Amos, one of the reasons I consider John D. MacDonald literature is that he very, very seldom has his heroes exhibit their "cat-like reactions with a .38 or sawed off shotgun." His books are more about his characters and life in general than anything else, and Travis just ain't your standard salvage consultant. I love MacDonald's books, as Cluin says, for the asides and reflections on humanity/society. He's turned me on to some things I would be sorry to have missed--Billie Holiday, for instance (see The Girl, the Gold Watch, and Everything, one of his three science fiction-fantasy novels. The others are, I believe, Ballroom of the Skies and Wine of the Dreamers.) I've collected his books, Travis and non-, since I was a teenager and I think I have all of them--around 70 or so. He's one of the three writers whose books, even in my earlier financially-challenged days, I bought in hardback because I liked him so much. (The others were Dick Francis and Elizabeth Peters.)

And yes, EBarnacle, I've read Spider Robinson's Callahan books, too. Jake has some pretty good reflections and social commentary himself.

But back to Harry Potter--Ms. Rowling is a darned good writer, and I have all the HP books too--but by my former criteria, I would probably have waited until the paperbacks came out.

Books! You can't have too many!

Lin