Littlegeek's reading 2020

KeskusteluThe Green Dragon

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Littlegeek's reading 2020

1littlegeek
Muokkaaja: tammikuu 2, 2020, 2:08 pm

Hi GD, and Happy New Year!

I know this is what LT is for, but I don't really care to do an inventory of what I read last year. I think I counted about 46 books, but that doesn't include audiobooks. That's a little down from my usual, but I've been doing a lot of knitting. For instance, yesterday I chose to watch the entire season 8 of Letterkenny and finish some knitting projects rather than finish the book I'm reading.

The one restriction on my reading in 2019 was trying not to spend money on books, so lots of library loans and using up my amazon cards. I did pretty well, I'm sure I spent less than $50 in the whole year on books. Usually spend that much per month.

I will continue to use the library (as long as they don't shut down Overdrive!) but I'm not putting any restrictions or goals on my reading next year. Gonna meander.

Still have about 18% left in A Memory Called Empire. Really enjoying this one. It's like a political thriller with a little scifi thrown in. Right up my alley.

2Peace2
tammikuu 2, 2020, 2:22 pm

Happy New Year. I've seen a few people recommending A Memory Called Empire just lately - it may be that I need to add it to the Wishlist.

3majkia
tammikuu 2, 2020, 5:15 pm

I really enjoyed A Memory Called Empire also.

Happy New Year - may it be good in every aspect.

4clamairy
tammikuu 2, 2020, 5:16 pm

Happy Reading, >1 littlegeek:!

5Sakerfalcon
tammikuu 3, 2020, 5:39 am

Happy new year and very happy reading! I'm glad you are enjoying A memory called Empire. I thought it was great.

6pgmcc
tammikuu 3, 2020, 5:43 am

>1 littlegeek: Happy New Year!

I hope 2020 is great for you.

I find the "meandering" approach to my reading to be more relaxing, so I wish you well with your meandering.

7libraryperilous
tammikuu 3, 2020, 7:51 pm

I have plans to get to A Memory Called Empire while I'm on vacation this month. It was a popular recommendation during the 2019 SantaThing, and it's been on my radar since it was released.

8littlegeek
tammikuu 6, 2020, 11:28 am

Finished A Memory Called Empire and really enjoyed it. I assume there will be a sequel?

SF was working well for me so I started The Stars Are Legion. Memory is a feature of this book, too. I am in awe of Kameron Hurley's imagination, what a fascinating world right from the jump.

9reading_fox
tammikuu 7, 2020, 4:11 am

Happy New Year!

A Memory sounds great fun. bookbullet straight away.

10Sakerfalcon
tammikuu 7, 2020, 5:14 am

>8 littlegeek: The sequel is called A desolation called peace and apparently it will be released this September. There is no way I will be able to wait for the paperback!

11littlegeek
tammikuu 7, 2020, 12:34 pm

>10 Sakerfalcon: OOh, Thanks for the info!

12libraryperilous
tammikuu 7, 2020, 8:10 pm

>10 Sakerfalcon: It looks like the release date has been pushed to March 2021. Ugh. I hope that's wrong. Book Depository is still showing 2020 release dates, including one in April. Fingers crossed!

13Sakerfalcon
tammikuu 8, 2020, 6:20 am

>12 libraryperilous: Oh that's annoying. Tor.com's article of most anticipated titles of 2020 still has it listed in September. But I can't remember if they are actually the publisher for it.

14littlegeek
tammikuu 13, 2020, 6:40 pm

Like Busifer, I am not doing as much reading lately. I've been knitting a lot and watching tv. But now the dreaded trigger thumb seems to be back and I'll have to give the knitting a rest for a while. I want to get the surgery this time, no more cortisone shots.

15clamairy
tammikuu 19, 2020, 5:50 pm

>14 littlegeek: Well, I never heard of trigger thumb before. Aging (and repetitive motion injuries) suck.

16littlegeek
tammikuu 21, 2020, 3:11 pm

Still not reading much lately, the Australian Open is going on for the next two weeks.

As for The Stars Are Legion, it's so weird. It's like all the tech and the "worlds" are part of a immune system, the worlds sound like white blood cells. It's kinda cool, but the more I think about it, the more it makes no sense at all because there are human people living on these "worlds."

Anyway, I'm still reading it, but I'm having trouble with the world building.

17Sakerfalcon
tammikuu 22, 2020, 4:14 am

>16 littlegeek: I will be very interested in your final thoughts on The stars are legion. I was not a fan.

18MrsLee
tammikuu 22, 2020, 3:48 pm

>16 littlegeek: Fantastic Voyage?

19suitable1
tammikuu 22, 2020, 3:53 pm

>18 MrsLee:
No, just a regular cruise.

20littlegeek
tammikuu 22, 2020, 6:31 pm

>18 MrsLee: No, not at all. It's just....weird.

