Gail > Recent Status Updates

Fabulous!

My husband and I are listening to this as an audiobook because it won an Earphones Audio Award on audiofilemagazine.com. Halfway through after a trip to NYC from Boston, It is a delight.

I am listening to this book. It is wonderful!!! I highly recommend it already! Many speakers, one for the protagonist. A 73 year old woman, and the others for each person she corresponds with

My favorite stories so far, for their heart, are:
Nine Lives
The Stars Beneath
Vaster Than Empires and More Slow

1 Semley’s Necklace - I enjoyed this story. It was a simple story, yet universal - a classic tale in sci-fi clothing. Will most societies struggle with war? Are the sources of war in leaders’ hearts ultimately more personal than political? And… how often we misconstrue what our loved ones desire due to our own wounds.
2 April in Paris -

So far so good! My first King book. I chose it because it is not horror and it was what was there of his in the store. Plus, it is about the 60s. My growing up time also. He seems every bit as good of a storyteller as I’ve heard tell.

6/10/23 I stopped reading for now. Called more strongly to novel- length stories, plus these stories often have a lingering sadness for me,

I decided to put this book down. Just too dark. Fascinating, especially the first story, but too dark.

2 Sticks - the sad story of the protagonist’s father, that hints at the pain but never really indicates understanding or compassion on the part of the son.
3 the puppy - Who is better than who, everyone has a story they tell themselves.

Victory Lap: George Saunders’ reading of his own work is amazing and riveting and deep, leading me to care so much for the characters I sometimes can’t stand the tension at the end of the story and have to read about it so I am stealed for whatever lies at the end - often not the worst thing, but often something harrowing nonetheless in the few Saunders’ stories I’ve read so far.

11/9/22: 1st Story: Liberation Day. This is the longest story in the book, the one providing the book's title. It was the most inventive story I have ever read, though it really pressed the "suspend disbelief" trope a bit far at times. It is marvelously creative, surprising, shocking. Very thought-provoking. I loved it.

11/9/22: 1st Story: Liberation Day. This is the longest story in the book, the one providing the book's title. It was the most inventive story I have ever read, though it really pressed the "suspend disbelief" trope a bit far at times. It is marvelously creative, surprising, shocking. Very thought-provoking. I loved it.

I just finished Mirror. A bit more characterization, although that is never the focus for Cixin. But another mind-blowing idea. How does he do this?!

I read the Foreward (fascinating - sci-if gives the gift of unifying humanity and connecting the Great and the Small), The Village Teacher (wonderful, connects the Great and Small), and 2018-04-01 (confusing, heartless in the depiction of relationship).

A quick read because it is a graphic novel. On page 115/277. It is unusual and has pulled me in. Definitely on the bleak side, but also arouses empathy, always a good thing.

I just read The Time Migration. The earth has become uninhabitable, and a massive population drop would help rectify the situation, so 800 million people are being sent 150 years into the future to colonize at that time period. I will say no more to avoid any spoilers, but it was terrific and the ending will not disappoint.

Dec 2018 read 1st story

Read The Seagull, in time for seeing the Huntington play Vanya, Sona, Misha and Spike that's a bit of a nod to Chekhov. Made the play more enjoyable, wish I'd managed to read them all beforehand. But the play was a riot anyway. May or may not finish the other plays. I think they would be more fun to watch on stage.