All About Pocket Knives

jerryd6818 wrote:I've read most of the J.L. Burke Dave Robicheaux series but when I went looking to see if my local library had a copy of Wayfaring Stranger (not Robicheaux of course), I discovered there's one I didn't know about. I'm going to have to zip down and get a copy of Creole Belle.

Jerry,
I had about the same experience except that the one I had not read was another non-Robicheaux by the title of To The Bright and Shining Sun. I got it in paperback and will get started on it right away.
For my money, Wayfaring Stranger was one of his very best.

Ray

I just finished "UNBROKEN" by Laura Hillenbrand. Quite a story. If anyone wants it to read, I'll mail it to you. Send me your address.

This is a history of the very early (late 1500s) explorer, Martin Frobisher. The story could move along a little faster, but I'm enjoying it. Incredible tales.

I'm gradually returning to my old habits of reading several books at a time, some fiction and some non-fiction. This makes it easy to always have something handy to read. . . .

In my truck, I've got Lorenz's On Aggression. Not a bad book, if you are interested in observation and theories on intra-species aggression, but not the most exciting thing to read. The truck is a good place to read it, I can read small bites when I have a few minutes, then typically have time to consider them while driving.

I've still got LeBlanc's Prehistoric Warfare on my desk. It is a slow read, as much because I have to keep checking maps as anything else. The US southwest makes a good case study of the effects long-term weather trends may have on both migration in/out of an area, and how it might contribute to conflict.

The latest fiction I'm reading is by an author--Phillip Kerr--recommended to me years ago by one of my history professors. I started with March Violets, sort of a noir-detective novel like Hammett or Spillane, but set in 1938 Germany. Great fun to read, and hard to put down.

coffeecup: If you have not yet read it, I'd encourage you to make a point of reading The Territorial Imperative by Aubry. A real classic that I reread every couple of years. When it first came out it was highly praised by scientists and the general public (best seller). From animal behavior to human, I continue to find it full of insights.

When Vince Flynn died about a year and a half back, I thought I should check out his series with Mitch Rapp as the protagonist. I made a quick trip to Half Price Books and picked up 3 volumes. One was the 1st of the series and I thought that was a good place to start. I found it interesting but slow at the beginning. Once it got going, it was a fine book.
Because of the slow start to the 1st book I was slow in starting the others. I got started this week and WOW! Was it ever action packed and a great read. Title is EXTREME MEASURES. It is one of those books where I hated to read the last few pages because I hated to see it end. I am getting ready to start the next in the series, PURSUIT of HONOR.
If you have any of the Flynn books sitting around gathering dust and would like to let them go, let me know.

Ray

Vince Flynn was one of my favorites. Terrible that we lost him to cancer. I've read all of his books, but don't have any now else I would pass them on to you. I buy most of mine from Half Price Books and recycle them at the same place when finished. I recommend you pick up a copy of American Assassin. Although it was one of the last in the Mitch Rapp series that Flynn wrote, it's chronologically the first and tells the story of how Rapp was recruited and trained, and his first assignment. BTW, I read recently that the publisher has arranged for the Mitch Rapp character/series to be carried on by another author. Not sure yet what to think about that but I'll probably give it a try when it comes out.

Ken

I'm currently trying out a new author; Stuart MacBride. I'm reading his 2nd Logan McRae novel, "Dying Light". MacBride is a Scottish author writing about a Scottish Detective Sergeant, Logan McRae, located in Aberdeen Scotland and you need to keep Google open and handy on your PC to read it unless you're intimately familiar with the Scottish vernacular. I'm about a third of the way into it and so far, it's keeping my interest.

............"endurance"-by Alfred lansing(for the 3rd time)!!!.................... ..................................

jerryd6818 wrote:I'm currently trying out a new author; Stuart MacBride. I'm reading his 2nd Logan McRae novel, "Dying Light". MacBride is a Scottish author writing about a Scottish Detective Sergeant, Logan McRae, located in Aberdeen Scotland and you need to keep Google open and handy on your PC to read it unless you're intimately familiar with the Scottish vernacular. I'm about a third of the way into it and so far, it's keeping my interest.

That's a lotta "Macs" there. Seriously, with a name like MacRae, he's gotta be good!

Hunger Games Trilogy.....for the second time....

The latest Virgil F'n Flowers book "Deadline" by John Sandford. I'm glad he spun Flowers off the Prey Series. Love the Sandford books.

Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose. The story of Lewis and Clark. Really good book.

Just started John Grisham's "Sycamore Row". Haven't read any Grisham in quite a while.

knife-nut wrote:Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose. The story of Lewis and Clark. Really good book.

You're in for a good read, knife-nut. Quite a journey.

I am just finishing up on Killing Patton by Bill O'Reilly, It is an excellent read and I recommend it.

Man I've read so many books over the years I can't remember. All I know is there's a heckuva lot I have yet to read. I read most of the classic sci-fi in high school. Focused on history books for most of my years. Read most of the spy classics. Recently I took a break from non-fiction and got into Child's Reacher and Thor's Harvath. Hagberg's McGarvey. Did a few Elmore Leonard books and also Carl Hiasson. A neat resource for you cloak and dagger fans (like me) is www.spyguysand gals.com which list book characters by name and gives a brief synopsis of the books in the series. I had no idea how many there were. Definitely worth checking out.

Slinger -- Thanks for the Hagberg recommendation. I'll grab one the next time I'm at the library.

May I suggest you try (if you haven't already):
Steve Berry - Cotton Malone series
Lawrence Block - Matthew Scudder series
Michael Connelly - Harry Bosch series
Robert Crais - Elvis Cole series and Joe Pike books
Barry Eisler - John Rain series
Jonathan Kellerman - Alex Delaware series
William Lashner - Vic Carl series
Christopher Reich - Jonathan Ransom series
Anything by John Sandford
Daniel Silva - Gabrial Allon series
Robert Tanenbaum - Butch Karp series
William G. Tapply - Brady Coyne series
Randy Wayne White - Doc Ford series

I have a feeling you have read most of those but maybe there's one there that's gotten by you.

Paladin wrote:I am just finishing up on Killing Patton by Bill O'Reilly, It is an excellent read and I recommend it.

........that one is next on my "list"!!!!...................... .........................

The Third Secret by Steve Berry. In addition to his Cotton Malone series, Berry writes historically correct novels of which this is one. I enjoy his books.

I just finished Blackhawk Down and it was a good, fast read. A little bit of a re-run since I saw the movie first.

Ray

....just finished "George patton's best friend"(willie) by Richard j. stillman-always wondered what happened to willie after he died,plus I can't pass up anything about patton(or john wayne)-great book!!!............. .........................

Ray, I read Blackhawk Down before I saw the movie so the movie was a bit of a let down for me.

Here's a book I got recently that may pique your interest.

I'm on a fly-fishing kick lately, so I'm currently in the middle of Ray Bergman's 1938 book titled TROUT.