Corbett: WHAT I'VE BEEN READING

WHAT I'VE BEEN READING

Comments on books from Bob Corbett

THE YEAR 2013

Mommsen, Theodor A HISTORY OF ROME UNDER THE EMPERORS May 2013
Hein, Piet GROOKS (Poetry) May 2013
Heaney, Seamus SWEENEY ASTRAY -- A VERSION FROM THE IRISH May 2013
Morrison, Toni SONG OF SOLOMON April 2013
Boran, Pat as the hand the glove (poetry) April 2013
Steinbeck, John OF MICE AND MEN April 2013
Collins, Billy SAILING ALONE AROUND THE ROOM (poetry) April 2013
Kosztolanyi, Dezso SKYLARK March 2013
Bellow, Saul THE BELLAROSA CONNECTION March 2013
Cela, Camilo Jose THE HIVE March 2013
Lessing, Doris THE GRASS IS SINGING March 2013
Czeslaw Milosz BELLS IN WINTER February 2013
Laxness, Halldor INDEPENDENT PEOPLE February 2013
Thomas, Dylan THE BEACH OF FALESA February 2013
Wislawa Szymborska HERE February 2013
Smith, Sam THE REPORT OF FRIAR OTTO January 2013
Czeslaw Milosz FACING THE RIVER January 2013
Wislawa Szymborska view with a grain of sand January 2013
Rudyard Kipling KIM January 2013

THE YEAR 2012

Mo Yan THE GARLIC BALLADS December 2012
Steven Galloway THE CELLIST OF SARAJEVO December 2012
Lee Kyun-Young THE OTHER SIDE OF DARK REMEMBRANCE December 2012
Anton Chekhov FIVE GREAT SHORT STORIES December 2012
George Bernard Shaw THE DEVIL'S DISCIPLE November 2012
Winston Churchill THE BIRTH OF BRITAIN November 2012
Bertolt Brecht MOTHER COURAGE November 2012
Czeslaw Milosz A YEAR OF THE HUNTER November 2012
Philip Roth GOODBYE, COLUMBUS October 2012
Soren Kierkegaard THE PRESENT AGE and OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GENIUS AND AN APOSTLE October 2012
Czeslaw Milosz SECOND SPACE -- NEW POEMS (Poetry) October 2012
Naipaul, V.S. A BEND IN THE RIVER October 2012
Bertolt Brecht THE THREEPENNY OPERA September 2012
Saramago, Jose CAIN September 2012
Czeslaw Milosz PROVINCES (Poetry) September 2012
Mann, Thomas DEATH IN VENICE September 2012
Lessing, Doris THE GOOD TERRORIST August 2012
Mann, Thomas THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN August 2012
Canetti, Elias THE TORCH IN MY EAR August 2012
Eliot, T.S. THE FOUR QUARTETS August 2012
Pinter, Harold THE ROOM July 2012
Pinter, Harold THE BIRTHDAY PARTY July 2012
Heaney, Seamus THE SPIRIT LEVEL (poetry) July 2012
Russell, Bertrand UNPOPULAR ESSAYS July 2012
Kosinski, Jerzy THE DEVIL TREE June 2012
Adichie, Chimananda Ngozi PURPLE HIBISCUS June 2012
Miller, Henry A DEVIL IN PARADISE June 2012
Khadra, Yasmina THE ATTACK June 2012
Coelho, Paulo BY THE RIVER PIEDRA I SAT DOWN AND WEPT May 2012
Anonymous BEOWULF -- translated by Seamus Heaney May 2012
Stollman, Aryeh Lev THE DIALOGUES OF TIME AND ENTROPY May 2012
Williams, Tennessee THE GLASS MENAGERIE May 2012
Burnham, Sophy THE TREASURE OF MONTSEGUR April 2012
Huizinga, Johan ERASMUS AND THE AGE OF REFORMATION April 2012
Pirandello, Luigi SIX CHARACTERS IN SEARCH OF AN AUTHOR April 2012
Shaw, George Bernard SAINT JOAN April 2012
Dalglish, Cass HUMMING THE BLUES March 2012
Grunberg, Arnon THE JEWISH MESSIAH March 2012
Waugh, Daniel THE GANGS OF ST. LOUIS: MEN OF RESPECT March 2012
Yeats, W.B. THE CELTIC TWILIGHT March 2012
Saramago, Jose THE ELEPHANT'S JOURNEY February 2012
Clewell, David THE LOW END OF HIGHER THINGS (poetry) February 2012
Buck-Morss, Susan HEGEL, HAITI, AND UNIVERSAL HISTORY February 2012
Shaw, George Bernard MAJOR BARBARA February 2012
Barth, John LOST IN THE FUNHOUSE January 2012
Shakespeare, William TROILUS AND CRESSIDA January 2012
Frost, Robert THE WORKS OF ROBERT FROST: IN THE CLEARING -- A MASQUE OF REASON -- and A MASQUE OF MERCY (Poetry) January 2012
Cliff, Michelle ABENG January 2012

THE YEAR 2011

Eco, Umberto THE MYSTERIOUS FLAME OF QUEEN LOANA December 2011
Dostoyevsky, Fyodor NOTES FROM UNDERGROUND December 2011
Frost, Robert THE WORKS OF ROBERT FROST: A WITNESS TREE and STEEPLE BUSH (Poetry) December 2011
Shakespeare, William THE COMEDY OF ERRORS December 2011
Ingham, Ana DREAM OF AN ENGLISHMAN November 2011
Hesse, Herman DEMIAN November 2011
Dean, Debra THE MADONNAS OF LENINGRAD November 2011
Coughlin, Rev.Charles E. A SERIES OF LECTURES ON SOCIAL JUSTICE November 2011
Shakespeare, William PERICLES November 2011
Frost, Robert THE WORKS OF ROBERT FROST: WEST RUNNING BROOK and A FURTHER RANGE (Poetry) October 2011
Borges, Jorge Luis THE BOOK OF SAND October 2011
Durrell,Lawrence JUSTINE October 2011
Shakespeare, William THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR October 2011
Shakespeare, William KING LEAR September 2011
Paz, Octavia IN LIGHT OF INDIA September 2011
Salinger, J.D. RAISE HIGH THE ROOF BEAMS, CARPENTERS and SEYMOUR – AN INTRODUCTION September 2011
Hamid, Mohsin THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST September 2011
Rachlin, Nahid FOREIGNER August 2011
Shakespeare, William LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST August 2011
Frost, Robert THE WORKS OF ROBERT FROST: MOUNTAIN INTERLUDE and NEW HAMPSHIRE (Poetry) August 2011
Alvarez, Julia YO! August 2011
Shakespeare, William ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL July 2011
Frost, Robert THE WORKS OF ROBERT FROST: A BOY'S WILL and NORTH OF BOSTON (Poetry) July 2011
Saramago, Jose THE YEAR OF THE DEATH OF RICARDO REIS July 2011
Beckett, Samuel WAITING FOR GODOT July 2011
Yezierska, Anzia BREAD GIVERS July 2011
Tavares, Goncalo M. JERUSALEM June 2011
Garcia, Cristina THE LADY MATADOR’S HOTEL June 2011
Shakespeare, William THE TAMING OF THE SHREW June 2011
Ferlinghetti Lawrence STARTING FROM SAN FRANCISCO (Poetry) June 2011
Cottman, Evans W. OUT-ISLAND DOCTOR May 2011
Lee, David NEWS FROM DOWN TO THE CAFE (Poetry) May 2011
Salih, Tayeb SEASON OF THE MIGRATION TO THE NORTH May 2011
Shakespeare, William JULIUS CAESAR May 2011
Tuchman, Barbara THE MARCH OF FOLLY April 2011
Dressel, Jon OUT OF WALES (Poetry) April 2011
Shakespeare, William KING HENRY VIII April 2011
Sijie, Dai BALZAC AND THE LITLE CHINESE SEAMSTRESS April 2011
Shakespeare, William CYMBELINE March 2011
Lawrence, D.H. THE VIRGIN AND THE GYPSY (Poetry) March 2011
Liss, David THE COFFEE TRADER March 2011
Collins, Billy THE ART OF DROWNING (poetry) March 2011
Clewell, David NOW WE'RE GETTING SOMEWHERE (poetry) February 2011
Shakespeare, William THE WINTER'S TALE February 2011
Furst, Alan THE SPIES OF WARSAW February 2011
Thaler, Richard H. and Cass R. Sunstein NUDGE: IMPROVING DECISIONS ABOUT HEALTH, WEALTH, AND HAPPINESS February 2011
Novas, Himilce PRINCESS PAPAYA January 2011
Limon, Graciela LEFT ALIVE January 2011
Ginsberg, Allen EMPTY MIRROR (poetry) January 2011
Shakespeare, William HENRY THE SIXTH, PART THREE January 2011

