Reading with Style discussion
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SP 18 Completed Tasks
15.4 Reading the DecadesThousand Cranes by Yasunari Kawabata
+15 Task (published 52)
Post Total: 15
Season Total: 190
15.1 Reading the DecadesAn Amish Heirloom by Amy Clipston and others
year: 18
+15 task
Post Total: 15
Season Total: 15
10.7 Neutral Name (Anika's Task)Wanted, A Gentleman by K.J. Charles
A brisk Georgian romance. Theo Swann scrapes together a living from words and romantic hopes: he's the editor of a lonely hearts advertisement rag, and he himself secretly pens wild gothic romances. His financial situation is relentlessly dire, and so when Martin St. Vincent enters his office and offers him compensation for assistance in tracking down the identity of a certain pseudonymous lonely hearts writer, Theo agrees to help. It's only pragmatic.
Martin is intent on uncovering and stopping a probably-a-predator carrying on an inappropriate courtship with an impressionable young lady through letters and advertisements. Said young lady is the daughter of the family that had once enslaved, then later emancipated, Martin. Martin has an ambivalent relationship with this family, and ambivalent feelings about that ambivalent relationship. This, to me, was one of the most interesting parts of the book, and I appreciate that Charles didn't milk it for angst but rather let it be a steady pulse for Martin, influencing his choices and his relationship with Theo. (In the author's note, Charles notes that this is basically the seed of this book: (view spoiler))
The elements going into this book are diverse--I laughed out loud at times, and I was struck back with seriousness more than once--and I thought Charles more or less managed a successful balance. There's the thread of a dramatic gothic romance as Martin and Theo attempt to track down the elopers and find themselves playing the roles of villains, and there's acknowledgment of the seriousness and squickiness of the entire situation. Martin's perspective and Theo's perspective, given their histories, intersect with these issues and bring into relief elements that are often a part of romance novels but aren't in focus: the transactional nature of relationships, and the ability of humans to use and abuse each other, and what does love and want have to do with any of it. For me, the book was successful because it focused on who Martin and Theo were at their core and who they wanted to be, the best selves they were in the process of becoming. Despite the short length of the book, I really believed in the character development.
I found the execution of the last-half of the book a bit silly, despite the fact we were in gothic romance territory. (view spoiler)
+10 Task (K.J.)
+5 Combo (10.5 -- 983 ratings, approved in task thread)
+10 Review
Total: 25
Season Total: 75
15.3 Reading the DecadesThe Corner Shop by Elizabeth Cadell
+15 Task -- published in '66
Total: 15
Season Total: 90
10.5 - Green StoneArm Candy by Jessica Lemmon
I was looking for a fun, relatively angst-free contemporary romance and this fit the bill. Both the hero and heroine are serial daters who drop people before they get too attached - Davis because he was abandoned at the altar, Grace because her divorced parents have warned her away from marriage. A friendly bet turns into sparks and the couple has to decide if they're willing to go all in on their relationship.
Davis is an odd mix of alpha and beta hero that mostly works. Grace ended up annoying me near the end because a single conversation with her mom leads to a "black moment" that almost pushes Davis away for good. Overall the book isn't bad but it isn't all that memorable, either.
+10 task
+10 review
Task total: 20 points
Grand total: 20 points
10.9 Double Trouble (Karen Michele's Task)The Ghostwriter by Alessandra Torre
I'm not sure I am in the intended audience group for this book. My rating is generous because of that and the main story of the book. The twists took me by surprise and I found the plot unique in the end with the exception of (view spoiler) I wasn't crazy about the writing style and some of the disjunct scenes that I didn't find flowed into the story. The cow scene would be one example of this problem. (view spoiler) My rating comes out as a generous average of the writing itself (2) and the plot of the story within the story (5).
+10 Task: Mystery / Contemporary
+10 Review
Task Total: 20
Season Total: 80
20.2 The Blazing WorldRise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us, from Missiles to the Moon to Mars by Nathalia Holt
+20 Task: Feminism on main page, 85 users
+10 Not a Novel
Task Total: 30
Season Total: 110
20.9 - JumboCommand and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety by Eric Schlosser
While I've read books about nuclear power this was my first about nuclear weapons and woah. By all rights we should all be dead by now, maybe ten times over. There are two interleaving story arcs, one about the history of nuclear weapons from the Manhattan Project through the early 2000s, and another that covers a Titan II missile accident.
