1. The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman
Polish Catholic zookeepers hide Jews.
2. The Best Cat Ever by Cleveland Amory
Cat ownership is funny but precious.
3. It’s Not About the Bike by Lance Armstrong
Bike racing isn’t challenge cancer is.
4. City of Thieves by David Benioff
Russians seek eggs for their lives.
5. Arc of Justice by Kevin Boyle
Clarence Darrow defends blacks in Detroit.
6. The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier
Please remember me after I’m dead.
7. Crossroads 1969 by John Cassell
Cassell supplements education with foreign adventures.
8. Hold Tight by Harlan Coben
Parents spy on son’s computer.
9. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Crazy young Russian murders old moneylender.
10. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
Hillbilly family deals with dying mother.
11. Mary Called Magdalene by Margaret George
Was there more to Mary Magdalene?
12. Shot in the Heart by Mikal Gilmore
What made Gary Gilmore do it?
13. The Innocent Man by John Grisham
Corrupt officials cause false imprisonment.
14. Marley & Me by John Grogan
Owners are responsible for mischievous pets.
15. Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand
Sorry horse becomes a racing sensation.
16. We Die Alone by David Howarth
Commando escapes and endures unbelievable hardships.
17. Iacocca by Lee Iacocca
Iacocca fixed Chrysler before he retired.
18. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Children learn of their origins.
19. Alibi by Joseph Kanon
Murderer needs alibi in 1945 Venice.
20. The Good German by Joseph Kanon
Correspondent uncovers murder in occupied Germany.
21. Los Alamos by Joseph Kanon
Murder investigated amidst atom bomb makers.
22. The Prodigal Spy by Joseph Kanon
American man visits father in Russia.
23. Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
Fundamentalist Mormons claim message from God.
24. Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson
Scuba divers relish danger.
25. The Devil in the White City by Eric Larson
Women murdered at Chicago World Fair.
26. Blackbird by Jennifer Lauck
Orphans are subject to evil stepmother.
27. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Woman relates growing up in South.
28. Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
Marshall investigates hospital for criminally insane.
29. Gone Baby Gone by Dennis Lehane
PIs hunt for missing child.
30. Mystic River by Dennis Lehane
Wife’s suspicions lead to father’s certainty.
31. Sacred by Dennis Lehane
PIs hired to find man’s daughter.
32. Prayers for Rain by Dennis Lehane
PIs reunite to solve “suicide.”
33. The Given Day by Dennis Lehane
Historical fiction depicts events in Boston.
34. The Call of the Wild by Jack London
This is a tear jerker throughout.
35. Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham
Woman takes advantage of mediocre artist.
36. No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
Violent man seeks money, kills everyone.
37. John Adams by David McCullough
Politics hasn’t changed much really.
38. Truman by David McCullough
Truman was an old-fashioned democrat.
39. Saturday by Ian McEwan
Neurosurgeon has a tense day.
40. Atonement by Ian McEwan
Misunderstanding leads to unjust imprisonment.
41. Enduring Love by Ian McEwan
Stalker’s obsession is nightmare for stalkee.
42. The Innocent by Ian McEwan
Lovers try to hide murder
43. The Comfort of Strangers by Ian McEwan
Couple experiences horror at strangers’ home.
44. On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan
Lack of communication leads to misunderstanding.
45. The Child in Time by Ian McEwan
Couple faces abduction of their child.
46. One More Mission by Oliver North
North goes back to Vietnam.
47. The Demon in the Freezer by Richard Preston
Stockpiles of smallpox are unaccounted for.
48. The Hot Zone by Richard Preston
Virus outbreaks are nonfiction horrors.
49. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
Socialism destroys incentive and invites corruption.
50. A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell
Italian Catholics helped Italian Jews, WWII.
51. Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith
Russian security officer investigates serial murders.
52. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
Boy and parents raise wonder dogs.
53. All the President’s Men by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward
Reporters’ investigative journalism solves Watergate breakin.
54. The Blooding by Joseph Wambaugh
England uses DNA to solve crime.
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Comments: 16
I love this idea! You are very good at it.
I see this 6-word plan is catching on. There were 6-word statements about America in the last Reader's Digest and 6-word "autobiographies" in the last issue of the AARP magazine.
Interesting list, great summaries. I've been meaning to read something by Ian McEwan. I think I move 'The Innocent to the top of my 'to read' list.
THE INNOCENT is based on fact. My favorite of McEwan's books (and you can tell I like everything he writes) is ENDURING LOVE, which isn't at all the way the title sounds. The stalker is based on a real person.
I've read some of these books and have others on my bookshelf... I hope it's alright with you, I copied your list.
I hope you will do a list of your own, Leslie. You are such a prolific reader, it would be very interesting to see what rises to the top of your book choices.
I agree with Christine. Most interesting to me is what you think of the books that I read.
Great list and concise descriptions. I enjoyed reading this.
I love this idea. I would have such a difficult time doing this which makes me want to try. I would like to be concise. I may use this list to grab some summer reads.
I think that would be a good idea.
Great idea. How you found time I don't know. Wish I could set and do this. I'm lucky to keep by look list up to date every time I purchase a new one.
It did take a lot of time, and I'd never recommend doing it in one sitting. I did it over three or four days in MS Word, then copied it to gather.
I really like your list, and haven't read very many of them. I've read: "Blackbird," which I loved. It reminds me that I should have put "The Glass Castle" on my list...a similar type of story. Did you read that one.
I've also read "To Kill a Mockingbird," "Gone, Baby, Gone," "The Call of the Wild, " "Of Human Bondage," and "Atlas Shrugged." Several of these I have in my book pile to read, including McEwan, Smith, and the Marley book.
Did you notice any patterns in your choices. I see a lot of animal books and that when you like an author, like McEwan or Kanon, you REALLY like them.
I've always been that way: when I read a really good book, I want to read everything else that author wrote. Seldom have I found one of those authors to write something I didn't like. I admit, though, I didn't like a book by Ian McEwan, BLACK DOGS.
Didn't THE CALL OF THE WILD make you want to cry from beginninig to end?
Yes, I love animals so usually like books that include animals. Two more animal books are on my to-read list, DEWEY THE LIBRARY CAT and THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN.
No, I haven't read THE GLASS CASTLE. If you liked BLACKBIRD, you'll probably like even more STILL WATERS, the sequel to that book. I thought it was much better. I didn't list it because I listed only books I own, and I borrowed STILL WATERS from my mother.
Thanks for posting your article to the Gather group, Bookin'. It's featured this week.
But it's a book not everyone would like, I know. I didn't recommend it to my mother because I'm sure she wouldn't have liked it either.