Drood By Dan Simmons

   This book doesn't come out until February (thanks to Dan for making me take this book), but I still can't wait to recommend it.  It follows the final years of Charles Dickens life through the eyes of his less famous contemporary Wilkie Collins (a decent author in his own right).  The outsiders look at famous authors genre (not really a genre, I just think it is) is pretty popular (again, probably just in my head).  I really liked Arthur and George (Sr. Arthur Conan Doyle) by Barnes that came out a few years back, and I love this novel.   Perhaps a bit too much of the thousand pages was devoted to Wilkie's opium addiction, but for a thousand paged novel, it really moved.  Dickens was in a train accident that changed his life and shaped his final, unfinished novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood.  Drood was the man Dickens claimed to have seen in the aftermath of that accident and became obsessed with, claiming to Wilkie (in the novel) that he thought he was an agent of Death.  It's a really interesting mystery, but if you'd rather not spend a month reading a book, skip it.

I see you everywhere by Julia Glass

  This is a book, I think, for sisters.  That was the push at BEA (she would send a free copy to your sister if you gave an address) anyway.  It's the story of two sisters as they move through life, each chapter is a different year with a story about them told by one of the sisters.  Clem is the wild adventurous one, Louisa the steady one, though both are effected greatly by the other.  The ending is sad, which was predictable (every novel I've read in the past five years that deals seriously with the sibling relationship ends sad, it's either a trend in fiction right now, or a easy way to make sure that protagonists realize how much they mean to each other.  Gag.)  I liked the characters, and it was occasionally funny, even if I knew what was going to happen by the second chapter.  I think it would be easier to appreciate it if I had a sister with whom I had ever been close, but this book dealt with a bond I have no first hand experience with.  So I moved on to Christopher Moore's A Dirty Job, where the main character finds out he is a merchant of death, and hilarity ensues.   At least I can understand a warped sense of humor. 

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

This book took me forever to finish, but I'm glad I did.  It won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and I have the book she wrote after it, called Home.  John Ames, the preacher in Gilead Iowa is the narrator, and the entire book is an open letter to his young son which he writes as his health fails.  It's a lovely book, I really enjoyed it, though it was hard to get into, and difficult to finish.  But then, I get distracted easily.  John is a great narrator, telling the story of his life and beliefs through a series of stories and thoughts.  I'll let you know if I ever get to Home.

Lamb by Christopher Moore

  Christopher Moore was at BEA in LA this year (I love BEA, a conference of book people with publisher's handing out books), and he had the gift edition of Lamb, which of course I ran from the exhibit hall to get to early in the morning. I love Lamb, the story of Biff, Jesus' childhood friend.  I love this book, I can't say enough good things about it.  I don't find it offensive at all, though I suppose it helps that I'm not Catholic or even close.  Biff is a typical kid growing up, he gets in to trouble, but is saved I suppose by his best friend, Josh, whose mother, Mary, claims he will be the Messiah.  Josh is not a very normal kid, he can heal people and things (oh the scene where his younger brother bashes a lizards head in, and Josh revives him cracks me up).  But he and Biff get into normal kid stuff, and even fall in love with the same girl, Maggie (Mary Magdelene).  The two find themselves unhappy stone cutters apprentices, and Josh is desperate to figure out how to be the Messiah, so they go in search of the three wise men.  The angel shows up thirteen years to late to announce Josh's birth and is stupid, John the Baptist is Josh's cousin who almost drowns Biff, and a slue  of others while baptising them, Maggie is unhappy in her marriage to a moron, and Biff is hilarious.  I have read it three times, and every time they reach the Great Wall of China, I laugh for a very long time.  It's the Ostentatious and Annoying Wall after they walk around it for a couple of months.  It's not meant to be anything but a funny book, and if in the mean time you discover that you can laugh at your faith, all the better.  READ IT.  And if you hate it, well, tell me why.  

