By Jeff

August 27, 2007 1:03 PM | Link to this

Hey hey!

First one in!

Phil,

I have just one request: PLEASE talk about books that are popular with the PUBLIC and not just critics, PLEASE!!! Rare is it indeed when I find a book that is actually reviewed in the AJC AND that I like!

I’m not asking you to discuss relatively rare books such as S.M.Stirlings T2 trilogy (which ignores the third Terminator movie, starts off just after the events of T2: Judgement Day, and proceeds to tell a FAR better story than the third movie did - including putting in the Terminator lore the idea that John Connor himself was responsible for SkyNet becoming sentient.)

I AM asking for the occassional discussion on someone like Cussler, Sparks, or DALE Brown - NOT DAN. (Though, since their MAY be fans of that OTHER Brown here I guess he would be a good author to discuss too….)

Personally, I’ve got 7 boxes worth of books at my new house right now - not counting the 3 boxes worth I put in my office! Non-fiction wise, my collection is mostly Christian, but I’ve got biographies of John Nash, Jeff Foxworthy, and several wrestlers, as well as the book I am currently reading on the 1912 election and One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer by Capt. Nathaniel Fick. Fiction wise, I’ve got a little of everything - including fantasy, if you count Anne Rice in that area. Most popular authors in my personal library are Dale Brown, Tom Clancy, Stephen King, Lee Child, Nicholas Sparks, and Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.

Anyways… I look forward to reading and interacting here!

By Susan M.

August 27, 2007 1:46 PM | Link to this

This is terrific news! It’s nice to have a book critic again who is familiar, rather than some professor in Virginia or some wire service story. I’d like to see genre round-ups… what are the lastest GOOD books in mysteries, fiction, chicklit, biographies, etc. Who’s who in authors (just picked up a book called “Getting Rid of Matthew” by a British writer named Jane Fallon and it turns out she’s Ricky Gervais’s long-time companion. Interesting.) Also, why do American publishers think American readers can’t figure out what “favoUr” means… Fallon thanks the people at her American publisher for switching out all the British spellings. HONESTLY!

By Maria

August 27, 2007 1:47 PM | Link to this

I’d love to see reviews and discussion of local authors. I count myself as a bibliophile… and yet, I have a hard time coming up with a decent-sized list of Atlantans and Georgians who are currently writing and publishing their work. I know they’re out there, and I’d like to support them, but it’s been difficult to find them on my own.

I’m all over the map when it comes to what I read — classics, literary fiction, books for kids and teenagers, poetry, short fiction, essays, humor, SF… it’s all represented on my bookshelf. When I read book blogs (and I do so pretty frequently), I like to read about books that haven’t already been reviewed in every major book review section around the country. I like to read modern reflections on classic books, and buzz about upcoming books and debut authors (which I hope to be one day!).

Looking forward to reading and posting here.

By Phil Kloer

August 27, 2007 1:48 PM | Link to this

Wow, Jeff, that’s really specific. But I get your point about books that are popular with the public vs books that are popular with the critics. I like both, and hope we can talk about both. Thanks for being first!

By Phil Kloer

August 27, 2007 1:52 PM | Link to this

Susan: Roundups are really exhausting when I try to do it all by myself. I’d rather say OK, the topic today is Chick Lit, or Techo-thrillers, to please Jeff, and then ask everyone what’s the best in that genre they’ve read lately. More voices that way. And we do not discriminate against professors in Virginia, BTW!

By Jeff

August 27, 2007 2:20 PM | Link to this

Maria:

Check out Shaunti Feldhahn she lives in Alpharetta and actually does the weekly Woman to Woman column here in the AJC.

Her fiction works are The Veritas Conflict and The Lights of 10th Street. Both of which have a Frank Peretti This Present Darkness type read to them. (If you’re not familiar with Christian fiction, he’s one of the classics that from what I gather MANY current Christian authors look up to.)

Her non-fiction is the For _ Only series, which so far includes Women, Men, Young Women, and - I think - Parents. (Parents may be the one she is currently working on, I can’t remember.) It started off while she was researching 10th Street when she realized some things she didn’t understand about her husband. So she built a survey and did some research into the sub-title of the Women book The Inner Workings of Men, then packaged the results in a book that is roughly 150 pages. After the success of that book - and because she had many men requesting it - she made Men, which goes the other direction - giving guys a clue what goes on in women’s heads.

