Monthly Archives: September 2010

Patron of the Week: Mrs. I’ll-Donate-These-Books-To-The-Library-But-If-You-Want-To-Read-Them-First-That’s-OK (TSS)

Posted on September 19, 2010 by | 6 Comments

Graphic for button from New Media Consortium on Flickr

This week’s Patron of the Week comes from the Land of Small  Town Generosity.

Please say hello to Mrs. I’ll-Donate-These-Books-To-The-Library-Book-Sale-But-If-You-Want-To-Read-Them-First-That’s-OK.

Technically, with our library, that is the case for all donated books, since as staff at the library, we get first “dibs” on donations for the sale…which technically doesn’t benefit the library but a group called Friends of the Library, whose money technically doesn’t go to the library (but that’s another story for another day). When people drop off donations, we rummage through them to see what books we might like to read, plus what books might be worth adding to the library collection. Most of the time, when I pick out books for myself or, more often, my wife, I bring them back anyway to put in the sale.

Box of books1 However, with this particular woman, she brought the box of books pictured at right just for me. A few months ago, I mentioned to her that I liked the Pennsylvania-Dutch Mystery with Recipes series by Tamar Myers, but that I hadn’t read all of them because our library is missing a few of the books in the series and I’m a stickler for reading series in order. Because of state budget cuts and the oversight of past directors when purchasing books and not realizing that a book might be part of a series, our library has a plethora of series with books missing from the series. So this past Thursday night, she came by the library and said if I wanted, I could read the books and then donate them to the book sale.

Box of books2At left are the books, which are from the second in the series to the 14th, with the sixth in the series, Eat, Drink, and Be Wary missing. Luckily for me, the library does have that one, plus the last three in the series As The World Churns, Hell Hath No Curry and Batter Off Dead.  I already have read the top two, but the third from the top and fifth in the series, Between A Wok and a Hard Place, was the first one the library doesn’t have (I believe). After I am done reading it, I will be donating it to the library, plus a couple of others that also are missing from the series.

This post is my contribution this week for The Sunday Salon, even though it’s not about the book I will be reading this afternoon: What’s The Worst That Could Happen? by Donald E. Westlake, which sadly (according to Rotten Tomatoes), yes, was made into a movie with Martin Lawrence and Danny DeVito. The  book, though, so far is good and, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say, I imagine it’s better than the movie.

So first question today (feel free to answer one or as many or as little as you want of all the questions): What are you reading today? Second question today: Are you a stickler for reading series in order? Third question: Do you donate books to your local library? Fourth (and fifth) question(s): Have you ever had books donated to you by someone else who knew you liked a particular author, book or series? If so, who was the author, or what was the book or series?

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The forgotten faces of Donald E. Westlake

Posted on September 16, 2010 by | 3 Comments

Today’s BBAW assignment is in short to share a book that has been forgotten (a forgotten treasure, if you will) that you think deserves more exposure than it has received.

As usual, I’m going to break the rules slightly and highlight not a book, but an author whom I think sometimes is overlooked perhaps by the book blogging community and deserves more exposure than he has received there. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, or even if you’ve stopped it now and then, you probably are not going to be surprised by the author whom I’m going to mention. His name is Donald E. Westlake.

Donald westlake by Jean-Marie David

Image via Wikipedia

You can read his biography on Wikipedia by clicking the link with his name, which has some unverified sources, but I will tell you in my own words the little I know about the late Westlake and why I like him and his works.

The main reason I like Westlake is because he had many faces (of which I wrote when first introduced to him by — have I mentioned this before? ;) — my brother-in-law Warren) or maybe I should say, he wore many hats. Yes, the hat he wore most was one of a crime novelist, but even in that genre he couldn’t be easily pigeonholed.

For example, just to name two of his most famous (or maybe I should notorious) characters, Parker (which he wrote under the pseudonym Richard Stark) and Dortmunder: they’re like the opposite sides of a coin. Dortmunder, a hapless burglar who never seems to have good luck, in a lot of ways is the comic foil to Parker, the hard-boiled criminal mastermind. If Dortmunder grimaces at you, you most likely will laugh, whereas if Parker sends a mean look your way, you’re probably his next target.

But Westlake was more than just a crime novelist as evidenced already in two of only 18 books I’ve read by him:  The Ax and Memory, the latter of which in my estimation even after only reading 18 of his books is his finest creation. In The Ax, he introduces us to the character of Burke Devore, a Burke Devore, a paper company manager, who through corporate down-sizing has lost his job and who will do anything to get that next job  — and I do mean anything. In Memory, a book that was published after his death in 2008 but written and rejected by publishers in the early 1960s, he introduces us to the character of Paul Cole, who has lost his memory and is trying to regain it. Here, I think he shows readers why he was, and is, such a great novelist, not just a great crime novelist, but a great novelist, period.

