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Jack Aubrey
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So since I have a little more time at home than I might otherwise, I've decided to go ahead and take on this 700-page tome:

 

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It's written by the guy who developed the listening algorithms for Pandora, and it's a deep dive into music theory. This is gonna be a tester for me because beyond knowing what I like, I know sweet FA about actual music.

 

Maybe in a month I'll emerge rattling on about polyharmonics and arpeggios!

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cover-dangerous_man.jpg

 

Crais loves to use tension to drive a story, and he does it very well. There were moments where I had to cover up the last half of a page just to keep me from skipping ahead and spilling the beans. His "LA Requiem" is stunning.

 

Now reading this:

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Family-drama stuff, not terribly compelling. A couple of good characters, but a little unfocused. I have no idea what the cover image has to do with the story, but I guess a picture of a textile mill wouldn't be as "come-hither." :P

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Digging into old things on the shelves since the libraries are closed.

Double Whammy by Carl Hiassen. A private eye investigates cheating in high stakes tournament bass fishing.

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Digging into old things on the shelves since the libraries are closed.

Double Whammy by Carl Hiassen. A private eye investigates cheating in high stakes tournament bass fishing.

 

I love his books! They probably are even funnier for you since you live in Florida!

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9gIlNSNm.png

 

 

This was very entertaining and pretty good for what it is. I would say like 8/10, because there is very little background or stories about his music and songs in it, other than "we recorded a, b, c, in France" or whatever. I would have liked more of that, but you can't fault his openness. It's mostly about his personal journey in coming out as gay and someone with several addictions; there's a lot about personal romances and dealing with family. It's well written and pretty entertaining.

 

I would rather have gotten it from the library, but I used a gift certificate I got at Christmas from a small online bookstore. I'm not sure it's going to be there when this all is over. :(

Edited by blueschica
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Doing a series re-read with my online book group of the In Death books by J.D. Robb, on Obsession in Death. Like the audiobooks, the narrator makes me laugh and some humor helps with some of the cases (gruesome murders).

 

51dSsQznxtL._SX310_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

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Doing a series re-read with my online book group of the In Death books by J.D. Robb, on Obsession in Death. Like the audiobooks, the narrator makes me laugh and some humor helps with some of the cases (gruesome murders).

 

51dSsQznxtL._SX310_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

 

That author looks good; is it the kind of series that is better if you read it in order? I will have to look for these!

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Digging into old things on the shelves since the libraries are closed.

Double Whammy by Carl Hiassen. A private eye investigates cheating in high stakes tournament bass fishing.

 

I was going to say "that's a good one", but I have yet to read one of his that isn't good. I got hooked with "Bad Monkey."

He has some memorable characters, to say the least! :LOL:

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Digging into old things on the shelves since the libraries are closed.

Double Whammy by Carl Hiassen. A private eye investigates cheating in high stakes tournament bass fishing.

 

I was going to say "that's a good one", but I have yet to read one of his that isn't good. I got hooked with "Bad Monkey."

He has some memorable characters, to say the least! :LOL:

For sure, especially my man Skink. There's also Carl's local connections with all his articles for the Miami Herald.
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Doing a series re-read with my online book group of the In Death books by J.D. Robb, on Obsession in Death. Like the audiobooks, the narrator makes me laugh and some humor helps with some of the cases (gruesome murders).

 

51dSsQznxtL._SX310_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

 

That author looks good; is it the kind of series that is better if you read it in order? I will have to look for these!

Yes it is best to start at the beginning, the first one is Naked in Death. It is set in a future New York, some cool ideas about gadgets and stuff. Eve Dallas is a hard nosed homicide cop and it is a good procedural type of mystery with some romance thrown in. It is actually written by Nora Roberts which surprised me. I started them about 6 years ago and on a re-read, there are 47 (and counting) books and novellas in the series.

They are a great escape :)

 

https://www.goodread.../41029-in-death

Edited by Rhyta
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Digging into old things on the shelves since the libraries are closed.

Double Whammy by Carl Hiassen. A private eye investigates cheating in high stakes tournament bass fishing.

 

I was going to say "that's a good one", but I have yet to read one of his that isn't good. I got hooked with "Bad Monkey."

He has some memorable characters, to say the least! :LOL:

For sure, especially my man Skink. There's also Carl's local connections with all his articles for the Miami Herald.

 

Skink is a such an interesting character. I also liked the congressman in "Striptease".

He's a pretty prolific writer, and I've only read maybe 8 of his novels. I see he has one called "Skink: No Surrender" so I'll have to check that one out.

What are some of your favourite Hiaasen books? Or Florida crime novels in general? Some of the John D MacDonald stand-alone (non-series) novels are kick-ass. I'll make a little list when I've finished my stack. Five to go...

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27161990.jpg

 

DAR is one of my favourite writers, Canadian or otherwise. His novels have always had believable and sympathetic characters, and are filled with beautiful local images (most of his novels take place in New Brunswick), and great writing. His novels "For Those Who Hunt the Wounded Down" and "Lives of Short Duration" are stunning. He has written one of the two novels that I've read in one sitting. I have a signed copy of one of his books. He is a damned good writer.

