Book Review of the Week(ish) – Summer Reading List Edition: Week 1

I love summer. No better time to grab some good reads, a favorite beverage, and enjoy the great outdoors. No TV. No video games. Not even, dare I say it, a computer. OK, maybe a computer. But next to that computer should be a stack of books. Here are a couple to start that stack with.

Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s “Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch” is, without question, the funniest book ever written about the Apocalypse. The humor ranges from sophomoric to subtle as the clock winds down on mankind, with a distinctive British edge owing much to Monty Python. If Armageddon were ever to occur, I sincerely hope it follows this script. If not, I’ll enjoy the book and anticipate its ending instead.

If surreal British humor isn’t your thing, you might prefer Elmore Leonard’s “Be Cool”. This California noir is not quite mystery, not quite Hollywood satire, not quite sane. It is, however, entirely satisfying. Filled with quirky characters and crisp commentary, “Be Cool” creates a mood and draws you deeper into its circle of signature characters. A great book for a Sunday afternoon, sipping a mojito in the shade of palm trees. Or maples, oaks, or dogwoods, if that’s what your neighborhood provides. And if this breezy read strains you too much, you even have the choice of skipping the book and checking out the film version. But I’d read the book first.