Where to start? Personally I recommend Memory, but with the understanding that his other novels are nothing like Memory, then I’d delve into Parker and Dortmunder. Both characters are brilliantly conceived and fleshed out to near  perfection, in my estimation, and are necessary reading not only for crime fiction fans, but for fans of great literary fiction.

So what author or book do you think is often forgotten by book bloggers or by the public in general? And why should we pay attention to him, her or it?

I would note that I wasn’t the only one who broke the rules slightly and talked about a “forgotten” author. Suey from It’s All About Books also did, with her post about Anya Seton, of whom, I’m not going to lie, I had never heard.

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The unexpected treasures of books other bloggers, my brother-in-law have introduced me

Posted on September 15, 2010 by | 4 Comments

Today’s BBAW assignment is: Share with us a book or genre you tried due to the influence of another blogger. What made you cave in to try something new and what was the experience like?

As I begin to write the answer to this, I have conflicting thoughts.

Here’s how they go:

You should share about Purple Jesus by Ron Cooper to which you were invited to read by J.C. Montgomery of The Biblio Blogazine for a GoodReads discussion group and read-along. After all, it was less than a month ago, you received the book, you already read the book and you liked it.

Yes, however, I didn’t really want to write about that in a “forced” way. I actually wanted to write a review of the book for the group and solicit opinions from others in the group, and actually have a discussion on it separate from Book Blogger Appreciation Week. In other words, I didn’t want it placed within the context of a meme and seemed like I was “forced” by a publisher or author to give a review of an advanced reader copy…which I’m not saying I was, by the way. I was invited to the group and accepted the invitation.

Mockingjay

Image via Wikipedia

Plus I can think of other books and genres I tried due to the influence of several bloggers, not just one blogger. Primarily, I think of the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Only weeks before the release of Mockingjay, I caved to the peer pressure of other book bloggers (why? I don’t know, but I did) and read the first two and then the third. I really enjoyed them, except for the ending of the series, and even then, it wasn’t horrible, just unsatisfying, because I was on the wrong team (those of you who have read the book know about what I’m talking).

As for genres, I think of young adult fiction. Yes, naturally as once a young adult myself I had read books in the genre previously, such as The Outsiders, but only through book bloggers was I introduced to books such as The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is still my most popular review, and The Giver.

I also think about those books that I tried due to the influence of someone who is not a blogger, namely my brother-in-law Warren. As I looked back at my reviews from the last few years, trying to trigger my memory of books and genres to which I might not have tried if it had not been for bloggers, my eyes were drawn to books by one author: Donald E. Westlake. I wouldn’t have discovered Westlake, if it hadn’t been for Warren, and, for that, I thank him as Westlake is fast becoming my favorite author. So far, I’ve read 17 novels by Westlake (and one of his pseudonyms, Richard Stark):

Cover of

Cover of Somebody Owes Me Money

  1. Somebody Owes Me Money by Donald E. Westlake 4/5
  2. Smoke: The Disappearing Novel by Donald E. Westlake 4/5
  3. The Hunter by Richard Stark 5/5
  4. The Ax by Donald E. Westlake 4/5
  5. The Man with the Getaway Face by Richard Stark 5/5
  6. The Outfit by Richard Stark 5/5
  7. The Cutie by Donald E. Westlake 4/5
  8. Memory by Donald E. Westlake 5/5
  9. The Hot Rock by Donald E. Westlake 3/5
  10. Bank Shot by Donald E. Westlake 4/5
  11. Pity Him Afterwards by Donald E. Westlake 4/5
  12. Jimmy the Kid by Donald E. Westlake 4/5
  13. Nobody’s Perfect by Donald E. Westlake 4/5
  14. Why Me? by Donald E. Westlake 3/5
  15. Good Behavior by Donald E. Westlake 4/5
  16. Drowned Hopes by Donald E. Westlake 5/5
  17. Don’t Ask by Donald E. Westlake 3/5

My rating system: 5- Classic, must read; 4- Worth owning a copy; 3- Worth picking up at library; 2- Worth skimming at the bookstore; 1- Worth being a doorstop

Right now I’m reading my 18th Westlake novel, What’s The Worst That Can Happen?, another in the series about the hapless burglar John Dortmunder, not for any online reading challenge, but just for the challenge for myself to read all of the Dortmunder series. So far, I’m loving them. I only wish our library had all the Parker (the anti-Dortmunder) novels that were written by Westlake under his pseudonym Richard Stark.

So the question for you, dear reader, at the end of all this is: Is there a book or genre you tried due to the influence of another blogger, family member or friend? If so, what was your experience like?

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Finding a new treasure in Literati’s Literary Library (BBAW)

Posted on September 14, 2010 by | 5 Comments

Today’s Book Blogger Appreciation Week activity is to post an interview with an interview partner that was pre-assigned. Mine was Shannon at Literati’s Literary Library. Here is my interview with her. Her interview with me can be found on her blog today.


1. While your bio page at your blog already tells us a lot about you, including one of your favorite books, The Secret Garden, what are some of your other favorite books from your childhood?

