Truly Madly Guilty

Liane Moriarty's books are just awesome. I almost said "just keep getting better and better" but that would imply that her earlier books are in some way inferior. And so, her latest offering "Truly Madly Guilty" is just as much of a masterpiece as "Big Little Lies" or "What Alice Forgot".


I pre-purchased "Truly Madly Guilty" and read it on the day it came out (luckily I was on annual leave). While the author sticks to tried-and-tested themes in most of her books (mystery, family, love, family love, infertility, parenting), she never fails to amaze me with the richness of her characters. In her latest book we have a professional cello player, a hoarder, a woman with an unusual past who made a fortune on real estate (I'm being purposefully vague here to avoid spoilers), a charming larger-than-life extrovert, an intriguing child/teen. As soon as I finished the book, I wanted to start at the beginning in order to be with them again.


Now, a caveat. If you're expecting a gritty thriller along the lines of Gone Girl or the Jack Reacher series, you'll be disappointed. Liane Moriarty doesn't rely on gore, shock or the yuck-factor to keep you reading. Her pacing is more psychological, her delivery compassionate, and the power of her observation of the human nature second-to-none.


OK, I'll stop gushing now.

Catch Me If You Can - the book

I never realised "Catch Me If You Can" the movie was based on a book. I went to see it when it was showing on the big screen (primarily because Leo di Caprio said "I concur" so sexily in the trailer) and loved it, but only now have I happened upon the original semi-biography in book form.

The book is well-worth a read, even if (or perhaps especially if) you've seen the movie. The two are quite different, but in a good way. Neither is an accurate reflection of reality - and it doesn't matter.

Some cool quotes:

• “Former police chief of Houston once said of me: “Frank Abagnale could write a check on toilet paper, drawn on the Confederate States Treasury, sign it ‘U.R. Hooked’ and cash it at any bank in town, using a Hong Kong driver’s license for identification.” 
• “I learned early that class is universally admired. Almost any fault, sin or crime is considered more leniently if there’s a touch of class involved.” 
• “It’s not what a man has but what a man is that’s important.”