August, 2019: What we're reading and why we're reading it

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August, 2019: What we're reading and why we're reading it

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1CliffBurns
Ago 4, 2019, 6:20 pm

Started a Donald Westlake thriller--my idea of "summer reading".

2Sandydog1
Ago 7, 2019, 9:32 pm

I just heeded Cliff's suggestion a while back, and finished Blitzed. Fascinating and worthy of a lot more research. Forget Hitler, I was much more interested in the average Nazi Joe, and how he dealt with being cranked on Crank.

3CliffBurns
Ago 8, 2019, 11:43 am

Finished three Donald Westlake crime novels in three days:

SOMEBODY OWES ME MONEY, THE AX and THE HUNTER.

Gritty, fun reads.

4BookConcierge
Ago 8, 2019, 2:15 pm

>3 CliffBurns: I love Westlake .... I'm currently reading Nobody's Perfect

5CliffBurns
Ago 8, 2019, 4:00 pm

He's fun--there's no guarantee of a happy ending or that the good guy always wins, which I rather like.

6Crypto-Willobie
Ago 9, 2019, 8:57 am

>3 CliffBurns: I especially liked The Ax. (I know I read the Hunter and probably the other one long ago, but I don't remember them clearly.)

7CliffBurns
Ago 9, 2019, 11:42 am

THE AX reminded me of Highsmith's "Ripley" novels, where the main character is a bad guy, yet you're pulling for him.

8bluepiano
Ago 9, 2019, 6:01 pm

The Fabric of Myth. Textiles, specifically worked ones, and mythology. Reading it because upon looking at pile of recently-acquired remaindered books I decided that it was what I was in a mood for. Exhibition catalogue. Has got me to pull out Hesiod who I expect I'll be rereading with morning coffees. Interesting mentions of people turning to embroidery etc. when held in confinement: Mary Queen of Scots but also inmates of mental hospitals & a prisoner in high-security who trades cigarettes for, say, pairs of socks he can unravel for the thread he uses to depict scenes from his life in needlework.

9BookConcierge
Ago 10, 2019, 9:25 am

>7 CliffBurns: Exactly! It was my first Westlake and I absolutely loved it.

10CliffBurns
Ago 11, 2019, 8:24 pm

Finished TROPIC OF KANSAS, Christopher Brown's vision of an alt-history America, where Reagan did not survive the assassination attempt and the corporates and their fascist allies are in charge of America.

A bit threadbare at the beginning but the narrative gathers steam and finally culminates in an all-too-optimistic finale.

Worth the ride, however.

Recommended (with a few reservations).

11CliffBurns
Editado: Ago 18, 2019, 3:11 pm

Just wrapped up THE MOON AND THE OTHER, John Kessel's latest effort.

I've always liked Big John's work and there is a lot to admire about his new book. He presents us with a vision of the near future (100+ years), a permanent human presence on the moon, focusing on a matriarchal society that is struggling with change and reform.

The world-building is excellent but the characters seem bland and colorless. Hard to root for or care about the various people in the tale and that was a problem for me.

A good read but not emotionally involving.

Recommended to my fellow SF geeks.

12CliffBurns
Ago 19, 2019, 3:42 pm

Finished Richard Russo's latest, CHANCES ARE...

Something of a letdown--charming, but not nearly as involving as his best work, like EMPIRE FALLS and, especially, STRAIGHT MAN.

13anna_in_pdx
Ago 19, 2019, 7:08 pm

On the nonfiction front, I just finished Blitzed . Riveting. And I wasn’t even on meth when I read it!

Still reading The Iliad. Also started American Nations! It was a gift from my mother.

Fictionwise, I found a gritty Australian murder mystery series, of which I’ve read the first two books, The Dragon Man and Chain of Evidence.

14BookConcierge
Ago 20, 2019, 3:28 pm


Bound – Donna Jo Napoli
4****

This YA novel is a retelling of the Cinderella story, set in the Ming dynasty era of China.

Xing Xing is bound to her Stepmother and half-sister. She is bound by tradition. She is bound to her ancestors, particularly her deceased parents. Her feet, however, are not bound. And she is also unusual in that her father believed in educating his daughters. While her half-sister Wei Ping showed no interest, Xing Xing thrived under her father’s tutelage and is an accomplished poet and a skilled calligrapher.

I loved the way this story unfolded. I learned from the author’s note at the end that the Cinderella myth is a common one through many cultures. And that she took her inspiration for this novel from the Chinese legendary folk tales. Still, Western readers will recognize many elements … from losing a shoe to evil stepmother to the prince’s search for “THE girl.”

I particularly appreciated the occasional poem which so eloquently expressed Xing Xing’s feelings. I’m a great fan of magical realism; Napoli incorporates this literary technique seamlessly.

15RobertDay
Ago 20, 2019, 6:15 pm

On the way to Dublin, I finished an account of Soviet women snipers in WW2, Avenging Angels (quite grim in places) and switched to Kim Stanley Robinson's Galileo's Dream, which mixes a detailed but affectionate look at Galileo's life, especially his later astronomical discoveries, his support for Copernicus' heliocentric theory, and the trouble it got him into, with a science-fictional tale of future humans enlisting Galileo's help in dealing with political issues surrounding finding life in the Jovan system. I haven't quite grasped what KSR was trying to achieve in bringing these two strands together, as either story would have made a substantial novel on its own. Still a quarter left to read, so we'll see if there are answers.

