As the Page Turns (the Book Thread)

[sk9tingfan]

Just started reading "Sapiens, A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari which explores the emergence of homo sapiens and their rise to dominance over not just the Neanderthals and Denisovans etc. He goes on to hypothesize how this happened from a brain development as well a personality characteristic perspective(intolerance for "The Other"). I can see this will evolve and go onto explaining why the world is in the state that it is. It also delves into belief systems not just limited to religious ones but also legal frameworks. This book has been out since 2015, but I finally bought it. I'm glad I did.

https://www.amazon.com/Sapiens-Humankind-Yuval-Noah-Harari/dp/0062316095

 

[her grace]

I recently finished reading Don't Think, Dear: On Loving and Leaving Ballet by Alice Robb. The author was a ballerina-in-training at the School of American Ballet, but didn't quite reach the top levels. In her book, she examines the culture of ballet and how that intersects with larger culture, what lessons she and her classmates learned about femininity, pain, body dysmorphia, etc. A lot of the big picture issues she addresses are similar to issues that figure skating has, so I thought it might be of interest to skating fans even if ballet is not your thing.

 

[sk9tingfan]

I recently finished reading Don't Think, Dear: On Loving and Leaving Ballet by Alice Robb. The author was a ballerina-in-training at the School of American Ballet, but didn't quite reach the top levels. In her book, she examines the culture of ballet and how that intersects with larger culture, what lessons she and her classmates learned about femininity, pain, body dysmorphia, etc. A lot of the big picture issues she addresses are similar to issues that figure skating has, so I thought it might be of interest to skating fans even if ballet is not your thing.

Good recommendation!

 

[puglover]

Douglas Preston has a new non-fiction book out called "The Lost Tomb - and other stories of bones, burials and murder". It is a compilation of short stories and one of the criticisms I have seen is that he has previously written about a lot of these experiences in other published material. I didn't know many of the stories so I found much of it interesting. One story he deals with in detail - not one I would have expected is the Amanda Knox case. He mentions it in one of his first chapters as there is a connection. In 2000 he and his family vacationed in Italy and they stayed close to a murder or dump spot of a local serial killer named "the monster of Florence". Preston became interested in it and formed an association with a local journalist named Mario Spezi. The lead detective was Giuliano Mignini. Preston and Spezi think the police are way off and decide to write a book together about it. They then both become prime suspects with Preston forced to go home and incarceration for Spezi. This same Mignini was the prosecutor for Amanda Knox and the one who came up with the whole sex game story. Later in his book Preston devotes a lot of time to this and, for me, the most fascinating and disturbing story in this book was how much prejudice and hatred was generated for Amanda and her supporters and not just in Italy. Much seemed to be because she was perceived as a privileged, sexy, careless, blue eyed white girl. Douglas Preston spoke out about his experience with this same Italian law enforcer and he was personally really persecuted. Anyway - sad but fascinating reading.

 

[rfisher]

Douglas Preston has a new non-fiction book out called "The Lost Tomb - and other stories of bones, burials and murder". It is a compilation of short stories and one of the criticisms I have seen is that he has previously written about a lot of these experiences in other published material. I didn't know many of the stories so I found much of it interesting. One story he deals with in detail - not one I would have expected is the Amanda Knox case. He mentions it in one of his first chapters as there is a connection. In 2000 he and his family vacationed in Italy and they stayed close to a murder or dump spot of a local serial killer named "the monster of Florence". Preston became interested in it and formed an association with a local journalist named Mario Spezi. The lead detective was Giuliano Mignini. Preston and Spezi think the police are way off and decide to write a book together about it. They then both become prime suspects with Preston forced to go home and incarceration for Spezi. This same Mignini was the prosecutor for Amanda Knox and the one who came up with the whole sex game story. Later in his book Preston devotes a lot of time to this and, for me, the most fascinating and disturbing story in this book was how much prejudice and hatred was generated for Amanda and her supporters and not just in Italy. Much seemed to be because she was perceived as a privileged, sexy, careless, blue eyed white girl. Douglas Preston spoke out about his experience with this same Italian law enforcer and he was personally really persecuted. Anyway - sad but fascinating reading.

