Tag: Ian Shane Page 1 of 2

My Favorite Non-Fiction Books of 2023

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On January 4, 2024

In (Auto)Biography, Humor, News/Misc., Non-Fiction, Politics/Current Affairs

Favorite Non-Fiction 2022
My 2023 Wrap up continues and now we’re on to the Non-Fiction list. While I liked a number of works that didn’t make this list, I felt strange calling them a “favorite.” So, we have 7 instead of the nigh-obligatory 10. These are the ones that stuck with me through the year; the ones I cited in conversation; that I thought about when reading something else or watching something on TV. Yeah, there’s some overlap between this list and the audiobook list from yesterday—lately, most Non-Fiction books I work through are in audiobook format. So it makes sense, even if it makes this post seem like an echo.

As always, I only put books that I’ve read for the first time on this list. I don’t typically return to NF books (outside of looking up things for one or three points), but occasionally I do—for example, The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs would get a permanent spot on this list, were it not for this rule.

(in alphabetical order by author)

Cunk on EverythingCunk on Everything: The Encyclopedia Philomena

by Philomena Cunk

My original post
If you’ve ever watched a video clip or a full episode of Philomna Cunk’s various shows/specials, you know just what you’re going to get in this Encyclopedia. If you don’t, finish reading this post and then go find some. Probably pound-for-pound the funniest thing I read this year. Utterly useless outside of that—in case that wasn’t clear. Whether you go from cover to cover, or dip into it here and there (probably for longer than you intend to)—these brief entries are almost certainly going to be a burst of entertainment for you. Not all of them are going to work for every reader—but never fear, just turn the page and you’re probably going to come across one that will.

4 Stars

Like, Literally, DudeLike, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English

by Valerie Fridland, Narrated by Valerie Fridland, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Keylor Leigh, Andrew Eiden, Christopher Ryan Grant, Ellen Archer, Eileen Stevens and Nicky Endres

I’m a sucker for entertaining books about language, grammar, etc. Fridland’s apologetic for “Bad” English drives my inner prescriptivist, up the wall—but she joins the growing number of writers who are sealing up that prescriptivit’s coffin. How good is this book? Her chapter (or maybe it was a section of a chapter) on “Um” and “Uh” was fascinating. If she can pull that rabbit out of a hat, imagine how good she can be when she talks about the use/overuse of “like,” the history of “Dude,” or the figurative use of “literally”—and so much more. I spent most of the time listening to this book just geeking out in a way that made me regret not becoming a sociolinguist myself.

4 Stars

Kneading JournalismKneading Journalism: Essays on baking bread and breaking down the news

by Tony Ganzer

My original post
There’s just so much to commend about this book that this little paragraph isn’t going to come close to hitting it all. Partial memoir, small bread-recipe book, and some great insights into the state of journalism and what it means for our society. This is a great read—challenging, but in a friendly, welcoming way. Thoughtful and thought-provoking without being combative or overly critical. Ganzer has a point of view—and makes no claim about lack of bias here—but isn’t pushing a partisan outlook, just a pro-responsible press outlook. Brief, but not insubstantial.

4 Stars

Nasty, Brutish, and ShortNasty, Brutish, and Short: Adventures in Philosophy with My Kids

by Scott Hershovitz

My original post
This was a great listen—Hershovitz is the kind of lecturer you want to pay attention to (or so imagine based on this). This book succeeded on multiple fronts: it was frequently amusing, if not downright funny; it was educational; it was insightful (even when I disagreed with what he did with the insights); it was thoughtful; it offered (largely by example, not being didactic) good parental advice; and kept this particular listener fully engaged throughout. Just what you want from an audiobook.

3.5 Stars

100 Places to See After You Die100 Places to See After You Die: A Travel Guide to the Afterlife

by Ken Jennings

My original post
A fun and informative traveler’s guide through afterlives depicted in Mythology, Religion, Books, Movies, Music and Theater, and from a few other sources. Jennings brushes against irreverancy, but (I think, I’m open to correction) stays on the respectful side. I absolutely had a blast with this—and learned quite a bit, too. It’s one that I’ll return to primarily as a reference, but I will appreciate the perspective and humor as I check my facts. The only problem I have with it is the lack of footnotes/endnotes—I want some source material!

4 1/2 Stars

Sundry Notes of MusicSundry Notes of Music: an Almost Memoir

by Ian Shane

My original post
Given how much I like Shane’s novels, it’s probably to be expected that I enjoyed getting some insight into the novelist. And as most of his novels are centered around music/people obsessed with music, it’s fitting that this memoir focuses on songs. There are parts of this book that are very funny—some bittersweet, some tragic, some simply thoughtful. Multiple essays will hit all of those points and more. They’re all engaging in various ways. Not one track on this playlist is going to leave you looking for the skip button.

4 Stars

The Worst We Can FindThe Worst We Can Find: MST3K, RiffTrax, and the History of Heckling at the Movies

by Dale Sherman

My original post
Sherman is a man who knows about riffing on movies and helps the readers get a better knowledge of it, too. Yes, the focus is on Mystery Science Theater 3000‘s original run (runs?), but he talks about the show’s predecessors and the various projects that have sprung from it, too. Even if you know a lot about the show, its performers, etc., you’re probably going to learn something. And if you don’t? You’re going to enjoy the dashes of perspective that Sherman gives about movies in general and MST3K specifically. Everyone who did what they could to keep circulating the tapes in the 90s is going to eat this book up. Fans of more recent vintage likely will, too.