21littlegeek
tammikuu 24, 2020, 2:16 pm

OK, I finally gave up on The Stars Are Legion. I sure have been giving up on a lot of books lately, so maybe it's me but I had a hard time visualizing what was going on. The world building didn't work for me at all. It started out promising, but I kind of figure if things don't make sense at first it will all make sense later as the world begins to take shape, but for me things just got more and more confusing. For instance, the "worlds" were living beings, but there were humans living on/within them. I was trying to envision a living world but then something mundane from our world would be there and it made no sense and took me out of the world. Like sometimes people are just scraping off a piece of skin and eating it, or living in an artery and surviving on blood, and sometimes they're eating ribs or peaches or whatever, and I'm supposed to believe they also have ranches and orchards? Or they're trying to find the "surface" but there's sky and rivers and whatnot where they are so how are they going up a "level?" And the characters are all the same, I have no idea what the "mutant" character looks like or what makes her a mutant. And it was very violent. Anyway, I gave up. Maybe it eventually makes sense but I didn't care about the characters enough to find out. I gotta have some reason to care and this was just a mess, in every sense of the word.

I am now reading the first Brother Cadfael book, A Morbid Taste for Bones. I have never read these, but they seem fun and lots of people around here like them.

22MrsLee
tammikuu 25, 2020, 12:09 pm

>21 littlegeek: I think you will find A Morbid Taste for Bones much more sensible! That other book does sound strange and inconsistent. I could see it applying to beings such as bacteria within the human body, but I think the stretch is a bit much.

I love Cadfael because he is able to gently sway those around him into more loving/kind/just behavior. He also sees when ideas are inconsistent with actions, yet remains understanding and kind and true to himself. He's not quite too good to be true though.

23-pilgrim-
Muokkaaja: helmikuu 5, 2020, 3:25 pm

>21 littlegeek:, >22 MrsLee:. I agree with MrsLee that the Cadfael stories are very gentle (despite being about a murder).

Cadfael is a very plausible portrayal of someone who became a monastic out of conviction and choice. (As the series of books progresses, we learn more about his background, and why he made those choices.) As such, he lacks the ego of most fictional detectives. He had nothing to prove, no one to impress. He solves his mysteries simply from a desire to see that justice is done, and the wrong person is not punished.

There was an excellent BBC TV series based on the books, which followed then closely. Sir Derek Jacobi starred as Brother Cadfael.

My favourite fictional sleuth remains G. K. Chesterton's Father Brown. His stories are varied, but there is the same lack of ego in the character. Fr. Brown resembles a non-descript, slightly overweight country bumpkin - and if that causes people to underestimate his sharp intellect, and take him for a credulous fool, he is happy to let them.

Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot etc. need to show off how clever they are. Cadfael and Fr Brown are not playing to any audience; they are simply quietly doing the right thing.

24ScoLgo
tammikuu 26, 2020, 1:27 pm

>23 -pilgrim-: "Fr. Brown resembles a non-descript, slightly overweight country bumpkin - and if that causes people to underestimate his sharp intellect, and take him for a credulous fool, he is happy to let them."

Sounds an awful lot like Peter Falk's Columbo character. I wonder if they based him off Father Brown?

25pgmcc
Muokkaaja: tammikuu 26, 2020, 2:45 pm

>24 ScoLgo:
Sounds an awful lot like Peter Falk's Columbo character. I wonder if they based him off Father Brown?

You may need to sit down for this bit of news; Columbo's character was based on the policeman in the novel The Exorcist.

I read the novel before seeing the film and thought, "Oh! This character is Columbo. I can't wait to see how this appears in the film."

I watched the film and Lee J. Cobb played a regular, competent detective, but nothing like Columbo. I decided I had been mistaken.

The Exorcist being quite the talking point when it came out I bought a book about the making of the film, also written by Peter Blatty. In that book he stated that, as with making any film based on a novel, one is going to have to take things out as a film is never long enough to contain everything in the book. As an example he said they took out the character of the policeman and used it as the basis for Columbo.

This is my favourite question at a party, "Hey, do you know the connection between Columbo and The Exorcist?" I have not met anyone yet who knew the connection.

26ScoLgo
tammikuu 26, 2020, 9:47 pm

>25 pgmcc: Thanks for that! (It's a good thing I am in the habit of sitting while using the computer)

27Busifer
tammikuu 27, 2020, 5:44 am

>1 littlegeek: et al on A memory called Empire - I greatly enjoy that one, too. Though initially I started reading it in October but getting violently derailed halfway through by my trying to find a new job. Picked it back up again the other day and can't understand why I ever let it go!

>14 littlegeek: Though it feels good to not be alone in that boat I do wish for you to find your way back to reading. And to get rid of that sore thumb, without getting tid of the actual digit ;-)

28littlegeek
tammikuu 27, 2020, 11:45 am

It's nice to see people discussing mystery novels in my thread.

>25 pgmcc: I did not know that about Columbo! I might have to steal it for a party.

>27 Busifer: Thanks for the encouragement. As to my thumb, I still haven't gone to the doctor yet, nor given up knitting. It's at the "sometimes aches" stage, I'm probably going to push it until it's hurting all the time.

I am enjoying Brother Cadfael a lot so far, and for the reasons MrsLee mentions. I need some gentleness in my life rn.

29Sakerfalcon
tammikuu 28, 2020, 10:14 am

>21 littlegeek: I'm glad I'm not the only one to have disliked The stars are legion. I was beginning to feel like I'd failed to see some genius there. If the logistics of the worldbuilding keep throwing the reader out of the story, something is wrong. I didn't like the characters or their relationships either. I saw a lot of praise given for the fact that it's an all female world, but I didn't relate to the characters as women in any way - they might as well have been bugs or plants!

