My days in Baltimore were spent among Ivy League people, the type who discuss the intricacies of Middle Eastern politics and America's foreign policy with good humor and intelligence. The sort who spend more time reading more books and articles than watching reality television. It was a real shot in the arm for me because most people where I live don't know Assad from Gilani. I think I could easily become a city girl, in the right kind of city--I dig the old architecture, the history, the rich culture and funky neighborhood restaurants.
One of the things my writer pals are big into is research. Lauren is extensively researching Romanian history and the one of America's earliest psychiatrists, a man who revolutionized treatment of the mentally ill. Mariana has read up on Wilfred Owen, the great WWI poet. Nina is submerged in the Boxer Rebellion. And M.K. meticulously examines English life and criminal behavior.
M.K.'s attention to detail is part of what makes The Green Remains a pleasure to read. (The title and cover are green! But that's not the only reason why I loved this book.) From the foliage in bloom outside Clarendon Hall to the police procedure that follows the discovery of a body (washed up on the shore of Lake Windermere), The Green Remains rings true. No fine point misses M.K.'s eye, and if it somehow does, her fine crew of editors (including yours truly) picks it up.
(Need another review convincing you to read this book? Click here!)
I'm a fan of a great murder mystery, but it's even better if while reading I feel like I'm on tour in a fresh location. The Green Remains is just like a vacation to England's Lake District. For any Anglophile, this is a must-read.
I'm giving away an autographed copy to one lucky name drawn out of my comment box. This contest is open all week--all you have to do is leave a comment, each comment through the weekend is a chance to win.
And speaking of winners, Mr. D was in Omaha while I went to Baltimore. I marinated in the company of writer types while he soaked up all the glory of the College World Series. He came home all revved up about new strategies and drills and baseballbaseballbaseball. Mr. D loves reliving his college baseball days and this is his new favorite, incidentally starring an Ivy League baseball team:
Spill it, reader. What green thing makes you happy?
0 comments:
Posting Komentar