About six months ago, at a fundraising event for the nonprofit I founded, Project H, a six-year-old girl handed me a pickle jar full of pennies....
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Just this year I discovered the Paul Christopher series (starting with The Miernik Dossier)of books by Charles McCarry. If you haven't found the series yourself, and you enjoy espionage stories, this series is invaluable. Ostensibly, the book concerns Christopher's re-entry into the world of espionage after being retired for twenty years. Really, the story concerns the history of some of the characters we've grown to love in the series. This book can be read as a stand alone, but will be much more appreciated if read in order.
If you are a Michael Connelly fan you will enjoy this book. It has all of the usual Connelly traits; red herrings, familiar characters, serial killers. However, it is far from his best. It's a page turner. But, when it's all said and done, it was pretty predictable, pretty safe.
This is a book of powerful short stories. The sense of place imbued by the author is strong. The characters are well drawn and deeply flawed. The final story has stayed with me for weeks and continues to haunt me at the oddest times.
I listened to the audio version which is read by Simon Prebble. (If you like audio books and you haven't listened to any books read by Simon, you need to. I highly recommend Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrel.)
This is a really interesting take on Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins. To make a very long story short, Dickins and Collins are friends. Dickens is in a train wreck that kills many. He tells Collins that there was a strange character named Drood, who had been traveling on the train in a coffin, at the accident site who was stealing the souls of the dying. This experience leads to a years long fascination for Dickens and Collins with Drood, who is wanted by Scotland Yard, or is he?
The book is a fascinating look at a fascinating time. Prebble's reading, as usual, is excellent.
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(2 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
(4.5 stars) This is that rare book that lives up to the hype. Because of all the fanfare it has received I was a bit skeptical. I've been disappointed in the past with books that had been praised to the heavens only to be very average when read. This book does not disappoint. In fact it was better than I had hoped. Don't go looking for deep answers to the meaning of life. Just enjoy a nice story about three interesting characters brought together at the right time in their lives.
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(5 of 8 readers found this comment helpful)
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Larry Robinson has commented on (57) products.
Second Sight (Paul Christopher Novels) by Charles Mccarry
Larry Robinson, September 9, 2009
Just this year I discovered the Paul Christopher series (starting with The Miernik Dossier)of books by Charles McCarry. If you haven't found the series yourself, and you enjoy espionage stories, this series is invaluable. Ostensibly, the book concerns Christopher's re-entry into the world of espionage after being retired for twenty years. Really, the story concerns the history of some of the characters we've grown to love in the series. This book can be read as a stand alone, but will be much more appreciated if read in order.The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly
Larry Robinson, July 21, 2009
If you are a Michael Connelly fan you will enjoy this book. It has all of the usual Connelly traits; red herrings, familiar characters, serial killers. However, it is far from his best. It's a page turner. But, when it's all said and done, it was pretty predictable, pretty safe.Why the Devil Chose New England for His Work: Stories by Jason Brown
Larry Robinson, July 21, 2009
This is a book of powerful short stories. The sense of place imbued by the author is strong. The characters are well drawn and deeply flawed. The final story has stayed with me for weeks and continues to haunt me at the oddest times.Drood by Dan Simmons
Larry Robinson, June 30, 2009
I listened to the audio version which is read by Simon Prebble. (If you like audio books and you haven't listened to any books read by Simon, you need to. I highly recommend Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrel.)This is a really interesting take on Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins. To make a very long story short, Dickins and Collins are friends. Dickens is in a train wreck that kills many. He tells Collins that there was a strange character named Drood, who had been traveling on the train in a coffin, at the accident site who was stealing the souls of the dying. This experience leads to a years long fascination for Dickens and Collins with Drood, who is wanted by Scotland Yard, or is he?
The book is a fascinating look at a fascinating time. Prebble's reading, as usual, is excellent.
(2 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
Larry Robinson, June 30, 2009
(4.5 stars) This is that rare book that lives up to the hype. Because of all the fanfare it has received I was a bit skeptical. I've been disappointed in the past with books that had been praised to the heavens only to be very average when read. This book does not disappoint. In fact it was better than I had hoped. Don't go looking for deep answers to the meaning of life. Just enjoy a nice story about three interesting characters brought together at the right time in their lives.(5 of 8 readers found this comment helpful)
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