75 Books...More or Less! discussion

An updated list for 2009 will be added soon.

Looking forward to it . . . and welcome!

2009 reads 1-10

1. The Third Secret - Berry, Steve

This Da Vinci Code look-alike started off as a solid four star read and ended with a weak two star rating. The problem is that it becomes more and more unbelievable as the story progresses.

2. Sharpe's Enemy - Cornwell, Bernard

This is perhaps the best of the Sharpe series, and I've read 14 of the 24 I know about. The only volume close to it is "Trafalgar". Sharpe is most human in this story. The Battle scenes are extraordinary.

3. Garden of Beasts - Deaver, Jeffrey

Not as good as his Lincoln Rhyme/Amelia Sachs novels, the story starts slow but picks up markedly towards the end of the book.

Staged against the backdrop of the preparation for the 1936 Olympics, the story involves an assassination attempt by an American hit-man on the chief architect of German re-armament.

4. Deception On His Mind - George, Elizabeth

In this story, Elizabeth George takes on the cultural difficulties of Pakistani immigrants as background for the entire book. Reading it turned out to be quite a slog. Put simply, a recent Pakistani Immigrant is murdered and Sergeant Barbara Havers follows a Pakistani neighbor and friend, who's been asked to help the family, to Balfour le Nez on the North Sea Coast. After days and days and days of false trails and frustrating interviews she figures out who she thinks did it only to realize it was someone else she never expected.

5. The Secret Life of Bees - Kidd, Sue Monk

It is a delightful trip into the mind of a 14 year old girl in 1964 South Carolina. The book captured the increasing tension between whites and blacks while at the same time presaging the inevitable integration of blacks as voters, students and professionals. It also featured the essential humanity of the characters whether they were black or white. It's no "To Kill a Mockingbird" for sure but it is a wonderfully described look into the daily lives of a rather strange black family and the white teenager they take into their home.

6. Cadillac Jukebox - Burke, James Lee

I don't know how I missed this one. I've read most of his other offerings. Written in 1996, it is one of his best.

It is, at its heart, a dark story populated with some unremittingly evil people, some people who practice evil without necessarily realizing it, and some people who do evil but somehow manage to rise above their own actions.

All ends well, though. It was a very satisfying read.

7. Man's Search for Meaning - Frankl, Victor E.

I have read this book more than a few times, actually five or six times. Reading it this time was like reading it for the first time.

I cannot over-emphasize how influential this book has been and will continue to be in my daily life.

8. Sharpe's Honor - Cornwell, Bernard

Covering the Vitoria campaign in the Spring of 1813, this story is different from many of the others because the focus is on the lovely courtesan , Helene, as much as on Sharpe.

9. American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964 - Manchester, William.

This book has been sitting on my shelf for years waiting to be re-read; its pages discolored, its cover cracked but its story as fresh in 2009 as it was in 1984.

Undoubtedly, the greatest military mind in the history of the United States, Douglas MacArthur can only be understood by the standards of the late 19th Century. This well researched biography reveals MacArthur totally.

10. The Secret Servant - Silva, Daniel

In a review of "The Messenger" which precedes this book, I said, "In spite of my carping, I will read the next in the series, "The Secret Servant" but I'll wait for the mass market paperback edition."

Well, I'm glad I did. The story is well plotted, the characters, less stereotyped, and the atmosphere current and realistic. Gabriel Allon does very brave, almost unbelievable things but somehow, in the context of this story, they make sense.

2009 reads 11-20

11. Life of Pi - Martell, Yann

An astounding story. I can't say I enjoyed every bit of it but I am in awe of the imaginative prowess of Yann Martel.

The interweaving of family, biology, religion, animal lore, survival tactics, and fantasy is unparalleled in any book I've ever read.

12. Somewhere Towards the End: A Memoir - Athill, Diana

I think I let my expectations get in the way of truly enjoying this book. I had read some very positive reviews praising the frankness and honesty of Athill's description of her declining years.

I found the book's so-called frankness to be somewhat boring. It seemed to always come back to her sexual experiences.

Her description of her declining faculties depressed me. Maybe because my own are declining and I'd rather not read about other people's struggles with sore feet, etc. I've got my own sore knees to worry about.

13. The Archer's Tale - Cornwell, Bernard

In this story,(also titled "Harlequin" in its British Edition) the first of the three book "Grail" series, Thomas of Hookton, becomes an archer in the army of Edward the 2nd at the beginning of the Hundred Year's war between England and France (mid 14th century).

14. Persuader - Child, Lee

Lee Child's books are one of my guilty pleasures.

In this version, Jack Reacher gets involved in trying to rescue an undercover DEA agent who just happens to be held by someone Reacher thought he had assassinated for all the right reasons, 10 years ago.

