Reading with Obama

See me and Barack Obama? Picture my right hand up with my index finger and middle finger crossed. We are that close. Not only does the name Obama have the same number of vowels as Malone – this is a known scientific method of checking the strength of friendships - but we have similar tastes in books. Proof positive!

According to one of our newspapers, Barry’s (I can call him that ‘cos we are close) summer reading list includes Richard Price’s Lush Life and George Pelecanos’ The Way Home. Both books were given rave reviews by yours truly on the pages of crimesquad.com. Two excellent writers. Two wonderful novels. And whisper it David Cameron...two crime novels. Oh the shock of it.

Regular readers of these pages will know that I blogged recently about the holiday reading that some of the British politicians admitted to and I can’t help be impressed that Barry is so confident in his intelligence that he doesn’t feel the need to pander to the snobs and critics who would have us all read political memoirs or university treatises while digging at the hot holiday sand with our toes.

FYI, Bar, I’ve just started reading Michael Connelly’s next book, Nine Dragons. Next time you and Michelle (more proof, if it’s ever needed – his wife has the feminised version of my name) take a break, pack that in your suitcase. Well worth a read. Here’s a thought. You can have my copy. You’ll be too busy running the free world to have time to shop on Amazon, so I’ll just stick it in the post. Hey. We can swap. You know my taste so well, what would you recommend?

I’ve just taken that too far, haven’t I? When should I have stopped?