4 Stars

PUB DAY REPOST: Sundry Notes of Music: an Almost Memoir by Ian Shane: A Life’s Playlist

By

On December 26, 2023

In (Auto)Biography, Non-Fiction

Since I inititially posted about this book, Shane has made a Spotify playlist to go along with this, I’d recommend giving it a listen as you read/after you read/before you read the book. It’s just a good mix of music (and I can’t imagine anyone else is going to come up with a playlist like this). It’s worth a listen or five even if you’re not interested in the book (and then you might be…)

Sundry Notes of MusicSundry Notes of Music:
an Almost Memoir

by Ian Shane

DETAILS:
Publisher: 45rpm Media
Publication Date: December 26, 2023
Format: eARC
Length: 248 pg.
Read Date: October 27-30, 2023

What’s Sundry Notes of Music About?

Ian Shane takes a break from fiction to bring us a memoir that’s unlike most you’ve read. These began as a series of blog posts looking at his life through songs. Forty-six songs connected to forty-six stories from various parts of his life—an almost-memoir, as he puts it.

Some of the essays are tied to a particular version of a song, how a particular copy became part of his collection (or how he hunted for it), and others are because a particular episode or person became entwined with a song.

Almost everyone can relate to this book—everyone has those songs that when you hear them make you think of a particular place, person, time of life—or an old cassette tape, CD, or beat-up vinyl (maybe I should add pirate site or streaming service, too). It doesn’t take much for anyone to start listening to music and start reminiscing. Shane’s just been a bit more formal about the process than most of us and has written them down in these essays.

The Songs

I hesitate to admit this because I’m afraid I’m going to lose a lot of credibility with Shane. But I know less than a quarter of the songs from this book (at least the ones he devotes a chapter to—I know some of the others referenced).* Even worse, I disagree with him about the quality of more than one of those.

* I may know a few others if covered by another artist, or by hearing them on the radio or in the background somewhere without knowing the artist/title.

Does this matter? Not really, no. What matters is the connection and how Shane expresses it. What he says about his life and the song. This is why books like High Fidelity, Eddie and the Cruisers, Juliet, Naked, Thank You, Goodnight, The Rome of Fall, etc., etc., etc. work—because we can connect to music and music makers even when they’re fictional. We all know how it feels when we click with a song, how it can reflect and shape memories, how it can make you feel on several levels at once.

Sure, those handful of chapters involving songs (or artists) that I’m familiar with hit on another level or two. But not in a way that made things significantly different.

Also, it must be remembered—this is not a book of music criticism, as often as it may feel like it. It’s a memoir—it’s about how a song is connected to a time or event in the life of Ian Shane. So even if he made up “Supertheory of Supereverything” by Gogol Bordello (and come on…how hard would it be to believe that?), that wouldn’t particularly impact the way that chapter worked for the reader.*

* Aside from the fact that in a memoir things should be as close to true as possible while protecting privacy and allowing for fuzzy memory.

So, what did I think about Sundry Notes of Music?

I love the concept for this book—and wish I could read more like this. I think people exchanging track listings for their version (to be expanded upon by request) would make becoming friends much easier.

I also think this helps me understand shades of Shane’s novels (not just the parts that he points to in this book, either). As he’s one of those authors at the top of my list from the last few years, I particularly appreciated that—but since not enough of the world has heeded my calls to buy and read his work, I won’t expect many to see a similar appeal in this book. And as I’ve learned these last few years, you really don’t need to know much about the life or work of someone to be able to really enjoy a memoir, if the memoir is good enough. This one is.

Sure, I’d have liked another few chapters about the Tom Petty show. Do I think his estimation of The Beatles is lacking (however apt calling them the equivalent of a boy band may be)? Yes. Do I wish (primarily for his sake) that some of these chapters had ended on a “happier” note (particularly the chapters “talk tonight – oasis” and “life fades away – roy orbison”)? Sure, but’s not a comment on Shane’s writing, it’s reality rearing its head.

You can see traces of Hornby’s Songbook/31 Songs in these pages. Possibly Al Young’s Drowning in the Sea of Love (I don’t know, I hadn’t heard of it until Shane mentioned its influence). But this struck me as something more like Rob Sheffield’s Love Is a Mix Tape and Talking to Girls About Duran Duran—just involving a longer period of time. I may have grinned and chuckled more at Shane than Sheffield (those who’ve read the former will roll their eyes at me there, of course).

There are parts of this book that are very funny—some bittersweet, some tragic, some simply thoughtful. Multiple essays will hit all of those points and more. They’re all engaging in various ways. Not one track on this playlist is going to leave you looking for the skip button.

Readers of Hornby, Young, or Sheffield should appreciate this approach to memoir. Those who find this approach intriguing likely will, too. Readers of Shane’s novels will definitely find something to enjoy here. People who simply appreciate well-written memoirs/personal essays should give this a look, as well. Really, anyone who finds good writing appealing should give this a glance. Yes, I’m casting the net wide on that last sentence—that’s my point.

4 Stars

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Sundry Notes of Music: an Almost Memoir by Ian Shane: A Life’s Playlist

By

On November 24, 2023

In (Auto)Biography, Non-Fiction

Sundry Notes of MusicSundry Notes of Music:
an Almost Memoir

by Ian Shane

DETAILS:
Publisher: 45rpm Media
Publication Date: December 26, 2023
Format: eARC
Length: 248 pg.
Read Date: October 27-30, 2023

What’s Sundry Notes of Music About?

Ian Shane takes a break from fiction to bring us a memoir that’s unlike most you’ve read. These began as a series of blog posts looking at his life through songs. Forty-six songs connected to forty-six stories from various parts of his life—an almost-memoir, as he puts it.

Some of the essays are tied to a particular version of a song, how a particular copy became part of his collection (or how he hunted for it), and others are because a particular episode or person became entwined with a song.