15. The Afghan - Forsyth, Frederick

I have always felt Forsyth's "Day of the Jackal" was one of the best suspense/thrillers, I've ever read.

How far the mighty have fallen.

In what reads like a channeling of Tom Clancy, "The Afghan" goes on and on with details that have little or nothing to do with plot or character development.

Very unsatisfying even as a guilty pleasure.

16. Sword Song - Cornwell, Bernard

This is the fourth volume in the Saxon Tales series with Uhtred of Bebbanberg as the main protagonist.

It is, in my opinion, the least interesting of the four. The battle scenes, as in all Cornwell's writings, are drawn with extraordinary clarity. There are also some very interesting new characters, Siegfried and Erik, two Norsemen brothers plus an assortment of priests, warriors, and women.

Nevertheless, I find it difficult to put down a Cornwell story once I've started it.

17. Toy Monster - Oppenheimer, Jerry

If you are interested in what Mattel is really like as a company and a place to work or if you are truly interested in how the toy business operates, do not bother reading this piece of high-priced trash.

A sloppy, poorly researched, biased, tabloid worthy book.

18. Night Soldiers - Furst, Alan

An amazing effort by Alan Furst. This particular story has more depth and reach than the others I have read but that is not to take away from his other books.

The story follows the exploits of Khristo Stoianev, a young Bulgarian, who is recruited into the NKVD in 1934.

19. The Collectors - David Baldacci

In this case, Oliver Stone and his three Camel Club friends, Caleb Shaw, Milton Farb and Reuben Rhodes get involved in trying to solve the murder of Caleb's boss at the Library of Congress. There is a sub-plot involving one Annabelle Conroy, a skilled con-artist, who eventually teams up with the Camel Club as the situation becomes more complicated.

20. Sharpe's Fury - Bernard Cornwell

It seems that this volume in the Richard Sharpe Series, published in 2006, was written almost as an afterthought. In the Historical Notes, Cornwell admits that, after visiting the Cadiz area, he could not resist writing about one more battle: in this case Barossa.

The battle of Barossa happened in 1811, at the low ebb of British fortunes in the Peninsular War. Cornwell's description of it, accompanied by an excellent map, is outstanding. As good as any battle scenes Cornwell has tackled.

2009 reads 21-30

21. Betrayal - John Lescroart

I am a big fan of Lescroart but this story doesn't quite hit on all cylinders.

The publicity would lead you to believe that this publication heralded the return of Dismas Hardy and Abe Glitsky, the dynamic duo of the Irish-Catholic Lawyer and the Black-Jewish police inspector. Contraire! 70-75% of the book was taken up with the back story of Evan Scholler and his struggles with betrayal, brain damage, unrequited love and eventually a murder conviction, all growing out of his service in Iraq.

22. Capital Crimes - Stuart Woods

I used to be a big Stuart Woods fan but it seems that he never deviates from his formula. This offering is no different.

The plot is a simple one, a left wing leaning sniper is killing right wing leaning people using a number of different methods. He is obviously a skilled assassin since he leaves absolutely no clues. The FBI then focuses on ex-government law enforcement people as obvious candidates. The story unwinds from there.

23. The Sacred Cut - David Hewson

This is my first Hewson Novel. It starts fast but drags at the end. In fact, I believe he could have made the book fifty pages shorter and had a better story.

Hewson's character development is outstanding. I also love the scenes he sets of Rome, its people and its monuments. The plot is complicated but also well-drawn and seductive.

24. Copperhead - Bernard Cornwell

"Copperhead" is a huge improvement over "Rebel", the first book in the Starbuck series covering the U.S. Civil War.

As usual, Cornwell's research on the actual events is impeccable. Cornwell does a good job of character development in this story and brings not only the soldiers and officers to life but also the citizens of Richmond as they contemplate a Union victory.

The story itself starts with the battle of Ball's Bluff in October 1861 and continues through the Seven Days Battles in July, 1862.

25. Code Name: High Pockets - Edna Bautista Binkowski

A very well-researched, straight-forward account of the Philippine resistance during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during WW II.

Though the title of the book refers to Claire Phillips, code-named High Pockets, because of her choice of a hiding place for messages: her brassiere. The book actually spends a great deal of time on events leading up to the Japanese victory in 1942 and on resistance efforts other than those of Claire Phillips and her network of spies and couriers.

26. Irons in the Fire - John McPhee

It's not often that a book of essays would be placed in the "Couldn't Put It Down" category but this volume qualifies.

The title refers to the opening essay which is focused on Brand Investigators, in an open range section of Nevada, whose job is to stop and/or catch cattle rustlers.

