What I did On my Summer Vacation - Books

I've got to get this series done before snow falls!

I did a LOT of reading this summer.  It was actually kind of nice even though a lot of what I read didn't overwhelm me.  The majority of my reading was actually books that I picked up at the annual book sale at my local library.  For example:

I read two Andrew Greeley books - Virgin and Martyr, and The Final Planet.  The two books share one thing beyond their author.  They both move into areas that were new for me in reading Greeley.  I am a HUGE fan of his Bishop Blackie books.  Those are fun mystery novels that center on the short unobtrusive assistant bishop from the Archdiocese of Chicago.  The two books this summer were very different.  Virgin and Martyr Iin which John Blackwood Ryan makes his first appearance in a Greeley novel) was much more serious and delved very strongly into politics, especially church politics.  It was pretty well written and I was engrossed the whole way through.  On the other hand The Final Planet is a foray into science fiction for Father Greeley.  I know it sold very well and some folks like it a lot.  As a story it's much closer to the feel of the Bishop Blackie novels.  As a science fiction novel it's incredibly amateurish.  Liked the characters but the story is just rather juvenile and simplistic.  I doubt I'd read any other sci-fi books (like The God Game).

I would lump three other books together even though they're written by different authors.  Midnight Runner by Jack Higgins, The Secret of Excalibur by Andy McDermott, and Total Control by David Balducci.  The best of the lot is probably the Baldacci book.  It's a pretty standard thriller similar to other Baldacci books I've read.  Right behind it is the Higgins book.  Really if you've read one Jack Higgins book you've read them all.  But they're comfortable, the action blasts along and they're fun.  Last and really rather least is the book by Andy McDermott.  He does a pretty good job keeping the story moving but the plot and story have so many holes in it I spent a lot of time just shaking my head.  I'm truly amazed at the kind of critical raves that these books have gotten.  All three kept me involved to the end but I wouldn't ever consider reading them again.  On the other hand I WOULD certainly read all three of the authors again.

Same goes for Harry Harrison's "The Stainless Steel Rat Joins the Circus".  I read a lot of this series back in high school.  They are parodies of the secret agent genre like James Bond.  They were fun and Harrison likes playing with words which I enjoy.  I don't know if this is just the lowest rung of the series or I've just outgrown them but this was pretty lame.


So did I read anything good this summer?  Oh yes.

After watching the movie Casino Royale I went back and read the original.  And was surprised at the quality of the writing.  I've read all the Ian Fleming Bond stories and most of the ones written after Fleming's death.  The stories are told concisely and move quickly along with just the right amount of twists and surprises.  I've gone on to read several more including Diamonds Are Forever, Live and Let Die, From Russia with Love, and Dr. No.  While dated in many ways including Bond's attitude towards the women in his life (which is not as simplistic as some critics would have you think) the stories are still very good reads.

I checked out a V.I. Warshawsky book by Sara Paretsky called "Hard Time".  I've read at least one other of this series and liked it.  But like that previous book I came away from it feeling like it was a good read but not blown away.  If another one wanders across my path I'll read it but I don't think I'll go looking for one.  Can't tell you why.

Read my first ever Dick Francis story, "Reflex".  I've known about Francis (who passed away earlier this year) for years but just never got around to reading him.  Don't know why, I love mysteries and he's been extremely successful for years.  So I jumped right into this one and really enjoyed it.  The book takes place at the horse racing track where Francis has a great feel.  I'm looking forward to trying another.

Now the best book I read this summer.  Curiously the first 100 pages or so (maybe more than that) of the book I didn't much like it at all.  Again Amy Tan is an author that I knew of but had never read.  So "The Kitchen God's Wife" was a totally new adventure for me.  Once the story shifted away from the American story line to China this book just took off for me.  I've spoken to a couple people who had the exact same reaction.  Really enjoyed it and I will certainly take a look at reading more of her stuff.

So it was a fun summer of reading.  I'm looking forward to trying new stuff in the fall.