When less really is more

Linda Sappenfield — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 23:25:00 GMT

Recent experience emphasizes that, while insufficient preparation for a meeting is risky, over-preparation is a similarly poor strategy. One should particularly avoid hauling in a pile of evidence to document one's overkill.

I meant well. Everyone else at the discussion of upcoming adult book club titles offered an excellent book recommendation; I had an entire concept: Why not capitalize on the "Scandinavian Invasion"? Stieg Larsson's books (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and the upcoming The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest) have made a big splash with American readers. Our library shelves are all set to supply lots of other fine mysteries from Icelandic, Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian authors. So, to prove just how abundant the selection is, I plunked down a generous stack representing Amaldur Indridason, Henning Mankell, Kjell Eriksson, Ake Edwardson, Karin Fossum, Jo Nesbo, and others onto the conference table.

Thus, when a consensus (to avoid moody or potentially depressing titles in this round) quickly formed, my leaning tower of brooding black-and-gray covered volumes looked decidedly out of step.

I do agree that balancing recent serious books with upcoming lighter-toned ones makes sense; book groups thrive on variety. And you can bet that I reshelved those wonderful Scandinavian mysteries post-haste. Now you know where to find them whenever you crave something similar to Larsson's well-received editions.

Reader's Exchange : Henning Mankell

When less really is more