What separates McPhee's work from others is the detail he is able to elicit and then present in an interesting manner, his dry sense of humor and irony and the obvious affection he develops for those people he interviews and humanizes in a most unique way.

27. Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny - Robert Wright

This is another of those rare non-fiction "I couldn't put it down" books.

Using Game Theory, Wright develops a theory of Cultural Evolution that gives rise to optimism, while not ignoring those things that could go wrong. However, if history is any guide, the increasing complexity of human culture has always moved Homo Sapiens closer and closer to a culture of mutual collaboration and reciprocal altruism to the point that we might look forward to a global culture that would make war even more of a zero-sum game than it is now.

28. The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell

This is an interesting but ultimately unsatisfying explanation of why some things reach epidemic proportions and some things don't. I wanted more details and fewer anecdotes. I wanted more suggestions of how to bring something to a "Tipping Point" and less long explanations of how it worked in a few cases.

29. Void Moon - Michael Connelly

I am a big Michael Connelly fan and wondered how I had missed this book. Well, perhaps it's because it isn't up to his usual standards.

Written in 2000, it describes the efforts of a Las Vegas thief and parolee, Cassie Black, to raise enough money to kidnap her natural daughter and take off for Tahiti.

Overall, this particular effort was a disappointment.

30. The Cleaner - Brett Battles

A very good effort for a first time author.

The story moved along at a good pace. The characters were fairly well-drawn and some of them were memorable. The villains were appropriately evil though somewhat stereotyped. The plot was well thought out and developed slowly but surely. The ending was surprising and unexpected.

2009 reads 31-43

31. A Morning for Flamingos - James Lee Burke

This book exemplifies why I think that James Lee Burke is the best at writing mystery/thrillers. I don't know how I missed it: maybe because it was published in 1990 before I discovered Burke's talent.

I know he won two Edgars with "Black Cherry Blues" and "Cimarron Rose" but, having read both those novels, I think this one is better.

32. East and West: China, Power and the Future of Asia - Chris Patten

When my wife, Pam, and I first moved, more or less permanently to Hong Kong, Chris Patten was the newly appointed and last Governor.

Reading his memoir and advice, 12 years after the handover and 10 years after publication of this book, was a much needed trip down memory lane and a much needed reminder of how China operates and what is needed to successfully deal with her politicians and to a certain extent her business people.

Patten writes with a nice light touch and understated humor. He is humble in the extreme but also unafraid of presenting his ideas and his principles.

I enjoyed the first part of the book more than the latter parts. I suspect because it covered history that I had lived through. The rest of the book, though is well worth the time spent and should be required reading for anyone interested in how things really work in Asia.

33. Resolved - Robert K. Tanenbaum

One of Tanenbaum's or is it Michael Gruber's best efforts. It started a little slow and the last chapters were a little anticlimactic, nevertheless it was a terrific read.

The Butch Karp series has always been peopled with astounding characters and this volume does not disappoint.

The story revolves around a terrorist plot, the reappearance of an old nemesis of Butch and Marlene's, the sociopath Felix Tighe, and Marlene's return home from her self imposed, self-loathing, guard dog training exile on Long Island.

For some reason, I had stopped reading the Butch Karp/Marlene Ciampi series. Now I'm hooked again and plan to soon read the prequel to this novel "Absolute Rage".

34. Kowloon Tong - Paul Theroux

Ultimately a disappointment, this novel started fast and petered out with an ending that challenged believability.

I rated it as high as I did because the writing and descriptions were up to Theroux's standards. The plot, however, leaves a lot to be desired.

The characters are somewhat stereotyped but not as badly as some other reviewers thought. They are more likely composites, created to emphasize their failings.

For me, one of the highlights of the book, perhaps because I live here, was the description of various venues and situations in Hong Kong.

35. The Neon Rain - James Lee Burke

This is the first book in the Dave Robicheaux series. I have no idea why it took me so long to get around to reading it. This initial offering, while having some rough edges, sets the tone for the rest of the series.

The story covers Robicheaux's last months as a New Orleans Police Detective, his stormy relationship with his partner, Cletus Purcell, his initial romance with his soon to be wife Annie Ballard, his relationship with his brother Jimmy and his ongoing feud with the "Feds", no matter what their department.

I highly recommend this book.

36. Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West - Stephen E. Ambrose

This biography of Meriwether Lewis must have been a daunting task and Stephen Ambrose was certainly up to it.

The sections of the book covering the Lewis and Clark Expedition are as well written as anything Ambrose has done. The book is, of course, not only a biography of Meriwether Lewis but also a view into the thinking and attitudes of Thomas Jefferson, in particular, and other luminaries of the time.

