The Associate

Just finished another John Grisham. Even though I haven't loved his latest stuff, I've been reading all his books for so long that I can't not read his newest. "The Associate" was a little slow going at first. I wasn't all that interested the first couple of chapters. However, as is often the case with many books, perseverance is rewarded. The plot picked up, the characters started to get fleshed out and it got interesting. I enjoyed the book. Grisham is great about providing the the kind of detailed plots that I love. Occasionally the conversations got muddled so that you started to lose track of who was saying what. I hate that! It's a skilled author who can have conversations that flow in a way that is easy to follow without putting "Jack said" then "Mary replied" on every line. Very tricky stuff.

This book contains another of Grisham's trademark suspenseful storylines set in the big world of American law and commerce. A very smart young lawyer is black-mailed into working for a big hot-shot law firm in order to attempt to steal information about a massive lawsuit that the firm is handling. The lawsuit involves a defense contract for the US government. The dirt the black-mailers have on the young lawyer is an inappropriate situation he and his frat brothers were involved with when he was in college. A drunk, promiscuous girl and a frat party; you get the picture. Anyway, even though this particular guy did nothing wrong, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is terrified that this one foolish mistake may cost him a career as a lawyer if this girl is persuaded to take him to court. This seems a little bit of a flimsy reason to succumb to blackmail to me, but guilt over the past can cause any of us to respond emotionally rather than rationally when faced with our most regretful past mistakes.

If you like John Grisham, you will like this book. I wish the writing was a sharp and skilled as his earlier works, his work seems a little simplistic and and mechanical compared to his earlier stuff, but how many books can one person write well, really? Perhaps publisher deadlines have muted his creative vibe. A necessary evil since he's making a really good living these days!

Snowstruck: In the Grip of Avalanches

I recently finished reading, "Snowstruck: In the Grip of Avalanches" by Jill Fredston. It was a fascinating look at the history and science of avalanches, in particular Alaskan avalanches. Jill and her husband Doug Fesler co-direct the Alaska Mountain Safety Center. They teach classes and seminars on avalanche safety and rescue to everyone from mountain climbers, rescue professionals, dare-devil snow-machiners to regular folks that enjoy winter sports or perhaps have lost someone they love to a winter accident.

Jill shares many personal stories in this book of rescue operations that she and Doug have participated in, more than a few which have involved the death of their friends. Jill and Doug believe that there is a measure of predictability to avalanches, and that knowing the signs and being observant and prepared as you head out to enjoy the winter outdoors, can save your life.

This book was very well-written and engaging. Jill intersperses interesting facts and historical events from the past with very recent experiences and personal reflections. Part history book, part adventure tale, part science text, Jill keeps the book moving and kept my interest the whole way through. One chapter, entitled "Unburying the Past", chronicled some of the terrible tragedies of the past, including the Chilkoot Avalanches of April 1898, in which 121 people died while trying to head up a mountain in search of gold. Every chapter included amazing black & white photographs and interesting quotes. Some of my favorite quotes were:

"The winter...is thrown to us like a bone to a famishing dog, and we are expected to get the marrow out of it". Henry Thoreau.

"To treat your facts with imagination is one thing, to imagine your facts is another". John Burroughs, US naturalist.

"It is the state policy that emergencies are held to a minimum and are rarely found to exist". Alaska state law, section 44.62.270, state policy.

I learned a lot about the incredible range of textures and characteristics of snow and ice, and how snow can be beautiful and awe-inspiring, as well as one of the most deadly and most destructive forces on earth. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy reading to learn something new and enjoy a good outdoor adventure story. This is also a perfect book to read on a hot summer day!

The Girl With The Dragon Tatto

This book caught my eye because it was translated from the Swedish. I have read many books written by Swedish authors and enjoy the experience of reading a book written by someone from a different culture, who speaks a different language. I like the spare, somewhat melancholy style of Swedish authors; the story usually set during a grey, cold, colorless winter, leaving the door open for lots of interesting contrast with characters and settings.

