Books I Read in 2003


Books I Read in December 2003

  • John Hedgecoe's New Introductory Photography Course, by John Hedgecoe (1996). Reed Consumer Books, London. 200 pp. The author shows With real pictures to pinpoint how to design with different exposure and lightin. (Dec 30, 2003)
  • Hard as Nails: A Joe Kurtz Novel, by Dan Simmons (2003). St. Martin's Minotaur, N.Y. 308 pp. Ex-PI Joe Kurtz and his parole officer Peg O'Toole are shot by serial killer. He and his old lover Rigby King, a policer officer start investigating. Very powerful, fast paced and full of intrigue. (Dec 27-29, 2003)
  • Last Car to Elysian fields: A Dave Robicheaux Novel, by James Lee Burke (2003). Simon and Schuster, N.Y. 335 pp. Dave Robicheaux, detective at New Iberia, along with P.I. Clete Purcel, tries to help father Jimmie Dolan and ends up involving with local secrets. (Dec 16-26, 2003)
  • America At War, by Dan Rather (2003). Simon and Schuster, N.Y. 162 pp. www.authortracker.com Dan Rather and other correspondents at CBS relate the scenes of Iraq War. The accompanied DVD is of poor quality. (Dec 21-22, 2003)
  • Shattered Love: A Memoir, by Richard Chamberlain (2003) Regan Books, N.Y. 246 pp. Born in LA, raise in California and lived in London in late sixties and early seventies and lives in Hawaii now, Chamberlain starred in Dr. Kildare that he became famous in England. Later the thorn Birds and Shogun made him more famous. (Dec 20-21, 2003)
  • Take Better Family Photos, by Steve Bavister (2002). Reader's Digest, N.Y. 173 pp. A practical way of learning how to take family pictures.(Dec 20-21, 2003)
  • Dirty Work: A Stone Barrington Novel, by Stuart Woods (2003). GP Putnam's Sons, N.Y. 322 pp. Stone is hired to take pictures for a divorcing wife and ends up involving FBI and British agent, Carpenter. (Dec 12-16, 2003)
  • Audrey Hepburn: A Son Remembers, by Sean Hepburn Ferrer (2003). Atria Books, N.Y. 230 pp. Hepburn's son, Sean, displays an array of very precious and personal photos of her mother. (Dec 9-12, 2003)
  • Blood is the Sky: An Alex McKnight Mystery, by Steve Hamilton (2003). Thomas Dunne Books, N.Y. 307 pp. www.authorstevehamilton.com PI Alex helps his Indian friend Vinnie to look into the disappearence of Vinnie's brother in a hunting trip to Canadian wilderness. Author's description of the scenery is very alive and exciting and I follow with a map of Canada--from Detroit to northern Ontario. (Dec 9-11, 2003)
  • Black Maps, by Peter Spiegelman (2003). Alfred Knopf, N.Y. 285 pp. www.aaknopf.com P.I. John March investivates money-loundering conspiracy. His first novel with Intrigue and full of detail of Wall Street practice.(Dec 6-9, 2003)
  • The King of Torts, by John Grisham (2003). Doubleday, N.Y. 372 pp. www.jgrisham.com A public defender in Washington DC reluctantly defends a murder criminal and encounters a conspiracy of drug companies. Later he became the king of torts. (Nov 28-Dec 6, 2003)