THE YEAR 2010
Shakespeare, William HENRY THE SIXTH, PART TWO December 2010
Lamour, Nekita CLEVER BOUKI December 2010
Segal, Jerome GRACEFUL SIMPLICITY: TOWARD A PHILSOPHY AND POLITICS OF SIMPLE LIVING December 2010
Whitman, Walt CIVIL WAR POETRY AND PROSE (Poetry) December 2010
Shakespeare, William HENRY THE SIXTH, PART ONE November 2010
Rieke, Susan SMALL INDULGENCES (Poetry) November 2010
Cahill, Thomas HOW THE IRISH SAVED CIVILIZATION November 2010
Llosa, Mario Vargas THE STORYTELLER October 2010
Saramago, Jose DEATH WITH INTERRUPTIONS October 2010
Griffiths, Paul MYSELF AND MARCO POLO October 2010
Shakespeare, William HENRY THE FIFTH October 2010
Eco, Umberto BAUDOLINO September 2010
Kureishi, Hanif INTIMACY September 2010
Vonnegut, Kurt DEAD-EYE DICK September 2010
Shakespeare, William CORIOLANUS September 2010
Brooks, Geraldine NINE PARTS OF DESIRE: THE HIDDEN WORLD OF ISLAMIC WOMAN August 2010
Kafka, Franz. THE CASTLE August 2010
Shakespeare, William TIMON OF ATHENS August 2010
Schechter, Betty THE DREYFUS AFFAIR: A NATIONAL SCANDAL August 2010
Millhauser, Steven MARTIN DRESSLER: THE TALE OF AN AMERICAN DREAMER July 2010
Plumb, J.H. THE ITALIAN RENAISSANCE July 2010
Unamuno, Miguel De THREE EXEMPLARY NOVELS: THE MARQUIS OF LUMBRIA – TWO MOTHERS – NOTHING LESS THAN A MAN July 2010
Shakespeare, William A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM July 2010
Foer, Franklin HOW SOCCER EXPLAINS THE WORLD – AN (UNLIKELY) THEORY OF GLOBALIZATION June 2010
Sartre, Jean-Paul INTIMACY AND OTHER STORIES June 2010
Shakespeare, William HAMLET June 2010
Saramgo, Jose SEEING June 2010
Rowley, Hazel TETE-A-TETE: THE TUMULTUOUS LIVES & LOVES OF SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR & JEAN-PAUL SARTRE May 2010
Ingham, Ana LAZY FRIENDS May 2010
Shakespeare, William ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA May 2010
Giardina, Denise SAINTS AND VILLAINS – A NOVEL May 2010
Butler, Rev. Thomas Ambrose THE IRISH ON THE PRAIRIES AND OTHER POEMS May 2010
Shakespeare, William TWELFTH NIGHT OR WHAT YOU WILL April 2010
O'Neill, Eugene LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT April 2010
Lanchester, John THE DEBT TO PLEASURE April 2010
Schwarz-Bart, Andre A WOMAN NAMED SOLITUDE April 2010
Levin, Janna A MADMAN DREAMS OF TURING MACHINES March 2010
Cameron, Peter ANDORRA March 2010
MacPherson, C.B. THE RISE AND FALL OF ECONOMIC JUSTICE AND OTHER ESSAYS March 2010
Shakespeare, William RICHARD III March 2010
Beahrs, Andrew STRANGE SAINT February 2010
Brautigan, Richard TROUT FISHING IN AMERICA February 2010
Aurelius, Marcus MEDITATIONS February 2010
Shakespeare, William ROMEO AND JULIET February 2010
Messer, Wendel VERUS AND THE GRAND ASSEMBLY OF BELIEVERS: A SATIRE January 2010
Shakespeare, William AS YOU LIKE IT January 2010
Andrzejewski, Jerzy THE APPEAL January 2010
Nin, Anais THE FOUR-CHAMBERED HEART January 2010

THE YEAR 2009
Joseph, Figaro THE POWER OF MOVEMENT IN POLITICAL TRANSITIONS December 2009
Herbst, Henry, et al ST. LOUIS BREWS: 200 YEARS OF BREWING IN ST. LOUIS, 1809-2009 December 2009
Shakespeare, William MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING December 2009
Yehoshua, A.B. A JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM November 2009
Coelho, Paulo THE ALCHEMIST November 2009
Shakespeare, William TITUS ANDRONICUS November 2009
Alexander, Robert RASPUTIN'S DAUGHER October 2009
Zola, Emile THERESE RAQUIN October 2009
Woolf, Virginia A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN October 2009
Shakespeare, William KING HENRY THE FOURTH, PART TWO October 2009
Ingham, Ana URGENT BEAUTY September 2009
Tuchman, Barbara THE GUNS OF AUGUST September 2009
Minkin, Bert LEGACIES OF THE ST. LOUIS WORLD'S FAIR September 2009
Shakespeare, William KING HENRY IV, PART I September 2009
Sontag, Sherry and Christopher Drew BLIND MAN'S BLUFF August 2009
Marquez, Garbriel Garcia MEMORIES OF MY MELANCHOLY WHORES August 2009
Shakespeare, William THE LIFE AND DEATH OF KING RICHARD II August 2009
Saramago, Jose MANUAL OF PAINTING & CALLIGRAPHY: A NOVEL August 2009
Ludlum, Robert THE MATARESE COUNTDOWN July 2009
Rother, Hubert and Charlotte LOST CAVES OF ST. LOUIS July 2009
O'Flaherty, Liam THE INFORMER July 2009
Narayan, R. K. THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR July 2009
Shakespeare, William OTHELLO July 2009
Bonham, Frank THE NITTY GRITTY June 2009
Ellis, Peter Berresford THE DRUIDS June 2009
Shakespeare, William MACBETH June 2009
Almino, Joao the five seasons of love June 2009
Pasternak, Boris THE POEMS OF DOCTOR ZHIVAGO June 2009
Coelho, Paulo ELEVEN MINUTES May 2009
Chaviano, Daina THE ISLAND OF ETERNAL LOVE May 2009
Bontemps, Arna DRUMS AT DUSK May 2009
Shakespeare, William THE MERCHANT OF VENICE May 2009
Hellenga, Robert PHILOSOPHY MADE SIMPLE May 2009
Diamant, Anita THE RED TENT April 2009
Boyd, William BRAZZAVILLE BEACH April 2009
Ingham, Ana BY THE LAKE April 2009
Shakespeare, William KING JOHN April 2009
Diamant, Anite THE LAST DAYS OF DOGTOWN: A NOVEL March 2009
Ingham, Ana FOUR PLAYS March 2009
Koch, Stephen THE BREAKING POINT: HEMINGWAY, DOS PASSOS, AND THE MURDER OF JOSE ROBLES March 2009
Kazantzakis, Nikos THE ROCK GARDEN March 2009
Shakespeare, William THE TEMPEST March 2009
Sheldon, Dyan MY LIFE AS A WHALE February 2009
Marquez, Gabriel Garcia THE GENERAL IN HIS LABYRINTH February 2009
Shakespeare, William MEASURE FOR MEASURE February 2009
Updike, John BRAZIL February 2009
Brown, Dan ANGELS & DEMONS January 2009
Limon, Graciela SONG OF THE HUMMINGBIRD January 2009
Dos Passos, John THREE SOLDIERS January 2009
Shakespeare, William THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA January 2009
Schumacher, E.F. SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL: September 2010

