NiceguyEddie

I prefer to listen to his books read by Richard Ferrone, although I have read a couple. I see you are in the US. John Sandford is relatively little known here, but he's one of the best crime writers in my opinion. The last one I listened to was Broken Prey. A sub plot is that Lucas Davenport is given an iPod by his wife with a voucher for 100 songs. So he debates with his colleagues what should go onto it. He wants the 100 greatest rock songs of the modern era. Here's his list: Lucas Davenport

Only a couple or three/four really. Rebus, Banks, Dalgleish, Davenport (Prey series).

I've never read anything by him. I nearly bought Mason & Dixon when it came out. I don't mind a 300 page difficult but worthy book, but 800+ pages for me would be wasted effort. If I want difficult, I'll pick up Leibniz, although I haven't since I was 20 and doubt I ever will again. I don't want intentionally "hard" fiction. I want well written, intelligent & if possible a reasonable plot.

Yes, it's crying out for a pseud to belittle fellow posters.

I struggle with the same thing on my site. For example, what is crime fiction & what is a thriller? Does Anne Perry go into crime or historical fiction? What is modern literature & how do you decide it goes there instead of literary fiction or romance? Stephen King writes horror stories I think, but not exclusively... and so on.

Both good books. The Human Stain is the one that will linger longest in the memory though.

I don't watch those either for the same reasons. They present a view of families where screaming at each other is the norm and sadly the viewers take that on board. Overall society is worse for it. There was a time when "Corrie" was witty and worthy, but that was probably 20 years ago. Remember Fred Gee & his syrup? Or Jack Duckworth when joined a singles club? Now it's as Spooncat says. The more shocking and horrible the better to catch viewers.

No matter what people read, I feel that the fact that they derive pleasure through reading lifts them above the worst that the worst of poor taste "entertainment" providers foist upon us. I actually feel a little deflated that so many forum members are looking forward to it.

I agree. It was like the death of Diana, when people pilloried and blamed the press for her death, yet those doing the blaming were the ones consuming the tabloid newspapers to read the stories. And the greatest irony of all, the next act was to photograph her coffin as it went by after the funeral ceremony.

Peter Robinson's Caedmon's Song is set in Whitby. The descriptions make it sound a place worth visiting. And Count Dracula is said to have landed in England there. I believe it's one of the Goth's favourite haunts. Pun intended.

It's the most dreadful thing on TV and a sad indictment of this country today.

It would be much better if you didn't sit on the fence. But couldn't the same argument be leveled at Remains of the Day re: upper class drama? I do know "where you're coming from", but I don't in the end agree. Atonement is a fine read. Not as good as Remains of the Day. Besides, you only attacked one novel. Have you read On Chesil Beach?

That's not fair. I do understand what you mean, but for example On Chesil Beach was not only clever, but also very readable. Similarly with Atonement. Saturday was less good, but Amsterdam was very good. I also enjoyed The Innocent. But I have said myself that UK novelists do tend to be a bit "kitchen sink" at times. In my opinion.

Nobody has mentioned John Updike. Surely the greatest living writer. The Rabbit novels each defined an era & the style was compelling. In places it was music in words.

I finished Two Caravans. It's a novel about migrant workers and their quest to earn money & the exploitation of them. I really enjoyed the Ukrainian Tractor book & this follows some similar themes, but it's darker. We follow a group of Ukrainians, Poles and Chinese through their exploits first picking strawberries, then working in a chicken farm (horrible), then working in a restaurant, then finally with new age protesters. One of the main characters Irina is being pursued by an Eastern European gangster who wants to "make possibility" with her. As I said, it's quite dark, but it's also very funny in places. If you like the Ukrainian Tractor novel, you'll like this too. If you missed it, you missed a treat. I've just started Night Watch.

Do add A Thousand Splendid Suns.

I like guessing whodunnit in Agatha Christie' & P D James's mysteries. I almost always get the right one. I have a simple method of deduction. As I read or listen, at one time or another I will think every character dunnit. Never fails. I do like that genre of closed detective stories. Where it's someone in the room or firm or island or any closed group.

They are great aren't they? We should have a poll to see which one is most popular. For me it would be Resurrection Men.

Is not boring.

I do remember the film from many years ago about this. With Dustin Hoffman if memory serves. Very good it was too.

Oh really. That was a very good book. Why haven't you read it?

The easiest way to explain it is to give my example. One of the themes in John Irving's Until I find You is tattooing. Many of the tattooists mentioned are real people. One of those mentioned as being one of the best in the world is Les Skuse who had a place in Mina Road in Bristol. I went to school with his grandson. Anyone got any others?