What Are We Currently Reading?

[sugarbaker design]

On 5/1/2025 at 12:50 PM, grommit2 said:

Ok.  Finished Chronicles by Bob Dylan. Book is the Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. Oh?  

 

Books don't win the Literature Nobel Prize, authors (and songwriters) do.

[LBC Me]

On Monday, we’ll learn the winners of the 2025 Pulitzer Prizes. It looks like there are several categories/genres for books.  Many are predicting that Percival Everett, author most recently of James, will receive the award in one of those categories. That book really was exceptional, by an author with a long and notable backlist. 

JAMES WON in the Fiction category.  For the first time in a very long time, I've read a Pulitzer Prize-winning book.  Congrats to Percival Everett, a fantastic contemporary author, with many books I will now explore.  I'm over the moon.  Edited to say that, for this award, the books win, unlike the Literature Nobel Prizes.

Edited May 5 by LBC Me

[Bookish Jen]

I'm currently reading Randy Rainbow's latest, a collection of essays, called "Low-Hanging Fruit: Sparkling Whines, Champagne Problems, and Pressing Issues from My Gay Agenda." It's very funny and entertaining, and just what I need to read in these trying times.

[Browncoat]

1 minute ago, Bookish Jen said:

I'm currently reading Randy Rainbow's latest, a collection of essays, called "Low-Hanging Fruit: Sparkling Whines, Champagne Problems, and Pressing Issues from My Gay Agenda." It's very funny and entertaining, and just what I need to read in these trying times.

I love his parody songs.

[Mindthinkr]

I finished Climbing in Heels by Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas. 
The story is basically about women breaking into the talent management arena. Since it seems semi-autobiographical, it was an interesting read as well as some juicy bits…nothing graphic. 
 

A I would have written this a week ago, but for the life of me I couldn’t find this thread. That seems to be my problem. I read a lot and then when I’m done I have trouble finding all of you. 

Edited May 14 by Mindthinkr

[bmasters9]

From 1978: Nurse, by Peggy Anderson (the exploits of Mary Benjamin, R.N., over eight weeks in a huge metro hospital; because this was written by Peggy Anderson, and was what happened with Nurse Benjamin over those eight weeks, what I wonder is, did Nurse Benjamin write these exploits in a diary, and then provide them to Anderson to write and publish?).

[Schnickelfritz]

On 5/14/2025 at 5:47 AM, bmasters9 said:

From 1978: Nurse, by Peggy Anderson (the exploits of Mary Benjamin, R.N., over eight weeks in a huge metro hospital; because this was written by Peggy Anderson, and was what happened with Nurse Benjamin over those eight weeks, what I wonder is, did Nurse Benjamin write these exploits in a diary, and then provide them to Anderson to write and publish?).

Anderson interviewed a nurse (Mary Fisher) who didn't want her identity revealed. Mary Benjamin was a pseudonym

[bmasters9]

8 hours ago, Schnickelfritz said:

Anderson interviewed a nurse (Mary Fisher) who didn't want her identity revealed. Mary Benjamin was a pseudonym

Ah! Didn't understand it at first, but after seeing the author's note up top, now I understand; it's a pretty intriguing book so far.

BTW, this one I have is a 1979 paperback edition; the original hardcover was from 1978.

Edited May 15 by bmasters9

[LBC Me]

Ahoy everyone. I’m currently reading Nesting by Roisín O’Donnell. It was long-listed for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction and I’m working through those books, the ones I find intriguing anyway.  This is the story of a woman who flees her controlling husband and their home with their two young children. Pregnant and scarily low on money, she is navigating Ireland’s housing system and her own self-doubts, as well as her manipulative husband’s “relentless campaign to get her to come back. Because leaving is one thing, but staying away is another.”

I’m about 1/3 through the book and it’s so very good. Propulsive, with a strong undercurrent of suspense and fear. 

My next book will probably be something on my Kindle. I often forget about those books and I have many great titles there. 

[bmasters9]

Recently purchased from EBay: Mother Love, Deadly Love: The Susan Smith Murders by New York Post columnist Andrea Peyser (1995 deep-dive into the story of one of America's most infamous murderers, Susan Smith, and what she did that for 9 days, held America in suspense about how a Black man had supposedly kidnapped and ransomed her children [3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alexander], only for America and the community of Union, SC to find out that Smith had done in her children by sending them down into the murky depths of John D. Long Lake in Union, and then pretended that that Black had done what she claimed; the police over time put the pieces together and figured it out); book ends before her 1995 trial, but so far, is a very readable account of Smith and what she did in 1994.

