Books you read in 2020

Discussion in 'TMB Book Club' started by Kevintensity, Jan 6, 2020.

  1. smeegsgreen

    smeegsgreen Big fan of Koalas
    Michigan State Spartans

    Sorry I don’t have a computer and am too lazy to go through all of my posts to number them all in a post

    8) The Troop by Nick Cutter - 7.5/10

    Good read for the shit going on in the world. The virus is slightly different in the book though lol
     
    CBH, Tangman and Cornelius Suttree like this.
  2. Cornelius Suttree

    Cornelius Suttree the smallest crumb can devour us
    Donor TMB OG
    Indiana HoosiersArizona DiamondbacksWyoming CowboysNorthern Arizona Lumberjacks

    1. No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    2. Child of God - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    3. The Crying of Lot 49 - Thomas Pynchon (4.5/10)
    4. Fire Sermon - Wright Morris (9/10)
    5. The Field of Vision - Wright Morris (7/10)
    6. The Throwback Special - Chris Bachelder (5/10)
    7. Slow Man - J.M. Coetzee (8.5/10)
    8. Ghosts - John Banville (6.5/10)
    9. Solo Faces - James Salter (10/10)
    10. The Year of Silence - Madison Smartt Bell (7/10)
    11. The Hunters - James Salter (9.5/10)
    12. Lunch at the Piccadilly - Clyde Edgerton (4/10)
    13. The Moviegoer - Walker Percy (10/10)
    14. The Floating Opera - John Barth (8.5/10)
    15. Reflections in a Golden Eye - Carson McCullers (8/10)
    16. Play It as It Lays - Joan Didion (6/10)
    17. The Color of Night - Madison Smartt Bell (6.5/10)
    18. Clock Without Hands - Carson McCullers (10/10)
    19. Dusk and Other Stories - James Salter (7/10)

    Chose this collection of short stories because I knew I'd be able to finish it within the week timeframe I'm trying to stay on when it comes to finishing new books. Most of the stories revolve around Americans scattered around various places (some within the US) and all revolve around people who seem to be unsettled and in search of something or in need of help on some level. Pretty sad collection of stories but easy to read because of its length and the fact Salter is so good
     
  3. joey jo-jo jr shabadoo

    joey jo-jo jr shabadoo you know for me, the action is the juice

    1. Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner
    2. Red Cavalry by Isaac Babel
    3. Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blight
    4. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson
    5. The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson
    6. I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
    7. The End of Eddy by Édouard Louis
    8. The Idiot by Elif Batuman
    9. The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky
    10. Normal People by Sally Rooney
    11. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
    12. Grimscribe by Thomas Ligotti
    13. Amiable with Big Teeth by Claude McKay
     
  4. joey jo-jo jr shabadoo

    joey jo-jo jr shabadoo you know for me, the action is the juice

    1. Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner
    2. Red Cavalry by Isaac Babel
    3. Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blight
    4. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson
    5. The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson
    6. I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
    7. The End of Eddy by Édouard Louis
    8. The Idiot by Elif Batuman
    9. The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky
    10. Normal People by Sally Rooney
    11. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
    12. Grimscribe by Thomas Ligotti
    13. Amiable with Big Teeth by Claude McKay
    14. Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
     
  5. billdozer

    billdozer Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Clemson TigersCarolina Panthers

    1. The Shadow of What Was Lost (Licanius #1) - James Islington (10/10) (reread)
    2. An Echo of Things to Come (Licanius #2) - James Islington (10/10) (reread)
    3. The Light of All That Falls (Licanius #3) - James Islington (10/10)
    4. Starsight (Skyward #2) - Brandon Sanderson (7.5/10)
    5. The Prestige - Christopher Priest (7.5/10)
    6. American Gods - Neil Gaiman (7.5/10)
    7. Norse Mythology - Neil Gaiman (7.5/10)
    8. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    9. Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    10. Stardust - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    11. Spellslinger (Spellslinger #1) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
     
  6. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Missouri TigersSt. Louis CardinalsChicago BullsSt. Louis BluesEvertonBook Club

    1. Black Ops (Expeditionary Force #4) by Craig Alanson (7/10)
    2. The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington, by Brad Meltzer (6/10)
    3. Blood of Elves (The Witcher #1) by Andrzej Sapkowski (8/10)
    4. Time of Contempt (The Witcher #2) by Andrzej Sapkowski (7/10)
    5. Family Secrets: The Case That Cripled the Chicago Mob, by Jeff Coen (8/10)
    6. Baptism by Fire (The Witcher #3) by Andrzej Sapkowsi (7/10)
    7. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager (7.5/10)
    8. Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi (6/10)
    9. Last of the Mohicans by James Fienmore Cooper (7/10)
    10. Into the Fire (Orphan X #5) by Gregg Horowitz (8.5/10)
    11. The Hot Zone, by Richard Preston (8.5/10)
    12. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins (7/10)
    13. Hymns of the Republic: The Story of the Final Year of the American Civil War, by S.C Gwynne (8.5/10)
    14. The Power of the Dog (Power of the Dog #1) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    15. The Cartel (Power of the Dog #2) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    16. The Border (Power of the Dog #3) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    17. The Field of Blood, by Joanne B Freeman (7.5/10)
    18. Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel (7/10)
    19. A Beginning at the End by Mike Chen (7/10)
    20. Savages by Don Winslow (6/10)
    21. The Kings of Cool by Don Winslow(7/10)

    The Field of Blood - Good suggestion for book club. Left my thoughts in Book club thread

    Station Eleven - This has been on my TBR list forever. It's about the aftermath of a global pandemic where 99% of the human population is killed by a virus. Figured it was what a better time to finally read it. Enjoyed it. Her story telling style is pretty unique.

