Topic: Books

[Kathy]

I have found another author whose books I really enjoy - Linda Fairstein. She is a former prosecutor for the NY District Attorney and was the Chief of the Sex Crimes Prosecution Unit for twenty five years.

She has turned her vast experience and knowledge into some terrific crime novels. I've polished off 4 of her books this week and am already into the next. The novels have a terrific cast of characters, starting with Alexandra Cooper, and the stories are brilliant.

If you are interested, she does have her own web site: http://www.lindafairstein.com/

[Najemikon]

I think my mum may have read a few of Linda Fairstein's.

I just made my 6000th post!    I hope you read it because it's about a wonderful book called The Invention of Hugo Cabret. http://www.dvdcollectorsonline.com/index.php/topic,6519.msg123665.html#msg123665

I'd started a new thread about it because I lost this one. Thought I might as well link to it here too, what with it being a book. 

[Kathy]

I think my mum may have read a few of Linda Fairstein's.

I just made my 6000th post!    I hope you read it because it's about a wonderful book called The Invention of Hugo Cabret. http://www.dvdcollectorsonline.com/index.php/topic,6519.msg123665.html#msg123665

I'd started a new thread about it because I lost this one. Thought I might as well link to it here too, what with it being a book. 

Thanks for posting this (and the other one too!) again. I didn't see the other posting but this book sounds wonderful. The drawings are terrific - they better be since there are a couple of hundred pages worth of them! I'll check out the US amazon site next to order it.

6,003 posts...someone needs a life!

[Najemikon]

I have one. It's here. With you. And all my other friends. 

Don't leave. Don't ever leave.

(click to show/hide)

Or I'll find you...     

But seriously! Glad you're looking it up, Kathy. I'm sure you'll like it.

[Rogmeister]

I mostly like non-fiction books, especially books on the movies and the old west.  I started reading what I think is considered the best biography of John Wayne and I got sidetracked so I need to get back to that.  I have 3 books coming now...two are movie review books by Leonard Maltin and one is a book that covers just 27 great western films.  I do read some fiction...but not that much of it.  I enjoyed both Lonesome Dove and Buffalo Girls, two westerns by Larry McMurtry.  I am currently reading a baseball book by Tim Kurkjian.  Once I finish this, I'll probably try to get to a movie book.

[snowcat]

¬____¬ Currently im reading "Syd Fields Screenplay" for the third time.... I have to admit im getting kinda fed up of it :p but... seeing as I didnt take notes the first two times assuming id remember.... im having to re read :p

after that im really hoping to read the Kevin Smith books I bought recently!

[Rogmeister]

I finally finished that baseball book...I finished it yesterday.  I seemed to only read it on my dialysis treatment days while stuck there.  Rather than read that Charlton Heston book, I think I will now get back into "In A Door, Into A Fight, Out A Door, Into A Chase: Moviemaking Remembered by the Guy at the Door" by William Witney.  Witney was one of the better directors to work on the old movie serials back in the 30s, 40s and 50s and this book is about his working days then.  I read part of this, got sidetracked and now I hope to get back into this.  It's not a thick book, being just under 250 pages.  

By the way, after being at this site for over a year now, this is finally my 1,000th post.   

[Najemikon]

Well done, Rog! 

I've just bought a couple of gorgeous movie books. One on A.I., and is a huge landscape book with tons of art, but also the original story reprinted with notes that were made during the adaptation. The other one is The Godfather Family Album, full of set photography from all three films (although very thin for part 3). I love candid movie photography, where they either catch actors and crew during a scene and you get another angle, or where they're larking around (the pictures of Brando are extraordinary in particular). This book is full of both kind and also has loads of interviews and articles, some of which are reprints from original magazines. Like Coppola and Pacino's interviews with Playboy, etc.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Godfather-Family-Album-Steve-Schapiro/dp/3836524309/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1283080134&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/I-Artificial-Intelligence-Stanley-Spielberg/dp/0500514895/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1283080158&sr=1-1

There are some scary priced "Artist Proof" editions of the Godfather book. Amazon have one at £950, but I've seen them well over £1000 too. 

