Teaser Tuesday: Three Books Waiting

Three for the price of one today, or, I just feel like reading tonight rather than thinking too hard on a blog post.  I've got several books lined up to read soon, but I am trying to be good and actually finish something before diving into these.  So as I rotate books out of my reading pile, these are at the top of the TBR pile to rotate in.  In anticipation, here is a little taste of each.

My next classic is going to be Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy.  I attempted it once before, and I actually found the bookmark I used stuck in between pages 84 and 85.  It's based on an actual criminal case that occurred in upstate New York in 1906.  Did I already mention it has over 800 pages filled with tiny print (I think I did...).  I want to start reading and have it be so engaging that I can't put it down. 

"Dusk--of a summer night."

"And the tall walls of the commercial heart of an American city of perhaps 400,000 inhabitants--such walls as in time may linger here as a mere fable."

"And up the broad street, now comparatively hushed, a little band of six,--a man of about fifty, short, stout, with bushy hair protruding from under a round black felt hat, a most unimportant-looking person, who carried a small portable organ such as is customarily used by street preachers and singers.  And with him a woman perhaps five years his junior, taller, not so broad, but solid of frame and vigorous, very plain face and dress, and yet not homely, leading with one hand a small boy of seven and in the other carrying a Bible and several hymn books.  With these three, but walking independently behind, was a girl of fifteen, a boy of twelve and another girl of nine, all following obediently, but not too enthusiastically, in the wake of the others."

I'm wondering if there is enough time this year to salvage my very optimistic reading plans I made at the end of 2010?  I was so certain that this year was going to be my year, but here it is rapidly approaching the halfway mark and I have very little to show for it.  Well, little that resembles anything in my reading plans, that is.  I have some great books on my list of to-reads, but they are mostly very long or a little on the challenging side.   Maritta Wolff's book Night Shift was published in 1942 and quite popular when it first came out.  It fits in well with the other books I've been reading lately, and I feel like reading it, so now's the moment.  Or very soon anyway.

"The personnel manager dropped the telephone back in the cradle, the radiator behind her made a little whistling sound and right after that there came a buzz from the inner mechanism of the electric clock on the corner of the desk.  Wham!  Whistle!  Buzz!As if there was some idiotic relationship between the three noises, leading through a brief climax to a finality, Virginia Braun thought.  And she almost laughed out loud."

I've been racking up the ILL requests lately, so I have a stack in the order I need to read them (I think I've mentioned I try hard to read my ILL books since the library went to special trouble to get them for me).  I'm nearing the end of my current book, so next up will be Camilla Ceder's Frozen Moment.  Ceder is a new to me Swedish crime author featuring Inspector Christian Tell.   Tell is a "world-weary detective with a chequered past".  It sounds as though this is going to be a detective/reporter set up much like Mari Jungstedt's novels (Unseen and Inner Circle) that I read a couple of years ago. 

"In the old days, when they were both working, Åke Melkersson liked to get up an hour before his wife--she was more of a night person--just to indulge himself for that hour with a cup of coffee and the crossword in the morning paper.  A quarter of an hour before they were due to leave, he would wake Kristina; she would get dressed more or less in her sleep, then stumble her way to the garage and collapse in the passenger seat with a blanket over her knees.  She would sleep all the way to the timber factory gate, where he would get out and she would drive the short distance to Hjällbo and the post office where she had worked for so many years."

Since I've got my work cut out for me here, I'd better go read!

Comments

[yvonne]

'An American Tragedy' sounds like it is going to be a marathon read, we'll see you about Christmas time!!!

I too have never come across Camilla Ceder before, but I really like the sound of 'Frozen Moment' and have added that to my list, thanks for the recommendation.

I had to smile at your potted synopsis, as it works round the other way in our house. My husband is the night person and I am very much an early morning person. I like to get up on my own and have a quiet hour, whilst I breakfast, drink coffee and read my book in blessed peace and quiet!!!

Yvonne

[Penny]

Oh, gosh, I read An American Tragedy so long ago it must of been in another lifetime - well, it was. I was in high school. I'll be interested in your review of it - and see what I remember.

[Keisha]

I read An American Tragedy several years ago (summer between high school and college) at the suggestion of my BF, and initially resisted for the same reasons--too big! But I'm glad he encouraged me to push through the first part when I couldn't connect to the characters, and I ended up really enjoying the book. I hope you can push yourself to read past page 84 this time!

[Danielle]

Yvonne--It might indeed be Christmas by the time I finish this, though you didn't say Which Christmas! :) I've not done as well with long reads this year than I hoped, but I can still try and be optimistic, right? The Ceder novel sounds really good at the moment and I might just start it sooner as it is so hot here right now I could use a book with a COLD setting! And I try and read early before work, too. I can't read much beyond 9:00 as I fall asleep.
Penny--I would love to read the Dreiser in a classroom setting as I get the feeling there is lots to it. I'm very drawn to the setting and era so maybe this try will work better for me.
Keisha--I have a feeling that if I stick it out I will really like the book. Too bad I set it aside the first time, but maybe it will work better this time around! Glad to hear you enjoyed it.

[Caroline]

I'll have to look up Maritta Wolff. It sounds quite modern. Like a corporate setting. There are so many Swedish crime writers all of a sudden in English translation. Due to the Larsson frenzy I suppose. I haven't herad of her but she sounds good too. I'm looking forward to your review.

[litlove]

I have two Maritta Wolff books to read and DO want to get to them (you know how that goes!). I'll be really interested to hear how you get on with her.

[Danielle]

Caroline--I've read one of Wolff's other books--something of a period piece as it was set in California in the 70s but I liked it--not dated so much as just of a particular time and place--very interesting reading. The Ceder is compared to Wallander--it has a tagline of 'move over Wallander' or something like that--I've heard she's good but not quite up to Mankell's standards (who I have yet to read...).
Litlove--Yes, I know only too well how that goes. I've wanted to read more of her work for a long time. I need to just dive in and do it I think as other books just keep getting in the way!

[Darlene]

Ah yes, reading plans. They can change like the wind can't they and there never seems to be enough time for reading to begin with. I do love the sound of Night Shift, the era was enough to grab me.

And is it just me noticing or has Swedish crime stories become hugely popular lately?

[Stefanie]

yay for starting new books! good luck in geting past page 84 of the Dreiser. I've not read him before but I hope to oneday. As for reading plans, there is always the second half of the year to pick up the pieces in.

[Kathy]

Oh, dear. You've just reminded me it's close to halfway through the year! Better get cracking on my own reading lists/challenges! (Good luck with yours, and all these sound interesting.)

[Danielle]

Darlene-- I swear I am not going to make any plans for next year! :) I'll break that plan, too, I'm sure. I'm looking forward to the Wolff book as I am very much in the mood for a story set in that period! And yes, there is an inordinate amount (not a bad thing of course) of Swedish crime novels out there these days. I think it must be its own genre! :)
Stefanie--I'm all ready for that Dreiser. This is going to be my year, I can feel it! :) I think I might be doing lots of catching up this summer. And if all else fails I'll deny I ever had any plans...
Kathy--Time is going by far too quickly! I keep looking at my list of books I was going to read, thinking they look wonderful and then pick up something else. As long as I'm enjoying what I'm reading, right?!