    A Beginning at the End- This is also about the aftermath of a global virus. I like the author so I read it without really knowing what it's about. His other books were time travel sci-fi. The title kind of sounds like that, so I was pretty confused when it was about a virus. Anyway - it was also pretty good, although I probably would have liked it better had I not read it immediately after Station Eleven.

    Savages and Kings of Cool. The stories of these were good. The plot was interesting. However the writing style and douchey narrator was a huge turn off. Im glad I read Winslow's Border Trilogy first. That was amazing. If I read thse two books first, I probably wouldnt have bothered.
     
    Tangman, Cornelius Suttree and CBH like this.
  7. Cornelius Suttree

    Cornelius Suttree the smallest crumb can devour us
    Donor TMB OG
    Indiana HoosiersArizona DiamondbacksWyoming CowboysNorthern Arizona Lumberjacks

    1. No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    2. Child of God - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    3. The Crying of Lot 49 - Thomas Pynchon (4.5/10)
    4. Fire Sermon - Wright Morris (9/10)
    5. The Field of Vision - Wright Morris (7/10)
    6. The Throwback Special - Chris Bachelder (5/10)
    7. Slow Man - J.M. Coetzee (8.5/10)
    8. Ghosts - John Banville (6.5/10)
    9. Solo Faces - James Salter (10/10)
    10. The Year of Silence - Madison Smartt Bell (7/10)
    11. The Hunters - James Salter (9.5/10)
    12. Lunch at the Piccadilly - Clyde Edgerton (4/10)
    13. The Moviegoer - Walker Percy (10/10)
    14. The Floating Opera - John Barth (8.5/10)
    15. Reflections in a Golden Eye - Carson McCullers (8/10)
    16. Play It as It Lays - Joan Didion (6/10)
    17. The Color of Night - Madison Smartt Bell (6.5/10)
    18. Clock Without Hands - Carson McCullers (10/10)
    19. Dusk and Other Stories - James Salter (7/10)
    20. Blood Meridian - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)

    My personal favorite book <3 The definition of epic :ohgosh: Nothing else really comes close to it for me :fap: The environment is so unique. The violence so unsettling. McCarthy's mastery of the English language is astounding. I learned about 100 new words the first time I read the book and continue to pick up new ones each time through. I believe the first time reading this was during summer of 2007 and I've now read it nearly 20 times since then. Been pretty obsessed with the idea of the American west since first reading it. Pretty stoked I can say I've read 20 books in three months
     
    #157 Cornelius Suttree, Mar 27, 2020
    Last edited: Mar 27, 2020
  8. joey jo-jo jr shabadoo

    joey jo-jo jr shabadoo you know for me, the action is the juice

    1. Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner
    2. Red Cavalry by Isaac Babel
    3. Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blight
    4. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson
    5. The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson
    6. I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
    7. The End of Eddy by Édouard Louis
    8. The Idiot by Elif Batuman
    9. The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky
    10. Normal People by Sally Rooney
    11. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
    12. Grimscribe by Thomas Ligotti
    13. Amiable with Big Teeth by Claude McKay
    14. Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
    15. Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche
     
  9. CBH

    CBH Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Michigan WolverinesDetroit Red WingsEastern Michigan EaglesUnited States Men's National Soccer TeamBook Club

    1. The Russian Five: A Story of Espionage, Defection, Bribery and Courage by Keith Grave 6/10
    2. An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz 4/10
    3. Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe 8/10
    4. Daughter of War (Pike Logan #13) by Brad Taylor 7/10
    5. Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning by Leslie Odom Jr. 8/10
    6. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders 8/10
    7. Quarters: The Accommodation of the British Army and the Coming of the American Revolution by John G. McCurdy 10/10
    8. The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus By Richard Preston 9/10
    9. Moscow Rules (Gabriel Allon #8) by Daniel Silva 8/10
    10. The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen 6/10

    11. Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid 8/10 I enjoyed this a lot, it was very different from what I would normally read but was a nice relaxing and easy read. Moved through it very quick which is a good sign to me about a book as well.

    12. Solo Faces by James Salter 7/10 I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would when I read about it. It seemed a little slow at times and at times was very good, it was interesting though.

    13. Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou 9/10 Really enjoyed this book and flew through it, I had read some about Theranos beforehand and so this book was just finding out more and was a very compelling read for me.

    14. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead 8/10 This book has gotten a lot of praise but was just okay for me, some very interesting parts and then some parts that I just didn't find as interesting. Overall very glad I read it still but wasn't one of the top books I have read this year so far.

    15. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson 7/10 This book was similar to the Underground Railroad to me in that it didn't live up to the hype that I had heard about it. It was okay and at times a fun read but overall not as good as I was hoping.
     
