The Reader’s Nook - The N&G Book Thread

dhodo said:
I loved the Broken Earth Trilogy. That reminds me, has anyone read The City We Became yet? I forgot it came out last month.
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I didn't realize it was out, I'll probably wait for the whole series to be released before I dig into it. I loved the Broken Earth trilogy, looking forward to checking this out.
 
kvetcha said:
No! I've heard good things, I think. I'm feeling like I need a change in voice after three books. Has anyone read the Aubrey-Maturin novels?
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I read the first one and liked it okay. The language is a bit dry, but the characters are pretty charming. From what I can tell, the first book was meant to stand alone, while subsequent books settle more into a series vibe. I picked up books 2 and 3 at Goodwill and will probably give them a read soon; my wife's coworker swears by them, and I know they're quite loved.

I'm actually on book 5 or 6 of my Vorkosigan readthrough, and I get a similar vibe with those books, just with a sci-fi sheen. The stories and world aren't especially unique, but the focus on characters and their relationships is what stands out.
 
Bull Shannon said:
I read the first one and liked it okay. The language is a bit dry, but the characters are pretty charming. From what I can tell, the first book was meant to stand alone, while subsequent books settle more into a series vibe. I picked up books 2 and 3 at Goodwill and will probably give them a read soon; my wife's coworker swears by them, and I know they're quite loved.

I'm actually on book 5 or 6 of my Vorkosigan readthrough, and I get a similar vibe with those books, just with a sci-fi sheen. The stories and world aren't especially unique, but the focus on characters and their relationships is what stands out.
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I’m going to read The Brothers Karamazov next, I think. Then I’ll give the O’Brien a spin. Had not heard of the Vorkosigan Saga! Sounds fun. I tend to be a sci-fi nerd by nature.
 
LeSamourai said:
I'm only halfway through, but I'm reading Kentukis by Samanta Schweblin right now, and it's like a great, quietly disturbing episode of Black Mirror. It's about cute, little, mobile Furby-like robot pets that are all controlled by random strangers on the internet from all over the world. So, some people decide to get the "pets," and others decide to be the "pets." It's exploring a lot of the connection, isolation, voyeurism, and other things that happen on the internet.

It looks like the English translation will be called Little Eyes, and is coming some time next year. I've really liked (if by like you mean been rather freaked out by) her other novel (Fever Dream) and her short stories.
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I just saw that this is out in English now, so if any of you want to be creeped out by technology from five minutes in the future, Black Mirror-style, I recommend it. It's more like a collection of loosely connected short stories all involving the cute/creepy tech than a traditional novel, but I'm personally a fan of those kinds of books.

www.goodreads.com

Little Eyes

A visionary novel about the collision of technology and…
www.goodreads.com www.goodreads.com
 
I finished Know My Name by Chanel Miller.

She is an amazing writer. But we all knew that after her 17 page victim statement went viral.

This was such an important read. It was so spot on - why women don't report sexual assaults. Just reading the book was work. She LIVED it.

I highly recommend this book for anyone that cares about women, is slightly feminist, wonders about the system re: sexual assault, just wants some excellent, raw, emotional writing.
 
What are your all's favorite new books of the year so far, or most anticipated upcoming books? Looking for something to spend money on.
 
ayayrawn said:
What are your all's favorite new books of the year so far, or most anticipated upcoming books? Looking for something to spend money on.
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I tend to be behind on new releases because I check things out at the library and often have to wait a bit for the newer ones. That being said, these are some of the books I've loved recently:

Gideon the Ninth - fantasy. Such well written characters. A 2nd book is coming out in June.

A Brief History of Seven Killings - I can not recommend this enough. And I feel like you would enjoy it based on your commitment to that Ducks stream of consciousness book.

The Other Americans - someone in here recommended it. And it is an epic novel. I could't put it down.
 
has anyone braved the recently released autobiography of Mark Lanegan- Sing backward and weep?

god, it's a dark dark dark book.
I'm not sure honestly how I feel about it.
while I was looking for truths and a view of the Seattle scene from the inside....
I feel that I ended up looking at Mark's disintegrating life and total nihilism, with only modest access to his musical mind and his musical history.
Heroin stories make for 80% of this book....