ECONOMICS AS IF PEOPLE MATTERED January 2009

THE YEAR 2008
Morrison, Blake THE JUSTIFICATION OF JOHANN GUTENBERG November 2008
Runcie, James THE DISCOVERY OF CHOCOLATE November 2008
Schoolcraft, Henry R. RUDE PURSUITS AND RUGGED PEAKS: SCHOOLCRAFT'S OZARK JOURNAL 1818-1819 November 2008
LeClezio, Jean-Marie Gustave THE GIANTS November 2008
Schulman, Susan RAT BOHEMIA October 2008
Davies, Robertson A MIXTURE OF FRAILTIES October 2008
Spengler, Oswald THE DECLINE OF THE WEST October 2008
Limon, Graciela THE DAY OF THE MOON October 2008
Limon, Graciela IN SEARCH OF BERNABE October 2008
Phillips, Arthur THE EGYPTOLOGIST September 2008
Douglass, Frederick NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUBLASS: AN AMERICAN SLAVE September 2008
Drake, Paul THE SUNLIT WHEEL September 2008
Hotchner, A.E. LOUISIANA PURCHASE: A NOVEL September 2008
Maraire, J. Nozipo ZENZELE: A LETTER FOR MY DAUGHTER September 2008
Limon, Graciela THE MEMORIES OF ANA CALDERON September 2008
Hansen, Edmund E. TEMPLE OF KOKOPELLI August 2008
Llosa, Mario Vargas WHO KILLED PALOMINO MOLERO? August 2008
Barth, John THE LAST VOYAGE OF SOMEBODY THE SAILOR August 2008
Davies, Robertson THE CUNNING MAN August 2008
Garrity, Devin A., editor THE IRISH GENIUS: 28 SHORT STORIES August 2008
Dillmann, John UNHOLY MATRIMONY: A TRUE STORY OF MURDER & OBSESSION July 2008
Davies, Robertson WORLD OF WONDERS July 2008
Llosa, Mario Vargas THE FEAST OF THE GOAT July 2008
Uris, Leon and Jill IRELAND: A TERRIBLE BEAUTY July 2008
Moody, T.W and F.X. Martin, editors THE COURSE OF IRISH HISTORY July 2008
Banks, Russell CLOUDSPLITTER June 2008
Ingham, Ana LADDER IN THE MOON LIGHT June 2008
Saramago, Jose BALTASAR AND BLIMUNDA June 2008
Saramago, Jose THE DOUBLE June 2008

THE YEAR 2007
Dupuy, Alex THE PROPHET AND POWER January 2007
Kis, Danilo A TOMB FOR BORIS DAVIDOVICH January 2007

THE YEAR 2006
Kazantzakis, Nikos REPORT TO GRECO December 2006
McMahon, D.R. TAP-TAP August 2006
Paul the Apostle THE EPISTLES OF ST. PAUL July 2006
Douglas, Geoffrey THE GAME OF THEIR LIVES July 2006
Hemingway, Ernest THE SUN ALSO RISES June 2006
Settle, Mary Lee BLOOD TIE May 2006
Joyce, James PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN May 2006
Hosseini, Khaled THE KITE RUNNER May 2006
Hughes, Langston, SOMETHING IN COMMON April 2006
Haddock, Doris GRANNY D April 2006
Singer, Issac Bashevis THE SPINOZA OF MARKET STREET April 2006
Santiago, Esmeralda THE TURKISH LOVER March 2006
Bernardo, Jose Raul THE SECRET OF THE BULLS February 2006
Thomas, Dylan ADVENTURES IN THE SKIN TRADE February 2006
Hemingway, Ernest THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA January 2006
Saramago, Jose THE CAVE January 2006
Budhos, Marina THE PROFESSOR OF LIGHT January 2006

THE YEAR 2005
Lurie, Morris SEVEN BOOKS FOR GROSSMAN December 2005
Ferlinghetti, Lawrence A CONEY ISLAND OF THE MIND November 2005
Saramago, Jose THE TALE OF THE UNKNOWN ISLAND November 2005
Hustvedt, Siri THE BLINDFOLD November 2005
Hemingway, Ernest A FAREWELL TO ARMS November 2005
Halpern, Sue MIGRATIONS TO SOLITUDE: THE QUESTION FOR PRIVACY IN A CROWDED WORLD November 2005
Bissoondath, Neil THE WORLDS WITHIN HER November 2005
Boswell, Arthur THE GEOGRAPHY OF DESIRE: A NOVEL October 2005
Phillips, Arthur PRAGUE: A NOVEL October 2005
Kempadoo, Oonya BUXTON SPICE October 2005
Rush, Norman MATING October 2005
Hrabal, Bohumil TOO LOUD A SILENCE October 2005
Fuentes, Carlos. THE HYDRA HEAD October 2005
Novas, Himilce. MANGOS, BANANAS AND COCONUTS: A CUBAN LOVE STORY October 2005
Brown, Dan. THE DA VINCI CODE September 2005
Hellenga, Robert. THE SIXTEEN PLEASURES September 2005
Davies, Robertson. THE MANTICORE September 2005
Lamb, F. Bruce. WIZARD OF THE UPPER AMAZON September 2005
Stollman, Aryeh Lev. THE ILLUMINATED SOUL September 2005
Placide, Jaira. FRESH GIRL August 2005
Bontemps, Arna and Langston Hughes. POPO AND FIFINA August 2005
Malouf, David. REMEMBERING BABYLON August 2005
Hemon, Aleksandar. THE QUESTION OF BRUNO July 2005
Turnbull, Wally R. HIDDEN MEANINGS July 2005
Brooks, Geraldine. YEAR OF WONDERS June 2005
Brown, Gordon. TOUSSAINT'S CLAUSE: THE FOUNDING FATHERS AND THE HAITIAN REVOLUTION June 2005
Marwitz, Peter. BLACK MAPLE May 2005
Moyano, Daniel. THE DEVIL'S TRILL May 2005
Segal, Susan. ARIA May 2005
Moore, Brian. THE STATEMENT April 2005
Doyle, Roddy. A STAR CALLED HENRY April 2005
Winchester, Simon. THE PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN March 2005
Boff, Leonardo. SAINT FRANCIS: A MODEL FOR HUMAN LIBERATION January 2005
Kazantzakis, Nikos. SAINT FRANCIS January 2005

THE YEAR 2004
Tuttle, Sarah. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ISLAND OF HAYTI December 2004
Bryant, Dorothy. A DAY IN SAN FRANCISCO December 2004
Patchett, Ann. BEL CANTO December 2004
Deane, Seamus. READING IN THE DARK December 2004
McCormmach, Russell. NIGHT THOUGHTS OF A CLASSICAL PHYSICIST December 2004
Eco, Umberto. THE ISLAND OF THE DAY BEFORE November 2004
Collins, Warwick. THE RATIONALIST November 2004
Brooke, Gabriela. THE WORDS OF BERNFRIEDA November 2004
Andahazi, Federico. THE ANATOMIST October 2004
Moore, Brian. LIES OF SILENCE October 2004
Bell, Madison Smartt. THE STONE THE BUILDER REFUSED October 2004
Davies, Robertson. FIFTH BUSINESS September 2004
Horsley, Kate. CONFESSIONS OF A PAGAN NUN August 2004
Anonymous. HIRAM BIRDSEED AT THE ST. LOUIS WORLD'S FAIR July 2004
Singer, Issac Bashevis. THE MAGICIAN OF LUBLIN July 2004
Marai, Sandor. EMBERS July 2004
Anonymous. FOREST PARK AND ITS HISTORY June 2004
Loughlin, Caroline and Catherine Anderson. FOREST PARK June 2004
Baldwin, James. GIOVANNI'S ROOM June 2004
Lindgren, Torgny. IN PRAISE OF TRUTH May 2004
Banville, John. THE UNTOUCHABLE May 2004
Saramago, Jose. ALL THE NAMES April 2004
Danticat, Edwidge. THE DEW BREAKER March 2004
Hochschild, Adam. KING LEOPOLD'S GHOST March 2004
Pirenne, Henri. MOHAMMED AND CHARLEMAGNE February 2004
Hynes, James. THE WILD COLONIAL BOY February 2004
Normal, Howard. THE MUSEUM GUARD February 2004
Kraus, Karl. IN THESE TIMES February 2004
Szasz, Thomas. KARL KRAUS AND THE SOUL-DOCTORS January 2004
Janik, Allan and Stephen Toulmin. WITTGENSTEIN'S VIENNA January 2004
Scherzinger, Helen. LETTERS FROM DOGTOWN January 2004
Davies, Robertson. THE LYRE OF ORPHEUS January 2004