I had no idea that there were so many mishaps, mistakes, and close calls - planes holding H-bombs catching fire on the runway, nukes lost at sea, early warning systems that misinterpret the moon rising over Sweden has incoming ballistic missiles. My school history books didn't do a good job covering the Cold War so Command and Control helped me reach a much needed deeper understanding. We should all know this history, if only to make sure we don't repeat it.
+20 task (656 pages)
+10 not-a-novel
+10 review
+5 jumbo
Task total: 45 points
Grand total: 65 points
(eta: jumbo points :P)
10.9 Double TroubleKillers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann
Review: David Grann puts together the story of a series of murders in Oklahoma in the 1920’s of Osage Indians and allies. The apparent motive was the wealth generated by oil leases and to prevent the plots from being discovered. The investigation that successfully uncovered and prosecuted some of the perpetrators was conducted by what became the FBI. This is when J. Edgar Hoover began his career as its head. Grann includes some insights into Hoover and how he ran the Bureau. The story of Tom White, the FBI agent that led the investigation is particularly well told. What an interesting person.
The book illustrates how the Justice System can be broken by people of wealth and power especially when the victims are powerless people of color.
+10 task historical 118/mystery 209
+10 review
+10 NAN
Task total: 30
Season total: 60
20.6 Dead SoulsSome Buried Caesar by Rex Stout
The sixth Nero Wolfe mystery by the great Rex Stout, and the first one I have read for many years. My grandfather was a fan and I read a lot of these as a teenager. But I didn’t remember any details except for the recurring characters Nero Wolfe the great detective and orchid-lover, his sidekick the womanizing Archie Goodwin, and Wolfe’s cook who didn’t appear in this one.
Wolfe and Archie have a tyre blowout on their way to an orchid show and are chased by a bull who turns out to be the subject of a dispute that ends in two murders (or three, if you count the murder of the bull). There are some hilarious moments, and it took me a while to guess the murderer—and then it was only because there’s such a small pool of suspects. Recommended for old-time mystery fans!
+20 task (T)
+10 review
+10 oldies (1939)
Post Total: 40
Season Total: 55
20.9 - JumboPachinko by Min Jin Lee
+ 20 Task
+5- Combo - 10.9
+5 -Jumbo (537 pages)
Post total: 30
Season total: 30
15.1 - READING THE DECADESDaughter of Joy by Kathleen Morgan
Decade- published 99
+15 task
Post total: 15
Season total: 45
15.4 Reading the DecadesResistance by Anita Shreve
+15 Task (published 95)
Task total = 15
Season total = 60
20.9 - 689 pagesHelter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi
Well, this book was both fascinating and enlightening. The story of the murders themselves is pretty gruesome but the detailing of the investigation (or should I say initial lack thereof) and trial itself was really interesting. You very quickly get a sense of how the entire case could have and almost did go off the rails because of sheer bloodymindedness and incompetence, as well as just how much of a circus the trial *could* have been. It’s very interesting to see just how everything fell into place, both on Spahn Ranch and in the courtroom. Bugliosi tells the story very well without being high handed about being the prosecuting attorney. Highly recommended for true crime buffs.
+20 task
+10 combo (10.9 - history/mystery, 20.4)
+5 oldie
+10 not a novel
+5 jumbo
+10 review
Task total: 60
Grand total: 140
10.1 Square Peg13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened In Benghazi by Mitchell Zuckoff
+10 - task
+10 - non novel
Task Total - 20
Season Total - 40
10.3 Series This Thing of Darkness by Harry Bingham
This is book 4 in a really interesting, not very well known mystery series. Fiona Griffiths, the main character, is a Welsh police officer who, in her teen years, suffered from Cotard's Syndrome. This illness makes you believe you are dead. Having recovered from this, Fiona has a special affinity for the dead, making her an excellent homicide investigator, and has a really odd way of being in the world, making her an interesting character to read about! This is definitely a series that works best when read in order -- at this point in the series we've seen Fiona develop into a bit more of a team player in investigations and in this installment, she's making connections between a group of seemingly very different crimes to unravel a larger financial plot. One of the things I enjoy about the series is that while Fiona is an excellent detective and in that way figures things out quicker than her colleagues, the author doesn't cheat - all the clues and the logic are there, so you can think alongside Fiona.
