I’ve seen some of you mention My Brilliant Friend et. al. Apparently there is a mini-series or movie of it. HBO, premeirs Nov. 18.
There are two movies made about Capote and the book in cold blood, one is just called “capote” played by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, the other less known but imo better movie is called “infamous”, played by the great Toby Jones. Both are good movies.
John Grisham wrote a true crime non-fiction called “the innocent man”, which is very well written about gripping real life tragic story of a deeply flawed yet innocent men being put on the death row.
I just finished Rebecca Makkai’s “The Great Believers” and thought it was excellent. On the Long List for the National Book Awards.
I’m a fan of crime fiction and I read that Anthony Bourdain had written a number books in the crime fiction genre before he wrote Kitchen Confidential. I picked up one of those novels (Gone Bamboo) at the library. I was wildly disappointed. The book was repetitious with no real story line and the characters were one-dimensional. The dialogue consisted mostly of the F word. I wouldn’t read this book.
I just read The Fall of a Sparrow by Robert Hellenga. It’s an unusual book, full of classic references, including quotations in Ancient Greek, Mississippi blues, Italian cooking, Persian [sic] culture, Italian politics and justice, intellectual life and committed teaching, the feelings of parents and children… Very rich culturally and in texture, and these things are not there just as ornaments or cultural tourism but inform deeply felt, eternal human feelings. His writing is often brilliantly vivid and moving. The characters are individual. Part way through the events took a turn that caused me to put the book down for a few days, but I picked it up again, and ultimately he took me with him in a direction I didn’t expect.
It isn’t a spoiler to reveal that the protagonist, Woody, is a professor of Classics at a midwestern LAC, and that his eldest daughter was killed in the terrorist bombing of the Bologna train station in 1980. An example of what he does so brilliantly is a passage where Woody is driving across country to a memorial service at what would have been one of his D’s class reunions at Harvard. His feelings are in chaos, and he is overcome with vengefulness so that he imagines himself dragging the body of the young woman who planted the bomb behind his car just as Achilles drags behind his chariot the body of Hector, who killed his beloved Patroclus, around the walls of Troy. It’s visceral.
Just finished Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup, by John Carreyrou. Such a good book about the Theranos scandal. It’s non fiction that reads like a fictional thriller. While there is a fair amount of dry technical information, it also has all the other elements of a great suspense novel: hubris, avarice, manipulation, intimidation, bullying, race to beat the bad guys to press before their bully tactics scare off all of the prime witnesses, etc. If done well, the movie has the potential to be so entertaining and thought provoking.
@Nrdsb4
I can’t believe that Elizabeth Holmes is still not behind jail!
@makemesmart said:
Well, she was indicted on serious criminal charges in late July, along with her former lover and #2Henchman, Sunny Balwani. I remain skeptical that she will see serious jail time, but we shall see. No matter what the verdict is, she has the money, the privilege, and the connections to keep this case in court with appeals and delay tactics for years, I would imagine.
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@Nrdsb4
I heard she is trying to start a new startup.
I am pretty impressed with Murdoch for letting Carreyrou investigate and publish the reports/book when he himself invested in Theranos, even if his investment might be mere pocket changes.
Just finished The Son by Jo Nesbo. I loved it and immediately started listening again because I didn’t take in the beginning well enough. I plan to read the other Nesbo books.
@cartera45 I love Scandinavian mysteries and police procedurals. And Jo Nesbo is my favorite of the many authors I’m a fan of in that genre. I couldn’t put down the Harry Hole series once I got into them.
I have a new favorite book. My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry, by Fredrik Backman, is witty, imaginative, poignant, psychologically astute and - as a bonus - ties up the loose ends in wonderful ways. By the author of Beartown and A Man Called Ove, this is by far my favorite. His asides are very, very funny and the story is just wonderful.
I also like My Grandmother Asked…very, very clever and hard to put down.
Thanks to those who suggested the following: My Ex-Life, The Home for Unwanted Girls, Dear Committee Members, Philomena. So enjoyable!
When Breath Becomes Air… it’s simply, well, breathtaking. Truly one of the best books I’ve read in along time, and one I will definitely re-read. For anyone of you interested in medicine, philosophy, science and memoir – this one is highly recommended.
A little late to the party but I just fnished “A Gentleman in Moscow” which was such an awesome and amazing read, so beautifully crafted and detailed. Will now read his first book but first I have to detour and read the new J.K. Gailbratih (Aka J.K. Rowling) and still deep in the Maisie Dobbs series of books by Jacqueline Winspear as I just finished Book Seven in this series. So good… I am so glad that I picked up Book One.
@EllieMom Have you read any of the Arnaldur Indridason books–mysteries (he’s a police inspector) set in Iceland. The first book in the series is Jar City. I’ve really enjoyed this author.
I must be losing it in my old age. 
I thought I had recommended this about 200 pages back, but a search shows that I did not. Agree with the recommendation. I’ve read all of his books, and while I liked them all, this is my favorite novel of his.
On a related note, if anyone is interested in a quick read, I dare you to get through his novella, And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer without sobbing.
Edgar & Lucy by Victor Lodato. Well-written, it stays with you.
Heads up … just saw a review of Robert Gailbraith’s (J.K. Rowling) new Cormoran Strike book, either just out or about to be out. Title is “Lethal White.” Can’t wait.
Was published last week. I am reading and my older d already finished it. J.K said that she does plan another one after this one. She was interviewed as Gailbraith