16CliffBurns
Ago 25, 2019, 3:10 pm

Finished THE MASQUE OF MANANA, a collection of Robert Sheckley's best SF stories, compiled for a World Science Fiction Convention back in 2005.

Excellent overview of his work, combining SF ideas with withering satire.

The N.Y. Review of Books imprint has also put together a "Best of..." edition of Sheckley, titled THE STORE OF THE WORLDS.

Sheckley: great for a rainy day or a boring waiting room.

17BookConcierge
Ago 25, 2019, 8:01 pm


In the Distance – Hernán Díaz
Book on CD narrated by Peter Berkrot.
5*****

In the mid-19th century a young teen sets out from Sweden with his older brother to America. Bound for New York, they get separated when changing ships, and Håkan, with no English, mistakenly takes a ship bound for San Francisco. Arriving at the height of the gold rush, and not fully understanding the breadth of the continent he must traverse, he is determined to earn his way East to reconnect with his brother Linus. Along the way he encounters a wide variety of characters – some helpful, many not – and learns to rely upon himself.

This is a Western unlike any other I’ve ever read. The “romance” of the West is nowhere to be found here. This is often a barren, dangerous place with few allies and many enemies. In places the novel takes a philosophical turn as Håkan ponders his fate and occasionally despairs of every achieving his goal. Håkan, himself, is the stuff of legend. For one thing, he continues to grow throughout the book, becoming a giant of a man; the stories of his escapades and his legend grow even bigger. The novel covers decades, taking Håkan from age fourteen to “white-haired” old age.

I loved the poetic writing though sometimes was frustrated by the lack of clear story arc. Also, occasionally Díaz writes entire passages in Swedish, with little or no translation. I suppose he wanted the reader to feel as lost as his character. A few times in the book, Díaz repeats entire passages verbatim a page or two after first introducing them. I think fans of Jose Saramago would like this book. My F2F book group had a spirited discussion, though most members did not like it.

My final verdict: Marvelous writing and a fascinating character.

18CliffBurns
Ago 26, 2019, 8:57 pm

EUGENE DEBS: A GRAPHIC BIOGRAPHY.

History for the masses.

I'm not usually a fan of graphic novels but this one adequately documents the life and politics of the great American socialist, Eugene Debs.

Produced by Verso Books, a terrific Leftie press.

19mejix
Editado: Ago 26, 2019, 9:47 pm

Finished re-reading Naufragios y Comentarios about Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca's 1534 shipwreck in Florida. Took him 8 years but he made it to Mexico City by land. Some surreal moments including instances of cannibalism.
Now I'm halfway through Narrative of the Coronado Expedition by Pedro de Castañeda. Another mess of an expedition. Oddly enough one of the members of the Cabeza de Vaca expedition, a black man called Estebanico, reappears as part of the Coronado expedition.

20BookConcierge
Sep 1, 2019, 9:55 am


Blind Justice – Bruce Alexander
4****

Alexander has written a mystery featuring a real historical figure. Sir John Fielding was a celebrated magistrate in 18th century London. Blinded in a navy accident, he presided over the Bow Street Court, and was known for his ability to recognize criminals by the sound of their voices. He was also instrumental in founding London’s first professional police force, the Bow Street Runners.

Alexander’s novel relies on a young narrator. Thirteen-year-old Jeremy Proctor is an orphan who arrives in London and is the victim of scam artist who makes a living “catching thieves.” Sir John sees through the plot and offers to help Jeremy find a suitable position. But a “locked room” murder demands immediate attention, and Jeremy proves his worth as an assistant to Sir John.

I loved the characters in this book and found myself looking up various references to real people to get more back story. Alexander paints a vivid picture of 18th century London and the many injustices that her poor endured. Jeremy is a wonderful narrator – intelligent, studious, dedicated, eager to please, and observant. The supporting cast is top notch, especially: Mr Bailey, one of the constables in the Bow Street Runners; Mrs Gredge, the housekeeper; and Mr Donnelly, an Irish surgeon. There are several suspects and a few twists that keep the reader guessing.

I’ll read more of this series.

21Limelite
Sep 1, 2019, 11:31 pm

>19 mejix:

What you wrote in your post remidns me of a novel. The Moor's Account by Laila Lalami. Do you know it? I think you'd enjoy it very much, having read about those two disastrous expeditions as factual history.

I won't say another word for fear of spoiling your encounter should you seek it out.

22mejix
Sep 2, 2019, 2:02 pm

>21 Limelite:
I did not know it. But it sounds very interesting. Estebanico seems to have been quite a character. Specially given the rumours in the Coronado expedition. Thanks!

23Limelite
Sep 2, 2019, 2:55 pm

>22 mejix:

Heh heh. OK, one little hint. The "Moor's" name is Estebanico. :)