Books and Writers

Being a bookworm almost since birth, and now a book collector, I enjoy writing about books and various writers. Although I lean toward modern fiction, I also enjoy biographies, history, and the occasional non-fiction book on management or leadership. Doubtful this essay will have any interest to anyone, I still feel a need to discuss some books I have lately enjoyed. My library gives me pleasure and I often find myself in my home office studying the books and thinking about the different writers. Now with over 100 Amazon book reviews, I am comfortable reviewing books of all types. It does intrigue me that following a review that is considered "not helpful" usually my reviews are no longer read! This says something about human nature, but that is a subject for another day.

Earlier blogs have discussed my tendency to get immersed in certain writers, reading everything written and learning their style at a furious pace. This trait has cooled some but is still prevalent as I continue to enjoy reading. I read approximately 3 books at one time and complete around two per week depending on the week and the kind of books being read. For example, I started Fall of Giants by Ken Follett but set it aside for some shorter books for now. I'll get back to it at some point although I must admit to being lukewarm about Follett's writing style. Informative and story-like but a little bit primitive and elementary at times. Also he seems to enjoy writing about events and suffering without delving into the emotions of those sad situations. When a writer does so, it is hard to connect to the people and by the end of the book, we feel like we have read about several cool things but don't really know anyone better. That said, I will read Fall of Giants and have read almost everything Follett as written.

Recently I began reading Robert B. Parker of Spenser fame. His detective stories are usually fairly commonplace--bad guy or guys kill someone and detective figures it out--but his scenes of therapy and rendering justice along the way are amazing. His strange "street" language is blended with a high vocabulary and remarkable human perception. It makes for bestselling writing on mental steroids. Easy to read, energetic stories, humorous at times, serious at others, but definitely entertaining and enlightening. Can't go wrong with a Robert Parker book. My favorite? Maybe Resolution or Double Play. Good stuff.

The books of Richard Marius have interested me lately. His biography of Martin Luther is truly masterful as are his essays. I decided to read his fiction and jumped into The Coming of Rain. Eventually I landed on An Affair of Honor and decided Marius is one the finest and most underrated writers of our time. He passed away from cancer a few years ago after a long and distinguished although somewhat controversial career at Harvard. I visited with his widow several years just a few weeks after his death. Richard Marius may not have written enough to secure his place among great writers but what he wrote and accomplished needs to be remembered. It was with great excitement that I found a beautiful copy of the biography of Thomas More. Marius's dedicated commitment to excellence is found in every word, every paragraph, and every book he produced. Favorite? An Affair of Honor is masterful but so is the biography of Martin Luther.

Fun reading is always available by Dean Koontz, Harlan Coben, and David Baldacci. None of these are especially profound although there is always something in their writings to allow for a moment or two of intellectual consideration. These are all fine writers and worth a read every time. Of course you can't go wrong with David Morrell or James Lee Burke both of which write thrillers with complex depth and wonderful writing style. Elmer Kelton provides some great Western writing and I have read nearly everything by Larry McMurtry. The masterful writings of Philip Roth and Cormac McCarthy are to be included in my list of favorite writers with The Road taking center stage as a gripping book for all time. Roth's Human Stain is an incredible book that should reside on every college professor's shelf.

Recently I have found myself engrossed in Reynolds Price. His style is a little bit uncomfortably personal at times and almost lacks in strong goals. Also he tends to create bold, shocking scenes to give himself a forum for psychological analysis. But he is certainly a fine writer whose books leave a reader changed and wondering about life. Noble Norfleet is a strong book (a little bit adult at times) and Tongues of Angels is very emotionally gripping.

And I continue to read through biographies of Theodore Roosevelt. Nearly done with "Preacher of Righteousness" by Joshua David Hawley, I continue to consider River of Doubt a masterpiece of description and accuracy. Owning nearly all the books written on Roosevelt, I remain admirable of the former President and irritated with him at the same time. Quite a figure for sure.

Books on management are certainly worth reading (just not a steady diet!) and I really like the writing of Patrick Lencioni. He writes a little more creatively than many management writers and has a nice goal-directed sense of how to be successful in leadership. I haven't read much in the way of Romance, Science Fiction, or money management lately, but I probably will. I have been sent four books to review and have enjoyed them. Funny how my endorsement seems valued by some people.

More reading and more gain. I love it and wish I could make a living reading books! Much better than movies, tv, or eating even!