  10. Dante Bichette

    Dante Bichette Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Chicago CubsChicago BearsIllinois Fightin' Illini

    1. Patriot Games by Tom Clancy
    2. Over the Edge of the World by Laurence Bergreen
    3. Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham
     
  11. billdozer

    billdozer Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Clemson TigersCarolina Panthers

    1. The Shadow of What Was Lost (Licanius #1) - James Islington (10/10) (reread)
    2. An Echo of Things to Come (Licanius #2) - James Islington (10/10) (reread)
    3. The Light of All That Falls (Licanius #3) - James Islington (10/10)
    4. Starsight (Skyward #2) - Brandon Sanderson (7.5/10)
    5. The Prestige - Christopher Priest (7.5/10)
    6. American Gods - Neil Gaiman (7.5/10)
    7. Norse Mythology - Neil Gaiman (7.5/10)
    8. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    9. Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    10. Stardust - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    11. Spellslinger (Spellslinger #1) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    12. Shadowblack (Spellslinger #2) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
     
  12. Cornelius Suttree

    Cornelius Suttree the smallest crumb can devour us
    Donor TMB OG
    Indiana HoosiersArizona DiamondbacksWyoming CowboysNorthern Arizona Lumberjacks

    1. No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    2. Child of God - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    3. The Crying of Lot 49 - Thomas Pynchon (4.5/10)
    4. Fire Sermon - Wright Morris (9/10)
    5. The Field of Vision - Wright Morris (7/10)
    6. The Throwback Special - Chris Bachelder (5/10)
    7. Slow Man - J.M. Coetzee (8.5/10)
    8. Ghosts - John Banville (6.5/10)
    9. Solo Faces - James Salter (10/10)
    10. The Year of Silence - Madison Smartt Bell (7/10)
    11. The Hunters - James Salter (9.5/10)
    12. Lunch at the Piccadilly - Clyde Edgerton (4/10)
    13. The Moviegoer - Walker Percy (10/10)
    14. The Floating Opera - John Barth (8.5/10)
    15. Reflections in a Golden Eye - Carson McCullers (8/10)
    16. Play It as It Lays - Joan Didion (6/10)
    17. The Color of Night - Madison Smartt Bell (6.5/10)
    18. Clock Without Hands - Carson McCullers (10/10)
    19. Dusk and Other Stories - James Salter (7/10)
    20. Blood Meridian - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    21. Quarantine - Jim Crace (7.5/10)

    A finalist for the 1997 Booker Prize and winner of the Costa Book Award, this is an imaginative account of Jesus Christ's 40-days in the desert. Bought it a while back because I had seen it on lists of award winners and pulled it off the shelf because the title was perfect for these times. Super easy read with how interesting the story was. Looking forward to checking out some more stuff by Crace. There was not a ton of dialogue but it was still a breeze, which I think is a testament to his writing abilities
     
    #162 Cornelius Suttree, Apr 1, 2020
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2020
    Tangman and Kevintensity like this.
  13. joey jo-jo jr shabadoo

    joey jo-jo jr shabadoo you know for me, the action is the juice

    1. Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner
    2. Red Cavalry by Isaac Babel
    3. Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blight
    4. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson
    5. The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson
    6. I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
    7. The End of Eddy by Édouard Louis
    8. The Idiot by Elif Batuman
    9. The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky
    10. Normal People by Sally Rooney
    11. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
    12. Grimscribe by Thomas Ligotti
    13. Amiable with Big Teeth by Claude McKay
    14. Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
    15. Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche
    16. The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy
    17. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
     
  14. Tangman

    Tangman Well-Known Member
    Donor
    North Carolina State WolfpackCharlotte HornetsWashington Football TeamEvertonBook Club

    Reviews I read on the Whitehead book were tepid. What’d you think?
     
  15. Cornelius Suttree

    Cornelius Suttree the smallest crumb can devour us
    Donor TMB OG
    Indiana HoosiersArizona DiamondbacksWyoming CowboysNorthern Arizona Lumberjacks

    it won the Pulitzer and the National Book Award so I'm guessing it was pretty good
     
    Tangman likes this.
  16. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Missouri TigersSt. Louis CardinalsChicago BullsSt. Louis BluesEvertonBook Club

    I’m sure I’m in the minority but I thought it was just ok. I liked The Nickel Boys a lot better, but still didn’t love it.

    I think I just don’t like Whitehead very much. I can’t put my finger on why.
     
    Tangman and CBH like this.
  17. CBH

    CBH Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Michigan WolverinesDetroit Red WingsEastern Michigan EaglesUnited States Men's National Soccer TeamBook Club

    I just finished it and thought the same. It was just okay, planning on reading The Nickel Boys when I can rent it on the kindle.
     
    Tangman and Truman like this.
  18. joey jo-jo jr shabadoo

    joey jo-jo jr shabadoo you know for me, the action is the juice

    its fine

    first half worked much better than the rest of the book imo

    worth a read though
     
    Tangman likes this.
  19. Upton^2

    Upton^2 blocked just a park away, but I can't really say
    Donor
    Clemson TigersAtlanta BravesCharlotte HornetsCarolina PanthersArsenal

    Just finished Blood Meridian. Cornelius Suttree inspired me.

    pretty fantastic book. Would like to go back and reread in a few months as I’ve sure I missed a lot.
     
