July Books Read

Here we go. As always, links to recommended books.

Fingerprints: The Origins of Crime Detection and the Murder Case That Launched Forensic Science (NF 2001) – Colin Beavan
Not a bad read, but I thought the author spent too much time going into the peripheral aspects of some of the lesser cases involving pre-forensic studies.

Zodiac (NF 1986) – Robert Graysmith
As much as I enjoyed David Fincher's take on Zodiac, the book shows that the California killer was far more dangerous, cunning and elusive. One of the few books I've read three times.

Reasons to Live (1985) – Amy Hempel
I'm cheating a bit here, first by listing Hempel's debut collection in The Collected Stories, and second, by linking you to that book instead of Reasons to Live. I'm hoping more people will be willing to risk a few bucks for the upcoming paperback edition and experience Hempel's sparse style, wry wit and somewhat ambiguous stories.

The Dark is Rising (YA 1973) – Susan Cooper
The second book in The Dark is Rising sequence, far more complex and satisfying than the first volume, Over Sea, Under Stone. An 11-year-old boy discovers he has magical powers and a scar that turns back evil. Sound a little familiar? Susan Cooper did it first over 30 years ago. Think it's a coincidence that these books are being adapted into film as we speak? Don't think so.

A Passage to India (1924) – E.M. Forster
West meets East, neither understanding or connecting, as a British woman travels to India to see her fiancee, the ruling magistrate in a British-controlled Indian township. An important novel for the time and still significant today. (I'll have more to say about this one and the film version in a later post.)

In the Palace of Repose (2005) – Holly Phillips
I've goo-gooed about Phillips on this blog before, so all I'll tell you is buy the book and enjoy.

The Overlook (2007) – Michael Connelly
Good, but probably the least satisfying Harry Bosch novel. A little too much suspension of disbelief for me, combined with some stereotyped characters and situations I just couldn't (pardon the pun) overlook.

The Keeper (2006) – Sarah Langan
A stunning first novel from Sarah Langan, who fits right into the upper tier of the horror community.

Einstein: His Life and Universe (NF 2007) – Walter Isaacson
Another I've already spoken about a bit. Don't let "Fear of Science" keep you from this one. Just jump right in.

How to Want What You Have (NF 1995) – Timothy Miller, PhD.
Recommended by Nina Kiriki Hoffman at Clarion. I really enjoyed most of the book, but it seemed the last large section of the book consisted of Miller pitching/justifying his ideas to psychotherapists.

Whales on Stilts! (YA 2005) – M.T. Anderson
A wild, completely wheels-off parody of (or tribute to?) the children's mystery genre from long ago (Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, etc.) that only someone with Anderson's gifts could pull off.

That's it for July. Go read something.