Anyway, this book was great. The best mystery I have read in awhile. Very nicely paced, the plot held my interest through 465 pages. If you can stomach a quite graphic rape scene, and the amorality of the main character (which I find to be a general trend in European novels, probably truthfully reflecting the surrounding culture, sad to say), you will find the book to be very engaging. The characters are well-fleshed out and true to life. Beyond the general lack of morality of the main character (he isn't evil, just not principled) the book is a clean novel. The story is multi-layered, complex and yet fluid and concise. I enjoyed the slow revealing of one of the principal characters, Lisbeth Salander, the tattooed, genius hacker, who plays side-kick to the main character, Mikael Blomkvist. Mikael is an ordinary journalist who inadvertently gets caught up in solving an old crime that leads to lots of other buried secrets and current scandals. It's a great plot, made more interesting as it is set against the backdrop of modern Sweden. From the Swedish financial districts to the small coastal towns, the different foods and customs, I enjoyed the "view" all along the way.

This book is the first of three books written by Stieg Larsson. To my dismay, the back of the book reports that Larsson, though a relatively young man, died in 2004, shortly after delivering the manuscripts for these three books. Now I have some detective work to do, because I want to know how and why.

An Irish Country Village

I just finished reading, "An Irish Country Village" by Patrick Taylor. This is the second book that I have read by the author, and it was every bit as well written and enjoyable as the first. I enjoy reading books about Ireland. There is something unique and endearing about the Irish way of life and the landscape seems fit for the setting of a fairy-tale-brought-to-life with it's misty moors and green country lanes by the sea.

This book continues the experiences of young Dr. Laverty, an apprentice to Dr. Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly, as they serve the small country village of Ballybucklebo, in Northern Ireland. This story is light-hearted and sincere, full of the culture and oddities of Irish rural life. The people are warm-hearted if eccentric, and the good doctors are called upon to treat a full range of medical woes. Patrick Taylor spins a creative and engaging tale, with good realistic details, no doubt due to his own experience working as a rural general practitioner. Taylor grew up in the country where his story is set, though he has now lived in Canada for many years. If you enjoy good creative writing, every-day humor and a realistic glimpse into a time and culture from the past, you will enjoy this book. It's the perfect book to enjoy on a long rainy afternoon with a cup of hot tea by your side.

A House in Fez: Building a Life in the Ancient Heart of Morocco

This book, "A House in Fez" by Suzanna Clarke, chronicles the adventures of an Australian couple who, after visiting the ancient city of Fez in Morocco, decide to purchase a house there. Suzanna and her husband Sandy fall in love with this ancient Medina, or walled city. Fez is located just across the Strait of Gibraltar from Europe in the Northwestern corner of Africa, but is separated by the rest of Africa by the great Sahara desert. The culture has been influenced over time by the mix of African, Berber, Arab, French and Spanish peoples who have lived there. Suzanna describes in wonderful detail this beautiful city that is filled with very old architecture, from the green tiled minarets, to the stone streets and walled passageways, gateways, arches and courtyards of the largest car-free urban area in the world.

Suzanna writes, "Morocco has the mystique of a land from the Old Testament yet appears to be coping comfortably with modernization. Internet cafes rub shoulders with artisans' workshops; peasants on donkeys trot beneath billboards advertising the latest mobile phones...You can eat at a street stall, in a Parisian-style cafe, or next to a tinkling fountain in an ornate courtyard. You can find yourself in the midst of a crazy, honking traffic jam, or dodging donkeys in cobbled alleyways, or riding a camel in the solitude of the Sahara."

Suzannna allows her readers to tag along as she and her husband spend months restoring an aging house in the old part of the city. From their frustrations at dealing with the bureaucracy of obtaining permits, the difficulty in hiring reliable workmen to help with the restoration process, language barriers and cultural faux pas, to the feeling of living in the culture while being apart from it, Suzanna shares her interesting experiences with us and brings the rich culture of Morocco alive. Through the process of carefully restoring this house in keeping with the style and setting in which it is placed, Suzanna and Sandy develop a great affection for the people, which make the city of Fez such an interesting place. I finished this book with a new appreciation for a culture I barely knew existed, half a world away. I am again amazed at the astonishing variety and complexities of the human race, which to me, once again points to an infinitely creative Creator God. This book was educational, entertaining and it was fun to share in the very interesting experiences of this unconventional couple. If you can't travel to Morocco anytime soon to see it for yourself, I'd recommend this book as a substitute!

