What are you reading the week of June 5, 2021?

I finished Liberty Bar, but I'm having difficulty finding something that holds my attention. Nothing seems to be doing it for me. If it's challenging or long, then it feels like too much work. If it's light reading it feels like a waste of time. But time marches on even if your not reading, so you may as well read something. Maybe some history would work.

Enjoying this OverDrive audiobook ~

The Plot
by Jean Hanff Korelitz

I'm reading Reining in Murder by Leigh Hearon in honor of The Belmont Stakes today. It's a fun horsey mystery so far.

reading Juniper Wiles by Charles de Lint, The Mist of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, and Beneath Devil's Bridge by Loreth Anne White.

Currently reading Come Back to Sorrento by Dawn Powell and Surrounded By Idiots by Thomas Erikson.

Jim

Fighting for Atlanta is moving along slowly. Finished Defekt & 1973: Rock at the Crossroads. Burning Down the House and The Only Good Indians probably up next.

Just finished The Lost Apothecary, a 5 star read for me. A debut novel, it is a historical novel that switches between 18th century and modern-day London. I read this one practically overnight.

I'm closing in on the halfway point of The Souls of Black Folk, W.E.B. Du Bois' classic and stupendous set of essays about Black lives and aspirations, written in 1903 in the face of the fury and horror of Jim Crow. I'm also gradually reading through the collection, The Best of It: New and Selected Poems by Kay Ryan, for my reading group.

Approaching the half way point of listening to the huge Paris 1919 by Margaret MacMillan. Romanians and Bulgarians whining to grab land; economists expressing dismay that nations still scrabbling for reparations from Germany instead of establish a post-war pan-European economic cooperative.

Still digging in with Fossil Men by Kermit Pattison and finding it a lot more enjoyable than the above history.

Need to start a couple of review books but can't find the time to fit them in at the moment.

So I'm happily following my weekly reading plan.

Short fiction - selections from:
The Collected Stories of Katherine Anne Porter
The Roald Dahl Omnibus

Plays:
Finished The Piano Lesson - August Wilson
Started Uncommon Women and Others - Wendy Wasserstein

Continuing work with Timon of Athens - William Shakespeare while I prep a monologue for a self tape audition. Not a great play and not often performed, but there's juicy material to work with as Timon goes on endless tirades against Athens, Athenians and all of humanity. I'm doing one describing humans as just another link with all other beats in the indifferent food chain.

An Irish Country Village – Patrick Taylor
Book on CD narrated by John Keating
4****

Book two in the popular Irish Country Doctor series, relating the trials and tribulations of young Dr. Barry Laverty as he begins his practice as a country GP in the mid-1960s in Ballybucklebo, a fictitious community in Northern Ireland full of eccentric and memorable residents.

The entire book takes place over just a few weeks, immediately following the events of book one. Dr Laverty is faced with a possible malpractice suit, damaging his reputation and forcing him to return to apprentice role under senior physician Dr Fingal Flahertie O’Reilly. That’s bad enough but his relationship with Patricia Spence has hit a snag. But their devoted housekeeper, Mrs Kincaid (a/k/a Kinky) assures young Barry that everything will work out.

Taylor has a gift for making his character so alive they fairly jump off the page. Whether the exuberance of a bellowing O’Reilly, or the quiet pleading of the elderly Sonny, I felt I knew these people. I also love the descriptions he gives of the landscape; makes me feels that I’ve actually been to Northern Ireland.

I came late to this party, having only read the first book last year. But I was completely delighted, and I’ll keep reading this series. They lift my heart and bring laughter into my world.

The audiobook is performed by the talented John Keating. Whether voicing O’Reilly, Patricia, Barry, Kinky or any of the many other characters, he brings them to life and gives each a unique voice. Fantastic performance!

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin- something a little shorter this time!

>10 boulder_a_t: I like Dahl's short stories!

The Horse and His Boy
C.S. Lewis
3/5 stars
Shasta, a young boy is on the run accompanied by Bree who is a talking horse. They hear of a dangerous plot by the Calormen who want to take over Narnia and they rush to stop the plan. Not my favorite of the three stories of Narnia that I have read so far but not bad.

Zen Pencils: Cartoon Quotes from Inspirational Folks
Gavin Aung Than
4/5 stars
I originally found this comic strip series on Today's Comics but it eventually ended. I was thrilled to find there are different editions of it published in book form and our library system had a copy of one of the editions. The author would take a famous inspirational quote and illustrate a short story around it. I thought it was nicely done!

finished Beneath Devil's Bridge by Loreth Anne White. not a pleasant book.

next up is Guiltless by Viveca Sten.

I just finished Leonardo Da Vinci. It is an exploration of the life, art, and genius of Da Vinci using his copious notebooks as the primary source. It is accessible, inspiring, and awe inspiring while also exposing some imperfections.

Not much reading done this week. Have been having some issues with recurrent vertigo, and all I can really do is sleep.

Did finish Miss Benson's Beetle for my F2F group, which meets tomorrow. Hopefully, I will feel well enough to go. It's a charming book about an unlikely friendship between two women who set off to find an insect that may not even exist, and end up finding lots of other things.