The story of Lewis' life is a glorious and sad chronicle as we share both his triumphs and his disappointments.

"Undaunted Courage" is a great bit of historiography and a great bit of writing also.

37. A Darkness More Than Night - Michael Connelly

An excellent example of Connelly's ability to create a plot that twists and turns and in the end leaves the reader astounded as the truth comes out.

While undemanding of the reader, this book is, nevertheless, a fascinating story and well worth the time to read.

38. Absolute Rage - Robert K. Tanenbaum

As in most of these novels, the plot starts out in mundane ways and keeps getting more and more unreal but by the time you are at the point where believability is totally threatened, the story has you hooked.

In this case, a family the Karp's barely know is massacred in West Virginia and Marlene Ciampi gets involved at the request of a surviving son, Dan, who is her daughter's boy friend. Butch Karp is eventually dragged in and the fun begins. Before you know it, dozens of people are killed or maimed and the good guys win though at a high cost. Whether justice is done, becomes a moot question.

39. Vagabond - Bernard Cornwell

The second volume in the Grail Series, this story was not nearly as interesting or exciting as the first book in the series, "The Archer".

It opens with the 1346 battle of Neville's Cross in Northern England, which is peripheral to the main plot of Thomas of Hockton's search for the grail which is supposedly under the control of his family and has been hidden by his dead father. It ends with the 1347 battle of La Roche-Derrien in Brittany between the forces of Charles of Blois and the English occupiers.

40. Under the Color of Law - Michael McGarrity

The best McGarrity I've read - very exciting with a little letdown at the end.

The story revolves around two murders that appear to be unrelated. They turn out to be involved with National Security and as the body count rises begin to look like part of a massive cover up.

41. The Dogs of Riga - Henning Mankell

Written in 1992, it's a bit dated as it covers events in Latvia as the Baltic nation tried to pry itself loose from the USSR.

Wallander, who's life and career as a detective both seem to be at a stand-still is assigned to investigate a washed up life raft with two bodies in it.

The case is eventually shifted to Riga, Latvia where Wallander is asked to assist in the investigation of a fellow detective's murder. The plot unfolds from there.

This particular Mankell offering, while not as good as some of the others, I've read is, on the other hand, the most exciting.

42. The Lions of Lucerne - Brad Thor

I love thrillers, especially spy thrillers but this offering was a great disappointment.

The plot has more "coincidences" than you would hear about at a Deja Vu Society meeting. The characters are pure cardboard.

On the positive side the action is unremitting and the story moves at breakneck speed, which explains how I was able to finish the book.

43: Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World's Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her - Robin Gerber

I was surprised at how interesting and well-written this book about Ruth Handler, the founder of Mattel Toy Company and the creator of the Barbie doll was.

The writing is first-rate. It reads like a novel and as the friend who gave me his copy said' "I couldn't put it down."

The book covers her entire life, warts and all, and uses her relationship to Barbie, the ubiquitous fashion doll, as a way of showing what drove Ruth Handler and what, in some ways, defined her.

It is, in the end, the very human story of a driven successful, failed and eventually redeemed, almost bigger than life person, Ruth Handler.

Ed, wow - what a great list, and outstanding comments. Thank you.

You captured so eloquently exactly how I felt about a couple of books we have in common ("Life of Pi" and "Undaunted Courage"). I enjoy mystery/thrillers, too, but have never read anything by James Lee Burke. Sounds like I've missed some great writing! So I'm adding him to the list of authors I want to read.

Kay wrote: "Ed, wow - what a great list, and outstanding comments. Thank you.

You captured so eloquently exactly how I felt about a couple of books we have in common ("Life of Pi" and "Undaunted Courage")...."

Thanks for the kind comments.

James Lee Burke, in my opinion, is up there with Dashiell Hammet, Ray Chandler and John D. MacDonald as a writer of "mystery" fiction. It helps to start at the beginning with "Neon Rain", an incredible first effort.

Adding:

44. Sharpe's Regiment - Bernard Cornwell

Another great book in the Richard Sharpe series.

The story, which takes place mostly in England, has Sharpe uncovering a scheme to "crimp" (auction off) trained soldiers instead of sending them as replacements to Sharpe's regiment in Spain.

All in all a very satisfying story, which was so exciting I finished it in two days.

Adding:

45. The Foreign Correspondent - Alan Furst

I am a fan of Alan Furst's spy stories set in Europe in the late 1930s up through 1945. This was not one of his better efforts.

The story involves an Italian emigre' journalist who, while working for the Reuters News Bureau, also publishes an anti-fascist newspaper that is clandestinely distributed in Mussolini led Italy. He and his co-conspirators are constantly harassed by the Italian OVRA, secret police. He uses his connection with Reuters to pursue other anti-fascist activities that also involve the love of his life, Claudia, who is married to a German Industrialist.