Edited May 19 by bmasters9

[Bookish Jen]

I'm currently reading Kyla Zhao's novel The Fraud Squad, and I'm liking it so far. I read and positively reviewed Ms. Zhao's book Valley Verified last summer, so I was happy to find The Fraud Squad (her first novel) while perusing my local library.

And something pretty amazing happened. Last week I posted my review of Milwaukee journalist Meg Kissinger's memoir While You Were Out: An Intimate Family Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence. I decided to email a link of my review to Ms. Kissinger, and she loved it! Awesome!

[Browncoat]

I just finished Mania by Lionel Shriver.  It is a hilarious and terrifying satire set in a dystopian alternate reality of the US.  A "mental parity" movement has begun, which states that everyone is equal in the brains department.  No one is smarter than anyone else, and no one is less smart, either, or so the doctrine says.  It was fascinating -- I couldn't put it down, I was so interested in where the author was taking me.  

[Rushmoras]

Towards the end of the Return of the King. 

Spoiler

All is left is to read the return to the Shire and the kicking ass of hobo Saruman and his lackey, and then how Frodo and co sail off to Valinor, IIRC.

Anyways, what I wanted to write was:a) Did not remember that there were any wildlings in this series,

Spoiler

but apparently, they helped deal with the orcs, and in the end Aragorn gave them their own domain to rule (some forest and meadows, and whatnot). Disclaimer, I'm just guessing they are called wildlings, I'm reading the books in my own native language;

b) it would have been cooler if the army of the dead would have been used for the assault on Mordor portion as well instead of being let go after liberating Gondor. You mean to tell me, that you release your ace in the hole and then go on a gamble that the Dark Lord will not crush you? Lucky for you that the Dark Lord virtually does nothing in the entire series, eh?

c) And speaking of Sauron... Damn, he's more lamer than Dracula, at least Dracula did something in Stoker's book. Sauron... everything done by proxy and then just go die after the Ring and Gollum jump of to a volcano... bummer...

 

Edited May 24 by Rushmoras

[DearEvette]

I just finished Archangel's Ascension by Nalini Singh.  it is the 17th book in her Guild Hunter series.

This one is a bit bittersweet because it feels like it portends the end of the series since the time period alternates between 'yesterday' (aka our present day) and 'today' (aka about 100 years into the future).  Since the book ends with events caught up in time to the future timeline, a lot of the human/mortal characters from the preceding books are long dead. Thank goodness it all happened off-screen as it were. I was very fond of a lot of those characters.

We got a glimpse of this in the preceding book where there was already a time jump and many of the human/mortal characters we met who had been in their prime 20s/30s in the first 15 books were in their 50s in the last book.

If it is indeed an ending then it feels like there needs to be at least one more book to wrap things up in this new time.  If not, then she'd mostly likely spin off with a whole new set of characters.  Which isn't unheard of for this author. 

[Anduin]

17 hours ago, Rushmoras said:

Towards the end of the Return of the King. 

  Hide contents

 

Anyways, what I wanted to write was:a) Did not remember that there were any wildlings in this series,

  Hide contents

but apparently, they helped deal with the orcs, and in the end Aragorn gave them their own domain to rule (some forest and meadows, and whatnot). Disclaimer, I'm just guessing they are called wildlings, I'm reading the books in my own native language;

b) it would have been cooler if the army of the dead would have been used for the assault on Mordor portion as well instead of being let go after liberating Gondor. You mean to tell me, that you release your ace in the hole and then go on a gamble that the Dark Lord will not crush you? Lucky for you that the Dark Lord virtually does nothing in the entire series, eh?

c) And speaking of Sauron... Damn, he's more lamer than Dracula, at least Dracula did something in Stoker's book. Sauron... everything done by proxy and then just go die after the Ring and Gollum jump of to a volcano... bummer...

 

The Druedain may be wildlings, but they're actually good guys. There are no villainous edain of any kinds, IIRC.

It's a funny thing about Sauron, how it's all just implication. But from what everyone says, they don't want to stir him up and actually test him. For all that Isildur discorporated him once, is Aragorn up to the challenge? Clearly Gandalf is doubtful, hence the whole 'sneaking the ring to the mountain' plan.

