What are you currently reading?

[Sputnik]

I've read two books this week:

1. The Book Of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Miéville. I read any fiction by Miéville (because he's brilliant) so I got hold of this as soon as it came out. The book is related to Reeves' BRSKR graphic novel series - which I haven't read. I really enjoyed this book - the way the character's story is told from different viewpoints is very well done. I would love to see a movie or series made of this - and, with Reeves as the co-author, that's got to be a real possibility.

2. The Eyes Are The Best Part which is the debut novel of Monika Kim. This book tells the story of a young college student whose life starts to fall apart due to family disruption. This would seem to be a literary fiction subject (not my usual fare) but the book combines an excellent exploration of the main character's life struggles with some very well utilised violence, murder and - well, let's just say that the title is not intended to be abstract.

I love Mieville, but have been out of touch with him for a while. I'll check that out. The Monika Kim sounds interesting as well.

Bill

[Geoff O'Donoghue]

I love Mieville, but have been out of touch with him for a while. I'll check that out. The Monika Kim sounds interesting as well.

Bill

After the young adult novel Railsea in 2012 (which I really enjoyed) Miéville released only a short story collection and two novellas: This Census-Taker (2016) - which was quite strange and that's saying a lot - and The Last Days of New Paris (2016) - which I loved [what if surrealist art could be given life and could join the fight against the Nazis!].

There was also a children's book and some sort of RPG-related co-write but other than that, until the release of The Book Of Elsewhere, he seems to have been focusing on political non-fiction.

[Sunlight Caller]

I have been through two music biographies this past week or so:

My Rock ‘n’ Roll Friend, Tracey Thorn writes a tribute biography to her friend and former Go-Betweens drummer Lindy Morrison. I do love their music but didn’t know much about her story beyond what was written in Robert Forster’s memoir. It’s a well written and interesting read.

Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink, Elvis Costello writes about his storied career in an erudite and self-critical manner. Although he is another outside of the main thrust of this site, I have always been a fan of his music and song writing, so it was an excellent, albeit rather long, read.

[Sputnik]

After the young adult novel Railsea in 2012 (which I really enjoyed) Miéville released only a short story collection and two novellas: This Census-Taker (2016) - which was quite strange and that's saying a lot - and The Last Days of New Paris (2016) - which I loved [what if surrealist art could be given life and could join the fight against the Nazis!].

There was also a children's book and some sort of RPG-related co-write but other than that, until the release of The Book Of Elsewhere, he seems to have been focusing on political non-fiction.

Yeah, I read and enjoyed up to Railsea, but nothing after that. I'll give "Last Days" a shot.

Bill

[Klonk]

I haven't read a book in a long time. I love to read but my attention span sucks and that's kept me away. Anyway, I'm going to start up again, going to have to retrain myself I guess. Got a new Kindle and ready to go. Most of the books I've read are dark fantasy/horror. Stuff like King's Dark Tower series, Barkers Weaveworld and Great and Secret Show, McCammon's Swan Song as well as a number of Koontz books. Anybody in here like these types? Any recommendations? I may just reread one just to get the vibe going again, but would love some ideas.

[Rarebird]

Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink, Elvis Costello writes about his stored career in an erudite and self-critical manner. Although he is another outside of the main thrust of this site, I have always been a fan of his music and song writing, so it was an excellent, albeit rather long, read.

Looks interesting. Don't have any of his albums, but that doesn't matter.

[SteveSly]

I haven't read a book in a long time. I love to read but my attention span sucks and that's kept me away. Anyway, I'm going to start up again, going to have to retrain myself I guess. Got a new Kindle and ready to go. Most of the books I've read are dark fantasy/horror. Stuff like King's Dark Tower series, Barkers Weaveworld and Great and Secret Show, McCammon's Swan Song as well as a number of Koontz books. Anybody in here like these types? Any recommendations? I may just reread one just to get the vibe going again, but would love some ideas.

I read all of those series / books back in the day, but these days I hardly ever read fiction, so not sure how much help I can be.

