I am having the hardest time staying awake this week, which is messing with my reading a bit, but I’m so tired that I don’t care (which is a strange feeling for me, normally that’d get me stressed out). I know it doesn’t matter—this is a hobby, not a paying gig—it’s just an observation.
This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words—and shown to me by Aurore-Anne-Chehoke at Diary-of-a-black-city-girl.
The Three Ws are:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
Easy enough, right?
What are you currently reading?
I’m reading the captivating while creepy and unnerving (and likely to get nastier-sounding adjectives before I’m done) The Perception Of Dolls by Anthony Croix, edited by Russell Day and am listening to the strangely charming Ms. Demeanor by Elinor Lipman, Piper Goodeve (Narrator) on audiobook.
What did you recently finish reading?
Last week, I finished Seanan McGuire’s Lost in the Moment and Found and A Drink Before the War by Dennis Lehane, Jonathan Davis (Narrator) on audio. Both were everything I hoped for.
What do you think you’ll read next?
My next book should be The Hero Interviews by Andi Ewington—I’m going to need a lighter read after my current novel, and this should fit the bill. My next audiobook should be Half-Off Ragnarok by Seanan McGuire and Ray Porter, Emily Bauer (Narrators) as I continue revisiting this series.
What’s getting your attention lately?
Bob Germaux
I’m currently reading Stanley Tucci’s “Taste: My Life Through Food,” which I’d put aside for a while. I’m finding it to be an easy and enjoyable read. Tucci writes as though he’s simply having a conversation with you, the best way to do that. I just finished reading Paul Levine’s first Jake Lassiter novel “To Speak for the Dead,” which was okay enough for me to try the next book in the series at some point. Next up? Possibly that new Dennis Lehane book. I’ve read most of his earlier efforts and enjoyed them. Frankly, I’d forgotten about him, so it’s time to try another of his books.
HCNewton
Does the new Lehane = Since We Fell or Small Mercies?
I haven’t read the early Lassiter novels, “okay enough” isn’t a ringing endorsement. But I’ve kept going with series that I’d considered that good and come around. Hope that’s the case for you.
That Tucci book does look promising. Hope you enjoy!
Bob Germaux
Yeah, I didn’t love “To Speak for the Dead” a lot, but there was enough there for me to want to keep going. As you said, H.C., sometimes a series improves with future efforts by the author. And when I said next up was the new Dennis Lehane book, I didn’t realize that “Tender Mercies” won’t be available until late April, so instead, I’m into “The Wanted,” a Robert Crais novel from 2017 that I somehow missed. I’m about 1/3 of the through and enjoying it, as I do with most of Crais’s works.
HCNewton
Ahhh, gotcha. Tender Mercies looks appetizing 🙂 (Since We Fell is one I think I’ll pass on). The Wanted isn’t my favorite in the series, but even Crais at his weakest (which this isn’t) is better than most out there.
Bob Germaux
Agreed.
Bob Germaux
I just responded to your question, H.C., but I’m not sure if I actually sent it, so forgive me if this is a duplicate. Anyway, I enjoyed “To Speak for the Dead” enough to give the next book a try at some point (soon, probably). As you said, sometimes when you keep going with a series, it grows on you. And I was going to read “Tender Mercies” next, but that was before I realized it won’t be available until late April, so instead I’m into “The Wanted,” a 2017 mystery by Robert Crais that I somehow missed. I’ve read about 1/3 of the book, and I’m enjoying it so far, as is the case with most of Crais’s works.
HCNewton
nah, it got through, it’s just me being too distracted to keep up on my “Pending” comments.
Bob Germaux
No problem. You probably have other things to do. You know, life and stuff:)
HCNewton
Sure, let’s go with that explanation. That’s the ticket.
Allyson Johnson
Hmm, it’s been awhile. I: am currently reading a whole bunch of books, none of which I am very sucked into. They include: Packer’s “The Unwinding”, which is a really good set of essays on how our current political system got to its present state, but I have it as my bedside book and lately I’ve been falling asleep as soon as I hit the mattress. And Isak Dinesen’s “Seven Gothic Tales” – I’m through the first two, and they are indeed Gothic and fascinating, but require careful reading. and still have “The Brothers Karamazov” on my list, but haven’t actually looked at it for several weeks. Also reading at “The Roosevelt Myth”, a debunking of the liberal vision of FDR, and “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman”, a wonderful collection of anecdotes from that irrepressible and insatiably curious Richard Feynman. And a book about genealogical hazards called “Ancestor Trouble” by Maud Newton, given to me for Xmas. And E. L. Doctorow’s “Billy Bathgate” from my TBR shelf. Whew! That’s what happens when I have three straight weeks of rain (I’m in California) – I keep picking up whatever is lying around the house.
I did finish “The Map and the Territory”, a Goncourt Prize winner by Michel Houellebecq, which I read on a friend’s recommendation. It’s kind of a Rorschach test of a novel – I have a feeling you could read into it whatever you were currently absorbed by. I had a friend die unexpectedly last week, so I think it has a theme of addressing death, but you could equally say it was a satire of modern art, or an essay on alienation, or a bunch of other things. I also read Josephine Tey’s fluffy British cozy mystery, “To Love and Be Wise.” Tey is always fun; ;this is not her best (“The Daughter of Time”) or her second best (“Brat Farrar”) but it is up there.
Again, I’m not thinking about what comes next with all this on my plate. I do recommend Feynman.
HCNewton
I am awed by that currently reading stack…I just couldn’t do something like that. Mind-boggling.
I tried to read the Feynman book (and one other of his) when I was in Jr High or something like that–my aunt pushed it on me hard. Assuring me it was hilarious. It might well be, but not the kind of hilarity that a junior higher appreciates. I should probably try it again now (but the negative associations are stronger than they should be…would like to think I could get over it by now)
Allyson Johnson
Feynman does lapse into mathematical esoterica now and then. I love his stories about picking the locks of the Highly Classified files and safes at Los Alamos. He comes off as infuriating and feckless and manages to be supremely self confident and self deprecating at the same time.
HCNewton
It does sound more appealing to me now than it ever did before…if only for the fun combination of self-deprecating and self-confident.