    Books I Read in October and November 2003

  • Living History, by Hillary Rodham Clinton (2003). Simon and Schuster, N.Y. 534 pp. www.simonsays.com A very good writing even for readers who don't like her. (Nov 10-28, 2003 Did not finish)
  • Judgment Calls, by Alafair Burke (2003). Henry Holt & Company, N.Y. 335 pp. www.henryholt.com Portland Deputy District Attorney Samantha Kincaid took a case, probably related to a serial killer with a very surprising ending. The author, daughter of famous James Lee Burke and a past DDA, describes the criminal justice system with too much detail, and this is her first book. (Nov 19-28, 2003)
  • Yanni in Words, with David Rensin (2002). Miramax Books, N.Y. 315 pp. Yanni recalls about his early childhood and his father particularly in Greece and his success in music world. (Nov 13-24, 2003)
  • An Now You Can Go, by Vendela Vida (2003). Alfred A. Knopf, NY. 190 pp. www.aaknopf.com A first-person account of being kidnapped at gun-point to die with a suicider and escaped--very funny.(Nov 15-17, 2003)
  • McNally's Dare, by Vincent Lardo (2003) G. P. Putnam's Sons, N.Y. 294 pp. The distrete inquirer Archy McNally in Palm Beach solves the murder crimes of a drowning victim, related to Lance Talbot who came to claim his inheritance after the death of his grandmother. (Nov 2-12, 2003)
  • Cyanide Wells: A Sharon McCone Novel, by Marcia Muller (2003). Wagner Books, N.Y. 292 pp. www.twbookmark.com San Francisco P.I. Sharon McCone returns to Cyancide Wells, Soledad County to investigate the disappearance of Matthew Linstrom's ex-wife Gwen a decade ago. (Oct 14-25, 2003)
  • The Lake House, by James Patterson (2003). Little, Brown and Company, N.Y. 376 pp. Six children with wings are in great danger of being eliminated by a doctor. (Oct 11-14, 2003)
  • Formmer's Caribbean Cruises and Ports of Call 2004, by Heidi Sarna (2003). A very good and updated reference for a cruise to Caribbean. (Oct 18-21, 2003)
  • To the Nines: A Stephanie Plum Novel, by Janet Evanovich (2003). St. Martin's Press, N.Y. 312 pp. www.evanovich.com Bond hunter Stephanie Plum investigates the missing immingrant Mr. Singh for the posted bail to save his boss and cousin Vinnie. (Oct 4-10, 2003)
  • The Big Dig: A Carlotta Carlyle (2002). St. Martin's Minutour, N.Y. 275 pp. Private eye Carlotta was hired to investigate Mafia related incidence. (Sep 29-Oct 4, 2003)
  • The President and Mrs. Reagan: An American Love Story, Photographs by Harry Benson (2003). Haarry N. Abrams Inc., N.Y. 79 pp. Pictorial history of Mr. and Mrs. Reagan with the latest as of 1998. I especially like the black-and-white photographs.(Oct 1-2, 2003)

    Books I Read in August and September 2003

  • Soul Circus, by George P. Pelecanos (2003). Little, Brown and Company, N.Y. 341 pp. Private eye Strange roams around D.C. to search for the facts about gang war. (Sep 23-28, 2003)
  • Final Verdict, by Sheldon Siegel (2003). G.P. Putnam's and son, N.Y. 387 pp. Two lawyers reluctantly defend murder suspect who was defended by the same lawyers ten years ago. All the dialogs are so sophiscated that it seems unreal for street people talk that way. (Sep 20-23, 2003)
  • Fear Itself, by Walter Mosley (2003). Little, Brown and Company, New York. 316 pp. Fearless Jones and Paris (first-person), both are black, fought society in Los Angeles in 1955. Very humorous and entertaining. (Sep 14-19, 2003)
  • Bush's Brain, by James Moore and Wayne Slater (2003). John Wiley and Sons, N.Y. 347 pp. Web site: BushBrain.com This is a story about how Karl Rove played tricks to gain polical gain. (Sep 13-15, 2003: Did not finish)
  • Fatal Flaw, by William Lashner (2003). William Morrow, New York. 437 pp. Web site: www.HarcourtBooks.com Philadelphia lawyer Victor Carl defends law school classmate Guy forrest for murder. Guy abandons his wife , children and his job for Hailey Prouix and ends up being accused of murder of Hailey. Carl went to Las Vegas, West Virginia to look for her past. A good plot. Dialogs are powerful and funny. (Sep 2-13, 2003)
  • Persuader: A Jack Reacher Novel, by Lee Child (2003). Delacorte Press, New York. 342 pp. Web site: www.LeeChild.com Very powerful. Reacher accomplished the unfinished business what happened ten years ago. (Aug 28-Sep 2, 2003)
  • It's Not About the Bike, by Lance Armstrong with Sally Jenkins(2000). Berkeley Books, New York. 289 pp. Byciclist Lance Armstrong relates his upbringing by his mother alone to rise to the top of cycling world, regardless of his three fathers. (Aug 18-23, 2003)
  • Hillary's Scheme, by Carl Limbacher (2003). DCrown Forum, New York. 236 pp. Web site: www.crownforum.com Hillary Clinton will run for the presidency in 2004. Author builds up the foundation of the fact that this is her best chance to win in 2004 instead of 2008. (Aug 22-24, 2003)
  • The Ticket Out (2003). Harcourt, New York. 340 pp. Web site: www.HarcourtBooks.com Movie critic Ann whitehead encounters murders and solves the crime with LAPD detective Doug Lookwood. (Aug 16-22, 2003)
  • A Body to Die For (2003). Warner Books, New York. 293 pp. Web site: www.katewhite.com Independent crime reporter Bailey Waggins helps her mother's old friend, who owns an Inn, to solve murders at her Inn. The final scene is a big surprise. (Aug 10-15, 2003)
  • Nicole Kidman, by James L. Dickerson (2003). Citadel Press Books, New York. 209 pp. Kidman was born in Hawaii, moved to Washington D.C. and back to Australia. She became actress when she was a teenager at the age of 14. Later on at the age of 22, she came to the Hollywood to join Tom Cruise and married him in 1992. (Aug 6-10, 2003)
  • Everglades, by Randy Wayne White (2003). G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York. 333 pp. Web site: www.focford.com Doc Ford investigates curt conspiracy in the Everglades. There are some history of American Indian folklore. (July 31-Aug 6, 2003)

