So, What Have I Been Up To, This Week???????????????

                                     I wanted to get at least one more post in before "the procedure," which takes place this Wednesday, so  I  thought I would share my latest readings.  I went through three this week, and they were all gems.  Get set, girls; here we go--

                                                                                     

                                                   "Paradise, Nevada," by Dario Diofebi--Now, I never gave two shits about Las Vegas, darlings.  I never even wanted to visit there, and still don't.  And especially after seeing  the 1995 film, "Leaving Las Vegas," I was ready to leave the movie theater.

                                                    But this debut novel, by Dario  Diofebi,  presses all my buttons.  It  is a panoramic, Altman-esque and Doctorow-esque novel spanning one year in the  lives of Veags residents, their  back  stories, culminating in,  literally, an explosive event.  This  was one of the  most  satisfying of  my reads this year, and  I  would  not be surprised if it ends up a contender.  Readers of well  written  narrative fiction need look no further.  As for  visiting  Las Vegas, you won't have to, girls,  because Diofebi puts readers  in  the  midst of it  all.  A MUST, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    

                                                                               

                                             "Olympus, Texas," by Stacey Swann--Another fine debut, by Stacey Swann.  But  tell me, girls, save for  the book's  short  length,  if one just saw the  cover jacket, wouldn't one think "Gone With The Wind?"  I  know  I did.  What Swann does is give us the comings  and going  of  the Briscoe family within  said town, and how they interact among, and are seen  by, others.  Swann wants to reference Greek tragedy--two dogs  in here are named Romulus and Remus!--indicating to  me she was bent on writing a Texas "Thousand Acres."  The narrative and characters are  compelling, the ending still  moving  things forward, but Swann has not  the literary skill of  Jane Smiley to make the two genres blend.  It is a family saga, and a very good one, but lacking Smiley's literary depth.  Still, I would not  pass on  it,  darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                  And,  finally--

                                          "Falling," by T.J. Newman--Another debut; this summer has been a banner  one for debut authors.  This one is short and scary--a pilot's family is kidnapped on the ground, while he is airborne.  He is ordered to crash the plane, with himself, and everyone on  it, or his wife and children will be killed. Talk about "Sophie's Choice!"  One reviewer called it  " 'Jaws' at thirty five  thousand feet," and that about sums  it up.  I don't want to say anymore, except I was on the edge of  my seat the  whole time. A former flight attendant herself, Newman gets the job and jargon right, and if this one has not been sold  for  an adaptation,  well, then,  fools are running the entertainment industry.  Climb on board, for a  thrilling ride,  dolls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                               I won't be  posting any more readings till after "the procedure."  But let me give you two reasons  why I pray to make it; two novels coming out this Fall.

           

                                                                             

                                                         Need I say more?                              

                                                                            

                                                                         

                                                                             And--

                                             So, happy reading, girls, well into  Fall!

                                              As for  me,  to quote Ann-Margret in "Bye, Bye, Birdie," "I've got a lot  of  living,  to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                              Keep reading,  and  fingers crossed!