30littlegeek
tammikuu 28, 2020, 11:56 am

>29 Sakerfalcon: I agree! I don't think it's necessarily feminist for female characters to act like men, and the worst qualities generally attributed to men! I just don't get it. Also, it was really going hard for body horror, and while I'm not particularly squeamish, I don't think it added anything useful to the story to be grossed out constantly.

Spoiler tags for possible political comment?

31suitable1
tammikuu 28, 2020, 12:34 pm

> 30

This pub needs to remain free from politics.

32haydninvienna
tammikuu 28, 2020, 12:49 pm

>31 suitable1: Agreed, but I don't think the "spoiler" in >30 littlegeek: counts as politics.

33Bookmarque
tammikuu 28, 2020, 12:52 pm

Same here. I recently read a collection of short stories that are also labeled feminist, but so far as I could tell it was just a bunch of vicious, cruel, violent and manipulative women - taking on the roles normally attributed to men. This isn't feminism. It's just more psychosis on display.

34suitable1
tammikuu 28, 2020, 1:03 pm

>32 haydninvienna:

I interpreted the suggestion as a specific spoiler tag for political comments.

35littlegeek
tammikuu 28, 2020, 3:41 pm

I don't want to offend or violate the rules of GD. I answered Sakerfalcon's comment but put it in spoiler tags because I wasn't sure. If those comments need to go, that's fine with me.

36GreenDragon
tammikuu 28, 2020, 7:39 pm

>35 littlegeek: It does not need to go. I don't think >31 suitable1: was responding to your actual spoiler. If he is then he must be seeing something that I'm not seeing.

37pgmcc
tammikuu 29, 2020, 6:28 am

The GreenDragon has spoken.

Listen to the GreenDragon.

38Sakerfalcon
tammikuu 29, 2020, 8:09 am

>30 littlegeek: I am 100% in agreement with both your points!

39jjwilson61
tammikuu 29, 2020, 9:53 am

>36 GreenDragon: As suitable1 said in post 31, he interpreted "Spoiler tags for possible political comment?" to mean that LT should have specific spoiler tags for political content. I can see how they made that mistake.

40suitable1
tammikuu 29, 2020, 11:21 am

>39 jjwilson61:
Yes, the question ❓ made me think it was a suggestion. No issue with the actual content.

41littlegeek
tammikuu 29, 2020, 11:32 am

>40 suitable1: aha. I was so unsure that I put a question mark on a declarative sentence. Text only communication carries so many minefields.

42foggidawn
tammikuu 29, 2020, 3:14 pm

>23 -pilgrim-: I'm reminded that I need to try Father Brown again. I wasn't able to get into the stories on my last attempt, but I'm pretty sure that, in the right frame of mind, I would enjoy them.

43libraryperilous
tammikuu 29, 2020, 4:00 pm

I love the Cadfael series, and Brother Cadfael's Penance is one of my very favorite novels. I agree with -pilgrim- that he's a realistic character. I also like the way the series progresses through The Anarchy and Cadfael's opinion on the conflict stays true to his precepts but deepens.

44-pilgrim-
tammikuu 31, 2020, 6:19 am

>43 libraryperilous: That is my favourite one of the series too. And all the better for not coming earlier in the sequence.

45libraryperilous
tammikuu 31, 2020, 5:14 pm

>44 -pilgrim-: Oh, yes. I agree completely. Also, I don't know if Peters intended it to be the final entry, but I'm glad of the ending, since the book is the last one she wrote.

Have you ever read it on its own? I've thought to do that as a comfort read, but I find myself rereading the entire series in order. I worry that I'll water down Penance if I don't build up to it.

46-pilgrim-
Muokkaaja: helmikuu 4, 2020, 2:19 am

>45 libraryperilous: No, I haven't. And I don't tend to reread long series either.

But the sense of a man finding himself completely at peace, both with himself, and where he was meant to be, in those troubled times, was very powerful indeed.

47littlegeek
helmikuu 3, 2020, 12:45 pm

The whole Cadfael series is on Kindle Unlimited, which up to now I saw no reason to join. I may have to subscribe for a couple of months so I can read them all.

48MrsLee
helmikuu 4, 2020, 9:09 am

>47 littlegeek: Glad you are enjoying them! That's a good plan, so long as you remember to unsubscribe at the end. :)

49littlegeek
helmikuu 4, 2020, 11:44 am

>48 MrsLee: I'm pretty good about that. I'm cheap that way! I just signed up for a 2 month free trial.

50ScoLgo
helmikuu 4, 2020, 12:31 pm

>49 littlegeek: I'm a bit late to this but I notice there are Cadfael titles available in the Kindle Owner's Lending Library, (KOLL). If you already have a Prime membership, it might not be necessary to join Kindle Unlimited to read them. The main drawbacks to KOLL are only one book at a time and only one per month. Amazon is (understandably) all about pushing Kindle Unlimited subscriptions at people but the KOLL is still there too...

51littlegeek
helmikuu 4, 2020, 12:54 pm

>50 ScoLgo: Interesting, thanks. I still have 2 months to read as many as I want, but that's good knowledge. Also, I stopped Prime a while ago as I wasn't using it.

52ScoLgo
helmikuu 4, 2020, 1:09 pm

>51 littlegeek: Ah, well... I suppose the point is moot without Prime membership...

I'll be interested in your thoughts on Cadfael once you get to it.

