It was a book to kill time for those who like it better dead.
–Dame Rose Macaulay
Hee! I’m a bit of a reading snob, I suppose, because I think serial mysteries and romances fall into this classification. There are actually occasions when such a book is desireable, even a slightly sinful indulgence. My “I like time better dead” author used to be Lawrence Sanders many years ago. More recently it has been Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta mysteries with a little Jonathan Kellerman thrown in. Some people like chicklit, others like romance or adventure or science fiction. What’s your genre for killing time?
My reading fluff of choice is Dick Francis mysteries. I’m back to “serious reading” but the summer was back-to-back horse racing thrillers!
Definitely fantasy novels – David Eddings, Dennis L. McKiernan, etc. Dick Franics is great, too along with mystery/thriller writers: Tony Hillerman, Peter Robinson, John Lescroart, Martha Grimes, Elizabeth George, Michael Connelly, and Laurie R. King. Oh! And John Dunning! “The Bookman’s Wake” is wonderful!
I went through a whole mystery period…where I used them for total escape. I suppose these days it would be chick lit…or humor writing (David Sedaris, Bill Bryson, etc.)
A year ago I discovered the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, but my confession is that I have listened to the whole series (I’m currently on the sixth and latest book) unabridged on tape. I have a 45-minute commute to work morning and evening, and it’s been so pleasant to look forward to the continuing story of Jamie and Claire. In read-it-yourself form I just finished reading The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo, a children’s book, and it was delightful, so much so that I bought copies for my scattered-across-the-country nieces and nephews for holiday gifts.
Tony Hillerman, Clancey, Robert Parker, Sue Grafton, LuAnne Rice for the “easy” reading list. (Also am a Scarpetta fan and a Jonathan Kellerman fan.)