I haven't really reviewed it yet ... would like to give it a little more thought when I'm feeling mentally sharper, but I do have a question. If "buddy movies" (or books) about men's friendships are "bromances", what's the equivalent term for the same kind of deep friendship between women?

A Stab In the Dark – Lawrence Block
Digital audiobook read by William Roberts
3***

Matthew Scudder series, number four. Scudder is a former NYPD detective who now free-lances as a detective on seemingly impossible cases. He doesn’t have an office, or business cards, and takes only those cases that interest him and that he feels he may be able to help. Definitely unconventional

This time out he’s approached by a man who wants answers on his daughter’s murder some nine years previous. Her killing was attributed to the Ice Pick Killer, a serial killer who recently confessed to a series of murders. But he could not possibly have murdered Barbara Ettinger; he was hospitalized at the time of her death. So who did it?

Block writes a tight, fast-moving, noir police-procedural. Scudder is something of a mystery himself. Oh, we know why he left the force and we’re privy to his demons, but he plays his cards close to the vest. Watching him ferret out the truth is engaging and fascinating.

William Roberts does a fine job of narrating the audiobook. He sets a good pace and brings Scudder (and the other characters) to life.

>17 LyndaInOregon: Are recorded books helpful in allowing you to "read" with your ears instead of eyes to avoid vertigo?

I finished reading the amazing Dance To The Music Of Time, 3rd Movement by Anthony Powell.

Next up for reading is Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi.

>19 Limelite: I haven't tried audiobooks during these bouts. It's an idea, though, as I can borrow them on my Kindle via Overdrive, and not have to go out somewhere to pick them up. They do have a tendency to put me to sleep, but so does the anti-nausea medication, so I have nothing to lose!

>21 LyndaInOregon: I hope you feel better soon. I had vertigo Christmas Day 2019 and couldn't even get off the couch, not even to eat a fabulous Filet Mignon dinner. I was sent to physical therapy and they did wonders for me.

"If "buddy movies" (or books) about men's friendships are "bromances", what's the equivalent term for the same kind of deep friendship between women?"

Womances? :)

>22 perennialreader:

Sisterhood, perhaps?

Enjoying this OverDrive audiobook ~

The Last Thing He Told Me: A Novel
by Laura Dave

(4.5 stars)

Finished from the library:
Flamebringer by Elle Katharine White
#3 and finale in the Heartstone trilogy. I missed it when it first came out!

The Librarian of Saint-Malo by Mario Escobar
Set in the historic port city of St-Malo during WWII. I've been there so it was a joy to "revisit" it through this novel.

The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu (Note: he's also published as Tendai Huchu)
The 1st installment in the "Edinburgh Nights" series. A young teen speaks to ghosts in the post apocalytic Scottish capitol city.

Prince Caspian
C.S. Lewis
3/5 stars
The siblings Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy are returning to boarding school when they are whisked away to go back to Narnia where they find Trumpkin the dwarf who explains to them what is going on in Narnia. King Caspian has been killed by his brother who is now ruling Narnia. The siblings take up Prince Caspian’s cause to be instated as the new King. Not my favorite of the series but it was well written.

My Planet: Finding Humor in the Oddest Places
Mary Roach
4/5 stars
Mary Roach is known for her excellent non-fiction books including STIFF: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, and GULP: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, however in this book, she has written short humorous essays on her life and marriage. I thought this was quite funny but too short!

I am currently reading The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
and The Eating Disorder Trap A Guide for Clinicians and Loved Ones by Robyn Goldberg.

>26 JulieLill: Love Mary Roach! I don't know how anybody can get humor out of what happens to the human body after death (Stiff), but I laughed so hard I cried.

Finished Body Surfing this evening. It was a quick read. Shreve's stuff is generally enjoyable and not overly challenging. Just the thing for a somewhat fuzzy brain.

Vertigo is lessening a bit. I know from experience that it takes me about 9 days to get over a bout of BPPV (Google it if you're really curious) and the end of Day 6 is coming up.

finished Guiltless by Viveca Sten. mostly liked it. added a re-read Neuromancer by William Gibson to my rotation.

Just finished reading "A History of the Wife" by Marilyn Yalom. Interesting and love the historical contrasts, wanted a bit more contrast towards the end. Overall interesting read and learned from it.

Currently splitting:

1. A Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

2. The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Milk, M.D.

Gave up on We Hunt the Flame, which was given to me by someone.

I don't read much YA, don't read much epic fantasy, and don't read books that are part of a series. This one scored on all points, and I found myself finding excuses to keep from sitting down to read a few more chapters.

Life is too short for that.

The new thread is up over here.

>16 snash: thanks for the recommendation. I traveled to where he has lived in Italy and France. I think this could be a good book as his life ended in one of my favorite towns in France.

I finished Pride: The Unlikely Story of the True Heroes of the Miner's Strike by Tim Tate yesterday. It's a great little piece of history and mostly told by the participants themselves. Now I can't wait to see the movie!

I finished Call the Midwife, a memoir about midwifery in 1950 slums of London. While describing distressing living conditions the book has a life affirming tone to it. It's easy to see why it was made into a TV series.

>37 snash: Just ordered that from Paperback Swap! Thanks for pointing it out.