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46. Outlander - Diana Gabaldon

It was a bit of a chore but I finally finished this 627 page monster.

So many people have touted this book and the whole series as outstanding that I may have let my excessive expectations color my enjoyment of the story.

The story involves a woman named Claire Randall who steps into a Stonehenge type circle and is dropped 200 years into the past from 1945 to 1743. She meets, marries and falls in love with a Scottish Laird, Jamie Fraser, and decides to stay in the past. There is a lot of ups and downs in their relationship and in Fraser's life as he is wanted for murder by the British authorities.

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47. Lords of the Bow - Conn Iggulden

I was somewhat disappointed with this book. I wanted an improvement over the first book in the series, Genghis: Birth of an Empire. Iggulden seems to focus on the more dramatic happenings and does not get enough into the depths of the history as I would like. I had the same problem with his "Emperor" series.

This book basically covers Genghis Khan's uniting of the Mongol tribes and his subsequent invasion of China which foundered on the walls of present day Beijing.

It is an exciting book, for sure, and was an easy read but I wanted more.

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48. Swan Peak - James Lee Burke

A masterpiece!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My biggest fear is that the epilogue presages the end of Dave Robicheaux stories.

In this episode, Dave, his wife Molly and his friend Clete Purvis take an extended vacation in Western Montana on the ranch of an old friend, Albert Hollister. Unfortunately for them but fortunately for the reader, they become entangled with the Wellstone family, wealthy immigrants from Texas, and are also asked to help the local sheriff with a double murder of a pair of college students.

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49. Omerta - Mario Puzo

I had originally classified this as "contemporary literature" among other things. Well, it's not literature. It is a fast moving story with a childish plot, cardboard characters and lots of bloodshed.

It follows the life story of Astorre Viola, a young man programmed to be a true Sicilian. There are sub-plots galore involving his step-father/uncle Don Raymonde Aprile and his three cousins as well as a gaggle of Sicilan and American Mafia Dons and soldiers, a couple bent cops, a conflicted FBI agent, a high level prostitute with a heart of gold (grin), a South American drug lord, a couple assassins-for-hire and their broker, etc.

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50. River of Darkness - Rennie Airth

This was quite a surprise. I read it because someone mooched it and as I paged through the book, I realized that it was a well written post WW I British mystery, which I usually like. Turns out, it's much more than that.

It's a psychological thriller rather than a mystery. The entire context of the story puts the reader well into the cultural atmosphere of post WW I Britain. That aspect alone would make the book worth reading.

The entire story moves swiftly but not so swiftly that we can't get caught up in the suspense of the killer targeting his next victims. The last 100 pages just flew by.

Ed wrote: "Adding:

50. River of Darkness - Rennie Airth

This was quite a surprise. I read it because someone mooched it and as I paged through the book, I realized that it was a well written post WW I Bri..."

Excellent comments . . . I will have to look into this one.

Adding:

51. Blink - Malcolm Gladwell

I didn't learn much from this book that I did not already know. I am beginning to suspect that Malcolm Gladwell is not writing books that uncover valuable facts that we should know, but rather is writing books that restate facts we already know but in an interesting way.

"Blink's" content is easily summarized. First impressions are often more accurate than conclusions arrived at after much study and analysis. Be careful, though, because first impressions can be troublesome because of people's prejudices. Got it in 254 pages.

Kay wrote: "Excellent comments . . . I will have to look into this one...."

Thanks for the kind words.

You can read my full review at
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/671...

Adding:

52. Hard Currency - Stuart M. Kaminsky

The main protagonist in this story is Inspector Porfiry Rostnikov, nicknamed the Washtub, because of his physique. He reminds me of Arkady Renko of Gorky Park, one of my favorite fictional characters.

Hard Currency is basically two stories, the first involving Rostnikov in an investigation of the murder of a Cuban woman supposedly committed by a Russian advisor in Havana. The second, the search for a serial killer headed up by Inspector Emil Karpo, nicknamed the Vampire.

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53. Sharpe's Siege - Bernard Cornwell

This story, taking place in 1814, details an incursion into Spain near Bordeaux, a joint venture between the British Army and the Royal Navy. After investing a fort guarding the approaches to the Bassin d'Arachon on the Bay of Biscay, Sharpe heads inland to harass any French troops he might happen upon. He successfully ambushes a brigade of conscripts but when he arrives back at the fort he discovers that he and his troops have been betrayed by a French double agent, deserted by the Navy and left to perish at the hands of the soon to arrive French in the destroyed fort.

The story unfolds from there.

