Some of The Books by My Favorite Authors

Please Note: You can get a more complete list of books for each author at www.wikipedia.org.

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Douglas Adams

Douglas Adams wrote humorous fiction (he passed away in 2001). The first 5 books listed below are in a series which is very entertaining to read. Worth a look. The 6th and 7th books are books about Dirk Gently, the detective. See Wikipedia - Douglas Adams.

  • The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
  • The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
  • Life, the Universe, and Everything
  • So Long, and Thanks For all the Fish
  • Mostly Harmless
  • Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
  • The Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul

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    Piers Anthony

    Piers Anthony writes fantasy and science fiction. A Spell For Chameleon through Yon Ill Wind are fantasies that are based on humorous puns. Good, entertaining. Split Infinity through Phaze Doubt are a combination of science fiction and fantasy. All his books are well written and fun to read. The Xanth Series may not be for everyone. If you like puns, you'll like the Xanth Series.  This is not a complete list of the Xanth series or the Blue Adept series. See Wikipedia - Piers Anthony.

    Xanth Series
    		Xanth Series, cont'd
    		Blue Adept Series
  • A Spell For Chameleon
  • Vale of the Vole
  • Split Infinity
  • The Source of Magic
  • Heaven Cent
  • Blue Adept
  • Castle Roogna
  • Man From Mundania
  • Juxtaposition
  • Centaur Aisle
  • Isle of View
  • Out of Phase
  • Ogre, Ogre
  • Question Quest
  • Robot Adept
  • Night Mare
  • The Color of Her Panties
  • Unicorn Point
  • Dragon on a Pedestal
  • Demons Don't Dream
  • Phaze Doubt
  • Crewel Lye
  • Geis of the Gargoyle
  • Golem in the Gears
  • Roc and a Hard Place
  • Yon Ill Wind

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    James Clavell

    James Clavell's books are a good read. I found King Rat, Taipan, and Shogun his best. I particularly recommend Shogun. (I haven't read Whirlwind yet.) I do not recommend Gai-Jin. While earlier books dealt with the relationship of western and eastern cultures, the story in Gai-Jin seemed to focus solely on the rape and sexual abuse of a young woman. See Wikipedia - James Clavell.

  • King Rat - a book about POWs held by the Japanese during WW2.
  • Taipan - a book about the struggles of the men involved in opening up Hong Kong to the west in the 1800s.
  • Shogun - a book about an English pilot who guides his ship around the Straits of Magellan to the Japans.
  • Noble House - a book about the descendants of those portrayed in the book "Taipan."
  • Whirlwind - a fictionalized account of Iran at the time of the overthrow of the Shah.
  • Gai-Jin - gai-jin means foreigner or outsider in Japanese; the book is about westerners who were in an enclave in Japan when the west first was allowed in.

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    Janet Evanovich

    Janet Evanovich writes about a female bounty hunter in New Jersey who has an adventurous grandmother and a "sparky" relationship with an Italian policeman named Joe Morelli. The books are humorous always and extremely funny at times. Highly recommended. One of my favorite authors. Everyone who has borrowed the books from me has also become a big fan. Janet Evanovich has her own website. There are plans to bring the first book to the big screen. If you go to the Message Boards on the Evanovich website, you can make suggestions regarding who you would want to see play the main parts in the movies. I am compiling a list of pertinent details about the main characters to help people visualize who they would want in the character. Stephanie Plum novel Character Study. Also see Wikipedia - Janet Evanovich.

  • "One for the Money" (1994) - Stephanie Plum is out of work, and her car is about to be repossessed.  Her mother has all kinds of suggestions, but none of them interest Stephanie.  She hears that her cousin Vinnie, a bail bondsman, has an opening.  She coerces him into giving her a chance.  She is trained by Ranger, one of Vinnie's expert in catching FTAs (failure to appears).  Her first assignment is to catch Joe Morelli, a Trenton cop who is out on bail after being arrested for supposedly killing a suspect.  During her attempts to catch Morelli, she runs afoul of Benito Ramirez, a vicious prize fighter.  Can she catch Morelli while avoiding the clutches of Ramirez?
  • "Two for the Dough" (1996) - Stephanie is out to capture Kenny Mancuso, a relative of Joe Morelli.
  • "Three to Get Deadly" (1997) - Stephanie has to try to bring in Mo Bedemier, a beloved elderly man.  Problem is that no one wants her to find him.
  • "Four to Score" (1998) - Maxine Nowicki is a waitress who has skipped bond and is out for revenge on her boyfriend, Eddie Kuntz.  Stephanie has to capture Maxine in spite of Eddie.  Along the way she meets a cross-dressing musician, Sally Sweet.
  • "High Five" (1999) - Stephanie tries to find her missing uncle.
  • "Hot Six" (2000) - Stephanie has to try to bring in Ranger (AKA, Carlos Mancuso).
  • "Seven Up" (2001) - Stephanie has to try to bring in Eddie DeChooch, an old man who is dating her grandmother.
  • "Hard Eight" (2002) - Evelyn Soder has disappeared with her daughter, Annie.  Mabel, Evelyn's mother, is a neighbor of Stephanie's parents.  Evelyn is divorced from Steven Soder, and part of the divorce involved a Custody Bond which was covered by Mabel putting up her own house.  If Annie wasn't found, Mabel lost her house.  Stephanie Plum is asked to find Evelyn and Annie as a personal favor, and Steven offers to pay her.  In the process she runs afoul of Eddie Abruzzi, a mob-type who was linked to Benito Ramirez (see "One for the Money").
  • "Visions of Sugar Plums" (2002) - a guy named Diesel gives Stephanie a case to find an FTA who has a white beard and a red coat.
  • "To the Nines" (2003) - Samuel Singh has disappeared along with his fiancé's dog.  The problem is that Stephanie's cousin Vinnie wrote a Visa Bond for him to ensure that he went back to India when his work visa expired.  Vinnie assigns Stephanie to find him.  Stephanie has to deal with Singh's fiancé and the fiancé's mother, and she has to avoid a stalker who calls himself "The Webmaster."
  • "Ten Big Ones" (2004) - Stephanie happens upon a robbery, and her car is torched.  Turns out that the robber is in a gang, and Stephanie's life is in danger.  Rather than stay at home, she finds one of Ranger's apartments and tries to lay low.
  • "Eleven On Top" (2005) - Stephanie decides to quit being a bond agent, but she keeps getting drawn into other cases, and then she is harassed by a mysterious person who keeps blowing up her cars. It all revolves around a very old mystery of an armored car heist.
  • "Twelve Sharp" (2006).
  • "Plum Lovin'" (2006).
  • "Lean Mean Thirteen" (2007).
  • "Plum Lucky" (2007).
  • "Fearless Fourteen" (2008).
  • "Plum Spooky" (2008).
  • "Finger Lickin' Fifteen" (2009).
  • "Sizzling Sixteen" (2010).
  • "Smokin' Seventeen" (2011).
  • "Explosive Eighteen" (2011).

