Saturday, August 31, 2013

Flynn, by Gregory McDonald

Title: Flynn
Author: Gregory McDonald
Purchased from used book store in Ocean City, MD
Started: 8/30/2013
Finished: 8/31/2013

Part of a collection of books by McDonald I picked up. Didn't enjoy Flynn, a spin off from the authors Fletch series.

Friday, August 30, 2013

Fletch's Fortune, by Gregory McDonald

Title: Fletch's Fortune
Author: Gregory McDonald
Purchased from used book store
Started: 8/29/2013
Finished: 8/30/2013

I've read a few other fletch books, including the first. Entertaining, witty reads, so-so mysteries. This was no different.

Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, by Roald Dahl


  • Title:  Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
  • Author:  Roald Dahl
  • Borrowed from DC Public Library
  • Started: 8/21/2013
  • Finished 8/21/2013

The last updates have been very short, sent from my phone or other portable device just so I don't forget to add them.  Not a reflection on quality (I really enjoyed "The Letter of Marque" for instance). 

This book, however, was terrible.  None of the cute fun of the other Dahl books, can't believe it was even the same author.  Really horrible. 

The Second Confession, by Rex Stout

  • Title:  The Second Confession
  • Author:  Rex Stout
  • Purchased from PaperbackSwap
  • Started: 8/25/2013
  • Finished: 8/28/2013
Second book in the Arnold Zeck trilogy (Nero Wolfe's Moriarty), very enjoyable.  First of these I've read and not listened too in a while.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

The Letter of Marque, by Patrick O'Brian

Title: The Letter of Marque
Author: Patrick O'Brian
Borrowed from dc public as audio book
Started: 8-15-2013
Finished: 8-18-2013

Goldfinger, by Ian Flemming

Title: Goldfinger
Author: Ian Flemming
Borrowed from amazon.com kindle library
Started: 8-1-2013
Finished: 8-18-2013

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

The Sisters Brothers, by Patrick deWitt

I'm torn on this one.  I really enjoyed the story while listening to it, hated when I had to stop for one reason or another.  But when I finished it this morning I didn't really like the ending at all, and as I look back I'm not sure I could recommend the book.  I'm not sorry I listened to it, as I said I like some of it very much, but overall I was looking for a more cohesive story, I suppose.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

The Reverse of the Medal, by Patrick O'Brian

 
This is the 11th of the Aubrey/Maturin series (aka Master & Commander) and this book continues the great form I've been so enjoying.  O'Brian is really in full stride now, the last several of these have just been so great, so much fun, that I wish the series could go on forever. 
 
This was a totally land-based book, poor Captain Aubrey has once again been duped financially and now finds himself before a civilan court.  The plot is good and entertaining, and there is a wonderful scene near the end of the men in the royal navy coming out to support  Aubrey in his hour of need. 
 
I've said it before, but these books just wouldn't be the same to me were they not read so expertly by Simon Vance.  The few I've read in print paled in comparison to those read by Vance.  That's not a comment on O'Brian's writing, rather my poor ability to read these characters as written.  Vance's reading removes the obstruction caused by my own inferiorities when it comes to reading these characters, and I'm grateful to him for it.