Fiction_L Archives Three Questions Dates: 11/8/99,4:54 PM  through  11/10/99,8:33 AM  (13 postings) Search for: Select one or more indexes to search: 2011-current     2009-2010     2004-2008    1995-2003    (Matches from each index will be displayed separately in the results page.) Return to November 1999 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

FROM: "Rae Brecht" <[removed]@sdln.net>
REC'D: 11/8/99, 4:54 PM

I have three questions from different patrons to inquire about. They are:
1. In reading Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes an author is referred
to as Elizabeth, who lives in Italy and writes about women in Basilicata.
Does anyone have any idea who this is? What Elizabeth's last name might be?
2. I had a patron - male - asking about mysteries that were like those
written by Harlan Coban, i.e. light (not heavy or dark), with humor, for a
male reader. He said when ever he asked on lists he subscribed to he found
that usually the things suggested for men were dark and heavy, and he
wasn't sure why one thinks of only those for men. He likened Coban also to
Carl Hiasen. Any other ideas of authors for him???
3. Third and last, another patron read a book from our collection about a
year ago (they're not sure if it was a new book then, or not), it was an
adult mystery?/fiction, with a character named Axel in it. Axel runs a
food booth at a carnival and is rich. His niece and her scumbag boyfriend
steal from him. Needless to say, they want to read it again -- Does this
ring a bell with anyone???
Thanks
No longer a lurker,
RAE
Brookings Public Library, Brookings SD

FROM: "Faith Bogdanik" <[removed]@kentlibrary.lib.mi.us>
REC'D: 11/9/99, 6:01 AM

2. Robert Parker's style reminds me of Coban, humorous, fast paced and an
intersting crime solving partnership.

Faith Bogdanik
Kent District Library-Wyoming
3350 Michael SW
Wyoming, MI 49509
616-530-3181

FROM: "Marsha Valance " <[removed]@mpl.org>
REC'D: 11/9/99, 7:45 AM

2. For humor, has your male patron read Donald E. Westlake, Bill Fitzhugh, or Lawrence Block's "The Burglar who..."?
3. Pete Hautman's "Mortal Nuts".


Marsha J. Valance
Regional Librarian
Wisconsin Regional Library f/t Blind & Physically Handicapped
813 West Wells Street
Milwaukee, Wi 53233-1436
Phone: 414/286-3010
FAX: 414/286-3102
Email: <[removed]@mpl.org>

"That All May Read"

>>> Rae Brecht <[removed]@sdln.net> 11/08 5:00 PM >>>
I have three questions from different patrons to inquire about. They are:
1. In reading Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes an author is referred
to as Elizabeth, who lives in Italy and writes about women in Basilicata.
Does anyone have any idea who this is? What Elizabeth's last name might be?
2. I had a patron - male - asking about mysteries that were like those
written by Harlan Coban, i.e. light (not heavy or dark), with humor, for a
male reader. He said when ever he asked on lists he subscribed to he found
that usually the things suggested for men were dark and heavy, and he
wasn't sure why one thinks of only those for men. He likened Coban also to
Carl Hiasen. Any other ideas of authors for him???
3. Third and last, another patron read a book from our collection about a
year ago (they're not sure if it was a new book then, or not), it was an
adult mystery?/fiction, with a character named Axel in it. Axel runs a
food booth at a carnival and is rich. His niece and her scumbag boyfriend
steal from him. Needless to say, they want to read it again -- Does this
ring a bell with anyone???
Thanks
No longer a lurker,
RAE
Brookings Public Library, Brookings SD

FROM: "Ann Theis" <[removed]@co.chesterfield.va.us>
REC'D: 11/9/99, 8:26 AM

>
> 3. Third and last, another patron read a book from our collection about a
> year ago (they're not sure if it was a new book then, or not), it was an
> adult mystery?/fiction, with a character named Axel in it. Axel runs a
> food booth at a carnival and is rich. His niece and her scumbag boyfriend
> steal from him. Needless to say, they want to read it again -- Does this
> ring a bell with anyone???