Which is why I'm mystified by this shitshow of a novel. These are the writings of a bitter man with a shabby little axe to grind. I'm barely 100 pages in, and I've felt like putting it down more than once. I told my wife this morning, "I hate this book." I might abandon this one, which I rarely do. The bitter little rants against writers, "progressive-minded" people, feminists, are disheartening, especially in light of his recent re-interest in his Roman Catholic faith. You'd think that would've widened his worldview and not narrowed it. Maybe it was his time living in Toronto that soured him. I dunno. I also dunno who would enjoy reading this. It reads like a first-draft with the "action" skipping all over the place (and time). Goddamn depressing.

 

I had stopped reading him a few years back when his novels started to seem like a parody of themselves. This one isn't even well written.

 

Ingredients of a David Adams Richards novel post-2000:

 

-decent to excellent descriptions of late autumn/early winter and frozen fields and the like

-a quote or a mention of Tolstoy &/or Dostoyevsky

-Biblical references. Bonus points for including saints.

-characters that are well-drawn but somehow hollow

-cigarettes. lots of cigarettes

-senseless cruelty that involves forgiveness

-li'l hunting story/parable

-spite towards the younger generation and their values, city-folk, office-folk, disbelievers, know-it-alls

-a downtrodden yet catchy title

-do not use contractions during a dialogue, no matter how stilted it looks

 

Now add one literary agent and an easy-going editor, and you're all set to go!

 

 

 

 

sigh. For frigsakes, David Adams Richards, you're better than this.

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DAR is one of my favourite writers, Canadian or otherwise. His novels have always had believable and sympathetic characters, and are filled with beautiful local images (most of his novels take place in New Brunswick), and great writing. His novels "For Those Who Hunt the Wounded Down" and "Lives of Short Duration" are stunning. He has written one of the two novels that I've read in one sitting. I have a signed copy of one of his books. He is a damned good writer.

Which is why I'm mystified by this shitshow of a novel. These are the writings of a bitter man with a shabby little axe to grind. I'm barely 100 pages in, and I've felt like putting it down more than once. I told my wife this morning, "I hate this book." I might abandon this one, which I rarely do. The bitter little rants against writers, "progressive-minded" people, feminists, are disheartening, especially in light of his recent re-interest in his Roman Catholic faith. You'd think that would've widened his worldview and not narrowed it. Maybe it was his time living in Toronto that soured him. I dunno. I also dunno who would enjoy reading this. It reads like a first-draft with the "action" skipping all over the place (and time). Goddamn depressing.

 

I had stopped reading him a few years back when his novels started to seem like a parody of themselves. This one isn't even well written.

 

Ingredients of a David Adams Richards novel post-2000:

 

-decent to excellent descriptions of late autumn/early winter and frozen fields and the like

-a quote or a mention of Tolstoy &/or Dostoyevsky

-Biblical references. Bonus points for including saints.

-characters that are well-drawn but somehow hollow

-cigarettes. lots of cigarettes

-senseless cruelty that involves forgiveness

-li'l hunting story/parable

-spite towards the younger generation and their values, city-folk, office-folk, disbelievers, know-it-alls

-a downtrodden yet catchy title

-do not use contractions during a dialogue, no matter how stilted it looks

 

Now add one literary agent and an easy-going editor, and you're all set to go!

 

 

 

 

sigh. For frigsakes, David Adams Richards, you're better than this.

 

I don't want to tell you how to go about your reading business, but life is too short to read crap you are not enjoying. There are too many good things out there to waste time on something terrible. You time is finite, but your potential reading list is not. Like the late Kenny Rodgers sang, you gotta know when to fold 'em. Or, in this case, close them. Don't hate read things when there's so much out there!

 

This guy's situation sounds a little bit like Tom Clancy's; his early novels were really compelling, then he had a religious and political reawakening and his work went downhill as he rushed to make points rather than plots.

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27161990.jpg

 

DAR is one of my favourite writers, Canadian or otherwise. His novels have always had believable and sympathetic characters, and are filled with beautiful local images (most of his novels take place in New Brunswick), and great writing. His novels "For Those Who Hunt the Wounded Down" and "Lives of Short Duration" are stunning. He has written one of the two novels that I've read in one sitting. I have a signed copy of one of his books. He is a damned good writer.

Which is why I'm mystified by this shitshow of a novel. These are the writings of a bitter man with a shabby little axe to grind. I'm barely 100 pages in, and I've felt like putting it down more than once. I told my wife this morning, "I hate this book." I might abandon this one, which I rarely do. The bitter little rants against writers, "progressive-minded" people, feminists, are disheartening, especially in light of his recent re-interest in his Roman Catholic faith. You'd think that would've widened his worldview and not narrowed it. Maybe it was his time living in Toronto that soured him. I dunno. I also dunno who would enjoy reading this. It reads like a first-draft with the "action" skipping all over the place (and time). Goddamn depressing.