Pretty much all of the stories were published in either the New Yorker where he's a semi-staff writer or The Atlantic or Smithsonian magazine. I got it from the library because I knew I'd already read a lot of the content when he published them originally. It was kind of fun to go back and note where he and Lincoln Child incorporated them into the Pendergast/Nora series. The book The Monster of Florence is really interesting and goes in much greater depth than his short story. Kind of interrupted his plans to retire in Italy.

I'm currently reading Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Sutano. This was turned into a Netflix movie apparently. It has its moments and is probably funnier if you are from the culture. It's a little OTT and I find myself skipping ahead. The best part is the male romantic interest is named Nathan Chan and I laugh every time he and the female lead are together.

 

[genevieve]

I posted my 2023 reading list on FB, and the ensuing discussion got me so interested in reading for 2024, even though I have 2 books with me that I am not currently reading on this vacation, and a stack of books at home waiting.

Happy new books year, y'all!

 

[sk8pics]

I’m currently reading Alfie and Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe. It’s quite interesting.

Happy new books year!

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

I gifted myself Kiira Korpi's autobiography. I was going to start it tonight but am getting a headache. I will look forward to reading it tomorrow. It looks like a quick read and I plan to snuggle with cats while getting through the book.

 

[Desperado]

My favourite books of the year are all non-fiction:

Apparently There Were Complaints - A Memoir by Sharon Gless

Nothing But the Truth by Marie Henein

The Last Doctor - Lessons in Living from the Front Lines of Medical Assistance in Dying by Dr. Jean Marmoreo

The North Star - Canada and the Civil War Plots Against Lincoln by Julian Sher

The Lady’s Handbook for Her Mysterious Illness - A Memoir by Sarah Ramey (this book helped me heal my soul after many very difficult years, I highly recommend it)

I did also love the first Mistborn book (Brandon Sanderson) but was disappointed by #2, so I’m not including it.

 

[tony]

@tony It's not modern, but A.A. Milne's The Red House Mystery is very similar in feel to Agatha Christie and is well-written. He wrote it before he wrote Winnie-the-Pooh and got forever typecast into the children's genre.

I finished this one yesterday, and I also thought it was well-done!

Today I started.. and finished.. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides and I was blown away. Definitely the best, twisty book I've read in a long time.

 

[rfisher]

Strongly recommend Lab Girl and The Story of More by Hope Jahren. She's a brilliant scientist, funny and and excellent writer. Lab Girl is about her experience as a botanist and women's role in science and The Story of More is about climate change and how we will have to live with the consequences. These are written for the lay audience. And, Cat Bohannon's Eve: How the female body drove 200 million years of human evolution. Another smart, funny and illuminating writer. Warning if you get Eve as an ebook, there are lots of footnotes which can make reading it difficult on electronic media. I bought the hard copy instead. The other two are easy reads in electronic format. Check your local library.

 

[pat c]

I'm re-reading the Thursday Murder Club books by Richard Osmon. They're light, funny in places and an easy quick read.

 

[made_in_canada]

Is there a trick to reading graphic novels? Little mic discovered some at the library, but he’s not quite ready to read them himself so I read them to him but I screw up the order constantly. Which is frustrating for both of us I feel like it’s more challenging than it should be.

 

[Allskate]

Is there a trick to reading graphic novels? Little mic discovered some at the library, but he’s not quite ready to read them himself so I read them to him but I screw up the order constantly. Which is frustrating for both of us I feel like it’s more challenging than it should be.

Look them up on Amazon. That should tell you the series order.

Also, you mentioned that your son is too young to read them himself. How old is he? They write and illustrate graphic novels for pretty young kids. (I think that even the Narwhal and Jelly series is probably considered a "graphic novel.") Maybe find some titles online and see if your library has them.

 

[made_in_canada]

Look them up on Amazon. That should tell you the series order.

Also, you mentioned that your son is too young to read them himself. How old is he? They write and illustrate graphic novels for pretty young kids. (I think that even the Narwhal and Jelly series is probably considered a "graphic novel.") Maybe find some titles online and see if your library has them.

No, I mean I read the writing in the wrong order in each box. I feel like my brain just isn’t built for it? Idk.

 

[quartz]

No, I mean I read the writing in the wrong order in each box. I feel like my brain just isn’t built for it? Idk.

Ha! Wait ‘til he wants to read manga. I’ve tried a few times and I just can’t. I can finally face them out properly on the shelves at the store, but trying to read and turn pages completely backwards is too much for my old brain.