  20. smeegsgreen

    smeegsgreen Big fan of Koalas
    Michigan State Spartans

    9) Doctor Sleep - Stephen King - 9.5/10
     
    Tangman and Kevintensity like this.
  21. Kevintensity

    Kevintensity Poster/Posting Game Coordinator
    Donor
    Florida State SeminolesAtlanta BravesTampa Bay BuccaneersNashville PredatorsCalgary FlamesPoker

    1) The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow 8.5/10
    2) The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch 8/10
    3) The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski 8/10
    4) Thief River Falls by Brian Freeman 7/10
    5) The Hot Zone by Richard Preston 8.5/10
    6) Atomic Habits by James Clear 8/10
    7) The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup 7.5/10
    8) Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski 6/10
    9) Belichick by Ian O'Connor 8/10
    10) Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 9/10
     
    Cornelius Suttree and Tangman like this.
  22. Cornelius Suttree

    Cornelius Suttree the smallest crumb can devour us
    Donor TMB OG
    Indiana HoosiersArizona DiamondbacksWyoming CowboysNorthern Arizona Lumberjacks

    Really want to read this and The Remains of the Day
     
    Kevintensity likes this.
  23. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
    Donor
    Oklahoma SoonersMetal

    1. The Shining (The Shining #1) - Stephen King (7/10)
    2. The Last Wish (The Witcher #0.5) - Andrzej Sapkowski (6.5/10)
    3. Washington: A Life - Ron Chernow (8/10)
    4. Liberty's Exiles: American Loyalists in the Revolutionary World - Maya Jasanoff (6.5/10)
    5. Sword of Truth (The Witcher #0.75) - Andrzej Sapkowski (6.5/10)
    6. The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus - Richard Preston (8/10)
    7. The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War - Joanne B. Freeman (7.5/10)
    8. Blood of Elves (The Witcher #1) - Andrzej Sapkowski (7/10)
    9. The End is Always Near: Apocalyptic Moments, from the Bronze Age Collapse to Nuclear Near Misses - Dan Carlin (7.5/10)
    10. The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic - Mike Duncan (6.5/10)
    11. Affairs of Honor: National Politics in the New Republic - Joanne B. Freeman (8.5/10)
    12. Exhalation: Stories - Ted Chiang (9/10)

    Currently reading (spoilered for size):
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  24. devine

    devine hi, i am user devine
    Donor
    West Virginia MountaineersChicago BullsPhoenix SunsPittsburgh PenguinsManchester CityPittsburgh PiratesSan Diego PadresBarAndGrillCoors Light

    I forgot how therapeutic it is to read, especially at a time like this
     
    Cornelius Suttree likes this.
  25. Cornelius Suttree

    Cornelius Suttree the smallest crumb can devour us
    Donor TMB OG
    Indiana HoosiersArizona DiamondbacksWyoming CowboysNorthern Arizona Lumberjacks

    1. No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    2. Child of God - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    3. The Crying of Lot 49 - Thomas Pynchon (4.5/10)
    4. Fire Sermon - Wright Morris (9/10)
    5. The Field of Vision - Wright Morris (7/10)
    6. The Throwback Special - Chris Bachelder (5/10)
    7. Slow Man - J.M. Coetzee (8.5/10)
    8. Ghosts - John Banville (6.5/10)
    9. Solo Faces - James Salter (10/10)
    10. The Year of Silence - Madison Smartt Bell (7/10)
    11. The Hunters - James Salter (9.5/10)
    12. Lunch at the Piccadilly - Clyde Edgerton (4/10)
    13. The Moviegoer - Walker Percy (10/10)
    14. The Floating Opera - John Barth (8.5/10)
    15. Reflections in a Golden Eye - Carson McCullers (8/10)
    16. Play It as It Lays - Joan Didion (6/10)
    17. The Color of Night - Madison Smartt Bell (6.5/10)
    18. Clock Without Hands - Carson McCullers (10/10)
    19. Dusk and Other Stories - James Salter (7/10)
    20. Blood Meridian - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    21. Quarantine - Jim Crace (7.5/10)
    22. Lancelot - Walker Percy (6.5/10)

    if you're a TMB poster from NOLA or Louisiana, you should check out Percy's work. Tons of regional cultural references that you would probably appreciate. Published in 1977, the protagonist would've fit in well on this board circa 2009. The story recounts how his life fell apart and how he became a shining knight, not of romance, but of revenge. Southern Gothic for sure
     
    #175 Cornelius Suttree, Apr 8, 2020
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2020
    Tangman, Kevintensity and Truman like this.
  26. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Missouri TigersSt. Louis CardinalsChicago BullsSt. Louis BluesEvertonBook Club

    Grant was awesome.
     
    RegimentML likes this.
  27. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
    Donor
    Oklahoma SoonersMetal

    It’s my audiobook and with no commute currently, gonna take me months to finish.
     
    Truman likes this.
  28. Cornelius Suttree

    Cornelius Suttree the smallest crumb can devour us
    Donor TMB OG
    Indiana HoosiersArizona DiamondbacksWyoming CowboysNorthern Arizona Lumberjacks

    Kevintensity, on a scale of 1-10 how depressing was Never Let Me Go? Looking at prospective next books but not looking to get super bummed out in week four of isolation. The writeup on the back of my copy makes it seem pretty depressing ha
     
    #178 Cornelius Suttree, Apr 8, 2020
    Last edited: Apr 8, 2020
  29. Kevintensity

    Kevintensity Poster/Posting Game Coordinator
    Donor
    Florida State SeminolesAtlanta BravesTampa Bay BuccaneersNashville PredatorsCalgary FlamesPoker

    I would say it's a solid 7-8 to me, sad and a bit frustrating as the story goes along, don't really want to say too much to avoid spoiling anything
     
    Cornelius Suttree likes this.
  30. Fargin' Icehole

    Fargin' Icehole 50% soulless
    Donor
    Georgia BulldogsAtlanta BravesAtlanta HawksBayern Munich

    Just finished tonight. Don't think I've spent more time looking up definitions in any other book than I did while reading Meridian.