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    Ian Fleming

    Ian Fleming created the popular James Bond series which was dramatized in several movies. The Wikipedia article can be found on Ian Fleming and James Bond.

  • "Casino Royale" (1953). Bond tries to sabotage the operations of Le Chiffre.
  • "Live and Let Die" (1954). Bond tries to sabotage the operations of Mr. Big in New York and Jamaica.
  • "Moonraker" (1955). Bond tries to sabotage the operations of Hugo Drax.
  • "Diamonds Are Forever" (1956). Bond investigates a diamond smuggling operation.
  • "From Russia, with Love" (1957). SMERSH makes Bond a target after he disrupted their operations with Le Chiffre, Mr. Big, and Hugo Drax.
  • "Dr. No" (1958). Bond finds out he has been poisoned. After being cured, he is assigned to investigate Dr. No.
  • "Goldfinger" (1959). Bond investigates a gold smuggling ring run by Blofeld.
  • "For Your Eyes Only" (1960). A collection of short stories which includes "For Your Eyes Only" and "From a View to a Kill."
  • "Thunderball" (1961). An agent of SPECTRE hijacks a bomber with two nuclear bombs, a plot engineered by Blofeld. Bond is sent to foil attempts by SPECTRE to recover the bombs.
  • "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1962). Bond tries to help a woman at a motel.
  • "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1963). Bond investigates another plot by Blofeld.
  • "You Only Live Twice" (1964). Bond investigates another plot by Blofeld in Japan.
  • "The Man with the Golden Gun" (1965). Bond is targeted by Scarmanga.
  • "Octopussy and The Living Daylights" (1966). A collection of short stories.

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    Sue Grafton

    Mystery Books. I have worked my way through almost all of them in audiobook form. Some parts of the book seem a bit wordy. See Wikipedia - Sue Grafton.

  • A is for Alibi
  • B is for Burglar
  • C is for Corpse
  • D is for Deadbeat
  • E is for Evidence
  • F is for Fugitive
  • G is for Gumshoe
  • H is for Homicide
  • I is for Innocent
  • J is for Judgment
  • K is for Killer
  • M is for Malice
  • N is for Noose
  • O is for Outlaw
  • P is for Peril
  • Q is for Quarry
  • R is for Ricochet
  • S is for Silence
  • T is for Trespass
  • U is for Undertow
  • V is for Vengeance

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    John Grisham

    John Grisham is a well-known author who writes fiction about lawyers and the legal system. Just about all of his books have been dramatized for the big screen. See Wiki - John Grisham.

  • A Time to Kill (1989)
  • The Firm (1991)
  • The Pelican Brief (1992)
  • The Client (1993)
  • The Chamber (1994)
  • The Rainmaker (1995)
  • The Runaway Jury (1996)
  • The Partner (1997)
  • The Street Lawyer (1998)
  • The Testament (1999)
  • The Brethren (2000)
  • The Summons (2002)
  • The King of Torts (2003)
  • The Last Juror (2004)
  • The Broker (2005)
  • The Appeal (2008)
  • The Associate (2009)
  • Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer (2010)

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    Frank Herbert

    Science Fiction. I found the first, third, fifth, and sixth books to be the best. The second and fourth are a little slow. The original book, "Dune", was made into a movie in 1984. One of the problems with the movie is how the "weirding way" was portrayed. They made it into a neckpiece in which a person's voice could be amplified to do significant damage to an enemy. In the book, the weirding way was a special form of physical (one-on-one) combat. The first three books were also made into a mini-series on cable which was closer to the book. More information about Frank Herbert can be found at Wikipedia: Wikipedia - Frank Herbert; and there is a very good article about the world of Dune The Dune Franchise. See also The Dune Universe.

  • Dune (1965; book 7 in chronology)
  • Dune Messiah (1970; book 10 in chronology)
  • Children of Dune (1976; book 11 in chronology)
  • God Emperor of Dune (1981; book 12 in chronology)
  • Heretics of Dune (1984; book 13 in chronology)
  • Chapterhouse Dune (1985; book 14 in chronology)

    • Here are the books by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson Brian Herbert Wikipedia article:

  • The Butlerian Jihad (2002; book 1 in chronology)
  • The Machine Crusade (2003; book 2 in chronology)
  • The Battle of Corrin (2004; book 3 in chronology)
  • House Atreides (1999; book 4 in chronology)
  • House Harkonnen (2000; book 5 in chronology)
  • House Corrino (2001; book 6 in chronology)
  • Paul of Dune (2008; book 8 in chronology)
  • The Winds of Dune (2009; book 9 in chronology)
  • The Hunters of Dune (2006; book 15 in chronology)
  • The Sandworms of Dune (2007; book 16 in chronology)

    • There are plans for books about the Bene Gesserit, the Spacing Guild, and other parts of the Dune universe.
    My one reservation about the prequels is that at times they verge on being soap operas. Characters in the books sometimes make decisions, but they have to have scene after scene with arguing their case with someone else in the book. And each argument is basically the same. An example of this is when one character starts using Harkonnen as his last name. Melodrama. The situation was beat to death. For me that is a soap opera with a science fiction wrapper.

