Pop 1280 - Jim Thompson

Jim Thompson writes some of the most sinister characters you're likely to encounter; and all in a friendly sounding deep south drawl.  That he's not better known is a real shame and one which is not hard to remedy.  his books are enjoyable, accessible and well worth the time to read them (which isn't long as they're not too long either).

Both this and the better known The Killer Inside Me are great reads and worth looking up

The Man who broke into Auschwitz - Denis Avey

This book is well worth a read.  It tells the story of one mans experience in the Second World War, from fighting in the deserts of North Africa, to be torpedoed while on board a prison transport and onto his incarceration in some of the worst places the Nazis could create.  Such was the spirit of Denis Avey that not only did he survive all of this but he still fought the war as best he could - in he head.  He challenged authority and the brutal system he found himself in.

The story in the title of the book is remarkable, aware of what was going on in the Jewish concentration camps he agreed to swap places with an inmate on a couple of occasions.  He knew he couldn't do anything about it and knew he was risking his life but felt it was essential to bear witness to what was taking place.

A fascinating book.  A remarkable man.

A visit from the Goon Squad - Jennifer Egan

Another book practically coated in glowing reviews and once again I'm left feeling like I've been oversold before I've started reading the book (I should probably avoid the 3 for 2 table if this is a problem for me to be honest).

Let me first say that this is a good book.  The story, such as it is, is centred on a group of characters who are loosely related by their connections to one another across continents and life times.  How they interact with one another is the chief fascination of the book and it works a treat.  You find yourself turning the pages and trying to spot previous and upcoming characters.

The author has beautifully evoked various times in recent history by using the music of the time as an anchoring point and it works really well.

a good book and one that I'll recommend

Serious Men - Manu Jospeh

This book is one of those books that is covered in rave reviews..."outstanding" "a work of genius" "staggering".  You know the sort.  It certainly helps to sell books but it can often then lead the reader to have high expectations when starting the book rather than setting out to enjoy a book based on its merits.  This book may suffer from this problem but remains a compelling and entertaining read.  The characters are vividly brought to life and are easy for the reader to imagine and associate with.

The story itself is interesting enough but the real star here is the sidelong look at Indian society and culture.  This is something that I know nothing about so have no choice but to take the book as an accurate representation of a society undergoing huge changes as the Indian economy booms.  With the new rich living alongside a huge number of people who feel left behind by the new prosperity.  There definitely seems to be a comparison to be made with history here.

A good book and well worth a read but hyped up a bit too much on the cover.