Monday, June 21, 2010

Reading a few novels

I love reading books of all kinds, but for the past several years I have limited myself, reading almost exclusively to books that I planned to review for the Register's Commentary pages or that related directly to reasonably current events I was likely to write about, which has meant almost exclusively books with fairly direct relevance to current events. While off with my illnesses, I decided to expand my reading horizons a bit, with mixed results.

I've had a couple of Harry Kemelman's books on my shelf for a while without reading them. He's the creator of the Rabbi detective David Small. I read "Sunday the Rabbi Stayed Home," and found it quite satisfactory. An intriguing and credible murder mystery told within the context of tales of dissension within the congregation. I'm sure I would enjoy all the other Rabbi mysteries. I also read "The Nine Mile Walk," a collection of short stories about Prof. Nicky Welt, a bright prof who solves mysteries as something of an afterthought. I found them clever but not as satisfying as the Rabbi Small book.

I also read "The Schirmer Inheritance" by fabled spy novelist Eric Ambler, and found it altogether satisfying and intriguing. Lots of twists and surprises and a conclusion one didn't necessarily expect.

I also slogged through Henry James's late novel "The Ambassadors," and sad to say it confirmed my incomprehension that many consider him the finest novelist of all time. It certainly explored the psychology of the main character rather thoroughly, it told the story skillfully from his perspective, and it was nice to have characters with some intellectual depth. But in the end one still didn't care all that much about them, and the actions at the climax were insufficiently motivated. I'm not all that tempted to read more.

7 comments:

Michael Freitas said...

"...Kemelman books on my shelf for a while..." Damn, those books are 40 years old. Don't let the dust get near your incision, it could kill you.

Alan Bock said...

We have kept the incision carefully covered except during the few minutes when Jen was unpacking and packing. But yes, they were a mite dusty.

Anonymous said...

Best wishes and good luck. I won't mention that I'm rooting for UCLA, so as not to bring them bad luck. If you wish to join the 21th Century I have books by Joseph Wambaugh, Michael Connelly, T.J. Parker, Robert Crais and James Ellroy that I'd be happy to lend you.

michael freitas said...

That was me.

Alan Bock said...

Thanks for the offer. I've read some Wambaugh, Parker and Ellroy, but I have so many unread books here -- I've always thought I would get around to them when and if I retired -- that I would hate to borrow any. I've often been struck by the fact that libertarians, whose philosophy is said by critics to be the essence of not caring for others, are personally among the kindest and most considerate people I've met.

Michael freitas said...

Be careful about time for books. Remember, "Time Enough At Last," from the Twilight Zone.

Anonymous said...

May I suggest the book THIS PERFECT DAY. Although written in 1970 I could almost see something like it happening someday.