Almost everyone can relate to this book—everyone has those songs that when you hear them make you think of a particular place, person, time of life—or an old cassette tape, CD, or beat-up vinyl (maybe I should add pirate site or streaming service, too). It doesn’t take much for anyone to start listening to music and start reminiscing. Shane’s just been a bit more formal about the process than most of us and has written them down in these essays.

The Songs

I hesitate to admit this because I’m afraid I’m going to lose a lot of credibility with Shane. But I know less than a quarter of the songs from this book (at least the ones he devotes a chapter to—I know some of the others referenced).* Even worse, I disagree with him about the quality of more than one of those.

* I may know a few others if covered by another artist, or by hearing them on the radio or in the background somewhere without knowing the artist/title.

Does this matter? Not really, no. What matters is the connection and how Shane expresses it. What he says about his life and the song. This is why books like High Fidelity, Eddie and the Cruisers, Juliet, Naked, Thank You, Goodnight, The Rome of Fall, etc., etc., etc. work—because we can connect to music and music makers even when they’re fictional. We all know how it feels when we click with a song, how it can reflect and shape memories, how it can make you feel on several levels at once.

Sure, those handful of chapters involving songs (or artists) that I’m familiar with hit on another level or two. But not in a way that made things significantly different.

Also, it must be remembered—this is not a book of music criticism, as often as it may feel like it. It’s a memoir—it’s about how a song is connected to a time or event in the life of Ian Shane. So even if he made up “Supertheory of Supereverything” by Gogol Bordello (and come on…how hard would it be to believe that?), that wouldn’t particularly impact the way that chapter worked for the reader.*

* Aside from the fact that in a memoir things should be as close to true as possible while protecting privacy and allowing for fuzzy memory.

So, what did I think about Sundry Notes of Music?

I love the concept for this book—and wish I could read more like this. I think people exchanging track listings for their version (to be expanded upon by request) would make becoming friends much easier.

I also think this helps me understand shades of Shane’s novels (not just the parts that he points to in this book, either). As he’s one of those authors at the top of my list from the last few years, I particularly appreciated that—but since not enough of the world has heeded my calls to buy and read his work, I won’t expect many to see a similar appeal in this book. And as I’ve learned these last few years, you really don’t need to know much about the life or work of someone to be able to really enjoy a memoir, if the memoir is good enough. This one is.

Sure, I’d have liked another few chapters about the Tom Petty show. Do I think his estimation of The Beatles is lacking (however apt calling them the equivalent of a boy band may be)? Yes. Do I wish (primarily for his sake) that some of these chapters had ended on a “happier” note (particularly the chapters “talk tonight – oasis” and “life fades away – roy orbison”)? Sure, but’s not a comment on Shane’s writing, it’s reality rearing its head.

You can see traces of Hornby’s Songbook/31 Songs in these pages. Possibly Al Young’s Drowning in the Sea of Love (I don’t know, I hadn’t heard of it until Shane mentioned its influence). But this struck me as something more like Rob Sheffield’s Love Is a Mix Tape and Talking to Girls About Duran Duran—just involving a longer period of time. I may have grinned and chuckled more at Shane than Sheffield (those who’ve read the former will roll their eyes at me there, of course).

There are parts of this book that are very funny—some bittersweet, some tragic, some simply thoughtful. Multiple essays will hit all of those points and more. They’re all engaging in various ways. Not one track on this playlist is going to leave you looking for the skip button.

Readers of Hornby, Young, or Sheffield should appreciate this approach to memoir. Those who find this approach intriguing likely will, too. Readers of Shane’s novels will definitely find something to enjoy here. People who simply appreciate well-written memoirs/personal essays should give this a look, as well. Really, anyone who finds good writing appealing should give this a glance. Yes, I’m casting the net wide on that last sentence—that’s my point.

4 Stars

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The Inside Scoop—A Q&A with Ian Shane About Self-Publishing

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On July 24, 2023

In A Few Quick Questions With...

Inside Scoop logo
Ian Shane has become one of my favorite authors over the last couple of years—I’ve given copies of his books away and recommended them to people in real life and online. I’m very glad that he agreed to take part in this series. I hope you enjoy this—and click on the links below, there are some solid recommendations here.

Before we get into things, why don’t you give the reader a brief introduction to you and your work?
Hi, I’m Ian Shane! I’m the author of three novels (Radio Radio, Postgraduate, and In Ten Years). I’m finishing up an “almost memoir” (Sundry Notes of Music) which should be ready for publication in November. If you want to put a label on my work, my genre is “Lad Lit,” in the great tradition of Nick Hornby.

My website is currently down, but you can find my books at viewauthor.at/ishane, and I’m on Twitter @ThatIanShane.

What are some of the biggest misconceptions you find that readers have about self-published books?
That they are less than published books. I will take the works of Matthew Hanover (@MatthewHanover), N.J. Cartner (@njcartner), Wesley Parker (@weswritesforfun), and Adam Shaw (and so many others) over many other “traditionally published” authors. Indie authors’ voices are important and, many times, infinitely more interesting.

What kind of costs are associated with self-publishing a book? Do you hire one or more editors, or one editor for a couple of passes? Cover artist? Anyone to help with layout, design, etc.? Beta readers? Or do you take it all on yourself? Are you actually making any money at this, or are you still focused on breaking-even while building an audience?
There is a lot of investing. The lion’s share of the cost is for editing. But it’s sooooo worth it. Melissa Gray (@ProofreaderMG) is the best editor in the business. Editors are a prerequisite to publishing a book, not an option. I have paid for the covers of my previous three books; however, I designed the cover of my next book. I’ve also paid for a website, but I am reevaluating that, as it seems that it only attracts unsolicited messages from web designers offering to redo my website. I’ve also tried some promotional campaigns, which did very little to move the needle when it comes to sales.

