Carrie Dils
I read this on my Kindle since it was a free download from Amazon. Good story but the telling was clunky and the main character was unsympathetic in every way. Also could have done without the psychic mind-share subplot. It added nothing to the storyline IMHO.
The book is divided into two parts: early writings and later writings. It was really interested to see Highsmith's style develop over the course of so many years. While there's a disturbing psychological element to all of her short stories, the later ones introduce a much darker side.
I'm a huge fan of the Tom Ripley series and felt like I could see Highsmith experimenting with ideas in short story form that would eventually be included in Ripley.
I posted a full review on my blog, if interested:
http://www.thebiscuit.net/2010/08/malacca-conspiracy.html
I'd rather have given this 3.5 stars, but alas, that option doesn't exist. I really enjoy his writing and reading this portion of his autobiography was interesting (especially since he spent time in Fort Worth), but the ending? C'mon, Jim!! -.5 stars for a very unsatisfying, abrupt ending.
It's possibly the worst book I've read. The characters were thin, the plot was unbelievable, the references to police procedures were wildly inaccurate, etc.
I hate giving a book 1 star because I know that writing and publishing a book is no small effort, but I just couldn't get past the awfulness of this one.
Read this from a recommendation from My Favorite Murder podcast and it was a well-written page-turner.
I'm including a trigger warning for sexual assault, infant death, general violence.
It's been some years since I read anything in this series. VI Warshawski was one of my favorite female leads in this genre, but it seemed like her character has changed with time. For instance, I don't recall her being super impulsive (i.e. grabbing the gun out of her safe to go confront somewhere), but then maybe I've just slept too many times since my last read in the series.
This sports memoir is part biography, part history, and part coming-of-age story. The writing is compelling and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys football, appreciates a good underdog story, or wants to learn about the impact of team sports and coaching on players' lives.
I enjoyed this. At first I was a little put off by the “tips” – I just wanted to read their story and glean my own takeaways – but by halfway through I started enjoying the way the pulled the insights out. For anyone thinking of taking time off from “regular life” to travel extensively, this is a great read. Thanks to Patte Shetler for the recommendation.
The author is quite cheeky, which makes for a funny read about a serious topic. There's SO MUCH historical content (and historical figures) discussed that it would be quite an undertaking to verify all of the reference material. Still, it certainly would provide a starting point to research individuals and eras.
What I primarily appreciate about the book is learning that straightwashing exists, that is, the explaining away, ignoring, or just plain revisionist history where queer women are involved. While that's sadly no surprise, it was an informative and eye-opening read. I'm not sure if it's to the full extent the author purports, but I wouldn't be surprised (and I'm sure for every story she told, there are many more that remain unknown).
I'm still enjoying this series but wish there was a little more continuity between the books. You get to liking a character and you may or may not see them again...
I read this over a decade ago, but just listened to the updated version as an audio book. It's a little bit dry to listen to when you're on a long stretch of freeway, but the information is so good. Here I thought I've had good boundaries since I first read the book only to discover there were a lot of other boundaries I never set.
The book is heavy on OWNING WHAT IS YOURS from a responsibility point of view. If you think other people are wronging you, read this. It may change your mind about what you ALLOW in your life from other people.
The book started slow with what I thought was an overly-detailed description of the diving process, but as I got into the book I realized the importance of laying that foundation. I enjoyed learning about the mystery of the sub, the “treasure hunt” for an identity, and the tenacity of John and Richie. I admire their passion. Not surprising but very interesting were the incorrect historical reports (and probable reasons why they were incorrect) regarding WWII subs. You can't always take history books at their word...
As someone with an evangelical Protestant background, I related with Chase (main character) and his journey to rediscover who Christ is.
I rated this 3 stars on my first reading, some years ago. I appreciated the writing and storytelling more this time, though it was still just as sad. You know the futility of George's “plan” the whole time, yet there's some dim hope/desire for a better outcome that keeps the story moving forward.
I liked Mankell's writing and ability to build suspense, but he could have trimmed 100 pages from the book and it would've been a tighter story.
This was a recommended author for folks who liked Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Not sure if I will read him again.
I listened to this book and would recommend it as an “audio read”, since it's read by Laura Bush. I enjoyed learning more about her life and a First Lady's perspective on the White House.
Enjoying the Nero Wolfe series from Rex Stout (in no particular order). On par with Agatha Christie - quick, entertaining detective/crime solver stories.
The book was interesting - to a point. I enjoyed the dynamic of the girls in their meetings, but my interest waned 100 pages or so in when it turned to the author's own experience.
This isn't stellar literature from a writing perspective, but it's an important story that needed to be told. I'm hoping California state laws for child predators have been updated since the book was published.
Read this in high school. Remember very little other than being proud of myself for pronouncing Fyodor Dostoyevsky correctly.