[Rogmeister]

As some of you know, I recently got a kindle and I have now downloaded a couple of movie review books into it.  One is Leonard Maltin's 151 Best Movies You've Never Seen and the other is Roger Ebert's 4-star Reviews which is fairly explanatory...they're his full reviews of movies he's given his top rating of 4 stars to.  I started reading that today.  I'm not reading every review at first...I'm reading reviews first of either movies I've already seen or ones I own copies of...and some reviews of other movies I feel I might want to watch for.  Later on, I'll go back and read the others.

I'm surprised at Leonard's book...I didn't know he could do reviews that were more than a brief paragraph long!    I read one review with interest...a movie titled The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio.  I read the book something like 6 or 7 years ago and then I heard they were making a movie out of it.  I really liked the book...I always enjoy books about growing up in a past decade...I think this one took place in the 50s.  This was also a true story, and it was a unique idea...about a woman helping to support her family by entering various sweepstakes.  I wanted to see the movie, but it never got to my area and then I forgot about it.  So when I came across the review in Leonard's book, I looked it up, found a cheap copy online and ordered it.  It'll probably be here in a day or two.  

[Dragonfire]

I saw some positive reviews of that movie on Epinions.


I got Naked Heat by Richard Castle today...yes the character from the tv show Castle.  It is the second Castle book released.  I have no idea who actually wrote the books, but I did really enjoy the first one.  I also liked the references to the book in the show.

[Kathy]

I've read several books lately.

Lilian Jackson Braun is not my favorite author but her "The Cat Who..." novels are a quick and pleasant read.

I've also read a couple of James Patterson. I quite like him and enjoy spending a day or two reading his novels of murder and mayhem.

Edit: I forgot to mention the book I am currently reading: The Playboy Interviews with John Lennon & Yoko Ono.

To place this in context, the Playboy Magazine article with John & Yoko was on the stands the day John was murdered. So, this book contains the last words that he would give to the world.

There are many too young to understand what John Lennon meant outside of the Beatles phenomenon. But, to those who loved him, his ideas and how he lived his life, this book is most touching.

[Dragonfire]

I finished Naked Heat last night..after I was sure the migraine was stopped.
I enjoyed the book.  Lots of little references to the show.  I'm going to write up a review for Epinions..hope to get it posted soon.

[Dragonfire]

I got my review of Naked Heat typed up and posted on Epinions earlier tonight. 

Like I mentioned before, the book is a tie in to Castle.  It is the second book that Richard Castle has written about Nikki Heat, the character he based on Kate Beckett.  Jameson Rook, a magazine writer, is the other main character and he is definitely based on Rick from the show.

The book picks up several months after the end of the first book, Heat Wave.  It definitely builds on things from the first book, so I think they should be read in order.  When this one begins, Nikki and Jameson haven't communicated in several months and she would rather avoid him altogether.  That becomes impossible when he ends up connected to a new murder investigation.  Cassidy Towne, a well known and not well liked gossip columnist is found murdered in her home.  Jameson has been spending time with Cassidy, researching a new article, and he uses that to convince Nikki to let him tag along during the investigation again. 

The plot is very interesting and entertaining even though the mystery could be a bit stronger.  A few things that happen are predictable, but there are also a few surprises.  The case is a bit odd, like the murders on Castle.  There are little things throughout the book that seem to have been influenced by various episodes.  There are two murders being investigated in the book that end up connected.  Things from several different investigations on the show end up tied to the investigation in the book.  I like all the ties back to the series.  Having connections to the show makes sense since the book is supposed to be written by Rick.  It seems logical to me that he would be inspired by things he sees when working with Kate.  The book has also been mentioned on the show while Rick was working on it and then starting publicity.

So far, both of the Nikki Heat books that have been mentioned in the series have been published.  I don't know who the real writer is, though I have a suspicion.  I've enjoyed both books and will continue to pick up more if they are written.  I hope there will be several more.  The mysteries aren't the strongest, but the books are definitely fun and entertaining.

Naked Heat

[Rogmeister]

I have an online friend who wrote a book titled Commodork...it is about the early days of home computers with emphasis on the Commodore computers.  He let me know recently that this is available on the kindle so I got it for mine and have begun reading it.  I'm finding it pretty interesting so far.

[Critter]

I'm currently reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. That and re reading the Harry Potter Series.
I'm also halfway through the graphic novel Watchmen.