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Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason
by Nancy Pearl
A voracious reader recommends her favorite books.
Nancy Pearl obviously loves reading books and telling others of the
literary treasures she has encountered. "Book Lust" is her attempt to do
just that and, overall, she does it in an engaging manner. In short
chapters ranging from "Russian Heavies" (think Leo Tolstoy and Isaac Babel)
to "Sea Stories," and from "Books about Books" to "Riding the Rails:
Railroad History," the author touts hundreds of books. Pearl also includes
separate chapters on some of her favorite authors, including P.F. Kluge,
Lewis Nordan, and Ian McEwan. I would have to disagree somewhat with the
book's subtitle, "Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason"
because anyone seeking advice here on what to read about history before
1800 will have slim pickings. The same is also true for philosophy,
spirituality and religion (with the exception of a small section on "Zen
Buddhism and Meditation").
This is a very personal selection of recommendations and various genres of
fiction dominate the choices. Baseball fiction is given as much space as
non-fiction books about sports. Volumes about the legend of King Arthur
get as much ink as does science. Writings about Montana take up as much
room as books on art appreciation. I was happy to see listings for three
titles by my favorite author, David Lodge, and glad to see books by John
Mortimer, Agatha Christie, and Robert Parker among the mysteries. But in
the "Presidential Biographies" section, I was puzzled that the author could
not find a book to recommend about George Washington, not to mention ones
for such other no-shows as Andrew Jackson, Woodrow Wilson, Ronald Reagan,
John Kennedy and Bill Clinton.
Having noted my quibbles, I should mention that Nancy Pearl, herself,
bemoans the many books she could not include in this modestly-sized book.
Let us then be grateful for the light she has shed on her favorite
books and sum up by saying that readers will find much pleasure thumbing
through the idiosyncratic pages of "Book Lust."
Title: Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason
Author: Nancy Pearl
Publisher: Sasquatch Books
ISBN: 1570613818
Review written by: William Keogan
Reviewer's Rating:8
Reader's Rating: 0
Reader's Votes: 0
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