While NYC was blanketed with a record snowfall, my GF and I were living on the cheap in a sleepy little Mexican fishing village, down the Yucatan way. For a ten day strech there was little to do but drink beer, swim in the Caribbean, sleep and read books. And read we did, like thirsty fools drawn to sweet water.

My opinions on books are simply that: Opinions. So, for better or worse, here is a list of books I highly recommend, all of which I read on this recent trip (I did not hotlink the titles; you can find them if you want to read them):

Home Land, by Sam Lipsyte: Probably the funniest book written in the last five years. Do you need to know anything more? Yes? Well, reading this book will make you want to read everything he's written, and that's saying something.

Any Human Heart, by William Boyd: A friend turned me onto Boyd, and I'm hooked now. AHH is masterful, epic, touching, poignant, funny and witty. If you're a fan of novels that weave real characters into the narrative thread, this is a wonderful read (one meets Picasso, Hemingway and the Duke of Windsor, among many others). An elegant tour de force.

The Epicure's Lament, by Kate Christensen: While this book tries just a tad too hard, it has a wonderful sense of depth and playfulness, and the main character, Hugo Whittier, scion of a crumbling WASPY dynasty, is so sharply drawn you'll think he's sitting next to you.

Joe College, by Tom Perotta: Perotta's semi-autobiographical take on life at Yale is funny and light, but not at all lightweight. His sense of humor and his wonderful cultural characterizations make this a superb roman a clef.

Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga, by Hunter S. Thompson: I had originally read this book when, like a junkie, I devoured all of the good doctor's works, one after another, during my freshman year of college. Hell's Angels is the least gonzo of all of his books (that is, it's pretty much straight journalism), though there are glimmers of the characteristic style. As with most of Thompson's work, what is most impressive are his insights into the larger changes in the social fabric of American culture. More often than not, novice Thompson readers get caught up in the drugs and violence, missing his true brilliance.

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, by Michael Chabon: This was the last book I started on the trip, and so far I've read through the first 200 pages, barely the first third. It's exceeding my expectations, and I find myself reading with a pen and a notepad, writing down a list of what I'm calling "A Collection of Wonderful Words/Lines/Descriptions." Sad, but true.

Permalink | Comments (1)