What are you currently reading?

[Nefeli]

I've been reading A People's History of the United States and it's very interesting and heart-breaking. Also, I very recently read They don't make plus size spacesuits which was extremely powerful and I can't recommend it highly enough.

[Natasha]

Wake Up, Sir! by Jonathan Ames.

[Angie]

Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

[Natasha]

Angie wrote: "Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters"

I've not read this one as I've seen the TV programme so many times. How does this one compare to Ms Waters's other books, Angie, if you've read them?

[Angie]

Somehow I've never read any of her work, despite having a friend who is absolutely obsessed & has been recommending them (this one and Fingersmith) incessantly for years. But I'm enjoying it enough that I'm sure I'll read at least the one other, so will report back once I have.

[Natasha]

Angie wrote: "Somehow I've never read any of her work, despite having a friend who is absolutely obsessed & has been recommending them (this one and Fingersmith) incessantly for years. But I'm enjoying it enough..."

My first Sarah Waters book was The Paying Guests. I loved it. Was then surprised to learn that people were generally disappointed with it because it wasn’t as good as Fingersmith. So I read Fingersmith. And I loved it. But no reason to diss The Paying Guests. Affinity also was excellent. And The Night Watch. But somehow, Tipping The Velvet is just telly. ...

[Angie]

Natasha (Diarist) wrote: "Angie wrote: "Somehow I've never read any of her work, despite having a friend who is absolutely obsessed & has been recommending them (this one and Fingersmith) incessantly for years. But I'm enjo..."
Ha! Well, I'm not far in, but I've also not seen the program, so I'm not terribly worried about it not stacking up. Maybe I'll see if I can lay hands on that as well. :)

[Tabitha]

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

[Robin]

Tabitha wrote: "The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin"

Such a good book! Got me hooked on Ursula

[El]

In addition to A Little Life for this month's group read, I'm also reading Notes to Self: Essays by Emilie Pine (for school), Light in the Shadows: A Novel by Linda Lafferty & Andy Stone (for review), and The Lying Game by Ruth Stone (on audio - for fun/for exercise/for commute).

Waiting in the wings:
Lizzie Siddal: The Tragedy of a Pre-Raphaelite Supermodel by Lucinda Hawksley (for another group read)
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf (for in-person book club)
Nothing: A Portrait of Insomnia by Blake Butler (for school)

I feel like I'm missing... something. But that's good enough :)

Aside from the book by Butler, all books are written by women, which makes me infinitely happy.

[Natasha]

The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn.

[Kay]

Natasha (Diarist) wrote: "The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn."

I've stayed away from this book because of the author's manipulations but do let us know how it is. It's going to be a movie now, right?

[El]

I'm nearly done with Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse. Will they ever get to the lighthouse? Time will tell!

[Natasha]

Kay wrote: "I've stayed away from this book because of the author's manipulations but do let us know how it is. It's going to b..."

What do you mean by manipulations, Kay? I enjoyed the book. Never saw those twists coming. But then I never do :-) I've heard it's going to be made into a film, yes.

[El]

Natasha, I believe Kay is referring to the author's history of exploitation and lying. Here's one article about it from The New Yorker but there are others out there as well.

[Natasha]

El wrote: "Natasha, I believe Kay is referring to the author's history of exploitation and lying. Here's one article about it from The New Yorker but there are others out there as well."

Gosh. Thanks, El. I had no idea. ...

[Kay]

Yes, sorry if I wasn’t clear in my previous post :) I just find the whole story surrounding the book ridiculous.

[El]

Kay wrote: "Yes, sorry if I wasn’t clear in my previous post :) I just find the whole story surrounding the book ridiculous."

I heard that somehow, even with everything, he has a second book coming out. I hope I misheard that. Sigh.

[Angie]

Natasha (Diarist) wrote: "Angie wrote: "Somehow I've never read any of her work, despite having a friend who is absolutely obsessed & has been recommending them (this one and Fingersmith) incessantly for years. But I'm enjo..."

