So good to see another post from you my friend! I love with your list of requirements. Well written, not too topical, and poetic justice in the end. I'll tolerate sex, but mostly prefer it to be off stage. 'The lights went down... And the next day...' But the one that really speaks to me is the one about having characters that I can like, or love, and that I really want to spend time with, that I can root for, that I can feel fear for, that I can feel triumph with. There was a period where so many of the characters I ran across were antiheroes of some sort. Not as in the lumpy, awkward character who is atypical in some uncomfortable way, but actual bad guys who I'm supposed to want to spend an entire book with. No. I read every night to unwind before sleep. I don't want to spend time with those (mostly) guys. I certainly don't want to take them into my dreams.
Nor can it be depressing. I tried reading a well recommended Irish novel recently (Sebastian Barry, Old God's Time - there's a retired cop, and the department he recently left needs him back, etc.) which seemed good, but when it hit the part about bad things that had happened to him residential school, I was like, no no no. I didn't read another word. Too dark.
Every year I listen to particular podcast's review of all the Nebula and Hugo nominees. And or look for award winners from years past. The reviewers there also do a "what else am I reading" bit, and I often plunk down a tag in Libby to get to a book later.
So, I don't know where in the world I got a recommendation for a book called Asunder (perhaps I ran across it searching for a somewhat nebulous genre called 'hope punk', which is supposedly positive and hopeful). I just had it tagged in Libby with "check this out." I started reading, and the writing was good, but the cover was a bit suspicious. A depiction of the female protagonist that was a bit gauzy... but I kept reading, looking forward to getting back to the story.
And yes, this nearly 60 year old dude did enjoy it, even though it turned out to be, no doubt, a variation of romantasy (of the not quite consummated sort, because there's probably a sequel in the works).
Don't tell anyone...
One more thing I've been enjoying lately is one of the Great Courses, on how science fiction works, which is a 20-something lecture course on the history and evolution of SFF, from the Greeks to Mary Shelley to more recent stuff. Not too recent though, since I think the course was recorded in about 2015. That has been a lot of fun, and I've been taking notes on some good stuff I haven't read yet.
Finally, my next read will be Robin Sloan's Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, because yes, I'm a sucker for a bookstore story.
Glad so see you are enjoying reading and writing once again. I've read some interesting books of late. One is The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer which is like an adult fairy tale; another is a short but very interesting book The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa, another is a book with 3 timelines and so beautifully written it is one of those books which will stay with me for a long time titled There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak.
Verna, glad to see you back. I always love your writing, especially your descriptions. Interestingly, I saw a friend yesterday who said her husband, in his 80s, suddenly developed a love of reading and now keeps the TV off at night so he can read. I've loved reading since childhood. I just wish I had the time to reread "MIddlemarch." What a wonderful book.
Thanks, Kath. I know I must have "read" Middlemarch in a Vic Lit class in college, but all of those books were door-stoppers, and I know I must have skimmed more than read. So Middlemarch was entirely new to me this time. Thanks for the story about your friend's husband who became a late-in-life reader. When I'm in a really good book, that's all I want to do. But when I'm between books--so restless!
I think I read Middlemarch sometime after college, when I had more time. I'm almost never in between books, because I'm usually reading four or five at a time--one spiritual, two fiction, one nature, etc. And then, of course, it takes me several months to finish one.
I'm reading Orbital now. Beautiful language. Short :). So good to read your words, Verna. I'm sorta kinda back now, too. The adjustment from Longleaf woods to the 'burbs has been more profound and confounding than I grasped it would be. I'm embarrassed to say I'm not reading a whole lot, but have gotten hooked on watching old British mystery serials on my iPad before eventually turning out the light. Buck is usually still reading when I give it up at midnight-thirty.
