One of the best books I've read in the last 6 months is . .

I’ve just finished a non-fiction book entitled, “Boys adrift, The five factors driving the growing epidemic of unmotivated boys and underachieving young men.” Very interesting book that talks about a myriad of things that resonated with me including how kindergarten is like first grade and why young boys aren’t ready for that, video games vs. real life experiences, single sex education and medicating boys for ADD and ADHD. I would recommend this to any parent that has a boy.

For anyone who likes mysteries, I’ve been reading Benjamin Black’s “Christine Falls.” Pen name for Booker prize winner Jonathan Banville. Beautifully written, set in the 1950s in Dublin and Boston, with sibling rivalry, lost loves, orphanages, and nuns! Very engrossing.
And an alert – the new Tess Monaghan by Laura Lippman is due at the end of the month! If you haven’t read Lippman, do so immediately. (LOL)

For the Middlesex fans, Eugenides has a new book of short love stories, “My Mistresses Sparrow is Dead”

His video Suicide Virgins is quite good.

Cannery Row, Steinbeck

I recommend Walter Mosley’s mystery trilogy *Fearless Jones<a href=“2001”>/i</a>, *Fear Itself<a href=“2003”>/i</a>, and *Fear of the Dark<a href=“2006”>/i</a>. I have just finished reading all three. They are terrific.

Brief backstory: Like many Americans of his generation, young native rural Louisianan Paris Minton moves to post-WWII California to seek his fortune. Reading is Paris’ passion, so he uses his hard-earned money to open a used books store in South Central Los Angeles. Mild-mannered Paris contentedly spends his days collecting used books, reading books, and discussing books with his customers. His peaceful life is invariably disturbed when Trouble–in the form of a stranger, friend, or relative who doesn’t intend to impose but ends up doing so–knocks on Paris’ door requesting a small favor. The small favor quickly mushrooms into a life-threatening obligation, requiring Paris to call upon his best friend, WWII veteran Tristan “Fearless” Jones, for help. Together, brainy Paris and brawny Fearless dodge killers, chase clues, and seek justice, South Central-style.

Each of these novels is a humorous and suspenseful read, with fast-paced day-by-day action, snappy dialogue, believable plot twists, and a supporting cast of memorable oddballs. The first book of the trilogy is somewhat less light-hearted than its sequels, but all three books provide can’t-put-it-down, page-turning pleasure.

I recommend that you have all three books on hand, and read them in sequence, one right after the other. I also recommend that you keep a detailed Los Angeles street map handy, because Mosley refers to real locations. As you travel the streets of 1950s South Central with Paris and Fearless, you’ll get to know and appreciate the neighborhood, and you’ll feel at home there.

I discovered Walter Mosley several years ago. I’m a fan. I’ve read most of his books, and I plan to read them all. I recommend anything (both fiction and nonfiction) by Mosley to everyone who enjoys well-written books. If you like well-written mysteries, then Mosley’s mysteries are for you. (If you like Raymond Chandler, then I’m 99% sure that you’ll also like Walter Mosley.)

One more thing: The Fearless books were written to entertain, but Mosley uses them to communicate an important message: Reading is cool. Through Paris, Mosley recommends dozens of classics. Young, inexperienced, and/or unenthusiastic readers who seek out the Fearless books just because they are by Mosley, or just because they are mysteries, are subtly persuaded to explore classic works by Camus, Plato, Shakespeare, Tolstoy, and other esteemed authors for the first time, because, “If Paris Minton reads them, they must be good.”

Read and enjoy!

I’ve also read and enjoyed some of Walter Mosley’s books over the years. I started with the first Easy Rawlins mystery, Devil in a Blue Dress, and went on from there.

I agree with virtually everything said in the last (very thoughtful) post about Mosley’s work. At least from the books of his that I’ve read, I’d say that he’s not as strong on plot as some of his fellow mystery writers. But he’s terrific with character, period, and setting. And when you’re reading one of his books, you’re hearing a very distinctive, very lively voice. His books breathe.

A few odds and ends:

–Some folks may recall the Denzel Washington movie made from his first book. (I haven’t seen it.)

–His career got a huge boost in the early 90’s when then President Clinton (famously characterized as our "first black President’) called him one of his favorite writers.

–On a side note, I happened to get to know him a bit back in the early 70s, when both of us were young. He was a very good friend of a college friend of mine - they’d gone to school together in Los Angeles. Did he seem destined for greatness then? Nah.

A quick p.s. re Walter Mosley:

One of the recurring problems with Hollywood adaptations is that the characters you’ve come to know so well in the novel “go Hollywood” on-screen, becoming virtually unrecognizable in the process. I’ve got a lot of respect for Denzel Washington as an actor - but there’s no way that Easy Rawlins, as depicted in this novel, would have been anywhere near that handsome.

The same sort of beautification took place in Pride and Prejudice. In the novel, Elizabeth Bennet is no great beauty; she’s winning in all kinds of other ways (wit, insight [except when it comes to her own feelings], etc.). So who winds up playing her on-screen: why, of course, the stunning Keira Knightley!

The Paradox of Choice:Why More is Less by Barry Schwartz

What a great thread this is. I agree with the posters who have recommended A Thousand Splendid Suns and Water for Elephants.

The best book I have read recently was Run by Ann Patchett. I didn’t particularly like Patchett’s Bel Canto but I really loved Run and I highly recommend it.

Thank you for all of the great recommendations! Between my library web site and half.com, I’ll be ordering Kill Me by Stephen White and What Is the What by Dave Eggers and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot D

To epistrophy:

Thank you for your comments regarding my post recommending Walter Mosley’s Fearless Jones trilogy. It pleases me to learn that others are familiar with and appreciate Mosley’s work.