I’m not making money off of this. Writing is my passion project, and I’m more interested in building an audience than making money.

Are there tools, mentors, websites you’ve found to help you through this process? Or did you stumble through blindly on your own?
A little bit of both. My first novel was done blindly. However, after I finished my first draft, I joined a writer’s group in St. Paul. It was nice to have a group of beta readers I got to check in with every two weeks. When I started writing Postgraduate, I found some writers on Twitter who had different approaches to promotion and distribution, which I was able to adopt.

How do you juggle marketing/PR/etc. with writing new work? (along with day jobs, family, hobbies, etc., etc.)
It’s the biggest obstacle. I am a writer, not a publicist, and indie authors are forced to be both. It also doesn’t help that my schedule for the day job isn’t exactly consistent, so I don’t have a set time to market the book. The job is the highest priority because I like the finer things in life, such as food and shelter. Writing is next. Especially when I’m in the final stages of a book, I have very little time for spreading the word. I really need to get better at it.

How do you promote your book—what things have worked best for you? What kind of lessons have you learned for things not to do (at least for you)? Do you do any in-person marketing, or are you all online?
I’ve tried a couple of promotional campaigns that didn’t really seem to do anything for sales. I also tried Amazon Ads and have had mixed results on it. Believe it or not, the thing that seems to work the best is Twitter. There is a correlation between when I spend a bit of time on Twitter and sales spikes. I’m not constantly tweeting links to my book, although I take advantage of #WritersLift tweets from time to time.

On a whim, I tagged Jake Ruhd, an on-air personality on The Current in Minneapolis, in a tweet. He hosts a classic alternative show on Sundays, and my second book was about the same kind of music. I wrote that I was waiting for him to discover the book organically, and I just decided to be shameless in getting his attention this way. He retweeted my post, and it got a lot of traction. To this day, that was my best-selling month. (I love this story)

That has started to become a little trickier now that Twitter is so divisive and there is a fracture of social media feeds, I’m trying to find time to devote to other platforms, but it’s exhausting starting all over again to build an audience.

What made you decide that self-publishing was the direction you wanted to go? How often do you question that choice? How do you get through the self-doubt?
When I first started writing Radio Radio, there was no such thing as CreateSpace, and I didn’t know any print-on-demand options. I felt that my book catered to a limited audience, and I didn’t believe a traditional publisher would be interested in inside jokes between me and a few people I worked with. There was an indie publishing house in Bloomington, Indiana (where I was living at the time), and I thought it would be my best option. Having a publishing house like that locally was an advantage of living in a college town. However, the “basic option” was a bit out of my price range, so I started to scrimp as much spare change out of my embarrassingly low paycheck while I wrote the first draft.

I moved to Minnesota and lost my connection to AuthorHouse, so I was trying to find a home for my book. I found SmashWords and CreateSpace and never looked back. I’ve never thought about “what could have been” if I tried to sell the book to a traditional publisher, and if I had the chance to do it all over again, I would do the exact same thing when it comes to publishing.

Have you thought about trying to get a deal with major (or indie) publishers for upcoming works, or are you planning on sticking with self-publishing?
I plan on sticking with self-publishing.

Self-publishing tends to have fewer external deadlines keeping one accountable. How do you maintain your work process or work ethic?
While writing Postgraduate and In Ten Years, I started posting word totals on my day-to-day writing on Facebook. It was a very public way to keep myself accountable, and the fear of failing in front of my friends was a huge incentive to keep my but in the chair and typing. I’m certain that it annoyed most of my friends; however, some kept me accountable and mentioned it any time I was slacking.

What is your favorite and least favorite thing about being self-published?
The great thing about self-publishing is that anybody can publish a book. What isn’t great about self-publishing is that anybody can publish a book.

I love that I don’t have a deadline that anybody else has set and that I don’t have to change my writing to draw in as many people as possible. I love that I get to tell my story on my terms. Writing is art, not a commodity. Picasso and Jackson Pollock never had to submit themselves to a focus group.

The downside is that in 2021, there were 2.3 million new independently published books. And while I love that others have taken advantage of the same system I have, it just makes it harder to market my book. As a writer, I really have to stand out, and that’s not always easy.
2.3 million? I’m feeling better about my TBR List’s size.

How do you decide a book is finally finished and ready? (or how do you avoid “perfection as the enemy of good”?)
I may be the wrong person to ask this. I have rewritten Radio Radio post-publications many, many times. I used to make fun of George Lucas for continuing to “update” the Star Wars trilogy, but I get it now. But, that was my first book and I wanted to get it out as soon as I could.

However, I have honed my process. I have found an amazing editor and the right people to review the writing. But in the end, it’s a feeling I have. I have an inner peace that lets me know that I have expressed what I wanted.

Thanks for your time and participation! Hope you enjoyed it! And do know that there are many of us out here who appreciate and applaud what you do (and our number is growing)!
Thank you for asking me!

Be sure to check out all of Ian Shane’s work—you’ll laugh, you’ll smile, your heart will get warmed all the way down to the cockles!

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Radio Radio by Ian Shane: A Tom Petty Song in Novel Form

By

On December 27, 2022

In General Fiction/Literature, Ian Shane

Radio RadioRadio Radio

by Ian Shane

DETAILS:
Publication Date: July 17, 2008
Format: eBook
Length: 253 pg.
Read Date: December 7-8, 2022

And there goes the last DJ
Who plays what he wants to play
And says what he wants to say
Hey hey hey
And there goes your freedom of choice
There goes the last human voice
And there goes the last DJ

Sure, that’s Tom Petty and not Ian Shane. But I had that song stuck in my head for almost the entire novel, they might as well be writing about the same guy.

What’s Radio Radio About?

