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

1. Voltaire! Voltaire! (1961) -- Guy Endore.

Not quite a novel. Not quite a history book. An account of French philosophers Rousseau and Voltaire and the odd relationship between them. Very interesting.

2. King of Paris (1956) -- Guy Endore.

Endore does for Alexandre Dumas, Sr. and Jr., what Voltaire! Voltaire! did for Voltaire and Rousseau. A very entertaining book. However, it does bring up the question of why no movie maker in this country has ever tried to make a movie about either member of the Dumas family. It's certainly not because the two of them are uninteresting.

3. Set This House in Order: A Romance of Souls (2003) -- Matt Ruff.

A young person with MPD discovers a kindred spirit.

4. The Gun Seller (1996) -- Hugh Laurie.

A comic novel that actually lives up to its rep. And yes, its author is the same Hugh Laurie who starred in Blackadder and House.

5. Darkly Dreaming Dexter (2004) -- Jeff Lindsay.

A novel about a heroic serial killer--yes, you read that right. Inspiration for the current Showtime TV series Dexter.

6. Red Dragon (1981) -- Thomas Harris.

The first of the Hannibal Lecter novels.

7. State of Fear (2004) -- Michael Crichton.

Crichton's controversial take on global warming and the “true” menace to society--eco-terrorists.

8. Aztec (1980) -- Gary Jennings.

A long but interesting novel about an Aztec who lives through the Spanish Conquest of Mexico.

9. The Journeyer (1984) -- Gary Jennings.

The uncensored life of Marco Polo.

10. Spangle (1987) -- Gary Jennings.

A pair of Civil War veterans join a circus that goes on a tour of post-Civil War America and Europe.