When someone asks "what are you reading?", it takes me a while to answer because I usually have several books going at the same time in different genres. So, I'm going to pretend I was asked "what fiction have you read and enjoyed?" Here's a non-comprehensive list of fiction writers and some comments. I reserve the right to supplement this list.
1. The late Robert Parker for these reasons: Spenser, Hawk, Jesse Stone, Virgil Cole, and Everett Hitch.
2. Elizabeth George: I have read every book she's written, and look forward to each new one.
3. Elmore Leonard: He is one cool guy, and writes dialogue like no one else. His understated action scenes are works of art.
4. Michael Connelly and Robert Crais: I used to go out to L.A. a good bit. These two guys write L.A. crime stories better than anyone. In fact, no one writes better crime stories, no matter where they take place.
5. Historical Fiction: If you haven't read C.J.Sansom's four-part Matthew Shardlake series in the time of Henry VIII, or if you haven't read David Liss's series involving 17th century thief-taker Benjamin Weaver, you haven't walked the offal and excrement filled streets of 17th century London. You should try it.
6. Daniel Silva's fine art restorer/Mossad operative Gabriel Allon is by far the most intriguing character in modern spy novels.
7. In Bonfire of the Vanities, Tom Wolfe foretold the future. Years after 1987, life imitated his story about the ruin of Master of the Universe Sherman McCoy, the scams of Rev. Bacon, and the tragic life of ADA Kramer. I still laugh thinking about Brit ex-pat Peter Fallow's hangover. I've read it about ten times.
More later. Thanks. Mike