So, I really enjoyed Tipping the Velvet. I found myself kind of wanting to shake some sense into Nan more than once (I know it is supposed to be told from her POV as an older version of herself, but she still seemed stunted even in her remembering if that makes any sense at all), but all in all, I really enjoyed the story.

[Natasha]

El wrote: "I heard that somehow, even with everything, he has a second book coming out. I hope I misheard that. Sigh."

I think he signed a two-book deal before all this nonsense came out?

[Natasha]

Angie wrote: "So, I really enjoyed Tipping the Velvet."

Good to hear, Angie. I will read that at some point :-)

[El]

I'm about at the same place that I was the last time I posted with both To the Lighthouse and our group read, A Little Life, but hope to make progress on both (and maybe even finish the Woolf!).

I just started reading Sigrid Nunez's The Friend this morning in preparation for her lecture on Monday that I just got a ticket for.

On audio, I'm finishing up Jeff VanderMeer's second Southern Reach novel, Authority, and I'll go right into the third book, Acceptance, so I can finish the trilogy and move onto something else.

Whew.

[Natasha]

Still Life with Woodpecker by Tom Robbins. Pretty bonkers. ...

[Nefeli]

El wrote: "I'm about at the same place that I was the last time I posted with both To the Lighthouse and our group read, A Little Life, but hope to make progress on both (and mayb..."

I really loved Annihilation but the sequels didn't really do anything for me. Are you enjoying Authority?

[CD]

Time After Time by Lisa Grunwald.

On the new book shelf in the library. Intriguing premise.

[El]

Nefeli wrote: "I really loved Annihilation but the sequels didn't really do anything for me. Are you enjoying Authority?"

Annihilation was pretty good! But yeah, Authority fell flat for me. I'm about halfway through Acceptance now. I wish the author had decided to just leave it at Annihilation.

[Natasha]

Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols & Other Typographical Marks by Keith Houston. Centuries ago there was no punctuation--not even spaces between words!

[Rikki]

Reading Insurrecto right now. Really unique structure, playful and smart. Set both in turn-of-the-century and current-day Philippines.

[Jo]

I just finished listening to Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver. It definitely struck a chord with me. Several, actually. A definite recommendation!

[Natasha]

Fatherland by Robert Harris. Fantastic premise for a story.

[Natasha]

Keeping You a Secret by Julie Anne Peters, lesbian teenage romance.

[Natasha]

The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne. I was captivated by the first sentence.

[Natasha]

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin.

[CD]

In Pieces, the memoir of actress Sally Field.

[Natasha]

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.

[Viv]

I'm reading Michelle Tea's essay collection Against Memoir: Complaints, Confessions & Criticisms which is excellent.

[Natasha]

A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne.

[Tabitha]

Skeleton Crew by Stephen King

[CD]

The Institute by Stephen King.

[Natasha]

Mrs. Hudson and the Spirits' Curse by Martin Davies.

[CD]

Reading Sharp: The Women Who Made an Art of Having an Opinion by Michelle Dean.

Glancing through the included women, the notes, and index based on the premise of the book, I've got questions already! About 4 chapters in already.

[Natasha]

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, LGBT YA.

[Natasha]

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.

[CD]

Natasha (Diarist) wrote: "The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein."

This is a real tear jerker. Liked the movie as well as the book.

[Natasha]

Natasha (Diarist) wrote: "The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein."

I found this to be deeply misogynistic. I'd be interested in opinions from anyone who's read it. Here's my review (which contains spoilers):

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Natasha]

Now reading My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing.

[Natasha]

A Life Discarded: 148 Diaries Found in a Skip by Alexander Masters.

[Marco]

I’m currently reading Audre Lorde’s The Cancer Journals. Just finished Alison Kafer’s Feminist, Queer, Crip. Both are really good reads, especially if you’re interested in the intersection of feminist theory and disability studies!

[Natasha]

A Man With One of Those Faces by Caimh McDonnell (which is hilarious).

Claudine Married by Colette.

[Debbie]

Happily married :0)