This week I will be mainly reading (Alliance book club)

[will-c]

I know what you mean about buying books you have already read, I bought a few Skudder books which I just went on and read again because I was so excited at finding them.

I think, I got the Connelly book for six pound cheaper than the rrp. I dont normally like buying hard backs they give me pins and needles, when I have been holding them up for too long.

I Finished 'The Third Victim' last night. I think it left me with more questions than answers and I also found the concluding chapter to be fraught with anomilies which didnt add up. I do get annoyed when reading a good book that falls on its face at the end...

I paid out £12.00 for a book I have had three times and lost or left behind, D.W.Winicott Home is where we start, its the only book thats ever shed light on my years in approved schools...

[alli]

I have just finished reading Russell Brand's book - at first I didn't really think much of it - a bit self-absorbed, a bit boring about the early years - but it gets funnier - there really are some laugh out loud moments - I think I really started enjoying it when he started talking about his addictions, partic. heroin, anyway, worth a read.  Before that was a the series of crime fiction novels by fred vargas - it's great when you find an author you really like and realise there are lot's more good books to read.  I'm starting 'the woman in the fifth' by Douglas Kennedy - havn't read any of his previous books, hope its good though so I can start on the others after. alli x

[mcdermott]

My daughter bought me the Russell Brand book for Xmas and I haven't opened it yet, but I saw a review on another forum that I read that said the same things that you said, alli. I've always liked the guy -- even though he's kind of patchy when it comes to being funny.

I've just been browsing Amazon, and noticed a couple of things that I'm going to have to buy -- I didn't yet, because I'd just bought two books that haven't arrived yet, I've got two new ones untouched and I'm currently in the middle of two -- but these are on my wish list for my next purchases.

I don't know if people have read Richard 'Clockers' Price. It's rare for him to write one that sucks, and he's been at it a long time. His latest, Lush Life, has just been released, and while the reviews on Amazon look a bit patchy, I suppose I'll have a go at it.

Secondly, I've been waiting for years for a new Dennis Lehane. I've mentioned him in the past, but the only thing he's done in several years was a weakish collection of short stories. Well, his latest looks like a break with the crime genre -- after a fashion -- and is a historical novel about a cop, baseball, and other stuff. The reviews on Amazon make it look like a must-read, so I expect this one is going to be my next purchase in the fiction department.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Given-Day-Dennis-Lehane/dp/0385615345/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_cart_1

Stuff I just ordered is:
Where the money is: True tales from the bank robbery capital of the world
Don't think of an elephant: Know your values and frame the debate

The latter sounds particularly interesting to those of us who are engaged in debates over drug policy. Details of that one here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dont-Think-Elephant-Values-Debate/dp/1931498717/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1225425238&sr=8-1

[mcdermott]

OK, currently half way through Richard Price's Lush Life. If you like police procedurals, crime fiction or stories about NYC, this one rocks.

Definitely two thumbs up.

[Mark Gilman]

Peter put me on to George Pelecanos - fantastic. The main character Strange is Obamaish. Lawrence Block's Scudder is my absoloute favourite and my top tip to anyone who is the enviable position of not having read any of the Scudder novels (and I am SO jealous of y'all) is start with the first one Sins of the Fathers and read them in the order he wrote them. You get a real feel for all the characters and about 5 books in they're like family

[mcdermott]

But you put me onto Richard Price by recommending Clockers when that first came out.

[alli]

I have just read Dennis Lehane - shutter island - which was a pretty good read - I got a bit pissed off at the end though - don't want to spoil it for anyone else by saying why.  I'll give his other books a try too I think - just hope its not a bit of a theme - the ending bit!  I think you mentioned him McD.  I think I will give the scudder books a try - they sound good, got a few more to read 1st though.  I've got a couple of Elmore Leonard's and a Jonathan Lethem - I think you mentioned those authors too McD, well I know you did EL, can't remember about JL.  I noticed when I went to the library that it was all L's that I had on my list to try - so they were all on the one shelf, - a lot on my list my library didn't stock though - but I've got enough on my list before I start thinking of buying.  I've started Elmore Leonard 'Be Cool' - which was made into a film with (shit, can't remember their names), anyway, havn't seen the film - 1st few pages not brill - but can't go on them. alli x

[will-c]

thats a bummer about shutter island as I bought it a few weeks ago in a charity shop and have been fancying ot for my next read...