Erik Randall is a DJ—that’s all he’s ever wanted to do. He loves being on the radio, sharing music with whatever corner of the world he can. He comes alive on the microphone, he seems to be good at the technical bits, and he loves the medium. What it has been, what it is, what it could be—but he’s very much not a fan of what it’s becoming.

He’s a True Believer, though, and is convinced that if given the opportunity, radio can still be great. He’s even formulating a plan so that one day, he can make at least one station great.

We don’t meet him on that day—in fact, shortly after we meet him, his station comes under the thumb of a corporation that makes cookie-cutter stations all over the country. In the same way you know what you’re going to be served at an Olive Garden in a different state from home, you know what you’re going to hear on the radio in your rental car once you hear a familiar station tagline. That’s what they’re going to turn his radio station into.

About the same time, he meets a local singer/songwriter, Myra. Erik’s still reeling from a semi-recent breakup and isn’t in the right frame of mind to think about romance—but she’s the kind of woman he’s dreamed about. His co-worker/friend, Shakespeare, has been pushing him for months to date again, and once Shakespeare meets Myra, he increases the pressure.

His professional life is falling apart, his personal life is looking promising for the first time in forever—can Erik handle it?

So, what did I think about Radio Radio?

I thought there was something grating—something blindly immature about Erik’s attitude and antics at work. Yes, he’s firmly in the model of the rebel DJ who cares more about the art than the business side. And as such, I can enjoy the character. Maybe it’s because I’m reading this through the eyes of someone in 2022 so I have 14 years of insight to know just how Quixotic Erik is being and how reality is going to hit him hard. Shakespeare, on the other hand, I could get behind—he’s a realist. There’s a romantic streak in him—he wants Erik and his vision to have a chance, but he knows better. I was enjoying the novel, but I really wasn’t on board with it. Which isn’t to say I didn’t find Erik amusing—I just found him a grating sort of amusing.

But then, Myra comes on the scene and two things happen. Erik starts to change, the bits of his personality that grate on me get pushed to the background.* Secondly, Ian Shane writes this stuff really well—like the way that Erik and Myra interact, the way that Erik makes an utter fool of himself because of her, the way that Myra and Shakespeare interact—this is where Shane’s later novels shine, and you can see him building that ability here. If this was the first Ian Shane book I read, shortly after Myra comes on the scene is where I’d order his next two books.

* I am fine with a protagonist grating on me—as long as there’s something about them or their story I can get behind. But I prefer the alternative.

I should also note, that some of Erik’s work attitudes and behaviors remind me of other characters in similar situations—the works of Adam Shaw, Matthew Hanover, and Andy Abramowitz jump to mind—so I’m not trying to say that Shane messed up by having Erik be this way. I just find it grating. What he does and says are, by and large, what an immature twenty-something would think and do. As he is an immature twenty-something, he’s spot-on.

Speaking of needing to grow up a little—a lot of the ways he approaches the big changes he needs to make, the conversations around them, and the way he reacts to people like Shakespeare making those changes himself, displays that immaturity. In those cases, I find it endearing and relatable.

Maybe I’m just the office crank? Out of the office issues don’t bother me as much.

One other challenge for me is that like with Postgraduate, I felt like Shane was judging me for my musical taste. And he probably should—because my musical taste not the kind of thing that Erik Randal (or anyone at Championship Vinyl) would approve of—very I’m fairly plebian, really. Frankly, I’m okay with that—and I did make a note or two to follow up on some music. I do wish I could hear Myra’s stuff, because I think I could get into it. That’s not a reflection on the novel, I just wish Shane would write a character with mainstream taste who is seen in a positive light.

This is a sweet book—there’s good character development, a strong cast of supporting characters (most of whom I didn’t mention) that I would love to see again in some form, great banter, solid comedy in a variety of forms, insight into an industry I know practically nothing about, and a sweet and well-told romantic story. It’s not as strong as his later novels, but it’s easy to see that he’ll be capable of greatness. Buy this book, it’ll make you happy.

4 Stars

The Friday 56 for 12/9/22: Radio Radio by Ian Shane

By

On December 9, 2022

In Currently Reading, News/Misc., Quotations, The Friday 56

The Friday 56This is a weekly bloghop hosted by Freda’s Voice.

RULES:
The Friday 56 Grab a book, any book.
The Friday 56 Turn to Page 56 or 56% on your ereader. If you have to improvise, that is okay.
The Friday 56 Find a snippet, short and sweet.
The Friday 56 Post it.

from Page 56 of:
Radio Radio

Radio Radio by Ian Shane

He picks up the box to indicate that his ten years at this company could barely fill a cardboard box. “My last bit of advice that you’re going to ignore is to not give these bastards a reason.”

This is the best bit of advice he’s given me. It doesn’t sound so stupid when it comes from someone who’s not in an authoritative position. “Yeah,” I say softly. “Thanks.”

Tony makes his move to the door. “Hey, Tony,” I say, stopping him at the threshold.

“Yeah.”

“I’m gonna miss you, man.” Tony chuckles a bit. “No, you won’t.” He smiles at my seemingly transparent attempt at comfort. “But thanks for saying so.”

I walk to the doorframe to watch him walk away from the station for the last time. I felt a subtle sense of loss as I saw him turn the corner. It’s the sort of loss an FBI agent might feel after putting away a mob boss that was the subject of a three-year probe. He was a worthy adversary. We were like Eliot Ness and Al Capone, Dr. Richard Kimble and the one-armed man, Batman and The Joker.

