Interesting Tidbits

[Steven]

Just finished S.A. Cosby's King of Ashes - it was a good thriller but violent to the point of disturbing at times.

[Booknblues]

Steven wrote: "Just finished S.A. Cosby's King of Ashes - it was a good thriller but violent to the point of disturbing at times."

More so than his others?

[Steven]

Hmmm, maybe in one case yes.

[Theresa]

The 2025 National Book Award long list for Books in Translation was published today. I often find that I like books in translation in these types of award lists better than the main award.

On the Calculation of Volume, Book III by Solvej Balle - Danish
The Queen of Swords by Jazmina Barrera - Spanish
We Are Green and Trembling by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara - Spanish
The Remembered Soldier by Anjet Daanje - Dutch
Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa - Japanese
We Computers: A Ghazal Novel by Hamid Ismailov - Uzbek - first time for a book translated from Uzbek
We Do Not Part by Han Kang - Korean
Sleep Phase by Mohamed Kheir محمد خير - Arabic
Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico - Italian
Sad Tiger by Neige Sinno - French.

I have to say that the covers of almost all of these would not attract me to pick it up in a store!

[Theresa]

Here is link to article I saw. It is worth a read. I think 3 of the authors have been nominated before.

2025 National Book Awards Longlist for Translated Literature - National Book Foundation https://share.google/1Ixn5gAfunsDI4Bnq

[Booknblues]

The Giller Prize, an award which recognize excellence in Canadian fiction longlist has been announced:
https://gillerprize.ca/2025-finalists/

[Booknblues]

The Center for Fiction 2025 First Novel Prize Shortlist:

https://centerforfiction.org/book-rec...

We Pretty Pieces of Flesh - Colwill Brown
The Devil Three Times - Rickey Fayne
Ibis - Justin Haynes
Loca: A Novel - Alejandro Heredia
Natch - Darrell Kinsey
Liquid: A Love Story - Mariam Rahmani
Optional Practical Training - Shubha Sunder

[Booknblues]

Beginning in 2027 there will be a Booker Prize awarded for Children's Literature for books for children from 8 - 12.
https://thebookerprizes.com/the-child...

[Algernon (Darth Anyan)]

An article I found today about Goodreads censorship:
(edit) turns out I am not allowed to link directly to the article on 404media.co
https://www.404media.co/rogue-goodrea...

The title is "Rogue Goodreads Librarian Edits Site to Expose 'Censorship in Favor of Trump Fascism’ "

and one commentary says: “When we let powerful people’s books be protected from criticism, we give up the right to hold power accountable.”

I don't approve in principle of review bombing any particular title or of writing reviews for books you haven't read, but selective censorship that protects particular political views seems worse.

[Jason]

Wait, J.D. Vance of Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis is that J.D. Vance? Wow, I don't feel his memoir has the same tone or observations as is being voiced currently.

I never put the two together.

[Robin P]

Jason wrote: "Wait, J.D. Vance of Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis is that J.D. Vance? Wow, I don't feel his memoir has the same tone or observations ..."

You are absolutely right, Jason, one wouldn't think it was the same person, (except maybe for the ambition). When I read Vance's book some years ago, one thing that struck me was how he realized in college reading about poverty and family dysfunction in minority communities, that they also applied to his white family. There were systemic issues in common that could be addressed, it wasn't a genetic or character flaw in certain groups. Unfortunately, he seems to have forgotten about this and moved to the "I succeeded so everybody else can if they just work hard" school of thought.

Some other authors from the same background like Barbara Kingsolver and Beth Macy have disagreed with how he portrayed the group he came from.

[Theresa]

In fact, Barbara Kingsolver has long been quite vocal in her criticism of Vance, his book, and his political posture. It's put her under attack by his supporters.

Kingsolver has her entire career written, worked, and donated to help address the issues, including establishing grants she funds personally every year. Do a little google search and you can find more information on her efforts. She's an amazing role model.

[Jason]

I find Kingsolver's comments about the book interesting because I felt different after reading it. It's been a while, but I remember feeling that Vance alluded to people voting against or holding opinions against their own interests such as accepting aid. I also remember him focusing on the lack of resources, education and available work which leads to poverty and drugs, and distrust of outsiders. I remember thinking of Vance being torn about how he feels about him home. Respect on one hand but also glad to leave on the other hand.

I might have to go back and reread it.

[Theresa]

@Jason - i haven't read it yet. But I absolutely know that when I do, and I will as I own a copy, I know I will now from page one read it with a questioning, even jaundiced eye. I have no doubt were you to dip back into it now, you will react differently.