53NorthernStar
helmikuu 4, 2020, 7:37 pm

I hope you like Cadfael. I must do a reread soon. My mother had a lot of mysteries, including quite a few by Ellis Peters, and she bought the Cadfael books as they came out in paperback. We were always anxious for the next one to come. Once I moved out, I had to collect them for myself.

54littlegeek
helmikuu 5, 2020, 1:35 pm

I finished the first Cadfael book and it was just the ticket! Just as MrsLee said, gentle, even though it's a murder mystery. I love how Cadfael made sure of the best possible outcome for everyone, even those who maybe didn't deserve it. Very entertaining, with compelling characters, especially Cadfael himself. I can't wait to learn more about him.

Started the next book right away, One Corpse Too Many.

55libraryperilous
helmikuu 8, 2020, 3:31 pm

>54 littlegeek: Ooh, this is where the series really takes off, because Hugh shows up and their friendship begins. Hugh is my favorite.

>53 NorthernStar: Do you have the ones with the beautiful stained glass-inspired covers?

56-pilgrim-
helmikuu 8, 2020, 4:26 pm

>55 libraryperilous: Do you have any examples? I haven't seen these stained glass style covers and they sound gorgeous.

My copies had pseudo-mediaeval lettering for the titles, with embellished letterforms, like the capitals and marginalia of illuminated manuscripts.

57libraryperilous
helmikuu 8, 2020, 4:43 pm

>56 -pilgrim-: Oh, your covers sound lovely as well!

The artist of the stained glass covers is Anne Bascove, who works under the name Bascove. Wikipedia tells me she also did some of Robertson Davies' covers. I have a copy of Brother Cadfael's Penance with this cover:

58-pilgrim-
helmikuu 8, 2020, 6:55 pm

>57 libraryperilous: And this is the cover for A Morbid Taste For Bones, as I first read it:

59NorthernStar
helmikuu 10, 2020, 12:35 am

>55 libraryperilous: I think all mine are like the ones -pilgrim- has. They are nice, but those stained glass ones are lovely.

60littlegeek
helmikuu 11, 2020, 12:49 pm

Finished book 2, and it was even better. I agree with MrsLee that Cadfael is just tiny bit too perfect, but right now I'm finding that comforting.

I'm needing comfort right now, as I just found out my sister's cancer is back and it's in her brain. She had surgery yesterday, and we'll find out the rest of her treatment plan tomorrow. Looks like radiation only. She had 4 spots but they are all very small so we do have hope.

Moved on to the next book, Monk's Hood.

61libraryperilous
Muokkaaja: helmikuu 11, 2020, 1:30 pm

>60 littlegeek: I'm so sorry. I hope the radiation treatment is successful.

I like that Cadfael is a bit too perfect because Peters kind of pokes fun at him for that in the books. I've lost count of the number of times she wryly writes that he says something "sententiously."

>58 -pilgrim-:, >59 NorthernStar: Yours are pretty too, and I like these from a UK reissue as well:

62-pilgrim-
helmikuu 11, 2020, 3:39 pm

>60 littlegeek: I am sorry to hear that news. I wish your sister all the best. Cancer is extremely unpredictable, as I have found myself.

63clamairy
helmikuu 11, 2020, 5:33 pm

>60 littlegeek: Oh no... I am so very sorry, Karen. Strength to all of you.

64AHS-Wolfy
helmikuu 12, 2020, 6:39 am

>60 littlegeek: Sad to hear that news. Hope your sister's treatment works out.

65pgmcc
helmikuu 12, 2020, 7:07 am

>60 littlegeek:
Sorry to hear that news. I hope the treatment works out well.

66hfglen
helmikuu 12, 2020, 7:44 am

>60 littlegeek: What Peter said.

67Bookmarque
helmikuu 12, 2020, 8:12 am

Well poop. I'm sorry it's shown up again. Cancer is a scourge. May the treatment be successful.

68haydninvienna
helmikuu 12, 2020, 8:28 am

>60 littlegeek: What they all said. Cancer is not only a scourge, but a sneaky, slippery one. Best wishes to your sister.

69MrsLee
helmikuu 13, 2020, 12:17 am

>60 littlegeek: Strength to you and your family, my friend.

70Sakerfalcon
helmikuu 13, 2020, 5:52 am

I'm sorry to hear about your sister. Sending my best wishes to you and your family.

71littlegeek
helmikuu 19, 2020, 5:05 pm

Thank you, all. My sister's spirits are good and the treatments should be over by the end of March. Beyond that, we do not know but are taking it one step at a time.

I was at a conference over the weekend, still managed to finish book 3 of Brother Cadfael. Enjoying these so much, they are just what I need right now. Comfort reading.

About half way through book 4, Saint Peter's Fair.

72littlegeek
helmikuu 28, 2020, 1:20 pm

Hello, All! I've been off having adventures (a pagan conference, for one thing) but I managed to read 1 1/2 books in the meantime.

St Peter's Fair was still Cadfael, but I figured out the murderer way early on so not as successful as the others so far. I do really love the pacing of these novels and how the author reveals subtle clues to the reader just in advance of the characters. It's quite a trick, and makes the reading fun.

Then I took a break from our esteemed monk to read Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey. It was ok, I finished it, but whatever. I'm getting tired of novels where every character is neurotic and spends lots of time fretting over their own competence. Anxiety is not depth. And it was one of those stories where not knowing how the world works is how the author keeps the mystery of the whodunnit going. That's not really fair to the reader!

