What Are You Reading Now?

[BigPiney]

I took a trip to South Africa, and while traveling I like to read books from that area.

I hadn't read any South African literature, but I really enjoyed my literary trip.

I'm halfway through Nelson Mandela's autobiography, A Long Walk to Freedom. Really interesting and a must read for me after visiting Robben Island.

I also read Trevor Noah's book, Born a Crime. This was excellent. I don't find him funny as a comedian but this was really good. Him growing up in a country that came out of apartheid was really unique.

In terms of novels. I went with Booker award winners. J.M. Coetzee's Disgrace was good but uncomfortable. A professor seduces a student and it spirals from there in post-apartheid SA. No happy endings for this one.

Damon Galgut's The Promise, was really good as well. Follows a family though each's death and funeral and the unfilled promise (that may or may not have been made) of giving part of their land and a small house to their black maid.

I'm also finishing up Galgut's The Good Doctor. I like it.

[Donuthole]

I took a trip to South Africa, and while traveling I like to read books from that area.

I hadn't read any South African literature, but I really enjoyed my literary trip.

I'm halfway through Nelson Mandela's autobiography, A Long Walk to Freedom. Really interesting and a must read for me after visiting Robben Island.

I also read Trevor Noah's book, Born a Crime. This was excellent. I don't find him funny as a comedian but this was really good. Him growing up in a country that came out of apartheid was really unique.

In terms of novels. I went with Booker award winners. J.M. Coetzee's Disgrace was good but uncomfortable. A professor seduces a student and it spirals from there in post-apartheid SA. No happy endings for this one.

Damon Galgut's The Promise, was really good as well. Follows a family though each's death and funeral and the unfilled promise (that may or may not have been made) of giving part of their land and a small house to their black maid.

I'm also finishing up Galgut's The Good Doctor. I like it.

I assume you've already read The Power of One? One of my favorite novels.

[BigPiney]

I assume you've already read The Power of One? One of my favorite novels.

I have not. Just requested it.

[Clark Addison]

Just finished Richard Osman's latest, "We Solve Murders". This is not part of the "Thursday Murder Club" series, but a standalone (well, at least for now). Having said that, there are a lot of similarities to the TMC books. A bunch of quirky characters, some humor, some meditations on life and death, and a mystery to solve. If you like the TMC books I am pretty confident you will like this one. Overall, I think I liked the characters a bit more in this one (I guess a young dynamo like me has a hard time identifying with a bunch of retirees). It's not the most astounding or surprising plot for a mystery, but it is told well.

One of the judgments I use when I listen to audio books is based on playback speed. I usually start at 110%. I'll keep it there maybe 40% of the time. Another 40% of the time I will increase it to somewhere between 120% and 150% (If I get it to 150%, I am generally not loving it, but want for some reason to get through it). Maybe 20% of books I will slow down to 100% because I am happy to keep listening to it for a little longer. I liked this one enough that I slowed it to 100%

[BigPiney]

Just finished Richard Osman's latest, "We Solve Murders". This is not part of the "Thursday Murder Club" series, but a standalone (well, at least for now). Having said that, there are a lot of similarities to the TMC books. A bunch of quirky characters, some humor, some meditations on life and death, and a mystery to solve. If you like the TMC books I am pretty confident you will like this one. Overall, I think I liked the characters a bit more in this one (I guess a young dynamo like me has a hard time identifying with a bunch of retirees). It's not the most astounding or surprising plot for a mystery, but it is told well.

One of the judgments I use when I listen to audio books is based on playback speed. I usually start at 110%. I'll keep it there maybe 40% of the time. Another 40% of the time I will increase it to somewhere between 120% and 150% (If I get it to 150%, I am generally not loving it, but want for some reason to get through it). Maybe 20% of books I will slow down to 100% because I am happy to keep listening to it for a little longer. I liked this one enough that I slowed it to 100%

Finished that this week as well. I really like his books. For all the killing they seem like feel good books. They really are pick me ups.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Just finished Men to Match My Mountains by Irving Stone. It tells the story of the exploration and settlement of the American West, with emphasis on California, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. One of the best audiobooks I have listened to in a while. 22 hrs and I was sad when it ended. Highly recommended.