 

[made_in_canada]

Ha! Wait ‘til he wants to read manga. I’ve tried a few times and I just can’t. I can finally face them out properly on the shelves at the store, but trying to read and turn pages completely backwards is too much for my old brain.

At that point he should be able to read them himself!

 

[MacMadame]

Is there a trick to reading graphic novels? Little mic discovered some at the library, but he’s not quite ready to read them himself so I read them to him but I screw up the order constantly. Which is frustrating for both of us I feel like it’s more challenging than it should be.

I have the exact same issue! I am too used to reading left to right and top to bottom.

My suggestion is to let Little mic control the "reading" by telling what he thinks is going on in each panel and you just read something if he doesn't understand a particular panel. He'll probably follow the panels just fine (not being tied to typical reading order) and most of the time the pictures are enough plus it's a way to learn to read.

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

Graphic novels still have left to right and top to bottom but it's a little trickier. If you have a full top to bottom panel on the left and half panels on the right you start with the left full panel and read the right side top to bottom. If you have half/sized panels on the left you read them top to bottom first then read the right full panel. When you have four half panels you read the top left to right then the bottom left to right. At least that's how it's working with the Dresden Files graphic novels I'm reading now.

Unless you have something directly translated from Japan then you might have to reverse your left and rights. I would need to go back and look at the ones I have to be more specific.

 

[MacMadame]

Graphic novels still have left to right and top to bottom but it's a little trickier. If you have a full top to bottom panel on the left and half panels on the right you start with the left full panel and read the right side top to bottom. If you have half/sized panels on the left you read them top to bottom first then read the right full panel. When you have four half panels you read the top left to right then the bottom left to right. At least that's how it's working with the Dresden Files graphic novels I'm reading now.

Sometimes they break these rules. At least that's been my experience.

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

Here is a diagram of how artists can layout their graphic novels. It gives a much better description than any I can write.

It shows two sets of panels on the same page that are read left to right/top to bottom. The gutter is the important part I left out from above. It is blank space that sets off the next set of different size panels left to right/top to bottom. In that example you would read left to right and top to bottom up to the gutter (part E) then after reading that top section you would read the last set of panels.

How to read a comic book: appreciating the story behind the art

Comic books are unlike any other art form. And understanding what kind of care an artist puts into his work is crucial to understanding the beauty of comic books.

www.vox.com

It then goes on to describe some of the more artistically inclined that start messing with the general setups.

Hope that helps.

 

[Matryeshka]

Has anyone read Fourth Wing? I read it because a lot of my students are reading it and three friends, whose opinions I usually trust, recommended it. The book isn't bad, it's just..not that good? The writing isn't bad by any means, but it's one of the things that really annoys me about a lot of newer fantasy (and especially urban fantasy and new adult) is that a lot of it isn't about world building or metaphors/allegory or just plain old magic/action, it's an excuse to write a romance novel without calling it a romance novel.

This is a romance novel with some fantastical creatures, not a novel about fantastical creatures with a romance subplot. And there's nothing wrong with a romance novel, but don't disguise it as fantasy.

BTW, I'm not a prude. I do read romance novels, and I don't mind some romance/sex in sci-fi/fantasy, but if I'm reading a fantasy novel, I want a fantasy novel, damnit.

Trying to decide if I should read the next book in the series.

 

[Baby Yoda On Skates]

Has anyone read Fourth Wing? I read it because a lot of my students are reading it and three friends, whose opinions I usually trust, recommended it. The book isn't bad, it's just..not that good? The writing isn't bad by any means, but it's one of the things that really annoys me about a lot of newer fantasy (and especially urban fantasy and new adult) is that a lot of it isn't about world building or metaphors/allegory or just plain old magic/action, it's an excuse to write a romance novel without calling it a romance novel.

This is a romance novel with some fantastical creatures, not a novel about fantastical creatures with a romance subplot. And there's nothing wrong with a romance novel, but don't disguise it as fantasy.

BTW, I'm not a prude. I do read romance novels, and I don't mind some romance/sex in sci-fi/fantasy, but if I'm reading a fantasy novel, I want a fantasy novel, damnit.

Trying to decide if I should read the next book in the series.

I love romantasy and Fourth Wing was a 2 star read for me. I haven't read book 2 yet, but other reviews said the pacing dragged and Violet and Xaden needed to grow up and communicate.

