I finished Where the Crawdads Sing. It was a bit disappointing. Pretty much the whole way I kept thinking “I wish the author would have …”. The balance between the timelines was one. No matter what was getting the emphasis, I wanted more of the other line (which I guess isn’t a good sign). And it has one of the drawn out endings I dislike.
I’ve taken so long with this one that I"m not even sure what’s next in the queue.
my BiLs, Mother was going to give that to me when she was done. I’ll still give it a try.
I haven’t posted in a month; I finished Jhegaala, then also read Iorich (#12), Tiassa (#13), Hawk (#14) and am now reading Vallista (#15 and the last published Vlad Taltos book; book 16 comes out in April).
I also finished Player Piano (Kurt Vonnegut’s 1st book and definitely -not- my favorite of his), Galatea (Madeline Miller short story), The Dragonbone Chair (and bought books 2 and 3 of the trilogy), And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, and The Second Generation (Dragonlance).
I’m now reading Vallista (Vlad Taltos book #15), Mort by Terry Pratchett, The Phoenix Guards (same author as Vlad Taltos series, set in the same world, but written in a style like Alexander Dumas’ Three Musketeers), and Dragons of Summer Flame.
With all that reading it’s no wonder that you haven’t posted in a month!
Finished Mort and Vallista, started Magician: Apprentice by Raymond Feist (I’ve been intending to read the Midkemia books for literally decades) and Kushiel’s Dart. Still halfway through Phoenix Guards and Dragons of Summer Flame.
next genre, Fantasy.
The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
Just read another early Murakami novel, “A Wild Sheep Chase”. Another whimsical masterpiece.
My reading material for my current trip is “Carl Perkins’ Cadillac”, part of the “Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter” urban fantasy series.
Imagine my surprise, as I was listening to the audiobook, shortly after leaving the airport, when the opening hook for the book involved an actuary approaching the protagonist, seeking assistance…
I just got Hard Boiled Wonderland and that’s probably next, but I just started Peach Blossom Spring.
next genre, short stories, which isn’t really a genre imo. Not much on my shelf, or much I will seek. BUT, I will combine this with poetry, as many poems are essentially short stories, and I have a few on the shelves.
Anyway, for short stories / poetry, next up. The Jungle Book, Kipling
Just read The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert. Fascinating history of how scientists came to understand how and when species go extinct, and our role in the current mass extinction event.
My daughter is a John Green fan and got me this for Christmas. With her own $$ even. Just read the intro so far but I think I’m gonna like it.
I am helping clean out two homes - My FiL passed away and my downstairs neighbor is a friend that downsized. Have a lot of books (two moving boxes full), the local library is not accepting donations, so on my daily walks I will be back-packing a few at a time to the local lending library boxes
Only took two for myself - but got more short stories
I listened to these in podcast form. He’s a good presenter.
Anyone rank your top reads of the year? I just looked at my list and Love Is the Way by Bishop Michael Curry is my fave. In fiction I chose Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez.
next genre up - Self Help. This is one I will remove if none in the house
The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Albom
my favorite in 2022,
Diary Of A Young Girl - Anne Frank
Holocaust story aside, these are the deep and honest inner thoughts of a teenage girl.
That is very rare and her insights really moved me. You understand the lonliness of even a popular girl.
favorite read in 2022 was Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall
Currently in the middle of Man’s Search For Meaning by Victor Frankl
And going to start Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
And going to start Virology; Essays for the Living, the Dead, and the Small Things In between by Joseph Osmundson. (This is the mystery book I got when I bought another at the bookstore and got something plain-paper wrapped. Yay!)
shameless self-promotion of my book of short stories (fantasy and sci-fi, more fantasy than sci-fi, I guess):
