I loved this book. After I read it, I watched a nature documentary series on Disney+ called Secrets of the Octopus. They truly are remarkably bright creatures.
I’d like to be
Under the sea
In an octopus’s garden
In the shade
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Mr. & Mrs. Christmas, an Audible Original by Michelle Stimpson. I like it a lot more than I had expected to.
I just signed up for the basic Audible on Amazon. I will look thru this thread for something that I may be interested in.
Thanks @Bro - I am going to start this
Found out that I still have to pay a smaller price for some of the books that seem interesting. So I upgraded my membership already.
I haven’t read a ton of murder mysteries, but The Martian gave me a somewhat similar vibe.
I’m currently re-reading East of Eden which is one of my favorites.
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Just finished Naomi Klein’s No Is Not Enough: Resisting the New Shock Politics and Winning the World We Need.
Klein was inspired to write this book in 2017 as a reaction to Donald Trump’s election as President. Her concerns continue to be relevant today as Trump prepares to start his second term.
Klein offered many suggestions to combat Trump’s views but sadly the intervening 8 years have seen a strengthening of the forces behind Trump rather than
a weakening. However the book portrays an alternative world to the one that Trump represents and her prescriptions are appealing even if they haven’t prevailed.
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Started “Us Against You” reread. Second of the “Beartown” trilogy.
Would I benefit from a reread of this (or the first) before taking on The Winners?
Perhaps.
It’s why I’m rereading it. It has been several years. Couldn’t remember if the characters were new or from the prior book.
Klein must be going nuts with Trump getting elected to a second term.
She has a book released in 2023 called Doppelgänger: A Trip into the Mirror World. She starts out talking about how she is frequently confused with the “American Naomi” (Wolf) and accordingly gets mistakenly vilified on social media for her conservative views. The book focuses on political polarization and conspiracy thinking. Excellent.
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I am almost done with Demon Copperhead. A really tough one to read, but I love Barbara Kingsolver.
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Decided to reread Wicked by Gregory Maguire.
Uhm, Man’s Search For Meaning by Victor Frankl: this was very depressing, yet powerful. I am glad I got it. I am almost done. Definitely going to listen again.
Finished this.
Started book 2 of “My Brilliant Friend” series.
Just finished No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies by Naomi Klein.
The book was written about 25 years ago so I wanted to see how far we have progressed against the power of corporate branding since the activism of the 1990s. Although there have been some modest advances in improving the sweatshop conditions of outsourced production for firms like Nike, most of the real progress was made in the 1990s. There is still this huge gap (pun intended) between the values most corporate brands promote and the conditions under which their products are actually manufactured.
Klein argues that consumers are buying the brand rather than the physical product. The branding for these firms is where most of the corporate resources are spent rather than in the manufacturing. The consumer pays a hugely inflated price for shoes and clothing that are brand-driven. Everyone knows this but the brands continue to flourish.
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I was at the library a couple days ago and was pleasantly surprised to see a new Murakami book (The City and Its Uncertain Walls). Just started and it appears to take place in the same world as Hard Boiled Wonderland.
Finished this.
Good. I find the books easier to follow than the series, which also has to be read (subtitled), and all the secondary Italian characters look alike, sound alike, act alike. Then, as the series rolls through time, the actors are replaced, and you have to re-remember who is who.
I did a binge on most of Murakami’s books a few years ago and they blew my mind. I have not ventured back since but am up to try his new one.
I only first learned about him a few years ago and he’s now my favorite author. I think I’ve read in the 8-10 range of his books and have generally loved all of them to a certain extent. Planning on reading a few more in 2025. Do you have favorites?
I particularly liked **A Wild Sheep Chase, IQ84, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki, Norwegian Wood, Dance Dance Dance and The Windup Bird Chronicle **. IQ84 was the very best but it was exhausting compared to the others which are quick reads.
A “Japanese” author that I actually prefer is Kazuo Ishiguro. It is easier to discern what is fantasy and what is real in his books so he is not as frustrating as Murakami. I read eight of his books a few years ago ( I am a binge reader) and they were all great and different. There tends to be a sameness in Murakami’s books?