THE YEAR 2003
Edmounds, David and John Eidinow. WITTGENSTEIN'S POKER December 2003
Hegi, Ursula. FLOATING IN MY MOTHER'S PALM December 2003
Neville, Katherine. THE EIGHT December 2003
Llosa, Mario Vargas. IN PRAISE OF THE STEPMOTHER November 2003
Tekin, Latife. TALES FROM THE GARBAGE HILLS November 2003
Alexis, Jacques Stephen. GENERAL SUN, MY BROTHER November 2003
Boernstein, Henry. THE MYSTERIES OF ST. LOUIS November 2003
West, Nathanel. THE DAY OF THE LOCUST October 2003
Cliff, Michelle. ABENG October 2003
Haasse, Hella. THE SCARLET CITY October 2003
McEwan, Ian. AMSTERDAM October 2003
Naylor, Gloria. BAILEY'S CAFE September 2003
Borges, Jorge Luis. LABYRINTHS September 2003
Banville, John. THE NEWTON LETTER September 2003
Camus, Albert. THE FALL June 2003
Bree, Germaine, editor. CAMUS: A COLLECTION OF CRITICAL ESSAYS June 2003
O'Faolain, Nuala. MY DREAM OF YOU May 2003
Okely, Judith. SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR May 2003
Hariss, Mark. LYING IN BED April 2003
Banville, JOhn. THE BOOK OF EVIDENCE April 2003
Pym, Barbara. AN ACADEMIC QUESTION March 2003
Maitbag, Eugenio. HAITIAN-DOMINICAN COUNTERPOINT: NATION, STATE AND RACE IN HISPANIOLA January 2003

THE YEAR 2002
Mauriac, Francois. THE LAMB November 2002
Kadohata, Cynthia. THE FLOATING WORLD November 2002
Ayala, Francisco. USURPERS November 2002
Wolff, Robert Paul, Barrington Moore, Jr. and Herbert Marcuse. A CRITIQUE OF PURE TOLERANCE November 2002
Mayle, Peter. CHASING CEZANNE November 2002
Gibbons, Kaye. CHARMS FOR THE EASY LIFE November 2002
Tapon, Phillippe. THE MISTRESS November 2002
Apollon, Marlene Rigaud. HAITIAN ART TRIVIA and HAITI TRIVIA October 2002
Alexis, Jacques Stephen. IN THE FLICKER OF AN EYELID October 2002
Fatton, Robert. HAITI'S PREDATORY REPUBLIC October 2002
Smith, Jennie M. WHEN THE HANDS ARE MANY: COMMINTY ORGANIZATION AND SOCIAL CHANGE IN RURAL HAITI October 2002
Rahill, Guitele Jeudy. VIOLATED October 2002
Davies, Robertson. WHAT'S BRED IN THE BONE October 2002
Davies, Robertson. THE REBEL ANGELS October 2002
Duras, Marguerite. L'AMANTE ANGLAISE September 2002
Devlin, Anne. THE WAY-PAVER September 2002
Gray, Francine Du Plessix. LOVERS AND TYRANTS September 2002
O'Faolain, Nuala. ARE YOU SOMEBODY August 2002
Banks, Russell. RULE OF THE BONE August 2002
Quinonez, Ernesto. BODEGA DREAMS August 2002
Baricco, Alessandro. SILK May 2002
Singer, Issac Bashevis. THE PENITENT May 2002
Wilson, Colin. THE MIND PARASITES May 2002
Carr, J.L. A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY May 2002
Maraini, Dacia. ISOLINA April 2002
Donoghue, Emma. SLAMMERKIN April 2002
Ludlum, Robert. THE SIGMA PROTOCOL April 2002
Ozakin, Aysel. PRIZEGIVING April 2002
Arthur, Charles. HAITI: A GUIDE TO THE PEOPLE, POLITICS AND CULTURE March 2002
Hoffmann, Leon-Francois. HAITIAN FICTION REVISITED March 2002
Orwell, George. DOWN AND OUT IN PARIS AND LONDON March 2002
Danticat, Edwidge, Editor. THE BUTTERFLY'S WAY: VOICES FROM THE HAITIAN DIASPORA IN THE UNITED STATES March 2002
Merton, Thomas. THE STRANGER: POVERTY OF AN ANTI-HERO March 2002
Miller, Frances. "TANTE": THE DARING DECADES March 2002
Baines, Elizabeth. BODY PARTS March 2002
Castedo, Elena. PARADISE February 2002
Ferriss, Lucy. AGAINST GRAVITY February 2002
Markson, David. THIS IS NOT A NOVEL February 2002
Doctorov, E.L. THE WATERWORKS February 2002
Garcia, Cristina. DREAMING IN CUBAN February 2002
Hamann, Brigitte. HITLER'S VIENNA: A DICTATOR'S APPRENTICESHIP February 2002
Schnitzler, Arthur. BEATRICE February 2002
Kierkegaard, Soren. FEAR AND TREMBLING February 2002
Silone, Ignazio. BREAD AND WINE February 2002
Palamas, Kostos. ROYAL BLOSSOM or TRISEVYENE January 2002
Montero, Mayra. THE RED OF HIS SHADOW January 2002
Bernhard, Thomas. EXTINCTION January 2002
Dash, J. Michael. CULTURE AND CUSTOMS OF HAITI January 2002
Gordon, Leah. THE BOOK OF VODOU: CHARMS AND RITUALS TO EMPOWER YOUR LIFE January 2002

THE YEAR 2001
Parker, Thomas Trebitsch. ANNA ANN ANNIE December 2001
Silone, Ignazio. FONTAMARA December 2001
Marquez, Gabriel Garcia. NO ONE WRITES TO THE COLONEL December 2001
Kafka, Franz. AMERIKA December 2001
Hesse, Hermann. STEPPENWOLF December 2001
Winterson, Jeanette. THE PASSION November 2001
Powers, Charles T. IN THE MEMORY OF THE FOREST November 2001
Thornton, Lawrence. IMAGINING ARGENTINA October 2001
Kundera, Milan. THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING October 2001
Llosa, Mario Vargas. DEATH IN THE ANDES October 2001
Kazantzakis, Nikos. ZORBA THE GREEK October 2001
Marquez, Gabriel Garcia. CHRONICLE OF A DEATH FORETOLD October 2001
McEwan, Ian. THE INNOCENT October 2001
Saramago, Jose. BLINDNESS October 2001
Saramago, Jose. THE HISTORY OF THE SIEGE OF LISBON August 2001
Hollingdale, R.J. NIETZSCHE THE MAN AND HIS PHILOSOPHY July 2001
Bernhard, Thomas. ON THE MOUNTAIN July 2001
Camus, Albert. A HAPPY DEATH July 2001
Bernhard, Thomas. WOODCUTTERS July 2001
Brock Hermann.THE ANARCHIST June 2001
Brock, Hermann.THE ROMANTIC May 2001
Veronese, David. JANA May 2001
Jelinek, Elfriede. THE PIANO TEACHER May 2001
Thoene, Bodie. VIENNA PRELUDE May 2001
Saramago, Jose. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JESUS CHRIST May 2001. Followed by discussion with LJ Lindhurst and a review from Bob Galloway.
Schorske, Carl. FIN-DE-SIECLE VIENNA: POLITICS AND CULTURE May 2001
Roth, Joseph. THE STRING OF PEARLS April 2001
Bernhard, Thomas. CONCRETE April 2001
Bernhard, Thomas. WITTGENSTEIN'S NEPHEW April 2001
Schnitzler, Arthur. THE ROAD TO THE OPEN April 2001
Freud, Sigmund. CIVILIZATION AND ITS DISCONTENTS April 2001
Salinger, Steven D. WHITE DARKNESS March 2001
Fitzgerald, Penelope. THE BLUE FLOWER March 2001
Boll, Heinrich. CHILDREN ARE CITIZENS TOO March 2001
Duncker, Patricia. HALLUCINATING FOUCAULT February 2001
Hofmann, Paul. THE SPELL OF THE VIENNA WOODS: INSPIRATION AND INFLUENCE FROM BEETHOVEN TO KAFKA February 2001
Schnitzler, Arthur. VIENNA 1900: GAMES WITH LOVE AND DEATH January 2001
Schnitzler, Arthur. LIEUTENANT GUSTL January 2001
Bernhard, Thomas. CORRECTION January 2001