+10 task (#4 in series)
+5 combo (10.5 - 947 ratings)
+10 review
Task Total: 25
Season Total: 25
20.9 Jumbo (Kate S's Task)The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy #1) by S.A. Chakraborty
Book has been shelved as Young Adult on GR but not at BPL (nor my library)
Review
The City of Brass is a surprisingly easy and fast read! On the other hand, I’ve just finished Hero at the Fall (Rebels of the Sand #3) which has similar sort of setting (desert) & theme (Arabian, djinns, magic, etc) so I feel that I didn’t have to readjust myself to a completely new world (which would usually take me the first hour or so) and so, a very quick read despite the hefty 544 pages.
The main character, Nahri, is a gutsy girl trying to survive in the dirty smelly and tough streets of Cairo. And one day, she inadvertently used magic to call someone… or is it, something?! Her world forever changed as she ran from those who are trying to kill her but is there safety to be had at the end of the road? The City of Brass is simmering with discontent and conspiracies abound. Nahri will have to be especially quick on her feet to navigate this new political world that will use her just a ruthlessly.
I surprised myself just by how quickly I’ve read the book. The language was very easy for the reader’s discernment and while I didn’t think there was a particularly shocking twist, the ending makes me feel like this was a very long set up to something else. I’m feeling a tad discontented but definitely curious with what’s coming!
+20 Task
+10 Combo (10.7 - initial names; 20.6 - chakRaboRty)
+10 Review
+ 5 Jumbo (544 pages)
Post Total: 45
Season Total: 110
20.7 The Red QueenEver After: A Gay Fairy Tale by Riley Hart
Review: Riley Hart and Christina Lee wrote a series of romances I really enjoyed, so when I saw they were heading into fairy tale territory with this new series, I was pretty excited. Ever After is cute, but it almost reads as a young adult novel, which wasn’t as satisfying as I expected. I did enjoy the way they played around with the worldbuilding, clearly not taking anything too seriously. There are cars… but no telephones. Homosexuality is not accepted, but it’s not a crime. It’s an interesting set of criteria. I kind of landed on picturing it as a slightly off-kilter royal Downton Abbey.
+20 Task (Prince Merrick is one of two main characters)
+5 Combo (10.5)
+10 Review
Task Total: 35
Grand Total: 35
10.5 Green StoneAtonement by Gaétan Soucy
102 ratings
I found this short novel at the library book sale. I bought it mainly because it is by a Quebecois author, and it seems to me that Quebecois authors are hard to access in English Canada.
This book is well written and well translated. It takes place in a very small Quebec village, just after WW2, in winter. The imagery is very evocative, you can feel the cold as the main character (Louis) is moving through the landscape. Louis is returning to the village (for a few hours only) to atone for something he has felt guilty about for 20 years. The reader doesn’t find out what he wants to atone for until about ¾ of the way through the book.
To me the novel felt very surreal. I never really warmed up to Louis, and feel that he is an unreliable character (he isn’t the narrator, but he falls into ‘unreliable narrator’ territory). Overall, it is a strange story. It is about guilt (for real or imagined slights), human cruelty, loss, and perhaps how unknowable we are to each other. 3.5*
10 task
10 review
____
20
Running total: 140
10.7 Neutral Name (Anika's Task)The Lonely Londoners by Sam Selvon
The Lonely Londoners is a series of snapshots about the lives of Caribbean immigrants who came to London as part of the “Windrush generation” in the 1940s and 1950s. The author emigrated to London from Trinidad and so experienced first hand the challenges of adapting to life in London that the characters experience.
For me, the best thing about the book was how powerfully it conveyed the sense of loneliness and dislocation that the characters experience. The characters all deal with this in different ways. One character puts on an air of bravado and pretends he’s entirely at home right away, when in fact he’s feeling as lost and out of place as everyone else. Another takes on a father-like role, somewhat resentfully helping newcomers to find their feet in their new country.
