Has anyone read Carl Hiaasen's new book Skinny Dip yet?

How is it? I am trying to decide if it is worth taking a hardback on vacation with me.

To be fair, the 20th Aubrey novel is basically unfinished - there are huge chunks just told through letters - and to me reads like a sketch. In fact all the post-Letter of Marque books, once he runs out of actual Napoleonic war, are mildly half-assed and survive on charm and atmosphere and familarity. But I hate the idea of a book 21 anyway; the ending of Blue at The Mizzen is as fitting an close as you could have to the sequence.

Because of my job in cubicle hell, and the policies and practices thereof, I have been doing a decent amount of reading, and finally got around to Handmaid's Tale. Not a lot of additional thoughts, but:

I was poking around on the Internet about it, and found an interview with Atwood. She says that sometimes, people ask her if she's gratified by some of the things she predicted in the book coming to pass, and that her response is along the lines of, "ummm...No?"

Also read Starry Sally J. Freedman As Herself (per recommendation. Was good) and started (and stopped) Dandelion Wine, which I just couldn't get into, though I've liked a good bit of his other stuff.

Currently reading Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets, but that feels like I should talk about it elsewhere (fic, particularly, but that's just muscle memory, I think).

Lee, I am interested in reading Skinny Dip because I've heard good things about it, but haven't skimmed it or anything.

Disappointed to hear that the new LKH is porn-all-the-time. I wish Anita would get spayed and start thinking about her job again - I miss the hardboiled detective of yore.

The Dirty Girls Social Club is one of the best books ever ever ever.

I'm reading Terry Pratchett's "Jingo." First off: Vimes. Any book wherein we get to spend time with Vimes is a good thing. Second: Vetinari. But mostly, Vetinari and Vimes. Watching the two of them maneuver, especially when not acknowledging they're working together, is a joy unto my soul. They're the perfect buddy movie pairing.

The Dirty Girls Social Club is one of the best books ever ever ever.

I definitely thought that was one of the better chick lit books I've read. it was nice to have a main character who was so (reasonably) angry.

I felt like she telegraphed the physical abuse a bit too much, though. I figured it out almost as soon as the character was introduced, and it made me feel like the others were idiots for not seeing it.

I liked it, but I'm with LJ. Honestly, I wish it had been Lauren's book, instead of doing it "Waiting to Exhale style" And why does that sound porny? DebetEsse, it's probably my fault you're confused, with my "David Simon likes urban carrots" popping up, like, everywhere. My bad. I'm useless today cause I sat up too late reading "Motherless Brooklyn" last night. Weird but captivating.

Done with the reading slump.

Read The Thin Pink Line, which I rather hated. Unlikeable heroine, unbelievable situation ... or, rather, unbelievable motive. Chunks of plotty goodness skimmed over, when it seemed important to the story and the character.

Am now halfway through The Robber Bride, and it's so very good.

I'm reading Terry Pratchett's "Jingo."

One of my favorite Discworld books ever, and for exactly the reasons you mention.