THE YEAR 2000
Jelinek, Elfriede. WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL TIMES September 2000
Achebe, Chinua. THINGS FALL APART September 2000
Johnson, Diane. PERSIAN NIGHTS August 2000
Goldstein, Rebecca. THE MIND-BODY PROBLEM August 2000
Mahfouz, Nagub. ADRIFT ON THE NILE August 2000
Schlink, Bernhard. THE READER July 2000
Podhoretz, Norman. EX-FRIENDS July 2000
Constantini, Humberto. THE LONG NIGHT OF FRANCISCO SANCTIS March 2000
Chedid, Andree. THE RETURN TO BEIRUT March 2000
Fitzpatrick, Nina. THE LOVES OF FAUSTYNA March 2000. A novel of the collapse of Communist Poland, but perhaps the mystery surrounding the author is more interesting than the wonderful book itself.
Drabble, Margaret. THE GATES OF IVORY. March 2000. A curious novel that teases on to think it will be about Cambodia and Pol Pot, but is really a sort of Livingstone/Stanley story of a friend hunting a lost (and actually dead) author friend who disappeared in Cambodia in 1983.

JULY AND AUGUST 1999
Orem, William. ZOMBI, YOU MY LOVE
Saramago, Jose. THE STONE RAFT
Saramago, Jose. THE YEAR OF THE DEATH OF RICARDO REIS Followed by discussion with LJ Lindhurst.
Pirenne, Henri. MEDIEVAL CITIES
Galvan, Jose de Jesus. THE CROSS AND THE SWORD Also known as ENRIQUILLO
Boll, Heinrich. THE SAFETY NET
Sutcliffe, William. ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?
Kazantzakis, Nikos. THE GREEK PASSION.

JULY 1996
Roth, Joseph. RADETZKY'S MARCH July 1996

EARLIER THAN 1996
Lankshear, Colin. LITERACY, SCHOOLING AND REVOLUTION 1989.

BOOKS I HAVE RECORDS (AND RANKINGS) OF READING, BUT DIDN'T WRITE SETS OF COMMENTS

FOR MOST BOOKS BELOW I HAVE A SHORT COMMENTS ON EACH

BOOKS FROM 2000
3/6/2000 Berg, Elizabeth DURABLE GOODS rating 4 192 pages novel
12 year old girl and older sister on Texas military base with mean dad. Slow, touching.
9/8/2000 Mahfouz, Naguib THE BEGGAR rating 5 140 pages novel
Disappointing in relation to earlier novels of his. Man searching for meaning. Trite.
3/5/2000 Constantini, Humberto THE LONG NIGHT OF FRANCISCO SANCTIC rating 8 178 pages novel
Mysterious chance to save two dissidents in Argentina costs Sanctis deep thought and….
3/6/2000 Berg, Elizabeth DURABLE GOODS rating 4 192 pages novel
12 year old girl and older sister on Texas military base with mean dad. Slow, touching.
3/7/2000 Chedid, Andree THE RETURN TO BEIRUT rating 8 158 pages novel
Beautiful, heavy, well-written story set in early days of Lebenese Civil War of 1985.
3/9/2000 Fitzpatrick, Nina THE LOVES OF FAUSTYNA rating 8 216 pages novel
Poland in 1980s. Faustya is independent, witty and savvy, ultimately defeated by situation.
3/27/2000 Drabble, Margaret THE GATES OF IVORY rating 5 463 pages novel
Cambodia 1983-85. Novelist Cox dies seeking Pol Pot. Friend Liz seeks him when missing
7/15/2000 Podhoretz, Norman EX-FRIENDS rating 8 233 pages non-fiction
Story of Podhoretz shift from left to right and loss of friends. Good review of 60s-70s.
7/28/2000 Schlink, Bernhard THE READER rating 9 217 pages phil novel
Brillant story of love affair in post-war Germany with questions of love and German guilt.
8/10/2000 Goldstein, Rebecca THE MIND BODY PROBLEM rating 8 pages phil novel
Wonderful, funny philosophical story of grad student at Princeton married to genius.
8/20/2000 Johnson, Diane PERSIAN NIGHTS rating 7 338 pages hist fiction
U.S. and European medical personell caught up in last days of Shah's Persia. Funny and sad.
8/26/2000 Achebe, Chinua THINGS FALL APART rating 10 209 pages phil novel
Powerful book examining an Ibo village in Nigeria in the days of the coming of British control.
9/8/2000 Mahfouz, Naguib THE BEGGAR rating 5 140 pages novel
Disappointing in relation to earlier novels of his. Man searching for meaning. Trite.
9/8/2000 Mahfouz, Naguib ADRIFT ON THE NILE rating 9 167 pages novel
Group works normal jobs days; smoke done and escape at nights. Neo-existentialist 1980s.

BOOKS FROM 1999
1/5/1999 Kundera, Milan IDENTITY rating 7 168 pages novel
Witty, philosophical, identity theme, pessimistic, meaninglessness, lots of talk of death
1/17/1999 Carpentier, Alejo EXPLOSION IN A CATHEDRAL rating 7 351 pages hist fiction
Captures factions and spirit of French Revolution, esp. in Caribbean. Great book!
1/18/1999 Roudybush, Alexandra SUDDENDLY IN PARIS rating 4 161 pages Haiti
Murder mystery. Killed escapes to Haiti and is trapped by detective via Voodoo ceremony
1/20/1999 Weston, Mariam TO TRACK A COPYCAT rating 3 205 pages Haiti
Badly written mystery story set in Haiti. Jumbled relationships, crazy use of Haiti
1/24/1999 Buck, Peter THE DEADLY BIRDMAN rating 5 203 pages Haiit
Tale of mercenaries set in Haiti. Macoutes trick mercs into killing US delegation. Light!
1/25/1999 Dern, Peggy NURSE IN THE TROPICS rating 4 125 pages Haiti
U.S. nurse goes to Haiti, overcomes Voodoo to find love. Set in Haiti. 50s stereotype
2/4/1999 Malcolm, Janet THE JOURNALIST AND THE MURDERER rating 7 163 pages philosophy
Examination of journalist/subject relationship. Claims difficult and vague moral relations
2/20/1999 Gibbons, Elizabeth SANCTIONS IN HAITI rating 8 113 pages Haiti
Claims UN sanctions violated basis human right. Haiti is case study for general thesis
4/30/1999 Wucker, Michele WHY THE COCKS FIGHT rating 6 281 pages Haiti
More on DR than Haiti. Cockfight image gives way to Prospeo/Caliban image
5/16/1999 Orwell, George DOWN AND OUT IN PARIS AND LONDON rating 7 213 pages novel
Lightly disguised autobiography. 1933 account of penniless men in depression times
6/26/1999 Garland, Alex THE BEACH rating 7 371 pages fiction
Generation X version of Lord of the Flies. Thailand, drugs and hidden beach commune
7/14/1999 Galvan, Manuel THE CROSS AND THE SWORD rating 7 366 pages Haiti
1502 to 1517 in Hispaniola. Las Casas, and a cacique. Story of rebellion and Spanish.
8/16/1999 Boll, Heinrich THE SAFETY NET rating 7 213 pages novel
1950s Germany. President of Germany and family suffer from excessive security.
9/26/1999 Mahfouz, Naguib MIDAQ ALLEY rating 8 246 pages novel
A slum of Cairo during WW II. Just lives of folks going about their daily lives. Brilliant.
10/6/1999 Lynley, Elinor SONG OF THE BAYOU rating 6 413 pages novel
Romance novel set in pre-Civil War Louisiana, features ex San Domingue slaves. So-so.
10/9/1999 Dobyns, Stephen COLD DOG SOUP rating 6 231 pages Haiti
Weird novel about dead dog, with zanny Haitian cab driver and hideous dog stories

