I am just starting Big Little Lies...

I'm reading Beach Music by Pat Conroy....one of my favorite authors. I love his use of words, and when I read his books, I often read slowly and savor the pictures he paints using such eloquent words.

Socks, that sounds really interesting.

I can never remember the title of business books, but I have one going now. Also, an e-novelette extra in the Lorien series which I read on my phone while I'm waiting, and I'm two pages into Stephanie Plum #20 and already had was LingOL. I have more worthy literature on my nightstand, but I can't really claim to be reading it currently. :)

BTW, the one business book whose name I remember is really good. The Power of Positive Deviance. It's about these consultants who go places to problem-solve and approach it by finding outliers among the locals who are outside of the norm (the deviants) and surmounting the problem. Then they figure out how to spread this solution they observe to the rest of the local people.

Just finished the newest Spenser novel and started the newest Oregon Files novel this morning. Sorry...too lazy to look up the titles. Most of my leisure time is being spent watching Grey's Anatomy from the beginning. It's nice to have a restful activity that requires little thought or effort.

Fun2bhere--Is that the Spenser written by Robert B. Parker. I enjoyed his books for quite some time. He died, you know? "Newest" must be books he had written before he passed away.

Nanny-- have you also read Conroy's book My Reading Life? I've never read anything by him but heard him interviewed about this book and it sounded interesting.

Alisande--I loved the Outlander series and wish I could get the TV show. I know, they are long but keep you going.

Ready to read another James Patterson mystery. Brought it downstairs to read, but I am trying to finish crocheting two baby afghans for DDs friend who had twins. So I watched some of the Texas Rising series that I had recorded and crocheted.

I just picked up the new "Beach Town" by Mary Kay Andrews, I love her books! Its good so far, thick too.

Thanks for the heads up on My Reading Life, socks. I have read most of his books...Beach Music I found at an exchange library and can't believe I missed it, it is not new.

Socks: From the linked website it appears that Robert B. Parker's last Spenser novel which carries his name only is: Sixkill. After his death, January 18, 2010, the website attributes all of the subsequent Spenser novels to Ace Atkins with the most recent listed as "Kickback."

http://robertbparker.net/robert-parker-books.php

I was also a big fan of Robert Parker and his Spenser novels.

Another Parker/Spenser fan here. Another favorite author who passed away recently was Michael Palmer--his medical thrillers were fabulous.

I just finished "Invisible" by James Patterson--very good. Just starting "Left for Dead" for JA Jance.

I used to laugh aloud at some of the outrageous things Spenser would say to other characters in the book, especially the bad guys.

Love, love Robert Parker. I didn't know that about Michael Palmer, I love his books as well.

I'm reading a James Patterson novel, co-written by Michael Ledwidge. It's called Run for Your Life, and the detective is Michael Bennett, a single dad, of 10 kids. They're all adopted and his wife died very young of cancer.

Just read "The Goldfinch" by Donna Tartt, the winner of the Pulitzer in 2014. Very long but good.
I just started "We Are Water" by Wally Lamb.

Socks, I'm glad the Outlander books are long. I agree--the more pages the better.

I'm another Robert B. Parker fan. I don't know if I want to try another author's attempt to write like him.

I'm also a Pat Conroy fan. My dad sent me The Great Santini many years ago. When I raved (on and on) about it, he said, "It wasn't that good!" Yes, it was. :-)

While I'm on the hunt for a compelling book to read, I'm dipping into By the Book : Writers on Literature and the Literary Life from The New York Times Book Review. These are short question and answer type interviews with many authors, including J. K. Rowling, David Mitchell, John Grisham, James Patterson, Amy Tan and Arnold Schwarzenegger, etc. It's very interesting and the authors answer questions such as, who are your favorite authors, do you have guilty reading pleasures, favorite books as a child, most overrated book, etc.

For those of you that like Michael Palmer's medical thrillers, try Robin Cook. He writes a great medical thriller. Start at his earlier books - he has a couple of characters he frequently includes in his books.

Robin Cook

Just finished Dead Wake by Erik Larson - the final voyage of the Lusitania. Reading Capital Dames by Cokie Roberts -women in Washington DC 1848-1868. Have gotten sidetracked by a new Nancy Thayer book.

About Pat Conroy...I'm a big Conroy fan and am happy to have met him several times. I lived in Beaufort, SC for many years where he lived with his family for several tumultuous years as a child and returned to stay some years ago. Did you all know that his books are based on reality and real people? It's quite an adventure reading his books and being able to put a real face or place to a fictionalized name.

I'm attaching a link to his blog (CLICK HERE) which is always a fun read, even if you aren't from Beaufort or familiar with the people.

I'm re-reading The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty , something I get the urge for every couple of years. My copy is well worn, well traveled, and much loved.

I am on the seventh book in the Nevada Barr series, Blind Descent.

I'm reading a J A Jance book too Wanda. It's Dismissed with Prejudice. Very good. It's a JP Beaumont detective series. I've read all of his/her Sheriff Joanna Brady books and have just 4 left to go of the JP's. Really have enjoyed them.

Will have to try some Robert B. Parker books.

Rhizo, thanks for the link to Conroy's blog. I was just thinking I should probably read his memoir about his father (on whom The Great Santini was based).

I also have just started Dames, by Cokie Roberts.

Just finished "Mad River" by John Sandford. This is his series with Virgil Flowers as the detective. Love all his books.

FWIW, I think Ace Atkins' captures Robert B. Parker's voice fairly well. The only problems are that the stories seem a little bit stale and some of the emotion seems to be missing compared to Spenser novels written by Parker.

Some of my favorite authors have died in the past few years and I've yet to find new authors that I like, so I'm reading less. :(