A Bunch of Books, Part One

Voyage en Irlande avec un parapluie

Un beau petit livre qui se lit d’un trait, tout simple et donne le goût de partir en vacances.

The Russian Debutante’s Handbook

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The Russian Debutante’s Handbook

It gets a little long about three quarters of the way through but everything else is excellent. The story of a Russian emigre, Vladimir Girshkin who, after feeling lost in NY and getting in trouble with some dangerous people, decides to take a job with even more dangerous people in the Prague of the early nineties. We follow him while he tries to strike it rich, praying on the expats flooding the city. Funny and well spun.

Tyrannosaur Canyon

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Tyrannosaur Canyon

Preston’s exhilarating and absorbing science-based effort will thrill readers from the first page to the last. Michael Crichton wishes he could write half as well.—Library Journal

I’ve enjoyed every book by Douglas Preston and the ones he’s written with Lincoln Child, this one is no exception. If you’ve enjoyed some Crichtons or the science bits in CSI, Bones, etc. This is better.

Gary Benchley, Rock Star

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Gary Benchley, Rock Star

I’ve been reading Paul Ford’s Ftrain for years, the guy’s brilliant both in writing and in coding, he’s also funny as hell and so is Benchley. A great ride along a wannabe rock star who moves to NY, finds an apartmen, a girlfriend, starts a band, record a demo, goes on tour and…

Sure, there was snubbing. Two attempts at conversation failed, and Oliver laughed. But that was just as well, because I needed to get the juices flowing. The charm I have is not like a light switch, but more like a vintage tube amp. You turn it on and let it warm up, and then it sings like an angel. And so it was with Alyssa Illeander, the most pure expression of the feminine in the place, who listened as I told her of my plans, my goals, my life, and who laughed at my excellent jokes and repeatedly poked my shoulder… Then she said, a little drunk, maybe even drooling slightly—but still beautiful—“You love the Postal Service? I have to kiss you” And I gave a secret prayer of thanks to the god of indie rock, which is Lou Reed.