And what are we reading now?

eight · **Joined:** Wed Oct 20, 2010 2:17 pm **Posts:** 498

I picked up City Of Night by John Rechy. "City of Night is notable for its exposé approach to and stark depiction of hustling, as well as its stream of consciousness narrative style." (wikipedia)

It's great!

lavawitch · **Posted:** Wed Jul 11, 2012 2:59 am

seitanicverses wrote:

Last night, I started reading Dear Theo: An Autobiography of Vincent Van Gogh. I read the foreword and the original collection of his letters to Theo numbered 1670 pages but this has been condensed to a more reader-friendly 500 pages or so. Man, those folks wrote voluminously in the day but I guess there was nothing better to do. So far, my review is that I'd rather look at his paintings, but I'll slog through a few more of his letters and this may change.

Also, I was just in Holland said Van Gogh's name and was sternly corrected. None of us here in North America say his name to the approval of the Dutch, NONE of us. I've not heard his pronounced the way the Dutch say it in any biographical show or whatnot by a North American person. So. Just so you know. We've all got it wrong. But that's all right. Doesn't mean we can't love him. <3

But if we say it correctly, people either think we are a pretentious kumquat and/or have no idea what we are talking about. Also: it is impossible for a foreign speaker to pronounce anything to the approval of the Dutch! It got really irritating that anything I ever tried to say was immediately said back to me in English. Not to say that people were rude or not nice, they invariably were, but still vexing.

Arisaig · **Posted:** Wed Jul 11, 2012 10:00 am

Montreal Stories by Mavis Gallant alternated with Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler and Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. I like some good contrast.

A woman at work yesterday said "Pht, I don't read books." How sad.

bodhi · **Posted:** Wed Jul 11, 2012 10:56 am

I just finished Hand Wash Cold, by Karen Maezen Miller. Really enjoyed it. (Nonfiction, Zen Buddhism.)

Next I'm reading a book about the goddess in paganism or something like that - haven't started it yet, but saw it mentioned in this thread, and it looked super interesting. Also have South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami on the go.

rachell37 · **Posted:** Wed Jul 11, 2012 2:16 pm

The Missing - It was OK. I wasn't keen on the author's style, and the book was a bit too much autobiography and not enough telling the stories of the people he was talking about. Like, when he talks about the little boy who went missing when he was 8, he spends most of the chapter talking about the things he did when he was 8, then almost tangentially mentions the missing boy.

I'm now reading The Damnation of John Donellan, which is about the sudden death of a baronet in 1780 which led to a murder investigation and trial. It's interesting so far.

seitanicverses · **Joined:** Wed Oct 20, 2010 1:57 pm **Posts:** 3857

lavawitch wrote:

seitanicverses wrote:

...Also, I was just in Holland said Van Gogh's name and was sternly corrected...3

But if we say it correctly, people either think we are a pretentious kumquat and/or have no idea what we are talking about. Also: it is impossible for a foreign speaker to pronounce anything to the approval of the Dutch! It got really irritating that anything I ever tried to say was immediately said back to me in English. Not to say that people were rude or not nice, they invariably were, but still vexing.

I would totally sound like a pretentious kumquat if I tried to say it the way they do! But I couldn't get my mouth to say it the way they said it anyhoo...my tongue don't make those contortions!

I am reading We Always Lived In the Castle now and am not right into it yet. I've got a ton of things on the go and not into concentrating on a book that isn't potboiler-y at the moment, as sometimes happens. I also haven't read the Van Gogh book since I wrote the original post so...maybe so much for that? It's still on my book table with the bookmark in it so I can pick up where I left off.

molly · **Posted:** Thu Jul 12, 2012 5:16 pm

I'm reading Charlie Higson's YA zombie series that starts with The Enemy - I read each of the first two books in one day and have just picked up the third from the libes. I thought I was over zombie stuff but these books are GOOD.

Also I read The Age of Miracles and I thought it was amazing. Totally lived up to the hype for me.

Padraigin · **Posted:** Thu Jul 12, 2012 8:20 pm

gwenc02 wrote:

Padraigin wrote:

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness. This is the 2nd book in the trilogy – after A Discovery of Witches. Just read the first 2 chapters. Awesome! Thank you to Kindle for the immediate delivery; the book came out today.

I'm not sure how I feel about it. I liked A Discovery of Witches well enough, but there's something about this that isn't quite the same. What do you think so far?

