NekkidBlogger Bookblog » book news

New books by Julian Stockwin and Bernard Cornwell – historical fiction

Nekkidblogger — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 22:21:01 +0000

Two new, very interesting releases of historical fiction books:

Invasion: A Kydd Sea Adventure, by Julian Stockwin

Julian Stockwin is releasing the 10th book of the very popular Kydd series. Now rumors fly of Napoleon’s planned invasion of England, and British naval commander Thomas Kydd is sent to liaise with American inventor, Robert Fulton, who has created “infernal machines” that can wreak mass destruction from a distance. The new inventions by Fulton are the submarine and torpedo. Fulton strongly believes in their power, but they require further development and testing. And despite his own scruples, believing that standing man-to-man is the only honorable way to fight, Kydd agrees to take part in the crucial testing of these weapons of mass destruction, which just may decide the fate of England.

A very interesting new release, to say the least! Link to order the book: Stockwin’s Invasion (Kydd Series) from Amazon US, amazon UK (to be released October 15, 2009).

The Burning Land (Saxon Chronicles, book 5), by Bernard Cornwell

Cornwell is releasing the fifth volume in the bestselling Alfred series. We are now at the end of the ninth century. Even though they have failed previously, the Danes still want to conquer Wessex. And now KingAlfred of Wessex is in bad health, and his heir has no experience. The Danes see a new chance. They are lead by a great warrior, Harald Bloodhair, a new leader of the Vikings. On the side of Alfred, Uthred, his very reluctant warlord, is perhaps the greatest asset. He is cunning and smart, and leads Harald into a trap defeats the Vikings at Farnham in Surrey. This is a major defeat for the otherwise victorious and proud Vikings, perhaps the greatest ever. The Burning Land is a well crafted novel which tells the story of how England survived the Viking onslaught, and a magnificient new tale from Bernard Cornwell.

Available for order at Amazon UK: The Burning Land

Wake up New York Times

Nekkidblogger — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 17:55:28 +0000

It’s Sunday. Sunday mornings I read my New York Times. And I read my New York Times Book Review. Every Sunday. New York Times Book Review is an institution. And most likely I will continue to read it every Sunday. Like many, many others.

The reason I read it is that I like books. I assume that’s the reason most people read it. And I like to be informed about good books. And assume that New York Times Book Review will do that – inform me of new, good books.

But perhaps I read it out of habit? Perhaps I shouldn’t be reading it? Perhaps I am wasting my time? Perhaps I should go elsewhere?

The US of A has less than a tenth of the population of the world. And, perhaps – if you want to be nice to America and the New York Times Book Review – 15% of the writers of the world. Then, in addition there are a few writers in the UK. Even so, in today’s New York Times Book Review, there is not a single review of a foreign book from the world outside the US and the UK! Not one! And, what’s more, there are no advertisements for foreign (translated) books either. So, 85% of the world’s literature is not covered.

So, what is wrong, New York Times Book Review? Are you ignorant? Are you incompetent? Are you blind? Are your eyes shut? Is quality literature – fiction, crime fiction, non-fiction – produced only inside the US and on rare occasions the UK? What about the rest of the world? Don’t you see it? Have you at least heard about it? Or do you only suspect it might exist, but have no real proof that it does?

Or do you really mean that there are no good writers that US readers ought to be informed about from Latin America? From Asia? From Africa? From Australia? Or from continental Europe – Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, the Scandinavian countries or other countries in Europe? That there is nothing worthwhile going on in those countries, in the rest of the world? Despite the fact that most Nobel prizes in literature are from countries other than the US and the UK? How strange! Are you lacking in knowledge or is it so hard to admit that there is more to the world than what goes on inside the US?

Has New York Times Book Review and the American publishing industry closed its eyes to the rest of the world? That’s what I think is the case. It is very, very sad! And it is obviously not American readers that have closed their minds – after all, Stieg Larsson is on all the bestseller lists in that very same New York Times Book Review. And he is not from the US or the UK. Even so, he “owns the bestseller lists, as one blogger put it. So American readers are more than willing to read good fiction from outside the US/UK.

I will probably continue to read the New York Times Book Review. It is, after all, an institution. Sadly, Americans tend to believe it is a quality publication. I am not so sure. I’ve doubted it for a long time. To my mind, you simply can’t produce a high quality magazine about books if your mind is closed. Or, as in the case of the New York Times Review of Books – when the mind is limited by geographic boundaries – lines on a map.