The Fourth Bear

  I love Jasper Fforde.  The Fourth Bear is the second in the Nursery Crime Division by this amazing author, and while it's not my favorite of his, it's sooooo good.  It centers around the Nursery Crime Division of the police department in Reading England, with Jack Spratt (who will eat no fat, his wife will eat no lean, though that condition has since widowed him, and he's in love with his second wife) and Mary Mary (who is quiet contrary, though I think her garden was mentioned in the first book).  The two officers investigate the death of Goldilocks, and her possible involvement with the three bears, as well as chasing the psychotic Gingerbreadman.  From porridge restrictions for bears, who are addicted to the stuff and buy it on the black market, to several bear sympathizers who work towards the right to arm bears, it's full of way to many quick jokes to catch them all the first time.  The Big Over Easy, in which Jack and Mary investigated Humpty Dumpty's murder was better, but I really hope he comes back to this series again.  I always hesitate to recommend Fforde at work, because he is so unbelievably wonderfully weird.  But if you don't mind the occasional alien (oh Ashley, hopefully he will have the pluck to ask Mary out again), or biochemical warfare with cucumbers.  No seriously, cucumbers, try one of his books.  The Thursday Next series is probably the best series in popular fiction ever (Something Rotten is my favorite, Hamlet shows up, and Landon is back!), and next year he's starting a new one.   I unabashedly love Jasper Fforde and all of his novels, but if you don't really like weird, or just find me weird, you might want to pick something else to read.  

The Story of Edward Sawtelle

David Wroblewski.  This was the best book of the summer in my opinion.  It helps that the author seemed like a super nice guy when I met him, and that his book involves dogs.  I'm not a fan of recommending books on the best sellers list (this books has been on for a number of weeks and I hope it stays up there), especially at the book store, it feels like an easy recommendation.  I don't like the customers thinking I've just given them whatever was at hand.  But in this case, I've recommended it a dozen times, and talked all of them into buying it since it went up.  It's an amazing coming of age tale about a boy in Wisconsin.  Edward's family breeds and trains dogs, Sawtelles, and he has grown up in the family business.  When his father dies suddenly teenaged Edward finds himself hip deep in a Hamlet style plot.  I only spent about ten pages wondering which character was Ophelia, once you get into story, it's hard to think about anything but Edward and his dogs.  

  This is a book for anyone who likes good fiction, dogs, Hamlet, or looking smart on the train (it's very long, though it doesn't feel it).  Absolutely the best book of the summer.  And I've read a lot this summer. 

The Black Tower

Louis Baynard.  Another great historical mystery from Baynard.  He also wrote Mr. Timothy (the story of a grown up Tiny Tim) and the Palest Blue Eye, both of which I recommend. Black Tower is about Vidocq (if not the earliest detective, one of the first) in 1818 France as he and that narrator, Hector Carpienter investigate the possibility that Hectors father helped Louis Charles (Louis XIV and Marie Antoinettes son) escape from prison after the French Revolution.  

 The story is fascinating, with interesting characters and vivid descriptions, as are all of Baynard's books. It's really a great mystery, especially if you like historical fiction.  This Baynard guy is going places, his books are a step above the historical mysteries I've seen around recently.  

A Lion Among Men

Gregory Maguire is a favorite of mine, as I've mentioned.  I loved Wicked, Mirror Mirror and Confessions of an ugly Step sister.  I didn't love Son of a Witch, though it was occasionally recommended just so I could say the title often.  Mine is an often adolescent sense of humor.    A Lion among Men (another great title), is the third in the Wicked Years series.  After this one, I'm hoping he doesn't stop at a trilogy.  Who doesn't want to read about how the Scarecrow came into power in Oz, or what Emperor Shell is going to do?  How about that Munchkin uprising?  Right, might just be me.  I don't think you need to read Son of a Witch to really enjoy this novel, though you must read Wicked (on principal, you won't be able to follow the story even if you've seen the musical a dozen times).  It follows the Cowardly Lion...  I mean of course Brrr, Sr. Brrr if you want to be technical, since Lady Glinda gave him a title after the Dorothy incident.  Brrr, middle aged and cranky, is tasked with finding out about Elphaba's book, the Grimmerie, and, if possible, about her possible son Liir (from Son of a Witch).  

   Anyway, it's funny, sweet and interesting throughout.  Brrr is a great character, and as always Maguire's writing is awesome.  Read Wicked, and then read this.  Seriously.

To Start

I'm not really sure how to start this.  There are way too many books I love that I should start with, there's a quick list to your right, it was going to be a top 5. But it turns out I can't really decide on just 5, so it'll have to be 10...  Only problem is that those are the only four I am positive will make the cut.  Should I start with one of those, or one I've finished recently?  So how about a quick list of authors I think are amazing.

