Thursday Thirteen #362

My first 13 books of 2024. June seems like a good time to look back on my reading so far this year. 

My list is in the order that I read them. I put my personal grade after the link.

1. Babe: The Legend Comes to Life by Robert Creamer. My grade: B. A moving, but very detailed, biography of Babe Ruth.

2. Everyone Here Is Lying by Shari Lapena. C. A fun but forgettable thriller.

3. Murder, Stage Left by Robert Goldsborough. C+ An entertaining latter-day entry in the Nero Wolfe series by the author chosen to replace creator Rex Stout.

4. Laura by Vera Caspary. A. Originally published in 1943 and made into a classic film, this is a very nearly perfect murder mystery.

5. Mary Lincoln: Biography of a Marriage by Ruth Painter Randall. B+. A fascinating study of our most misunderstood First Lady. Originally published in the mid-1950s, so some of the language gave me pause, but that makes it an accurate reflection of its time, as well as Mary's.

6. Agatha Raisin and the Terrible Tourist by MC Beaton. C- Number 6 in the series, this wasn't my favorite. It takes Aggie out of her usual setting in the Cottswold and places her in Cyprus, so the small town charm is missing.

7. Camera Girl: The Coming of Age of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy by Carl Sferrazza Anthony. A+. A unique biography of one of the most famous women of the 20th century because it focuses on a very narrow slice of her life: the period between her college graduation and her marriage to Senator John F. Kennedy. She traveled extensively, got engaged to and broke up with a stockbroker, and embarked on a newspaper career she loved. A completely charming book. Made me wish I'd discussed this period of my mother's life with her.

8. Murder in the Ballpark by Robert Goldsborough. C. Another latter-day Nero Wolfe book, penned by Stout's successor. The atmosphere and dialog are right, but the mystery was meh.

9. Hollywood: The Oral History by Jeanine Basinger and Sam Wasson. I appreciated it, but don't know how to grade it. A comprehensive reference book, I inadvisedly read it straight through for my book club and was overwhelmed.

10. She's Not Sorry by Mary Kubica. C+. A thriller set in Chicago, it's good at setting the time/place. I enjoyed it while I was reading it. Then, after it was over, I kept turning the plot holes over in my head. "Hey, but how did ..."

11. My Name Is Barbra by Barbra Streisand. B+. More than 990 pages of Barbra's story told by Barbra. Charming at times, infuriating at others, but always fascinating. A delicious wallow for Barbra buffs.

12. The Doorbell Rang by Rex Stout. B. I returned to Wolfe's brownstone with the series creator, Rex Stout. And yes, it's better with Rex.

13. Any Given Tuesday by Lis Smith. B. A political consultant takes us through 20 years of Democratic campaigns on both the state and national levels. I was fascinated because hers is a life I could imagine myself living -- if I wasn't so cautious. I just wish I liked her more.

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.