You’ve known Walter Mosley!

You made a good point about novels “going Hollywood,” and being altered in the process. A writer must have a rock-solid ego and strong artistic boundaries (a novel and a film are different creative works) to be comfortable with a novel’s film adaptation, especially when the film’s lead actors do not conform to the writer’s (and readers’) vision of the novel’s characters. The Biz often requires bankable stars, which has literary advantages. People motivated to see a film because they like the lead actors, sometimes decide to read the book on which the film is based. Then, they might read other books by that author, and then, similar books by other authors. From there, they might branch out to read dissimilar books by still other authors. Moviegoers have the potential to become avid readers through this step-by-step process.

I agree with you about Denzel Washington; he’s too handsome to be Easy Rawlins. In fact, he’s almost too handsome to be human!

Midwest – I just finished Bel Canto and loved it! I had picked it up without knowing much about it. The only thing I’d read by Patchett was Truth & Beauty, which is completely different – non-fiction about her friendhship w/ Lucy Grealy. Anyway, I thought Bel Canto would be great for a Book Club discussion. Plus, it’s well written. At any rate, I’ll add Run to my list.

“Bridge of Sighs” by Richard Russo
“The Monsters of Templeton”
upcoming: New Alice Hoffman book “Three Angels”

I thought “Bel Canto” was waaaaaay better than “Run”.

“Falling Man” by Don Delillo
“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”

I have a list going back to 2004 - pm me if you want a copy. I am an avid reader.

Just finished “Pillars of the Earth” and “World Without End” in quick (relatively) succession. Thought “Pillars of the Earth” was much better.

Now reading an oldie, but a goodie, “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” by Betty Smith. I somehow never managed to read this wonderful classic before now.

I read “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” when I was visiting some friends that lived in Brooklyn Heights, NY many moons ago when I was in my early 20’s.

What a gem of a book!!

I recently picked up I Feel Bad About My Neck. Purely a fluff piece, but very funny! Lots of laugh out loud moments.

I also like Nora Ephron’s books, haven’t read the neck one yet.

My all time favorite this decade is “Running with Walker” by Robert Hughes. It is a memoir about a Chicago family with two sons, one has autism. Doesn’t sound like something you would run out to buy? Me either, I stumbled on to it and remembered a glowing review in the Trib. It is so funny and so well written.

Have any of you read it?

Two novels that focus on assimilation and Americans relating to immigrants; Anne Tyler’s"Digging to America" and Valerie Martin’s "Trespass. " Both good.
elizabeth – monsters of templeton is on my list! I thought “Run” was a little unfocused, but I haven’t read any other Ann Patchett so I have nothing to compare it to.
Arin Kyle’s “God of Animals” is a beautifully written coming of age story that looks at issues of class in America, but not for the faint of heart (or stomach) – some graphic scenes of a horrific accident and some bad treatment of the horses on a struggling horse farm.

I have recently read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close… and I really did like it…

I have also fallen into a Jane Austen black hole recently…started when I caught the 1995 Pride & Prejudice BBC show on Masterpiece Theatre recently. They have been running all of her books as shows…I missed the first ones…started with Pride & Prejudice and have since seen Emma and part 1 of Sense and Sensibility.

However, after watching the P&P show, I bought the annotated book… and LOVED it…left side is the story…right side are the comments, footnotes. It is like having a Book Group IN YOUR HANDS.

I have downloaded the audio version to my iPod…and I have bought the other books to read too…reading S&S now…not sure which one I will do next.

I also read the Austen chapters in Reading Lolita in Tehran… and found it to be very, very moving. Contrasting Austen’s view of the life of a woman vs women today in Iran is riveting.

I have read 101 things you don’t know about Jane Austen… totally enjoying the info on her life…
and have also rented and watched Becoming Jane … and the Jane Austen Book Club DVD’s…

obsessed? yes… I am fascinated by her language and the timeline of Jane’s writing intersecting with John Adams as our 2nd president and all that was going on around then has totally captured me. I am so amazed at the stories she wove and how they still resonate today… has anyone else had a similiar free fall???

cottonwood513, I’d skip the Nora Ephron book, or spend a half hour in a book store with it.

I haven’t read Running With Walker, but if you are interested in autism, there are a group of books written years ago by Barry Kauffman about autism. I think the first one is Sonrise. This was before autism was an epidemic. They cured their son and adopted a bunch more and ran an institute (Option Institute) that may still exist, that treated autism. He also has a very good book, Happiness is a Choice.

Maineparent, I also just finished the annotated book of Pride and prejudice. I wasn’t sure about it at first but I loved it! I have just finished reading The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney. It’s a mystery set in the north of Canada- I really enjoyed it. Now, I’m reading Ireland by Frank Delaney. It’s an enjoyable book so far. It gives you Irish history in a story setting- it brings the people to life. So many good books to read…

I finished a great book on an alternative approach to parenting/schooling: “Punished by Rewards: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A’s, Praise, and Other Bribes” by Alfie Kohn. Great; really inspiring. It’s very academic (excellent end notes) and substantive.

I laughed reading Nora Ephron’s “I Feel Bad About…” book a few years back.

Onward–I’m supposed to be reading Mansfield Park for my Jane Austen book club but just can’t get into it. I can certainly appreciate her skills, but I just don’t seem to feel like spending hours listening to the same characters dancing on the head of a pin in a cloistered English-country environment (I think I’m one of the few that don’t love her). I’d rather read an academic text on learning, which says something about the lack of Jane-appeal.

Mansfield Park isn’t Jane Austen’s best. Even those who love her don’t necessarily love Mansfield Park.