In early June, we asked you to share your summer reading lists with other readers. What books would you be spending time with on the beach, in the mountains or during that flight to the East Coast? You responded with dozens of titles.
Each week in this column, we've included samples from our readers' lists. But: Even though books have long shelf lives, and so-called "summer reads" can be picked up any time, it is the start of August. In the interest of playing catch-up, here's a trio of lists:
Rediscovering Mary Stewart
"This summer I decided to travel back in time to my teen years in the 1960s. So I've been reading one of my favorite authors once again – Mary Stewart.
"Exquisitely and expertly written, Stewart's literary masterpieces of mystery, romance and suspense are set in colorful locations across Europe. And all are written without a single four-letter word or any graphic sex. Her books are a joy to rediscover.
"Between the library and used-book stores, I'm finding plenty of Stewart titles. And nearly all are still in print and available new. Some of her titles I've read thus far:"
• "Madam, Will You Talk?"
• "This Rough Magic"
• "Nine Coaches Waiting"
• "Airs Above the Ground"
– Regina M. Fagan
Sacramento
'Bookaholic' shares her list
"I'm a bookaholic who's not happy unless I have two or three books going. For sheer senseless fun, I'm reading Jeaniene Frost's 'Night Huntress' (series) vampire books – the only vampire books I have read or likely will read. My goal is to read 'Ulysses' by James Joyce. I probably will listen to some audiobooks while driving here and there this summer – one of my fondest activities. Here's my summer reading list:"
• "Doc" by Mary Doria Russell ("her 'The Sparrow' is one of my all-time favorites").
• "State of Wonder" by Ann Patchett ("she is always a delight to read").
• "Vanished" by Joseph Finder
• "A Cold Day in Paradise" by Steve Hamilton
– Jan Westlund
Davis
Keeping up with series of books
"Here is my summer reading list, all of them (entries in) the authors' series:"
• "Runner" by Thomas Perry
• "Misery Bay" by Steve Hamilton
• "Camouflage" by Bill Pronzini
• "Coming Back" by Marcia Muller
• "Sentenced to Death" by Lorna Barrett
• "Stagestruck" by Peter Lovesey
• "Disturbance" by Jan Burke
• "Pie a la Murder" by Melinda Wells
• "Betrayal of Trust" by J.A. Jance
• "Shadow of the Wolf Tree" by Joseph Heywood
– John Bohnert
Grass Valley
Coming to the big screen
Fantasy is a literary genre that has long been with us. For instance, before J.K. Rowling ("Harry Potter"), J.R.R. Tolkien ("Lord of the Rings") and George R.R. Martin ("A Song of Ice and Fire"), there was Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950). He was the guy who brought us 25 Tarzan books and many titles in six other fantastic series.
One of his most revered characters, John Carter, will make his screen debut in March 2012 in the Walt Disney sword-and-sorcery movie "John Carter." In Burroughs' 11-title "Mars" epic, Carter was a former Confederate Army officer who is astrally projected to the planet Mars. Many adventures follow.
Check out the movie trailer at the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi938384409/) or visit Gawker Media's all-things-fantasy blog, www.io9.com.
Demise greatly exaggerated
In view of the closing of Borders Books, here's a notable quote from New York independent-bookstore owner Christine Onorati, who has wearied of hearing that bookstores are dying: "Half of all restaurants that open close, but nobody says restaurants are dying."
New on bookshelves
Not enough titles yet? Try these:
Nonfiction
"Nickel and Dimed" by Barbara Ehrenreich (Holt, $15, 256 pages): This eye-opener is the 10th anniversary edition of the 2 million-plus best-seller, and is especially apt, given today's economic climate. The journalist set out to discover how America's blue-collar women could make ends meet on minimum wage by working those jobs herself.
"500 Acres and No Place To Hide" by Susan McCorkindale (NAL, $15, 368 pages): In last year's "Confessions of a Counterfeit Farm Girl," the city-bred author wrote about the trials and tribulations of moving from New Jersey to a Virginia cattle ranch. In this second memoir, it appears she has made farm life adjust to her, not vice versa.
"The Authentic Animal" by Dave Madden (St. Martin's, $26.99, 288 pages): This fascinating look into the "odd and obsessive world of taxidermy" is both disturbing and darkly funny. Madden's visit to the World Taxidermy Championships is particularly surreal.
Fiction
"Crown of Dust" by Mary Volmer (Soho, $24, 292 pages): This gritty Gold Rush tale follows Alex as she runs from her past. Disguised as a young man, she takes lodging in the California mining town of Motherlode. Chaos comes to roost when she finds a gold nugget. This one's getting starred reviews.
"Beast of Burden" by Ray Banks (Houghton Mifflin, $25, 304 pages; on sale Aug. 11): A few years ago, British novelist Banks joined the group of writers who seem to dominate the European thriller scene – John Connolly, Declan Burke, Ken Bruen, Adrian McKinty and, more recently, Jo Nesbo. This is another fine entry in Banks' Callum Innes series, telling the further adventures of the "indestructible" Manchester P.I. Rough-and-tumble noir with a severe edge.
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The Bee's Allen Pierleoni can be reached at (916) 321-1128 or apierleoni@sacbee.com. Contact him with news of coming literary events that are open to the public.
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