Book Lover
I love to read. I have read a lot of autobiographies. I also like thrillers and mystery novels, but I am also always up for trying new authors and genres. I particularly like reading while on planes and in hotel rooms.
In a former professional life, I ran the Newspaper in Education program for a local newspaper. I had the opportunity to talk to many students who were avid readers. In the age of PCs, iPods, etc., it is awesome to hear that youngsters find as much enjoyment out of curling up with a great book as I do.
I just finished reading Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz. The book is part mystery, part humor. It is a light-hearted suspense novel, but the real pleasure is the wisecracking of virtually all the characters. It is the third in the Spellman series, and I am looking forward to the next, The Spellmans Strike Again, due out in March 2010.
I am also looking forward to reading A Deadly Silver Sea by Bob Morris. This is also the fourth book in a series. Zach Chasteen is a football player turned private investigator. Chasteen is humorous and very human, unlike many larger-than-life fictional P.I.s.
I recommend anything by Mick Foley. Whenever I say this, most people groan. However, whenever people have actually taken my recommendation and read any of his books, they have come away pleasantly surprised. His non-fiction books are unique because he actually writes them by himself. His two novels, Tietam Brown and Scooter, are unlike any books I have ever read.
Other authors I like are Andrew Gross, Michael Ledwidge and Tim Downs. Gross and Ledwidge have collaborated with James Patterson and have done solo efforts. Downs has a series surrounding a forensic entomologist (aka the Bug Man), who helps investigate crimes.
Of course, every month I wait for my copy of GT to arrive. After devouring it cover to cover, I crack open a new book and begin a new voyage. Often times the book is so good, I really don’t want to see it end. At least I know there is another waiting for me though. There are always more books.
– John Wroblewski, distribution specialist
November 11th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
I find Patterson enjoyable, but a bit predictable. I am a big fan of J.A. Konrath. I always carry a couple books on every trip I take.
November 11th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
A good book on a plane makes the trip go so much better. Of course, even a bad book will help if you have a talkative seatmate. I am a history buff and tend towards nonfiction works about the various wars.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
I generally like to stick with the popular authors like King and Patterson and Grisham. I always find I get disappointed with others. Maybe I just need to skip their first few attempts until they find their stride in writing stories.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
That’s funny that you mentioned Lisa Lutz. My wife has been trying to get me to read that Spellman series for a while now. I just started the first one and I admit that I am enjoying it immensely. It isn’t my usual read, which is westerns, but it is entertaining.
I always bring a book on business trips. I prefer reading to tv watching in the hotel room.
November 11th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
I don’t really like series because they usually start becoming either redundant or ridiculous. Actually, that is why I usually read non-fiction.
Since I do a lot of cross country flying, I can usually read a couple books on my business trips. Most business trips end up being routine, so at least I feel like I accomplished something along the way.
November 11th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
I can’t say I’m a huge fan of mysteries or thrillers, but I’ll rarely pass up an interesting-looking
biography or autobiography. I actually bought two autobiographies and a biography last night.
One of the ones I picked-up was Stop Time by Frank Conroy. I’ve only barely begun it, but it has
a lot of promise so far - I’ll let you know if it’s worth it.
The biggest threat to my bank account, though, would have to be the music section in bookstores.
I don’t mean the CDs, but the (unfortunately, usually small) group of shelves where the books about
different genres, bands, and musicians are housed. If only the things I’ve learned from those tomes
stood even the tiniest chance of being useful in life.
November 11th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
I prefer autobio’s, but my problem is too many of them are either so ghost-written or seemingly just done for controversy. I have read Mick Foley’s book and they are the real deal, because he wrote them himself, on a typewriter! I also hate when 25 year olds come out with their life story.
As for other authors, I’ll take Grisham anyday.
November 11th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
I just discovered Tim Downs. His character of Nick, the Bug Man, is awesome. He is somewhat stereotypical, but he has layers. This series has great potential.
I love reading on airplanes. I guess I am a loner, because I don’t like talking to anyone on board. Burrying my nose in a book is a great way to avoid chatting.
November 11th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Wow, thanks for mentioning NIE . It is such an underappreciated program. It can be a great asset to the community and to the paper.
My local paper is always doing wonderful things with the students. It isn’t just lip service either. Businesses support it, kids enjoy it and I am sure it helps with the circulation, too.
November 11th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
I saw NIE do wonderful things with some learning impaired students in my community The newspaper, businesses and high school students all do their part to make this a wonderful experience for the less fortunate kids.
I wish the program could be expanded and get more financial support. The benefits for all are so important.
About reading on trips, I, too, use a good book to unwind after a long day of business. Tv just doesn’t relax me like a good book. I don’t like to read much on planes, but after dinner, in my hotel room, I will read for an hour ro so and then I am ready to just konk out for the night.
November 11th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
I never paid attention to the NIE stuff in my paper, until I saw my nephew working on an NIE project. He had such enthusiasm when I talked to him about it. It was neat to see him get to excited about learning.
November 12th, 2009 at 10:20 am
For our big company meeting in Toronto, a few of us always read the same book. We take turns picking it out. Then at night, instead of whining about the meetings, we discuss the book. Our days of heavy drinking and bar-hopping are over and this gives us a nice common ground.
Last year we read one of the books from the Woman’s Murder Club by Patterson. It was good, but I did feel a bit in midstream, having not read the previous ones.
My favorite novels involve the supernatural.
November 12th, 2009 at 11:27 am
Give me a Harlequin Romance any time. Just joking.
I love a good sci-fi novel. The farther away from reality, the better.
I usually bring a book on trips, but end up doing too much paperwork to enjoy the book. At least, I get to do some reading on the plane.
November 12th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Dick Francis and Robert B. Parker are my choices for good mystery writers. But my business trips are too busy to allow me the luxury of reading. Even on the plane, I am either preparing for the meetings or preparing reports about the meetings.
November 12th, 2009 at 11:59 am
I’ve got to have a book with me whenever I fly to help while away time in the airport as well as on the plane. If I’m flying out of PDX and don’t already have a book with me, I know I can pop in to Powell’s Books in the airport and find some interesting choices. As I wrote in my “Books on Wheels” blog last year, my husband and I always have a book along on long road trips to help keep the driver awake and help pass the time (I read, he drives). We’re currently reading Dan Brown’s new book “The Lost Symbol,” but we’re always looking for the next read. Both the Spellman series and the Zach Chasteen series sound like they’d be appealing to both of us. Thanks for the suggestions!
November 12th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Time for a book? Oh I wish. With meetings, lunches, dinners, drinks, I barely get 6 hours of sleep. I like to read on my own time. I have never heard of Lutz or Downs, but I might give them a try. Do you offer money back promises?
November 12th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
I always carry a book whether on business or pleasure. Why not? It takes little space and can come in so handy. I fly from LA to NY about 3x a month and the book always helps make that trip seem quicker.
I didn’t like the first Spellman book as I read it, but after I kept thinking about it. I reread it when I saw the next one out and I enjoyed it much more. I read the second and really liked it..
November 13th, 2009 at 8:20 am
My son suggested Mick Foley’s novels to me. I was hesitant because of his wrestling background. The books were very good. He is a talented writer, however I feel he needed a better editor. The story sometimes got a bit lost in the process. Still, I look forward to more of his efforts.
Count me in on the read on the plane club. I admit I don’t like talking much to people around me and a book gives me a great and polite excuse not to talk.