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    James Herriot

    James Herriot's books are thoroughly enjoyable. They consist of reminiscences of his experiences as a veterinarian in the Yorkshire region of England. See Wikipedia - James Herriot.

  • All Creatures Great and Small
  • All Things Bright and Beautiful
  • All Things Wise and Wonderful
  • The Lord God Made Them All
  • James Herriot's Yorkshire
  • Dog Stories
  • Every Living Thing

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    Carl Hiaasen

    Carl Hiaasen writes spicy novels that take place in Florida. He is well-known for his book Striptease. I have enjoyed all of his books. Very humorous. They are equivalent to an "R" movie in content (for violence). See Wikipedia - Carl Hiaasen.

  • Tourist Season
  • Double Whammy
  • Skin Tight
  • Native Tongue
  • Strip Tease
  • Stormy Weather
  • Lucky You
  • Sick Puppy
  • Basket Case
  • Hoot (youth)
  • Skinny Dip
  • Flush (youth)
  • Nature Girl
  • Scat (youth)
  • Star Island

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    P.D. James

    P.D. James writes detective novels mostly about a recurring character Adam Dalgliesh. I have read many of her books. At times they contain graphic descriptions. Many of her books with the Adam Dalgliesh character have been dramatized for British television and broadcast on "Masterpiece Theatre" or "Mystery" on PBS. Recently, PBS broadcast a dramatization of Unsuitable Job For a Woman. All were well done. See Wiki - P.D. James.

  • Cover Her Face
  • A Mind to Murder
  • Unnatural Causes
  • Shroud for a Nightingale
  • Unsuitable Job For a Woman
  • The Black Tower
  • Death of an Expert Witness
  • Innocent Blood
  • The Skull Beneath the Skin
  • A Taste for Death
  • Devices and Desires
  • Original Sin
  • A Certain Justice
  • Death in Holy Orders
  • The Murder Room
  • The Lighthouse
  • The Private Patient

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    John LeCarre

    John LeCarre specializes in spy novels. The recent break-up of the Soviet Union and the fall of communism has hurt this genre. I had watched the dramatization of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy with Alec Guinness as the main character George Smiley. I was very impressed. I then read the book 3 times. Much different form the spy novels I had read before (for example, Ian Fleming's James Bond) and, therefore, stimulating. I have read all but a few of his books. A few of his novels have made it to the big screen. See Wiki - John Le Carre.

  • Call for the Dead (1961)
  • A Murder of Quality (1962)
  • The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (1963)
  • The Looking Glass War (1965)
  • A Small Town in Germany (1968)
  • Naive and Sentimental Lover (1971)
  • Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1974)
  • The Honorable Schoolboy (1977)
  • Little Drummer Girl (1979)
  • Smiley's People (1983)
  • The Perfect Spy (1986)
  • The Russia House (1989)
  • The Secret Pilgrim (1990)
  • The Night Manager (1993)
  • Our Game (1995)
  • The Tailor of Panama (1996)
  • Single and Singles (1999)
  • The Constant Gardener (2001)
  • Absolute Friends (2003)
  • The Mission Song (2006)
  • The Most Wanted Man (2008)
  • Our Kind of Traitor (2010)

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    Elmore Leonard

    Elmore Leonard began his writing career with western novels. For many years now, he has concentrated on stories about stories of fictional events in Florida and the southeastern United States. Many of his books have been dramatized for the big screen, notably "Get Shorty", "Jackie Brown" (based on Rum Punch), and "Out of Sight." In 1991, a TV series based on "Maximum Bob" had some success as a mid-season replacement on ABC. See Wiki - Elmore Leonard. Below is a partial list of his books.

  • The Big Bounce (1969)
  • The Moonshine War (1969)
  • 52 Pick-Up (1974)
  • Mr. Majestyk (1974)
  • Swag (1976)
  • The Hunted (1976)
  • Unknown Man #89 (1977)
  • The Switch (1978)
  • City Primeval (1980)
  • Gold Coast (1980)
  • Split Images (1981)
  • La Brava (1983)
  • Stick (1983)
  • Glitz (1985)
  • Bandits (1987)
  • Touch (1987)
  • Freaky Deaky (1988)
  • Killshot (1989)
  • Get Shorty (1990)
  • Maximum Bob (1991)
  • Rum Punch (1992)
  • Pronto (1993)
  • Out of Sight (1996)
  • Be Cool (1999)
  • Pagan Babies (2000)
  • Tishimingo Blues (2002)
  • The Hot Kid (2005)
  • Comfort to the Enemy (2006)
  • Up in Honey's Room (2007)
  • Road Dogs (2009)
  • Djibouti (2010)

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    Henning Mankell

    Known most for his Kurt Wallander novels. They include aspects of detective novels, but sometimes there is a touch of espionage novel. See Wiki - Henning Mankell.

  • Faceless Killers (1991)
  • The Dogs of Riga (1992)
  • The White Lioness (1993)
  • The Man Who Smiled (1994)
  • Sidetracked (1995)
  • The Fifth Woman (1996)
  • One Step Behind (1997)
  • Firewell (1998)
  • The Pyramid (1999)
  • The Troubled Man (2009)

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    Patrick O'Brian

    Patrick O'Brian wrote a series of books on which the movie "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" was based. All the books are about Captain Jack Aubrey and his friend, the ship's surgeon, Stephen Maturin. Excellent series. It takes a while to get into the terminology. There are many books about the British navy of the period that are invaluable.  The books are mostly loosely based on the life of Admiral Thomas Cochrane who eventually became the commander of all the British navy.

