"It didn't matter if life in L.A., frankly, was sweeter, milder, easier, prettier. Being a New Yorker was cooler, partly because it was such a pain in the ass to live there."

Always excited to find an old copy of a classic novel-scored this one at a used bookstore in North Stockbridge in the Berkshires. Plus the Lana Turner movie is one of the all-time great noir films.

Strong conclusion to Justin Cronin's trilogy after the disappointing second installment The Twelve. Great to pick up w/characters who have been in the story since The Passage, and I was fascinated reading how the author brought the epic series to an end.

Perfect summer read! I read this thriller through in less than 2 days-fun premise with a narrator who might or might not have witnessed a crime. Big-time echoes of The Girl on the Train, but a quick, compelling read on its own merits.

Funny, heartfelt, and incredibly moving novel about one man's love for his dog. Despite a few quibbles w/some chapters in the middle, I sobbed at the end and really loved both Ted (the man) and Lily (his dog).

Score! $2 hardcover picked up at an outdoor library sale in the lovely Camden, Maine.

"The very best thing about dogs is how they just know when you need them the most, and they'll drop everything that they're doing to sit with you awhile."

It feels sacrilegious to say: This was a bit of a slog for me. Le Carré is undoubtedly a fantastic writer who creates emotionally complex characters. But the plot was difficult to follow at times. Too interior for my taste-I like my spy novels more action-packed.

Great location in Southwest Harbor, Maine to finally read my first le Carré. Hope George Smiley is as funny as Susan Cooper from "Spy."

I love New York Review Books beyond all reason. The books they reissue! The fabulous covers! I'm a huge fan! Recently finished Grand Hotel by Vicki Baum-a massive international bestseller in the early 1920s that went on to become a beloved movie starring Greta Garbo. What's not to love?

Tore through this one. A coming-of-age novel with the Manson-like cult as a backdrop (or hook) with gorgeous writing and an evocative portrayal of a teenage girl and her hunger for love and acceptance.