One answer ;-)
I'm pretty sure this is RING GAME by Pete Hautman, published in 1997. Axel Speeter is
the carnival booth owner and his almost daughter Carmen and her scum bag boyfriend
Hyatt Hilton are after him to make, um, concessions. Hautman wrote MR. WAS (YA novel)
as well as MRS. MILLION, THE MORTAL NUTS and DRAWING DEAD, among others.

Ann~ Overbooked <A HREF="http://www.overbooked.org/">http://www.overbooked.org/</A>

FROM: "Bill Ott" <[removed]@ala.org>
REC'D: 11/9/99, 8:42 AM

1. I believe the Elizabeth referred to in Under the Tuscan Sun is Elizabeth Spencer, a southern fiction writer who has spent much time in Italy. One of her books, The Light in the Piazza and Other Italian Tales, makes an excellent choice for anyone who likes literary fiction set in Italy (Robert Hellenga's The Sixteen Pleasures or The Fall of a Sparrow, for example).

FROM: <[removed]@KCPL.LIB.MO.US>
REC'D: 11/9/99, 8:45 AM

In regard to your first question, Elizabeth may be the author of
Elizabeth and her German Garden who also wrote Enchanted April.
Elizabeth was a pseudonym of Mary Annette Russell who is also
known by the name von Armin. Enchanted April was made into a
successful movie a few years ago. Hope this is of help.

Bob Lunn, Kansas City Public Library

FROM: "Viccy Kemp" <[removed]@ci.carrollton.tx.us>
REC'D: 11/9/99, 8:54 AM

In regards to question #2: I would recommend Robert Crais; Robert Parker
(especially the early ones); Neil McGaughey; maybe Jonathan Gash, but he
would have to bear with the English idioms.
HTH
Viccy Kemp
The opinions are my own; the library wouldn't want 'em!


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rae Brecht [[removed]@sdln.net]
> Sent: Monday, November 08, 1999 5:01 PM
> [removed]@maillist.nslsilus.org
> Subject: Three Questions
>
> I have three questions from different patrons to inquire about. They are:
> 1. In reading Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes an author is
> referred
> to as Elizabeth, who lives in Italy and writes about women in Basilicata.
> Does anyone have any idea who this is? What Elizabeth's last name might
> be?
> 2. I had a patron - male - asking about mysteries that were like
> those
> written by Harlan Coban, i.e. light (not heavy or dark), with humor, for a
> male reader. He said when ever he asked on lists he subscribed to he
> found
> that usually the things suggested for men were dark and heavy, and he
> wasn't sure why one thinks of only those for men. He likened Coban also
> to
> Carl Hiasen. Any other ideas of authors for him???
> 3. Third and last, another patron read a book from our collection
> about a
> year ago (they're not sure if it was a new book then, or not), it was an
> adult mystery?/fiction, with a character named Axel in it. Axel runs a
> food booth at a carnival and is rich. His niece and her scumbag boyfriend
> steal from him. Needless to say, they want to read it again -- Does this
> ring a bell with anyone???
> Thanks
> No longer a lurker,
> RAE
> Brookings Public Library, Brookings SD

FROM: "Jane Jorgenson" <[removed]@scls.lib.wi.us>
REC'D: 11/9/99, 9:03 AM

Another author who has the same level of humor in his mysteries is G.M.
Ford. His first book is Who in Hell is Wanda Fuca?


Jane Jorgenson
Madison Public Library - Pinney Branch
Madison, WI

2. I had a patron - male - asking about mysteries that were like those
>written by Harlan Coban, i.e. light (not heavy or dark), with humor, for a
>male reader. He said when ever he asked on lists he subscribed to he found
>that usually the things suggested for men were dark and heavy, and he
>wasn't sure why one thinks of only those for men. He likened Coban also to
>Carl Hiasen. Any other ideas of authors for him???
>

FROM: "Gary Niebuhr" <[removed]@mcfls.org>
REC'D: 11/9/99, 10:36 AM

2. I had a patron - male - asking about mysteries that were like those
written by Harlan Coban, i.e. light (not heavy or dark), with humor, for a
male reader. He said when ever he asked on lists he subscribed to he found
that usually the things suggested for men were dark and heavy, and he
wasn't sure why one thinks of only those for men. He likened Coban also to
Carl Hiasen. Any other ideas of authors for him???