    Cochrane is considered by many to be the best individual captain in the British Navy during the 19th century. (By that I mean that he was the best when he was either in a single ship or in command of a flotilla.) If you are interested in reading about Admiral Thomas Cochrane, he wrote a partial autobiography entitled "The Autobiography of a Seaman" in which he relates his story through the trial. (The scandal and trial are fictionalized in the O'Brian book "The Reverse of the Medal".) There is also a very good biography by Robert Harvey entitled "Cochrane: The Life and Exploits of a Fighting Captain." Harvey's book includes what happened after the trial. Both are excellent reading. I would also recommend a third book by Dean King entitled "A Sea of Words" which is a lexicon of the terminology used in the British Navy during the Napolianic Wars, that is, the terms used in the O'Brian books. Final note on Cochrane: C.S. Forester based a lot of his Hornblower stories on Cochrane.
    See Wiki - Patrick O'Brian.
    See Wiki - C.S. Forester.

  • "Master and Commander" (1970) - Jack Aubrey gets his first ship and becomes friends with Dr. Stephen Maturin. Excellent.
  • "Post Captain" (1972) - Aubrey is finally promoted to Post Captain in 1803. Good.
  • "H.M.S. Surprise" (1973) - Aubrey is sailing against overwhelming odds in the Far East. Very good.
  • "The Mauritius Command" (1977) - Aubrey is given the rank of Commander (kind of a temporary Admiral). He has command over a fleet of four ships. His job is to take the islands of Mauritius. Very good.
  • "Desolation Island" (1978) - Aubrey is chased by a larger Dutch ship. His ship breaks its rudder on an iceberg. His crew repairs the ship at Desolation Island.
  • "The Fortune of War" (1979) - Aubrey limps to port in his patched-up ship. He and Maturin head for England about another English ship which sinks. He and his boat-mates are picked up by The Java at the beginning of the War of 1812. The U.S.S. Constitution sinks The Java, and Aubrey and Maturin are taken to Boston as prisoners of war.
  • "The Surgeon's Mate" (1980) - Aubrey and Maturin board a mail packet ship on its way to England. They are shadowed by two privateers. They are captured by the French and held in prison in Paris, but they escape. Dr. Maturin gets married.
  • "The Ionian Mission" (1981) - Aubrey takes command of the H.M.S. Worcester and is assigned to be part of a squadron blockading the French port of Toulon in the Mediterranean.  He then is sent on a mission to the Ionian Sea in H.M.S. Surprise where he has to deal with different Turkish leaders who are vying for power.
  • "Treason's Harbour" (1983) - After the action in the Ionian Sea, Capt. Aubrey is in Malta where he is trying to get two ships, H.M.S. Surprise and the H.M.S. Worcester, refitted.  Aubrey and his crew are sent on a mission to the Red Sea and then the again to the Ionian Sea.  Aubrey and Maturin have to deal with French spies and traitors and the occasional beautiful woman.
  • "The Far Side of the World" (1984) - Aubrey is sent in the H.M.S. Surprise to stop a U.S. ship, the U.S.S. Norfolk which is on its way from an eastern U.S. port around Cape Horn to the South Pacific where British whaling vessels are fishing. During this novel, Aubrey saves the life of his friend Maturin when Maturin falls overboard. They are picked up by a Polynesian vessel and left on a deserted island where they are rescued by the H.M.S. Surprise. Eventually the find the U.S.S. Norfolk and her men.
  • "The Reverse of the Medal" (1986) - Aubrey becomes embroiled in a stock swindle, and he is convicted in the British courts and taken off of the rolls of the British navy.  Maturin buys H.M.S. Surprise and offers it to Aubrey.
  • "The Letter of Marque" (1988) - Aubrey and Maturin receive a Letter of Marque from the British government which allowed them to sail the Surprise as a privateer.  The intent was to sail the H.M.S. Surprise to the coast of South America where they would assist the creation of nations which wanted to break away from the Spanish and Portuguese.  However, they are then given a special assignment to capture a French ship that was about to sail and attempt to assist and influence the fledgling South American countries.
  • "The Thirteen-Gun Salute" (1989) - Aubrey is reinstated to the naval rolls after those who schemed against him in "The Reverse of the Medal" were exposed and is given the H.M.S. Diane.  He is assigned, along with Maturin, to an island near Java and assist the attempt at acquiring a treaty from the ruler of the island.
  • "The Nutmeg of Consolation" (1991) - The H.M.S. Diane runs aground and then is torn apart by a typhoon. Aubrey and his men are then attacked by local people. They are then brought to Java in a junk. Aubrey is given a ship which he names The Nutmeg of Consolation. In this ship he attempts to lure a French frigate to where he expects to find the Surprise, so he can take it. He succeeds, but the French ship sinks. Aubrey proceeds in the Surprise with his crew to Australia where he fights the prejudices of those in charge. Maturin gets into a sword fight and is nearly killed by his interest in Australia's rare creatures.
  • "The Truelove" (1992) - The Truelove is a commercial British vessel which was captured by an American privateer, The Franklin (manned mostly by French and French-Americans) and a group of Polynesian natives who are making an attempt to takeover one of their islands from the rightful rulers who are protected by the British government. Aubrey is given the task of recapturing The Truelove and supporting the ruler of the island who is friendly to the British government.
  • "The Wine-Dark Sea" (1993) - Aubrey chases The Franklin, an American privateer, in The Surprise. Then Dr. Maturin becomes involved in an attempt to help Peru fight for independence. However, an escaped prisoner sounds the alarm among the officials of Peru, and Maturin has to flee across the Andes into Chile in order to escape.
  • "The Commodore" (1995) - Aubrey is given the temporary rank of Commodore, and he commands a fleet of five ships. His mission is to stop slave traders along the west coast of Africa and stop a French invasion of Ireland.
  • "The Yellow Admiral" (1996) - Aubrey is assigned, along with the crew of The Bellona to the blockade of Brest. He is has to serve under an admiral who has a low opinion of Aubrey but who needs the medical attention of Dr. Maturin. During his time off of Brest, his mother-in-law discovers some letters from a woman who Aubrey had saved in a box. She takes them to her daughter, his wife, and Aubrey is in the doghouse for a while. In the meantime, Napoleon is captured and taken to the island of Elba.
  • "The Hundred Days" (1998) - Napoleon has escaped the island of Elba. He has put forces together that could still win over the allies. A Muslim ruler is sending gold to pay for mercenaries that would tip the balance to him. Aubrey is tasked with destroying ships and shipbuilding in the Adriatic that is loyal to Napoleon, and he has to stop the ship that is transporting the gold.
  • "Blue at the Mizzen" (1999) - The Surprise is hit a glancing blow by another ship, and Aubrey and his crew have to take his ship to a port to be overhauled. Aubrey takes the assignment to assist in the independence efforts of several South America colonies. He has to battle the Spanish navy.