*Jasper Fforde is my very favorite.  He's brilliant.  Weird, but totally completely brilliant, and hilarious.  I adore him, both the Thursday Next series and the Nursery Crimes series.  My friend Patricia forced his first one on me a million years ago, and now I wait for a new one every July (except for this year, I'm just glad I always keep one on hand that I haven't read). 

*Christopher Moore.  Again, brilliant weird and hilarious.  I love love love Lamb, it's my favorite book.  I don't remember if my (catholic) friend Dan gave this to me, or if he just admitted that he loved it right after I finished it, but either way, it's remained one of my favorites for years.  Dirty Jobs was awesome, and the rest of his are consistently wonderful.

*Marissa De Los Santos.  No matter what people say, I still think Love Walked In was better than Belong To Me, but the fact that I can't say enough good things about either means something.  I can't wait to find out what she writes next.  Love Walked In is amazing, sweet and funny, and that the main character loves the Philadelphia Story (my very favorite movie) is just an added bonus.  I adored that book, and loved the follow up.  

*Gregory Maguire.  Wicked was astonishing, beautifully written.  I think I actually liked saying Son of Witch more than the actual book, but he redeemed himself with A Lion Among Men.  Oh wait, that ones not out yet.  But trust me, it comes out in October, and if you liked Wicked, you'll like it.  It follows the Cowardly Lion, and Maguire is back to being dryly witty, something I found lacking in Son of a Witch.  

*Sophie Kinsella.   I find her books to be light and fluffy, but crying I'm laughing so hard funny.  Take a pass on the last two of the Shopaholic series, but her stand alones, like Can you Keep a Secret are wonderful.  

*Cornelia Funke.  I know these are kids books, but I've worked in the kids department of a bookstore off and on for almost 5 years, and she has always been one of my favorites.  I think the Inkspell series is genius.  Inkdeath, which also isn't out yet, was a wonderful ending to a popular series, something that I haven't seen a lot in kids books lately (hey, I recommended the hell out of Stephanie Meyers, I just can't get over the fact I think she coped out of the ending, that's all I'm saying).  But Funke did the impossible, and finished her series in three books with an ending I adored, from start to finish.  

*Laurie Notaro.  This is the woman who writes the way I think.  Seriously.  She's funny and bold and just a little wrong sometimes.  The Idiot Girls Action Adventure Club too often describes scenes that could have come out of my own life.  Especially the parts where she falls down.  

Okay, that's my serious list.  Here is a list of authors I have enjoyed, and while their books may appear on my favorites list, probably don't deserve the same recognition as the others.

*Dennis Lehane.  Shutter Island was wonderful, and I never expected the twist ending. I love his early stuff before he hit it big with Mystic River, which was also great. I like mysteries, and these are some of the best.

*Harlan Coben is another one I enjoy.  He's a great mystery author, though I'll admit I can never remember the plot a week after I finish one, the titles are all two words, and the plot usually involves a seemingly normal person getting involved in something shady.  But really I love him.

*Kate Atkinson.  I wasn't sure if she should have been listed in the first group.  Behind the scenes at the Museum is great, and so are all of the others I've read by her.  She is my go to when I've been reading Advanced Readers that weren't as good as I anticipated and need something I know will be good.  

*Sarah Addison Allen.  I know, really? But I LOVED Garden Spells, and Sugar Queens was so good.  I don't traditionally go for southern chick lit.  And yet, I was drawn in by a cute story and a good romantic twist.  Whatever, I'm a sap at heart.  

A confession.  I love Lauren Willig.  It's kind of historical fiction, about a group of spies, and this modern woman who is researching them...  Whatever, I love them.  I like the action, and that within twenty pages you know who the heroine is going to fall in love with, even though she seems to hate him at the start.

Speaking of.  Did you notice a lack of Jane Austen or Charlotte Bronte (Hell, Emily for that matter)?  That is because there are certain authors that don't need to be mentioned.  Of course Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite books, and I love Jane Eyre.  I even love the stuff that rips them off.  Though, if you try to sell me on Mr. Darcy's daughters solve a mystery again, I will punch you in the face.