Books by Jack Phillips Lowe

Okay. So you got a pile of bookstore gift certificates for the holidays this year and they’re burning a hole in your pocket.

I can identify with that.

But you don’t want to waste those precious gift certificates on just any old book, do you? That’s O.K. I did all the dirty work for you. I slogged through just more than 200 books this year, and while I read some not-so-stellar books, I also read some that I raved about for months. Here, in no certain order, are those can’t-miss titles of 2006.

Top Five Fiction
“Chasing the Wolf” by Nathan Singer – This quick-to-read novel is fast and furious, involving racism, time travel, and a bunch of quirky twists. You can read this book in less than three hours, but why would you? It’s meant to savor.

“Water for Elephants” by Sara Gruen – Part love story, part circus history, this novel is the story of a former elephant worker who revisits his memories in the twilight of his life. Beautiful, wonderfully written, this story will yank you in on page one.

“Rusty Nail” by J.A. Konrath – Jack is back in this third Jack Daniels novel. A killer is on the loose and Jacklyn is on the trail. That’s the good news. The bad news is, the killer knows where Jack lives. If you love a mystery that turns you upside down so many times you get whiplash, this one is it. I think this one is Konrath’s best work so far.

“Smonk” by Tom Franklin - A dark and nasty Western with a syphilitic alcoholic one-eyed hero and a 15-year-old prostitute at its heart. Not a book for Grandpa, but very, very enjoyable if you’re tired of the same old shoot-em-up.

“She Ain’t the One” by Carl Weber and Mary B. Morrison - “Fatal Attraction,” urban-style, this is the story of a man who falls in love with the wrong woman and pays for it. Written alternately by the authors, this book showcases the talents of both.

Top Five Non-Fiction
“Answering 911” by Caroline Burau – Burau, a veteran of a Minnesota 911 call center, writes about her experiences working in the hot seat … the calls she’d just as soon forget and the ones she’ll always remember. This is another of those books you really don’t want to end.

“Final Exits” by Michael Largo – A quirky, fun (but never morbid) look at the ways we die. This book is a trivia buff’s paradise and something you can buy for the person who claims he “never reads,” because he’ll read this.

“High School Confidential” by Jeremy Iversen – Iversen went undercover at a high school, masquerading as a teenager even though he was an adult and a college graduate. Appalling and uplifting, this book will make you look at teenagers in a whole new light.

“Kicked, Bitten & Scratched” by Amy Sutherland – In this book, Sutherland follows students through two years at a premiere California zookeeper’s school. Not just another “animal” book, this will appeal to every pet lover and zoo-goer.

“Every Contact Leaves a Trace” by Connie Fletcher – True crime, oral-history style. Fletcher interviewed dozens of forensic scientists about their favorite cases, the unsolved mysteries and the strange things that happened on the way to the morgue. This book is not for the faint-of-heart, but it’s un-put-down-able if you’re a true crime fan.

“Truck: A Love Story” by Michael Perry – Yes, I can count. I know this makes six books on my Best of Five, but I couldn’t resist adding this book to my list. It’s a sweet, introspective book about a man, a woman, and a truck. And it’s a must-read.

posted by Kris # 3:07 AM