I'm now nearing the end of chapter 4 and I agree - this book does not have the same level of story and character development of A Discovery of Witches. What I missed in Discovery of Witches, was the rich detail of story settings [ eg Oxford’s Bodleian Library ], especially since the author is an historian who has worked in the Library. This book has more setting details, but less character/story development - so far.

The Discovery of Witches set up a lot of story threads that I hope to see woven into this book. Will post more comments when I finish the book.

AutumnLeaves · **Posted:** Thu Jul 12, 2012 8:57 pm

I just bought four new books on my kindle. Getting ready to read Irresistible Revolution next!

Shy Mox · **Posted:** Fri Jul 13, 2012 12:36 am

Racism Without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in America by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva.

kecapcrazy · **Posted:** Fri Jul 13, 2012 1:32 pm

has anyone read "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn? I"m just about finished and I love, love it. I love the writing, it's so compelling (mystery) and good twists/turns in it. Highly recommended.

j-dub · **Posted:** Fri Jul 13, 2012 8:52 pm

Shy Mox wrote:

Racism Without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in America by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva.

Oh that sounds great. Let me know how it is!

gwenc02 · **Posted:** Fri Jul 13, 2012 10:16 pm

Mark Haddon's The Red House. I really like him and I'm enjoying this so far, even though I don't think it's as good as his first two.

Anek · **Posted:** Sat Jul 14, 2012 3:28 pm

Today I read "Story of O", and I was really... moved. That's a good word here. I had seen the movie ages ago and wasn't impressed, but in my search for some good erotic literature I decided to start with the classic (although it's debatable if it can be considered erotic literature).
Now I'm reading "Masters of the Shadowlands", following the same search. So far I'm totally unimpressed, the writing is just not doing anything for me.

lilyyw · **Posted:** Sat Jul 14, 2012 7:19 pm

The Real Thing, a series of short stories and vignettes by Doris Lessing. I'm liking it but not loving it.

Mr. Shankly · **Posted:** Sat Jul 14, 2012 7:21 pm

j-dub wrote:

Shy Mox wrote:

Racism Without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in America by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva.

Oh that sounds great. Let me know how it is!

Yeah, I definitely am interested to hear what you think of this. It looks interesting.

Shy Mox · **Posted:** Sat Jul 14, 2012 8:57 pm

Mr. Shankly wrote:

j-dub wrote:

Shy Mox wrote:

Racism Without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in America by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva.

Oh that sounds great. Let me know how it is!

Yeah, I definitely am interested to hear what you think of this. It looks interesting.

Will do! Only a bit ways in and already I'm learning a lot.

gwenc02 · **Posted:** Mon Jul 16, 2012 7:17 pm

Just finished The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach. I started it this morning. Yeah, that good.

Invictus · **Joined:** Wed Oct 20, 2010 2:23 pm **Posts:** 2464

Our Magnificent mustard Tongue!

alice1drland · **Posted:** Mon Jul 16, 2012 8:18 pm

American Eve and it is truly fascinating!

lavawitch · **Posted:** Mon Jul 16, 2012 8:34 pm

Book on Ghengis Khan by Jack Weatherford. Amazingly great.

pandacookie · **Posted:** Mon Jul 16, 2012 8:49 pm

I finished The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk and quite enjoyed it. I've seen the '84 documentary but it was nice to get a more extended background and more details on the politics. And also to see some of the people who would become major activists in the 80s when they were younger.

Erinnerung · **Posted:** Tue Jul 17, 2012 6:49 am

Factotum. I read on the bus a lot these days and I feel like I need to sit in the corner at the back with this one, lest anyone read over my shoulder and think I'm a total pervert.

fauxfrancais · **Posted:** Wed Jul 18, 2012 8:44 am

I too just finished 1Q84, but that book seems to be long off of everyone's must-reads! You all are fast readers. I'm not quite as avid.

I'm currently between two interesting food related reads (aside from my Physiology text), Kitchen Culture in America, and Reimagining Marginalized Foods. Thinking of starting Eating Animals, or just jumping ship for something totally random.

geekywhitegirljoan · **Posted:** Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:32 am

kecapcrazy wrote:

has anyone read "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn? I"m just about finished and I love, love it. I love the writing, it's so compelling (mystery) and good twists/turns in it. Highly recommended.

I am reading it now. About 3/4 of the way in and am really liking it so far.

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