As everyone should know by now, I'm a book lover and reading is my greatest joy. I love my family, but I realllly do love to read. James Lee Burke is my favorite author...from the first one I r
ead right up until Swan Peak, he has never disappointed me. I enjoy the Dave Robicheaux series the best, and of course I'm madly in love with Clete, the anti-hero. If you really want to start reading him, I suggest you start at the beginning...
ead right up until Swan Peak, he has never disappointed me. I enjoy the Dave Robicheaux series the best, and of course I'm madly in love with Clete, the anti-hero. If you really want to start reading him, I suggest you start at the beginning...Will make a list from beginning to end of the Dave and Clete books, although in one of them Clete is off hiding from the mob/cops and feds and I missed him not being there.
1. The Neon Rain
2. Heaven's Prisoners(made a movie in 1996 with Alec Baldwin, Kelly Lynch, Mary Stuart Masterson and Eric Roberts.)...not too good..
3. Black Cherry Blues
4. A Morning for Flamingos
5. A Stained White Radiance
6. In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead
7. Dixie City Jam
8. Burning Angel
9. Cadillac Jukebox
10. Sunset Limited
11. Purple Cane Road
12. Jolie Blon's Bounce
13. Last Car to Elysian Fields
14. Crusader's Cross
15. Pegasus Descending
16. The Tin Roof Blowdown(about Katrina aftermath)
All of Dave's books are based in New Iberia or New Orleans, with the exception of Swan Peak and it's based in Montana.
He writes another series with Billy Bob Holland as the main subject.
1. Cimarron Rose
2. Heartwood
3. Bitterroot
4. In the Moon of Red Ponies
These all take place in Texas or Montana. I like this series too, but Dave and Clete are the best as far as I'm concerned.
Plus he has written other books that aren't about any of these characters and they are wonderful too.
1. Half of Paradise
2. To the Bright and Shinning Sun
3. Lay Down My Sword and Shield
4. Two for Texas
5. The Convict
6. The Lost Get-Back Boogie
7. White Doves at Morning
8. Jesus out to Sea.(short stories)
These are in my estimation..some of the best reading you will ever experience...You will fall in love with his characters, his prose, his love for New Iberia and New Orleans and Montana. His descriptions are so real, that I swear I can smell the salt in the air, feel the breeze and see the sunsets...Read James Lee Burke...you'll be glad you did.
19 comments:
I've always heard that his books are fabulous.
I'm gonna have to try 'em sometime. :)
Well, with an endorsement like that, I've got no choice but to start reading him immediately! I like the name of the Moon of the Red Ponies... but I'll try to start at the beginning like you said. How come I've never even heard of him? How did I miss out?
Wow that is a lot of books on my list..I hope I live that long.
It takes some impressive authoring to make me finish a book, there are novels by Stephen King and Truman Capote I've never finished.
In the Electric Mist with the Confederate Dead is my favorite. Think it was the one that got me hooked, I've re-read it multiple times over the past 15 years or so, and it just gets better with each reading.
I haven't read that many books in thirty years, but if I can't be well-read, it's comforting to know that others are :)
I'm gonna have to retire about 13 years early to read all those and still keep up with my favorites.
They just won't let me win the Lottery though.
Some interesting titles though.
Even if you all only read one of his books, you'll be hooked and will want to read them all...I just finished Swan Peak...it was fucking fantastic..
Generally, the first three paragraphs of any Burke novel are enough to hook you on his style alone. His observations and descriptions are incredible. And I'm with you on Clete too. That guy makes me laugh out loud, and the conversations that he and Dave have are often hilarious. I still have a way to go in Swan Peak, but it's typical Burke so far, which means it's great!
Thanks for the list! I will let you know what I think after I start reading them.
Good Afternoon Yellowdog Granny,
He's a great writer, I missed In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead somehow , have to find that one.
The Billy Bob books were good too.
I'll have to check him out sometime.
cyberoutlaw:my favorite Clete quote:"bush 'em or dust 'em."
that and he refers to them as the bobsy twins and tells them what havoc they will bring down on them if they don't do the right thing..
raspootin:i promise you..you'll read one, and then have to read them all.
karl:that one is one of my favorite..yeah, i like billy bob, but dave and clete are my favorites..
whim:you'll love him..he writes 'prose'...
You do realize that the kitties are going to starve, I'll be so busy reading for the next year, don't you?
i just checked our library, they have 55 of his books on the shelves right now.
he's on my list.
This has nothing to do with books but it does have to do w/ reading -- just wanted to tell you that the new font is much much easier on the eyes, I like it; easier to read and looks clean too.
After reading "Tin Roof Blowdown" I put all of his books on my Amazon wishlist. Of course, that list is so long, I'll be dead and scattered years before I get to it. Can ashes read?
Regality
Keep up the good work.
I became interested in James Lee especially when I discovered his mother lived next door to and was quite good friends with my husband's aunt here in Houston! The other reason was I do like a good mystery book. Writing about areas that I know fairly well is something that also attracts me.
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