Read: "Greenmantle," by John Buchan
Why: I loved "The 39 Steps"
World War I espionage thriller
Takeaway: This book is about two British Intelligence agents chasing from England through Germany and into Turkey around the time of Gallipoli, to try to head off a prophesied jihad that the Germans could turn to their advantage. I love books that are one long chase. I also love books about World War I and the Young Turks. (Another good book on this topic is Joyce Carey's memoir of trying to join the Turkish Red Cross.) This book celebrates manly valor in all its forms, including being a good shot and being multilingual. Buchan is so casually racist that I'd have a hard time recommending this book to sensitive friends. Most people are identified first as types. Some Germans are just Boche; others are white men. But the writing is sparkling and fun, with a lot of WWI-era slang constructions ("Hullo, Dick, you've got the battalion. Or maybe it's a staff billet. You'll be a blighted brass-hat, coming it heavy over the hard-working regimental officer.") I'm reading this on the Palm and it's just a fantastic way to read a thriller because you can flip forward relentlessly.