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    Robert B. Parker

    Robert B. Parker writes mystery novels about a recurring character named Spenser. A TV show called "Spenser For Hire" based on his books was aired some years ago starring Robert Urich. All his books that I have read have been very good. He has also been writing books about a female detective. Parker passed away in 2010. See Wiki - Robert B. Parker.

    SpencerJesse StoneSunny Randall
    The Godwulf Manuscript (1973)Night Passage (1997)Family Honor (1999)
    God Save the Child (1974)Trouble in Paradise (1998)Perish Twice (2000)
    Mortal Stakes (1975)Death in Paradise (2001)Shrink Rap (2002)
    Promised Land (1976)Stone Cold (2003)Melancholy Baby (2004)
    The Judas Goat (1978)Sea Change (2006)Blue Screen (2006)
    Looking for Rachel Wallace (1980)High Profile (2007)Small Change (2007)
    Early Autumn (1980)Stranger in Paradise (2008) 
    A Savage Place (1981)Night and Day (2009) 
    Ceremony (1982)Split Image (2010)Philip Marlowe
    The Widening Gyre (1983) Poodle Springs (1989)
    Valediction (1984) Perchance to Dream (1991)
    The Catskill Eagle (1985)Vince Cole and Everett Hitch 
    Taming a Sea-Horse (1986)Apaloosa (2005) 
    Pale Kings and Princes (1987)Resolution (2008) 
    Crimson Joy (1988)Brimstone (2009) 
    Playmates (1989)Blue-Eyed Devil (2010) 
    Stardust (1990)  
    Pastime (1991)  
    Double Deuce (1992)  
    Paper Doll (1993)  
    Walking Shadow (1994)  
    Thin Air (1995)  
    Chance (1996)  
    Small Vices (1997)  
    Sudden Mischief (1998)  
    Hush Money (1999)  
    Hugger Mugger (2000)  
    Potshot (2001)  
    Widow's Walk (2002)  
    Back Story (2003)  
    Bad Business (2004)  
    Cold Service (2005)  
    School Days (2005)  
    Hundred-Dollar Baby (2006)  
    Now and Then (2007)  
    Rough Weather (2008)  
    Chasing the Bear: A Young Spenser Novel (2009)  
    The Professional (2009)  
    Painted Ladies (2010)  

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    Sharon Kay Penman

    Sharon Kay Penman writes a series of historical novels. The Wikipedia article is at Sharon Kay Penman.

                                    Date of events  Title  Date of publishing  Series
      1101-1154  "When Christ And His Saints Slept" 
    1995
    		  Vol 1 of Plantagenet series
      1156-1171  "Time And Chance" 
    2002
    		  Vol 2 of Plantagenet series
      12th Cent  "Devil's Brood" 
    2009
    		  Vol 3 of Plantagenet series
      12th Cent  "Lionheart" 
    2011
    		  Vol 4 of Plantagenet series
      1192-1193  "The Queen's Man" 
    1996
    		  Vol 1 of Medieval detective mystery series
      1193  "Cruel As The Grave" 
    1998
    		  Vol 2 of Medieval detective mystery series
      1193  "Dragon's Lair" 
    2003
    		  Vol 3 of Medieval detective mystery series
      1193-1194  "Prince of Darkness" 
    2005
    		  Vol 4 of Medieval detective mystery series
      1183-1232  "Here Be Dragons" 
    1985
    		  Vol 1 of Welsh Princes series
      1231-1267  "Falls The Shadow" 
    1988
    		  Vol 2 of Welsh Princes series
      1271-1283  "The Reckoning" 
    1991
    		  Vol 3 of Welsh Princes series
      1459-1492  "The Sunne In Splendour" 
    1982
    		  Historical Fiction account of Richard III

                                    Date of publishing  Title  Date of events  Series
     
    1982
    		  "The Sunne In Splendour"  1459-1492  Historical Fiction account of Richard III
     
    1985
    		  "Here Be Dragons"  1183-1232  Vol 1 of Welsh Princes series
     
    1988
    		  "Falls The Shadow"  1231-1267  Vol 2 of Welsh Princes series
     
    1991
    		  "The Reckoning"  1271-1283  Vol 3 of Welsh Princes series
     
    1995
    		  "When Christ And His Saints Slept"  1101-1154  Vol 1 of Plantagenet series
     
    1996
    		  "The Queen's Man"  1192-1193  Vol 1 of Medieval detective mystery series
     
    1998
    		  "Cruel As The Grave"  1193  Vol 2 of Medieval detective mystery series
     
    2002
    		  "Time And Chance"  1156-1171  Vol 2 of Plantagenet series
     
    2003
    		  "Dragon's Lair"  1193  Vol 3 of Medieval detective mystery series
     
    2005
    		  "Prince of Darkness"  1193-1194  Vol 4 of Medieval detective mystery series
     