Another GA-based author is Randy Singer. He basically writes Christian legal fiction that could give John Grisham a run for his money. So far he has tackled missionaries in Saudi Arabia (in Directed Verdict), abortion and embryonic stem cell research (in Irreparable Harm), child abuse (in Dying Declaration), self-defense murder (in Self Incrimination), holiday observances (in Judge Who Stole Christmas - I haven’t yet read this one), reality TV, comparative religions, and cryptology (in Cross Examination of Oliver Finney), and cryptology again (in his latest, False Witness, which I just learned about).

Unfortunately, I know not of any secular GA-based authors.

By Phil Kloer

August 27, 2007 2:43 PM | Link to this

Thanks for all those recommendations, Maria. There are tons of Ga-based secular authors as well. Too many to list. Check out the Decatur Book Festival this weekend, where a fair number of authors are local and very very good.

By Jen

August 27, 2007 2:46 PM | Link to this

I would love AJC to have a Book Club Blog. Put a book up to read and next week we all get on here and say what we did and didn’t like about it.

As for THIS blog…maybe something similar. Tell us which books you’re going to crit a week in advance. That way, after reading your crit we can agree or disagree with it!

I would loooooooooove that!!!!

By Atlanta Pearl Girl

August 27, 2007 2:55 PM | Link to this

Yippee!!!!!!

I’ll be a fan for sure!!!

::::turning cartwheels:::::::

By The Momster

August 27, 2007 3:01 PM | Link to this

Let’s not forget the 1000-lb. gorilla of Atlanta book festivals, the Marcus Jewish Community Center Book Festival. Now in its 16th year, the two week festival outdates the Decatur festival by years. This year’s festival, in November, will feature such literary luminaries as Nathan Englander, Dalia Sofer, Melissa Fay Greene, Dick Morris, Ambassador Dennis Ross, and more.

By Phil Kloer

August 27, 2007 3:37 PM | Link to this

Jen: Are you telling me you want me to assign … homework? Actually, that’s a pretty good idea. Let’s get the blog up and running and then we’ll give it a shot. We’ll even ask for suggestions as to what the first Homework Assignment should be. Finnegan’s Wake, anyone?

By .

August 27, 2007 3:38 PM | Link to this

I’m sorry but Shaunti Feldhahn’s fiction is baaaaaaad. It’s got a lot of stars on Amazon because it’s been reviewed by almost solely the readers of Christian fiction.

I guess I should say that for Christian fiction it’s not bad. But for general fiction it’s bad. But so is most Christian fiction….

Her writing is wooden, preachy, repetitive, unimaginative, ie, she tells rather than shows…logic is treated simplistically where situations are waaaaaaaay to easily resolved, evil is presented as black and white….there’s a lack of suspense or tension (ie, the gotcha factor) due to the use of omniscient POV (though she mostly manages to keep in a single POV per scene) where limited third would be better, and her characters are shallow…but she does plot good…I’ll give her that. The flaws are things that might be resolved with maturity in writing, perhaps.

Anyway, just my 2 cents about our resident Christian fiction author….

By Jen

August 27, 2007 3:43 PM | Link to this

Yes! Homework! Totally voluntary, however.

See, I love to give my opinion about fiction (sorry, no non-fiction for me) but no one, and I mean no one, cares about my opinion. A blog atmosphere would totally satisfy my cravings to crit yet everyone is still free to totally ignore me!

My only request is that we mix up the popular fiction (ie, Lee Child) with the more literary fiction….because I love me some pulp….

By Kate

August 27, 2007 3:47 PM | Link to this

We’ll have all kinds of fun with this! Some ideas: most overrated books (did someone mention Finnegan’s Wake??), most underrated authors, best graphic novels. And while we’re on the subject of graphic novels, a discussion about the literary value of the genre would be interesting. Gosh, I could go on and on.

PS….Phil, could you turn off the feature which reveals our email address? I’ll use a fake one for now :)

By Jen

August 27, 2007 3:56 PM | Link to this

Kate, thanks for pointing out the feature about displayed email addresses. As a result I need to make a disclaimer that I am not the only one using my computer on this blog!

The post about Ms Feldhahn’s fiction was written by my friend, to remain unnamed per his request but you can call him Dot or ., on my computer after reading it as a recommendation. He was visiting and I was reading posts aloud because I am so excited about this whole idea and he wanted to comment. I told him to re-identify himself and he didn’t change the email because they’re usually not displayed.

So…here’s my disclaimer: The content of said post does not represent the views of the email address displayed. I cannot endorse or disavow the review as I have not read any of Ms Feldhahn’s work.

However, I am not scared to give a scathing review if I dislike something!

