Recent content by cgw

Just to answer the original post - I put Don Quixote in my top ten books (that I have read so far). Mostly on the strength of the first half.

Ruth Rendell - Wexford Colin Dexter - Morse Lovesey, Peter - Peter Diamond - I think a little weaker but I have read several anyway.

OK, here are a few: Lttle, Big by Crowley The Last Guardian of Everness/The Mist of Everness by Wright Roger Zelazny: Amber series Roger Zelazny: Creatures of Light and Darkness and if you can find them: Herbert: The God Makers Modesitt: Hammer of Darkness

Books I have enjoyed that are probably out of print: (all of these are fantasy) PC Hodgell: God Stalk Greg Frost: Lyrec Dave Smeds: The Sorcery Within Will Shetterly: Witch Blood Herbert: The God Makers (a non-Dune book) Modesitt: Hammer of Darkness Laura Resnick: In Legend Born (this...

If you like Robert Parker's Spenser: Raymond Chandler was a major influance on Parker: Writers that were influenced by Parker include: Harlan Coben’s Myron Bolitar Robert Crais’s Elvis Cole Dennis Lehane’s Patrick Kenzie (probably the best of the bunch) Janet Evanovich - Stephanie Plum...

I had one that was based on the TV show of the seventies. I still have Wells book on my shelf. And (unrelated) there is Invisible Man.

"I'd rather see shops just shelving books alphabetically by author" I totally disagree. If I am looking for a scifi book, I do not want to mess around with anything else. Likewise with mystery. If an author wants to transend a genre, there are ways they can. But I would say most do not want...

What literature award would you say is given to the best literature books? For example I get the feeling that the Pulizer fiction award is a little reactive to public or media opinion even though some very good books have received the award. But I am not really a good judge of that. I ask so I...

I have just read The Lady in the Lake by Chandler (the first book by him I have read). It only took one page for me to realize that he was more than a passing influence on Robert Parker. It does not make me think any less of Parker but gives me a whole set of books to put on my to-read list.

I actually have read a book of short stories of mysteries that had someting to do with food. There may have even been recipies. One was by Christie. I do not have it handy or I would give you the title.

As far as I can tell, English care little when their relatives get killed. They have a very class oriented society: Is it true that only nobility have a type A personality? Could it be that the entire middle class is bogged down in a humdrum life or is actively cheating on their spose? And...

Robert Parker A. Conan Doyle Agatha Christie Ruth Rendell Colin Dexter Earle Stanley Gardner A nice mix.

I agree with KristoCat. I came to the same conclusion after less than 100 pages and bailed out because I thought the book was pretty poor.

If everyone who said they prefer the small independent actually bought books at the small independent, those small independents would still be open. In my (mid size) city, the small independent book stores are almost history. The small independent hardware, grocery, etc. are not far behind. Even...

Thats a popularity poll - actually for "the nation's best loved novel". Not exactly what I meant. I'm a fantasy reader and it (LOTR) is in my top ten of fantasy books. On the other hand I would not call it a great literature novel. (I guess it would come down to exactly what I mean by...