Just finished one that's appropriate for many of us here. "Younger Next Year", by Chris Crowley.

If you like Satire: Strip Tease - by Carl Hiaasen

The inter workings for running a strip club, murder mystery and comedy all in one.

I've just finished "The Boys in the Boat" by Daniel James Brown. Its about the rowers that went to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Very good read,and I felt I was in the boat with them.

Haven't seen any plugs yet for David Guterson -
Snow Falling on Cedars
East of the Mountains

....saw the movie, didn't understand most of it - read the book to see what was going on with Ethan Hawke's character - now he's earned a spot in my rotation.

Also, based on several poster's endorsements for Dennis Lehane's Coughlin trilogy, I just finished Mystic River and Shutter Island - both excellent reads

PS: Thanks to all contributors - this thread is my 'go to' source for my reading lists.
Bill K

Excellent, including the PS!

I have a trip coming up and will order the books.

I have been traveling more than I would like but I get to try new/old books to ease the lurk of modern business travel. I read an article about Elmore Leonard and based on the positive reviews, decided to get 'Maximum Bob' and 'Freaky Deaky'. He is great. I will get more of his stuff.

Completely enjoyable fare for those three hour delays and cancelled flights!

Recently read Perfidia by James Ellroy.

Not one of his top works, but ambitious to write about crime and politics at street level in LA from 12/6/41 into January 1942...

"Professor Porsche's Wars" by Karl Ludvigsen

VERY in depth descriptions of all of the vehicles and powerplants that Ferd was involved in during the course of two world wars, with lots of engineering drawings and sidebar writeups. The good Doctor's participation in the atrocities of WWII seem to be sanitized, but I'll probably re-read this book this winter to see if I was projecting that sanitation of the facts. The Professor was a genius engineer, without a doubt; I've not yet reconciled his view that the nation was at war and he was just doing a job to help the Fatherland. His close friendship with a certain Adolph Hitler who kept his companies supplied with lucrative contracts through the war years makes it tough for me to believe that he didn't know the extent of what was being wrought.

Perhaps it is possible to disassociate completely in his circumstances.

If you like mountain climbing then read Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. It seems that everyone who survived that climb wrote a book. The movie is out right now.

Then read High Crimes: The Fate of Everest in an Age of Greed by Michael Kodas. Details some really horrible behavior by selfish and even criminal climbers.

Lots of good suggestions here just in the pages I scanned. I'm reading "The Last Love Song" which is the excellent new Joan Didion biography by Tracy Daugherty. It's very well researched and really digs into JD and her tragic family.

It has gotten me back into her essays, I'm re-reading "Slouching Towards Bethlehem", it's beyond great. :cool:

The JK book is almost certainly great, I'm going to get it. :)

Another plug for Jon Krakauer. Read "Into Thin Air" when on an Everest Kick........Just finished "Into the Wild" - Excellent as well.......

Paul, curious to hear what you thought of Guterson?

Finished Genghis Kahn book (three thumbs-up) and just ordered another of the Weatherford books - 'Indian Givers'

Bill K

Bill,

Both books are sitting on my desk. I have a long trip in November/December (Washington State and then the Philippines) so I am saving them for the long slog!

I read the reviews and the summation and can't wait.

I also ordered this thing:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1445784797.jpg

Please let me know how 'Indian Givers" reads.

Best!

Cool - I've got a round-trip to Orange County next week and should get through it, plus 'Survivor'(Vince Flynn).
Bill K

Hated it. :(

My nieces book, Hit. Cool story, though I may be a bit biased. I could absolutely see this being made into a movie.

Young adult near future/dystopian story about a girl who's forced to act as an assassin when the US debt is bought by a mega-bank. Owe the bank? You can pay with your money or your life.

The sequel will be out in March.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1445841721.jpg

A little shameless self-promotion here. :o

We just published a book by Tom Austin about the Riviera nightclub. It's an historical novel, which is one of my favorite genres. The Riviera was the model for Las Vegas night clubs. If you like the Rat Pack, the Mob, and historical novels you might like it.

Bridge to the Riviera

Tom's father was head of security at the Riviera in the 1940s and Tom got to spend a lot of time there as a kid. He knew all the famous performers of the 1940s - the whole Rat Pack, Vic Damone, Tony Martin, etc. and he wrote a non-fiction history of the place, but couldn't include all the "juicy" stuff, which is included in this book.
Tom is an interesting guy, was in a band The Royal Teens in the late 1950s that later became the Four Seasons. He wrote songs with Bob Gaudio, including "Short Shorts" which has just been re-recorded. He's a fine art painter and has many paintings in the Coast Guard headquarters. Plus he's a nice guy who's into old cars.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1445847714.jpg

Reading the Martian this week and really enjoying it.

Just finished two from Martin Wilsey and the solstice 31 saga-Still Falling and The Broken Cage. My wife went to high school with the author and he is starting out strong. very impressed with his writing and the story line. plus he posts several free short stories also related. Sci-Fi stuff. Interesting following a new author starting out and still working a day job.

Martin C. Wilsey

It was an interesting read - the cat had foibles, as do most of us.

Chhers JB

techweenie - not to worry - there's also some folks who think Picasso's painting of a 'woman with both eyes on the same side of her face' is an abomination. ;)
Bill K