    Books I Read in July 2003

  • Mildred Pierced: A Toby Peters Mystery, by Stuart M. Kaminsky (2003). Carroll & Graf Pub., New York. 230 pp. Tolby Peters finds himself as a target after he starts to investigate the murder of the wife of his Dentist friend who shares the office with him during World War II. Joan Crawford was the witness (July 29-31, 2003)
  • Back Story: A Spenser Novel, by Robert B. Parker (2003). G.P. Put;nam's Sons, New York. 291 pp. Web site: www.penguinputnam.com Spencer's investigation of a 28-year-old murder case involving sixties hippies almost got himself and Susan killed.(July 28-29, 2003)
  • The Life of Mammals, by David Attenborough (2002). Princeton Univ. Press, NJ. 309 pp. Web site: www.pupress.princeton.edu Pictorials of lively mammals make the reading exciting. (July 27-29, 2003)
  • Trellises and Arbors, by Bill Hylton (2003). Creative Homeowner, NJ. Over 380 pictures and more than 80 step-by-step how-to illustrations. Web site: www.creativehomeowner.com (July 16-29, 2003)
  • Blues in the Night: A Molly Blume Novel, by Rochelle Majer Krich (2002). Ballantine, New York. 337 pp. Web site: www.rochellekrich.com Crime reporter Molly Blume, a Jew with a big family, celebrates Jewish holidays among other things and ends up tangled with a hit-and-run case with a night-gown victim. (July 22-27, 2003)
  • Clutching at Straws: Featuring Jack Diamond, Private Investigator, by J.L.Abramo (2003). Thomas Dune Books, New York. 243 pp. PI Jack Diamond investigates the murder of a judge and ends up seeing three more murders. You can't stop reading because it's so fast paced and funny. This is Abramo's second novel. (July 20-22, 2003)
  • A Cold Heart: An Alex Delaware Novel, by Jonathan Patterson (2003) Ballantine Books, New York. 388 pp. Dr. Delaware helps to solve the serial murder cases related to eminent artists and writers. (July 12-19, 2003)
  • Sugarloaf: The Mountain's History, Geology, and Natuaral Lore, by Melanie Choukas-Bradley (2003). Univ. of Virginia Press, Charlottesville, VA 93 pp. Web sites: www.upress.virginia.edu/books/choukas-bradley.html AND www.americanplaces.org Up-to-date account of Sugarloaf mountain's wildlife, plants, walking trails and history--Rodan Strong's establishment of this wildlife reservation in early 1900. (July 14-16, 2003)
  • She's Not There: A Poppy Rice Novel, by Mary-Ann Tirone Smith (2003). Henry Holt and Company, New York. 317 pp. FBI agent Poppy took a vacation in Rhode Islands with her boyfriend and encountered muders of over-weight camp girls. (July 7-12, 2003)
  • The Bad Witness: A Sally Harrington Novel, by Laura Van Wormer (2002). Mira Books, New York. 344 pp. Sally makes more news than reporting as a witness of a murder trial. Web site: www.LauraVanWormer.com (June 29-July 6, 2003)
  • The Internet for Dummies, 8th edition, by John T. Levine etc. (2002). Hungry Minds, New York. 328 pp. Step by step, the authors introduce the world of internet--130 Web sites in 1993 and millions in 2002, amazing. (June 10-July 6, 2003)