    2009
    		  "Devil's Brood"  12th Cent  Vol 3 of Plantagenet series
     
    2011
    		  "Lionheart"  12th Cent  Vol 4 of Plantagenet series

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    Ellis Peters

    Ellis Peters is a pen-name of Edith Mary Pargeter. She wrote the Cadfael mysteries. Brother Cadfael is a monk in the monastery at Shrewsbury. Before he was a monk, he was a crusader in the Holy Lands. The articles on the Wikipedia (Ellis Peters and Cadfael) concentrate more on descriptions of the different characters and on the TV series. They do not really contain a list of the books. There is a complete list of Cadfael books at Cadfael Books list at ClassicCrimeFiction.com. The following list is based on that site.
  • A Morbid Taste for Bones (1977)
  • One Corpse Too Many (1979)
  • Monk's Hood (1980)
  • The Potter's Field (1980) - A body is found in a field acquired by the monastery.
  • St. Peter's Fair (1981)
  • The Leper of St. Giles (1981)
  • The Virgin in the Ice (1982)
  • The Sanctuary Sparrow (1983)
  • The Devil's Novice (1983)
  • Dead Man's Ransom (1984)
  • The Pilgrim of Hate (1984)
  • An Excellent Mystery (1985) - The former fiance of a monk is missing.
  • The Raven in the Foregate (1986)
  • The Rose Rent (1986)
  • The Hermit of Eyton Forest (1987) - A hermit is killed.
  • The Confession of Brother Haluin (1988)
  • A Rare Benedict (1988)
  • The Heretic's Apprentice (1989)
  • The Summer of the Danes (1991) - Wales is invaded from Dublin.
  • The Holy Thief (1992)
  • Brother Cadfael's Penance (1994) - Cadfael is on a mission to find his son.

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    Terry Pratchett

    Terry Pratchett has written a series of humorous fantasy novels about a place called Discworld. Discworld is a world that is a flat planet that rests on the backs of four elephants that rest on the back of a very large tortoise. I'm in the process of working my way through the series.
    See Wikipedia - Terry Pratchett.
    LWorld.org - contains a description of each book along with a breakdown of which books are in which series.

    CHRONOLOGICAL:  
  • The Color of Magic (1983)
    		•  
  • Jingo (1997)
  • The Light Fantastic (1986)
    		•  
  • The Last Continent (1998)
  • Equal Rites (1987)
    		•  
  • Carpe Jugulum (1998)
  • Mort (1987)
    		•  
  • The Fifth Elephant (1999)
  • Sourcery (1988)
    		•  
  • The Truth (2000)
  • Wyrd Sisters (1988)
    		•  
  • Thief of Time (2001)
  • Pyramids (1989)
    		•  
  • The Last Hero (2001)
  • Guards! Guards! (1989)
    		•  
  • The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents (2001)
  • (Faust) Eric (1990)
    		•  
  • Night Watch (2002)
  • Moving Pictures (1990)
    		•  
  • Wee Free Men (2002)
  • Reaper Man (1991)
    		•  
  • Monstrous Regiment (2003)
  • Witches Abroad (1991)
    		•  
  • A Hatful of Sky (2004)
  • Small Gods (1992)
    		•  
  • Going Postal (2004)
  • Lords and Ladies (1992)
    		•  
  • Thud! (2005)
  • Men at Arms (1993)
    		•  
  • Wintersmith (2006)
  • Soul Music (1993)
    		•  
  • Making Money (2007)
  • Interesting Times (1994)
    		•  
  • Unseen Academicals (2009)
  • Maskerade (1995)
    		•  
  • I Shall Wear Midnight (2010)
  • Feet of Clay (1996)
    		•  
  • Snuff (2011)
  • Hogfather (1996)
    		•  

    BY SERIES:  
    Rincewind Novels
    		Witches Novels
    		Watch Novels
  • The Color of Magic (1983)
    		•
  • Equal Rites (1987)
    		•
  • Guards! Guards! (1989)
  • The Light Fantastic (1986)
    		•
  • Wyrd Sisters (1988)
    		•
  • Men At Arms (1993)
  • Sourcery (1988)
    		•
  • Witches Abroad (1991)
    		•
  • Feet of Clay (1996)
  • (Faust) Eric (1990)
    		•
  • Lords and Ladies (1992)
    		•
  • Jingo (1997)
  • Interesting Times (1994)
    		•
  • Maskerade (1995)
    		•
  • The Fifth Elephant (1999)
  • The Last Continent (1998)
    		•
  • Carpe Jugulum (1998)
    		•
  • Night Watch (2002)
  • The Last Hero (2001)
    		•
  • The Wee Free Men (1993)
    		•
  • Thud! (2005)
  • Unseen Academicals (2009)
    		•
  • A Hat Full of Sky (2004)
    		•
  • Where's My Cow?
  • A Collegiate Casting Out of Devilish Devices (a 2005 short story)
    		•
  • Wintersmith (2006)
    		•   
       
    Death Novels
    		Industrial Revolution
    		 
  • Mort (1987)
    		•
  • Moving Pictures (1990)
    		•  
  • Reaper Man (1991)
    		•
  • The Truth (2000)
    		•  
  • Soul Music (1993)
    		•
  • Monstrous Regiment (2003)
    		•  
  • Hogfather (1996)
    		•
  • Going Postal (2004)
    		•  
  • Thief of Time (2001)
    		•
  • Making Money (2007)
    		•  

     

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    Derek Robinson

    Derek Robinson writes novels (most, if not all, are humorous) about air squadrons in World War I or World War II, or he writes about spying during World War II. He has written several other books as well. A more-or-less complete list can be found at Wikipedia article on Derek Robinson

    World War I novels:
  • Goshawk Squadron (1971)
  • War Story (1987)
  • Hornet's Sting (1999)

    • World War II novels:

  • Piece of Cake (1983)
  • A Good Clean Fight (1993)
  • Damned Good Show (2002)
  • Hello Russia, Goodbye England (2008)

    • Novels about Spying during World War II:

  • Kramer's War (1977)
  • The Eldorado Network (1979)
  • Artillery of Lies (1991)

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    J. K. Rowling

    Harry Potter and his friends, enemies, and Muggles, etc. Not just for kids. Though at times the writing is cute enough for kids, there are scenes which are very suspenseful and dramatic. Overall, the books are very entertaining for all ages. The movies are very good, too. See Wiki - J.K. Rowling.

