The Books 'n
Brews
Book
Club
(On Hiatus. Stay Tuned)
If you've ever felt like you
should make an effort to engage in some form of literary
scholarship, but don't want to read the something your wife's book
group just finished, then this is the club for you.
We think it's time men gave themselves permission to read books
that haven't been recommended by Oprah, that don't to teach us how
to build or repair something, invest in anything, bond with
somebody, or get in touch with ANYONE's emotions, not even our
own.
Instead, let's read books where red-blooded men toss back a few
beers, after barely surviving a high speed car chase, after which
they defused a bomb or two, busted some nasty villains, and rescued
a hot damsel in distress (who, let's face it, they're
probably meeting later for a quiet "drink". )
Then once a month we'll get together with the guys to discuss the
book over pizza and beer.
Or not. Whatever. We'll still have the pizza and beer.
Interested?
Send Charlie an email
at charlie@gorgebookstop.com
or call
541-386-STOP (or toll free at
877-494-STOP) .
He'll keep you updated on what the guys are up to each month. Or
just drop in the 2nd Tuesday of any month. He'll keep the beer on
ice.
What we're
reading
by Jim Butcher
Reading July 2008
Harry Dresden--Wizard
Lost items found. Paranormal investigations.
Consulting. Advice. Reasonable rates.
No Love Potions, Endless Purses, Parties, or Other Entertainment.
Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he's the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the "everyday" world is actually full of strange and magical things--and most of them don't play too well with humans. That's where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a--well, whatever.
There's just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks. So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry's seeing dollar signs. But where there's magic, there's a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry's name. And that's when things start to get... interesting.
Magic. It can get a guy killed.
by Garth Stein
Read June 2008
Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver.
Through Denny, Enzo has
gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees
that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. Using the
techniques needed on the race track, one can successfully navigate
all of life's ordeals.
On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling
all that he and his family have been through: the sacrifices Denny
has made to succeed professionally; the unexpected loss of Eve,
Denny's wife; the three-year battle over their daughter, Zoë, whose
maternal grandparents pulled every string to gain custody. In the
end, despite what he sees as his own limitations, Enzo comes
through heroically to preserve the Swift family, holding in his
heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoë
at his side. Having learned what it takes to be a compassionate and
successful person, the wise canine can barely wait until his next
lifetime, when he is sure he will return as a man.
A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story
of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain
is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and
absurdities of human life . . . as only a dog could tell
it.
by Robert Ferrigno
Read May 2008
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO AMERICA IF THE EXTREMISTS WON?
Seattle, 2040. The Space Needle lies crumpled. Veiled women hurry through the streets. Alcohol is outlawed, replaced by Jihad Cola, and mosques dot the skyline. New York and Washington, D.C., are nuclear wastelands. At the edges of the empire, Islamic and Christian forces fight for control, and rebels plot to regain free will.
Courageous rebel Sarah Dougan is a beautiful historian who uncovers information that will destabilize the nation. When she disappears, the security chief of the Islamic Republic of America calls upon Rakkim Epps, her secret lover and a former elite warrior, to find her. But Rakkim is being tracked by Darwin, a brilliant psychopath. To survive, he must become Darwin's assassin and embark upon a frenetic and bloody chase to find Sarah and help her expose a shocking truth to the world.
by Joseph R. Gannascoli
Read April 2008
Benny Lacoco is a "food fence". A load of frozen shrimp falls off of a truck, or perhaps a few cases of olive oil or some nice expensive wine with an unpronounceable name comes into your possession, Benny is the guy who can move it for you. No questions asked.
He's well connected and a man of respect.
But there is another side to Benny. He's a gourmet cook who once aspired to be a renowned restaurateur…but business (and other matters equally unsavory) got in the way.
Now Benny has been summoned to cook a special meal for some of his associates on the occasion of the big man being sent up the river. This gives Benny the chance to prepare the meal of his life
- A MEAL TO DIE FOR - because word has it that someone in their midst is a rat, and some things just can't be forgiven.
From the abundant antipasto of chicken liver mousse, prosciutto wrapped asparagus, grilled sardines, and other delicacies to the creamy delight of crayfish bisque, three types of pasta, and main entrees of roasted lamb, baked snapper, and chicken with artichokes and sausage, we are treated to flashbacks of Benny’s life in a novel that blends the best of Big Night with Goodfellas.
by Dennis Lehane
Read March 2008
A cadre of powerful Massachusetts politicians offers Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro big money for a small job: find the missing cleaning woman who allegedly stole confidential Statehouse documents. But there's much more to this crime than anyone realizes. What the woman was really after was justice—and out on the Boston streets, the truth can turn stark and ugly...
This is it: the novel that introduces the newest sensation in detective fiction, Dennis Lehane, and a couple of gritty private investigators who grew up and grew tough in blue-collar Dorchester. Kenzie and Gennaro have opened their own agency from the belfry of a Boston church—and all manner of unholiness is crossing their threshold. Like it or not, they're headed for a deadly crossfire in a case that's not just about right and wrong—it's all-out war.
This highly acclaimed first novel introduces an intrepid pair of tough Boston private investigators, Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro. The duo are confronted by a cadre of powerful Boston politicos offering big money to locate a missing cleaning woman. As the investigation unfolds, the partners are soon drawn into the deadly crossfire among warring political factions.
Boston and its environs are the setting for most of Dennis Lehane’s fiction. From gritty inner-city motels to the lavish suburbs, Lehane brings a Boston subculture and its vivid characters to life in his detective novels. Lehane fans return time and time again for his tense psychological thrillers that chip away at secrets deep within the human soul.
by Ray Zardetto
Read February 2008
Al Mitchell is middle-aged, divorced, childless, balding, unemployed, stoop-shouldered, and dead¿but these are the least of his problems. When Mitchell dies in a chaotic merry-go-round wreck, he goes to Heaven hoping to discover the meaning of his sad-sack life by meeting the five most influential people he's known. But too bad they're busy meeting with more important people! In their place, Al meets his grade school lunch lady, family plumber, and a hairdresser who turned down all of his romantic advances. So much for peace in the afterlife!
Intent to make amends, Heaven's powers-that-be allow Mitchell to return to Earth (with help from a bumbling angel named Adrian) to achieve a goal even better than enlightenment. He gets to exact revenge on the five jerks who made his life so miserable!