[Holly R W]

I read the book when it first came out, as did my entire family. Perhaps it was because we're from Ohio like Vance is and we could visualize the places he referred to in his book. I really liked it at the time. He wrote it before he entered politics and I experienced it as his authentic experience. I thought the things he wrote about being the child of a drug addicted mother and being raised by his grandmother were genuine and relatable.

Some years after the book came out, I read that Vance had set up a drug treatment center in Ohio and I thought, "Good for him." Then later I read that the center wasn't functional and was just a shell(?). I don't know if my facts are accurate, but that was the first inkling I had that something was wrong and not genuine.

Now, I look at Vance's actions as VP and I disagree with everything he's saying and doing.

This is my long explanation of why I liked the book and yet, don't like how Vance has evolved.

Note: I've just now found a news article documenting Vance's failed attempt at addressing opioid addiction in Ohio. It's from The Cincinnati Enquirer, a reputable newspaper. It just says that his program, "Our Ohio Renewal" fizzled out. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news...

[Robin P]

Interesting article. It sounds like he tried to do this on his own with a few specific people he trusted rather than work with existing groups. And the link to the pharmaceutical company was disturbing.

The article did point out that most drugs are coming across the border at legal checkpoints, so largely American citizens, not necessarily brown-skinned or Spanish-speaking. It's just easier to blame a whole group and get video of enforcement. The article also mentioned how many people got addicted as a result of prescribed drugs. If you read Demon Copperhead or Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty, you know that a specific population was targeted and lied to for profit.

In a way Vance bothers me more than his boss because he knows better. He has just cynically chosen to advance his career and to back policies that will hurt people like his original family.

[Karin]

I read the book by Vance, but had no idea who he was at that time. I didn't connect him with the politician during the elections, either, but when the book was mentioned in some thread or other on GR in light of him it clicked.

[Booknblues]

For anyone following the Booker Prize, the winner has been announced:
https://www.npr.org/2025/11/10/nx-s1-...

Flesh - David Szalay

[NancyJ]

Booknblues wrote: "For anyone following the Booker Prize, the winner has been announced:
https://www.npr.org/2025/11/10/nx-s1-...

Flesh - [author:Davi..."

The title gives me the creeps. Based on both positive and negative reviews, I don’t think I would enjoy this book very much because it’s so spare. I like dialogue, internal dialogue, and insights. I might try it anyway. The inflections in an audio performance could clarify or totally confuse the meaning, depending on the voice actor’s interpretation.

[Joy D]

I didn't care for it, but some years go that way. The last couple years, I loved the winner. This one is "a whole lotta nothin'." Just my opinion of course.

[Algernon (Darth Anyan)]

The last Booker winner I have read is from ten years ago: A Brief History of Seven Killings . I loved it, but none of the next choices made it on my shortlist. It seems that the Nobel prize jury is better at finding names that appeal to my own tastes in books. I have a very high regard for Roddy Doyle, but I am not that curious to find out why he picked this particular book.

In other news, today I saw the banner for the Goodreads choice awards. I don't always vote, but this year I would like to push for several new books I read. Is there an option in this round or the next to write in a title that is not on the list? And what happened to the humor and comic books categories?

[Theresa]

Algernon (Darth Anyan) wrote: "The last Booker winner I have read is from ten years ago: A Brief History of Seven Killings . I loved it, but none of the next choices made it on my shortlist. It seems that the Nob..."

I loved A Brief History of Seven Killings - @Meli and I read it as a buddy read 2 or 3 years ago. Brilliant book, one where the author just went for it and it worked. Also had me playing with new appreciation my Bob Marley CDs while I read.

I have a very checkered history with Booker winners - even nominees - as in looking askance at them. Very few of the books do I even come close to wanting to read at all let alone liking I was very disappointed in The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, I did quite like and admire The Sellout, and have routinely avoided most. In fact, most of the time, my thoughts are 'what were they thinking?'

[Joy D]

I am pretty sure they eliminated the option to write in a title a few years ago. The categories change slightly from year to year (e,g., recently they added "Romantasy.")

[Theresa]

Algernon (Darth Anyan) wrote: "In other news, today I saw the banner for the Goodreads choice awards. I don't always vote, but this year I would like to push for several new books I read. Is there an option in this round or the next to write in a title that is not on the list? And what happened to the humor and comic books categories..."

I feel like a broken record, LOL.

I really dislike the GR Awards. I particularly dislike them since they changed them a couple years ago and you can no longer write in nominees. In fact, I have no idea what criteria is used to pick the books being voted on - the cynic in me believes it's books Amazon and/or publishers want pushed.

To answer your question: there is no way to write in a book any longer.

One of the reasons I dislike them is that there are very few books I even recognize in the nominees each year, let alone have read. In fact, usually I have read only 1 or 2 of the books listed across all categories. I don't think I'm of the age and reader demographic this is directed to.

