I’ll be recommending the new DAVID BALDACCI book, TRUE BLUE in an upcoming Gazette column. BALDACCI just rocks (although I did find a few errors in the book–David, call me if you need another proofer).

In a historical pairing not seen since President John Quincy Adams visited his father in Massachusetts, father and son presidents sat side by side on the front row of the Dallas symphony hall and listened to readings from David Baldacci, Jeffrey Engel, A.J. Jacobs and Parsley.

Page & Palette, 32 S. Section St. in Fairhope, will welcome international bestselling author  David Baldacci on Sunday, Nov. 22. He will sign his latest novel “True Blue” at the downtown bookstore, beginning at 2 p.m. during Fairhope Downtown Merchants’ Annual Open House.

In the end, True Blue is a fascinating read that’s sure to appeal to anyone who enjoys government conspiracies, mind-bending twists, and a cocky and rough-and-tumble heroine (and who doesn’t?).

True Blue is a fun, exciting read, and it impressed me enough to hunt for the rest of his books.

The Celebration of Reading, a fundraiser for the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and the Barbara Bush Texas Fund for Family Literacy, will feature David Baldacci (True Blue), Jeffrey Engel (The China Diary of George H.W. Bush: The Making of a Global President), A.J. Jacobs (The Year of Living Biblically), Mary Tyler Moore (Growing Up Again) and Julia Reed (The House on First Street) at 7 p.m. Monday at the Meyerson Symphony Center. Tickets, which must be purchased by noon Monday, are $150 at 800-222-5652 or www.celebrationreading.com.

True Blue is yet another exciting action novel to add to the growing Baldacci library. As the holidays approach and you’re facing hours of traveling to see loved ones, True Blue is a great suitcase thriller.

I think this ranks up there as one of my favorite Baldacci books (though I don’t think anything will ever top Wish You Well).

This is as close as David Baldacci has yet come to writing humor, as far as I can see. He’s a terrific writer, and I love his work in general. Therefore I will say only that TRUE BLUE is not my favorite among Mr. Baldacci’s works, or at least the ones I’ve read (most of them, I think) so far.

I didn’t enjoy this opus as much as I have Baldacci’s previous works. I didn’t think the characterisation particularly convincing.