Episode · The Book Review · 2016-11-04
John Grisham on The Book Review: books mentioned
John Grisham on 'The Whistler'
Gilbert Cruz recommended The Whistler by John Grisham and Rogue heroes by Ben Macintyre, and discussed A Spy Among Friends Kim Philby And The Great Betrayal by Ben Macintyre and others. John Grisham discussed The Innocent Man by John Grisham, The Children Act by Ian McEwan, A Painted House by John Grisham, and Skipping Christmas by John Grisham. Greg Cowles recommended Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys, and discussed The Mothers by Brit Bennett, Shaken by Tim Tebow, A lowcountry heart by Pat Conroy, The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, Today will be different by Maria Semple, Commonwealth by Ann Patchett, and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. John Williams recommended Brief lives by Anita Brookner, The year of reading dangerously by Andy Miller, and Grendel by John Gardner, and discussed Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner, Amsterdam by Ian McEwan, Good morning, midnight by Jean Rhys, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, Jack Maggs by Peter Carey, and Beowulf by Seamus Heaney. Pamela Paul discussed Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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The Whistler
The Whistler is a legal thriller centering on judicial corruption and a whistleblower uncovering massive financial crimes in Florida.
Recommended“quick who do you think of when I say legal thriller John gam of course and he'll be here to talk about his latest book The Whistler”
Where to get it
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Rogue heroes
Rogue Heroes by Ben Macintyre is a gripping historical account that details the origins and daring operations of the SAS, Britain's secret special forces unit that sabotaged Nazi lines during World War II.
Recommended“how did the whole idea of Special Operations forces get started Ben MacIntyre will join us to talk about his new book Rogue Heroes”
Where to get it
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The Innocent Man
Discussed“I wrote a non-fiction book 10 years ago called the innocent man”
Where to get it
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The Children Act
The Children Act by Ian McEwan is a compelling contemporary novel that examines complex legal, ethical, and personal dilemmas surrounding a judge presiding over a delicate family court case involving a refusing minor.
Discussed“Ian McKuen said um before writing the children act not his most recent novel but the one before uh the current novel that he spent a lot of time in Family Court”
Where to get it
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A Painted House
Discussed“the first time I did it was a childhood Memoir called a painted house that was published I know 15 years ago”
Where to get it
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Skipping Christmas
Discussed“and so I wrote a book called skipping Christmas which was my first effort to be just as funny as I wanted to be”
Where to get it
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A Spy Among Friends Kim Philby And The Great Betrayal
A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal by Ben Macintyre is a gripping historical non-fiction book that details the life and betrayal of the notorious British double agent Kim Philby and his association with the Cambridge Five spy ring.
Discussed“so readers know you from your many books a spy among friends being the most recent one about Kim filby double cross operation mince meet agent zigzag”
Where to get it
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The Mothers
The Mothers by Brit Bennett is a compelling contemporary debut novel set in a southern California community, exploring love, friendship, community secrets, and the lingering choices of youth.
Discussed“yeah one notable newcomer on the hard cover fiction list this week is a first first novel by a writer named Britt Bennett um the book is called the mothers and that is new down at number 15”
Where to get it
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Shaken
Discussed“in non-fiction um the highest ranking new title is Tim tbo's Memoir shaken talking partly about being cut from the Denver Broncos”
Where to get it
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A lowcountry heart
Discussed“the other maybe notable title this week is uh by Pat Conroy who died this past March um there is an essay collection called a low country heart”
Where to get it
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The Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead is a Pulitzer Prize-winning historical fiction novel that reimagines the antebellum South by turning the secret network of abolitionist routes into a literal subterranean railway system utilized by an enslaved woman named Cora seeking freedom.
Discussed“there is the Underground Railroad of course Coulson Whitehead's book”
Where to get it
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Today will be different
Today Will Be Different is a darkly comedic novel following a frantic woman trying to transform her life and manage her chaotic family over the course of a single day in Seattle.
Discussed“the mothers as you mentioned today will be different um by Maria simple”
Where to get it
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Commonwealth
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett is a sweeping novel that explores the complex dynamics of two intertwined families over several decades following an unexpected kiss at a christening party.
Discussed“and then we have Commonwealth”
Where to get it
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Brief lives
Brief Lives is a novel by Anita Brookner that examines themes of loneliness, aging, and the quiet complexities of human relationships with characteristic psychological acuity.
Recommended“the first book that I read was called brief lives”
Where to get it
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Hotel du Lac
Discussed“and so then I followed that up with um Hotel Dak which was her Booker prize winning novel from the late ' 80s”
Where to get it
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Amsterdam
Discussed“and given the fact that it won the booker it kind of reminded me of Ian mcan's Amsterdam in that way which is it was sort of a prize given to her after many books that people really loved and admired but maybe isn't her considered widely her best by people”
Where to get it
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The year of reading dangerously
The Year of Reading Dangerously is a book by Andy Miller that chronicles one man's humorous and transformative journey back to serious literature and reading for pleasure.
Recommended“he wrote a book called The Year of reading dangerously which is terrific”
Where to get it
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Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë is a celebrated Victorian novel following the turbulent life and emotional maturation of its eponymous orphaned protagonist.
Discussed“I know that earlier this year you read Jane a um and see we're friendly and competitive”
Where to get it
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Wide Sargasso Sea
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys is a classic postcolonial novel written as a prequel to Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, detailing the early life of Antoinette Cosway.
Recommended“um am reading a book that I had never gotten around to uh and it's a wide saraso by Jee Reese the the Caribbean British writer”
Where to get it
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Good morning, midnight
Discussed“so he had tweeted about um a book called good night midnight”
Where to get it
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Great Expectations
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens is a classic Victorian novel following the orphan Pip as he navigates social class, ambition, and personal growth.
Discussed“I went through a little phase um some years ago of reading these kind of updated or or or spin-offs of classic Works um Peter krey has a novel called Jack mags that is all about the character mag witch from Great Expectations”
Where to get it
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Jack Maggs
Discussed“I went through a little phase um some years ago of reading these kind of updated or or or spin-offs of classic Works um Peter krey has a novel called Jack mags that is all about the character mag witch from Great Expectations”
Where to get it
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Grendel
Grendel is a postmodern novel by John Gardner that retells the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf entirely from the perspective of the titular monster.
Recommended“John Gardner uh did a take on Beowolf that was completely from the monsters perspective the novel grindle great book”
Where to get it
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Beowulf
Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney is a modern poetic translation of the ancient Anglo-Saxon epic detailing the hero Beowulf's battles against monsters like Grendel and a treasure-guarding dragon.
Discussed“John Gardner uh did a take on Beowolf that was completely from the monsters perspective”
Where to get it
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Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow is a comprehensive historical biography that chronicles the life, political career, and lasting legacy of one of America's founding fathers.
Discussed“Pamela how about you this week I am still reading Hamilton”
Where to get it
