Here is the fifth and final part of my book recommendations:

Martin Cruz Smith  

Gorky Park (all of the Arkady Renko books are really good)

Ralph Steadman  

Ralph Steadman’s Jelly Book

Peter Straub  

Ghost Story

Donna Tartt  

The Secret History

Ross Thomas  

Chinaman’s Chance

Scott Turow  

Presumed Innocent

David Foster Wallace  

A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again

Jess Walters  

Citizen Vince

Jess Walters  

Financial Lives of the Poets

Minette Walters  

The Breaker

Financial Lives of the Poets

I really think that Jess Walter is the best of the writers who attempt to “get” America. Financial Lives manages to get at things with humor and seeming ease that more hyped books unable to reach, despite obvious labor. Therewere a few moments that seemed to perfectly capture things that I’ve thought or felt during the past decade.

I could easily have included The Zero in the list above, but I decided that I didn’t want to put more than two books from any author in the list. I haven’t read Beautiful Ruins yet, either, though I’m looking forward to it.