Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason

Nancy Pearl obviously loves reading books and telling others of theliterary treasures she has encountered. "Book Lust" is her attempt to dojust that and, overall, she does it in an engaging manner. In shortchapters 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 includesseparate chapters on some of her favorite authors, including P.F. Kluge,Lewis Nordan, and Ian McEwan. I would have to disagree somewhat with thebook's subtitle, "Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason"because anyone seeking advice here on what to read about history before1800 will have slim pickings. The same is also true for philosophy,spirituality and religion (with the exception of a small section on "ZenBuddhism and Meditation").

This is a very personal selection of recommendations and various genres offiction dominate the choices. Baseball fiction is given as much space asnon-fiction books about sports. Volumes about the legend of King Arthurget as much ink as does science. Writings about Montana take up as muchroom as books on art appreciation. I was happy to see listings for threetitles by my favorite author, David Lodge, and glad to see books by JohnMortimer, Agatha Christie, and Robert Parker among the mysteries. But inthe "Presidential Biographies" section, I was puzzled that the author couldnot find a book to recommend about George Washington, not to mention onesfor 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 favoritebooks and sum up by saying that readers will find much pleasure thumbingthrough the idiosyncratic pages of "Book Lust."