The author has a blog with pictures and more information on this interesting city. Check it out at riadzany.blogspot.com.

Rowing To Latitude, Journeys Along the Arctic's Edge

This book belongs to one of my very favorite categories of books, that of true-life outdoor adventure. This book, "Rowing to Latitude" by Jill Fredston, was very enjoyable. The book is about the author and her husband who are avalanche experts in Alaska, and spend the 4-month off-season each year rowing along a different northern coastline. Ms. Fredston rows backwards in an ocean-sturdy skiff with a sliding seat and oars. Her husband Doug Fesler spent the first 13 thousand miles kayaking, but then switched to a boat with a sliding seat and oars also due to greater speed allowed by that type of boat. Each year they plan a trip to a different coastline. In this book she details memories from their trips; Seattle to Skagway, the Yukon River (Skagway to Nome), the Chukchi Sea, the Mackenzie River to the Arctic Ocean, the coast of Labrador, the coast of Norway, Svalbard islands, and the coast of Greenland.

This adventure book is an interesting overview of the peoples, landscapes and animals they encountered along the way and the trials and difficulties they overcame on the journeys. There is so much land and water in the northern hemisphere that is uncharted, unexplored and relatively unknown. The few people they interacted with are relatively isolated from the rest of the world so that at times it seemed like they lived in another time.

Ms. Fredston writes with intelligence and clarity, deftly choosing which details to share with us to give us a clear picture of her experience. I don't necessarily agree with all her conclusions, but I appreciate her honesty as she shares her thoughts with us.

This was a interesting, low stress book that stimulated all the adventure genes in me without the usual intensity and suspense of most of the outdoor adventure books I have read before. I thoroughly enjoyed it! This book would make a great summer beach read.

Alyn's Favorite Authors

I just added a list of my favorite authors of fiction.

A few disclaimers: to get on my list, an author has to write more than 2 books that I really like. For most of the authors listed, I have read several, sometimes dozens, of books they have written. I am always on the lookout for the latest book from these writers. That doesn't mean I have liked everything they have published. For example, I think I have read every book that John Grisham has written. Most were good, a few were spectacular, but I really did not like "Playing for Pizza". It was a fluff novel in my opinion, and a waste of Mr. Grisham's talent. He should stick to the detailed legal thrillers he is known for.

I will continue to read every book these authors publish. This doesn't mean I recommend all of them. Everyone has their own tastes and sensitivities. But there are some real gems here!

The books I really like have to be well written, with interesting words, flowing narratives that make you think and induce vivid visual images. Great books also contain lots of descriptive detail. Have you ever read a book and as you are reading you realize half-way through that you don't even know what the main character looks like? Very annoying! Lastly, depending on the genre, the book has to have an intelligent plot or story with believable characters and logical scenarios. I like really well-rounded, complex characters and settings. The plot should be interesting and hold my attention, but I dislike being unduly manipulated by overly creative twists and turns, very wordy or awkward phrasing, and abruptly surprising endings. A clever turn in the story is best when subtle. A skillful writer knows how to describe something well without bogging us down in too much detail.

There are a wide variety of genres here to suit my varying moods. I hope you will check out a few of these authors for yourself. Then let me know how you liked what you read!

Nothing to Lose

I think this is the 2nd Jack Reacher novel I have read. The author is Lee Child and the book is called "Nothing to Lose". This series of books is like a cross between James Bond and MacGyver. I have mixed feelings about this hero, however. He is very resourceful and clever. No situation, no matter how dire, seems to rattle him. He can be ruthless and yet sticks to the code of ethics and rules that he has set out for himself (the fight scenes are detailed and coldly executed). Yet, like James Bond, Jack Reacher seems to expect to sleep with every woman he ends up working with. This seems at odds with the rest of his practical, purposeful self. This tendency makes him so much less worthy of any respect in my book. Thankfully, in this book, the 1-2 pages of such scenes are easily skipped (totally unnecessary to the plot) and are never mentioned again. Other than some violence against the bad guys, the rest of the book is a clean read.

