Monday, December 05, 2016

Monday Malarkey

This is a terrible picture because I used the phone camera and the lighting is kind of pitiful (thanks to a dark, rainy day), so apologies for the poor quality.


Recent arrivals:


  • Under the Influence by Joyce Maynard and 
  • Yesternight by Cat Winters - both from William Morrow for review
  • Born a Crime by Trevor Noah - purchased


Books finished since last Malarkey:


  • My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell
  • The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff


Currently reading:


  • Sydney Bridge Upside Down by David Ballantyne - This is one of the books I brought home from Australia, a modern classic by an author from New Zealand. I'm nearly finished and have found it fascinating and somewhat sinister. I like the spareness of Ballantyne's writing.
  • Ava's Man by Rick Bragg - I read 30 pages of Ava's Man and have not felt like picking it up, since. It's a quick read and yet . . . maybe just not for me or bad timing. It's the story of Bragg's grandfather, a man he never met but who was so beloved that relatives were rendered mute or brought to tears by his memory for years. I can't quite put a finger on what it is that I disliked about the book. Maybe it's just not right for the moment? I could finish it easily but I don't want to end up hating it, so I think I may set it aside and start on Born a Crime, tonight, instead. 


Last week's posts:




In other news:

Well, so much for the hope that I'd manage to post more reviews over the weekend, but I'm happy that I managed to knock out two reviews and a month in review, last week. I did start a third review but didn't finish it. You know how that goes.

I haven't chosen my classic of the month, yet. Although Sydney Bridge Upside Down is considered a modern classic Down Under, it's not one that's been sitting on my shelf for a long time and I prefer to use my goal to read a classic per month as a way to get to those titles that have been patiently awaiting their time. My classic-a-month self-challenge has been a raging success, by the way. I'm so happy about it that I'm planning to continue it in 2017. There just doesn't seem to be any end to the number of classics I haven't gotten around to reading.


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6 comments:

  1. I have heard good things about Yesternight and Born a Crime.

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    Replies
    1. Oh, good. Well, I stayed true to my word and started Born a Crime, tonight, and I can tell you it is excellent. I'm really enjoying it. I can hear Trevor Noah's voice narrating in my head.

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  2. I can read the titles so it's not that bad of a photo. :)

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  3. I'm going to listen to Born A Crime as soon as I'm finished with my current audio (Fellside by M.A. Carey). I also want to listen to Jon Stewart's new book, The Daily Show.

    I've just started Ted Koppel's Lights Out: A Cyberattack, A Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath and quite honestly, I don't know if I can finish it. It's scaring the crap out of me! Too timely and too realistic!

    I tried to read Ava's Man several years ago, but couldn't get interested. I loved All Over But the Shoutin', though! It's on my mental list for a re-read.

    Let me know if and when you read Maynard's book. I have the ARC on a shelf somewhere and new a push to pick it up. I love her books, but haven't felt compelled to read this one.

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    Replies
    1. Born a Crime is excellent, very eye-opening. It's a little frightening, though, when you think about how Trump is trying to divide us into "us" and "them" and he shows how that "divide and conquer" concept worked in S. Africa.

      Oh, interesting. I knew you loved All Over but the Shoutin', so I wondered if you were interested in Ava's Man. I didn't find it boring, just not compelling. Why would I care to read about someone's drunken grandfather, beloved or not? He just didn't seem like someone I would have admired, you know? I might try it again, later, but I don't know, yet.

      The Maynard book is by my bed. I can start it any time you feel like reading it. Just let me know.

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