excellent twists and turns as the major players loyalties are tested and they deal with the realities of politics in the modern age. Excellent read.
Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid That Sparked the Civil War by Tony Horwitz A good book telling about John Brown’s life his rise as a militant abolitionist, his involvement in “bleeding Kansas” and at the end the planning and execution of his raid on Harper’s Ferry and his subsequent trial and execution. Good read
Catch Me by Lisa Gardner Charlene Grant is convinced someone is going to kill her. Her two best friends were killed on January 21st and she believes that she is next and wants Boston detective DD Warren to find the filler. New Mom DD is trying to track down a vigilante killer who tracks down pedophiles and believes she may be a crank but as she learns of Charlene’s past Charlene becomes a suspect in her killings and wonders if she is a killer herself. Good read.
The Amber Room by Steve Berry Following the death of her father, a judge and her ex-husband go in search of the fabled Amber room a treasure confiscated by the Nazi’s and missing since the close of WW II. They find themselves being hunted by several notorious art collectors as they search for the lost treasure.
Brought in Dead by Jack Higgins This Higgins book starts with Detective Sgt Nick Miller being called to the apparent suicide of a young woman. As he investigates he finds her connection to a wealthy casino owner with organized crime connections and believes him responsible but he walks free. He then watches as a number of misfortunes befall him apparently perpetrated by the girl’s father. Ok read
Hold Tight by Harlan Coben Mike and Tia Baye don’t seem to know what is going on with their 16 year old son so they install spyware on his computer to keep track of him. Little do they know that this would drag them into a web of intrigue involving sex drugs and murder. Good read.
Obsession by Jonathan Kellerman Alex Delaware is contacted by a former patient about a confession made by her dying mother. As Alex and Milo look into it recent murders seem to be connected to the patients dying confession. Good read.
Drop Shot by Harlan Coben This Myron Bolitar novel finds him at a great point in his career with one of his clients making a run at the US Open. When another young tennis prodigy who was trying to contact him is murdered at the arena he starts an investigation into the seamier side of the tennis world.
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett An tremendous novel concerning the building of a cathedral in Norman England. It follows the politics and battles along with the problems of building a cathedral in England. Set during a period of civil unrest between Stephen and Maud, Henry I nephew and daughter respectively, tell and excellent tale of medieval England with many fascinating characters, ending shortly after the murder of Thomas Beckett. I had put off reading this for some time and read most of it, about 700 pages on my 9 hour flight back from Italy every bit as good as everyone told me looking forward to reading the sequel or follow up.
Rome by DK Publishing Typical DK city guide, breaks Rome down into section with the top sights and a little map of each segment.
Lonely Planet Southern Italy by Cristian Bonetto Probably the worst Lonely Planet book I have gotten. Usually my issue with Lonely Planet guides is that they list every little sight in town no matter how minor or obscure. That is not the case in this guide with very few suggestions for a lot of places, especially Sicily. The Shrine of Santa Rosalia, patron saint of Palermo is not mention nor is The Alancantra Gorge. In several places it tells you to check the Lonely Planet Sicily book, so I bought a $18 guidebook for Southern Italy and Sicily but you want me to buy a Sicily only guidebook for more information?
Art & History of Sicily by Bonechi Books A Typical Bonechi book, short description of the Sicilian archaeological, historical and art sites with lots of good pictures.
A Year in the World: Journeys of a Passionate Traveller by Frances Mayes I’ll be upfront in saying I have neither read or watched the movie of Under the Tuscan Sun. This book was okay though it really isn’t a year in the world as she focuses her trip mainly on areas around the Mediterranean: Greece, Greek isles, Turkey, Italy, Sicily, France, Spain and Portugal with a little foray to England. Parts of the book I enjoyed, the sights they saw and the foods they ate, though no pictures which is a bummer. Other parts of the book her following the footsteps and telling the stories of writers and poets I have never heard about I had no interest in.
Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews An excellent spy novel set in modern times with New Russia, the twisting tale of a mole inside the SVR, his CIA handler and the honey trap set by the Russians to find the mole. Excellent twists and turns as the major players loyalties are tested and they deal with the realities of politics in the modern age. Excellent read.
Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid That Sparked the Civil War by Tony Horwitz A good book telling about John Brown’s life his rise as a militant abolitionist, his involvement in “bleeding Kansas” and at the end the planning and execution of his raid on Harper’s Ferry and his subsequent trial and execution. Good read
Catch Me by Lisa Gardner Charlene Grant is convinced someone is going to kill her. Her two best friends were killed on January 21st and she believes that she is next and wants Boston detective DD Warren to find the filler. New Mom DD is trying to track down a vigilante killer who tracks down pedophiles and believes she may be a crank but as she learns of Charlene’s past Charlene becomes a suspect in her killings and wonders if she is a killer herself. Good read.
The Amber Room by Steve Berry Following the death of her father, a judge and her ex-husband go in search of the fabled Amber room a treasure confiscated by the Nazi’s and missing since the close of WW II. They find themselves being hunted by several notorious art collectors as they search for the lost treasure.
Brought in Dead by Jack Higgins This Higgins book starts with Detective Sgt Nick Miller being called to the apparent suicide of a young woman. As he investigates he finds her connection to a wealthy casino owner with organized crime connections and believes him responsible but he walks free. He then watches as a number of misfortunes befall him apparently perpetrated by the girl’s father. Ok read
Hold Tight by Harlan Coben Mike and Tia Baye don’t seem to know what is going on with their 16 year old son so they install spyware on his computer to keep track of him. Little do they know that this would drag them into a web of intrigue involving sex drugs and murder. Good read.
Obsession by Jonathan Kellerman Alex Delaware is contacted by a former patient about a confession made by her dying mother. As Alex and Milo look into it recent murders seem to be connected to the patients dying confession. Good read.
Drop Shot by Harlan Coben This Myron Bolitar novel finds him at a great point in his career with one of his clients making a run at the US Open. When another young tennis prodigy who was trying to contact him is murdered at the arena he starts an investigation into the seamier side of the tennis world.
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett An tremendous novel concerning the building of a cathedral in Norman England. It follows the politics and battles along with the problems of building a cathedral in England. Set during a period of civil unrest between Stephen and Maud, Henry I nephew and daughter respectively, tell and excellent tale of medieval England with many fascinating characters, ending shortly after the murder of Thomas Beckett. I had put off reading this for some time and read most of it, about 700 pages on my 9 hour flight back from Italy every bit as good as everyone told me looking forward to reading the sequel or follow up.
Rome by DK Publishing Typical DK city guide, breaks Rome down into section with the top sights and a little map of each segment.
Lonely Planet Southern Italy by Cristian Bonetto Probably the worst Lonely Planet book I have gotten. Usually my issue with Lonely Planet guides is that they list every little sight in town no matter how minor or obscure. That is not the case in this guide with very few suggestions for a lot of places, especially Sicily. The Shrine of Santa Rosalia, patron saint of Palermo is not mention nor is The Alancantra Gorge. In several places it tells you to check the Lonely Planet Sicily book, so I bought a $18 guidebook for Southern Italy and Sicily but you want me to buy a Sicily only guidebook for more information?
Art & History of Sicily by Bonechi Books A Typical Bonechi book, short description of the Sicilian archaeological, historical and art sites with lots of good pictures.
I felt like the book was keeping a secret I wasn't smart enough to understand; there was some metaphor I wasn't patient enough to get. Not exactly the reading I prefer these days. When I started skipping whole pages of Japanese characters and Icelandic translations, I decided it was time to call it quits. Moving on to something lighter.