I enjoy the fact that the author keeps Jack, the hero, a mystery in some respects. I like the imaginative plots, the creative ingenuity of the protagonist (and the author) as this character seems to find himself in the middle of trouble time and again without ever looking for it. Each situation is more impossible, but Jack always prevails with lots of street smarts, advanced reasoning skills, much daring and a little luck. Very entertaining!

The Woods

I like a good mystery. This book, "The Woods" by Harlan Coben, had all the right stuff; good plot, suspense, good characterization and the book was not full of sex, graphic violence and language that modern suspense novels seem to include these days. I like a believable story about mystery and murder, but you don't need to detail every gory detail for me! The sleuth in this book is Paul Copeland, a widower with a 6 year old daughter, and the county prosecutor of Essex, NJ. He is methodical in his pursuit of justice and leaves no stone unturned to pursue the truth. A good guy that doesn't hesitate to use a little old fashioned intimidation with the bad guys when needed. I really liked that I could enjoy the story and not have to skip over any raunchy parts. Good writing and a great twist at the end makes this book a satisfying read. I'll be reading Mr. Coben's work again.

Folk Mittens & Knitting little luxuries

As is often the case, when I get interested in a subject, I read every book I can get my hands on that is related. This winter I have been learning how to take my knitting abilities beyond scarves and the knit stitch. As such I have had a steady stream of knitting books coming in and out of the house from my library. A few that have really caught my eye:

"Folk Mittens" by Marcia Lewandowski. This book features traditional folk patterns for mittens from all around the world including Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, Asia and more. There are instructions for making a lined mitten and everything from the most simple solid color mittens to the most complex mittens using all the colors of the rainbow. If you have ever seen a Scandinavian sweater with all the complex snowflakes and stars, you can get an idea of what this book can teach you do with a mitten. I am hoping to give one of these patterns a try, if only I could make up my mind which pattern to try!


"Knitting little luxuries" by Louisa Harding. The pictures in this book are gorgeous and beautifully laid out. My librarian Melissa said that just looking at this book made her want to learn to knit! These are simple projects that are presented so appealingly that you might think the projects are complicated and beyond a beginner's skill. The book's presentation is what I would call Modern Victorian and the projects are divided into, "Eclectic and Quirky", "Textured and Modern", "Pretty and Feminine", and "Traditional and Folk". Every pattern has an updated modern feel. There are patterns for handbags, little neck scarves, gloves and mittens, lots of adorable hats, and more. The book includes a chapter on yarn information and a chapter on techniques, stitches and terms. This is one rare how-to book that I would consider purchasing. It would be a great source for gifts for all the females in your life.

The Apprenticeship of Doctor Laverty

I don't even remember where I came across the mention of this book, "The Apprenticeship of Doctor Laverty" by Patrick Taylor, but I am so pleased to have discovered it! This book is like a cross between Maeve Binchy and James Herriot, two of my favorite authors. The setting is in Northern Ireland in the 1960's. It is the story of a young doctor apprenticing for the first time with the brilliant yet eccentric Dr. O'Reilly, who has a busy practice in a small village by the sea.

The book is well-written with wonderful descriptions of the country-side and hilarious mannerisms and antics of the locals. Dr. O'Reilly uses all manner of un-orthodox methods to treat his patients, but at the end of the day, has their health and well-being as his first priority. Young Dr. Laverty learns many lessons about life and the reality of treating patients as he practices medicine for the first time. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have already made plans to read the second in the series. I highly recommend this book!

Remember to Forget & Leaving November

From time to time I really do find a great book just browsing the shelves at my local library. "Remember to Forget" and "Leaving November" by Deborah Raney were two wonderful discoveries. I am not a big fan of contemporary Christian novels. Unfortunately I find that there is a lack of really good writing out there. Just because a novel has a Christian label on it, does not by any means ensure a well-written and researched book. In fact, I find that most of these kind of novels lack depth or realistic emotions.