    Fuck that giant man baby straight to hell
     
  31. billdozer

    billdozer Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Clemson TigersCarolina Panthers

    1. The Shadow of What Was Lost (Licanius #1) - James Islington (10/10) (reread)
    2. An Echo of Things to Come (Licanius #2) - James Islington (10/10) (reread)
    3. The Light of All That Falls (Licanius #3) - James Islington (10/10)
    4. Starsight (Skyward #2) - Brandon Sanderson (7.5/10)
    5. The Prestige - Christopher Priest (7.5/10)
    6. American Gods - Neil Gaiman (7.5/10)
    7. Norse Mythology - Neil Gaiman (7.5/10)
    8. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    9. Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    10. Stardust - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    11. Spellslinger (Spellslinger #1) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    12. Shadowblack (Spellslinger #2) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    13. Charmcaster (Spellslinger #3) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
     
  32. joey jo-jo jr shabadoo

    joey jo-jo jr shabadoo you know for me, the action is the juice

    1. Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner
    2. Red Cavalry by Isaac Babel
    3. Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blight
    4. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson
    5. The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson
    6. I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
    7. The End of Eddy by Édouard Louis
    8. The Idiot by Elif Batuman
    9. The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky
    10. Normal People by Sally Rooney
    11. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
    12. Grimscribe by Thomas Ligotti
    13. Amiable with Big Teeth by Claude McKay
    14. Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
    15. Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche
    16. The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy
    17. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
    18. The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut
    19. The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

    i will note here that the last two entries are my two favorite books
     
  33. Cornelius Suttree

    Cornelius Suttree the smallest crumb can devour us
    Donor TMB OG
    Indiana HoosiersArizona DiamondbacksWyoming CowboysNorthern Arizona Lumberjacks

    1. No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    2. Child of God - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    3. The Crying of Lot 49 - Thomas Pynchon (4.5/10)
    4. Fire Sermon - Wright Morris (9/10)
    5. The Field of Vision - Wright Morris (7/10)
    6. The Throwback Special - Chris Bachelder (5/10)
    7. Slow Man - J.M. Coetzee (8.5/10)
    8. Ghosts - John Banville (6.5/10)
    9. Solo Faces - James Salter (10/10)
    10. The Year of Silence - Madison Smartt Bell (7/10)
    11. The Hunters - James Salter (9.5/10)
    12. Lunch at the Piccadilly - Clyde Edgerton (4/10)
    13. The Moviegoer - Walker Percy (10/10)
    14. The Floating Opera - John Barth (8.5/10)
    15. Reflections in a Golden Eye - Carson McCullers (8/10)
    16. Play It as It Lays - Joan Didion (6/10)
    17. The Color of Night - Madison Smartt Bell (6.5/10)
    18. Clock Without Hands - Carson McCullers (10/10)
    19. Dusk and Other Stories - James Salter (7/10)
    20. Blood Meridian - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    21. Quarantine - Jim Crace (7.5/10)
    22. Lancelot - Walker Percy (6.5/10)
    23. State of Wonder - Ann Patchett (8/10)

    published in 2011, this was a joy to read. Would be a perfect beach book. It almost reads like a movie it's so easy to digest. A pharmacologist is sent to the Amazon to look into a project her company has been funding. Tons of twists and turns along the way. I think anyone would enjoy it, but especially women as fertility is a main topic and there are a couple really interesting female characters

    fwiw if you are ever in Nashville be sure to look up Parnassus Books. Patchett is co-owner and it's by far the best independent bookstore in the city
     
  34. billdozer

    billdozer Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Clemson TigersCarolina Panthers

    1. The Shadow of What Was Lost (Licanius #1) - James Islington (10/10) (reread)
    2. An Echo of Things to Come (Licanius #2) - James Islington (10/10) (reread)
    3. The Light of All That Falls (Licanius #3) - James Islington (10/10)
    4. Starsight (Skyward #2) - Brandon Sanderson (7.5/10)
    5. The Prestige - Christopher Priest (7.5/10)
    6. American Gods - Neil Gaiman (7.5/10)
    7. Norse Mythology - Neil Gaiman (7.5/10)
    8. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    9. Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    10. Stardust - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    11. Spellslinger (Spellslinger #1) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    12. Shadowblack (Spellslinger #2) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    13. Charmcaster (Spellslinger #3) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    14. Soulbinder (Spellslinger #4) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
     
  35. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Missouri TigersSt. Louis CardinalsChicago BullsSt. Louis BluesEvertonBook Club

    1. Black Ops (Expeditionary Force #4) by Craig Alanson (7/10)
    2. The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington, by Brad Meltzer (6/10)
    3. Blood of Elves (The Witcher #1) by Andrzej Sapkowski (8/10)
    4. Time of Contempt (The Witcher #2) by Andrzej Sapkowski (7/10)
    5. Family Secrets: The Case That Cripled the Chicago Mob, by Jeff Coen (8/10)
    6. Baptism by Fire (The Witcher #3) by Andrzej Sapkowsi (7/10)
    7. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager (7.5/10)
    8. Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi (6/10)
    9. Last of the Mohicans by James Fienmore Cooper (7/10)
    10. Into the Fire (Orphan X #5) by Gregg Horowitz (8.5/10)
    11. The Hot Zone, by Richard Preston (8.5/10)
    12. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins (7/10)
    13. Hymns of the Republic: The Story of the Final Year of the American Civil War, by S.C Gwynne (8.5/10)
    14. The Power of the Dog (Power of the Dog #1) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    15. The Cartel (Power of the Dog #2) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    16. The Border (Power of the Dog #3) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    17. The Field of Blood, by Joanne B Freeman (7.5/10)
    18. Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel (7/10)
    19. A Beginning at the End by Mike Chen (7/10)
    20. Savages by Don Winslow (6/10)
    21. The Kings of Cool by Don Winslow(7/10)
    22. The Force by Don Winslow (8/10)
    23. Sea of Poppies (Ibis #1) by Amitav Ghosh (8/10)
    24. River of Smoke (Ibis #2) by Amitav Ghosh (7/10)

