Helpful Score: 2
I read this without having read the first two in the series, and it stood on its own just fine. While the story was well-crafted and engaging, it's really the subtle precision of his language that I most enjoyed. There were also plenty of words I had to look up, which is a plus in my mind. The book is very 70's, very American, and funny enough that I even snickered out loud a few times.
