Important
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Mr. C's Hot Reads
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Mr. C's Hot
Reads
Because I
am being constantly asked what I'm reading, I've listed my recent favorites
below. Enjoy!
Ballitics:Poems / Billy Collins - Collins is one
of the most simple and profound modern poets. There's lots of thought candy
here.
Wizard's First Rule / Terry Goodkind - In the great fantasy tradition of
Tolkien and Brooks with a nod to Ayn Rand, this first of a series is packed with
interesting, believable characters and plenty of action.
Drood / Dan Simmons - A bit long but worth the trip, Drood
speculates, via fiction infused with fact, what Dickens had planned for the
ending of his last, uncompleted novel.
The Last Dickens / Matthew Pearl - Pearl's work is on the exact same
topic as Drood but focuses more on the relationship between Dickens and
Wilkie Collins. This one is more humorous.
Spade and Archer / Joe Gores - Gores writes the prequel to The Maltese
Falcon in language that mimics the classic whodunit perfectly.
Ghost Train to the Eastern Star : on the Tracks of the Great Railway Bazaar
/ Paul Theroux - Probably the best travel writer today, Paul Theroux, retraces
the train trip across Asia that he chronicled decades ago in his masterpiece, The Great
Railway Bazaar. Armed with hindsight and the knowledge he gained by trekking
around the world, Theroux muses about what has changed in the world since his
Bazaar book.
The Given Day / Dennis Lehane - Top notch mystery writer Lehane takes a turn at an
early 20th century saga of old Boston - interesting characters and gripping
plot laced with history.
A Lion Among Men / Gregory Maguire - A fascinating twist on the Wizard of
Oz story. This time it's told from the point of view of the lion - surprisingly
very dark and insightful.
Tree of Smoke / Denis Johnson produces a Vietnam opus that rivals
Things They Carried.
Roads to Quoz : an American Mosey / William Least Heat-Moon - Moon, who
walked across the country in Blue Highways, moseys around the South east
with his wife this time and serves up some interesting down home wisdom.
A Mercy / Toni Morrison - Definitely not in the class of Beloved
but contains that characteristic Morrison style that, at times, rivals Faulkner.
The Fountainhead / Ayn Rand - One of the best books I've ever read,
The Fountainhead employs magical, lyrical language and painstakingly created
characters to force you to look inside your soul to see what makes you tick.
Persepolis / Marjane Satrapi - A graphic novel that is similar in impact
to Maus. Satrapi takes us through the life of a young girl brought up in
Iran, from the time of the Shah.
The Enchantress of Florence /
Salman Rushdie - A fanciful tale of love and power set in Persia and Florence
with intriguing language and narrative style
Not Quite Dead / John MacLachlan Gray - A mystery novel that includes
Edgar Allen Poe and Charles Dickens among its cast of interesting characters
Shopping for Porcupine: a Life in Arctic Alaska / Seth Kantner - life in
backwoods Alaska told by someone who was born in the wild and spent his life
there
The Last Fish Tale : the Fate of the Atlantic and Survival in Gloucester,
America's Oldest Fishing Port and Most Original Town / Mark Kurlansky - very
interesting study of why the town of Gloucester never became the Cape Cod of
northern Massachusetts
A Voyage Long and Strange : Rediscovering the New World / Tony Horwitz
- a current day trip along the routes of the early discoverers of America with
some interesting history thrown in
Child 44 / Tom Rob Smith - a chilling mystery set in an Orwellian
world
Sharp Teeth / Toby Barlow - one of the strangest books ever - written in
poetry, it concerns a class of people who can transform themselves into dogs at
will
The Ten-Cent Plague / David
Hajdu - A fascinating and eye-opening look at the history of the comic
book and how it changed America
The Maytrees / Annie Dillard - An interesting blend of poetic language,
naturalism, and lofty ideas as told through the lives of a Provincetown family
The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End / Ken
Follett - A huge saga with well-drawn characters, this work delineates the
struggles involved in building a medieval cathedral and a bridge. Follett's style
is so soothing and straightforward that it envelops the reader in its
spell. These are books that you don't want to end.
People of the Book / Geraldine Brooks - A CSI style investigation into the
possible history of a newly discovered rare Jewish book is juxtaposed with
chapters that tell what really happened to the book in the past. History and
culture blend with DaVinci Code- style intrigue to create a unique
package.
The Brief and Wondrous Life of
Oscar Wao / Junot Diaz - a very original look at the trials faced by an
immigrant family from the Dominican Republic. What should be tragic is
delivered in a witty blend of comedy, Spanglish and references to fantasy and
science fiction. The unique writing style totally captivates the reader.
A Thousand Splendid Suns /
Khaled Hosseini - The sequel to Kite Runner does not have quite the same
punch, but it is a compelling must-read nonetheless. This time the focus is on
three
Afghan women with different lifestyles. Once again, Hosseini shows his genius at
getting the reader cathartically involved.
What is the What / David Eggers - Flips back and forth from resettlement
camps in Sudan and the "Lost Boys'" later experiences in the US and makes some amazing,
stunning, but subtle,
comparisons of the two cultures
Water For Elephants / Sara Gruen - Against a fascinating background of
early 20th century circus life, the book makes some remarkable statements about
the power and weakness of old age
An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England / Brock Clarke -
Kurt Vonnegut is reborn in this hilarious black comedy with tons of references
to places in our area
American Bloomsbury : Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret
Fuller, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry David Thoreau : their lives, their loves,
their work / Susan Cheever - A study and comparison of literary figures that
is so approachable that it reads like a novel
Run / Ann Patchett - Fascinating, well-written novel about a poor woman
forced to give up her twins for adoption but not willing to let go of them
completely
The Memory of Running / Ron McLarty - Very Forrest Gump-like, interesting
study of an overweight loser type of a guy who finds the real meaning of life in
an unusual way
Finn : a novel / Jon Clinch - Huckleberry
Finn from Huck's dad's point of view - very interesting for those who love
Huck as it forces the reader to rethink the original novel
Dead Heat / Dick Francis and Felix Francis - Great quick read for
mystery fans. Francis has a knack for creating characters that the reader really
can empathize with.
Thunderstruck / Erik Larson - Great combination of history (Marconi)
and drama (murder); learn as you follow the whodunit.
The Omnivore's Dilemma : a Natural History of Four Meals / Michael Pollan
- Eye-opening study of 4 different ways to eat (vegan, grow your own, fast food,
typical omnivore) and how each type affects the human body and the world.
You Staying Young : the Owner's Manual for Extending Your Warranty /
Mehmet C. Oz and Michael F. Roizen - Not a diet book but a serious, very
readable look at how what we do to our body affects our life.
The World Without Us / Alan Weisman
- The answer to the question - What would happen to the planet
if the human race was exterminated? Very interesting!
Questions, Comments or Suggestions:
jcala6@charter.net
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