[Gary Niebuhr]
I would suggest Pest Control or Organ Grinders by Bill Fitzhugh, the Harry
Denton novels by Stephen Womack, or the Stanley Hastings novels by Parnell
Hall.
Best, GWN

FROM: "Gail Russell" <[removed]@spl.lib.ar.us>
REC'D: 11/9/99, 1:26 PM

How about Donald Westlake. Light mystery.

-----Original Message-----
From: Rae Brecht [[removed]@sdln.net]
Sent: Monday, November 08, 1999 5:01 PM
[removed]@maillist.nslsilus.org
Subject: Three Questions

I have three questions from different patrons to inquire about.
They are:
1. In reading Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes an
author is referred
to as Elizabeth, who lives in Italy and writes about women in
Basilicata.
Does anyone have any idea who this is? What Elizabeth's last
name might be?
2. I had a patron - male - asking about mysteries that
were like those
written by Harlan Coban, i.e. light (not heavy or dark), with
humor, for a
male reader. He said when ever he asked on lists he subscribed
to he found
that usually the things suggested for men were dark and heavy,
and he
wasn't sure why one thinks of only those for men. He likened
Coban also to
Carl Hiasen. Any other ideas of authors for him???
3. Third and last, another patron read a book from our
collection about a
year ago (they're not sure if it was a new book then, or not),
it was an
adult mystery?/fiction, with a character named Axel in it. Axel
runs a
food booth at a carnival and is rich. His niece and her scumbag
boyfriend
steal from him. Needless to say, they want to read it again --
Does this
ring a bell with anyone???
Thanks
No longer a lurker,
RAE
Brookings Public Library, Brookings SD

FROM: "Ridgefield Library Fiction Room" <[removed]@biblio.org>
REC'D: 11/9/99, 3:55 PM

Can't help with the other two, but I would recommend Lawrence Block's
"Burglar" series for the male mystery reader. Also, the old Nero Wolfe
series by Rex Stout (continued by Roberts Goldsborough) have a nice light
tone, although they weren't intended to be funny per se.

> 2. I had a patron - male - asking about mysteries that were like those
>written by Harlan Coban, i.e. light (not heavy or dark), with humor, for a
>male reader. He said when ever he asked on lists he subscribed to he found
>that usually the things suggested for men were dark and heavy, and he
>wasn't sure why one thinks of only those for men. He likened Coban also to
>Carl Hiasen. Any other ideas of authors for him???
>
Mary Rindfleisch
Adult Services/Reader's Advisory Librarian
Ridgefield Library
Ridgefield, CT
[removed]@biblio.org

FROM: "Lee Harris" <[removed]@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 11/9/99, 6:39 PM

Regarding your patron who wants something like Coban:

He might try Gar Anthony Haywood, Earl Emerson or
Kinky Friedman.

Lee Harris
Sunriver Area Public Library
Deschutes Public Library System
Sunriver, OR

=====

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FROM: <[removed]@infoave.net>
REC'D: 11/10/99, 8:33 AM

Maybe someone on this list can help me with a persoanl search that has
proved fruitless over many years. At a botanical art show in Milwaukee 20
years ago, I saw an illustrated poem attributed to Elizabeth, the same one
in this series of questions. It had to do with women turning the notion
of their domestic duties into some sort of freeing activity. While I no
longer remember the text at all, the illustration had a woman at an
ironing board ironing shirts which turned into butterflies at the top of
the page. I had hoped to find it for my then-baby daughter, but searching
through Elizabeth and her German Garden never turned up anything, nor did
looking through any other books I could find by her.

Does anyone know of poetry she wrote? I've thought that maybe I made this
whole thing up, but it is so vivid in my mind. Maybe somebody knows what
I'm talking about?

Debbie Spear
Greenville (SC) County Library

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