Anyhoo, I'm now back to Brother Cadfael, where they've never heard of psychology but they know how to tell a good yarn. I'm on book 5 The Leper of St. Giles.

73MrsLee
maaliskuu 3, 2020, 6:16 pm

>72 littlegeek: Glad Cadfael is working for you. That is one of those series I can read again and again for the comfort of being with him and his world.

74littlegeek
maaliskuu 4, 2020, 2:06 pm

>73 MrsLee: I'm definitely needing comfort these days and not ashamed to indulge. The other thing I'm indulging in is Great British Sewing Bee on youtube. I love British competition shows, they are all so nice to each other. And I enjoy watching people practice their craft (being a knitter myself).

75littlegeek
maaliskuu 16, 2020, 12:20 pm

I tried another non-Cadfael book, The Border Keeper, but I found it nigh unintelligible. I'm sure that's partly a function of the current state of the world, but it's one of those books where you are plunged into the world immediately with no real bearings and no character development and yeah, I'm not equipped to deal with that right now.

I'm now reading the next Cadfael, The Virgin in the Ice. It's weird how murder and strife can be a comfort and a fantasy world cannot, but that's where we are are, I guess.

Hope everyone is staying as safe as they can.

76clamairy
maaliskuu 16, 2020, 2:34 pm

>75 littlegeek: Yes, I hear ya. You need something to pull you completely out of this time & place, I suspect.
Glad you are able to read.

77littlegeek
maaliskuu 16, 2020, 3:30 pm

>76 clamairy: I frankly haven't been reading much. I am almost out of British craft competition shows, tho, so I don't know what I'll do after that.

78clamairy
maaliskuu 16, 2020, 4:46 pm

:o(

79littlegeek
maaliskuu 21, 2020, 6:42 pm

Finished The Virgin in the Ice. I enjoyed this one a lot, much adventure. I was amused that Cadfael apparently fathered Zorro.

Taking a short break from Cadfael, now reading This is How You Lose the Time War. It's very trippy. Almost more poetry that narrative. I'm enjoying it tho.

I have been hoarding the Daevabad Trilogy books waiting for the third one to come out, but I am tempted to start them now.

Everyone stay safe!

80littlegeek
maaliskuu 23, 2020, 9:46 pm

Finished This is How you Lose the Time War. I really have no idea what "happened" in this book, but I don't really care. I loved the language so much that the plot and even the characters did not matter to me at all. Surreal, impressionistic, evocative, beautiful.

I've been threatening to reread Dune for years now and it seems like a very good time to do so. Spice must flow!

81libraryperilous
maaliskuu 24, 2020, 1:57 pm

>80 littlegeek: One of my favorite reads of the year so far. I'd like to read it again and interact more with the underlying ideas. It's an impressionistic story, but there's a lot going on under the surface that I'd like to explore.

82littlegeek
huhtikuu 29, 2020, 2:15 pm

Hi everyone! I haven't been to the GD for a month or so, it's been weird. I hope everyone is staying safe and well. I will try to catch up on threads soon.

I got about halfway through Dune and stalled out, but then I decided to listen to the audiobook while I work on the yearly weeding. I did finish it that way. It was as good as I remembered. It was very odd consuming a book I had read 40 years ago, it was like I remembered each plot point just before it "happened." It's a good one!

I also listened to Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo. Enjoyed it quite a bit. As usual with fantasy/horror/world building type books, the ending was much less satisfying than the setup, but I didn't mind. Kind of annoyed about the cliffhanger, tho...

Now listening to The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. More Russian folk tales, quite enjoying it.

Books I've read: The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin. Wow, I love her imagination! I'm not sure I totally bought the "human avatars of cities" thing, but I still enjoyed the ride. One of my favorite authors right now.

Almost done with The Sanctuary Sparrow, the next Cadfael book. I think I just might start the Daevabad Trilogy after this.

As for my life, I have been off work since March 17, but I am still getting paid. I have no idea when I'm going back, but I would assume it would be whenever Gov. Newsom officially declares "phase 2" of the reopening. Probably not til the end of May. I have been getting paid to weed and knit and play games on my iPad. Also cook and clean. I think I'm a housewife!

My husband works at a local grocery. Seven people came down with the virus. They had to shut down for almost a week while all the employees got tested. My husband came out negative (TG!) and he is back at work again. Pretty scary, but neither of us have had any symptoms so I wasn't that worried. My husband was once a cleaner at a hospital, he knows how to sanitize, so I think our chances are lower than many in our situation. I'm basically just staying put. I have asthma, so I'm just indulging my introvert tendencies.

Going to work my way through what I've missed on here. Sending good thoughts to everyone. Stay safe!

83clamairy
huhtikuu 29, 2020, 4:42 pm

>82 littlegeek: Welcome back! I too enjoyed The Ninth House, but did not realize it was the beginning of a series until I hit the cliffhanger at the end. I should have suspected as much, everything else of hers that I've read was part of a series.

84YouKneeK
huhtikuu 29, 2020, 7:22 pm

>82 littlegeek: I’m glad your husband tested negative! It must be crazy working at a grocery store right now. I’m also glad you’re able to still get paid even though you’re not working.

I tentatively have The Bear and the Nightingale on my schedule for later this year, probably sometime in the summer. I’m glad to see you’re enjoying it so far.

