What are you reading for November?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just finished Educated, by Tara Westover. (I know I'm late to the party). It was a pretty easy read, despite the tough story. I'd give it a 4/5. I enjoyed reading it but it wasn't the best autobiography (I think I generally prefer ones of people I "know" from a show or a movie or something, or funny ones). I'll never read it again, but I'd recommend it as an interesting look at a very different life from what I lead. I'm debating reading her mom's book, Educating.

I'm about halfway through The Colorado Kid, by Stephen King (more of a short story, not super short but much, much shorter than his normal - I've only read it two nights so far). I love Stephen King and this is so far another one of his good character development, interesting plot books. I don't actually like horror or the supernatural, but he always gets me hooked by bringing me into the world he has created so quickly with his vivid writing.

Next up when I'm done with that will be None of This Is True.

If you like The Colorado Kid, there's a TV show loosely based on it - Haven. Haven is SUPER weird and far from a perfect show but I still really enjoyed it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tom Lake…Ann Patchett. Finally!!

Me too! Really mostly enjoying it so far - though about halfway through, everything might just be a little too perfect. I keep waiting for the twist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just got done listening to "Send For Me" by Lauren Fox.
It is about a Jewish family who immigrated from Germany to Wisconsin in 1938. It was fiction, but the author based it on the actual letters she had found that her great grandmother, who stayed in Germany, wrote to them until the great grandmother died.
I liked it, but . . .
What I didn't care for was how the book kept jumping around in time between present day and the 1930's.
What I did like about it was the narrative about the years leading up to the holocaust. Things like Jewish and non-Jewish people being childhood playmates and friends in the 1920's, then not associating with each other any more. The slow insidiousness of hatred towards Jewish people. I had never thought about that before.

This seems like it might be up my alley! Although maybe too dark for me right now — is the ending super downer or are you left with some sense of hope for humanity?

I am the person who listened to "Send For Me". The ending was not super downer, but not super "up" either. There was just a sense of longing for the family members to be together, throughout the book. And, in my opinion, also a sense of confusion for the rest of their lives as to why they had been respected members of the community back in Germany for a long time, then they had to leave their home country in order to not be murdered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just finished Educated, by Tara Westover. (I know I'm late to the party). It was a pretty easy read, despite the tough story. I'd give it a 4/5. I enjoyed reading it but it wasn't the best autobiography (I think I generally prefer ones of people I "know" from a show or a movie or something, or funny ones). I'll never read it again, but I'd recommend it as an interesting look at a very different life from what I lead. I'm debating reading her mom's book, Educating.

I'm about halfway through The Colorado Kid, by Stephen King (more of a short story, not super short but much, much shorter than his normal - I've only read it two nights so far). I love Stephen King and this is so far another one of his good character development, interesting plot books. I don't actually like horror or the supernatural, but he always gets me hooked by bringing me into the world he has created so quickly with his vivid writing.

Next up when I'm done with that will be None of This Is True.

If you like The Colorado Kid, there's a TV show loosely based on it - Haven. Haven is SUPER weird and far from a perfect show but I still really enjoyed it.

PP here, thanks! I did like The Colorado Kid. I love Stephen King because I think he's just a masterful storyteller. I also love weird TV shows. (Assuming you watched the two seasons of Castle Rock).

[Anonymous]

I'm about 1/4 of the way through Oona Out of Order. I like it so far. Not great literature, but a fast and entertaining read. Similar to other books that play with time, when the clock strikes midnight on New Years (her birthday), a woman wakes up in a different year of her life.

Also started on The Historian (on Audible - reading the other on my Kindle). It's VERY long but the narrators are great and a friend whose tastes I trust loved it. It's about the history of Dracula and how vampires are still around. It's not my normal genre but it has a lot of interesting history in it so far and I have always wanted to visit Transylvania for some reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tom Lake…Ann Patchett. Finally!!

Me too! Really mostly enjoying it so far - though about halfway through, everything might just be a little too perfect. I keep waiting for the twist.