Although in many ways the book is quite sad, particularly when it touches on the racism and discrimination that the characters face, it’s also extremely funny and entertaining in places. I guess that background of sadness and loneliness, punctuated by happier moments shared with others in a newly established community is probably a fair reflection of many immigrants’ experiences in Britain at this time.
Living in London myself, I also enjoyed the descriptions of various places in the city, and I was interested in the nicknames the characters used for different areas. The book is very well written and easy to read. I’d recommend it to anyone who is interested in immigrant experiences, or this time in British history.
+10 task
+10 review
+5 oldies
Post total: 25
Season total: 25
15.1 Reading the DecadesFirefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
+15 Task (published '08)
Post Total: 15
Season Total: 15
20.4 Night WatchThe Alienist (Dr. Laszlo Kreizler #1) by Caleb Carr
Алиенист (Dr. Laszlo Kreizler #1) -Russian ed
Review
The Alienist is an intricate crime x historical fiction. It is written from the point of view of John Schuyler Moore, a rather Watsonian character to his ‘Sherlock’, Dr. Laszlo Kreizler. Kreizler isn’t remotely like Sherlock. He is an Alienist (that’s psychiatrist in today’s layman’s terms) and a rather infamous one too. He loves working with ‘criminals’ to determine whether they are insane or not. He is a scientist at heart and enthusiastic proponent of forensic sciences however he is not a forensic science practitioner.
Whilst the novel itself was fascinating in its setting, 19th century New York featuring Theodore Roosevelt himself, I sometime find it a little dreary with all the detailed descriptions. The crime was horrendous but the investigative team was persistent if nothing else. Lots of legwork, fingerprints were taken, and even some ridiculous theories were tested so it’s the usual crime novel that you could read in a single sitting. It must be read in bite pieces to enjoy the complexity of human psyches.
+20 Task
+5 Combo (10.9 - mystery - 1,997 users & historical - 441 users)
+10 Review
Post Total: 35
Season Total: 145
10.8 Double Continent (Coralie's Task)The Potato Factory (The Potato Factory #1) by Bryce Courtenay
approx 50% in UK (Europe) and 45% in AU (Oceania)
Review
I remember vaguely of loving the mini series adaptation of The Potato Factory that I thought I must read the book. However, one particular scene traumatised me so much, (view spoiler), that it’s taken me forever and a day to pick this up and I still skip that scene in the book! I couldn’t handle it… I found that aside from that scene, I don’t actually remember anything else from the mini series so I don’t know whether that was a good sign or not but at least, I didn’t get bored as I wasn’t sure what’s coming next.
Bryce Courtenay is a master storyteller as he weaved a fictional story of a true historical personage, The Prince of Fence, Isaac “Ikey” Solomon. The main character in this book, however, is Mary Abacus, purported (fictionally) to be Ikey’s mistress. Whilst Ikey’s history or what is known of it anyway is followed rather correctly, there were many twists that the author can weave around this infamous convict including a ‘treasure chest’, twins of different colouring, etc. It sounds fantastical but the reality of life and how tough it was for the poor and the convicts were there. The Potato Factory is a story of life; of loyalty and betrayals, kindness and violence, but in the end, intelligence will win the day.
+10 Task
+10 Combo (10.9 - 166 users for Historical > Historical Fiction & 60 users for Cultural > Australia; 20.9 - 739 pages)
+10 Review
+10 Jumbo (739 pages)
Post Total: 40
Season Total: 185
10.5 - 688 ratingsWhite Trash Zombie Unchained by Diana Rowland
+10 task
Task total: 10
Grand total: 150
20.4 Night WatchZealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan
Review: I heard Reza Aslan interviewed on one of the many podcasts I listen to, and was intrigued with the premise of a biography of Jesus. I’ve always found thinking of Jesus as a person and not just a religious figure to be interesting – maybe it’s the influence of Jesus Christ, Superstar – but the book didn’t quite live up to its promise. Unfortunately, Aslan doesn’t have much to work with. There are basically no primary sources to do with his subject, so he relies on the Bible and supplements with historical information about everything BUT Jesus. I guess that’s not his fault, and I learned a lot about the TIMES of Jesus… just not that much about his life.