[scarynikki12]

Last night I read Come As You Are by Dahlia Adler. The premise is Everett "Evie" transfers to a boarding school after walking in on her boyfriend and sister in bed and later finding out her best friend was in the know. She transfers because she wants a new start in a place that has nothing to do with her sister. New relationships and experiences ensue.

I really liked the book and it would normally be a solid 3 stars on Goodreads. Happy to reread if the mood strikes, will recommend should the subject come up, and I intend to read more from the writer. Instead this book ended up being 4 stars due to the following:

Spoiler

Evie isn't forced to forgive her sister! Normally stories with this type of premise eventually lead to the protagonist choosing to forgive the best friend, the sister, and the ex-boyfriend. Sometimes it's because she's been The Bigger Person, because she can see the sister and ex are better suited (insert eyeroll here), because she came to realize the ex wasn't worth it, etc. The protagonist is rarely allowed to say "I don't give a shit if Sis and Ex are perfect together, or if BFF thought she was Doing The Right Thing! I was betrayed and it hurt like hell! Why do I have to be the Bigger Person? Why can't THEY try to do right by ME?"

But Evie has this reaction and the story supports her! Hallelujah! She does make up with BFF but only AFTER she sees some art BFF had done in lieu of a verbal apology. Evie had blocked all three on phone and social media so BFF couldn't just call her. When Evie sees the art and understands the meaning, she unblocks BFF, they start talking and BFF apologizes! BFF does make some comments about how Ex was a *********** and she just assumed Evie wouldn't believe her if she'd mentioned it but she also apologizes for hurting her so we're good. There's no contact with the Ex and I doubt he'd have apologized if there was so no loss there. 

The parents don't know the details as to why Evie hates Sierra and wanted to transfer schools but they go along with it because she got a scholarship so they didn't have to worry about tuition. Evie establishes that the policy at home is to "Give Sierra A Break" and her parents have been trying to get Evie to extend the olive branch over the phone. When they call to cancel Parents Weekend Evie assumes they just don't want to come or something more important involving Sierra came up and feels unimportant to them all over again. It turns out she's half right: Sierra got busted for dealing to her classmates and their parents agreed to send her to rehab instead of jail. 

A couple days after this reveal Evie falls out a window and sprains her ankle which leads to her parents taking her home for a short visit and appointment with a specialist to check for lasting damage. While she's at home her parents again try to get her to forgive Sierra and Evie's so fed up that she reveals she walked in on Sierra having sex with her boyfriend and Sierra never apologized. Her parents have a conversation in their bedroom and her mom come to talk and comfort her. Instead of being made to feel guilty her mom chooses comfort which Evie's been wanting. 

Now, near the end of the story Evie decides she wants to talk to Sierra over the phone to get some of the awfulness out of the way before Thanksgiving. Does Sierra apologize and express regret about ruining what little relationship they had? Of course not because Sierra is a ***********. It's clear from her attitude that rehab was purely to avoid jail and she hasn't changed or had her eyes opened. Sierra makes a comment about how Evie "always gets everything" and Evie does think about it and decides Sierra, in a way, is correct. Evie's got a new school she loves, new friends, new experiences, stronger relationships with her parents and BFF, and a new boyfriend. That's not what Sierra means and Evie knows it but she takes this moment to appreciate what she does have. 

When Evie confronts her about sleeping with Ex, Sierra actually says "that was a year ago who cares? Also he came on to me". Evie's response is "so? you didn't have to sleep with him and could have said, you're my sister's boyfriend so fuck off" (I paraphrased). STANDING OVATION. No reconciliation nor a hint it may come years into the future. Evie was allowed to be angry and not forced to forgive someone who still doesn't give a shit about her. I want ten seasons and a movie.

So a delightful 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

[Anduin]

Me: eight books in the to-read pile. Also me: buys a ninths. Also also me: rereads my favourite discovery from the last few years, good enough to read twice last year.

Wild Massive by Scotto Moore. I don't know why I love it so much. Why it lives in the back of my brain almost constantly. It's a kitchen sink fantasy? Sci fi? Something in that vein. Weird and out there in a good way.

[Mindthinkr]

I just finished Nightshade by Michael Connelly (author of the Bosch and Lincoln Lawyer books and series) and enjoyed it. He’s good at keeping the twists coming and hiding the endings. 
 