I was lucky enough to have access to hundreds of books in all varieties as a child. When I was about 9 years old, I pulled To Kill a Mockingbird off my sister’s shelf and read it. It’s absolutely one of my favorites. I’ve re-read it many times since, but my very first time reading it still sticks out in my mind. I read a lot of the classics at a young age, and I have great memories of staying up into the wee hours reading them. As for true children’s books, I loved all the Ramona Quimby books, The Boxcar Children, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, and the Redwall series, to name a few. The Chronicles of Narnia have a very special place in my heart, because my dad would sit us on his knee and read them aloud. Fantastic cuddling time, and a fantastic set of books.

2. According to your “label” list on your sidebar on your blog, you mostly read young adult novels. Why? Why not adult novels?

Heh. Well. My blog is a bit wrong. I read plenty of adult novels, but I’ve only been blogging for a short while and I’ve been on a YA kick ever since I started blogging. I was just telling another blogger friend that I’ve been laughing at myself, because I consider my book blog to be an “eclectic” book blog… I just haven’t been living up to that lately. Currently I am reading an adult book, and it feels so good!

3. I also notice you like paranormal, urban fantasy and fantasy. First, for those like myself, what is urban fantasy? Second, if  I or other readers who might not have delved into any of these genres previously, where would you suggest we start?

I do! Urban Fantasy is a subset of fantasy defined by place. For instance, the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews is considered Urban Fantasy because it’s fantasy- warlocks, shapeshifters, vampires, etc.- and it’s in the post-apocalyptic city of Atlanta. Urban Fantasy is exactly what it sounds like: fantasy set in a city. There are other genre subsets for fantasy set in rural places.

Where to start? Hm. Difficult to say, since there are so many great ones out there. My personal favorites are: the Shifters series by Rachel Vincent- Stray, Rogue, Pride, Prey, Shift, and Alpha. And the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews- Magic Bites, Magic Burns, Magic Strikes, Magic Bleeds, and more to come.

4. Why are you on Team Peeta?  Personally I am on Team Gale, because he seems more blue collar and rugged to me and is the one Kat should choose (no spoilers for those who haven’t finished the Hunger Games trilogy yet) because he’s always been there, through thick and thin.

I have a few reasons. First, I didn’t feel as though Gale had any right to be all “She’s mine!” when he never told her how he felt about her. You can’t be mad about someone stealing your girl… if you never tried to make her “your girl” in the first place. Second, I just didn’t feel any spark between them. I felt best friend level affections, but not any passion. I love the relationship that Katniss and Gale have, but I never felt that it was a romantic relationship at all, but rather a relationship based off mutual need. True, they cared a lot about each other, but it seemed obvious that Katniss never saw him in a romantic light. Third, Peeta is Katniss’s opposite. She needs his other brand of thinking to balance her hunter mentality. I’m a strong believer in balance, and I feel that if Gale and Katniss had become more than friends, their relationship would be incredibly unbalanced. I could see them starting to be too competitive with each other and resentment would blossom. As always, those are just one person’s opinion. ;-)

I’ll toss a few questions back at you that you also gave to me:

5. Describe your blog for us in 6 words. (Any 6 words, sentence not required.)

Sometimes funny, sometimes serious, always honest.

6. What’s your favorite activity, other than reading?

Well, I have loads. Most recently, going out on our little tiny inflatable boat. I love the feel of the wind on my face and the freedom of just zipping anywhere! One activity that I’m excited about starting, is knife throwing. My knives are in the mail! I can’t wait to get them and start learning how to properly throw knives. I also like photography, and I use my kids as my subjects much more than they would like sometimes.

7. Is there anything you want the readers of your blog to know about you that you have not yet revealed? And unlike my short answer of “Nope,” you can expound upon it. ;)

Mostly, that I’m sorry for being so slow on the reading front lately. I was reading up a storm until we had our second child in April. Since then, my reading has slowed down considerably and thus my reviews just trickle in. But I hope you enjoy the reviews I do manage to write. I certainly enjoy writing them! And of course, thank you ever so much for all the love, comments, and support.

Plus a couple of others not related to books:

8. What is your favorite brand of chocolate?

Generally, Lindt. They have fantastic truffles and I can buy them in most stores. Favorite chocolate that I can’t get here on the island, Godiva. Mm. And my newest chocolate discovery is Green & Black’s Organic Milk Chocolate with caramelized peanuts and a pinch of sea salt. So good!

9. What are your favorite foods besides chocolate and anything not asparagus? I ask this since you revealed your two sons’ favorite foods on your bio page?

Besides chocolate? You mean there are other foods?! I kid, I kid. I’m a big fan of pasta, any kind. I like rice, with a little bit of butter and soy sauce. I love a good sub sandwich! Oh and I love, love, love Chinese food. Truthfully… I’m a big fan of food in general. Except, well, asparagus. ;-)

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