Wallace, Re: your picture [posted in last week’s Reveille]
I've seen better looking specimens at the Taliban Kandihar lockup. That's what happens when you train in explosives and sleep through the key lecture. You are supposed to give only your name and serial number, not your leg. Was that supposed to be an ad for Medicare or the Bellevue Soup Kitchen? I am surprised your jailors let you have a book to read – clever prisoners knit the bindings into long ropes and escape into the night. But then who said we were dealing with clever prisoners?
The actual subject of this note was to have been a memorial service for the M's who melted, molted and mildewed. Jean and I rooted as hard as we could but only to discover that Destiny's Child is not just a vocal ensemble but a group of guys in pinstripes. Blame Juliani, he put a hex on Ishiro and Edgar.
As Yogi might have said: "Wait til last year."
Assuming you were somewhat serious about reading matter, let me share some of the books that have kept me off the streets and out of surgery. This is in no particular sequence, just stream of unconsciousness.
Robert B. Parker - I am a big fan of Spenser (for Hire) and Parker has written more than 30 of them, all predictable, but quick, fun reading. Now he has two new characters, Sonny Randle, a female private eye, and Jesse Stone, Chief of Police of Paradise, MA (N. of Boston)
Ed McBain - I am also a fan of the 87th Precinct. He writes the best cop novels - about 50 so far
Patricia Cornwell - her novels of Kay Scarpetta, Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia, are solid.
Kathy Reichs also writes on forensic crime and may be even better than Cornwell.
Lawrence Sanders started a series on Archie McNally before he died - McNally's Gamble/Folly/Caper, etc. - which is clever and funny. Vincent Lardo has done two more which are almost as good as the original. Lardo also writes about the Hamptons - mystery/crime with local color.
James Patterson and Richard North Patterson write strong books with excellent plot development.
Greg Iles has written some fascinating stories, particularly Mortal Fear and The Quiet Game (which is a better Mississippi story than Grisham has ever written).
Stephen Hunter has some exciting stories, particularly the ones featuring Bob Swaggart, ex-Vietnam sniper.
I have read all the Margaret Truman mysteries which are surprisingly crisp for an old lady, and a Democrat at that. I have read all the Blackford Oakes adventures by William Buckley which are surprising down-to-earth for a linguist and a Republican at that.
Just a few more random thoughts: Lee Gruenfeld's book "The Street" has great financial language and an up-to-date plot on an IPO situation ("is it for real or a boondoggle – read to the end to find out). Elmore Leonard writes the absolute best "street language" of any one. Coben's book: " Tell No One" is a thriller.
Read about New York at the turn of the 20th century with Caleb Carr. The Alienist was his first. Alan Furst writes the very best World War II-European spy dramas.
Obviously, I read a lot of fiction, but I would mention Robert McNamara's recent book: "Wilson's Ghost" and "A Different Drummer" by Deaver (about Ronald Reagan)
For something truly scary, read Hamza’s book on "Saddam's Bombmaker," which says that Iraq has the bomb and plenty of biological and chemical weapons. They only lack a delivery system and perhaps the U.S. Postal Disservice just gave them one. And then, because this is all so depressing, grab anything by Dave Barry (His latest is "Hitting Below The Beltway.") and all will be fine again.
