I have also read all of Ann Rule's books. Being from the Northwest and her visibility on local morning shows, she has a good audience in this area.
Favorite Stephen King book is The Stand. Have read it many times and still find things I missed. If it is in audio form it might be a good one to try although it is very long.
I've read everything Ann Rule has written except for the book she wrote on Ted Bundy; for some reason I've never gotten around to reading that one. Gotta agree with Paul, though, after you read enough true crime you start to think in kind of strange ways. She's good enough at explaining the thought processes and personality traits that cause people to do some of the things they do that I find myself looking at people's quirks and wondering if they are a potential murderer or something!
Rule's book on Ted Bundy is a classic. As you may know, Rule was fairly close to Ted Bundy having worked on several hotlines together. Rule was a single mom at the time and you get the feeling that she enjoyed the attention of the handsome, eloquent Bundy.
Of course, over the course of the investigation, she begins to question everything she knew about the man even while he continues to correspond with her pleading his innocence.
Staying with the PacNW theme, I really enjoy the earlier works of Earl Emerson. He's a Seattle fireman who writes excellent detective novels. One series "stars" Mac Fontana, a small town fire chief. The other series features Thomas Black, a Seattle PI. I like them both a lot. Emerson's more recent (non-Black, non-Fontana) stuff is far less stellar.
The Stand is the most riveting book I have ever read. It's long, but it can be done in one 12-hour shot. I know that for a fact.
As far as I know I have read all of Earl Emerson's earlier books also. I have not tried any of his recent books. Has he stopped writing the Fontana or Black detective books?
Well, my inter-library loan came in so I am going to read "The Informant" by Kurt Eichenwald first. But I will definitely have to read "The Stand" soon. Anything that can keep Frank's attention for more than a few minutes must be good.
Frank, It takes just as long to read the Stand the second time around because you keep reading new meanings to some of the relevent passages.
This book really makes you think while you are reading it. My daughter and I read it together (Not in 12 hours) and we read the chapter of Revelations along with it and discussed them together. It was definately worth reading.
I wouldn't want to even try to read The Stand clear through in 12 hours, because when I'm really enjoying a book I tend to want to savor every moment and make it last as long as possible. I've re-read it a number of times and I enjoy it just as much every time.
According to an interview posted on Emerson's website, he doesn't foresee writing anymore Fontana or Black books. A shame... those were easily his best work.
I just read "The Shack". Its the "hot" Christian book right now. A little controversial. People either love it or consider it dangerous. Of course, that made me want to read it. I found it interesting, thought provoking, refreshing, and worthwhile. I am not a big fan of Christian fiction but this was well written and it has made me look at my own faith concepts in a new way.
Okay, have gone through a couple of books while this thread is in existence.
I am still reading Duma Key...it is taking me a while on that one, but that is because I got started on Twilight. It is pretty good so far. Everyone at work has read it so I am feeling out of tune with the water cooler conversations and had to read it.
Hey Paul, Are you a Lost fan? If so, I can give you another reason to read The Stand. This past weekend, I bought a book that tracks the show's literary, movie, television, pop culture, and other references and influences. What convinced me to buy the book (besides the fact it was only $1.99--I love used book stores!) was that when I was flipping through it, I found an entire section on The Stand and its parallels to the show. I'm sure some of you other Lost junkies already know this (two of my Lost friends informed me that all of this info is on the internet, but I'm a bibliophile). The opening of that chapter said something about how the writers have said that there's always a copy of the book in the writers' room. I scanned through it and what struck me is that it isn't so surprising that the Lost writers would be such fans and use it as a model because (1) it's such a great story and (2) it's a great example of a larger literary genre -- the epic quest/journey/adventure, with the flawed heroes and sympathetic villains and themes of redemption and self discovery -- and is also a good model for telling the stories of a bunch of different characters separately but then having them all tie in together. Yeah, I'm going to have to reread it again myself soon. Have a great Thanksgiving! Celeste
I never watched much of Lost or at least enough to get into it. I know the basic idea of the story. Next time I get sick and miss a couple days of work, I'll have to rent season One.
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 12-01-08 AT 09:14AM (CST)[/font][br][br]Recently I got into James Patterson's Women's Murder Club series and some of his more "romantic" books like Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas and Sam's Letters to Jennifer. I'm also a Jodi Piccoult fan, though I can't read two of her books in a row because they are so in depth and emotionally draining. I have a bunch of Baldacci (is it David or Daniel?) books I hear are great, but I haven't had a chance to read yet. Last year I read 2 Janet Evanovich: Motor Mouth and Metro Girl, which were easy reads and entertaining to me. We had a little book exchange going here at work, but it's diminished a little since summer ended...and TV began!
During my extended, unscheduled layover (21 hours and counting, way to go American Eagle xclap), I have enjoyed rereading my SHRM SPHR prep books - starting with Module One. Riveting stuff, real page turner, just what you need when you are trying to stay awake in an airport terminal in Tampa. Spoiler alert! The Project Manager did it with a Gantt chart at an offshoring site...
That was just Module One... there are six total. Shall we ruin the rest as well?? The protagonist (an HR Officer at a community bank) is a wonderful sleuth though; great at solving those pesky HR problems. Like...
Comments
Favorite Stephen King book is The Stand. Have read it many times and still find things I missed. If it is in audio form it might be a good one to try although it is very long.
Of course, over the course of the investigation, she begins to question everything she knew about the man even while he continues to correspond with her pleading his innocence.
Amazing.
The Stand is the most riveting book I have ever read. It's long, but it can be done in one 12-hour shot. I know that for a fact.
It takes just as long to read the Stand the second time around because you keep reading new meanings to some of the relevent passages.
This book really makes you think while you are reading it. My daughter and I read it together (Not in 12 hours) and we read the chapter of Revelations along with it and discussed them together. It was definately worth reading.
Shirley
I may re-read it around Christmas time.
I am still reading Duma Key...it is taking me a while on that one, but that is because I got started on Twilight. It is pretty good so far. Everyone at work has read it so I am feeling out of tune with the water cooler conversations and had to read it.
Shirley
Are you a Lost fan? If so, I can give you another reason to read The Stand. This past weekend, I bought a book that tracks the show's literary, movie, television, pop culture, and other references and influences. What convinced me to buy the book (besides the fact it was only $1.99--I love used book stores!) was that when I was flipping through it, I found an entire section on The Stand and its parallels to the show. I'm sure some of you other Lost junkies already know this (two of my Lost friends informed me that all of this info is on the internet, but I'm a bibliophile).
The opening of that chapter said something about how the writers have said that there's always a copy of the book in the writers' room. I scanned through it and what struck me is that it isn't so surprising that the Lost writers would be such fans and use it as a model because (1) it's such a great story and (2) it's a great example of a larger literary genre -- the epic quest/journey/adventure, with the flawed heroes and sympathetic villains and themes of redemption and self discovery -- and is also a good model for telling the stories of a bunch of different characters separately but then having them all tie in together.
Yeah, I'm going to have to reread it again myself soon.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Celeste