THE CROOKED COUNTIES, Further Rivals of Sherlock Holmes- collected by Hugh Greene

This is the third collection of early 20th century detective tales collected by Greene.  I haven't been able to find the second collection yet but the idea has run its course  with this collection.

Very weak generally with a couple of completely absurd ones.   Again its good they are collected but not reading, collecting only.

A MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY - Kurt Vonnegut

A collection of memories and opinions from the only author I've found that can make you laugh and cry in the space of a page.

He is a gem.

IMAGINARY HOMELANDS - Salman Rushdie

A collection of essays and reviews by Rushdie.  He is in the top drawer of critics and reviewers.  Very entertaining.

THE SAINT IN NEW YORK - Leslie Charteris

This is dreadful..  I had to finish it to confirm just how bad it is.

THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES - collected by Hugh Greene

A collection of detective stories from the late  19th and early 20th century collated by Hugh Greene, brother of the master.  Greene was a collector of these stories which were all out of print when this was published in the early 1970's.

The stories vary from highly entertaining to drek and none come close to Doyle but its history and they are collected.

DOCTOR FISCHER OF GENEVA or THE BOMB PARTY -Graham Greene

Alfred Jones ,an Englishman living in Switzerland marries the daughter of the very wealthy, Doctor Fischer.  Fischer is known for throwing parties where the guests are subject to ritual humiliation which they endure to be able to receive the very expensive gifts at the completion of the dinner.

The guests are wealthy in their own right but keep returning out of greed.

This carries on through a series of dinners until the rather obvious conclusion.

Not a great Greene, anyone with half a clue knows human greed has no bounds.  Greene has an incredible body of work so leave this until the very end

TYPHOON AND OTHER STORIES - Joseph Conrad

The stories are- Typoon, Amy Foster,Falk, Tomorrow and The Nigger of the 'Narcissus'.

These are short stories and novellas.  It an uneven collection the two stand outs are Typhoon and The Nigger of the 'Narcissus'.  Stories of the sea and of the human condition.  And when I say uneven they are all very good but not even Conrad wise.  Anything he wrote is of the highest quality.

PICTURE THIS - Joseph Heller

I first read this 10 years ago, what I said then on here still stands, hugely entertaining, very very funny.  Its not Catch 22 but like Heller always said- nothing is.

CLAUDIUS THE GOD - Robert Graves

This starts directly after the end of ,I, Claudius , with Caligula being murdered and Claudius proclaimed Emperor by the guards.

He manages to convince the Senate that he is up to the job and set about reigning for 10 years before he himself is done in by his wife.

This is a good read but it lacks the madness that was Caligula and made I, Claudius so readable.