^ me again - got to the twists! (the first ones anyway)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just finished Educated, by Tara Westover. (I know I'm late to the party). It was a pretty easy read, despite the tough story. I'd give it a 4/5. I enjoyed reading it but it wasn't the best autobiography (I think I generally prefer ones of people I "know" from a show or a movie or something, or funny ones). I'll never read it again, but I'd recommend it as an interesting look at a very different life from what I lead. I'm debating reading her mom's book, Educating.

I'm about halfway through The Colorado Kid, by Stephen King (more of a short story, not super short but much, much shorter than his normal - I've only read it two nights so far). I love Stephen King and this is so far another one of his good character development, interesting plot books. I don't actually like horror or the supernatural, but he always gets me hooked by bringing me into the world he has created so quickly with his vivid writing.

Next up when I'm done with that will be None of This Is True.

If you like The Colorado Kid, there's a TV show loosely based on it - Haven. Haven is SUPER weird and far from a perfect show but I still really enjoyed it.

PP here, thanks! I did like The Colorado Kid. I love Stephen King because I think he's just a masterful storyteller. I also love weird TV shows. (Assuming you watched the two seasons of Castle Rock).

Oooh I have not but I will check it out - thanks for the rec!

[Anonymous]

Currently reading “counting the cost” by Jill Dillard(Duggar) about 75% done. It’s interesting. I never watched the show but I know of the issues surrounding the family and her brother. It’s really interesting and sad to see how vastly different she was treated verses her brother, for seemingly minor issues. I won’t read it again but it’s an easy and quick read.

I’m listening to educated by Tara Westover as well. I know I’m way behind on the times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just put a hold on that fungi book so fast.

I’m reading Big Swiss. It is a hilarious and so pointed book about a transcriptionist for a sex therapist. It’s set in Hudson, NY, and really skewers a certain type of New Yorker.

I also placed a hold on entangled life immediately on seeing the suggestion (there’s an audiobook too!).

I’m also part way through All The Young Men by Ruth Coker Burks which is memoir about the early days of AIDS. The author ended up first helping get burials for AIDS patients in her area (lots of Pentecostal families who wouldn’t acknowledge their gay sons) and then sort of moved on to helping people living with AIDS in general. I’m finding it really interesting so far — it’s such an important part of history we don’t usually discuss, especially the parts outside of NYC/LA.

On a lighter note I’m also rereading Better Part of Valor by Tanya Huff which is a military sci fi action story — fun and well written and a quick read. And planning to pick up Kingdom of Without by Andrea Tang next week: alternate history heist novel that I’m excited about.

Me again, having finished All the Young Men; it was really good and I highly recommend it, especially to those enjoying Educated and similar memoirs.

[Anonymous]

I really love these monthly what are you reading threads? I am currently reading The List by Yomi Adegoke and enjoying it so far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Currently Dancing on My Grave by Gelsey Kirkland. Next are The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan and The Warsaw Diary of Adam Czerniakow edited by Raul Hilberg.

I read Dancing on My Grave years (probably decades!) ago and still remember finding it to be so interesting. The ballet world fascinates me.

[Anonymous]

I’m listening to An Immense World by Ed Yong. It was on the TPWKY book club last season and I’m loving it so far. It’s about how animals perceive the world and absolutely fascinating so far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm about 1/4 of the way through Oona Out of Order. I like it so far. Not great literature, but a fast and entertaining read. Similar to other books that play with time, when the clock strikes midnight on New Years (her birthday), a woman wakes up in a different year of her life.

Also started on The Historian (on Audible - reading the other on my Kindle). It's VERY long but the narrators are great and a friend whose tastes I trust loved it. It's about the history of Dracula and how vampires are still around. It's not my normal genre but it has a lot of interesting history in it so far and I have always wanted to visit Transylvania for some reason.

I listened to Oona out of order a few years ago. I liked it. I don't remember all the details but once it was done I remember feeling like that was a very good ending.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m listening to An Immense World by Ed Yong. It was on the TPWKY book club last season and I’m loving it so far. It’s about how animals perceive the world and absolutely fascinating so far.

I have enjoyed this one too especially as an audiobook. It has changed the way I think about how animals view the world.

[Anonymous]

I am reading Four Treasures of the Sky. Has anyone else read this? So far it's good but trending really sad.