 

I had stopped reading him a few years back when his novels started to seem like a parody of themselves. This one isn't even well written.

 

Ingredients of a David Adams Richards novel post-2000:

 

-decent to excellent descriptions of late autumn/early winter and frozen fields and the like

-a quote or a mention of Tolstoy &/or Dostoyevsky

-Biblical references. Bonus points for including saints.

-characters that are well-drawn but somehow hollow

-cigarettes. lots of cigarettes

-senseless cruelty that involves forgiveness

-li'l hunting story/parable

-spite towards the younger generation and their values, city-folk, office-folk, disbelievers, know-it-alls

-a downtrodden yet catchy title

-do not use contractions during a dialogue, no matter how stilted it looks

 

Now add one literary agent and an easy-going editor, and you're all set to go!

 

 

 

 

sigh. For frigsakes, David Adams Richards, you're better than this.

 

I don't want to tell you how to go about your reading business, but life is too short to read crap you are not enjoying. There are too many good things out there to waste time on something terrible. You time is finite, but your potential reading list is not. Like the late Kenny Rodgers sang, you gotta know when to fold 'em. Or, in this case, close them. Don't hate read things when there's so much out there!

 

This guy's situation sounds a little bit like Tom Clancy's; his early novels were really compelling, then he had a religious and political reawakening and his work went downhill as he rushed to make points rather than plots.

 

You're 100% correct: life is way too short for crappy books! The only reason that I'd slog through the rest of this one would be to see the little flashes of good writing/good ideas that I'm sure are there. It's frustrating when the author is capable of more, and doubly frustrating when he seems to distort the morality/humanity that made his other books so compelling.

Anyhoo, my reading stack is getting smaller, so I have the time...although some new books should be coming in the mail any day now!

 

These should arrive sometime this week. Looking forward to 'em!

51WHbuaeb9L._SX322_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

 

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Digging into old things on the shelves since the libraries are closed.

Double Whammy by Carl Hiassen. A private eye investigates cheating in high stakes tournament bass fishing.

 

I was going to say "that's a good one", but I have yet to read one of his that isn't good. I got hooked with "Bad Monkey."

He has some memorable characters, to say the least! :LOL:

For sure, especially my man Skink. There's also Carl's local connections with all his articles for the Miami Herald.

 

Skink is a such an interesting character. I also liked the congressman in "Striptease".

He's a pretty prolific writer, and I've only read maybe 8 of his novels. I see he has one called "Skink: No Surrender" so I'll have to check that one out.

What are some of your favourite Hiaasen books? Or Florida crime novels in general? Some of the John D MacDonald stand-alone (non-series) novels are kick-ass. I'll make a little list when I've finished my stack. Five to go...

My favorite Hiassen has to be Skinight, dealing with an incompetent, mistake prone plastic surgeon. I'll have to check No Surrender though. Haven't read any MacDonald stand alones, after going through nearly all of Travis McGee.
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Digging into old things on the shelves since the libraries are closed.

Double Whammy by Carl Hiassen. A private eye investigates cheating in high stakes tournament bass fishing.

 

I was going to say "that's a good one", but I have yet to read one of his that isn't good. I got hooked with "Bad Monkey."

He has some memorable characters, to say the least! :LOL:

For sure, especially my man Skink. There's also Carl's local connections with all his articles for the Miami Herald.

 

Skink is a such an interesting character. I also liked the congressman in "Striptease".

He's a pretty prolific writer, and I've only read maybe 8 of his novels. I see he has one called "Skink: No Surrender" so I'll have to check that one out.

What are some of your favourite Hiaasen books? Or Florida crime novels in general? Some of the John D MacDonald stand-alone (non-series) novels are kick-ass. I'll make a little list when I've finished my stack. Five to go...

My favorite Hiassen has to be Skinight, dealing with an incompetent, mistake prone plastic surgeon. I'll have to check No Surrender though. Haven't read any MacDonald stand alones, after going through nearly all of Travis McGee.

 

Cool, I'll check "Skintight" out. :cheers:

I've read about a dozen of the JDM stand-alones, and some have been really good. I'll make a little "best of" list when I've finished my JDM stack.

They made a movie from "Darker Than Amber" in the early 70s. It's on YouTube and is worth a look, at least for the first few groovy minutes.

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About a third of the way in, and I'm really enjoying this one. A nice rambling book about sharks, fishing, and Norway.

 

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Excellent opening:

 

"Three and a half billion years. That's the time it took from the moment the first primitive life-forms developed in the sea until Hugo Aasjord phoned me one Saturday night in July."

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http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41amRy5DPlL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

 

Iris Murdoch is one of my favorite novelists; she also wrote some nonfiction, heavily philosophical things, which I’m not really interested in. But I like escaping in one of her novels every now and again. This one I’ve read a couple of times before, but the most recent time was about five years ago. And I haven’t read anything by her for more than two years or so. So I’m really enjoying it.

Edited by Blue J
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