BOOKS FROM 1998
1/11/1998 Zola, Emile BELLY OF PARIS rating 9 498 pages fiction
Supurb food/revolution story about markets of Paris and gosip, gosip, gosip
3/14/1998 Conde, Maryse TREE OF LIFE rating 7 371 pages fiction
Caribbean story of Guadelupe. Family saga. Quite good.
3/20/1998 Burns, Sheelagh THE GINKO TREE rating 4 222 pages fiction
Haiti like setting for part. 1950s woman falls for Haitian guy. So, so at best
3/25/1998 McCourt, Frank ANGELA'S ASHES rating 7 363 pages history
Irish childhood in Limerick. Dirt poor family with drunk father in war years
4/20/1998 Lustbader, Eric rating 5 390 pages fiction
4/29/1998 Greeley, Andrew IRISH WHISKEY rating 6 315 pages fiction
Irish woman with "sight" connects fiance with ex-mafia woman who saves him
5/8/1998 Jennings, Gary AZTEC AUTUMN rating 6 380 pages hist. Fiction
Uprising of Aztecs against the Spanish in 1500s.
5/14/1998 Armstrong, Campbell MAMBO rating 5 545 pages fiction
Global plot to depose Castro and take over Cuba. Foiled by British cop
5/24/1998 Nabokov, Vladimir THE EYE rating 6 111 pages fiction
self obscessed fellow escapes meaning by imagining himself dead. Surprise ending
6/1/1998 Puzo, Mario THE FORTUNATE PILGRIM rating 7 310 pages hist. Fiction
Italian immigant tale, 20s-40s. Success, but just ordinary folks and ordinary success
6/3/1998 Greeley, Andrew IRISH GOLD rating 8 333 pages hist. Fiction
Mystery @ Michael Collins death and modern love story. Irish to the core
6/5/1998 Jelinek, Elfriede WONDERFUL WONDERFUL TIMES rating 9 253 pages fiction
Vienna, 1950s, alienated teens, Camus influence. Forced ending. Powerful!
6/7/1998 Greeley, Andrew IRISH LACE rating 7 345 pages hist Fiction
Chicago, Civil War plot ties into current art theft plot, all around love story
6/17/2008 Courter, Gay THE MIDWIFE'S ADVICE rating 8 716 pages hist Fiction
Lower East side, 1913-1922. Sex research and Russian Rev. around love stories
6/21/1998 Jelinek, Elfriede WOMEN AS LOVERS rating 4 192 pages fiction
Repetitive, bitter novel of women losing themselves in marriage. Short story material
6/28/1998 Irving, John SETTING FREE THE BEARS rating 8 340 pages hist Fiction
1st novel, Vienna, 1967, flashbacks to war and occupation. Excellent
7/1/1998 Sheldon, Sidney RAGE OF ANGELS rating 4 504 pages fiction
mafia, courtroom, mindless, quick and fun
7/5/1998 Chopin, Kate THE AWAKENING rating 7 116 pages fiction
1899 woman choosing individualism over tradition. Well done but slow, as was her life
7/9/1998 Yolum, Irvin D. WHEN NIETZSCHE WEPT rating 10 306 pages phil fiction
1882 Vienna, Nietzsche's gives phil consul, creates psyco-analysis. Excellent. Freud
7/10/1998 Fast, Howard MAX rating 5 pages fiction
1890s - 1930 fictional history of development of movies
7/14/1998 Sandford, John SHADOW PREY rating 6 358 pages fiction
Current Indian attempt at uprising in Minnesota
7/17/1998 Jelinek, Elfriede LUST rating 7 207 pages feminist fict
Hammers at male dominated sex, especially in Austrian culture
7/22/1998 Leigh-Fermor, Patrick A TIME OF GIFTS rating 7 304 pages travel
Fun travel of walk from Amsterdam to Hungary (plan to Istanbul) 1933. Written 1977
7/23/1998 Ackroyd, Peter DAN LENO AND THE LIGHTHOUSE GOLEM rating 5 282 pages fiction
weird story of mass murder and others. 1882 in London. Marx a bit player
7/24/1998 Mathews, Adrian THE HAT OF VICTOR NOIR rating 5 286 pages fiction
Strange story of Brazilian Voodooist in Paris, grave yard story and love broker
7/25/1998 McEwan, Ian THE CEMENT GARDEN rating 6 127 pages facition
Children bury mother in basement in Poe-like macrbre tale
7/26/1998 Camus, Albert EXILE AND THE KINGDOM rating 5 213 pages short stories
Set of short stories of which most are not very interesting!
7/27/1998 Rabon, Israel THE STREET rating 6 192 pages fiction
Sad, slow tale of fellow in end of WWI in Poland on the street
7/28/1998 Vonnegut, Kurt PALM SUNDAY rating 5 302 pages misc
Non-fiction autobiographical rant. Some of it interesting, most less so
8/5/1998 Ruark, Robert UHURU rating 7 670 pages hist Fiction
African freedom movement in Kenya, 1960. Focus on white Kenyans
8/9/1998 Anders, Ivo THE BRIDGE ON THE DRINA rating 10 314 pages hist Fiction
Novelistic chronicle of Bosnian history with bridge as the central "character"
8/15/1998 Rybakou, Anatoli CHILDREN OF THE ARBAT rating 6 647 pages hist Fiction
Unfinished (?) novel of 1930s beginnings of Stalinist purge trials and lives of fear
8/21/1998 Marquez, Gabriel Garcia ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE rating 10 336 pages fiction
100 years in the life of a family and village in South America or Caribbean. Awesome!
8/24/1998 White, Antonia FROST IN MAY rating 6 221 pages fiction
1920s strict upperclass Catholic girls' school in England. Harsh and consistent nuns
8/26/1998 Sander, Helke THE THREE WOMEN K rating 8 142 pages feminist fict
More like short sketches than a novel. Funny, provocative. Not great writing!
8/31/1998 Zola, Emile THERESE RAQUIN rating 8 256 pages fiction
Macabre mystery story of love and murder in Paris, 1860s. Well written -- horrifying
9/7/1998 Szczypiorski, Andrzej THE BEAUTIFUL MRS. SEIDENMAN rating 8 200 pages hist Fiction
Poland, WWII, all struggle for survival and Poland is the leit moif. Riveting!
9/8/1998 Carroll, Jonathan VOICE OF OUR SHADOW rating 6 187 pages fiction
Scary, weird tale of the occult. However, lovingly set in Vienna and that's done well
9/20/1998 Chirbes, Rafael MIMOUN rating 1 111 pages fiction
One of the worst books I've ever finished. Self-indulgent tale of sad folks in Morocco
9/25/1998 Phillips, Caryl CAMBRIDGE rating 3 184 pages fiction
Couldn't decide if it was fiction or non-fiction. Decent on life in 18th century Caribbean
10/6/1998 Zola, Emile GERMINAL rating 10 499 pages hist Fiction
1860s mining community in northern France. Excellent study and story
10/17/1998 Nietzsche, Frederich GENEALOGY OF MORALS rating 8 160 pages philosophy
Zany in parts, profoundly challenging in others. Nietzsche rants a lot! Fascinating hist
10/24/1998 Clare, George LAST WALTZ IN VIENNA rating 6 272 pages history
Powerful tale of Vienna Jewish family especially in WWII. My last book in Vienna
12/12/1998 Hearne, Vicki ADAM'S TASK rating 7 165 pages philosophy
Scattery impressionistic book making the case that horses, dogs and cat do language
12/28/1998 Danticat, Edwidge THE FARMING OF BONES rating 7 312 pages Haiti
Tale of Dominican massacres of 1937. Good story, not as grabing as earlier works