My Favorite Non-Crime Fiction of 2021

By

On January 7, 2022

In Alex Verus, Benedict Jacka, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Jo Perry, Mike Chen, News/Misc., Roddy Doyle, Science Fiction, Seanan McGuire, Toby Daye, Urban Fantasy

2021 Favorite Non-Crime
Back when I started this site, I knew the content would be largely “genre”-oriented. I’d have wagered the content would be roughly 1/3 Mystery/Detective fiction, 1/3 Urban Fantasy, and slightly less than 1/3 SFF, with “non-genre” fiction, humor, and non-fiction being enough to make my one-thirds just an approximation (honestly, if you asked me what I read regularly, that’s pretty much how I’d describe it today). Actual numbers show that’s wrong—it’s almost 40% Crime/Thriller Fiction, and Urban Fantasy has only topped 20% once in the last decade—it was 16% the last two years, SFF combined for about 14% in 2021.

Which is just a long-winded way to get to these two points: because Crime Fiction takes such a big chunk of my reading, it gets its own “Favorite” list, but none of the others really garner enough numbers for their own.

As always, re-reads don’t count—only the works that were new to me.

(in alphabetical order by author)

We Could Be Heroes

by Mike Chen

My original post
A super-hero and a super-villain become friends after meeting (as civilians) at a support group meeting and delve into their shared past to figure out how they got their powers and who they used to be. That old story. 🙂 In typical Chen fashion, the SF/super-hero elements are just an excuse to tell a story about friendship, memory, and identity. It’s a story about people, who just happen to be super-powered.

4 Stars

LoveLove

by Roddy Doyle

My original post
This is about as close as you can get to a novel without a plot. You’ve got a pair of old friends, getting together for drinks (many, many drinks) and to catch up on each other’s lives. They end up revisiting their past (as you do), arguing about what really happened then, and seeing how it’s impacted where they are now. There’s more to it, but that’ll do for our purposes. The novel is primarily told through dialogue (although we do get memories and internal commentary from one of the men). As is to be expected from Doyle, that dialogue sings. You can practically hear it jump off of the page–I’m not sure I could conjure up a mental image of anyone in the book, but I know exactly what they’d sound like.

4 Stars

Tom Jones Original CoverThe History of Tom Jones, A Foundling

by Henry Fielding

My wrap-up post for the project
I read most of this in 2020, but didn’t finish it until 2021, so it goes on this list. Just for the (mostly rewarding) time spent on this book, it deserves a spot on this list. It’s not really the kind of book I thought it would be, but it’s so much more interesting. I’ve said enough about this book, I don’t really have it in me for more–it’s a classic, anyway, what can I say that hasn’t been said for hundreds of years?

5 Stars

All the Lonely PeopleAll the Lonely People

by Mike Gayle

My original post
This is nothing but an all-out attack on the cockles of your heart. I described it to a friend, “Imagine a book by Fredrick Backman–but instead of a crotchety old Swedish man, it’s about a lonely man who left Kingston for London in the 50s.” It’s so heartwarming, so Capra-esque, so…eh, you get the point.

5 Stars

Not AwkwardNot Awkward

by Matthew Hanover

My original post
Hanover’s third Wallflowers novel came out last year and shows real growth as a writer, while not losing any of the charm, heart, and likability of his previous novels. Just before his wedding, Scott goes to the funeral for his ex’s father, and somehow ends up spending a few days with the family. Not Awkward is a warm and heart-filled story about revisiting the past, finding healing (whether or not you thought you needed it), and embracing a future that doesn’t look like you expected it would (and is probably better). It’s the kind of book that’ll make you feel a little better about life for a while—and who doesn’t want to read something like that?

4 1/2 Stars

RisenRisen

by Benedict Jacka

My original post
The twelfth and final book in the Alex Verus series blew me away. It’s one of the best series finales I remember reading. It was hard to say good-bye to this world and these characters, but Jacka did such a satisfying job with this novel that it took some of the sting out of it.

5 Stars

When Sorrows ComeWhen Sorrows Come

by When Sorrows Come

by Seanan McGuire

My original post
If (and that feels like a big “if”) October Day is going to get a Happily Ever After, it’s going to be years down the road. Thankfully, she got a “Happy Right Now” by marrying Tybalt. That’s pretty much what this novel is–a big dollop of happiness (with Toby putting down a palace coup along the way). It was so nice seeing that.

5 Stars

Headphones and HeartachesHeadphones and Heartaches

by Wesley Parker

My original post
Percy’s a teen who gets put into Foster Care after his mother’s latest OD. While she’s in a treatment program, Percy comes to trust and love his foster mother–a woman with a huge heart, who takes in this boy and gives him a safe place to be for the first time in his life. This is a sweet book, a touching book—an occasionally hilarious book (with some truly cringe-worthy beats)—I guess it’s best summed up as a very human book. Parker got me to feel all sorts of things for these characters, to a degree I didn’t expect or was prepared for.

5 Stars

PurePure

by Jo Perry

My original post
(sure, you could make the case that this is Crime Fiction, but I don’t buy it) After Ascher gets quarantined in her late aunt’s retirement condo during the early days of COVID. She sneaks around volunteering for a Jewish Burial Society, and then becomes convinced that one of the women she helped with was the victim of foul play. So Ascher tries to figure out what happened and who is responsible–again, while sneaking around the retirement community’s quarantine. This is a mystery novel about something—it’s more than a whodunit (assuming there was something for a “who” to have “dun”). It, like pretty much everything Perry writes, is about death and how we deal with it as humans (and one neurotic and grieving Mini-Pinscher). THere’s more to chew on, too, but that’d be telling…

This is one that’s going to stay with me for a while.

4 Stars

In Ten YearsIn Ten Years

by Ian Shane

My original post
A contemporary When Harry Met Sally that makes me just as happy as the movie ever did. Tried and true plotlines that felt fresh thanks to Shane’s light touch and ear for dialogue. It contains what’s probably my favorite chapter of 2021–and more than a couple of my favorite lines. I wanted to race through it to see how it ended, and I wanted to slow down to savor it (the impulse control side lost–what do you expect from someone who tagged himself “Irresponsible”?).

