I just finished ‘Player of Games’ - Ian M. Banks. I liked it, it felt immersive.
Just started The Passenger by the late great Cormac McCarthy. I’m about a 3rd through, listening on audio book via Libby (read at 85% speed). It’s a little hard not to put it in the context of No Country and the border trilogy - Mr. M does seem to have a type. I’m pleased that many of McCarthy’s liberties with words seem to come through on audio, but I imagine I’m missing a lot. All in all I’m enjoying it. Next up my book club is reading All The Pretty Horses, so I’m in for the ride as it were. (Weirdly, there was a longer wait for his other work than The Passenger. I guess people are in the wait and see mode).
A friend recommended Midlife by Kieran Setiya. I have to say - it’s quite dense, and I feel like I’m not doing it justice. I’ll definitely keep going.
Just finished off The Deep by Rivers Solomon, a novella inspired by a song inspired by another song. Very compelling, character-driven narrative about generational trauma and slavery, plus a tinge of romance for the MC. Would recommend.
Currently rereading The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie, so I can then try Before They are Hanged. Also, so I can read this copy of Heroes I got on a whim. Abercrombie August.
As an anti-authoritarian anti-capitalist I find many of their proposals to be objectionable. I lean towards open borders simply on freedom of association grounds, so I am opposed to their immigration proposals. Their common ownership self-assessed tax on the other hand is very interesting because it allows collectivization of some of the returns to capital while still managing capital in a decentralized fashion.
I don’t think anyone ever mistook Beowulf (c. 700–1000 AD) for nonfiction, but just wanted to mention that if you’ve read it and enjoyed it, you might like Grendel, a modern retelling of Beowulf from the monster’s perspective.
Btw it’s really fun to get a side-by-side Modern English and Old English edition of Beowulf and compare them. Wild how much language can change in that time span.
I’m reading “Fred The Vampire Accountant” series right now, and it’s fabulous. You’re not going to expand your horizons and intellect with these, but they’re very fun to read. Almost always a happy ending, and the group of characters is always growing. It’s like a Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew for adults, but the main character is a vampire.
I'm on book 7 of the Toradora light novel series. I liked the anime, but the level of verbal abuse between the characters in the novels really makes me wonder why they're friends. I'm not finding it enjoyable to read about people insulting each other.
Literature
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