+20 Task
+10 Not-a-Novel
+10 Review
Task Total: 40
Grand Total: 75
20.7 The Red QueenEric by Terry Pratchett
On of the main characters is Astfgl, king of Deamons
+20 Task
+15 Combo (10.7 ; 20.4 ; 20.6 )
+5 Oldies (1990)
Task total = 40
Points total = 65
Task 15.1 Reading the DecadesYear: 2016
The Butcher's Hook (2016) by Janet Ellis
Task Total: 15
Grand Total: 70 + 15 = 85
10.8 Double ContinentFoe by J.M. Coetzee
When I started the book, I had just finished rereading Robinson Crusoe. I thought Foe was a simple response to / retelling of Defoe’s novel, and that it would be interesting to read them back to back. The main character is Susan Barton, an Englishwoman who shows up on Crusoe’s island about a year before they are rescued. The book covers that year on the island, off the coast of Brazil, and her subsequent return with Friday to England, where she tries to get her story published.
Even though the plots have some overlap, Foe is only pheripherally connected to Robinson Crusoe, however. It is much more concerned with how we narrate our lives. Susan Barton is an unreliable narrator with a lot of baggage she tries not to let us know about. The life on the island is boring and safe, and Robinson is reticent to discuss his life at all, all very different from the adventure novel about his life that the author is trying to construct. The novel is so sandwiched with complex thoughts about communication, narration, etc., that to truly do it justice I should have read it over several weeks, but it is short and easy to read, so I unfortuantely missed a lot of what I should have gotten out of it.
I always have to steal myself before reading a Coetzee book. I know that his novels will make me feel uncomfortable and sometimes upset, they do that because they speak truths most people try to ignore. That is what I like about his writing. But for some reason I wasn’t prepared for Foe to affect me the way it did. Barton’s story is unpleasant and she, Robinson, and Friday all make the reader (at least me) uncomfortable. They do not adhere to the comfortable fictions that make reading a novel such an escape from real life, which I know is kind of the point to the book. But it is also why I probably read it so quickly. Reality can be hard to take.
+10 task (South America and Europe)
+10 review
+5 oldies (1987)
Task Total: 25
Total: 25
Post 74 Tien wrote: "20.4 Night WatchThe Alienist (Dr. Laszlo Kreizler #1) by Caleb Carr
Алиенист (Dr. Laszlo Kreizler #1) -Russian ed
Review
The Alienist is an intricate cr..."
I'm so sorry, Tien. This is an Assignment book at BPL and does not have a Lexile. (I was hoping that had changed and double-checked.) Task, but no styles.
10.7 Unisex NamesGolden Hill by Francis Spufford
I really enjoyed this book. It follows a British man as he steps off the boat into New York City, circa 1743. He has a banker’s note for a very large amount of money, but is the note legitimate? It is clear that he has a secret purpose for his arrival, but it is left unclear to the other characters in the book, and to the reader, what that purpose is until near the end of the book.
Spufford writes his story so beautifully. Not only does he do an excellent job making the setting come alive, but he uses language that feels true to the period, yet clear and easy for the 21st century reader to understand. Some negative reviews I read before beginning this book argue that the writing is hard to follow and overly wordy, and while the opening paragraphs may feel that way, I at least found myself quickly settling into it and loving every minute.
It is hard to talk too much about the book without spoilers, but I will say that Spufford is able to write a novel that feels very much a part of the 18th century, while approaching his story with a sensibility that resonates with our contemporary culture. The blurb on the back of the book says it is a mash-up of Fielding and Martin Scorsese, and that feels about right. It is an intelligent page turner that will give you insight into the past. I recommend it highly.
+10 task
+10 review
Task Total: 20
Grand Total: 45
20.1 TwinsDark Matter by Blake Crouch
Dark Matter is a fluffy scifi thriller that you can read in a day. Its plot hinges on the reader not really knowing where it is going, but it is hard not to suss out the basics as it borrows heavily from other science fiction stories. It is pretty clear from the beginning that this is a story about the multiverse, and although our main character has no idea why, after he is kidnapped and drugged, he wakes up surrounded by strangers who claim to know him, well the intelligent reader has a pretty good clue. I don’t think you read this book for any earth shattering new ideas in science fiction. You read it as you would a light and entertaining tv show. It is fun to see the story unfold in front of you, even if the direction of the plot seems to cater more to action scenes than interesting philosophical connundrums. It is comfortable and you know things are going to turn out ok, but you are invested enough in the characters to want to follow them and make sure.
