On the Nightstand Now
- Dragon's Keep, by Seattle author Janet Lee Carey. A well-wrought tale of magic and prophecy about a girl born with a dragon's claw instead of a ring finger. Good stuff. Technically a "children's" book, but hey, I'm still 12 inside.
- Happiness Sold Separately, by Lolly Winston. Usually I like my laughs without any heartache attached, but this story of a marriage skidding into the dark side deploys the kind of humor that saves sanity. And who doesn't need that?
Just Finished
- JPod, by Douglas Coupland. The writer who gave us "Generation X" makes light work of the lives of computer wizards in the gaming industry.
- Barking, by Tom Holt. A pack of lawyers who are werewolves. What's not to love?
- Uglies, by Scott Westerfeld. Cool fantasy about a future world in which anyone normal is considered ugly, because everyone turns pretty at the age of 16. How could this be bad?
- Pretties, by Scott Westerfeld. Hah. There's a price for everything, including beauty. The pace quickens in this "be careful what you wish for" fantasy. I can hardly wait to read the next installment: Specials!
Desert Island Top Five
- Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. "Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale, Her infinite variety."
- The Code of the Woosters, by PG Wodehouse. In a world of uncertainty, Jeeves never disappoints.
- Soul Music, by Terry Pratchett. In a parallel universe, albeit a somewhat flatter one, Pratchett's droll and sometimes wise characters offer a welcome escape from the insanity of this world.
- Moby Dick, by Herman Melville. Oh yes. No kidding. I learned to love Moby Dick the third time through it, when all its brilliant humor and wondrous philosophy spoke to me and I finally listened.
- The Complete Works of Shakespeare, Norton Edition. I think Shakespeare is like vitamins. If you read a little bit each day, it will seep into your system and make your bones stronger, your eyes brighter, your step quicker. You will enjoy yourself more. And, if you're alone on a desert island, this would definitely be a bonus.
Recent Picks
- Light, by M. John Harrison. a dizzying sci-fi work of amazing imagination with a pulse of humanity that keeps it engaging, and resonant echoes of William Gibson's groundbreaking Neuromancer.
- The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More, by Chris Anderson. In the modern market, shelf space ain't what it used to be. Anderson offers encouragement for those of us who don't fit the standard marketing mold.
- The Pirates! In an Adventure with Ahab, and In an Adventure with Scientists, by Gideon Defoe. A double dose of clever nonsense to amuse your inner swashbuckler.
- The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri. an entrancing novel about the immigrant experience in America, masterfully written.
- The War for the Oaks, by Emma Bull. Written more than twenty years ago, this fantasy classic about a young woman in a punk band who gets caught up in a power struggle between warring fairy factions in Minneapolis is a complete delight.
- Company, by Max Barry. A wickedly funny satire about the madness of corporate culture. A perfect read for fans of Office Space.
- The Good Rain, by Timothy Egan. A haunting and amazing account of the history of the Pacific Northwest
- Hairstyles of the Damned, by Joe Meno. So, he's not J.D.Salinger, but his surprisingly romantic coming-of-age story suggests a lineage with Holden Caulfield.
- Expecting Someone Taller, by Tom Holt. This clever reworking of the Ring Cycle myth is funny and satisfying.
- Fast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser. It's impossible to feel unchanged by it.
- Bitter Harvest, by Ann Cooper, with Lisa M. Holmes. How giant agribusiness and government policy are dramatically altering the way Americans eat.
- Right Ho, Jeeves, by P.G. Wodehouse. As always, my favorite.
- A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens. Sometimes there is nothing more soothing than dipping into the cadences and slower tempos of a master writing when there were no TVs, no iPods, no computer games.