All the Not So Classic Books That I Have Read, Part One

Again a not so complete list.

1. Emma Who Saved My Life (1989) -- Wilton Barnhardt.

A novel about New York City in the 1970s and '80s as seen through the eyes of a naive young man.

2. Gospel (1993) -- Wilton Barnhardt.

A pair of scholars wander the globe in pursuit of a possible new version of the Gospel. (Not to be confused with The Da Vinci Code.)

3. Show World: A Novel (1999) -- Wilton Barnhardt.

A young woman fights disillusionment in a variety of areas: family life, politics, business, etc.

4. Inside, Outside (1985) -- Herman Wouk.

An old Jewish man looks back upon his life and notes the many conflicts between his Jewish background and his life in the secular world -- including his love for a Gentile showgirl.

5. The Winds of War (1971) -- Herman Wouk.

The novel that inspired the TV mini-series of the same name.

6. War and Remembrance (1978) -- Herman Wouk.

Ditto.

7. Marjorie Morningstar (1955) -- Herman Wouk.

A young Jewish woman learns about life and love while in pursuit of an acting career.

8. The Egyptian (1945) -- Mika Waltari.

An Egyptian doctor becomes a royal insider during the reign of Akhenaten, Egypt's only monotheistic pharaoh.

9. The Adventurer (1948) -- Mika Waltari.

A Finnish bastard makes his way through Europe in the time of the Reformation.

10. The Wanderer (1949) -- Mika Waltari.

A sequel to The Adventurer.