Monthly Archives: November 2011

Michael Connelly, “The Reversal”

Michael Connelly sells a lot of books, and since I’m always on the lookout for escape reading, I bought a used copy of The Reversal in an airport last week. I will say that it got me through the 5 … Continue reading

Posted in best seller, thriller | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Anita Brookner, “Hotel du Lac”

The 1984 winner of the Booker Prize — back when we in the U.S. were just starting to pay attention to the Booker Prize — was a short quiet novel about an English spinster, called Hotel du Lac. The author, … Continue reading

Posted in anglophilia, contemporary fiction | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Elizabeth Bowen, “The Last September”

With books as with people, sometimes it’s hard to assess incompatibility: is it me, or is it him? I had respectful (if not exactly fond) memories of Elizabeth Bowen’s The Last September. I know her work is highly prized in … Continue reading

Posted in anglophilia, classic, literary fiction | Tagged | 1 Comment

Tana French, “The Likeness”

Let’s start by thinking about glamor. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (with the magnifying glass, yes), the word doesn’t enter English until late in the 18th century, when it basically means a spell. The contemporary definition offered by the … Continue reading

Posted in mystery | Tagged | 4 Comments

Nathaniel Philbrick, “Why Read Moby-Dick?”

“There are no tricks — there is only enthusiasm.” That, according to my admittedly flawed memory, is legendary femme fatale Pamela Harriman’s explanation of how she managed to ensnare so many powerful men in her lifetime. My husband takes this … Continue reading

Posted in classic, nonfiction, scholarly | Tagged , | 9 Comments

John Le Carre, “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”

Yes, I’m getting ready for the December release of the film, which stars Brit film giants like Gary Oldman, Colin Firth and (be still my heart) Ciaràn Hinds. But that was really just an excuse. I suspect John Le Carré … Continue reading

Posted in anglophilia, thriller | Tagged | 8 Comments