Even so, I’ll continue to read New York Times Book Review. And hope. Probably against hope.

Stieg Larsson’s books hot in England

Nekkidblogger — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:17:14 +0000

The following list, from amazon in England, is quite interesting to a fan a Stieg Larsson!

The most popular items in Fiction at amazon UK. Updated hourly. (Average customer rating in parentheses):

Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga), by Stephenie Meyer (3.8)
When Will There be Good News?? by Kate Atkinson (3.9)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson (4.2)
The 19th Wife, by David Ebershoff, (4.5)
The Girl Who Played with Fire, by Stieg Larsson (4.6)
The Secret Scripture, by Sebastian Barry (3.8)
The Shack, by William P. Young (3.6)
The Reader, by Bernhard Schlink (4.2)
Revolutionary Road, by Richard Yates (4.8)
Wetlands, by Charlotte Roche (3.1)

So, right now Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is in third place and at the same time his The Girl Who Played with Fire is in the fifth place! That is quite remarkable!

Both of Stieg Larsson’s books have excellent customer ratings. The only book ranked higher among the current top ten by customers is the extremely remarkable Revolutionary Road, by Richard Yates. That is also quite a feat by Stieg Larsson. It is very sad that he did not live to see his astonishing success!

Links to Stieg Larsson’s books at Amazon US: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played With Fire.

The Joy of Sex, new edition!

Nekkidblogger — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:19:58 +0000

The Joy of Sex, originally released in 1972, was parked on the New York Times bestseller list for the longest time. As Washington Post says, “It scintillated, it titillated, it taught French you never learned from Madame Cousin. But most of all, it normalized. In the boudoir, everyone was okay, and everyone could be taught.”

The Joy of Sex is subtitled “A Gourmet Guide to Lovemaking,”, and has chapter headings like Starters, Main Courses and Sauces & Pickles.

The revised version of the book deals with an array of modern topics like Internet pornography, AIDS and Viagra, and features photographs (and drawings, when things get too graphic) of a couple. And it has been thoughly revised and updated. It reflect the latest research about the biology of sex. There is new material on the arousal cycle, hormones, pheromones, the clitoris, the relevance of the nipples, how erections work, aphrodisiacs, and more. Also, in addition to the elusive G spot, there is material about two other spots women can also enjoy, should they be lucky enough to locate them: the A spot, deeper inside the vagina than the G spot; and the U spot, between the clitoris and the vagina.

So, there it is. It’s a beautiful book, still fresh, and a great book to read to learn more or get som new ideas.

The new Joy of Sex available both in England and the U.S. It is highly recommended. Check it out!

Amazon US	Amazon UK

See also the bestselling books (links to amazon US): The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Amazing Sex, Third Edition and The Other Side of Desire: Four Journeys into the Far Realms of Lust and Longing.

What is the name of Stieg Larsson’s third book?

Nekkidblogger — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 04:32:07 +0000

For a long time I have been certain that the third book in the Millennium-trilogy by Stieg Larsson would be named Castles in the Sky. That is that name many people use, and which is used at stieglarsson.com.

However, now I am not so sure. Just today I came across translator Steven T. Murray’s page on Wikipedia, and there I found that he was currently engaged in translating the third book of the Millennium-series, entiteled The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest.

This title makes some sense – The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest – all titles with “The Girl Who”, so that it becomes a series by virtue of the naming. Also, Castles in the Sky makes sense from the point of view of the content of the book, but since the book is to a large extent about Lisbeth Salander, so does “The Girl Who Kicke the Hornets Nest“.

Oh well. I guess we will soon know which it is!

PS: See reviews of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played With Fire at ScandinavianBooks.com!

Top 10 hardbacks in UK, November 9, 2008

Nekkidblogger — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 06:03:51 +0000

(The Sunday Times Bestseller List)

1	The Business by Martina Cole	Drugs, prostitution and a young girl’s fight for survival
2	The Gift by Cecelia Ahern	Enchanting Christmas story from the author of PS, I Love You
3	Cross Country by James Patterson	Alex Cross embarks on a personal crusade when a friend is murdered
4	The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga	Man Booker-winning tale of a poor man corrupted by Delhi’s glamour
5	Azincourt by Bernard Cornwell	Dramatic depiction of the famous battle of Agincourt
6	Brute Force by Andy McNab	Nick Stone cheats death once again in his 11th high-octane adventure
7	Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy	Heartwarming tale revolving around a community clinic in Ireland
8	A Good Woman by Danielle Steel	Woman triumphs after her privileged world is shattered
9	The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly	Harry Bosch investigates the murder of a successful lawyer
10	Folly by Alan Titchmarsh	Loving couple uncover deceit when delving into their families’ shared past

So this is what the English read this rainy Fall, in the midst of the international financial crisis. Lots of crime, some historical fiction, and some good fiction novels with great charm. Good books that provide something that hopefully counterbalances the bad news most of us are otherwise surrounded with.

