Sunday, June 28, 2015

"Half Of Paradise"

"Half Of Paradise" is by Edgar Award winner, James Lee Burke, and was copyrighted in 1965 - his very first novel and now he's a best selling author.

This book is not a mystery -- my preferred genre -- so I'm not sure why I decided to read it -- maybe because Burke has also written mysteries?  It's the story of three men:

1)  Avery Broussard comes from what was once a line of distinguished landowners but the family fortune has dwindled and his weakness for alcohol lands him in prison.

2)  J. P. Winfield comes from a poor background to become a famous singer but he is destroyed by addiction.

3)  Toussaint Boudreaux is a black longshoreman who is convicted of a crime he didn't commit and he ends up in prison with Broussard.

I was surprised that I was not able to put this book down once I started reading.  Burke has a way with language and story telling that kept me reading long after I should have turned out the light.  I became part of his character's lives and wanted to know more.  I'm definitely planning on reading more Burke!  pazt

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