    The Force -
    Great novel about the corrupt NYC police task force. Really like Winslow. Good characters, engaging plot and great social commentary

    Ibis books. This is a trilogy about the opium trade. It's big long saga starting in the opium fields in India under The Raj and builds up to the Opium Wars w China in the 1800s. The first book was really good, great character development and a pretty good pace. The second book suffers from middle book syndrome where it's slower, you leave behind characters you cared about, introduce new ones you dont care about for much of the book and sets everything up for the 3rd book. The first half was pretty slow, but it picks up in the end. Looking forward to the last book, but I think im going to take a 1 or 2 book break before finishing the trilogy.

    I also liked these books because I learned a lot about colonial india and china, from frequently googling places, terms, and people ect. Took me longer to read, but it's worth it.
     
    #185 Truman, Apr 15, 2020
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2020
  36. Kevintensity

    Kevintensity Poster/Posting Game Coordinator
    Donor
    Florida State SeminolesAtlanta BravesTampa Bay BuccaneersNashville PredatorsCalgary FlamesPoker

    1) The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow 8.5/10
    2) The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch 8/10
    3) The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski 8/10
    4) Thief River Falls by Brian Freeman 7/10
    5) The Hot Zone by Richard Preston 8.5/10
    6) Atomic Habits by James Clear 8/10
    7) The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup 7.5/10
    8) Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski 6/10
    9) Belichick by Ian O'Connor 8/10
    10) Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 9/10
    11) Shoe Dog by Phil Knight 9.5/10

    Favorite book I've read this year so far
     
    Tangman, CBH and Cornelius Suttree like this.
  37. Cornelius Suttree

    Cornelius Suttree the smallest crumb can devour us
    Donor TMB OG
    Indiana HoosiersArizona DiamondbacksWyoming CowboysNorthern Arizona Lumberjacks

    1. No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    2. Child of God - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    3. The Crying of Lot 49 - Thomas Pynchon (4.5/10)
    4. Fire Sermon - Wright Morris (9/10)
    5. The Field of Vision - Wright Morris (7/10)
    6. The Throwback Special - Chris Bachelder (5/10)
    7. Slow Man - J.M. Coetzee (8.5/10)
    8. Ghosts - John Banville (6.5/10)
    9. Solo Faces - James Salter (10/10)
    10. The Year of Silence - Madison Smartt Bell (7/10)
    11. The Hunters - James Salter (9.5/10)
    12. Lunch at the Piccadilly - Clyde Edgerton (4/10)
    13. The Moviegoer - Walker Percy (10/10)
    14. The Floating Opera - John Barth (8.5/10)
    15. Reflections in a Golden Eye - Carson McCullers (8/10)
    16. Play It as It Lays - Joan Didion (6/10)
    17. The Color of Night - Madison Smartt Bell (6.5/10)
    18. Clock Without Hands - Carson McCullers (10/10)
    19. Dusk and Other Stories - James Salter (7/10)
    20. Blood Meridian - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    21. Quarantine - Jim Crace (7.5/10)
    22. Lancelot - Walker Percy (6.5/10)
    23. State of Wonder - Ann Patchett (8/10)
    24. The Stranger - Albert Camus (8.5/10) (reread)

    I wanted to read something short. It was fun going back through a book I read in HS and seeing the notes I made. I dunno what the 'puppy effect' is or was but I wrote it down. My handwriting has gotten much worse since then. I know people who think the book is depressing but it seemed like a good choice considering how easy it is to feel detached from everything right now
     
    Kevintensity and Tangman like this.
  38. CBH

    CBH Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Michigan WolverinesDetroit Red WingsEastern Michigan EaglesUnited States Men's National Soccer TeamBook Club

    1. The Russian Five: A Story of Espionage, Defection, Bribery and Courage by Keith Grave 6/10
    2. An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz 4/10
    3. Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe 8/10
    4. Daughter of War (Pike Logan #13) by Brad Taylor 7/10
    5. Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning by Leslie Odom Jr. 8/10
    6. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders 8/10
    7. Quarters: The Accommodation of the British Army and the Coming of the American Revolution by John G. McCurdy 10/10
    8. The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus By Richard Preston 9/10
    9. Moscow Rules (Gabriel Allon #8) by Daniel Silva 8/10
    10. The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen 6/10
    11. Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid 8/10
    12. Solo Faces by James Salter 7/10
    13. Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou 9/10
    14. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead 8/10
    15. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson 7/10

    16. Wild Bill: The True Story of the American Frontier's First Gunfighter by Tom Clavin 7/10 This was interesting but pretty slow moving. A lot of new information that I didn't know about the west after the Civil War.

    17. "I Heard You Paint Houses", Updated Edition: Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran and Closing the Case on Jimmy Hoffa by Charles Brandt 7/10 I enjoyed a lot of the stories in this book but I just didn't know how to feel about some of them as well. A lot of it was hard to believe in some ways but were very good stories.