By Kate

August 27, 2007 3:57 PM | Link to this

Here I go with more ideas: memoirs v. fiction, our favorite “banned” books, best cookbooks or best books about food (La Cocina and such) (reading Clyde Edgerton always makes me hungry, btw), favorite children’s books. I’ll keep thinking…

By Jen

August 27, 2007 4:00 PM | Link to this

Oh, and can we stick to stuff that’s been out recently so we don’t repeat what other critics have already said????

This is going to be so much fun!

Sorry for the mad posting but I am soooo excited….

By Kate

August 27, 2007 4:01 PM | Link to this

Jen Very funny!! :)

By Jeff

August 27, 2007 4:02 PM | Link to this

.,

I place emphasis on two factors in a book:

a) Does it resonate with me? IF it does, it gets high marks regardless of actual quality for others. (Books in this vein include both of Shaunti’s fictions, Without Remorse by Clancy, Warrior Class by Dale Brown, and The Notebook, among others, by Nicholas Sparks.)

b) Is the plot somehow interesting to me? This is where intellectual stimulation comes in, among other things. Honestly, the ideas put forth in both Veritas and 10th Street intrigue me. As does the suggestion in the T2 books by Stirling that Connor was responsible for SkyNet’s sentience. Other noteable instances of this are Dale Brown’s Tin Man battle armor, first developed in the book of the same name, as well as his more recent Cybernetic Infantry Devices, first put forth in Act of War and the idea that “I was learning to accept that sometimes the only way to fight evil is with another evil, however good its intentions.” from One Bullet Away.

By Jen

August 27, 2007 4:07 PM | Link to this

Ooooo, my very favorite children’s book is Who Needs Donuts? by Mark Alan Stamaty…..

By Jeff

August 27, 2007 4:11 PM | Link to this

Eh, I developed this email long ago for when discussions needed to be carried out more privately. Dunno about y’all, but I’m active in a few other forums here (hence the email address). I HAVE noted a few others going by “Jeff”, so you can never be ABSOLUTELY sure, but my id as “Jeff” is sufficiently established on Wooten, Momania, and Get Schooled such that if you see a posting by “Jeff” on there, it is generally me. (Particularly Get Schooled. Wooten I was with intially, then his blogs turned into a Mike Luckivich type with little to no sense of decorum, at least from the new batch. So on his and Theresa’s at Momania, I’m typically only involved if I have some particular interest in the topic.

By Kate

August 27, 2007 4:22 PM | Link to this

The hamster wheel in my mind is spinning… National Book Award winners v. Pulitzer v. Booker, etc. Which are best? (Frankly, I don’t trust Pulitzer since they picked The Shipping News). Best places to find used books, best independent bookstore….still thinking…

By Jeff

August 27, 2007 4:29 PM | Link to this

What about “Pop Fiction books that a minor shouldn’t see the COVER of, much less read” as a topic?

I’ve got a couple in my library that fall there, due to the fact that they have a couple of scenes that will make The Condemned (the movie) look like Barney Fife! Without Remorse and Lee Child’s Killing Floor in particular…

By Jen

August 27, 2007 4:39 PM | Link to this

I loooooooooooooooooove The Killing Floor…..drooool

I lust after that kind of pulp….I really do…macho on steroids….

But the cover of that book isn’t NC-17…it’s pretty generic.

However, the original cover of Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale, which is a really awesome romance/drama, has a truly horrible bodice-ripping cover. Oh, the humanity! Cover the innocent’s eyes!

Luckily in reprint they gave it a much more generic cover….whew

By Jeff

August 27, 2007 4:53 PM | Link to this

Jen:

I wasn’t speaking of the cover so much as the scenes from the story itself.

In Killing Floor, you have the scene where the one guy and his wife are killed that I speak directly of. (BTW: There is a similar scene in a book called Code Alpha, I forget the author, but the book is about a bio-terror attack ring and a team that has to stop it.)

In Without Remorse, there are quite a few scenes, particularly where she is displayed and some of Kelly’s own actions following her murder.

By Sheila

August 27, 2007 5:05 PM | Link to this

This is great!!!! I read so much that it’s nice to see a group so excited about this blog!!! I look forward to the books we’ll discuss and read….and I’m really glad someone tackled the “what critics read vs. what the public reads”. Thanks to Phil for getting this started and to Jeff, Susan, Maria, Jen, Atlanta Pearl Girl, Momster and Kate for being as excited as I am!!!

By Phil Kloer

August 27, 2007 7:42 PM | Link to this

Man. I didn’t really expect cartwheels and giddiness, but I’m very pleased. Maybe I should just retire now while everyone is happy, before I make people mad. I could appoint Jeff and Kate to run things.