BOOKS FROM 1997
1/6/1997 McCrory, May THE WATER'S EDGE rating 9 182 pages short stories
Wonderful stories of Irish girl raised in Liverpool. Great insights
1/25/1997 Camus, Albert THE STRANGER rating 8 154 pages Existentialism
Camus' first novel of meaningless in the character of Mersault
2/2/1997 Sartre, Jean-Paul NAUSEA rating 8 178 pages Existentialism
Supurb novel of the process of one man coming to experience meaninglessness
2/4/1997 Brown, K. McCarthy TRACING THE SPIRIT rating 6 112 pages Haiti
Davenport collection used to illustrate aspects of Voodoo cosmology in art
Lost many with computer failure
5/21/97 McKay, Claude HOME TO HARLEM rating 9 180 pages literature
Marvelous novel of Harlem in 1920. Harlem Renaissance classic
5/23/1997 Falcon-Barker, Ted DEVIL'S GOLD rating 5 159 pages adventure
Seeking lost Spanish gold off the coast of Haiti. Really HATES Haiti!
5/27/1997 Vaughan, Robert DAWN OF THE CENTURY rating 7 420 pages hist. fic
1904, St. L. to 1912. Interesting characters, familian setting
6/6/1997 McCullough, Colleen THE FIRST MAN IN ROME rating 6 931 pages hist. fic
100 BC Rome. Much like a lightly fictionalized account of political intrigue in Rome
6/8/1997 Shakespeare,Wm. JULIUS CAESAR rating 10 56 pages play
100 BC Rome. Wow, it's too easy to forget just how incredible Shakespeare is!
6/12/1997 Franklyn, Irwin KNIGHTS OF THE COCKPIT rating 3 310 pages Haiti
Terrible book that gets everything wrong about Haiti and glorifies U.S. marines
6/16/1997 Vidal, Gore HOLLYWOOD rating 7 419 pages hist.fic
Early days of film making + good portrait of Wilson and Harding administrations
6/20/1997 Uris, Leon REDEMPTION rating 5 827 pages hist. fic
Follow up of Trinity, but scattery and mixed novel. Some bad writing and organization
6/23/1997 Easterman, Daniel NIGHT OF THE SEVENTH DARKNESS rating 6 434 pages Haiti
From Wade Davis, via Ludlum, Voodoo international plot which bad folks win
6/26/1997 Cardinal, Marie DEVOTION AND DISORDER rating 7 186 pages fiction
Mother helps daughter overcome drug addiction, ghostwriter tells tale.
7/2/1997 Pratt, Frances LA BELLE ZOA rating 6 96 pages Haiti
1854 novel of Haitian revolution. Interesting view of times, plus historical errs.
7/12/1997 Bar-Zohar, Michael THE SPY WHO DIED TWICE rating 5 212 pages Haiti
Espionage thriller in which a Voodoo-related murder in Haiti is part of the so-so plot.
7/17/1997 Follett, Ken THE THIRD TWIN rating 7 422 pages fiction
Genetic engineering story of 8 clones, rape, fraud and suspense. Fun.
7/22/1997 Marquez, Gabriel G. THE GENERAL IN HIS LABYRINTH rating 7 268 pages hist. fic
Last days of Simon Bolivar.
7/27/1997 Vidal, Gore 1876: A NOVEL rating 8 364 pages hist.fic
Vidal calls 1876 the low point of U.S. history, and proves it. Good characters.
8/30/1997 Fitzgerald, F. Scott THE GREAT GATSBY rating 9 182 pages fiction
Classic look at the 1920s
0/0/1997 Lawrence, Starling MONTENEGRO rating 8 305 pages hist. fic
1908 Balkans. Love story, spy, sensitive, well-written.
0/0/1997 Ludlum, Robert THE MATARESE COUNTDOWN rating 6 487 pages fiction
Standard Ludlum: world plot, impossible knowledge, good wins over evil
0/0/1997 St. John, Robert THE MAN WHO PLAYED GOD rating 8 471 pages hist. fic.
Story of Hungarian Jew who tried to save Jews of Hungry, caught in complications
0/0/1997 Crow, John W. MEADOWS HOUSE rating 6 176 pages Haiti
Haiti boy comes to U.S and succeeds, but suffers racism. 1930-50
0/0/1997 Montero, Mayra IN THE PALM OF DARKNESS rating 7 183 pages Haiti
Dark, symbolic novel where disappearing frogs represent hopeless Haiti.