5 Stars

The Friday 56 for 8/20/21: In Ten Years by Ian Shane

By

On August 20, 2021

In Currently Reading, News/Misc., Quotations, The Friday 56

The Friday 56This is a weekly bloghop hosted by Freda’s Voice.

RULES:
The Friday 56 Grab a book, any book.
The Friday 56 Turn to Page 56 or 56% on your ereader. If you have to improvise, that is okay.
The Friday 56 Find a snippet, short and sweet.
The Friday 56 Post it

from Page 56/ of:
In Ten Years

In Ten Years by Ian Shane

“You turn thirty-nine today.”

“Yeah, I know. It says so on the cake.”

“You turn forty next year.”

“I can also do first-grade math, Max. Is there a point anywhere in our future?”

“Don’t you think it’s time to find a nice girl?”

“I already have one mother, Max. I have no need for a second.”

“Sarah wants a girl to talk to when we get together.”

“I’ve brought girls.”

“None of them stick around long enough for Sarah to get attached to. Besides, you haven’t even had one of those disposable dates in a while.”

PUB DAY REPOST: In Ten Years by Ian Shane: They’re Perfect For Each Other…But Can They Make It Work? Do They Even Want to Try?

By

On August 17, 2021

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Ian Shane

In Ten Years

In Ten Years

by Ian Shane

eARC, 261 pg.
2021

Read: July 23-26, 2021

What’s In Ten Years About?

In 2000, two Denver University students meet in such a way that practically guarantees Jack will have one of dullest (and probably worse than just dull) twenty-first birthdays. Liz unintentionally contributed to that but also did everything she could to make up for that. After this, she decides that the two of them are going to be great friends.

After spending a couple of chapters in 2000, we see them again in 2009—and it turns out that Liz’s plan to be great friends worked. They’ve become incredibly close, the Two Musketeers. They’re so close that everyone (including every romantic interest they ever have) assumes they have/are/want to be involved. The idea never really lodges with either of them—and they don’t understand why no one believes them.

We catch up to them in 2018. At some point, they’ve made that pact that you’ve seen in countless sitcoms and movies, if they’re not married by _____ time, they’ll marry each other.* In this case, it’s when Jack turns 40 (he’s a little younger than her, so at that point, they’ll both be 40), and in 2018 that’s a year away.

* The scene where the pact is made is just about perfect, I should add.

Both of them try to treat the pact as a joke—while hoping the other forgot about it. But neither did and despite the preposterous notion—they both kind of take it seriously. They can’t imagine not growing old together, why not?

And then one of them starts to realize that their interest in the pact isn’t because of a drunken promise, pragmatism, or the lack of a better option—but there just might be something right about the whole idea, a reality that’s been before them all along.

Supporting Characters

I’d intended on spending a few paragraphs talking about both Jack and Liz, and after a couple of failed attempts, I realized I couldn’t do either justice without just recapping the whole novel. So, instead, let’s talk about the other characters.

I wasn’t that far into the 2018 part when I made a note about, “Of course they end up together, everyone else they know is horrible.” Which was a little harsh, but essentially true—that’s up to and including their closest friends. Thankfully, that didn’t stay that way—sure, their friends didn’t make a great first impression, but as I got to spend some more time with them, I ended up liking them. They also proved to be good friends to Jack and Liz.

But when it comes to other romantic interests or dalliances? The reader can understand the appeal of (most) of the people they’re interested in—at least initially. But you don’t spend time thinking, “yeah, Person X would really be a good long-term partner for them.” I might have appreciated it more had I actually considered anyone to be a rival for Liz or Jack. But maybe after a few chapters, I’d already ruled out anyone who wasn’t Jack or Liz for the other.

I’m not sure it matters, ultimately. But what Shane did give each character plenty of frogs of various sides and coloring to kiss so that they’d inevitably discover their Prince/Princess.

The supporting characters, from college roommates to overbearing and overly-inquisitive mothers, to Russian hockey players to waitresses in a bar or inappropriate former students are well-written, they all stand out as pretty well-rounded (at least as much as someone who’s only around for a few paragraphs can be).

The Dialogue

I talked about this a little in the Q&A with Shane, and you should read what he said about writing it. My favorite part of this novel was the dialogue. Jack has some great lines when he’s upset or angry with someone, for example.

But what really won me over was the interaction with Jack and Liz—either when they’re being silly about something or when they’re talking about something serious. This is fitting for a contemporary When Harry Met Sally-esque story, Harry and Sally talking to each other is what made viewers fall for the pair, and Shane hits some Ephron-level interchanges with Jack and Liz.

So, what did I think about In Ten Years?

There are a few other highlights that I really don’t have the time or space to get into, I’d recommend checking out the aforementioned Q&A with Shane that I posted yesterday to catch a few other selling points for this book.

The novel is just funny—humor that arises from the situations and the characters’ inherent and reflexive wit and charm. It’s in the way they react to situations, and not because silly and madcap things happen around or to them (well, sure, there’s a little bit of that). Shane’s voice is part of it, too—but mostly it’s because these are smart, funny people who express that.

I can’t get into it without ruining anything, but there’s a chapter in the 2009 portion of the book that is my favorite chapter of 2021—it was so painful, and yet so funny. Shane was careful not to go too far in either direction, which would’ve blunted the impact. Instead, he’s able to portray the emotionally damaging circumstance and let the character’s wit and the ridiculousness of the situation keep it from being maudlin. The rest of the book is just as good, and just as balanced.