I’ve enjoyed all of Jemisin’s work so far, so I definitely want to read her latest book, but I’m going to wait until the series is finished and read it all at once.

85littlegeek
huhtikuu 29, 2020, 10:02 pm

>84 YouKneeK: The Jemisin doesn't have a cliffhanger, tho. It may be a series but it doesn't feel like one. Like Clammy, I was surprised by the end of Ninth House.

86Sakerfalcon
huhtikuu 30, 2020, 6:39 am

It's good to hear from you! I'm glad you and your husband are both well. This is a good time for us introverts!

Ninth House is on Mount Tbr, thanks for the cliffhanger warning. I loved The bear and the nightingale, hope you do too!

87YouKneeK
huhtikuu 30, 2020, 6:58 am

>85 littlegeek: For me it’s less about the cliffhangers than it is about wanting to remember all the details, both small and large, by the time I read the next book. I like to feel like I’m catching all the subtle connections and clues and references because I’m on top of everything that’s going on, but I don’t want to re-read the earlier books each time a new book comes out.

88MrsLee
toukokuu 1, 2020, 10:16 am

Glad you are well, and able to stay safe at home at this time. I see you on FB, so hadn't realized it had been that long since you were in the pub, but I'm glad you are back. This pub is my internet version of "Safe in Place."

89littlegeek
toukokuu 15, 2020, 12:31 pm

Finally finished The City of Brass. Hmph. I was so looking forward to this one, but sad to say I was disappointed. Political intrigue is usually something I really enjoy, but in this one, I could never parse what the hell was going on. And I've already purchased the other two books. Can I unpreorder the last book?

I finished listening to The Bear and the Nightingale which I enjoyed much more. It could have used a little editing, but otherwise it was fun. The only problem I had was the narrator kept pronouncing "mare" as "mayor" and it confused me until I figured that out!

My friends are doing a book club reading of Little, Big, and since it's my favorite novel I decided to play along. This time I am listening to the audiobook, read by the author himself. I got the whispersync so I will just be concentrating on this book for now.

I haven't been hanging out in the GD lately, I apologize. I hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy.

90ScoLgo
toukokuu 15, 2020, 2:52 pm

>89 littlegeek: I haven't read City of Brass yet but that elevated expectations thing can often be a real issue. There is also the 'mood' thing; I have often begun a book and found it not working, set it aside and come back to it later and find that suddenly, it clicks.

Did you purchase the pre-order from Amazon? I currently have a pre-order for a different book with them and, having just checked, there is a 'Cancel' option for the item when I view 'My Orders'. If you can't cancel the pre-order, then I hope you will find the books more enjoyable when you get around to reading the rest of the series.

91-pilgrim-
Muokkaaja: toukokuu 15, 2020, 5:17 pm

>89 littlegeek:
I found City of Brass good, and thoroughly enjoyed it, but not as exceptional as the hype implied. I actually found Alif the Unseen as a better take on humans getting mixed up in the affairs of the djinn.

92Sakerfalcon
toukokuu 18, 2020, 5:42 am

I loved The bear and the nightingale but that mispronunciation must have been incredibly distracting!

93littlegeek
kesäkuu 10, 2020, 2:27 pm

Hi Everyone,

It's been a while since I visited the GD. I find myself not reading much these days. I have a beta novel from a friend I'm slowly working my way through, but not much else. I'm too distracted by the world these days to concentrate well.

This is my second week back at work. All precautions are being taken, and our county's incidence is low, but still climbing. I am very worried COVID is going to come back in force as authorities ignore the stats and insist on "reopening" anyway. As of Friday, our county will be opening up the bars again, but the beaches remain closed. I just don't get it.

Having said all that, I fully support the protests. I will say no more because of the no politics rule.

Hope you are all staying safe and doing well. I will try to catch up here if I can. After a week or two of being gone it seems insurmountable to catch up, and then more weeks go by. But I do care about each and every one of you.

94clamairy
kesäkuu 10, 2020, 3:39 pm

>93 littlegeek: You've been missed but I understand completely. I have actually been coming in here more and spending less time on Facebook & Twitter because it is much less combative and depressing.

I did see California is one of the states with rising cases, so STAY SAFE!

95suitable1
kesäkuu 11, 2020, 12:19 am

It's hard to be combative after a couple PGGBs.

96Busifer
kesäkuu 13, 2020, 8:15 am

>93 littlegeek: You've been missed, but like Clam I understand. Not least because I too am kind of hovering at the pub edges.
I watch everything that goes on in the US at a distance, and I'll stop it there, out of respect for the pub rules, but I hope you'll manage to stay safe from covid.

Looking a few posts up I saw you didn't enjoy City of Brass as much as you had expected, and perhaps it's a bit of what >90 ScoLgo: said on expectations, and maybe a bit of what >91 -pilgrim-: said, too. But I don't read it as djinn vs humans at all, and I don't want to get into politics here so I'll just describe it in the most circumspect way: I see parallels with several ongoing or historical situations were more than one group think of a land area as theirs, with one group or more designating themselves as somehow superior and therefore more valuable, worthy - suppressing and maltreating the other group/s. And so on.

Anyway, what one enjoys is but subjective and personal, and part of the experience is the tone of voice, the characters, and so on.
I hope you manage to cancel the preorder if you decide to leave the story!