BOOKS FROM 1996
Jan-96 Evans, Jonathan MISFIRE rating 7 512 pages espinoage
KGB and CIA team up to stop terrorist sattalite
Jan-96 Banks, Russell CONTINENTAL DRIFT rating 9 420 pages Haiti
An everyman story of blue collar + Haitian connect
Jan-96 Hartov, Steven THE HEAT OF RAMADAN rating 6 448 pages espinoage
Plot to kill Israli primer before peace accord!
Jan-96 Robertson, Char RED CHAMELEON rating 6 456 pages espinoage
Double agent mole on computer SDI plan
Jan-96 Hofmann, Paul THE VIENNESE rating 7 330 pages history
Chatty history of Vienna focus on personalities
Feb-96 Barnhardt, Wilton GOSPEL rating 10 776 pages hist fic
Phenomenal story of hunt for lost 1st cent. gospel
Feb-96 Goodman, Cynthia HANS HOFMANN rating 4 123 pages art
Text, plus lots of plates of Hofmann's work
Feb-96 Courter, Gay MIDWIFE rating 7 521 pages hist fic
Jewish Russian immigrant midwife in NY
Feb-96 Segal, Erich ACTS OF FAITH rating 7 545 pages hist fic
Weak ending mars great Jewish/Catholic story
Feb-96 MacInness, Helen MESSAGE FROM MALAGA rating 5 351 pages espinoage
1971 weak espinoage work
Mar-96 Salinger, J.D. FRANNY AND ZOOEY rating 8 201 pages fiction
2 exciting stories: bro/sis who are "freaks"
Mar-96 Hynd, Noel FLOWERS FROM BERLIN rating 7 592 pages espinoage
WWII tale of attempt on Roosevelt's life
Mar-96 Hyde, Anthony THE RED FOX rating 5 405 pages espinoage
Unravelling of plot is in last 10 pages.
Mar-96 McCollough, HB POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES AND PHIL rating 7 310 pages philosophy
Decent survey of political theory types
Mar-96 Vidal, Gore BURR rating 9 564 pages hist fic
Wonderful hist of Amer Rev from insider kicked out
Apr-96 Boll, Heinrich THE CLOWN rating 10 223 pages exis. fic
Losing Marie bring clown Hans to meaninglessness
Apr-96 French, Marilyn OUR FATHER rating 6 436 pages fiction
4 sis of 4 moms meet & deal with dying abusuve dad
Apr-96 Kundera, Milan LIFE IS ELSEWHERE rating 7 307 pages fiction
Prague poet after WWII faces comm/art poetry/party
Apr-96 Achege, Chinua THINGS FALL APART rating 9 pages hist fic
African warrior's world collapses with Britich
Apr-96 Grisham, John THE RAINMAKER rating 5 598 pages fiction
Suite against insurance comp. Tongue in cheek
Apr-96 Hemingway, Ernest A FAREWELL TO ARMS rating 8 332 pages hist fic
Henry and Catherine Barkley's love in WWI
Apr-96 Donnelly, Jack INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS rating 6 206 pages philosophy
So-so overview of human rights issues and theories
May-96 Wilson, Colin THE GOD OF THE LABYRINTH rating 7 286 pages lit myst
Literary mystery, erotic and occult
May-96 Morrell, David THE FIFTH PROFESSION rating 5 498 pages espinoage
Jap/Amer "protectors" & brain implants!
May-96 Thompson, Earl TATTOO rating 4 687 pages fiction
Harsh look at 40/50s underclass white lost youth
May-96 Bellow, Saul MORE DIE OF HEARTBREAK rating 7 442 pages fiction
Talky story 2 men in heterosexual loves and lacks
May-96 Greeley, Andrew THE CARDINAL SIN rating 6 519 pages fiction
Cath. cardinal story again, but interesting 50s/80s
May-96 Clancey, Tom THE SUM OF ALL FEARS rating 5 1030 pages espinoage
Intricate terrorist nuclear plot
May-96 Morrell, David THE COVENENT OF THE FLAME rating 4 467 pages fiction
Semi-mystical 20th cent Mithias myth. Not serious
May-96 Hyde, Christoph STYX rating 6 269 pages fiction
Anthropo. in Neanderthal ruins. Earthquake + survival
May-96 Boyd, Douglas THE EAGLE AND THE SNAKE rating 5 547 pages espinoage
Vietnam in 50s. Hidden gold, later retrieved
May-96 Sanders, Lawr SULLIVAN'S STING rating 6 362 pages mystery
Solid typical Sanders story of Florida grifters
Jun-96 Talbot, Michael TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH rating 7 700 pages hist fic
1875/86 voyage to found Australian prison colony
Jun-96 Smith, Wilbur THE SEVENTH SCROLL rating 5 708 pages fiction
Indiana Jones in Ethiopia!
Jun-96 Aristide, JB DIGNITY rating 5 208 pages haiti
So-so account of exile. Not very thoughtful
Jun-96 Trouillot, M-R SILENCING THE PAST rating 10 186 pages philosophy
Exciting and challenging philosophy of history
Jun-96 Dayan, Joan HAITI, HISTORY AND THE GODS rating 7 339 pages Haiti
Impressionistic view of Haiti, scattered, useful
Jun-96 Summerskill, L SEDUCED BY A GREEK ISLAND rating 5 159 pages travel
Family builds on Ios in '65. Kept house till '95.
Jun-96 Gage, Nicholas HELLAS: A PORTRAIT OF GREECE rating 7 242 pages travel
Sentimental but useful portrait of Greece. Hist.
Jun-96 Mack, Gerstle TOULOUS-LAUTREC rating 7 362 pages art bio
Sad bio of Lautrec. Emphasis on influences/concerns
Jun-96 Tolstoy, Leon ANNA KARENINA rating 10 447 pages fiction
Tolstoy's strange and tragic heroine
Jun-96 Anon GETTING TO KNOW SANTORINI rating 5 127 pages travel
Overview of Santorini with photos
Jun-96 Ellison, Ralph INVISIBLE MAN rating 8 581 pages fiction
Black experience in US, especially Harlem in 1950s
Jun-96 Faulks, Sebast BIRDSONG rating 7 407 pages hist fic
Excellent WWI tale. Powerful, realistic, detailed
Jun-96 Demille, Nelson SPENCERVILLE rating 4 560 pages fiction
Melodrama ex cia again sociopath cop. Woman at stake.
Jul-96 Muller, Herbert THE USES OF THE PAST rating 9 362 pages phil hist
Phil, hist, epist, short overviews of civilizations
Jul-96 Perera, Victor RITES: A GUATEMALAN BOYHOOD rating 7 194 pages fiction
Jewish boy (my age) growing in Guatemala's bourgeoise
Jul-96 Douka, Mara FOOL'S GOLD rating 6 317 pages hist fic
Young bourgeois woman in Greek radical left 60s-70s.
Jul-96 Roth, Joseph THE RADETZKY MARCH rating 5 331 pages hist fic
Last 3 generation of Hapsburgh petty nobels.
Jul-96 Tuchman, Barbara THE GUNS OF AUGUST rating 9 440 pages history
Incredible account of the first month of WWI
Aug-96 Puzo, Mario THE SICILIAN rating 7 410 pages fiction
Mafia story of young revolutionary in Sicily. 1950 era
Aug-96 Janik & Toulmin WITTGENSTEIN'S VIENNA rating 8 275 pages philosophy
Rereading of TRACTATUS as book on value
Aug-96 Davidson, Lionel THE ROSE OF TIBET rating 6 313 pages fiction
Adventure tale of 1950s Londoner in Tibet
Aug-96 Vittorini, Elio CONVERSATION IN SICILY rating 5 134 pages fiction
Pretentious tale of son visiting mother and knife man
Aug-96 Gonzalez, Juan ROLL DOWN YOUR WINDOWS rating 7 204 pages commentary
Human interest political essays from DAily News reporter
Sept-96 Hemingway, Ernest ACROSS THE RIVER AND INTO TREES rating 7 308 pages fiction
Tragic tale of 50 yr.old Colonel and 19 yr old lover, 1948
Sept-96 Illich, Ivan CELEBRATION OF AWARENESS rating 5 181 pages philosophy
Essays that are rather out of date and old hat
Sept-96 Fick, Carolyn THE MAKING OF HAITI rating 10 355 pages Haiti
Excellent history of revolution from the little people
Sept-96 Kodindki, Jerzy THE DEVIL TREE rating 6 211 pages fiction
Super rich hippie struggles to find life and sex
Sep-96 Checkov, Anton THE CHERRY ORCHARD rating 7 78 pages play
end of an era of nobles, as rich lost their cherry orchard
Sep-96 Fowles, John THE COLLECTOR rating 7 255 pages fiction
fascinating story of man who kidnapes young woman
Sep-96 Dash, J. Michael HAITI AND THE UNITED STATES rating 7 152 pages Haiti
National stereotypes in lit. Decent with good sources
Sep-96 Maraini, Dacia ISOLINA rating 7 152 pages fiction
1900 brutal murder of woman is studied to show court bias
Oct-96 Puzo, Mario THE LAST DON rating 7 482 pages fiction
Excellent story of a Mafia family in 1980s
Oct-96 Tallant, Robert VOODOO IN NEW ORLEANS rating 5 252 pages Voodoo
Impressionistic and sensationalistic history of Orleans Voodoo
Oct-96 Crichton, Michael CONGO rating 7 316 pages fiction
Signing gorilla and computer whiz + seek diamonds in Africa
Oct-96 Davis, Wade ONE RIVER: EXPL.& DISC AMAZON rating 8 495 pages botany
Extraordianry story of Schultes, Harvard ethonobotanist
Oct-96 Metellus, Jean THE VORTEX FAMILY rating 8 232 pages Haiti
Historical fiction set in 1950, family mirrors society
Oct-96 Riou, Roger THE ISLAND OF MY LIFE rating 7 300 pages Haiti
Missionary priest from France in anti-superstition campaign
1-Nov-96 Michel, Georges CHARLEMAGNE PERALTE rating 6 88 pages Haiti
Newspaper articles about life and fighting of Peralte
1-Nov-96 Temple, Frances TONIGHT, BY SEA rating 7 154 pages Haiti
Teen-age book about boat people coming to US
nov 28 96 Perusse, Roland HAITIAN DEMOCRACY RESTORED rating 7 164 pages Haiti
Excellent chronological summary of 1991-1994 period
nov 28 96 Madsen, David VODOUN rating 8 349 pages Haiti
Political thriller: astral zombie reporter helps coup d'etat
11-30-96 Roumain, Jacques WHEN THE TOM - TOM BEATS rating 5 109 pages Haiti
Poems and stories of Roumain's communist period. so so
12-12-96 Mazur, Grace Dane SILK rating 8 237 pages fiction
Exotic short stories, many situated in Paris
12-19-96 Potok, Chaim THE GATES OF NOVEMBER rating 8 243 pages history
Story of Russian Jews who wanted to leave for Israel

BOOKS FROM 1995
Dec-95 Shacochis, Bob SWIMMING IN THE VOLCANO rating 5 518 pages Caribbean
Caribbean tale of of expatriates
Dec-95 Uris, Leon MITLA PASS rating 7 495 pages hist fic
Story set in Israel in 1960s war
Dec-95 Pearson, WM CHESSPLAYER rating 5 407 pages espinoage
Dec-95 Edwards, Anne SONYA:LIFE OF COUNTESS TOLSTOY rating 8 454 pages history
Tragic tale of how Tolstorys destroyed each other
Dec-95 Michener, James POLAND rating 8 620 pages hist fict
Classic Michener study of generations
Dec-95 Hunter, Jack THE TERROR ALLIANCE rating 6 318 pages espinoage
Assissanation attempt against US president