Wow, it's been awhile since I posted anything. Time sure can slip past fast when you're busy. And boy have I been busy reading, reading, and reading some more. Unfortunately I have to work, eat, sleep, and occasionally see family and friends, otherwise I'd read even more. Especially now. This is one of my favorite times of year because all our sales reps are coming by to take orders for the summer and they always bring lots of goodies like the new Ivan Doig, Craig Childs, and Lee Child among others. While those won't be out until the spring and summer, here are a few current titles that I think are particularly good.

As I said way back on my first post; I love mysteries. They're my television and I'm always looking for someone new who's willing to step away from the tried and true. With Gerald Elias and his book Devil's Trill I may have found that person. Yes, the plot is as formulaic as most mysteries. A rare Stradivarius violin is stolen and Daniel Jacobus, musical iconoclast, must solve the crime or be accused of it. What made this different is Daniel is blind. The scenes where he is listening to a recital or his students and can tell exactly where their hands are placed, how tight the tuning, and a myriad of other observations that us sighted folk miss because we aren't paying attention, are just brilliant. Plus, the musical history and the seamy dark side of the classical music world made this a very worthwhile read.

In my television room, where the television is rarely turned on, I have a table in front of the coach with stacks of books staring at me. One evening shortly before Christmas I was leafing through Time Magazine and its year-end best of lists. The last one was for books and I'm going "hmm", "hmm", "interesting", "what?", then at the very last a heavy "huh" because there in the middle of my stack was the last book on this particular critics list, The Financial Lives of the Poets by Jess Walter. I pulled it out of the pile and began to read and didn't stop. I loved this book! Matt Prior is an unemployed reporter about to lose his house, his wife, his father and everything else he has worked for unless he comes up with enough money in six days to stave off foreclosure. A late night visit to the local 7/11 gives him an idea. A crazy idea but an idea nonetheless. From this point on a very poignant, humorous, caring, and kind story evolves into a novel that is a perfect snapshot of the country we live in today. Let me say it again, I loved this book! What a great way to finish out the reading year.

As I ended the year with a bang, I begin the new with a big KABOOM. Another empathetic novel that actually had me tearing up in places. The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris is for the daring reader willing to go out on limb and trust that the author knows what he is doing. Tim Farrnsworth is a high powered lawyer with a wonderful family and an inexplicable need to walk, a need that strikes at the oddest moments and doesn't end until he lies exhausted miles from where he started. The medical community is baffled, declaring that it's all in his head. Slowly this need to walk ruins his job and destroys his family. This is where things get interesting and we see the resilience of the human spirit as he continues to walk and his family continues to care for him. Each watching over the other long distance even unto death. Joshua Ferris knows what he is doing and the daring reader will learn that if they decide to walk out on that limb with him.

So there you have it. Three good books to start the year off with. Hopefully I'll have more next week.
Until then,
Cheers!