JEFF

RECENTLY READ: City of Thieves by David Benioff

I can’t remember the last book I stayed up till 2 in the morning to finish. Amanda Peet’s husband weaves a playful, gripping tale about two young men from besieged Stalingrad in search of eggs. So much lurking beneath the surface, and an ending sequence that barrels forward as if Benioff wrote screenplays (he does).

RECENTLY READ - The Last Picture Show by Larry McMurtry

This book is like a Springsteen song set in Texas - all the teens are trying to get out of their small town in any way possible. An very fun read - makes me excited that McMurtry visits these characters again in Texasville, Duane’s Depressed, and his most recent, Rhino Ranch.

RECENTLY READ - Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

Take it from a chef who got into the kitchen because of the abundance of cocaine and women - restaurant life is wild. I was pleasantly surprised at what a great writer Bourdain is. If you have seen his show, it will feel like he dictated the thing in his nervy, hyperbolic style. Not so much a book as a collection of essays, Bourdain pulls the curtain back on what really goes on behind the line. A fun read, my first on the Kindle.

RECENTLY READ - Peace Like a River by Leif Enger

Hands down the best book I have read all year. Enger’s writing reminds me of another favorite, David James Duncan. He spins a riveting story around characters that are full of flaws and full of life, and leads them on a journey that seeks to expose the bonds of family and faith itself. Can’t say enough good things about this one, so I will stop trying. Read it.

RECENTLY READ - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

I saw this on the counter at my in-laws’ house and started turning the first few pages. A few hours later, I was done. This book managed to keep me entertained despite the clunky way that Scandinavian languages translate, Larsson’s horrible understanding of technology, cliched and absolutely unbelievable plot twists, and a terribly weak ending to segue into the next book. I suppose that qualifies as a success.

RECENTLY READ - Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson

I have always thought that Scandinavian languages translate a bit awkwardly, but this translation of Per Petterson’s work makes the language shimmer. The story of a man trying to unravel his father’s identity through memory is a compelling study on why we remember what we do, especially as children. An excellent read, and absolutely worthy of the praise it has received.

RECENTLY READ - Dirty Work by Larry Brown

I am almost out of Larry Brown books to read, and they just keep getting better. I am going to have to re-read Big Bad Love to see if it holds at the end of this.

Dirty Work is basically a transcription of a conversation between two horrifically wounded Vietnam vets one night in a VA hospital. They talk about their lives, the war, the women they have been with, and why God does certain things to people. I laughed out loud several times at their jokes and was absolutely stunned by the shocking conclusion. This is one of those books that takes a while to process.

Pat Conroy was dead on when he said “Larry Brown writes like a force of nature.”

RECENTLY READ - A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe

I tried to ignore the seething criticism that it seems most of the literary community has for Tom Wolfe, calling his style “elevated journalism” rather than true novel writing. I think ignoring this made me really enjoy this book.

I grew up in Atlanta and found that Charlie Croker is the combination of several Southern business men I knew. Also, I couldn’t help but think of T. Boone Pickens the entire time. Very enjoyable read, and interesting character studies on both ends of the economic spectrum.

RECENTLY READ - Divisadero by Michael Ondaatje

Ondaatje’s latest deals with memory, and how we can alter our own. Fascinating story of a blended California family dealing with a sudden act of violence, then veers off into a slighty disjointed, less fascinating story about a French writer. Still, Ondaatje manages to draw enough parallels to make the stories make sense, even if they are a little uneven.

RECENTLY READ - Mansion on the Hill: Dylan, Young, Geffen, Springsteen, and the Head-on Collision of Rock and Commerce by Fred Goodman

Interesting read, really highlights what is lacking in today’s music industry - artist development. All the legendary A&R men understood that it took time for artists to come into their own. Nowadays, they don’t seem to have the money or patience to let that happen. Also learned: Never do business with David Geffen, you’re probably on the short end of the deal.

RECENTLY READ - Conversations with Tom Petty

After a two week reading break, I blazed through this. Very entertaining; the thing that struck me most was how happy Tom Petty is. No morose, brooding rock star about him. He loves his life and it shows in his music. Also, he might be one of the few people to go to L.A. and demand a record deal (and get one on his first day). Though the Heartbreakers weren’t mentioned in Gladwell’s latest, they definitely hit the 10,000 hours of practice mark before they hit it big.

RECENTLY READ - Father and Son by Larry Brown

Another great read from the Mississippi literary master. This one was more of a page turner, and reading it felt like speeding towards a car wreck that I knew was going to happen.

Recently Read - Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

An entertaining read - not really that climactic of a conclusion. Much ado was made about Jonathan Safran Foer’s modernist touches - pictures, one word per page, spacing differences, but the book stayed strong in spite of that. I tend to like books written from the perspective of younger people - e.g. Vernon God Little, Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, etc.

RECENTLY READ: Big Bad Love by Larry Brown

My friend Craig turned me on to Larry Brown, who quickly became one of the best Southern writers I have ever read. I blazed through this collection of short stories, each one showing people who live way off the beaten path. This reminds me of my childhood, though I didn’t know anyone as crazy as these folks. Brown pulls some hilarious and stark stories out of a few twisted characters.

Not recommended: the movie adaptation starring Debra Winger.

RECENTLY READ: Fay by Larry Brown

This may have been the quickest read of my life. 400 some-odd pages in 3 nights, and it was all I could do not to read during the day. Larry Brown held my attention not through real suspense, but by developing my personal interest in down-trodden, depraved characters and their well being. I’ve said it before - one of the best Southern writers I have read.