If you have the means, I strongly recommend seeing Ben Folds live, as I did a couple of days ago (just one of the many reasons this week I spent almost no time online). No light show, no pyrotechnics, elaborate sets, backup dancers, or any of the typical tropes. Just one man and a piano (okay, a bunch of paper airplanes, too).
Much blog-hopping and so on to catch up on this week.
Odds ‘n ends about books and reading that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
How to read more, according to the Booker Prize 2024 judges—If anyone knows how to do this, it’s those who had to read all the (not quick and easy reads) for this Prize
My Guilty Pleasure: I’m a Gen Xer Reading Comic Books Once Again
Your Hero Could Beat Up My Hero—a fun little post to entice readers into The Recruiter
On Lying About Reading, or: How I Learned That Stieg Larsson Is Good, Actually—”Sara Martin Considers the Motivations Behind Our Literary Untruths”
When It’s Time To Change Your Reading Habits—Molly Templeton launches a personal attack against me. Or maybe it just feels that way.
“You Were Always The Wrong Guy Until You Weren’t” – Thoughts on the Flawed Hero—Peat Long continues his beef with Scrubs‘ Dr. Percival Cox while offering some good thought-provoking thoughts on flawed heroes.
To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago Week?
The Undead Pool by Kim Harrison—one of the better entries in the series, iirc
W is for Wasted by Sue Grafton—the antepenultimate book in the series (how often do I get to use that word?)
The Competition by Marcia Clark
Never Go Back by Lee Child—Remember when I liked reading Reacher?
The Sound and the Furry by Spencer Quinn
This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
The Hermit Next Door by Kevin Hearne—a new SF novella looks like a lot of fun (hint: he’s a hermit because he’s an alien trying not to get caught)
Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell—I’ve always been a sucker for Rowell’s non-YA fantasy. This book about a couple’s second-chance looks like a nice time
Gail Borden Public Library helps me stay topical with this:
Laure
OMG the Simone Biles graphic is insane! Every time i see any comparison of her jumping, i’m in absolute awe!!
Thank you for all the links too, many new things to read <3