After a two-week break, we’re back to WWWing on Wednesdays. This is basically a recap of my year thus far.
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?
Seems easy enough, right? Let’s take a peek at this week’s answers:
What are you currently reading?
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| The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs |
The Bang-Bang Sisters by Rio Youers, read by Kristen Sieh |
I knew this was my third time reading The Pleasures of Reading, but what I didn’t realize until yesterday when I was logging it I realized that the first time was in 2015 and the second was in 2020. So clearly, I have a start on my 2030 TBR.
As far as The Bang-Bang Sisters? I don’t know what to say…WOW is about as much as I can say with 12% left to go.
What did you recently finish reading?
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| Robert B. Parker’s Buried Secrets by Christopher Farnsworth |
Charlotte Illes Is Not a Teacher by Katie Siegel |
I was apprehensive about a fourth author taking over Jesse Stone, but Farnsworth made a believer out of me. I hope he sticks around for a while.
The second installment in the Not a Detective series is a lot of fun.
What do you think you’ll read next?
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| Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds |
The Boys of Riverside: A Deaf Football Team and a Quest for Glory by Thomas Fuller |
I’m a little intimidated by Pushing Ice, the January selection for the SF Book Club. I’ve heard good things about it, but it is a heavy-looking 550+ pages.
I’ve heard some good things about Fuller’s book, looking forward to the change of pace (and, hopefully, a good book, too)
What goodies are you starting your year with?
Carol
I’m one who loved Boys of Riverside! And it’s short, easy reading! Enjoy!
HCNewton
I know you were at least one of the places that I saw it recommended (maybe the only place). You def. played a role in me grabbing it, anyway. First 25% was good. Looking forward to the rest.
Carol
Get audio format if possible! It gets better and better and the audio greatly enhances the story! Enjoy!
Carol
Oops! I thought we were still talking about PHM! 😰😱
HCNewton
hee hee
Carol
But the audio is good for Boys of Riverside as well…narrated by author.
HCNewton
He is, good. Even if it sounds like he’s trying to read a Jack Reacher novel rather than a high school football story. 🙂
Carol
😂
Bob Germaux
I’m currently reading “The Girl on the Balcony,” Olivia Hussey’s 2018 autobiography. I wasn’t aware that this book existed until just recently, when I read about Ms. Hussey’s death at 73 last month. For those who don’t know, Hussey played Juliet in the classic 1968 “Romeo and Juliet.” During my three decades as a high school English teacher, I had my 9th graders read the play every year, followed by a viewing of the film. Thus, I have a somewhat personal attachment to both the play and the actors (Hussey was just 15 when they began filming; her costar, Leonard Whiting, was 17). So far, the book is a real treat. The writing is excellent, the stories are interesting (particularly the “behind the scenes” bits about the filming of the movie), and unlike so many celebrity autobiographies, Hussey didn’t appear to have had any dirt to dish.
I just finished reading “Hot Property,” Mike Lupica’s first effort at a Spenser novel. I want to be careful here. I liked the book, but it wouldn’t get 4 or 5 stars from me. Lupica is an accomplished writer, but I believe he did a better job with the Sunny Randall novels he wrote. Mostly, I don’t think he felt as comfortable writing in Spenser’s voice as he did in Sunny’s. In particular, the scenes between Spenser and Susan, along with the ones between Spenser and Hawk, didn’t have the same ring of authenticity as when Parker wrote them. (A very high bar, I know.) That being said, if you’re a Spenser fan, I would definitely recommend this entry in the series.
Next up? Possibly Robert Crais’s newest: “The Big Empty.” I always like me a good Elvis Cole/Joe Pike story.
HCNewton
I can’t do math well enough to figure out how many times you must’ve seen that movie (or at least had it on in your presence while you did something else). Random question: How did you handle that one particular scene? My teacher accidentally (wink) walked in front of the TV to preserve our impressionable eyeballs.
You probably saw me raise expectations for The Big Empty. Looking forward to your take. I think I liked Lupica’s new Spenser a bit more than you (I keep trying to find time to write it). Question: do you remember anyone but Spenser and Jesse really interacting with Rita before?
Speaking of Jesse Stone–next month’s new novel is worth showing up for.
allysonyj
I don’t really have any goodies. I am giving a second try to Ruth Ozecki’s “Book of Form and Emptiness” thinking that a novel narrated by a Book might give me some welcome whimsy, but it’s turning out to be a bit of a downer, not the book to have been reading just before you go to bed. Sticking with Paul Theroux’s “Sunrise with Sea Monsters” as my bedside book – almost done with it. It’s a very uneven collection of travel reminisces (usually quite good), critical reviews (of authors I’ve not read, and the reviews don’t tempt me to try them) and commentary on the modern scene (quite jaundiced and sometimes patronizing.) And I started “A Fine Balance” by Rohinton Mistry, thinking an Oprah’s Book Club selection would be a good read, but when the protagonist’s husband [Spoiler Alert!] is killed in the first 50 pages, I couldn’t face another 550 pages of the hardships of an Indian widow. Maybe later.
I recently read “Sipsworth” by Simon van Booy for a book club. I hated the first pages, which told of an elderly woman whose life is empty – husband and child dead, no connections. Just too close to my worst nightmares of what might happen to me in my tarnished golden years. Fortunately it morphed into another retelling of the meme Cumudgeon Redeemed by Unexpected Custody of Lovable Waif (see “Pollyanna”, “Anne of Green Gables”, “The Family Under the Bridge”, even “Jane Eyre” if you stretch a bit). The Waif in this case is a bit unusual.
I also re-read “Ozma of Oz” as I discovered I had two copies and accidentally opened the copy I intended to donate. L. Frank Baum is not given enough credit for the sophisticated satirical bits he put into his Oz series; they went over my head as a child but made me chuckle on a re-read.
Next I may pick up a Trollope that I haven’t read yet (there are a few, but deservedly lesser-known I’m afraid)
HCNewton
Ozma was the only Oz book I owned as a kid–and therefore the one I read the most. Remember almost none of it now–but I remember enjoying it. And am sure I got none of the satire, either.
Sipsowrth sounds like a rough start, and I might have despaired to face the rest. “Curmudgeon Redeemed by Unexpected Custody of Lovable Waif”…ha! love it
shelleyrae @ Book'd Out
You’ve made some great selections, enjoy!
HCNewton
I sure hope so 🙂 (it’ll make the week go easier) Thanks!
Carol
In my defense I’m watching jeopardy! 😂😂😂