I looked through this year's - - there is not one book nominated that I have read. There are all of 4 or 5 across all genres even on my TBR. One of the books - in YA fantasy scifi - is being read by my IRL Feminerdy Book Club for January 2026 discussion - and it's a sequel continuing from a cliffhanger ending in the first book - Heavenly Tyrant. I don't know that we consider it YA either.

Obviously one of the problems is that I don't read many books as soon as they come out. I like my books to mature a bit, settle into my TBR Towers before I deign to read them. Particularly true of buzzy books.

The genre that particularly bothers me each year is mysteries -- crime fiction is my favorite genre. The nominees are almost always books I've not heard of or have no desire to read. This year there are 3 Freida McFadden books - should only one book per author be allowed It does have the latest SA Cosby on it -- which I have yet to read.

Anyway, end of my rant.

[Algernon (Darth Anyan)]

Joy D wrote: "I am pretty sure they eliminated the option to write in a title a few years ago. The categories change slightly from year to year (e,g., recently they added "Romantasy.")"

And my interest in the popularity poll wanes accordingly, year after year

[Joy D]

I don't dislike the GR Awards as much as Theresa, but I am also skeptical as to how the books are nominated (I'm skeptical of anything involving Amazon and its profit-oriented motives). That said, I normally vote on the polls each year only for the books I really think are worthy. I have not read any books in some categories, so I don't vote for those (e.g., Romance, Romantasy, Horror). I don't vote in the YA categories, since I'm not the target audience.

I read a lot of new releases, so I usually find I have read a good number of the books in Fiction, Historical Fiction, Non-Fiction, History, Debut, and Memoir categories. Even though I haven't read all of them, I like authors to get recognized for quality work and will vote for those I have very much enjoyed from the list of nominees. My votes usually go to those that don't win, since it does end up a popularity contest, and I think a lot of people vote for authors whose names they recognize even if they haven't read the book - can't help that - it's the nature of the awards.

[Joy D]

By the way, somehow I was able to vote in the Mystery/Thriller cataegory, since Heartwood was nominated. Even though I'm not sure it "should" be in the mystery/thriller group (it's not really a thriller - just a mystery), I did enjoy it very much and it is very well-written.

[Robin P]

NancyJ wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "For anyone following the Booker Prize, the winner has been announced:
https://www.npr.org/2025/11/10/nx-s1-...

Flesh and Tinkers were just meh for me.

On GR Choice - I have read 3 of the literary fiction and 1 science fiction, that's all. None were totally outstanding. It's definitely a popularity contest, authors who are already famous usually win.

[Joanne]

On the GR award, as normal, there are very few I have even heard of.

This year, I voted for 2 of them, one in Fantasy, one in History

The Strength of the Few and The Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 1777-1780. Both will most likely be on my top ten list this year,

[Theresa]

The Winter Reading Group Discussions have just been announced at the Center for Fiction in Brooklyn, NY. These are mostly virtual and are very good. I have done 2 or 3 and they are worth it.

https://centerforfiction.org/reading-...

The group listings spread over a few pages. Even if you are not quite ready to join a virtual discussion group or it's in person, I find many of the reading suggestions and topics ones I incorporate into my reading, especially for challenges.

Timing not right? Some of these come around again, or are reconfigured to a new topic.

While at the website, sign up for the emails -- they also offer writing workshops and support to writers as well as sponsor talks and even issue an award to debut authors each year.

[Theresa]

More on the Winter Discussion Groups from Center for Fiction - taken from email announcement:

Not sure where to start? We’ve sorted this season by theme to help you find what you're looking for:

In Context: Novels that grapple with timely issues and urgent social themes.
Author Spotlight: Multiple books by a single groundbreaking author. [one of these authors is R.F. Kuang who has garnered a lot of attention and reading here]
The Deep Dive: Multi-session explorations of a single landmark title. [Proust]
In Short: One-night-only discussions of essential stories.

[Joy D]

Regarding the GR Awards lists, I counted and I have read a total of 23 individual books that are nominated. Some are nominated in multiple categories, but I only counted them once. I think overall the 23 are worthy candidates, in that they are well-written, and I gave almost all of them 4 or 5 stars.

I agree with Theresa that in the mystery-thriller category, and author should only be nominated once. There are plenty books in that genre, and surely other authors deserve a nomination over singling out 1 author with 3 nominations. (This is the type of issue that makes me skeptical of the entire award.)

[Booknblues]

Obama has announced his favorite books of the year:

https://barackobama.medium.com/here-a...

Paper Girl: A Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America

Flashlight

We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution

The Wilderness

There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America

North Sun: Or, The Voyage of the Whaleship Esther

1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in History--and How It Shattered a Nation

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny

Dead and Alive

What We Can Know

and of course,

The Look