[mcdermott]

Yeah, Shutter Island isn't Lehane's best. It's not bad, but the earlier stuff is a lot better. I think, like many crime writers, they have a whole bunch of ideas which they've been storing up, but after they knock out the first four or five, they start drying up a bit.

Lehane's real treasures are the Kenzie-Gennaro books, his first five:

* A Drink Before the War (1994)
* Darkness, Take My Hand (1996)
* Sacred (1997)
* Gone, Baby, Gone (1998)
* Prayers for Rain (1999)

Beryl was recently recommending John Connolly. Connolly reckons Lehane as one of the two best US crime novelists under 40 in this interview with him.

It was me recommending Elmore Leonard and Lethem as well. I think Leonard is a bit of a 'man's writer', so women might not be as enthusiastic about him as we are. Pretty sure that 'Be Cool' is the sequel to 'Get Shorty', which was made into a movie with John Travolta,  Gene Hackman and Danny DeVito. That book might be better if you've read Get Shorty first.

Which of the Lethem's are you reading? I've read two, Motherless Brooklyn, which I thought was a bit gimmicky, and Fortress of Solitude, which I thought was awesome. 

[alli]

I will try lehan's other books - I like his style of writing.  Thanks for the tip about 'be cool', - i'll get the other book and read it first then.  And the lethem book I have is Fortress of Solitude - which has great write-ups, - massive book innit?  You might be right about Elmore Leonard being a man's writer - I think it was the way he was talking about women in the first few pages of 'be cool' that was pissing me off, but I'll give his other book a try before I write him off completely. alli x

[mcdermott]

Yeah, Fortress of Solitude feels more like two books. The first half is his life as a child, and that was the bit that I liked the best. The second half is his adult life, and I didn't like the protagonist as much in the second half, but the story is still pretty good.

The thing that I love about Elmore Leonard is his ability to move a story along without getting all bogged down in extraneous detail like description and back story and what have you. They're almost pure dialogue, and he's great at conveying character through a couple of broad strokes and his reliance on character.

Yeah, Be Cool is definitely the sequel to Get Shorty, and so you should definitely read Get Shorty first. I thought Get Shorty was a great book -- it's basically the story of a blagger -- a minor gangster who finds himself in contact with some people who are peripherally involved in the film industry, and who basically blags and connives his way into the game. The second book would be kind of hard without having read the first because it wouldn't make any sense as to how this gangster type is now a screenwriter/director/producer/whatever.

Leonard's books tend to take these misfits and social outcasts of one sort or another, and have them come up with outlandish farcial plots and schemes. Some of them have really strong women characters in -- Rum Punch is a great example, I think. Tarantino made it into a movie with Samuel L Jackson called Jackie Brown in which Pam Grier plays the lead character -- but he's a really old men, so he tends to write women as either goddesses or sluts. They're often smarter than the men in the books, but they aren't usually very realistic.

[will-c]

I just bought another D Lehane book from the charity shop, prayers for rain. I did want to buy a few others but my girl has put a restriction on how many books I bring into the flat before i get some of my recent buys read...
I am loving the new connelly book, its got such a good mixture of all the main charcters from many of his past books apart from mcaleb from bloodwork who was killed by the poet. Shame I liked mcaleb...

