Books: What have you been reading?

[Scott Taylor]

You had to read it, Scott? Did the author have a gun pointed at your head?

I was in a book club for work and it was the chosen book, and I had committed to read whatever was chosen.

The premise of the book is that conversations about difficult topics are difficult because of three main issues:

1) People define what happened based on their own personal perspectives, leading to misunderstanding
2) People bring emotions, related or not to the topic, into conversations, leading to illogical feelings that color the conversation
3) People can wrap their identity up into a conversation about a difficult topic (ie, they feel like they have to win) meaning they act like wounded animals

The information is good, actually, but the book was kind of not that helpful beyond identifying the problem.

[The Darknight Detective]

I was in a book club for work and it was the chosen book, and I had committed to read whatever was chosen.

The premise of the book is that conversations about difficult topics are difficult because of three main issues:

1) People define what happened based on their own personal perspectives, leading to misunderstanding
2) People bring emotions, related or not to the topic, into conversations, leading to illogical feelings that color the conversation
3) People can wrap their identity up into a conversation about a difficult topic (ie, they feel like they have to win) meaning they act like wounded animals

The information is good, actually, but the book was kind of not that helpful beyond identifying the problem.

Gotcha, Scott. Your book club seems like a nice way to get you to try out different things you might have passed on normally.

[The Darknight Detective]

New Kindle read: Ship of Magic (1998), the first book from the Liveship Traders Trilogy series by Robin Hobb.

[Enigma]

Just got back from Sweden and my pre-order of The Priory of the Orange Tree had arrived, so excited! It looks beautiful

Attachment 79178

[Deathstroke]

I finished an advance copy of the debut novel from David R. Dow called Confessions of an Innocent Man.

[Twinlock51]

Currently I have three books on the go: one fiction and two non-fictions.

A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin.
Monkey Business: The Lives and Legends of The Marx Brothers by Simon Louvish.
The Mixer: The Story of Premier League Tactics, from Route One to False Nines by Michael Cox.

[adkal]

So far this year:

The Boy At the Back of the Class by Onjali Rauf

Took me back to my younger years. Enjoyed Onjali Rauf's enthusiasm through the narrating character.

The friends coming together, the conflicting information the had received/heard from parents and elders... the desire to do good and bring a family together.

I am a bit of a softy and there were moments when I was sniffling (which might have made fellow Tube passengers a little uncomfortable) and I loved the little bit in brackets at the end of a letter from a certain someone.

Read it - and if you have kids, read it with them, too.

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Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

You know when you binge-watch a show (even a casual binge) and the season ends and you're sitting there thinking 'wait, no, you can't just stop there!'? That's how it is with this book.

You want more. Now.

There you are, on this massive world-changing adventure with Zél, Tzain, Amari and the others, dipping (and almost drowning) into worlds of oppression, resignation, danger and hope, desperately trying to figure out how certain obstacles are going to be overcome, and then you're, like: 'what do you mean I have to wait until June to find out what the heck happens next?'

I have patience and I know it's going to be well-rewarded when I read the next installment of this world.

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The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin

Four very different siblings, each burdened with 'knowing' the date of their deaths.

I enjoyed how certain scenes from one 'account' or other is/are revisited from another sibling's later.

I'm not a prude (much) but there were some parts I was wary of reading while on the Tube.

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The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

'Once upon a time there was a hazel-eyed boy with dimples' and he truly lived up to his name and was the kind of friend one would be blessed to have.

When you learn about aspect of Khalil's life and the person he was through a couple of the other characters, you'll want to know more about him (I know I certainly wanted to). There were a couple of moments where other characters stood out, and there was at least one character you wanted to be rid of (not taken out of the book but away from Starr's life) (I've come across too many like her over the years).

Enjoyed it and recommend it.


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Currently reading:

The Power by Naomi Alderman

[The Darknight Detective]

Currently reading Lost Horizon (1933), the second book this year from James Hilton for me.

[FluffySheep]

I've just started reading Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.

[KOSLOX]

Just starting Jerusalem by Alan Moore.

[Vegan Daddy]

The City and the Pillar (1948) by Gore Vidal

[Deathstroke]

I finished the Aimee Hix mystery Dark Streets Cold Suburbs.

[Dante Milton]

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, intriguing paranormal and mystical world building with some brilliantly realized characters. Looking forward to binging the rest of the series on vacation.

In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan, a great take on the "mundane boy discovers a magical world" genre, great humorous moments, the main protagonist skirts a fine line between endearing and irritating, and THE SLOWEST OF SLOW BURNS that was really frustrating.

[Enigma]

I tried to read Priory of the Orange Tree, but I've been unwell recently and my concentration hasn't been good enough to read regularly. I feel like I need to wait until I have a few days off to sit down an read it cover to cover. I've also heard very mixed reviews, and so don't feel too bothered about not reading it right now.

[The Darknight Detective]

Newest book I'm reading: The Age of Faith (1950), the fourth book in The Story of Civilization series by Will and Ariel Durant.