Azincourt by Bernard Cornwell and The Brass Verdict, by Michael Connelly, are both high on my reading list. I would love somebody to review the rest of these great books for me! Just email it to me!

Stieg Larsson wins 2008 Boeke prize in South Africa

Nekkidblogger — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:05:41 +0000

Women24 writes:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Scandinavian author, Stieg Larsson, took home the prize as the winner of the 2008 Exclusive Books Boeke competition on 7 October 2008.

Larsson’s debut novel is an epic tale of serial murder and corporate trickery spanning several continents and taking in complicated international financial fraud and the buried evil past of a wealthy Swedish industrial family.

It won Sweden’s Glass Key Award in 2005 for best crime novel of the year. … Larsson’s award marks the 10th time in the 14-year history of the Boeke Prize that a debut novel has scooped the award.

The Boeke Prize promotes the enjoyment of discovering books that compel, that are fresh, original and captivating good reads. The judges’ panel comprised 40 book critics across South Africa.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is, as the other two books in the series, a wonderful book. I think Stieg Larsson will be getting many more prizes for it!

Stieg Larsson’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo on NYT’s bestseller list!

Nekkidblogger — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 23:06:23 +0000

The fantastic The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (see review), written by the deceased Swedish crime writer Stieg Larsson has now, finally, entered the New York Times bestseller list. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo has been one of the best selling books ever in Sweden, and in the other Nordic countries as well.

Hardcover Fiction

Published: October 3, 2008

This Week		Last Week	Weeks on List
1	THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE, by David Wroblewski. A mute takes refuge with three dogs in the Wisconsin woods after his father’s death.	1	16
2	HEAT LIGHTNING, by John Sandford. Virgil Flowers investigates murder cases linked by a lemon in the mouth of each victim.		1
3	THE GIVEN DAY, by Dennis Lehane. A policman, a fugitive and their families persevere in the turbulence of Boston at the end of World War I.		1
4	HOT MAHOGANY, by Stuart Woods. A Stone Barrington mystery set amid the intrigues of the world of antiques and old and new money in New England.		1
5	ONE FIFTH AVENUE, by Candace Bushnell. The worlds of gossip, theater and hedge funds have one address in common.		1
6	THE OTHER QUEEN, by Philippa Gregory. The story of Mary, Queen of Scots, in captivity under Queen Elizabeth.	2	2
7	THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, by Stieg Larsson. A hacker and a journalist investigate the disappearance of an octogenarian’s niece 40 years ago.	4	2
8	TSAR, by Ted Bell. The Kremlin has a brutal killer working for it in America.		1
9	THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. A journalist meets the island’s old Nazi resisters.	5	9
10	THE HOST, by Stephenie Meyer. Aliens have taken control of the minds and bodies of most humans, but one woman won’t surrender.	7	21
11	THE BOOK OF LIES, by Brad Meltzer. The murder of the father of Superman’s creator, Jerry Siegel, is linked to the biblical story of Cain and Abel.	6	4
12	AMERICAN WIFE, by Curtis Sittenfeld.A pretty librarian marries the alcoholic son of a wealthy political family who somehow becomes president.	9	4
13	FAEFEVER, by Karen Marie Moning. MacKayla is caught in the middle as the faes battle in Dublin.	3	2
14	INDIGNATION, by Philip Roth. A Newark, N.J., college student in the Korean War era breaks with his parents and goes to a school in the Midwest.	10	2
15	ANATHEM, by Neal Stephenson.An order of cloistered mathematicians and scientists must save their Earth-like planet when catastrophe threatens.	8	3
16	THE COMFORTS OF A MUDDY SATURDAY, by Alexander McCall Smith. Isabel Dalhousie investigates drug fraud charges.		1

It is a wonderful crime novel. In my opinion, perhaps one of the best written after year 2000. I will be surprised if The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo does not end up on the top of the bestseller lists in the US!

You can read my review of Stieg Larsson’s high powered book The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo at ScandinavianBooks.com!