I’ve read a lot of very good books over the past year, so I think I’ll try and start an irregular series of posts on some of the good books I’ve been reading.

Let’s start with Andrea Camilleri‘s Inspector Salvo Montalbano series (translated by Stephen Sartarelli).

The first book was The Shape of Water, and to be honest, I wasn’t 100% certain I was going to continue the series. Inspector Montalbano is–to be blunt–an asshole. However, despite being an asshole, he’s actually a good person who feels very strongly about his work–being a police inspector in Vigata in Sicily and keeping order in the town he loves.

Because the series is set in Sicily, there are mentions of organized crime, though it is more the background to his work, rather than the focus of most of his stories. He has to deal with it, but doing so is a reality in his life, and he does so on his terms and a way that allows him to live with himself and his ethics.

Besides solving crime, the other thing that Montalbano does is eat. He loves food and there are descriptions of not just the means he gets at restaurants, but of the meals his housekeeper leaves for him. The only thing he takes more seriously than food is solving the crimes that happen in Vigata.

These books are translated from Italian, and so the first book especially was a bit of a culture shock–which is why I wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep reading the series or not. But I discovered that I was thinking about the story long after I finished the book, and so decided I’d try the second book in the series, The Terra Cotta Dog. That was the book that sucked me into the series.

I realized that Montalbano was a jerk, but he wasn’t capricious or cruel, and I eventually discovered that he actually liked Catarella, despite all his (justified) complaining.

But I fully admit I cannot for the life of my understand why Montalbano and Liva remain together.

If you like mysteries and are looking for a series that’s different from what you normally read, I highly recommend Andrea Camilleri’s Inspector Montalbano series. Just be aware going on that Salvo is an earthy, foul mouthed, and sometimes obnoxious character. If you can get past that, then I think you’ll love the series as much as I do.

The Shape of Water (1994), The Terra Cotta Dog (1996), The Snack Thief (1996), Voice of the Violin (1997), Excursion to Tindari (2000), The Smell of the Night (2001), Rounding the Mark (2003), The Patience of the Spider (2004), The Paper Moon (2005), August Heat (2005)

If you’ve been around here for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed that I love to read. And even that understates my relationships with books.

I started reading at the age of four (apparently because I’d memorized “Green Eggs and Ham”). I don’t remember a time when I couldn’t read. I don’t even remember being read to–but I have plenty of memories of being stretched out with a book in my hands.

I love mysteries from an early age: Nancy Drew, Trixie Beldon, and then I received “The Complete Sherlock Holmes” and WHAM, I wanted more. Soon after, I caught part of “A Caribbean Mystery” (this was 1983, so I would have been 13). I initially noticed the show because Jameson Parker was in it, and I loved Simon & Simon. But I quickly shifted my attention to Helen Hayes playing Miss Marple. What a marvelous character! What a marvelous actress!

And then I was off, devouring every single Agatha Christie I could get my hands on. But Miss Marple is still my favorite, and “A Caribbean Mystery” still holds a special place for me.

In junior high school I started reading through my parent’s bookshelves, going primarily for the action/adventure/mystery. I loved “The Odessa File” and sought out more Frederick Forsyth at the library. (I read “Roots” during this time, as well as all the James Baldwin on my parents shelves, but my it was mysteries I sought out.

But let’s not forget fantasy. I read “The Hobbit” when I was in elementary school, and up through my thirties tended to re-read it every year. I also read “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” when I was junior high, as well as the book adaptations of the Star Wars books.

Then I got my driver’s license, and gained the ability to escape the house and although I still read, I stopped devouring books, as I much preferred to be out of the house to home and reading.

Fast forward to my second year in college. I was given a copy of David Eddings‘ Belgariad, and suddenly I snatching up fantasy left and right. Two books at this point became favorites: Marion Zimmer Bradley‘s “The Mists of Avalon” and Mercedes Lackey‘s “By the Sword.” I adored reading books with strong female characters, and that’s been my penchant ever since. (I would say about half my fantasy books have main characters that are strong women.)

On the recommendation of friends, I quickly branched out to Guy Gavriel Kay and then Sean Russell.

Then at some point in there I discovered Robert B Parker‘s Spenser series, and then JA Jance.

Then several years ago I found my book Nirvana: they started combining fantasy and mystery. The first was Steven Brust‘s Vlad series. Simon R. Green remains a favorite. But soon followed Jim Butcher and quite soon I discovered Paula Briggs and remembered Tanya Huff. Fantasy and mystery with strong female characters? Awesome!

I could go on and on, but that’s a post for another day. Here’s some of my reading history, over the next couple weeks perhaps I’ll discuss some of the things I’m reading now that I absolutely love.