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54: A Cold Heart - Jonathan Kellerman

The story covers the pursuit of a serial killer who appears to be murdering people because he or she is jealous of their rising success. A series of supposedly unrelated killings are eventually identified as being the probable work of one person.

Kellerman uses an interesting approach by following three people as they work to solve the case. Dr. Alex Delaware, presented in the first person and the core narrator, Petra Connor, a homicide detective and Milo Sturgis, a cold case detective and Delaware's usual sidekick. By dividing the story three ways, Kellerman is able to put aside the restrictions of Delaware's first person narration and broaden the story in interesting ways. It made the plot more enticing and kept the reader guessing as the three major characters collected information without them or us knowing how important any of it was.

The story's ending is satisfying without being too neat. I'm glad I picked this up to read.

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55. Red Azalea - Anchee Min

This is a simple story of the life of a young person in China during the Cultural Revolution. The hardships she and her family had to endure are difficult to even imagine much less read about.

Somehow, though she prevails, mostly because she maintains her individuality in a society that not only valued conformity but made it a crime to be different.

Her passion and understanding comes through in a way that allows the reader to get totally caught up in her struggles.

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56. Ice Hunt - James Rollins

There were times this story was very exciting and moved quickly and other times it was slow and boring. The action scenes, as unbelievable as they may seem, and the characterizations are the strongest parts of the story.

The weakest elements involve the number of close calls that almost every major character survives, as minor characters are killed, and the number of fortunate coincidences.

The plot is complicated and there are many twists as well as a number of surprises as the story unfolds. The ending is perhaps a little too neat and the epilogue a little too saccharine.

Adding:

57. All the Rage - F. Paul Wilson

I was surprised by how much I liked this book.

The story is well plotted and moves along quickly. The characters, especially Repairman Jack and the villains are well-drawn and fun to read about.

The introduction of a mysterious group called "The Others" who come from "Otherness" was a plot device the story did not actually need but it did help the reader make sense of the drug "Bezerk" that changed its molecular structure and lost its hallucinatory properties every new Moon.

The ending was neatly done, tying up the loose ends without straining credibility.

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58. Lost on Planet China - J. Maarten Troost

This book was a joy to read. I've lived in Hong Kong for 17 years and have spent a lot of time in China. Even though he was there for a relatively short time, he nailed a lot of the peculiarities of Chinese culture and the Chinese people.

A good part of his writing is tongue-in-cheek. Many of the places he describes are places that me or my wife Pam, who also loved the book, have visited alone or together.

Over-all, the book is must reading for anyone who has spent anytime in China or is planning on visiting China other than on a guided tour.

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59. High Five - Janet Evanovich

This was my first Evanovich Book and a pleasant surprise it was. Stephanie Plum is an interesting character in that she doesn't pretend to be tough or even smart but somehow always manages to come out on top. All of this is done with quite a bit of tongue in cheek humor.

The plot a mixture of missing persons, money laundering and murder isn't all that original or compelling but the journey through all the ramifications is a lot of fun.

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60. Reckless Endangerment - Robert K. Tanenbaum

Though written in 1998 and set in 1981, this story is as relevant as yesterday's latest terrorism news story. The ongoing relationship of Butch Karp, his wife Marlene Ciampi and their family continues in this and subsequent novels. A fascinating group they are.

This particular story has Butch, in a staff role at the NYC DA's office, pursuing what looks to him like a possible terrorist plot. Marlene, spending much of her time helping out at an abused woman's shelter, uncovers a connection to what her husband is working on but neither of them know it.

The story unfolds from there. This is one of the better efforts of the Tanenbaum/Gruber collaboration.

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61. Sharpe's Revenge - Bernard Cornwell

The book opens with Sharpe fighting a duel ("grass before breakfast" in the jargon of the time) with Captain Bampfylde, who in the previous volume Sharpe's Siege had taken his ship away leaving Sharpe to defend a fort that had been ruined.

The duel is followed by the battle for Toulouse which was fought days after Napoleon had abdicated. All of this is prologue to a plot by the hated and long time enemy of Sharpe, Pierre Ducos, to steal a large quantity of gold and have the theft blamed on Sharpe.

With a number of sub-plots, there are many twists and turns making this book one of the more interesting of the entire series.

Adding:

62. Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, and Shakes - Bobby Flay

I guess if you want to know more than 100 ways to cook a hamburger this would be a good reference. I wasn't all that interested.

The sections on fries and shakes are minimal and not very helpful.

Needless to say, I did not read this book word for word. I did spend enough time with it, though, to know it was an instant candidate for my Bookmooch inventory.

Adding:

63. High Window - Raymond Chandler

A classic Chandler.

