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What are you reading? V1


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8 hours ago, packerstk7 said:

Any fiction out there there that’s accessible and will change my life?

 

3 hours ago, Malfatron said:

Blood Meridian

I'll second Blood Meridian, thought I don't know I'd call it accessible.

I'd say the following:

Grendel by John Gardner
Ubik by Philip K. ****
Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
The Gift by Vladimir Nabokov

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I just started listening to James Ellroy’s new book, The Enchanters, on Audible. It’s pretty good, but I wouldn’t start there if you’re not familiar with Ellroy.

Three years ago, I started with arguably his best book, American Tabloid, and I’m really excited to say that the full cast audio drama version of it is finally going to be released on Audible in November. Bruce Willis and Tom Hanks both tried to adapt it into a series years ago along with its equally great sequel The Cold Six Thousand, but since Ellroy said it is tied up contractually and won’t happen, this is the next best thing.

https://www.audible.com/pd/James-Ellroys-American-Tabloid-Audiobook/B0CJ1BRJKD?qid=1695074774&sr=1-2&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_2&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=C11RHD2T2DM6T2J0WS5D&pageLoadId=LefH2KRGWSByslrf&creativeId=0d6f6720-f41c-457e-a42b-8c8dceb62f2c

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In 1995, James Ellroy’s novel American Tabloid shocked the world with its gritty reimagining of the events leading up to the JFK assassination. Now, an all-star cast brings Ellroy’s masterwork to life in this gripping new audio adaptation.

Hollywood luminaries including Brian Cox (Succession), Elliott Gould (Ocean’s Eleven), Maya Hawke (Stranger Things), Bobby Cannavale (The Irishman), Shea Whigham (Boardwalk Empire), Giovani Ribisi (Lucky Pete) and Matt Dillon (There’s Something About Mary) lend their talents to this salacious thriller narrated by Ellroy himself.

The high-low tale tracks the machinations of real power brokers, like Jimmy Hoffa, John F. and Bobby Kennedy, and J. Edgar Hoover, as well as the fictionalized footmen who did their dirty work behind the scenes. Weaving true events into his sordid story, Ellroy creates a portrait of midcentury America that’s as recognizable as it is shocking.

Take a trip beyond the gloss of the Kennedy presidency into the backroom deals and unsavory characters that really made things happen. Follow along with characters like Big Pete Bondurant, a violent associate of both Howard Hughes and Jimmy Hoffa who will go to any lengths to insulate his employers from repercussions, and Kemper Boyd, an FBI agent tasked with going undercover in the Kennedy political operation.

Ellroy invites a whole new generation to leave their historical preconceptions at the door—to lift up the rock and see what’s living underneath.

 

 

Edited by JohnChimpo
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  • 3 weeks later...

I wrapped up Dinner at Homesick Restaurant a couple weeks ago, and it's one of the best books I've read recently.  It's one of those story-of-a-whole-family stories with no specific protagonist and multiple points of view over 40 years.  Very dysfunctional family, but lots of compelling character work, and I understand why it was nominated for like every award back when it was published.  It's got some of the better writing of sibling relationship dynamics I think I've ever read.

Gonna stick with me for a while.

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Starter Villain is the first and last John Scalzi book I’ve read. It felt like a spec script for a Nickelodeon show that got scrapped so he threw a bunch of cuss words and random violence in to adult it up. I generally play it safe by reading the same authors I’ve liked and this guy (a famous scifi/fantasy author) just isn’t for me. Also I see there is a book about him called “John Scalzi is NOT a rapist”. Tf is up with that. 

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On 10/4/2023 at 12:51 PM, Daniel said:

I wrapped up Dinner at Homesick Restaurant a couple weeks ago, and it's one of the best books I've read recently.  It's one of those story-of-a-whole-family stories with no specific protagonist and multiple points of view over 40 years.  Very dysfunctional family, but lots of compelling character work, and I understand why it was nominated for like every award back when it was published.  It's got some of the better writing of sibling relationship dynamics I think I've ever read.

Gonna stick with me for a while.

I am doing this now on audible since you posted. I like it so far even if the mother is driving me absolutely nuts. 

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  • 2 months later...

Updates on what I went through on audible and read recently:

@Daniel's recommendation of Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant - I liked it! Tough story on a dysfunctional family, and you can't help but root for some of them and come up disappointed. 

Mickey 7 - It was fine. I'll be interested to see the movie because of the director and cast, but I wasn't blown away to go to sequels.

The Exorcist - That was fantastic. I get why it's a classic. 

The Forever War - I liked it better than I thought I would. Kinda reminded me of Starship Troopers some. I think the story wrapped up nicely, so I won't do any sequels, but it was a good read for that war motif. 

The Woman in Cabin 10 - meh. Not great.

Currently doing audible of Upgrade by Blake Crouch and reading the second Harry Hole novel. 

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