  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
  • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
  • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

    • A collection of emails about HP6 and some other observations and questions
    A collection of emails about HP7

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    David Sedaris

    Humorous books containing Sedaris's observations. See Wiki article on David Sedaris.

  • Barrel Fever (1994)
  • Naked (1997)
  • Holidays on Ice (1997)
  • Me Talk Pretty One Day (2000)
  • Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim (2004)
  • Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules (2005)
  • When You Are Engulfed In Flames (2008)
  • Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Model Bestiary

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    J.R.R. Tolkien

    J.R.R. Tolkien wrote fantasy primarily. Known mostly for The Hobbit and his Lord of the Rings series. Highly recommended. His son, Christopher Tolkien, has published a series of books which collect the writings and scribblings of J.R.R. Tolkien. I recommend those also. See Wiki - J.R.R. Tolkien.

  • Silmarillion (edited by Christopher Tolkien)
  • The Hobbit
  • The Lord of the Rings (usually in three volumes)

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    Scott Turow

    Scott Turow is a well-known author who writes fiction about lawyers and the legal system. 'Nuff said. See Wiki - Scott Turow.

  • Presumed Innocent
  • Burden of Proof
  • Pleading Guilty
  • The Laws of Our Fathers
  • Personal Injuries
  • Reversible Errors
  • Ordinary Heroes
  • Limitations

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    Leon Uris

    I have read many of Uris's early works. They were very well written. Some of his books have made their way to the big screen. See Wiki - Leon Uris.

  • Battle Cry
  • Exodus
  • Mila 18
  • Armageddon
  • Topaz
  • QB VII
  • Trinity
  • The Haj
  • Mitla Pass
  • Redemption

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    Sarah Vowell

    I have read several of Vowell's books. They are somewhat humorous and entertaining view of history (and/or her personal life). See Wiki - Sarah Vowell.

  • Radio On: A Listener's Diary (1997)
  • Take the Cannoli: Stories From the New World (2000)
  • The Partly Cloudy Patriot (2002)
  • Assassination Vacation (2005)
  • The Wordy Shipmates (2008)
  • Unfamiliar Fishes (2011)

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    Tad Williams

    I found Williams's The Dragonbone Chair in a bookstore with the note that it had won a prestigious award. I bought it and read it. It may be a little slow for 80-100 pages, but after that it takes off. The series may be one of the best I have ever read. I recommend the first series very highly. His second series is a science fiction series that begins with Otherland. I enjoyed the first book, but I really didn't enjoy the whole series of books. His third series of books begins with Shadowmarch, which I am not enjoying as much as The Dragonbone Chair. (I haven't read his first book, Tailchaser's Song yet.) See Wiki - Tad Williams.

  • The Dragonbone Chair
  • The Stone of Farewell
  • To Green Angel Tower

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    P.G. Wodehouse

         P.G. Wodehouse was a prolific writer who concentrated on humorous stories. He is known mostly for his stories about Wooster and his gentleman's gentleman Jeeves. A series of stories about Jeeves and Wooster based on the writings of Wodehouse were dramatized for British television and broadcast on "Masterpiece Theatre" on PBS. Many of the dramatizations were hilarious. Wodehouse is also known for his stories about a Lord Emsworth and his prize pig. Peter O'Toole starred as Lord Emsworth in a dramatization based on Wodehouse's writings. Another character is named Psmith who chose the name when he realized that his original name "Smith" lacked a certain pinache, and Psmith would be pronounced the same as Smith. Wodehouse is also known for collaborating on plays for the American stage. I recommend starting with the collection of short stories The World of Jeeves. Just about any of the novels about Jeeves and Wooster are highly enjoyable. I also liked Hot Water. The books below are listed in chronological order down each column to his final novel, Sunset at Blandings, unfinished at the time of his death.
         If you are interested in reading further about Wodehouse, I would recommend the recent biography by Robert Crum. I also recommend the book called Who's Who in Wodehouse by Daniel H. Garrison. It has a chronological list of all the books and short-stories and compilations of short stories that Wodehouse published. It also orders it alphabetically, and it lists all of the alternative titles that the books were published under. That makes it particularly useful to help the Wodehouse-phile make sure that their collection is complete.  Please note that the lists below do not include many short stories of Wodehouse which have never been included in compilations.

    Links related to Wodehouse:
    P.G. Wodehouse Appreciation Page
    The Junior Ganeymede Club Book
    A short biography of P.G. Wodehouse and some links
    The Wodehouse Society at Wodehouse.org
    Britain's Wodehouse Society
    Wiki - P.G. Wodehouse.

    The list of works below is in chronological order.

    A Prefect's Uncle (1903)

    Thank You, Jeeves (1934)

    The Gold Bat (1904)

    Right Ho, Jeeves (1934; AKA Brinkley Manor)

    William Tell Told Again (1904)

    The Luck of the Bodkins (1935)

    The Head of Kay's (1905)

    Laughing Gas (1936)

    Love Among the Chickens (1906; revised in 1920)

    Summer Moonshine (1937)

    The White Feather (1907)

    The Code of the Woosters (1938)

    Not George Washington (1907)

    Uncle Fred in the Springtime (1939)

    The Luck Stone (1908)

    Quick Service (1940)

    The Swoop! (1909)

    Money in the Bank (1942)

    Mike (1909)

    Joy in the Morning (1946; AKA Jeeves in the Morning)

    Gentleman of Leisure (1910; AKA The Intrusion of Jimmy)

    Full Moon (1947)