These two books by Raney were a delight. Good stories about real people with past sins and mistakes who endeavor to work through their "issues" and start over. The setting is the small town of Clayburn, KS that becomes a haven for the main characters. The author did a great job of setting the scene and using descriptive details that made it easy to picture the characters and setting and become engaged in the storyline. A consistent thread of the gospel's transforming power is woven through the books without being "preachy" or seeming to be a required add-on. A good story, not edge of your seat, but heartwarming without being sickly sweet. These stories include a predictable love story, but one that focuses more on the character's personal growth and the very real challenges that exist when two sinners try to build a relationship. Next time I am in the mood for a good old fashioned love story I will track down another of Ms. Raney's books. The third in this series is due out soon.

Check out the author's blog at http://deborahraney.blogspot.com.

Zoia's Gold

A book I recently finished was "Zoia's Gold" by Philip Sington. The story backdrop in this book was unique and interesting. It follows the story of a Russian artist and mysteries surrounding her death and unusual art. An intriguing look into early 21st century Russia and the effects of the Bolshevik revolution, the lives displaced, the brutality and cruelty of war and the destruction of a culture. I found the history behind the story more interesting than the story itself. The author does a good job of letting the reader get a glimpse into those turbulent times and begin to ponder the motivations behind the upheaval. Frankly I found that Zoia, the main character, leaves much to be desired. She is very amoral, cold, sexually manipulative and seems spoiled and petulant. The story begins with her death and slowly we see the unraveling of her sad tale. Somehow, the author did not make me sympathetic to this character, despite the tragedies of her life. The other main character is a modern day art dealer who becomes obsessed with researching Zoia's life and art. His own life is a mess and he begins to project his problems into Zoia's life and gets a little messed up in the head by the end. This story seems to stretch this a little farther than what is realistic and in the end I am impatient with him as well.

This book is not top on my list of books to read and remember, however I still enjoyed reading about this period in history, and found it refreshing at least because of it's unique story style. Interestingly, Zoia was a real life artist. It's well-written, somewhat coarse (some really unnecessary sexuality) and tedious at times, not a book to read if you are depressed, but a book that I walked away from with new thoughts and perspectives on the Russian revolution. So that makes it worth my time.

The Private Patient

One of the first books I read this year is "The Private Patient" by PD James. I loved the authors superb use of description and language. It was a classic English mystery with lots of details, good character development and good old-fashioned suspense. Other than a few questionable moral conclusions, this is a "clean" read. The book is full of great passages like this:

"No doubt in the city centre the "Winterfest" was being appropriately celebrated by the official municipal decorations, but in this less privileged highway the individual and uncoordinated efforts of the local shopkeepers and cafe owners, the rain-soaked lanterns and faded bunting, the swinging lights blinking from red to green to yellow, and the occasional meanly decorated Christmas tree seemed less a celebration than a desperate defence against despair. The faces of the shoppers seen through the rain-besmirched side windows of the car had the melting insubstantial look of disintegrating wraiths" (pg. 210).

I love writing like this! It is a treat to read such mastery of language, and the clever use of just the right word at the right moment to produce the perfect mental picture in your mind. The plot was interesting, full of investigative details, but not overly suspenseful or stressful. The ending was not completely surprising (but sometimes endings that are, make me feel as though I have been manipulated and tricked by the author), but the ending was not predictable either. I did not like the bleeding through of the author's own biases and prejudices. I prefer a book that does not reveal the authors particular views on society and morality (unless it is very subtle). At times the storyline seemed a thin excuse for the author to trail off on a particular view, but thankfully this did not happen often. For instance, there is the token gay couple---completely unnecessary to the plot, and the "religious" person is predictably pathetic. The main character has thrown out religion altogether. This is a common trend in British novels.

All in all, this was a very enjoyable read. I have great respect for PD James' incredible mastery of language. It is a rare treat and one that very few authors today possess. The author is currently 88 years of age and this book was published in 2008. She has written 19 previous books and lives in London and Oxford.

I will be reading PD James' work again!