    18. Power Down (Dewey Andreas #1) by Ben Coes 8/10 This was the first in a series and was very good for an introduction novel for a character. I'm excited to read some more from this series.

    19. Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner 8/10 I really enjoyed this book too. It was definitely something I wouldn't have read without the reading group but I know I'm months behind the group.
     
  39. billdozer

    billdozer Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Clemson TigersCarolina Panthers

    1. The Shadow of What Was Lost (Licanius #1) - James Islington (10/10) (reread)
    2. An Echo of Things to Come (Licanius #2) - James Islington (10/10) (reread)
    3. The Light of All That Falls (Licanius #3) - James Islington (10/10)
    4. Starsight (Skyward #2) - Brandon Sanderson (7.5/10)
    5. The Prestige - Christopher Priest (7.5/10)
    6. American Gods - Neil Gaiman (7.5/10)
    7. Norse Mythology - Neil Gaiman (7.5/10)
    8. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    9. Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    10. Stardust - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    11. Spellslinger (Spellslinger #1) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    12. Shadowblack (Spellslinger #2) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    13. Charmcaster (Spellslinger #3) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    14. Soulbinder (Spellslinger #4) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    15. Queenslayer (Spellslinger #5) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
     
  40. Arliden

    Arliden Well-Known Member
    Donor

    Where does this series rate for you compared to The Kingkiller Chronicles, Stormlight Archives, Lies of Locke Lamora etc. ?
     
  41. billdozer

    billdozer Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Clemson TigersCarolina Panthers

    I would say Stormlight > Kingkiller > Lightbringer >> Locke Lamora. The last book of Lamora brings it down. But I would say Lightbringer was the best of anything not Stormlight/Kingkiller. I'd put it up with anything else by Sanderson.
     
    Arliden likes this.
  42. Cornelius Suttree

    Cornelius Suttree the smallest crumb can devour us
    Donor TMB OG
    Indiana HoosiersArizona DiamondbacksWyoming CowboysNorthern Arizona Lumberjacks

    1. No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    2. Child of God - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    3. The Crying of Lot 49 - Thomas Pynchon (4.5/10)
    4. Fire Sermon - Wright Morris (9/10)
    5. The Field of Vision - Wright Morris (7/10)
    6. The Throwback Special - Chris Bachelder (5/10)
    7. Slow Man - J.M. Coetzee (8.5/10)
    8. Ghosts - John Banville (6.5/10)
    9. Solo Faces - James Salter (10/10)
    10. The Year of Silence - Madison Smartt Bell (7/10)
    11. The Hunters - James Salter (9.5/10)
    12. Lunch at the Piccadilly - Clyde Edgerton (4/10)
    13. The Moviegoer - Walker Percy (10/10)
    14. The Floating Opera - John Barth (8.5/10)
    15. Reflections in a Golden Eye - Carson McCullers (8/10)
    16. Play It as It Lays - Joan Didion (6/10)
    17. The Color of Night - Madison Smartt Bell (6.5/10)
    18. Clock Without Hands - Carson McCullers (10/10)
    19. Dusk and Other Stories - James Salter (7/10)
    20. Blood Meridian - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    21. Quarantine - Jim Crace (7.5/10)
    22. Lancelot - Walker Percy (6.5/10)
    23. State of Wonder - Ann Patchett (8/10)
    24. The Stranger - Albert Camus (8.5/10) (reread)
    25. Suttree - Cormac McCarthy (10/10 (reread)

    Blood Meridian might be my favorite book because of the violence and Western environment. But Suttree is clearly McCarthy's finest work. It has the best dialogue of any book I've read. So many unique characters, one side character in particular who will have you in tears laughing. And the protagonist is such a pure figure. An educated man from a wealthy family living on the margins of society in Jim Crow Knoxville :ohgosh:

    I think most people will learn more new words reading this than you would BM for the first time which is saying something

    fuck cops
     
    Tangman, Kevintensity and CBH like this.
  43. Fargin' Icehole

    Fargin' Icehole 50% soulless
    Donor
    Georgia BulldogsAtlanta BravesAtlanta HawksBayern Munich

    Think I'm about to start The Road. How'd you like it compared to his others?
     
    Cornelius Suttree likes this.
  44. Kevintensity

    Kevintensity Poster/Posting Game Coordinator
    Donor
    Florida State SeminolesAtlanta BravesTampa Bay BuccaneersNashville PredatorsCalgary FlamesPoker

    Just bought Suttree based on this post
     
    Cornelius Suttree likes this.
  45. Cornelius Suttree

    Cornelius Suttree the smallest crumb can devour us
    Donor TMB OG
    Indiana HoosiersArizona DiamondbacksWyoming CowboysNorthern Arizona Lumberjacks

    I think it and The Orchard Keeper might be my least favorite novels of his. But they're both still excellent IMO. I like everything he's written more than just about anything else everyone else has ever written

    BM
    Suttree
    All the Pretty Horses
    Child of God
    Outer Dark
    NCFOM
    The Crossing
    Cities of the Plain
    The Orchard Keeper
    The Road
     
    Fargin' Icehole likes this.
  46. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
    Donor
    South Carolina GamecocksCarolina PanthersCarolina Hurricanes

    1. The Noonday Demon: An Atlas Of Depression / Andrew Solomon (9/10)
    2. The Edifice Complex: How The Rich And Powerful (And Their Architects) Shape The World (6.5/10)
    3. Educated: A Memoir / Tara Westover (7/10)
    4. Train Dreams (A Novella) / Denis Johnson (10/10)
    5. From Bacteria To Bach And Back: The Evolution Of Minds / Daniel Dennett (6/10)
    6. Breaking New Ground: A Pictorial History Of Saluda County (5/10)