[rapidfirerob]

I haven't read a book in a long time. I love to read but my attention span sucks and that's kept me away. Anyway, I'm going to start up again, going to have to retrain myself I guess. Got a new Kindle and ready to go. Most of the books I've read are dark fantasy/horror. Stuff like King's Dark Tower series, Barkers Weaveworld and Great and Secret Show, McCammon's Swan Song as well as a number of Koontz books. Anybody in here like these types? Any recommendations? I may just reread one just to get the vibe going again, but would love some ideas.

I recently read Stephen King’s Billy Summers. Very good. Eileen by Otessa Moshfegh is excellent and fairly short. Great film too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SteveSly]

I recently read Stephen King’s Billy Summers. Very good. Eileen by Otessa Moshfegh is excellent and fairly short. Great film too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have heard that King book is very good. Maybe I will check it out. I used to read all things King / Bachman, but the last book I read of his was "The Institute".

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

I haven't read a book in a long time. I love to read but my attention span sucks and that's kept me away. Anyway, I'm going to start up again, going to have to retrain myself I guess. Got a new Kindle and ready to go. Most of the books I've read are dark fantasy/horror. Stuff like King's Dark Tower series, Barkers Weaveworld and Great and Secret Show, McCammon's Swan Song as well as a number of Koontz books. Anybody in here like these types? Any recommendations? I may just reread one just to get the vibe going again, but would love some ideas.

If your arms are strong, check out House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. It's one of the most disturbing books I've ever read, despite almost no gore at all. It's really, really weird.

I haven't read a lot of Koontz but I have to recommend his new(ish) book The Bad Weather Friend. It's about giving people what they deserve, and it's fricking hilarious.

[Lopez]

Ray Garton - Live Girls

Vampire girls work in Times Square peep show.

[rapidfirerob]

Ray Garton - Live Girls

Vampire girls work in Times Square peep show.

Just ordered it. Thanks.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

Holy crap, I forgot how good Huck Finn is (about 2/3 done). I hope James comes close.

[hippypants]

I haven't read a book in a long time. I love to read but my attention span sucks and that's kept me away. Anyway, I'm going to start up again, going to have to retrain myself I guess. Got a new Kindle and ready to go. Most of the books I've read are dark fantasy/horror. Stuff like King's Dark Tower series, Barkers Weaveworld and Great and Secret Show, McCammon's Swan Song as well as a number of Koontz books. Anybody in here like these types? Any recommendations? I may just reread one just to get the vibe going again, but would love some ideas.

I read some off my Kindle but switched over to the iPhone and iPad. Really the iPhone is better for me as I take it everywhere like most everybody these days. There's an app to read those on the i-devices now. Check out Bookbub. It's free to subscribe and they send you a new update each week for new e-books to buy over at Amazon, most for $2, some a buck, and I've found many free ones too. Last week they had The Love You Make about the Beatles. I thought about getting that, but so far I haven't. They have all genre.

[rapidfirerob]

I read some off my Kindle but switched over to the iPhone and iPad. Really the iPhone is better for me as I take it everywhere like most everybody these days. There's an app to read those on the i-devices now. Check out Bookbub. It's free to subscribe and they send you a new update each week for new e-books to buy over at Amazon, most for $2, some a buck, and I've found many free ones too. Last week they had The Love You Make about the Beatles. I thought about getting that, but so far I haven't. They have all genre.

I get Bookbub and BookGorilla emails daily. It’s where I get 99% of my Kindle books. Just great.


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[hippypants]

Finished Craig Thompson's Blankets graphic novel. Good cartoonist, won several awards. Sort of autobio about growing up in Wisconsin in a rural community, early romance, and being brought up in a fundamental religious home (and questioning it). Overall pretty well written, poetic in parts. Winner of two Eisner and three Harvey Awards Check your library they might have it. Quick read.

[JKL2000]

Halfway through “The Only Good Indians,” a horror novel set in and around Reservations in North Dakota. Heard good things about it.

[Lou]

I haven't read a book in a long time. I love to read but my attention span sucks and that's kept me away. Anyway, I'm going to start up again, going to have to retrain myself I guess. Got a new Kindle and ready to go. Most of the books I've read are dark fantasy/horror. Stuff like King's Dark Tower series, Barkers Weaveworld and Great and Secret Show, McCammon's Swan Song as well as a number of Koontz books. Anybody in here like these types? Any recommendations? I may just reread one just to get the vibe going again, but would love some ideas.

Klonk! I am here and at your service. Horror books are my fave.

