Late, as ever, to the party when it comes to zeitgeist-type books. But since Michael Faber has a new book out, he’s been all over NPR, and I’ve been hearing about all of his books, so I figured it would be better to start with the most famous one. At least I think this one was the most famous. There was a mini-series, after all. William Rackham is your typical layabout semi-dandy who fancies himself a misunderstood genius. He’s married to Clara, who’s looney tunes […]
Buddhism, Sex and Snakes: Culture Shock in Thailand
Apparently Bangkok thrillers have a certain notoriety for sensationalism, and Burdett’s Bangkok 8 doesn’t fail in that regard, but it is also so much more. In fact, this noir detective story could be a Phillip Marlowe, if it weren’t for the fact that its hero’s name is a little harder to pronounce. Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep is the son of a Thai bar girl and a long-gone Vietnam-era American soldier, is a little too comfortable with many of the denizens of Bangkok’s notorious red-light districts, is […]
Lincoln Lawyer Returns in Fine Courtroom Style
Connelly does what he does best, combining excellent courtroom drama with personal stories that go beneath the surface and bring his characters to life. Mickey Haller is still doing business out of the back seat of his Lincoln Town Car, and his employees include an ex-wife, her new husband, a chauffeur who owes him favors, and a newly-hired young lawyer with ambition. Haller himself is still that odd mixture of half selfish and half heart-of-gold that makes him an interesting character—the reader keeps rooting […]