    Psmith in the City (1910; AKA The New Fold)

    Spring Fever (1948)

    The Prince and Betty (1912)

    Uncle Dynamite (1948)

    The Little Nugget (1913)

    The Mating Season (1949)

    A Man of Means (1914)

    The Old Reliable (1951; AKA Phipps to the Rescue)

    The White Hope (1914; AKA The Mutual Child, AKA The Coming of Bill)

    Barmy in Wonderland (1952; AKA Angel Cake)

    Something New (1915; AKA Something Fresh)

    Pigs Have Wings (1952)

    Psmith, Journalist (1915)

    Ring For Jeeves (1953; The Return of Jeeves)

    Uneasy Money (1916)

    Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit (1954; Bertie Wooster Sees it Through)

    Piccadilly Jim (1917)

    French Leave (1956)

    A Damsel in Distress (1919)

    Something Fish (1957; AKA The Butler Did It)

    The Little Warrior (1920; AKA Jill the Reckless)

    Cocktail TIme (1958)

    Indiscretions of Archie (1921)

    How Right You Are Jeeves (1960; AKA Jeeves in the Offing)

    Three Men and a Maid (1922; AKA The Girl on the Boat)

    Ice in the Bedroom (1961)

    The Adventures of Sally (1922; AKA Mostly Sally)

    Service With a Smile (1961)

    The Inimitable Jeeves (1923; AKA Jeeves)

    Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves (1963)

    Leave it to Psmith (1923)

    Biffen's Millions (1964 - AKA Frozen Assets)

    Bill the Conqueror (1924)

    The Brinkmanship of Galahad Threepwood (1965; Galahad at Blandings)

    Sam the Sudden (1925; AKA Sam in the Suburbs)

    The Purloined Paperweight (1967; AKA Company for Henry)

    The Small Bachelor (1927)

    Do Butlers Burgle Banks? (1968)

    Money For Nothing (1928)

    A Pelican at Blandings (1969; AKA A Pelican at Blandings)

    Fish Preferred (1929; AKA Summer Lightning)

    The Girl in Blue (1970)

    Big Money (1931)

    Much Obliged, Jeeves (1971; AKA Jeeves and the Tie That Binds)

    If I Were You (1931)

    Pearls, Girls, and Monty Bodkin (1972; AKA The Plot That Thickened)

    Doctor Sally (1932; AKA Medicine Girl)

    Bachelors Anonymous (1973)

    Hot Water (1932)

    Aunts Aren't Gentlemen (1974; AKA The Cat Nappers)

    Heavy Weather (1933)

    Sunset at Blandings (1977)

    Compilations:
    Tales of St. Austin's (1903)The Most of PG Wodehouse (1960)
    The Man Upstairs (1914)Plum Pie (1966, 1967, 1978)
    The Man With Two Left Feet (1917)The World of Jeeves (1967) - a great place to start
    My Man Jeeves (1919)The World of Mr. Mulliner (1972)
    Indiscretions of Archie (1921)The Golf Omnibus (1973)
    The Clicking of Cuthbert (1922; AKA Golf Without Tears)The World of Psmith (1974)
    The Inimitable Jeeves (1923)The World of Ukridge (1975)
    Ukridge (1924; AKA He Rather Enjoyed It)The World of Blandings (1976)
    Carry On, Jeeves (1925)Jeeves, Jeeves, Jeeves (1976)
    The Heart of a Goof (1926; AKA Divots)Uncollected Wodehouse (1976)
    Meet Mr. Milliner (1927)Vintage Wodehouse (1977)
    Mr. Mulliner Speaking (1929)The Swoop! and other Stories (1979)
    Very Good, Jeeves (1930)The Eighteen-Carat Kid and other Stories (1980)
    Jeeves Omnibus (1931)Wodehouse on Crime (1981)
    Nothing but Wodehouse (1932)Life With Jeeves (1981)
    Mulliner Nights (1933)Tales from the Drones Club (1982)
    Mulliner Omnibus (1935)Fore! The Best of Wodehouse on Golf (1983)
    Blandings Castle and Elsewhere (1935)P.G. Wodehouse Short Stories (1983)
    Young Men in Spats (1936)The World of Wodehouse Clergy (1984)
    Lord Emsworth and Others (1937; AKA Crime Wave at Blandings)The Hollywood Omnibus (1985)
    The Week-End Wodehouse (1939)A Wodehouse Bestiary (1985)
    Wodehouse on Golf (1940) The Pothunters and Other School Stories (1985)
    Eggs, Beans, and Crumpets (1940)The Gold Bat and Other School Stories (1986)
    The Best of Wodehouse (1949)Plum's Peaches (1991)
    A Few Quick Ones (1959, 1978) 

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    Eiji Yoshikawa

    I don't know where I heard of Yoshikawa, an author of historical fiction. I had become interested in samurai films. Maybe that was it. Anyway, he has written several books of which I have only found two. The two I have found were translated from Japanese. They are totally engrossing. Musashi is about a real person, Miyamoto Musashi, who lived in Japan before the shoguns ruled. He was considered to be the greatest samurai of his time. Taiko is about another real person who lived just before Musashi. The story begins when he was a child who lived in a shack with his family. He develops within the Japanese feudal system during a time of great upheaval and civil war to eventually rule all of Japan. I can't recommend his books strongly enough. See Wiki - Eiji Yoshikawa.

  • Musashi - based on the true story of the peasant who fought on the losing side in the Battle of Sekigahara (1600), goes on a quest during which he becomes the most renowned samurai in Japan and the tutor of the Shogun.
  • Taiko - based on the true story of a warrior who unites all of Japan under his rule (1590); according to the story, he claimed to be descended from a samurai, but because he cannot prove it he could not be recognized as Shogun - but as Taiko.

    • Other books:

  • The Heike Story
  • Fragments From the Past - a biography

    • If you are interested in more information about Japanese history, see My Summary of Japanese History.

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