Seriously, we’ll get to all this. I have a few things I want to address this week related to the Decatur Book Fest, then we’ll work through all of the suggestions here.

By fer

August 27, 2007 9:32 PM | Link to this

Cartwheels?! Yes, indeed, I would turn them if I could. This blog makes me so happy as I add it to my ‘Daily’ favorites file.

I have just started Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn. I know it’s been around a while, but I’m just now getting to it.

By Kate

August 27, 2007 9:52 PM | Link to this

I could appoint Jeff and Kate to run things.

Until we make people mad, then it’s just mayhem.

Mayhem on a book blog—it happens. First someone makes fun of a book in another’s personal library, say Nicholas Sparks. The next thing you know a barb is thrown in return insulting the other’s admiration of Tom Wolfe’s white suits. You know how this plays out….it’s not pretty.

Are you really up for this, Phil? It’s not for the faint hearted.

By JH Ansley

August 27, 2007 10:43 PM | Link to this

Jeff has already made me want to turn away from this blog. He talks (types) too much and I believe that would bother me. I can already sense the mayhem and frankly, I’d rather be reading than arguing with others on a blog.

Best of luck with it …

One suggestion: Leave it open for ALL BOOKS. Not just the books Jeff wants.

Avid Reader, JH

By KA

August 28, 2007 7:31 AM | Link to this

Phil, I love your blog already! Hello, my name is Karen and I am a bookaholic, have been for 50+ years. I have a well worn library card and an embarrassing number of Amazon book boxes stacked in my garage. I normally read up to four books at any one time, usually one historical/ disaster/scientific related like a Crack in the Edge of the World, one analytical like the No Asshole Rule one self help like Chi Walking, and one mass market mystery thriller from Patterson, Sandford, etc. If y’all would put your current reads in BOLD it will make it easier for all of us to scan for new titles amongst all of our run on thoughts. And we can blog around Jeff, so don’t let him scare you off!

By Jeff

August 28, 2007 8:42 AM | Link to this

JH:

KA can atest to this, as she knows me from a couple of the other blogs, but I AM known to talk quite a bit. You learn to take what I say with a grain of salt and ignore it.

I’m not asking Phil to talk ONLY about the things I’m interested in. As I noted earlier, my own interests tend to be extremely esoteric. (Other than Sparks and possibly King, RARE is it that you see a book I am interested in in the Top 10 Bestsellers on the general NY Times list.) Matter of fact, all I’m asking is that he throws a bone OCCASSIONALLY - heck, once a month and I’m happy! :P

I want this blog to grow to the size of ML and Wooten, or even bigger- without all the personal attacks and drivel filled hatred. And I know it aint gonna get that big just talking about the latest Brown or Child.

So yeah, I talk alot. But as both Mr. Wooten and Bridget over at Get Schooled can atest to, MOST of the time what I have to say is within reason. SOMETIMES I’ll throw out a comment that will get a blog hopping just because it is so controversial. But I DO try to do my best to speak intelligently and thoughtfully about any day’s given topic. If I come across as being too loud or forceful, I do sincerely apologize.

By KA

August 28, 2007 8:59 AM | Link to this

Jeff, Well said! You do rev up the discussions. How’s the new job?

By Jeff

August 28, 2007 9:12 AM | Link to this

KA:

GREAT. We recently started a MASSIVE project that has a hard deadline of 01.Jan.08. And I’m going on my honeymoon mid-October, so when you throw in Thanksgiving and Christmas…. it should be a LOT of fun! :P

By KA

August 28, 2007 9:30 AM | Link to this

Jeff, You sound happier now. Good luck with your project and best wishes to you and your bride!

By marykayandrews

August 28, 2007 3:37 PM | Link to this

Phil—let’s skip right to the important stuff. Let’s blog about ME—Mary Kay Andrews. Mary Kay Andrews books, Mary Kay Andrews website—www.marykayandrews.com. Mary Kay’s blog, www.kudzutelegraph. Like that. All Mary Kay, all the time. Oh. What? Other books too? Sheesh. How about a timely discussion of books about disgraced professional athletes? The unauthorized biography of Mickey Mantle comes to mind…

By marykayandrews

August 28, 2007 3:38 PM | Link to this

Phil—let’s skip right to the important stuff. Let’s blog about ME—Mary Kay Andrews. Mary Kay Andrews books, Mary Kay Andrews website—www.marykayandrews.com. Mary Kay’s blog, www.kudzutelegraph. Like that. All Mary Kay, all the time. Oh. What? Other books too? Sheesh. How about a timely discussion of books about disgraced professional athletes? The unauthorized biography of Mickey Mantle comes to mind…

By Phil Kloer

August 28, 2007 4:00 PM | Link to this

Mary Kay Andrews? The name rings a bell. Where do I know you from? Are you an author?