97Karlstar
kesäkuu 19, 2020, 6:28 pm

>93 littlegeek: Welcome back! The world is very distracting right now, very understandable. I've found myself reading at what is likely a record slow pace for me.

I also did not think City of Brass lived up to the hype and I also found the politics way too confusing. Even with the explanations at the back, who's a daeva and who isn't and who doesn't get along with which was just not clear.

98littlegeek
syyskuu 15, 2020, 4:41 pm

Hi Everyone, checking in. I guess my LT time is just going to be sporadic, that's where I am right now.

Here's a sumup I posted in the September thread:

Things have been sketchy. Our town was evacuated for about a week because of fires, luckily my husband and I were able to stay in a friend's RV. Now we are dealing with the lingering smoke, which for me is difficult as I have asthma. I have a HEPA filter, but they only do so much. Our AQI is "only" around 150, but that's enough for me to have breathing issues.

Still working from the office, but it's so dreadfully slow that I'm mostly working on long term archiving projects which are woefully dull. The good news there is that I can listen to audiobooks while I work. Right now I'm going through a reread of A Gentleman in Moscow as my book club is reading it. What a perfect book for our current circumstance. It is very much helping my mood.

Sending good thoughts to all affected by the myriad challenges of 2020.

I'd like to add a completely trivial whinge: I don't go to stores unless absolutely necessary, hence a lot of shopping via internet. But the post office doesn't work so well so I never know if I'm going to get the stuff I order. Especially bad since the evacuations. I think the title to the car I bought at the end of July got lost in the mail.

99foggidawn
syyskuu 15, 2020, 5:30 pm

>98 littlegeek: I also read A Gentleman in Moscow earlier this year, and I agree, it's perfect for now. Sorry about your postal woes!

100clamairy
syyskuu 15, 2020, 9:38 pm

>98 littlegeek: Stay safe, Karen. I keep an eye on you on FB, but I'm always happier to see you posting in here, because there's usually more detail. Hope all settles down for you soon. Good luck with those breathing issues.

101pgmcc
Muokkaaja: syyskuu 16, 2020, 6:23 am

>89 littlegeek:

Sorry to hear you were not impressed by The City of Brass. I lived through the recent troubles in Northern Ireland and the thing that struck me when I read The City of Brass was that it could have been written about Northern Ireland. The politics, the personal relationships, the prejudices, and the incidents of violence in the book, were all things that I could point to real life situations during the troubles at home. The author produced a book that captured the essence of the real world troubles. I was left with the impression that Chakraborty had written a book that reflected the feelings and events of divided communities everywhere and showed how unscrupulous people use any prejudices in a population to cause trouble to enhance what power they might have and to gain further status.

>98 littlegeek:

I loved A Gentleman In Moscow. I can see how it would be a pleasant re-read. I read it in small chunks as I wanted it to last. It brought me into a world that was pure luxury.

102SarahRhodes
syyskuu 16, 2020, 5:27 am

Tämä käyttäjä on poistettu roskaamisen vuoksi.

103littlegeek
Muokkaaja: syyskuu 16, 2020, 2:02 pm

>101 pgmcc: I totally get why the novel appeals but for me personally, it wasn't easy to figure out who was mad at whom and for what. Maybe that's the point? I may read the others because perhaps the fog will clear a bit. I didn't hate it, I just had trouble making sense of it.

I was going to go back and figure out what I've been reading since I was here last, just parsing from my Kindle. I joined a book club for the first time, mostly because it's my dearest friends and a way for us to connect during this time of limited social interaction. So far we have read Little, Big (basically my favorite book), Snow Crash (fun and kind of silly, but the best Stephenson I've read), Death Comes as the End (Agatha Christie, pretty good), and Powers of Darkness (a retelling of Dracula, very weird). Right now we are working on A Gentleman in Moscow, which was my suggestion. People are enjoying it so thank the goddess for that.

For my own reading I've been working my way through 3 series: the Cadfael books (last one I read was The Devil's Novice), the Lymond Chronicles (last read was The Disorderly Knights), and the Nine Realms series (have only read the first book A Queen in Hiding but I quite enjoyed it and will be reading more). In between these I have managed rereads of Barchester Towers (a brilliant characterization of toxic masculinity in Mr. Slope, and a perfect "church lady" in Mrs Proudie), Dune (still good!), and some other stuff I'm probably forgetting.

Not bad considering it's 2020.

Back to catching up on y'all.

104pgmcc
syyskuu 16, 2020, 5:26 pm

>103 littlegeek:
Little, Big is a book that was recommended to my a few years ago and I have a copy of it sitting in the lower half of a pile of books awaiting attention. Your description of it as "basically my favorite book" has ensured it will move up the pile sooner that might otherwise have been the case.

Snow Crash is my favourite Stephenson novel.

As I have mentioned before, I loved A Gentleman in Moscow.

Barchester Towers is the only Trollope I have read and I loved it. I have bought more of his books but, as one might expect, not gotten round to them as yet.

I read Dune for the first time about two years ago and loved it. Up to that time I had only seen the film and intended to read the book.

105littlegeek
Muokkaaja: syyskuu 16, 2020, 7:12 pm

>Re Barchester Towers - it's probably the best-loved and best-known Trollope because of the humor. Most of his other books are more dry, but they are psychologically astute. Especially relevant to current events are Phineas Finn and The Way We Live Now.