So good to see another post from you my friend! I love with your list of requirements. Well written, not too topical, and poetic justice in the end. I'll tolerate sex, but mostly prefer it to be off stage. 'The lights went down... And the next day...' But the one that really speaks to me is the one about having characters that I can like, or love, and that I really want to spend time with, that I can root for, that I can feel fear for, that I can feel triumph with. There was a period where so many of the characters I ran across were antiheroes of some sort. Not as in the lumpy, awkward character who is atypical in some uncomfortable way, but actual bad guys who I'm supposed to want to spend an entire book with. No. I read every night to unwind before sleep. I don't want to spend time with those (mostly) guys. I certainly don't want to take them into my dreams.
Nor can it be depressing. I tried reading a well recommended Irish novel recently (Sebastian Barry, Old God's Time - there's a retired cop, and the department he recently left needs him back, etc.) which seemed good, but when it hit the part about bad things that had happened to him residential school, I was like, no no no. I didn't read another word. Too dark.
Every year I listen to particular podcast's review of all the Nebula and Hugo nominees. And or look for award winners from years past. The reviewers there also do a "what else am I reading" bit, and I often plunk down a tag in Libby to get to a book later.
So, I don't know where in the world I got a recommendation for a book called Asunder (perhaps I ran across it searching for a somewhat nebulous genre called 'hope punk', which is supposedly positive and hopeful). I just had it tagged in Libby with "check this out." I started reading, and the writing was good, but the cover was a bit suspicious. A depiction of the female protagonist that was a bit gauzy... but I kept reading, looking forward to getting back to the story.
And yes, this nearly 60 year old dude did enjoy it, even though it turned out to be, no doubt, a variation of romantasy (of the not quite consummated sort, because there's probably a sequel in the works).
Don't tell anyone...
One more thing I've been enjoying lately is one of the Great Courses, on how science fiction works, which is a 20-something lecture course on the history and evolution of SFF, from the Greeks to Mary Shelley to more recent stuff. Not too recent though, since I think the course was recorded in about 2015. That has been a lot of fun, and I've been taking notes on some good stuff I haven't read yet.
Finally, my next read will be Robin Sloan's Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, because yes, I'm a sucker for a bookstore story.
Hi Scott! Don't worry. No one will find out your secret! Thanks for sharing your take on reading fiction. I love bookstore stories, too.
Glad so see you are enjoying reading and writing once again. I've read some interesting books of late. One is The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer which is like an adult fairy tale; another is a short but very interesting book The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa, another is a book with 3 timelines and so beautifully written it is one of those books which will stay with me for a long time titled There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak.
Thanks for telling me what you've been reading. I put those on my TBR list and will check them out.
Verna, glad to see you back. I always love your writing, especially your descriptions. Interestingly, I saw a friend yesterday who said her husband, in his 80s, suddenly developed a love of reading and now keeps the TV off at night so he can read. I've loved reading since childhood. I just wish I had the time to reread "MIddlemarch." What a wonderful book.
Thanks, Kath. I know I must have "read" Middlemarch in a Vic Lit class in college, but all of those books were door-stoppers, and I know I must have skimmed more than read. So Middlemarch was entirely new to me this time. Thanks for the story about your friend's husband who became a late-in-life reader. When I'm in a really good book, that's all I want to do. But when I'm between books--so restless!
I think I read Middlemarch sometime after college, when I had more time. I'm almost never in between books, because I'm usually reading four or five at a time--one spiritual, two fiction, one nature, etc. And then, of course, it takes me several months to finish one.
I'm reading Orbital now. Beautiful language. Short :). So good to read your words, Verna. I'm sorta kinda back now, too. The adjustment from Longleaf woods to the 'burbs has been more profound and confounding than I grasped it would be. I'm embarrassed to say I'm not reading a whole lot, but have gotten hooked on watching old British mystery serials on my iPad before eventually turning out the light. Buck is usually still reading when I give it up at midnight-thirty.
Good to see you, too, Beth! What are the British mysteries you're hooked on? I love British mysteries! Say hi to Buck for me.
It's so good to have you here again.