In Ten Years ticked just about every box that I can think of as a reader. I both couldn’t wait to find out what happened and didn’t want to get to the end because I was having such a blast. There’s a fresh-feeling take on a tried-and-true story (two, I’d argue), characters I genuinely liked, dialogue that I’d frequently reread a time or to before moving on, and a great mix of emotion and laughs. I wasn’t even 20% through the book when I noticed I was highlighting and making notes too often—had I stopped there, I had more things than I could squeeze into a post. I can only imagine how massive my notes collection would’ve been had I not made a conscious effort to stop. There was just so much that I wanted to remember about this book.

I know that I’m going to be talking about this book in January when I look back on the best of 2021, and I probably won’t be alone.

5 Stars

In Ten Years by Ian Shane: They’re Perfect For Each Other…But Can They Make It Work? Do They Even Want to Try?

By

On August 10, 2021

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Ian Shane

In Ten Years

In Ten Years

by Ian Shane

eARC, 261 pg.
2021

Read: July 23-26, 2021

What’s In Ten Years About?

In 2000, two Denver University students meet in such a way that practically guarantees Jack will have one of dullest (and probably worse than just dull) twenty-first birthdays. Liz unintentionally contributed to that but also did everything she could to make up for that. After this, she decides that the two of them are going to be great friends.

After spending a couple of chapters in 2000, we see them again in 2009—and it turns out that Liz’s plan to be great friends worked. They’ve become incredibly close, the Two Musketeers. They’re so close that everyone (including every romantic interest they ever have) assumes they have/are/want to be involved. The idea never really lodges with either of them—and they don’t understand why no one believes them.

We catch up to them in 2018. At some point, they’ve made that pact that you’ve seen in countless sitcoms and movies, if they’re not married by _____ time, they’ll marry each other.* In this case, it’s when Jack turns 40 (he’s a little younger than her, so at that point, they’ll both be 40), and in 2018 that’s a year away.

* The scene where the pact is made is just about perfect, I should add.

Both of them try to treat the pact as a joke—while hoping the other forgot about it. But neither did and despite the preposterous notion—they both kind of take it seriously. They can’t imagine not growing old together, why not?

And then one of them starts to realize that their interest in the pact isn’t because of a drunken promise, pragmatism, or the lack of a better option—but there just might be something right about the whole idea, a reality that’s been before them all along.

Supporting Characters

I’d intended on spending a few paragraphs talking about both Jack and Liz, and after a couple of failed attempts, I realized I couldn’t do either justice without just recapping the whole novel. So, instead, let’s talk about the other characters.

I wasn’t that far into the 2018 part when I made a note about, “Of course they end up together, everyone else they know is horrible.” Which was a little harsh, but essentially true—that’s up to and including their closest friends. Thankfully, that didn’t stay that way—sure, their friends didn’t make a great first impression, but as I got to spend some more time with them, I ended up liking them. They also proved to be good friends to Jack and Liz.

But when it comes to other romantic interests or dalliances? The reader can understand the appeal of (most) of the people they’re interested in—at least initially. But you don’t spend time thinking, “yeah, Person X would really be a good long-term partner for them.” I might have appreciated it more had I actually considered anyone to be a rival for Liz or Jack. But maybe after a few chapters, I’d already ruled out anyone who wasn’t Jack or Liz for the other.

I’m not sure it matters, ultimately. But what Shane did give each character plenty of frogs of various sides and coloring to kiss so that they’d inevitably discover their Prince/Princess.

The supporting characters, from college roommates to overbearing and overly-inquisitive mothers, to Russian hockey players to waitresses in a bar or inappropriate former students are well-written, they all stand out as pretty well-rounded (at least as much as someone who’s only around for a few paragraphs can be).

The Dialogue

I talked about this a little in the Q&A with Shane, and you should read what he said about writing it. My favorite part of this novel was the dialogue. Jack has some great lines when he’s upset or angry with someone, for example.

But what really won me over was the interaction with Jack and Liz—either when they’re being silly about something or when they’re talking about something serious. This is fitting for a contemporary When Harry Met Sally-esque story, Harry and Sally talking to each other is what made viewers fall for the pair, and Shane hits some Ephron-level interchanges with Jack and Liz.

So, what did I think about In Ten Years?

There are a few other highlights that I really don’t have the time or space to get into, I’d recommend checking out the aforementioned Q&A with Shane that I posted yesterday to catch a few other selling points for this book.

The novel is just funny—humor that arises from the situations and the characters’ inherent and reflexive wit and charm. It’s in the way they react to situations, and not because silly and madcap things happen around or to them (well, sure, there’s a little bit of that). Shane’s voice is part of it, too—but mostly it’s because these are smart, funny people who express that.

I can’t get into it without ruining anything, but there’s a chapter in the 2009 portion of the book that is my favorite chapter of 2021—it was so painful, and yet so funny. Shane was careful not to go too far in either direction, which would’ve blunted the impact. Instead, he’s able to portray the emotionally damaging circumstance and let the character’s wit and the ridiculousness of the situation keep it from being maudlin. The rest of the book is just as good, and just as balanced.

In Ten Years ticked just about every box that I can think of as a reader. I both couldn’t wait to find out what happened and didn’t want to get to the end because I was having such a blast. There’s a fresh-feeling take on a tried-and-true story (two, I’d argue), characters I genuinely liked, dialogue that I’d frequently reread a time or to before moving on, and a great mix of emotion and laughs. I wasn’t even 20% through the book when I noticed I was highlighting and making notes too often—had I stopped there, I had more things than I could squeeze into a post. I can only imagine how massive my notes collection would’ve been had I not made a conscious effort to stop. There was just so much that I wanted to remember about this book.

I know that I’m going to be talking about this book in January when I look back on the best of 2021, and I probably won’t be alone.

5 Stars

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