What We Read in December!

• Who: Eastview boys
• What: The Great Train Robbery
• When: Lunch – Friday, Dec. 19th
• Where: Room C234
• See Dr. Beach to sign-up and get a copy of the book in the 3C cluster!
• Why: Because, REAL MEN READ!

Edward Pierce is a gentleman rogue, a man perfectly suited to Queen Victoria's England. He's as clever as Sherlock Holmes, but he puts his wits to work at committing crimes instead of solving them. In this time and place where railway travel is relatively new, he targets a London bank's regular shipments of gold bullion - by rail, and by sea - to Paris, and sets about planning and arranging a heist that will give him fabulous wealth for the rest of his days. Michael Crichton's techno-thrillers, as much as I enjoy them, often suffer from wooden characters. This book most definitely does not. Pierce, the surprisingly (sometimes infuriatingly) engaging hero/villain, is beautifully written and the cast of characters surrounding him comes colorfully alive, even for those who play relatively minor roles. The dialog written in dialect and the wealth of historical and cultural detail add texture, and the plot works well but it's the characters that make this story such a pleasure to read.