    Books I Read in May and June 2003

  • The Spooky Art: Some Thoughts on Writing, by Norman Mailer (2003). Random House, New York. 310 pp. Author decides that his four years at Harvard University benefits him the most for his writing career. He describes the style of writing, first-person and third-person, stigma and how he spends time in writing. I bought his book Tough Guys Don't Dance that he spent only two months to write in 1984. (June 25-28, 2003)
  • Landscape How To, by Dean Johnson and Robin Hartl (1998). Hometime, MN. 94 pp. Step by step, the authors show pictorically to build retaining walls, fences, arbors, patios and walkways. Web site: www.hometime.com (June 16-25, 2003)
  • A Well-Known Secret, by Jim Fusilli (2002). G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York. 273 pp. P.I. Terry Orr, who lost his wife and a son, tried to solve Sonia's murder case. (June 12-24, 2003)
  • Poison Blonde: An Amos Walker Novel, by Loren D. Estleman (2003). A Tom Duberty Assoc, New York. 269 pp. P.I. Amos Walker is hired to find a missing person who blackmailed a singer, Gilia, who used her identity to enter the United States from South America. (June 4-11, 2003)
  • Chasing the Dime, by Michael Connelly (2002). Little, Brown and Company, New York, 371 pp. Web site: www.michaelconnelly.com/. Henry Pierce, owner of Amedeo Tech, enters the world of internet and escorts and found himself the victim of violence. There is a surprise ending. (May 28-June 4, 2003)
  • Hillside Landscaping, by Susan Lang (2002). Sunset Books, CA. 128 pp. A very practical book about landscaping on hillside with very detailed and pictorial description about the how-to for hillside landscaping. I am in the process of following the instruction to build a garden terrace in my backyard. (May 23-June 1, 2003)
  • Retirement on a Shoestring, by John Howells(2002). The Globe Pequot Press, Connecticut. 283 pp. It tells how to live, find job, manage money with a very practical way. (May 18-28, 2003)
  • Q is for Quarry, by Sue Grafton (2002) G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York. 385 pp. P.I. Kinsey Millhone, with two old police detectives, investigated an old murder case. (May 23-26, 2003)
  • Piano Notes: The World of the Pianist, by Charles Rosen (2002). The Free Press, New York. 235 pp. Charles Rosen writes about the habits of famous concert pianists. He gives some tips of playing and teaching piano in an unorthodoc way. (May 15-27, 2003)
  • The Smart Money Guide to Long-Term Investing, by Nellie S. Huang and Peter Finch (2002) John wiley & Sons, New York, 221 pp. Web site: http://www.wiley.com/personalfinance. (May 12-26, 2003)
  • Kill Two Birds and Get Stoned, by Kinky Friedman (2003) HarperCollinsPublishers, New York, 221 pp. Web site: www.harpercollincons.com/. A writer encounters two unexpected people with some pranks to carry out and ended up to write a fiction about this encounter after not writing a novel for seven years. (May 13-17, 2003)
  • The Last Place, by Laura Lippman (2002). HarperCollins Pub, New York, 341 pp. Baltimore P.I. Tess Monaghan looked into unsolved homicides and found out that she was in the middle of a serial killer's path. It's a great joy to read about travels Tess made around maryland. (May 5-12, 2003)
  • Cold Pursuit, by T. Jefferson Parker (2003). Hyperion, New York, 360 pp. Web site: http://www.hyperionbooks.com/. Homicide cop Tom McMichael is on the rotation when an 84-year-old city patriarch named Pete Braga is found bludgeoned to death. (Apr 30-May 4, 2003)