Phillip Marlowe moves through life with an attitude that nothing can really surprise him but he truly does have a good heart.

One of Chandler's obvious skills is to keep the reader guessing right to the end. He certainly does that in this book.

Ed wrote: "Adding:

63. High Window - Raymond Chandler

A classic Chandler.

Phillip Marlowe moves through life with an attitude that nothing can really surprise him but he truly does have a good heart...."

Would you believe that I've never read even one Phillip Marlowe book? Seems I may have to rectify that!

Kay wrote: "Ed wrote: "Adding:

63. High Window - Raymond Chandler

A classic Chandler.

Phillip Marlowe moves through life with an attitude that nothing can really surprise him but he truly does have a good h..."

Hard to believe. They are ageless. He didn't write that many. It helps if you ever lived in LA or read Dashiell Hammett.

Adding:

64. Executive Power - Vince Flynn

Quite simply, Vince Flynn books are one of my guilty pleasures.

This particular story isn't one of Flynn's best. Mitch Rapp gets involved in a situation in the Philippines after returning from his honeymoon with White House correspondent, Anna Rielly (Yes, Rielly really). Meanwhile in a major sub-plot, a Palestinian terrorist, Jabril Khatabi, code name David, assassinates a number of people to put pressure on the U.S. to back an independent Palestinian state.

But Mitch Rapp is a superman without super powers and by the end of the book he has pretty much single-handedly solved both crises and cemented his relationship with Rielly and his boss Irene Kennedy.

It is a good airplane read in spite of its weaknesses.

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65. The Big Gamble - Michael McGarrity

This book in the Kevin Kerney series was a bit of a disappointment: Too much police procedure, too little plot and character development.

The story follows Santa Fe police chief, Kerney and his recently discovered son, Clayton Istee, who is a Lincoln County, NM detective as they pusue two seperate murder investigations that turn out to be related. The story goes back and forth as Kerney and Istee each try to solve the case they are working.

The narrative does move along briskly and I was never tempted to put the book down and not finish it. The outcome is predictable but satisfying. I hope the next book in the series gets back to the high level of story-telling that the previous six showed.

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66. Kingdom of Shadows - Alan Furst

One of Furst's better efforts. No one writes better "espionage fiction" than Alan Furst. As I've said before his books are more literature than thriller.

This story, which takes place in 1938-39, follows Nicky Morath, a Hungarian businessman, living in Paris, who is also a part-time diplomat and part-time spy. Nicky is a fascinating, likable, admirable character. His love affairs are open and honest, his dealings with his friends are transparent and yet he somehow manages to carry off a number of assignments that require great imagination and bravery, all in the service of keeping Hungary out of Hitler's clutches and trying to avoid the inevitable world-wide war on the horizon.

I don't want to spoil the ending except to say, as with many of his stories, Furst leaves the reader wondering what will happen to all these fascinating characters from now on. We may never know but it sure is fun to speculate.

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67. Midshipman's Hope - David Feintuch

I cannot believe I liked this book so much.

It follows the adventures of 18 year old, Midshipman Nicholas Seafort, who through a series of unlikely events becomes the captain of an interstellar space ship.

The characters are surprisingly well-drawn and the situations while straining credulity are exciting and believable, taking into account that this is Science Fiction.

The series continues and so will I.

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68: Armageddon in Retrospect - Kurt Vonnegut

I have always admired Kurt Vonnegut and liked his writing. I'm not sure about this collection of essays, speeches, short stories and what-all.

For one thing, I acquired the audio version and listened to it while driving. I think I might have appreciated the work more if I had read it rather than listened to it.

The volume contains a number of un-published writings. The stories, speeches and essays are all anti-war and anti-violence.

I would rather remember Vonnegut for his novels than this conglomeration of stuff.

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69. Transgressions - Edited by Ed McBain

This book edited by Ed McBain of 87th Precinct fame contains two Novellas (10,000-40,000 words) one by Jeffrey Deaver and the other by Lawrence Block.

Both stories are delightful. Deaver's titled "Forever" involves a detective, Talbot Simms, whose mathematical skills have gotten him a job as a statistical analyst in the Westbrook County, Sheriff's Department.

Lawrence Blocks effort, "Keller's Adjustment" explores how Keller, the protagonist of the "Hitman" series, reacts to the 9-11 tragedy.

Both these stories are fast reads. I completed both of them in 24 hours. Ed McBain served readers well by bringing these two authors together in one volume.

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70. Resolution - Robert B. Parker

This sequel to Appaloosa is every bit as well done as its predecessor.

Everett Hitch, the narrator, has left Appaloosa without his partner Virgil Cole. He rides into the town of Resolution and is hired by a saloon owner, Mr. Wolfson, to keep peace in the saloon.