106MrsLee
syyskuu 17, 2020, 9:51 am

>98 littlegeek: Don't give up on the DMV license yet, they have been very slow for some of our customers, not so much for others. I'm not sure what the difference is. Also, there have been a couple of deals where moi forgot to include one paper, or got one piece of information wrong, and I am only now getting corrections from July sales. I wish there were somewhere for people to track DMV mailings like we can for other important packages. That being said, if there is nothing tricky about your mailing address (being different from your residence address) or sale (such as buying a heavy duty truck which gets tricky with the weight fees), try to call them and see what's up. Good luck! You could also try calling the dealership where you purchased your car and ask them to look into it. There are limited things they can do, but if you come across a willing soul, they might at least run a KSR for you and check that they entered the correct mailing address for your paperwork. I get a lot of those calls. :)

107littlegeek
syyskuu 17, 2020, 2:17 pm

>106 MrsLee: Thank you for your expert advice! I will be patient for another week or two, then try your suggestions.

108littlegeek
syyskuu 29, 2020, 4:52 pm

Started reading the new Susanna Clark, Piranesi. It's really weird, but I'm enjoying it.

109MrsLee
Muokkaaja: syyskuu 30, 2020, 6:29 pm

>108 littlegeek: Is it written in a similar style to her Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell? I really loved that one, but I'm not sure I could read it if I picked it up for the first time today.

110littlegeek
lokakuu 1, 2020, 11:43 am

>109 MrsLee: Not at all. It's very strange, but the style and setting is modern. I really enjoyed it. Also, it's a quick read, only 250 pages.

Now reading Outside, Looking In. I haven't read a TC Boyle novel in years, but I always enjoy his books, especially for the style and how well-researched they are. This one is about Timothy Leary.

111-pilgrim-
lokakuu 1, 2020, 1:03 pm

>108 littlegeek:, >110 littlegeek: That is a direct BB on me then.

112littlegeek
lokakuu 1, 2020, 6:15 pm

>111 -pilgrim-: Hope you enjoy it. Try not to find out anything about it. Just let it wash over you. (There's a pun in there somewhere.)

113littlegeek
lokakuu 13, 2020, 3:34 pm

Finished the Boyle. It was good, but not as good as some of his other books.

Now reading The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by Victoria Schwab. Not the most original premise, but I'm enjoying it so far. Schwab writes very well.

114Sakerfalcon
lokakuu 14, 2020, 10:46 am

I just read my first T. C. Boyle book, The terranauts, and enjoyed it. Which others by him would you recommend?

115Bookmarque
Muokkaaja: lokakuu 14, 2020, 10:04 am

Can I jump in about TC Boyle??

I tend to divide Boyle’s novels into two camps - romps, capers and adventures - Budding Prospects, The Harder they Come, Talk, Talk and Drop City and Water Music

and historical fiction - Riven Rock, San Miguel, The Road to Wellville, The Women, World’s End, Inner Circle and Outside Looking In all revolve around real people and events.

Well, three actually - his environmental/political novels like Terranauts, A Friend of the Earth and When the Killing's Done.

Phew! I think maybe San Miguel is my favorite, but I love Drop City, too. Oh, World's End is fabulous, also.

A device he uses for some of the historical fiction is to take a real event or situation and construct a fictional character as our guide. He does this with Inner Circle and The Women as well as Outside Looking In.

I've reviewed a ton of his books so you might check out those. I am a fan although not all books are equally loved.

116Sakerfalcon
lokakuu 14, 2020, 2:06 pm

>115 Bookmarque: All input is welcome, so thank you! I own Drop City so I'm glad to see that it is one of your favourites.

117Bookmarque
lokakuu 14, 2020, 10:08 am

You're so welcome. Boyle can write the walls down, so enjoy! I have one novel here and two books of short stories that I really have to get to.

118littlegeek
lokakuu 14, 2020, 1:41 pm

For me, the best Boyle novel is Tortilla Curtain, but World's End was the first I read and it remains a favorite. Also probably because I lived in the Mid-Hudson Valley for a while and I know all the places.

119Sakerfalcon
lokakuu 21, 2020, 9:36 am

>117 Bookmarque:, >118 littlegeek: Thank you both for your feedback. I had no idea how many novels and story collections Boyle has written - plenty to keep me going for a good long time! Thanks for your suggestions on where to start.

120littlegeek
lokakuu 21, 2020, 12:56 pm

Welp, I finished The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and am sad to say it was only a "meh" for me. I have enjoyed other novels by this author and was expecting some zigging when I thought it would zag and it disappointed me in that respect. Very predictable, and way too long.

I have downloaded a couple of books, but I think I will next read A Mercy by Toni Morrison because it's the only one left in the Super Rooster that I haven't read and I want to have an opinion about the semi-finals.

121littlegeek
lokakuu 27, 2020, 12:20 pm

A Mercy was amazing like everything Toni Morrison. Then I decided to reread The Sellout, my favorite book of the tournament, because it was eliminated. Still a masterpiece!

After two straight masterpieces, what do you read? I think it will be The Long Ships by Frans Bengtsson, a nice long yarn about Vikings.

122littlegeek
marraskuu 9, 2020, 2:19 pm

Got about 1/4 of the way through The Long Ships, and it's fun, but I need something more contemporary. I am (finally) reading War for the Oaks, which everyone who knows me has been recommending to me for decades. It's a little dated in the pop culture reference category, but I remember the 80s so it's working for me!