Edward Lee - One of my favorites. Nobody does redneck horror like Lee. The Backwoods, the Header trilogy, Bighead are a good start. Out of the redneck genre, his Infernal series is
excellent! Never been disappointed by Lee and I have at least 15 of his books.

Jack Ketchum - anything by him is worth reading. The Girl Next Door is very disturbing. (they made a very good movie from it, but it still doesn't standup to the book)

J.F. Gonzalez - he is gold also. His "Clickers" series is dying to be a Hollywood film. His Survivor might be the most disturbing thing I've read.

Richard Laymon - another author who I've liked everything by . (probably 20 of his books) The Beast House trilogy is an excellent start.

If you want more, let me know. I can do this all day!

[SteveSly]

Klonk! I am here and at your service. Horror books are my fave.

Edward Lee - One of my favorites. Nobody does redneck horror like Lee. The Backwoods, the Header trilogy, Bighead are a good start. Out of the redneck genre, his Infernal series is
excellent! Never been disappointed by Lee and I have at least 15 of his books.

Interesting. I have tried with Lee, but something about his writing style does not work for me. I will admit the images he invokes certainly stick in your brain, but I have read two of his books and did not have a desire to read any more.

[Klonk]

Thanks for the recommendations folks! I have a book I'm going to jump back into that I started a while ago, before I hung up my eyeballs That book would be Joe Hill's Heart-Shaped Box. I was very into it at the time and figure it's a good place to get back into the game.

Klonk! I am here and at your service. Horror books are my fave.

Edward Lee - One of my favorites. Nobody does redneck horror like Lee. The Backwoods, the Header trilogy, Bighead are a good start. Out of the redneck genre, his Infernal series is
excellent! Never been disappointed by Lee and I have at least 15 of his books.

Jack Ketchum - anything by him is worth reading. The Girl Next Door is very disturbing. (they made a very good movie from it, but it still doesn't standup to the book)

J.F. Gonzalez - he is gold also. His "Clickers" series is dying to be a Hollywood film. His Survivor might be the most disturbing thing I've read.

Richard Laymon - another author who I've liked everything by . (probably 20 of his books) The Beast House trilogy is an excellent start.

If you want more, let me know. I can do this all day!

Lou! You're the greatest This is going to be a slow process for me, but definitely making note of all those you mention as we definitely share that horror gene

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

Finished Huck and James -- the latter was a trip, by the way, and diverged fairly quickly from Twain's story -- and am now on something lighter: Meddling Kids, by Edgar Cantero. Back in the '70s, four kids and a dog solved a bunch of mysteries in Blyton Hills, CA (on the Zoinx River, no less). Now, in the 90s, one is dead; the other three and a new dog have to go back to Blyton Hills and face the one mystery they backed off from back in the day. Funny and horrifying by turns.

Klonk, you might dig this one.

[interbellum]

Started reading Sixteen Horses, a literary thriller by Greg Buchanan. When you visit his site you'll notice he also created some games. This was his first novel, released in 2021.

[walt]

Another book on geology.

"Turning To Stoneiscovering The Subtle Wisdom of Rocks"-Marcia Bjonerud.

Pretty interesting,so far.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

G.K. Chesterton, St. Thomas Aquinas: The Dumb Ox. Chesterton has a writerly voice where he can write about anything and I'll likely be interested. Aquinas is a subject that does interest me. Ergo, reading this.

[SteveSly]

To Be Loved: The Music, The Magic, The Memories Of Motown An Autobiography by Berry Gordy: One of our neighbors recently visited the Motown Museum in Detroit and obtained this book. She knows I am big into music and thought I would enjoy it, so lent it to me for a read. Although I am far from an expert on Motown, I did enjoy this book a lot. Gordy’s story parallels the story of Detroit in the 50’s and 60’s where he built Motown into the biggest black focused record label on the planet. The Motown roster was a who’s who of some of the biggest acts of that era. Gordy and his team discovered and developed huge acts like Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, and many more. This book is definitely Gordy’s side of the story and he tends to gloss over some of the more controversial aspects of his life, but covers most of the major events. His personal life, including having children by multiple women, is pretty well represented. Overall, I enjoyed the book and learned a lot about Motown.

4 out of 5 stars.