+20 task
+10 review
Task total:30
Grand total: 75
10.9 Double Trouble (Karen Michele's Task)Stay with Me by Ayobami Adebayo
+10 Task: Cultural and Historical
Task Total: 10
Season Total: 120
20.1 The DoubleInfernal Devices by K.W. Jeter
+20 Task (MC has clockwork double)
+5 Combo 10.7
+5 Oldies (published 1986)
Post Total: 30
Season Total: 220
15.5 Reading the DecadesHombre by Elmore Leonard
+15 Task (published 61)
Post Total: 15
Season Total: 235
10.8 Double Continent (Coralie's Task)Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
The first 13% and last 9% of the book are set in Europe (London, UK and Brussels, Belgium), a few pages are set on board a ship, and the remainder is set in Africa (in what is today the Democratic Republic of the Congo).
My review:
I think of Heart of Darkness as quite a controversial book. Joseph Conrad has been condemned as a racist by many readers. Others view the book as an expression of the author’s anti-imperialist views. I was looking forward to reading this and making my own mind up.
Leaving the “is Conrad racist” debate aside for a moment, I found this a really unenjoyable read. The writing felt clunky, and even though it’s a short book it seemed like the author chose never to express something in one word if ten words could be found instead.
Personally I found the language and descriptions of African people extremely racist. To an extent the language is a product of the time the book was written, but even so it’s hard to see African people compared to animals or described as “ugly” without suspecting the author of having racist views. Although the narrator is very critical of imperialism, his criticisms seem to be firstly that the imperialists are badly organised and inefficient and secondly that imperialism is damaging to the white Europeans who practice it. The impact of imperialism on its victims appears practically irrelevant.
I didn’t really enjoy reading this but I am glad to have read it just so that I can draw my own conclusions about some of the debates about the book and its author.
I’m not sure if I’m supposed to include this but I checked and the book has Lexile measure 970
+10 task
+15 combo (10.4, 10.9 - historical 234 and cultural 43, 20.4 - Сердце тьмы)
+10 oldies (published 1899)
+10 review
Post total: 45
Season total: 70
20.4 Night WatchHow to Talk to Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
Russian edition: Как говорить, чтобы дети слушали, и как слушать, чтобы дети говорили
My review:
This book is often described as a classic parenting book and I can see why it has that reputation. I found it easy to read, entertaining, and most importantly full of good ideas that I could put into practice.
Many of the authors’ suggestions are very simple (for example, not denying children’s feelings by saying “but you love ice cream!” if they’ve just told you they hate ice cream) but they really work. There are also short summaries at the end of each chapter which I found helped me review and remember the key points.
Although it’s primarily a parenting book, I was pleasantly surprised to find that many of the ideas introduced could also be relevant to communicating with other adults. I’d recommend this to anyone who has children, or who is interested in how people communicate with each other.
+20 task
+10 not a novel (nonfiction)
+10 review
+5 oldies (published 1979)
Total post: 45
Total season: 115
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I'm so sorry, Tien. This is an Assignment book at BPL and does not have a Lexile. (I was hoping that had changed and double-checked.) Task, but no styles."Ooh, I didn't check to see... sorry!
10.5 Green StoneDyschronia by Jennifer Mills
20 ratings
Review
Baffled.
Hence my star rating of 2 probably doesn't worth much. I loved the cover and I was intrigued by the blurb, "One morning, the residents of a small coastal town somewhere in Australia wake to discover the sea has disappeared." I, therefore, expected some sort of post-apocalyptic sort of novel and while it was in a way 'post-apocalyptic', it wasn't... not really.
I struggled by the time shifts; I can't even tell you how many there were supposed to be... There were the future (in visions?), the present, and the past; I know these for certain but there were time strands for each time anyway and there's no particular warning, they can change within a chapter, a space or an asterix to indicate end of a section does not particularly help. Thankfully, there were only 2 perspectives: Sam's (though she's the one having visions so that didn't help in anyway) and the town people's (using the royal 'We').