    Books I Read in April 2003

  • Only Child: A Burke Novel, by Andrew Vachss (2002). Alfred A. Knopf, New York. 276 pp. Web site: www.vachss.com Burke returns from seclusion with a new face and starts a new life with the help of Mama and Prof's group. He encounters snakeheads, not coyotes. (Apr 21-29, 2003)
  • The Piano, by John-Paul Williams (2002). Watson-Guptill Pub, New York, 160 pp. Web site: http://www.watsonguptill.com/. History, factries and maintenance of pianos with beautiful pictures. (Apr 16-24, 2003)
  • Suspicion of Madness: A Gail Connor and Anthony Quintana Novel, by Barbara Parker (2003). Dutton, New York, 369 pp. Web site: www.barbaraparkcr.com Gail and Anthony tried to save Billy from the charge of murder. It's has a surprise ending. (Apr 18-21,2003)
  • Everybody's Somebody's Fool: A Sam McCain Mystery, by Ed German (2002). Carroll & Graf, New York, 230 pp. Sam McCain, lawyer and sometime private eye, investigated murders in an Iowa small town Black River Falls in 1961. Most of the dialogs are very funny. (Apr 12-18, 2003)
  • Prey, by Michael Crichton (2002). Harper Collins Pub, New York, 363 pp. Web site: http://www.michaelcrichton.net/. In the Nevada desert, an experiment has gone horribly wrong. A cloud of nanoparticles梞icro-robots梙as escaped from the laboratory. (Apr 8-11, 2003)
  • A Long Way from Home, by Tom Brokaw (2002). Random House, New York, 233 pp. Web site: http://www.atrandom.com/. Tom's biography started with the place he was born and grown up for his first 23 years-South Dakota in 1940. He traced back to his father's hard work during the Depression era. (Mar 24-April 10,2003)
  • Murder in the Hearse Degree, by Tim Cockey (2003). Hyperion, New York, 324 pp. Web site: http://www.timcockey.com/ . Undertaker Hitchcock investigates his ex's nanny's suicide to murder case with wits, humor and persistence. (Apr 2-7, 2003)

    Books I Read in March 2003

  • Louisiana Bigshot: A Baroness Pontalba Novel, by June Smith (2002). Tom Deherty Assoc. Book, 303 pp. Web site: www.iuliesmithaiilhor.com African American P.I. Talba enlisted her boss to solve the case other friend's murder, ending up involving local politics and a candidate for governership. Some funny racial dialog. (Mar 25-30, 2003)
  • Law of Gravity, by Stephen Horn (2002). Harper Collin Pub., New York, 328 pp. Web site: http://www.stephenhornbooks.com/. Phillip Barkley relently pursued to find the murders relating to Holocaust victims all the way back to World War II-with the help of a female FBI agent and a retired New York cop. (Mar 7-24, 2003)
  • Photographers, Writers, and the American Scene: Visions of Passage (2002). Arena Edition, New York, 337 pp. Web site: http://www.arenaeditions.com/. A traveling exhibition of 50 photographers and writers with a five-year project through the year 2006, with the works over the period 1995-2000. I like the photos by Bruce Davison with his vastness and people images in black-and-white. (Mar 11-13, 2003)
  • The One-Hour Garden, by Joanna Smith (2003). Readers Digest Assoc, NY, 157 pp. Not a practical book for a gardener. (March 11, 2003)
  • Liberty: A Jack Grafton Novel, by Stephen Coonts (2003). St. Martin's Press, New York, 420 pp. Web site: http://www.coonts.com/. Jack Grafton, under the President's order, tried to find the four nuclear warheads that a Russian general sold to the terrorists. Very powerful with vivid characters. (Mar 7-14, 2003)
  • Saving Room for Dessert: A Rocksburg Novel, by K.C. Constantine (2002). Wamer, 294 pp. Funny, poignant, wise, full of realistic dialogue. Reader feels like riding the beat with three Pennsylvania small town Rocksburg patrolmen-William Rayford who is black, Robert Canoza who is big and strong, and James Peseta who is a Vietnam War veteran. (Mar 4-6, 2003)
  • You've Got Murder, by Donna Andrews (2002). Berkeley Prime Crime, New York, 298 pp. A mainframe computer Turing Hopper has human mind to solve computer crime with the help from two real humans. (Mar 1-4, 2003)

