A few weeks ago I helped a patron with a "What Should I Read Next?" mystery/crime fiction search and Ian Rankin's name came up. I'd heard of Rankin, seen his titles around, but never picked one up until now. (Yes, working in a library can be a dangerous thing.) Knots & Crosses is the first in a series of novels featuring Edinburgh Detective Sergeant John Rebus. By many accounts, Knots & Crosses is not the best entry in the series, but it is the first and I do like to start a series at the beginning whenever possible. This is a British edition for sale at one of my favorite haunts, Daedalus Books. Mass Market Paperback - Price: $3.98
I discovered Mal Peet's Tamar in a Reader's Advisory workshop a few weeks ago. Participants paired up and described a book they really enjoyed, including the specific aspects of the book they liked. The other participant's assignment was to find similar books using various library resources. My partner did a great job of convincing me to read Tamar, a YA novel subtitled "A Novel of Espionage, Passion and Betrayal." It's also winner of the Carnegie Medal. (If you're interested, the book I talked about was Jeffrey Ford's The Shadow Year.) Hardcover - Price: $4.98
Good-Bye Chunky Rice by Craig Thompson appeared on a list of VOYA's best graphic novels from the last several years. Okay, I admit it, I saw it at Daedalus and acted on impulse. Trade Paperback - Price: $3.98
I really like Washington Post writer Michael Dirda's writing. Classics for Pleasure is clear, concise, full of wit, imagination and passion. (Passion about books, that is.) Dirda can take a title you have absolutely no interest in and convince you in two pages that it's a book you must read. Another dangerous guy to have around. Hardcover - Price: $7.95
Healing for a Broken World: Christian Perspectives on Public Policy by Steve Monsma is the text for a class I'm planning on taking this fall. It's really more of a study than a class, a group of people interested in how Christians can make a difference in the culture. Trade Paperback - Price - $11.55
Culture Shift: Engaging Current Issues with Timeless Truth by R. Albert Mohler, Jr. is a thin book packed with lots of thoughtful ideas on how Christianity impacts (or doesn't impact) our cultural climate. (And yes, I'm spending a good bit of time thinking about Christianity and culture.) Hardcover - Price: $10.49
Total Spent on Books in May: $42.93
Next time: The books I actually read in May
2 comments:
I'll be interested to hear your thoughts on the Mohler book. He is far too conservative for my taste, and I have hard feelings about his work at Southern Seminary. But I'm interested in what an impartial reader takes from his writing.
Ian Rankin's on my to-read list as well. I'm already building a pile of books to read as soon as this test is done.
John - I've read the first five chapters (of 20) in the Mohler and concur somewhat. From that sampling, some parts are too conservative for me also, but there's still some good, thought-provoking stuff there. 15 chapters to go.
Orangerful - If Chunky Rice is good, I'll be sure to give Blankets (That's that mammoth collection, right?) a try.
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