Yes, I admit it....so what? I love trashy novels. Primarily, trashy mystery novels. However, I do have my standards and rules.
Rule number one: For every trashy mystery novel I read, I must read a classical writer, or at least a book that will educate and enlighten me on various subjects: Art, poetry, politics, nature, etc.
Rule number two: No romance novels. Sorry if this offends anyone, but I just can't 'go there'.....no Nora Roberts in my house. I've come to believe that Nora Roberts must write 24/7 and is either insane or has some pretty serious 'issues'....she must have 100 novels and whenever I'm in the bookstore, there is yet another 'new one' on the shelves.
Who do I like to read?
Well, this year, I have gone through all the novels written by Tess Gerritsen (she has a tough female cop from Boston character who turns up frequently in her novels...Boston is my old home town). Tami Hoag is another writer I like. She is uber trashy and is always good for a tragic or twisted ending to her stories.
My all time new favorite trashy writer is Greg Isles. I started out with Turning Angel, and I was hooked. Like all 'southern writers' Greg has a wonderful sense of style and an amazing eye for detail. He just knows how to keep you 'gorilla glued' to the pages of his novels. I've gone through everything of his, and recently enjoyed True Evil and his lastest paperback: Third Degree.
Speaking of southern writer's I am now reading John Grisham's latest: The Appeal. I'm a little disappointed as of late with Mr. Grisham. This story is kind of like The Rainmaker, but pumped up on steroids and wayyyyyyy too many characters. Another book I read of his this year was The Broker, which frankly, seemed like a 'lesson' in living in Italy, which is exactly how I felt about the last Thomas Harris novel...a 'lesson' in living in Europe....if I wanted that, I would watch Rick Stevens on PBS.
Beside my bed are the 'decent reading materials'....from Rule Number One*. Right now I have a novel by William Trevor entitled Two Lives; and then two of my favorite books: Music for Chameleons by Capote and The Sun Also Rises, by Hemingway. I've ordered the book, Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates. Mr. Yates had a very interesting life, and like Tennessee Williams was rather brutal with his characters, subject matter and story lines. A realist and somewhat controversial, I read an expose on his life and works. The movie Revolutionary Road that is getting buzz in La La Land, looks in on a couple who 'believe' that they are special and meant to live an exceptional life together....instead they move to the suburbs, and everything slowly falls apart, with cracks in their 'dream life' of being above the 'fray' of people they consider beneath them and boring. Sounds like a great winter book....just the thing to help me fall into that dragging winter depression. Then again, I could just go ahead and give the book to a friend of mine that I'm really not particularly fond of for his birthday present.
I also love reading screenplays, because that is what I do. There are great websites that offer the 'Best 100 Screenplays of All Time' and its great reading. Recently I read the screenplay for Bull Durham. Fantastic screenplay. Speaking of which, I am going to have to get back to my new comedy. I've managed to procrastinate for at least the past 5 weeks using the holidays as an excuse....and or course, I just had to read some more 'Trash'....
How about you? You love your trash? Be honest. No snobs please....This diary is for full 'confessions' of trash readers.
Cheers !!!