Mystery Book # 31 - The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett

 Well after the last month of reading mystery books that itch has definitely been scratched for a while. I started out liking The Thin Man, but maybe it took just a tad too long to get where it was going (which really wasn't even that far).  Maybe I just didn't feel that invested in the murder mystery but still it was enjoyable. B+

Mystery Book # 48 - The Third Man by Graham Greene

 

Maybe 15-20 years ago I was reading a lot of Graham Greene books. At the time I'd probably say he was one of my favorites. But you know, I haven't read anything of his in well over a decade now. Somehow I never read The Third Man either. Anyway, I enjoyed it but I made the mistake of reading it in several short sittings instead of the maybe one or two that would have been optimal. And like the movie, I feel like I'm missing something here. So, B.

Sci-Fi Book # 24 - Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein

 Robert Heinlein has some opinions, very 1950's opinions, and he's going to share quite a few of them in Starship Troopers. I was kind of "meh" when I first read it  maybe 15 years ago and have pretty much the same opinion now. The first half is pretty decent while it details the main character's training but after a while I don't really need to read a whole speech about why kids should be spanked or know the minutiae of military rankings in a fictional universe. And there's not much plot either. I think the film version took the right angle by presenting the material in an ironic light. B-

The High Window (Philip Marlowe #3) by Raymond Chandler

The other Marlowe books I've read have all been better than The High Window. That's not saying it is a bad book or anything - the trademark Chandler style and dialogue is there - but the story isn't the most compelling and is pretty by the numbers. Still I enjoyed it but it is hardly a classic. B