I guess that, since this book finishes with the disbanding of the Screening Trees and his own descent to hell, I am hoping for some sort of redemption story for the next chapter, when he'll finally start becoming a more accomplished musician and songwriter and release his solo projects.
 
panino said:
has anyone braved the recently released autobiography of Mark Lanegan- Sing backward and weep?

god, it's a dark dark dark book.
I'm not sure honestly how I feel about it.
while I was looking for truths and a view of the Seattle scene from the inside....
I feel that I ended up looking at Mark's disintegrating life and total nihilism, with only modest access to his musical mind and his musical history.
Heroin stories make for 80% of this book....

I guess that, since this book finishes with the disbanding of the Screening Trees and his own descent to hell, I am hoping for some sort of redemption story for the next chapter, when he'll finally start becoming a more accomplished musician and songwriter and release his solo projects.
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I read Everybody Loves Our Town by Mark Yarm, which was kind of an oral history of the Seattle scene. I love the music from that time, but virtually everyone comes across as a total arsehole, so the stories coming out of this book don't surprise me. Reading his book kind of feels like slowing down to have a look at a car crash, so I don't know if I can face it.
 
Thackeraye said:
I read Everybody Loves Our Town by Mark Yarm, which was kind of an oral history of the Seattle scene. I love the music from that time, but virtually everyone comes across as a total arsehole, so the stories coming out of this book don't surprise me. Reading his book kind of feels like slowing down to have a look at a car crash, so I don't know if I can face it.
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the Lanegan's book IS an accident in slow motion.

generally I end up always dissatisfied upon reading musician autobiographies.
their warts and all approach turn my naive image of the musician that inspired me as a young man into pricks that operated (and in most cases continue to) pushed by their narcissism and a bloated perception of themselves.

one book I truly loved, not exactly on the Seattle scene, is Our Band Could be Your Life.
It covers the decade prior to the explosion of the grunge scene, and it's way less nihilistic and more inspiring.
 
panino said:
the Lanegan's book IS an accident in slow motion.

generally I end up always dissatisfied upon reading musician autobiographies.
their warts and all approach turn my naive image of the musician that inspired me as a young man into pricks that operated (and in most cases continue to) pushed by their narcissism and a bloated perception of themselves.

one book I truly loved, not exactly on the Seattle scene, is Our Band Could be Your Life.
It covers the decade prior to the explosion of the grunge scene, and it's way less nihilistic and more inspiring.
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Our Band Could Be Your Life is very high on my to read list...
 
remaining in the theme of autobiographies of musicians, I have now embarked in reading the life story of Adrian Thawes
Tricky - Hell is round the corner.
if this books confirms one thing, is that Tricky continues not to care about what people thinks of him and lives a truly independent artist life
I am finding this read much more enjoyable that my previous read (Mark Lanegan) despite both lifes being quite dark and "dangerous".
Spurred by the read I re-discovered the most recent produce of Tricky's production, which I sort of abandoned after Juxtapose.

Now I'm enjoying False Idols and yes, the guy is still a genius independent musician and producer.

<edited to correct several grammar mistakes>
 
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I was browsing the ebook sale on Amazon and ended up buying way too many things since they were only $2-4. 5 ebooks for $10 is still cheaper than the usual 1 for $12 and I was planning on reading them soon anyway.

A Brief History of Seven Killings was only $2, I'm gonna give Marlon James another shot soon I think. I also picked up Love in the Time of Cholera and A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet among others.
 
WhiteDahlias said:
I was browsing the ebook sale on Amazon and ended up buying way too many things since they were only $2-4. 5 ebooks for $10 is still cheaper than the usual 1 for $12 and I was planning on reading them soon anyway.

A Brief History of Seven Killings was only $2, I'm gonna give Marlon James another shot soon I think. I also picked up Love in the Time of Cholera and A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet among others.
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I absolutely loved A Brief History of Seven Killings. Loved it. I hope you do too. :)
 
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