Author James Patterson Speaking about Amazon at the BookExpo America 2014.

This is a statement made yesterday by the prolific, book-writing machine James Patterson. What do you think?

Hi, I'm Jeff Bezos. I can't do his hysterical laugh.... Amazon seems out to control shopping in this country. This ultimately will have an effect on every grocery and department store chain and every big box store and ultimately put thousands of mom and pop stores out of business. It sounds like a monopoly to me. Amazon also wants to control bookselling, the book business and book publishing. That's a national tragedy. If this is the new American way, it has to be changed by law if necessary.

James Patterson, speaking at the Celebration of Bookselling at BEA.

Bertie Wooster and Jeeves.

I love the frothy nonsense found in the books by British humorist P.G. Wodehouse that feature the rich and silly Bertie Wooster and his brainy valet, Jeeves. The stories are set in England between the wars, and take place within the social mores of early 20th-century British upper-class society. Typically Bertie, or one of his pals, gets into a jam; the intelligent Jeeves solves the problem. It's all very fun; the dialog and Wodehouse's word choices are wonderful. If you haven't read these books, check them out for some delightful summer entertainment.

I tore through the Wooster and Jeeves works some summers ago, which is why it is such a joy now to be reading Jeeves and the Wedding Bells, a new book featuring the duo and written by Sebastian Faulks in the Wodehouse style.

What ho!

How Can This be Ethical?

Attorney Henry Bushkin was Johnny Carson's personal lawyer, counselor and adviser for many years. Bushkin writes a book about Carson based upon that relationship.

How can this possibly comply with a lawyer's ethical duty to keep client information confidential?

Ahhh, Spring.

Speaking of bunnies. . .

Look closely. The bunny in the picture blends into the scenery quite well.  Its ears, however, give it away.

This holiday brought to mind, only because of the title, an excellent novel I read a few years ago, When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman. A funny, sad and very engaging story about a sister and brother, and family drama and trauma. Check it out for a spring read.

Lee Child, Gene Kerrigan, Cormac McCarthy and More

I've been busy traveling and have managed to read quite a bit while doing so, despite the lack of blog posts! Here are a few highlights, with more to follow soon.

I finished reading Lee Child's Never Go Back, A Jack Reacher Novel.  It was a typical Lee Child go-go-go plot salted with Reacher's droll humor and observations.  I enjoyed the book, but somehow it felt a little thin. Perhaps I am growing a bit weary of the formula for this particular series. Nonetheless, if you are a fan of Jack Reacher, this is a must read.

Moving from the familiar Jack Reacher to a new police procedural, I read The Rage by Gene Kerrigan. Set in Dublin during the depth of Ireland's post-Celtic Tiger economic depression, the novel features Detective Sergeant Bob Tidey.

Tidey, investigating the murder of a Dublin banker, is sorting through the snarl of economic tricks and corrupt practices that developed during the boom years and led to economic chaos. Tidey and the police have to determine, given all that is going on, who wanted to murder this particular banker? And does anyone really want to know why? Meanwhile, on the other side of the tracks, a violent young criminal named Vincent Naylor is plotting a big score with his crew. Will Naylor's rampage be successful?

Featuring nuns, ruffians of all sorts, office politics, and the daily grind, The Rage is interesting reading.

Finally, while in Mexico I read read two books by Cormac McCarthy, All the Pretty Horses and No Country for Old Men. Why haven't I read these two excellent books before? Too many books and too little time, I guess. In any event, sometimes there is an excellent synergy between the book you are reading and the place you are reading it.  I found Mexico is the perfect place to read and enjoy these two works, and particularly All the Pretty Horses as much of the plot takes place there.  But if you haven't read them yet, don't wait for a holiday to check out these must-read classics. Both are gripping works and a pleasure to read.

More winter travel reading reports coming soon!

Highly Recommended: Saints of the Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin

Inspector John Rebus is out of retirement and back on the Edinburgh police force in Saints of the Shadow Bible.  Returning to the job isn't easy.  On the one hand, the force has changed and finding a place for Rebus in the new order is difficult.  For example, he is now operating at a lower rank than when he retired, and people he used to supervise are now his superiors.

On the other hand, things one might have considered to be ancient history are getting dug up.  The police department's internal affairs investigators have begun looking into whether or not officers Rebus served with when he started on the job cut to many corners, or even committed murder.  Was Rebus involved? What does he know about possible police corruption?

What hasn't changed is that Rebus knows how to solve a case.  In between the internal affairs investigation and office politics, Rebus unravels an intriguing mystery that starts with a simple car crash and leads to bigger crimes with wider implications . . . and death.

This is a highly entertaining and absorbing police procedural.  It also weaves in interesting plot points concerning the upcoming vote in Scotland on whether or not Scotland should become independent and leave the United Kingdom.

Check out Saints of the Shadow Bible if you are looking for a great weekend read.