I did the same back in September after about 100 pages. His writing sometimes was superb, but it all ended up going nowhere, and life is too short to read books not worth reading while others await. My next novel was Cece, and it was so well done and I recommend it highly.

And I was 84 — I listen to a lot of jazz from the 1950s. More proof of the fallibility of AI

A 4 star from you and it’s on my to see list

Hey I’m glad you reminded us of it. Somebody should bring it back out. I was astonished that there were more VHS copies than DVDs for sale — what a commentary!

And jeez, Comfort and Joy is hard to find. Nothing in the library network and expensive on eBay. It sure disappeared.

Normally I skip the fiction in the New Yorker but at your recommendation just sat down and read it — so powerful and well done. All the characters living and breathing people, no artifice. Now I want to read the novel. Thanks as always for your astute recommendations.

Your review was very well done. I’ve read The Snow Leopard 6 times since 1981, viewing it as a travel book, then found more and more in it. But the most recent reading I thought: your 8 year old son just lost his mother, and you’re leaving the country for 2 months. Great writer, lousy human being

The Saskiad, by Brian Hall — after finishing his amazing Fall of Frost a couple of weeks ago.

I’ve read a lot of Maigret mysteries lately. Any other mystery recommendations in that neighborhood?

Great recommendation — fascinating film, even though I was never a Devo fan. Have now recommended it to others as well.

Been there, done that.