I read Moby Dick in high school and from what I remember I hated it. Some years ago, I heard Nate Philbrick speaking at a local bookstore on his (then) new book Why Read Moby Dick?, which I bought. I read it and went back to reread Moby Dick, which I enjoyed and understood more than I did as a teenager.
The last few posts are interesting … I’m reading Origin right now. Wonder if I need to be prepping my throwing arm? 
I know what to expect with the Dan Brown book, but this one is mainly interesting to me because of the setting in Spain, and his note at the beginning of the book about all the places and locations being real. I have some family members who’ve been to Barcelona multiple times, so it’s fun to read the descriptions of the places there and remember the photographs I’ve seen of their travels.
Yes 
Spoiler alert - it could have been set in Boise for all it mattered to the plot or the descriptive background.
Agreed on both parts.
I recently read Camino Island. Now I remember why I stopped reading John Grisham.
I read Camino Island after listening to a Grisham interview on a local NPR station–the rare book dealer plot appealed to me. It was your basic beach read–a little more interesting than most in that genre. Is the Camino Island in the book based on Amelia Island in Florida? Anyone know?
There are many classics that HS students should not be forced to read as they can’t fully appreciate the books at that age… Like War and Peace. Like Moby Dick. 
Re: saddest stories with animals. This one was included in a book of classic stories about animals that kiddo picked up sonwhere at school. It is not a story about a dog!!! Do not read this short story unless you want to wipe away tears for the rest of the day.
It seems like it to me. I don’t know if Grisham has definitively said, though.
@ignatius - oh no!but thanks for the heads up.
@garland - duly noted. I’m often amazed by the poor writing that still manages to make “best selling” authors millions of dollars.
@skieurope - yes, I didn’t even try Camino Island. Grisham’s best were “A Time to Kill” , “A Painted House,” “The Firm” - his earlier works. I guess these popular authors deteriorate when the find their formula. I am now trying “Outlander” - about 1/3 the way through; so far its ok; I hope it picks up.
I think my favorite Grishams are The Chamber, The Testament, The Client , and The Confession. Grisham has a very strong ethical center, and I like that about him. I like the justice crusading aspect of his writing.
I got a free James Patterson book from Audible. Good thing it was free. Couldn’t finish it. Also hated A Little Life. The only thing that could have saved it was the death of the main character in the first chapter.
This sentence implies that JP actually wrote the book. I think what he mostly does is collect the checks. To quote the Washington Post:
Just finished Grisham’s newest one, the Rooster Bar. It’s better than Camino Island, but I still wouldn’t spend money on it. The library is your friend. 
“Firefly Lane” by Kristin Hannah. I really liked her book “The Nightingale”, but Firefly Lane was pure drivel. I couldn’t even finish it. The other would be “My Name is Lucy Barton” by Elizabeth Strout. I finished it, but hated it so much it inspired me to write my first Goodreads review
The last book of the Jeff Vandermeer Southern Reach Trilogy book. There is no “there” there after investing in reading all 3 books. I just saw a trailer for the movie Annihilation (first book) yesterday – don’t waste your time & money if you care at all about any satisfaction at the end.
^^ Thanks for this, @intparent ! I read Annihilation (…liked it a lot) and Authority (…was not a fan), and I was mulling starting Acceptance. Now I know I don’t have to read it!
Life is to short to waste it on sucky books.
It is a promising idea…