That being said romantasy books are not going to give the same quality of world building and magic systems that a straight up fantasy would. If I want true fantasy I search out books that just have romantic elements but the romance is not the focus of the story.

 

[puglover]

The new novel by Kristin Hannah - "The Women" is finally available. I enjoy her writing and have loved a few of her books - this one included. I was a young, single Canadian living at home during the war but had close friends who served and I recall so many of the events she describes. I really can't speak to her historical accuracy but she captures the feelings, especially the huge swing in sentiment and support for the war. She writes this book, obviously from the title choice, from the perspective of the women nurses. Although they were not on the front lines, they lived through hell, and then seemed to get even less aid and resources when they came home as so few believed women were even there.

 

[MacMadame]

I read a book! A real book, not an article!

I can't remember the last time I did that. But it's been years. It was "Y is for Yesterday" and it was okay. I thought there were a few parts where the writing was sloppy (too many shes in one sentence when talking about multiple people) and it makes me wonder if it was rushed due to Grafton's illness. Also, as a finale to a series (which it turned out to be if not planned that way), it was kind of anti-climatic.

 

[Finnice]

I read a book! A real book, not an article!

I can't remember the last time I did that. But it's been years. It was "Y is for Yesterday" and it was okay. I thought there were a few parts where the writing was sloppy (too many shes in one sentence when talking about multiple people) and it makes me wonder if it was rushed due to Grafton's illness. Also, as a finale to a series (which it turned out to be if not planned that way), it was kind of anti-climatic.

It was so sad that she did not have time to write Z. I met her once, and she was a great person.

 

[pat c]

I read a book! A real book, not an article!

I can't remember the last time I did that. But it's been years. It was "Y is for Yesterday" and it was okay. I thought there were a few parts where the writing was sloppy (too many shes in one sentence when talking about multiple people) and it makes me wonder if it was rushed due to Grafton's illness. Also, as a finale to a series (which it turned out to be if not planned that way), it was kind of anti-climatic.

Didn't Grafton have a cancer battle? I agree her last one was pretty weak compared to her other books. John D MacDonald's Travis McGee series ended up the same way. Left you hanging.

 

[Finnice]

Didn't Grafton have a cancer battle? I agree her last one was pretty weak compared to her other books. John D MacDonald's Travis McGee series ended up the same way. Left you hanging.

She did, and I agree Y was not at all her best. I often thought what she will write after she has finished the ABC series. But her time ran away.
I appreciate that her heirs will not accept someone else write Z and finish the story. It would not be the same.

 

[MacMadame]

She did, and I agree Y was not at all her best. I often thought what she will write after she has finished the ABC series. But her time ran away.
I appreciate that her heirs will not accept someone else write Z and finish the story. It would not be the same.

She did and her heirs have said that she got tired of the series and was kind of sorry she had committed herself to it. So I'm guessing there weren't even notes for Z that could be used for someone else to write it. They certainly hinted that she didn't even try to write it while battling cancer (as someone excited about finishing the series might). They may have even said that.

I think my issue with the series is that at one point it seems like Kinsey was growing and changing based on her life experiences but this particular book was basically the same as the last few with only the mystery being different and even then the last few books were about solving a mystery from the past so it wasn't even that different.

 

[MacMadame]

I read another book! (I'm waiting for Gracie's book to be available at the library.)

This time I decided to read The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. I picked it because the movie looked pretty bad but I had enjoyed the Hunger Games books and figured the book would be better. And it was. But not as good as the original trilogy. Also, there was this one point that I was confused about:

Spoiler

So Crazy Game Lady and Mean Dean confront Snow about "breaking the rules" but my response to that was "What rules?" Yes, he gave food to his tribute but so did a lot of the mentors and was there actually a rule against this? It seems doubtful as they whole mentor thing seemed to be not well thought out.

And for the handkerchief in the snake tank, he could simply say that he saw the snakes, had no idea what they were for but didn't want them to forget him so he dropped in his handkerchief as insurance." I don't even remember the 3rd thing and I think that's a sign of how stupid it was. Now in the end, it probably wouldn't have done any good because he was set up by Crazy Game Lady and they would have brushed off his explanation. But I still thought someone like Snow would have thought about that.

What do you guys who've read the book think?