The story moves along very quickly, especially when Cato and Rose, two well known gunfighters are hired by Wolfson's rival, Eamon O'Malley, and Virgil Cole arrives to hang out with his friend Hitch.

As you might guess there is a great deal of conflict and bloodshed which eventually gets itself all sorted out.

While I've not always enjoyed Western novels, I love what Parker has done in these two books. Another one is on the way titled Brimstone. I can hardly wait.

Ed I love Ed McBain and Robert Parker, but I have not read either of these books yet. Have you seen the Robert Parker (Jesse Stone) movies? My boyfriend and I have seen 4 so far and they are really good. Tom Celic (sp) plays Jesse Stone and he is perfect for the part imho!

Andrea wrote: "Ed I love Ed McBain and Robert Parker, but I have not read either of these books yet. Have you seen the Robert Parker (Jesse Stone) movies? My boyfriend and I have seen 4 so far and they are really..."

Andrea, McBain is the editor on Transgressions. As I said, though, the stories by Deaver and Block are fun reads.

I've seen three of the Jesse Stone movies and I share you're opinion that Selleck is perfect in the role. I even liked him in "Magnum, PI". Reminds me of Robert Ulrich at his best. Since I live in Hong Kong, it takes a long time for made-for-TV movies to get to us.

Did you ever see Ulrich in the "Spenser For Hire" TV series many years ago - mid 1980s, I think? The series didn't last very long. Just couldn't get the snappy dialogue right and Susan was terribly mis-cast as a wimpy social worker type. They did another spin-off titled "Hawk" but it didn't last either.

Glad to hear, I'm not the only Robert B. Parker super-fan.

Ed, I used to love Spencer for Hire! I was young when it was on, but my mom watched it so I got to too...lol I think Ulrich was a friend of my second cousin if I remember right. Didn't he die young? Maybe I am thinking of the wrong person.

To me Robert Parker, is like Janet Evanaovich for men. It's a nice story you can read in about one sitting. Not too complicated, but interesting enough that you don't want to put it down. I usually read a Parker after a more challenging read.

Andrea wrote: "Ed, I used to love Spencer for Hire! I was young when it was on, but my mom watched it so I got to too...lol I think Ulrich was a friend of my second cousin if I remember right. Didn't he die young..."

His correct name was Robert Urich. In 1996, he announced that he had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, synovial cell sarcoma, that attacks a person's joints. He died in 2002 aged 55.

I like Evanovich, too, though, I've only read two of her books.

How sad Ed, he would have been great in one of the CSI series or Law and Order. I'm sure he would have done very well.

I love Evanovich for reading when I feel like I'm going into a slump or I need something mindless and fun after a big fat book.

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71. Journey Into Fear - Eric Ambler

I wanted to like this book more than I did. I had never read an Ambler story. To many people he is the inventor of the literate espionage/spy novel.

In this case, a naive English armaments engineer, Mr. Graham, becomes the target of German agents who do not want his work for the Turkish government completed.

In spite of its faults, it was still a satisfying read. I will try another one or two Ambler efforts before giving up on him.

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72. No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II - Doris Kearns Goodwin

A truly memorable book. This volume covers the period from May, 1939 to April, 1945 and focuses on what was going on in the U.S. through the actions and writings of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt and others close to them.

This book comes as close as possible to the ideal of a factual history being as interesting to read as a novel.

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73. The Black Ice - Michael Connelly

I don't know how I missed this one. It's a real winner: Michael Connelly at his best.

This story involves a supposed suicide of an LAPD narc, Calexico Moore, that Harry Bosch pursues based on a hunch that it wasn't a suicide at all.

The Black Ice is a terse, suspenseful, exciting story.

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74: Sharpe's Waterloo - Bernard Cornwell

This may be the best book I've read in the entire series and most of them were pretty terrific.

I've read accounts of the Battle of Waterloo but none of them were as complete or as clear as this one. Plus, Cornwell's description of the fighting is as compelling as in any of the other books.

Sharpe somehow manges to be in the center of the action, throughout the story. Even the Historical Notes are fascinating.

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75. Term Limits - Vince Flynn

I was hoping for Mitch Rapp, Flynn's usual hero, instead I got Congressman Michael O'Rourke.

Fortunately, I was traveling so I zipped through the first 75% of the book before I realized I had a clunker on my hands. I read the last 100 pages after arriving and by that time was driven by my usual obsession to finish any book I start.

If you are able to suspend your disbelief, this could be a fun read. I prefer the Mitch Rapp books because my expectations are so much lower.

Ed, congratulations on completing the challenge!

(Darn those clunkers . . . )