It takes place on Catalina Island. It follows the solving of a murder from when someone spy’s a body underwater in the harbor. The author is fairly detailed about how they determine time and cause of death of a body recovered. Not overly graphic, but interesting. 
 

I recommend it. 

[Rushmoras]

Well, couple of days ago completed Return of the King. 

Spoiler

Forgot that Samuran got his throat slit in the end there just like that.

And was thinking what to read next... So, today, I picked out a book, which probably would have been in my country's school literature class curriculum, and teenage me probably would not have liked it at all, because teenage me equated all Lithuanian books to be of the same genre - the live of 19th century peasant -, cause it seemed that 9 times out of 10 the literature assignments revolved around such authors, and I always groaned at having to read yet another depressive work about something I had no interest about (and, with all honesty, after more than 20 years, still don't).  

Picked out a book, which is a trilogy and an epilogue of theatre plays about historic events (people) that shaped Lithuania throughout the ages by Justinas Marcinkevičius called "Mindaugas, Mažvydas, Katedra, Daukantas - Trilogija ir epilogas" (2005) (Mindaugas, Mosvidius, Cathedral, Daukantas - Trilogy and Epilogue). Read through what I'd call the first chapter (or the first scene, if it was a theatre play) of the first book "Mindaugas", which talks about how, back then, a duke (or, I guess, more correctly would be a warlord) of Lithuania, Mindaugas wanted to consolidate the state in order to defend against the crusaders after the Pope Honorius III declared crusades against the Prussians and surrounding environs.

So far, the story is told, how to say this, through the writings of two chroniclers who were debating with each other whether it is enough to record "dry" events or whether the people behind them are also important.

So far, it caught my attention, not going to lie. I don't always do this or, more precisely, at all, but translation of some of the passages that I liked:

Spoiler

CHRONICLER WHITE: 

Oh, my brother, a blasted art it is, to bare witness to the reality!

CHRONICLER BLACK:

And what of it? You sit and write: this, that, then, there happened. This one was born, and this one died. This one married. This one lost a battle. This one did not. This one sent their envoys. This one - a letter. Etcetera, etcetera

<...>

CHRONICLER WHITE:

Facts! You care about facts. But what about person? Persons? What is going on inside of them? What tortures them? Why are they happy? Why are they sad? Why everything about them is so tangled up in to an untangable ball? 

<...>

DAUMANTAS:

I do not agree. Even now I think that we should have marched to Volhynia with a sword in hand. Have you seen the lands there? The forests? They have other kinds of treasures as well. Just allow me to go through Volhynia as a hot blade goes through wax. 

MINDAUGAS:

Daumantas, we cannot battle four fronts at once. The wind also blows only in one direction at a time. It is time for us to blow towards West. Later, maybe, we will blow towards East.

<...>

MINDAUGAS:

More clearly?! Do you not know that last year the Pope Honorius III issued a bull, in which he declared crusade against us and the Prussians? The Prussians are already at their death throws, now it seems it's our turn...

VISMANTAS:

We should catch up to them and banish them as dogs they are!

MINDAUGAS:

Now it's not the time to start from this. First, we should deal with our own... And it should be done as soon as possible, because time is running short. Each of us individually are nothing. For example, today, they offed Kintibutas. Tomorrow, they will off maybe me. The day after tomorrow - someone else. We must join forces. We face a terrible power. We must unite, but instead what do we do?

<...>

MINDAUGAS:

Did I ask them to worship me? Did I asked or ordered? Oh, you people! You want to see me as a person who I do not like to see. Thus, I must become such. Otherwise, I'm not the eldest, I'm not the one whom you elected here today. 

<...>

 

[Rushmoras]

^

On that note, completed the first play called Mindaugas. 

Spoiler

In order to unify Lithuania under single ruler, he did as any medieval ruler would do: he murdered, threatened, schemed and had no regards to anyone but himself all for Lithuania to unite against the Crusaders, however, in the end, fell victim to a plot against him, and all his family members got slain with him. And, Lithuania, from a short-lived kingdom, again became a duchy ruled by many small barons.

I don't know, some passages are interesting, some are not so. As a first parter of a play, I'd rate this 6.5/10. Also, while the book was re-released in 2005, but Justinas Marcinkevičius wrote this in 1968 as per the ending annotation.

 

Edited Yest. at 02:30 PM by Rushmoras