    7. The Southern Country Editor / Thomas D. Clark (6/10)
    Book originally published in the ~1950s. Historian went back through 150 years of small town southern weekly newspapers to tell the story of the south. You get a good idea of history reading it in the words of contemporary commentators. Dry at times but picked up some good info and have a greater understanding of the type community where I grew up

    8. The Stand / Stephen King (7.5/10) *reread*
    Read it twice as a teen so this was first time in a while. It remains a gripping premise for a story but it's just a little ham handed with some of the characters and King attempting to make it a "great American novel." I'd rather read more world-building of what empty America is like than some cockamamie battle between "good and evil." I hate several characters like Stu and Frannie

    9. Jesus' Son: Stories / Denis Johnson (10/10)
    This guy can write his ass off (see: above rating of "Train Dreams.") This is a bunch of short stories that pretty much all involve drugs in some way (title is from a Velvet Underground line about taking heroin: "I feel just like Jesus' son")

    10. Prague: A Novel / Arthur Phillips (8/10)
    I studied abroad in Prague :lookatme: so this sounded good. Plot twist -- it's set entirely in Budapest! I visited there too so that was cool. Story is about right after Communism ended in eastern/central Europe and American ex-pats were coming in for new business opportunities etc. Follows a group of five young American friends. Quite well-written. A key event happened in the final pages and I can't tell if it was real or a dream sequence, so that's kind of annoying.

    Up Next --
    [​IMG]
     
    #196 TC, Apr 27, 2020
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2020
  47. Upton^2

    Upton^2 blocked just a park away, but I can't really say
    Donor
    Clemson TigersAtlanta BravesCharlotte HornetsCarolina PanthersArsenal

    Going to fill in the rest of the books I've finished, havent kept up.

    1. The British Are Coming by Rick Atkinson - 7.5/10
    2. Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow - 8/10
    3. The Fiery Trial by Eric Foner - Finished Frederick Douglass by David Blight last year. This book was so fantastic. Second Founding is on my list.
    4. The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells - 7/10
    5. Uncanny Valley by Anna Weiner - 3/10
    6. The Economists' Hour by Binyamin Applebaum - 8/10
    7. The Shadow of Vesuvius by Daisy Dunn - 8/10. Biography of Pliny the Younger. Finished it in preparation for my trip to Rome schedule for May this year which will obviously not be happening. But still fun.
    8. The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson - 8.5/10. About the Blitz coupled with Churchill's speeches to the public and vying to get Roosevelt involved. Very good.
    9. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy - 9.5/10
    10. Empire of the Summer Moon by SC Gwynne - 9/10. Truly amazing. Learned so much. Have his biography of Stonewall Jackson on deck.
     
    RegimentML, Tangman, TC and 4 others like this.
  48. Cornelius Suttree

    Cornelius Suttree the smallest crumb can devour us
    Donor TMB OG
    Indiana HoosiersArizona DiamondbacksWyoming CowboysNorthern Arizona Lumberjacks

    1. No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    2. Child of God - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    3. The Crying of Lot 49 - Thomas Pynchon (4.5/10)
    4. Fire Sermon - Wright Morris (9/10)
    5. The Field of Vision - Wright Morris (7/10)
    6. The Throwback Special - Chris Bachelder (5/10)
    7. Slow Man - J.M. Coetzee (8.5/10)
    8. Ghosts - John Banville (6.5/10)
    9. Solo Faces - James Salter (10/10)
    10. The Year of Silence - Madison Smartt Bell (7/10)
    11. The Hunters - James Salter (9.5/10)
    12. Lunch at the Piccadilly - Clyde Edgerton (4/10)
    13. The Moviegoer - Walker Percy (10/10)
    14. The Floating Opera - John Barth (8.5/10)
    15. Reflections in a Golden Eye - Carson McCullers (8/10)
    16. Play It as It Lays - Joan Didion (6/10)
    17. The Color of Night - Madison Smartt Bell (6.5/10)
    18. Clock Without Hands - Carson McCullers (10/10)
    19. Dusk and Other Stories - James Salter (7/10)
    20. Blood Meridian - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    21. Quarantine - Jim Crace (7.5/10)
    22. Lancelot - Walker Percy (6.5/10)
    23. State of Wonder - Ann Patchett (8/10)
    24. The Stranger - Albert Camus (8.5/10) (reread)
    25. Suttree - Cormac McCarthy (10/10 (reread)
    26. The End of the Road - John Barth (8/10)

    Published in 1958, Barth's second novel was released shortly after The Floating Opera. They are often published together, the first a nihilistic comedy and the latter a nihilistic tragedy. Both feature lots of dark humor and very eccentric protagonists. Both novels concern strange love triangles and the destructive effect of an overactive intellect on the emotions. This story takes place within the confines of a small teaching college in Maryland. I am fully on board the Barth bandwagon, he had elite writing skills
     
    Tangman and TC like this.
  49. LetItSoak

    LetItSoak Well-Known Member
    Donor

    Got a little repetitive imo but really enjoyable read. I'd agree with 8/10
     
    Simon Templar likes this.
  50. LetItSoak

    LetItSoak Well-Known Member
    Donor

    Empire of the Summer Moon is one of the best books I've read in the last 10 years. Couldnt put it down
     
    Tangman, Upton^2 and Truman like this.