I think I understood that the book's themes revolve around the environment, climate, and corporate scams that in the end, only the plebeians suffer the consequences. I'm just not sure whether getting your point across despite the baffled reader is enough. I do have now an appreciation of the cuttlefish... not enough not to eat them (not that I eat them all the time). I am just so sorry that I could not love the book!
+10 Task
+10 Review
Post Total: 20
Season Total: 190
20.2 - The Blazing WorldHow to Suppress Women's Writing by Joanna Russ
(this is my carryover book from last season)
Russ systematically goes through the "reasons" women's writing has been maligned for centuries - she didn't write it. She wrote it, but she had help. She wrote it, but look what she wrote about. She wrote it, but she only wrote one of it. (There's more.) After going through all of the crazy I feel better prepared to knock down systematic oppression when I see it. Originally written in 1983 and based on academia in the 1970s some parts feel dated but the underlying principles are sadly relevant.
The more 18th and 19th century writers you know the more you will get out of Russ' argument. She assumes you know them and if you're not well versed ~raises her hand~ you'll be lost. Despite the book's age I was hoping for some intersectionality and while the mea culpa of an afterward is appreciated it doesn't quite cut it nowadays.
Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
+20 task (feminism main genre)
+5 combo (10.5 - 939 ratings)
+10 review
+10 not-a-novel
+5 oldies (pub. 1983)
Task total: 50 points
Grand total: 115 points
From Post 44Shannon wrote: "20.6 Dead Souls
Author surname consists of non-consecutive repeating consonants
The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers
Repeating consonants S and S
+20 Task
Task poin..."
+10 Oldies
+10 Combo 10.9, 20.4
From Post 60Kazen wrote: "20.9 - Jumbo
Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety by Eric Schlosser
While I've read books about nuclear power this w..."
+5 Combo 20.6
From Post 80Jama wrote: "10.8 Double Continent
Foe by J.M. Coetzee
When I started the book, I had just finished rereading Robinson Crusoe. I thought Foe was a simple response to / retelling of..."
Glad to see you around again, Jama!
+5 Combo 10.7
From Post 83Jama wrote: "20.1 Twins
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Dark Matter is a fluffy scifi thriller that you can read in a day. Its plot hinges on the reader not really knowing where it ..."
+5 Combo 20.6
20.4 Night WatchWhat We See When We Read by Peter Mendelsund
+20 Task
+5 Combo 20.6 Dead Souls
+10 Not A Novel
Task Total: 35 pts
Grand Total: 35 pts
20.6 Dead SoulsThe Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black by E.B. Hudspeth
+20 Task HudspetH (h's )
+5 Combo 20.4 Night Watch
+5 Combo 10.7 Neutral, initials
Task Total: 30 pts
Grand Total: 65 pts
15.1 Reading the DecadesThe End of Eddy by Édouard Louis
Published 2014
Task total = 15
Points total = 80
20.5 - the DARPA offices and the PentagonThe Pentagon's Brain by Annie Jacobsen
This book has proven to be absolutely fascinating to me. It’s a fairly in depth look at how and why DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) was created and what they have achieved. The book starts as far back as pre-ARPA days with the Manhattan Project and looks at how our arrival at the Atomic Era has influenced military research and development, as well as how that military R&D has affected our daily lives. Microwaves, virtual reality, and the internet itself all began as military research projects. It examines the reactions of the American public to these inventions and the military implications, as well as the reactions on the world stage. I was afraid that this would be conspiracy theory or at least lean that way when I picked it up and I was pleasantly surprised. It’s a fairly concise piece of work about a topic that you could write on indefinitely and completely without the supposition and conspiratorial thinking. Definitely recommended if you like history, especially military or scientific history.
+20 task
+10 combo (10.8 - I'd say 75% US, 25% spread out amongst Asia (Vietnam War), Russia (Cold War), and the Middle East (Gulf Wars), 20.9 - 560pg)
+10 not a novel
+10 review
+5 jumbo (560pg.)
Task total: 55
Grand total: 205
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Reading with Style
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Riley Sager (other topics)Oscar Wilde (other topics)
Tayari Jones (other topics)
Elizabeth Hand (other topics)
Connie Willis (other topics)
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The Picts & the Martyrs or Not Welcome at All by Arthur Ransome
+15 Task (published 43)
Post Total: 15
Season Total: 175