March 2012......
10 books this month
Anna Funder –
Stasiland
James Ellroy
– Blood’s A Rover
Dave
Zeltserman – The Caretaker Of Lorne Field
Tony Black –
Truth Lies Bleeding
Nigel Marsh –
Fat, Forty And Fired
George
Pelecanos – The Cut
Joseph O’Neill
– This Is The Life
Kevin Booth –
Isiris Unveiled
Neil Cross –
Luther The Calling
Dominic Streatfeild
– Brainwash
I’ve read
and enjoyed most of Ellroy’s work over the years. To be honest, I’ve struggled
with most of his recent ones, reading more from a sense of duty or loyalty to
the genius that brought the unforgettable LA novels;
L.A. Quartet
- The Black Dahlia (1987)
- The Big Nowhere (1988)
- L.A. Confidential (1990)
- White
Jazz (1992
In my
opinion the last few books he’s written have been a vehicle just to show us all
how clever he is. I think I’ve enjoyed the ride, but I’m jumping off the Ellroy
wagon now.
I’ve read
all of Pelecanos’ output and I’ll stick with him, even though his last few
haven’t been overly fantastic. Still an ok’ish book from him generally tops a
lot of other writers.
Most of the
rest were ok. Forget the Isiris book, as it’s a banned racing book designed to
give punters an inside track on the devious bookmaker. Don’t think I’ll be
making a fortune after reading this.
Streatfeild’s
earlier Brainwash was a bit flat after last month’s History high.
Pick of the
month boiled down to Neil Cross’s Luther or Anna Funder’s digging into the
methods and madness of the former East German state’s secret police.
Despite my
love of Luther and the iconic Idris Elba’s portrayal of him.
Book of the
month is Stasiland
Blurb...........
In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell; shortly afterwards the
two Germanies reunited, and East Germany ceased to exist. In a country where
the headquarters of the secret police can become a museum literally overnight,
and one in 50 East Germans were informing on their countrymen and women, there
are a thousand stories just waiting to get out. Anna Funder tells extraordinary
tales from the underbelly of the former East Germany - she meets Miriam, who as
a 16-year-old might have started World War III, visits the man who painted the
line which became the Berlin Wall and gets drunk with the legendary "Mik
Jegger" of the East, once declared by the authorities to his face to
"no longer to exist". Written with wit and literary flair, Stasiland
provides a rivetting insight into life behind the wall.
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