    Books I Read before March 2003

  • Manslaughter: A Stanley Hastings Mystery, by Parnell Hall (2003). Carroll & Graf Pub., New York, 278 pp. Very funny and hilarious with private eye Stanley on familiar New York urban turf to solve Balfour's manslaughter charges. (Feb 26-28, 2003)
  • We'll Laugh Again, by Art Buchwald (2002). C.P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 265 pp. Most of the articles are Clinton era drama. He is not as funny as he used to be. (Feb 25-Mar 5, 2003)
  • A Fine Dark Line, by Joe R. Lansdale (2003). Warner Books, Inc., 307 pp. Web site: www.jocrlansdale.com A young boy's journey in a small eastern Texas town, helping his father running a drive-in theater. Very good writing that I can read aloud;he best book 1 have ever read in recent years. (Feb 23-25. 2003)
  • Not Quite Kosher: An Abe Lieberman Mystery, by Stuart M. Kaminsky (2002). Double Tiger Production, Inc., 254 pp. Web site: www.tor.com . Abe and his partner Bill solved the robbery crime, with a lot of Jewish culture. (Feb 19-23,2003)
  • Blood Orchid, by Stuart Woods (2002). G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 292 pp. Web site: www.stuartwoods.com. This is Woods' third police chief Holly Barker novel about drug kingpin in Orchid Beach, Florida-following Orchid Beach and Orchid Blues. He is working on his eighth Stone Barrington novel. Dirty Work, to be published in April. I am looking forward to it. I like his way of writing with short chapters. (Feb 17-19, 2003)
  • Six Easy Pieces: Easy Rawlins Stories, by Walter Mosley (2003). Atria Books, 278 pp. Seven stories about Easy Rawlins who solve crimes in a small town in Texas, setting sometime after World War II. (Feb 12-17,2003)
  • Spook: A "Nameless Detective" Novel, by Bill Pronzini (2003). Carroll and Graf Pub, New York, 233 pp. Nameless got a new partner, Tamara, and a new hire, Jack Runyon. A case of finding a homeless homicide victim's identity from the PI agency leads to the re-opening of a 17-year backlog of homicide. (Feb 10-12, 2003}
  • Tax Guide 2003, by Ernst & Young (2003). John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey, 720 pp. Updated version of tax guide for 2002. The illustrated example for saver's credit is worth to read, (Feb 6-23.2003)
  • The Murder Book: An Alex Delaware Novel, by Jonathan Kellerman (2002). Ballantine Books, New York, 408 pp. A psychological mystery with psychologist Alex Delaware solving psycho crimes. Very depressing until at the end. (Feb 4-10, 2003)
  • Vineyard Enigma: A Martha's Vineyard Mystery, by Philip A. Craig (2002). Scribner, New York, 242 pp. You feel like you are on the island梖ishing, touring, beach going, cooking fish, and in the meantime solving the mystery of murders. You can also learn the history of Africa. (Jan 2003)
  • Nine, by Jan Burke (2002). Simon and Schuster, 369 pp. Web site: www.janburke.com . L.A. County detective Alex Brandon investigates the brutal deaths of some of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list. (January 2003)
  • Barbara Bush: Matriach of a Dynasty, by Pamela Killian (2002). Thomas Dunne Books, 246 pp. Barbara Bush's childhood to the present. Look at the rare photos featuring Barbara Bush and her family, especially the one that she and George Bush in the bed with four or five little grandkids all over on the bed. It's also fun to know how she raised four boys and one girl, and they all go home to visit hera fun family. (January 2003)
  • A Fine Line: A Brady Coyne Novel, by William G. Tapply (2002). St. Martin's Minotaur, New York, 290 pp. Web site: www.williamgtapply.com. Attorney Brady Coyne, along with Boston PD and the FBI, solved the mystery of the death of ornithologist Walt Duffy. Good and humorous dialog. (January 2003)
  • Biggie and the Devil Diet, by Nancy Bell (2002). Thomas Dunne Books, 202 pp. Biggie and her 13-year-old grandson solve the over-weight teenage retreat mystery in a small town, Job's Crossing, Texas. (December 2002)

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