[Sammy]

Hi everyone,since i retired i am able to indulge myself in reading instead of cases,court reports etc.[former social worker]I like to read books with a drugs theme[i wonder why]Reefer Man by Tony Thompson who wrote Gangs.The book is about the exploits of major league marijuana smugglersBrian Daniels,Michael Forwell et al and a Canadian smuggler Brian O'Dea[who has written his own autobiography] trafficing dope into the States from Mexico then Thailand.It is a gripping reed and you know instinctively who the bad guys are and their obsession in bringing this operation to a close.The DEA stumbled upon the scam and on several occasions the good guys outwitted them,once even bringing a ton of weed in under their noses.Unfortunatelly.the War on Drugs has allowed the DEA and its sister organisations unlimited fund and an ability to move the goalposts.A good website for those interested by the way is www.drcnet.org who have an interesting news letter.Another good book is Drug lord by terrence E. Popper about the real life adventures of Pablo Acosta,Amado Carrilla Fuentes et al Mexican trafficars and their bloodthirsty rise to power.The thing i learnt was how big a producer of opium Mexico is and smuggling smack since the 1930's over the Rio Grande.Escape by David McMillan is another gripping read about the authors escape from the notorios Klong Prem prison in Bangkok.The de-humanising conditions in the prison are grim reading,but to the Western Drug Agencies based in Bangkok they serve as a grim warning to anyone brave enough[or foolhardy]to attempt to smuggle Thai White,the best smack there is .As a digression during the 1970's,1980's the streets in UK were swamped with Thai Heroin and Chinese'elephant'smack[from the elephant stamp on a kilo brick].Sadly no more.Todays users have to put up with a concoction that is so unlike heroin its like some other 'drug',too weak to pin one out or to nod .Users today look at one unbelieving when you try and describe the impact of a pure gear.

[mcdermott]

As a digression during the 1970's,1980's the streets in UK were swamped with Thai Heroin and Chinese'elephant'smack[from the elephant stamp on a kilo brick].Sadly no more.Todays users have to put up with a concoction that is so unlike heroin its like some other 'drug',too weak to pin one out or to nod .Users today look at one unbelieving when you try and describe the impact of a pure gear.

I remember the old 'Chinese Heroin' days -- both the rock type, and the white powder type. During the 70's, this was the only imported heroin available in Liverpool, and supplies were sporadic. I remember the price going up to £20 a gram for the imported stuff, when we'd only been paying £10 - £12 a gram for pharmaceutical. London prices at that time were £5 a grain, but we were still paying £1 a grain. As well as Elephant Brand, you'd also get Rice Brand on the Kilo Brick. I think it all came from 'White Powder Ma', the leader of the Burmese warlords, who had supported the USA in the Vietnam war and so was given something of a free pass for a very long time. Not to mention that he pretty well owned the Burmese Generals who controlled that country.

Apparently, White Powder Ma's son was a major Conservative Party donor too.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3724/is_199801/ai_n8788660

It's been a very long time since anybody bought drugs by the grain, I have to say.

And now back to book recommendations. I've just thought of it on another thread, but I'd highly recommend to everybody a book called Tulia: Race, Cocaine and Corruption in a small Texas town.

I note that Amazon UK have got used copies from a penny a pop. (OK, plus 2.75 for postage, but thats still a bargain.)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tulia-Cocaine-Corruption-Small-Texas/dp/1586484540/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226625181&sr=8-1

Beryl, I haven't forgotten that I'd promised you my copy.

[alli]

I love reading books with a drugs theme too - not so much about the smugglin and the experience of prison but the experience of life on the streets when using - or trying to get off, or both.  I havn't read much actually - tried to get william burroughs the other day in the library but they didn't have any - which surprised me.  I did read 'a million pieces' by James Frey and thought it was brilliant, but must admit that I was a bit bewildered at why a guy who claimed to have such an idealic childhood and such wonderful parents got caught up in his addictions the way he did - then we found out that a lot of it was fabricated.  His other book - 'my friend Leonard' isn't so good.  I read trainspotting and it was very good and reminded me very much of life in the drug/gear scene in the early eighties in Edinburgh - where and when I first started dablin.  I'm sure my brother and his mates were in there somewhere.  I find some of his other books a bit too gratuitous and voilent and stopped reading him after reading a particularly graffic and gruisome gang rape scene, but I love that he writes in the Edinburgh working class accent - my language, so cool.  Maybe I should try some of his other books now - been thinking about reading 'pigs' - anyone else read it?