What Book Are You Currently Reading?

[Paul Kemp]

I just finished The Tourist by Olen Steinhauer. It was a decent espionage thriller. The second half was a lot better than the first half. Sometimes Steinhauer had a tendency to overdo it with mentioning American pop-culture.

[Paul Kemp]

This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

I'm about halfway through it and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. A lot of exposition so far. I'm considering moving on to another book.

[Paul Kemp]

Just finished Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis.

I thought it was OK. Nothing left me too affected. I didn't particularly care for the way it was written and I thought at times it tried too hard to go over the top.

I think I'll be reading Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises next.

[Paul Kemp]

Just started reading American Dream Machine by Matthew Specktor. Didn't know much about it but I saw someone mention it on Twitter and it seemed interesting.

http://www.amazon.com/American-Dream-Machine-Matthew-Specktor/dp/1935639447

[Paul Kemp]

Most of you read too much nonfiction.

[Paul Kemp]

Gustaf wins this thread. Excellent taste.

[Paul Kemp]

I'm looking to finally get into some le Carre. Is it useful or helpful to read them in order?

I'd like to read The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (love the movie) but it's le Carre's third book, which features characters from previous novels.

[Paul Kemp]

I'm looking to finally get into some le Carre. Is it useful or helpful to read them in order?

Tinker Tailor should be read before Smiley's People or The Honourable Schoolboy (because otherwise they won't quite make sense), but other than that, it's not really essential. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold can certainly be read stand-alone.

Thanks Al, appreciate it.

[Paul Kemp]

...but once I'm done with that, I'll be giving Under the Volcano another shot. Have started to read it twice before but always seem to get pulled away by something else.