Just kidding. Ladies and gents, we have our first for-real best-selling world-famous Avondale Estates author, Miss Mary Kay Andrews. Dont be shy, MK, step into the limelight.

Fellow book lovers, if you seek a treat, go see Mary Kay’s tent meeting at the Decatur Book Fest, gang. You’re sure to laugh. With her, not at her!

By JH_Ansley

August 28, 2007 5:03 PM | Link to this

Jeff …You require to much attention. What’s with all the bold typing? Afraid you won’t get noticed? I think the Blog should be named Jeff’s Bold World

I still say that you talk and type too much. You could get your point across without all the excess.

I just did.

Ciao …for good!

By Anna Burke

August 28, 2007 6:01 PM | Link to this

As a longtime MKA fan — back from when she was someone else at the AJC - I am thrilled to see that she’s one of the DBF featured authors. She is, in a word, a HOOT!

By margaret

August 28, 2007 6:37 PM | Link to this

Hello. I think this blog is a great idea. I’ve never really liked book reviews… but I do like to read an excerpt of a book, in order to get an idea of their writing style. I also like vague warnings about the plot… if it’s too sad. There are times that I want/need to read for entertainment.

I also would like to know if a book passes or fails the first 3 pages rule… I tend to scrutinize those first few pages and condemnn/lift up an author due to how well they attempt to hook me. I sense that this is not an effective strategy…

I like to read serious fiction… literary with a smattering of sci fi, biography, etc. I’m an eclectic reader, I think.

By Kate

August 28, 2007 10:32 PM | Link to this

JH Chill, baby. A brand new blog, clean slate and all that.

By April

August 29, 2007 1:48 PM | Link to this

I just(literally) finished reading ALL of the Callahan Garrity books, MKA, and would LOVE to know if we ever find out more about the House Mouse crew and all the rest.
Got my dear husband reading again, this series. And knew that not in a million years would I be able to catch up with you at the DBF this weekend, and thrilled to think that you might read this and answer for me whther you will take up as Kathy Hogan Trochek again. We LOVE Mary Kay Andrews, but Kathy came first, to us!

By April

August 29, 2007 1:49 PM | Link to this

I just(literally) finished reading ALL of the Callahan Garrity books, MKA, and would LOVE to know if we ever find out more about the House Mouse crew and all the rest.
Got my dear husband reading again, this series. And knew that not in a million years would I be able to catch up with you at the DBF this weekend, and thrilled to think that you might read this and answer for me whther you will take up as Kathy Hogan Trochek again. We LOVE Mary Kay Andrews, but Kathy came first, to us!

By Robin Kemp

September 1, 2007 6:57 AM | Link to this

Poetry. Do review poetry. “Or ask me to review poetry,” the ex-CNN writer and MFA/PhD-in-progress poet wrote shamelessly.

Poetry is not literary parsley to be added on as an after thought to ghostwritten “autobiographies” of Politicians of the Week. Atlanta has a vibrant, diverse poetry community both inside and outside the academy. Poetry is neither smarmy emoting on paper nor a public-relations armature for one’s political or theoretical hobbyhorses.

I’ve recently been reminded by some readers who call themselves “non-poets” that most people are afraid of poetry. They would never think of buying a book of poems because they don’t know “what’s good,” or what they’re “supposed” to like, or where to begin. They conjure excruciating memories of high-schoool literature explication and head for the allegedly “easier” fiction.

Lonely readers! Poetry awaits you with open arms! I’d be more than happy to ply you with poetry.

By Robin Kemp

September 1, 2007 6:57 AM | Link to this

Poetry. Do review poetry. “Or ask me to review poetry,” the ex-CNN writer and MFA/PhD-in-progress poet wrote shamelessly.

Poetry is not literary parsley to be added on as an after thought to ghostwritten “autobiographies” of Politicians of the Week. Atlanta has a vibrant, diverse poetry community both inside and outside the academy. Poetry is neither smarmy emoting on paper nor a public-relations armature for one’s political or theoretical hobbyhorses.

I’ve recently been reminded by some readers who call themselves “non-poets” that most people are afraid of poetry. They would never think of buying a book of poems because they don’t know “what’s good,” or what they’re “supposed” to like, or where to begin. They conjure excruciating memories of high-schoool literature explication and head for the allegedly “easier” fiction.

Lonely readers! Poetry awaits you with open arms! I’d be more than happy to ply you with poetry.