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hermetic

(8,258 posts)
Sun Jun 21, 2020, 12:36 PM Jun 2020

What Fiction are you reading this week, June 21, 2020?




Oh noes! I ran out of books (fiction) to read. Good thing I was planning to go to our just-reopened library tomorrow. I put a couple of novels on reserve so I can just pop in, grab them, and pop right back out. Masked and gloved, of course.

I do still have Antifragile (NF), a treatise on how some systems actually benefit from disorder, by Nassim Taleb. The book covers innovation, health, biology, medicine, life decisions, politics, foreign policy, urban planning, war, personal finance, and economic systems. As you might imagine, it’s pretty heady stuff.

I am listening to Downtown by Ed McBain. From 1991. Interesting story. Sometimes people just aren’t who you think they are. Fun fact: born Salvatore Albert Lombino, he wrote around 120 books under at least 6 different pen names.

What do you anticipate reading this week?
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What Fiction are you reading this week, June 21, 2020? (Original Post) hermetic Jun 2020 OP
Still rereading SheltieLover Jun 2020 #1
Transcription, by Kate Atkinson northoftheborder Jun 2020 #2
One of the benefits hermetic Jun 2020 #3
"The Word" by Irving Wallace Jeebo Jun 2020 #4
Yeah, hermetic Jun 2020 #8
Inland by Tea Obreht MadLinguist Jun 2020 #5
That sounds terrific hermetic Jun 2020 #6
The Night Watchman, by Louise Erdrich. murielm99 Jun 2020 #7
Oh yes hermetic Jun 2020 #9
I just recently finished The Night Watchman. As with all of her books, I relish the time spent japple Jun 2020 #14
"The Crime at Black Dudley" by Margery Allingham The King of Prussia Jun 2020 #10
Overture to Death hermetic Jun 2020 #11
Elly Griffith's, Crossing Places Polly Hennessey Jun 2020 #12
That souns pretty good hermetic Jun 2020 #13
It is. Polly Hennessey Jun 2020 #18
More Myself: A Journey by Alicia Keys Ohiogal Jun 2020 #15
Done with Ruth Rendell- she drags so many red herrings it makes my head spin TexasProgresive Jun 2020 #16
All right! hermetic Jun 2020 #17

northoftheborder

(7,566 posts)
2. Transcription, by Kate Atkinson
Sun Jun 21, 2020, 12:50 PM
Jun 2020

I have either read this before, or, it was made into a movie or TV show. But it is interesting again, because of the intricate plotting and characters. Early WWII, spies in London and France; I can't remember how it ends - so worth reading again.

hermetic

(8,258 posts)
3. One of the benefits
Sun Jun 21, 2020, 01:03 PM
Jun 2020

of getting older is not remembering how something ends, so everything old is new again. Works for me, anyway.

Your books sounds great, though: a work of rare depth and texture, a bravura modern novel of extraordinary power, wit and empathy.

Jeebo

(2,005 posts)
4. "The Word" by Irving Wallace
Sun Jun 21, 2020, 01:18 PM
Jun 2020

At 600-plus pages, it's the longest novel I've ever read all in one sitting. I read it for the first time in 1972 and literally could not put it down. It's about a stunning archaeological discovery that begins a worldwide religious and cultural upheaval ... and then the owner of the public relations firm hired to publicize the discovery begins to have doubts about its legitimacy. I found my copy of it in a box of books I had stored away and just started reading it again. Not all in one sitting this time, my 70-something eyes are not up to what my 20-something eyes were capable of.

-- Ron

hermetic

(8,258 posts)
8. Yeah,
Sun Jun 21, 2020, 01:34 PM
Jun 2020

I think I read that one, too. (See above reply about memory )

"First published in 1972, The Word remains a classic of brilliant storytelling, authentic detail and breathtaking narrative power."

MadLinguist

(781 posts)
5. Inland by Tea Obreht
Sun Jun 21, 2020, 01:20 PM
Jun 2020

a great novel with independent story lines that begin converging. Camels and their peculiarities figure strongly, and a complex picture of the American frontier. It's nuanced with idiosyncratic life choices born of the collision of settlement reality with delusion/advertisement/propaganda of the day. Real Americana, in other words

murielm99

(30,657 posts)
7. The Night Watchman, by Louise Erdrich.
Sun Jun 21, 2020, 01:29 PM
Jun 2020

It is based on the life of her grandfather, who was a night watchman at a jewel bearing plant, and who helped his tribe avoid "termination," which would have dispossessed them and thrown them off their reservation land. Then, greedy people could have come in and bought the land for next to nothing. The tribes would have been forced to live in cities and lose their identities.

The book is set in 1953. Her fictionalized grandfather was not the only character based in fact. Senator Arthur V. Watkins was a real person. He was relentless in his quest to take away Native American rights.

The book is filled with wonderful characters. I am nearly finished with it. I recommend it highly.

hermetic

(8,258 posts)
9. Oh yes
Sun Jun 21, 2020, 01:38 PM
Jun 2020

I am on the library list for that one. Only 28 people ahead of me. I think I might just go ahead and buy that one.

I wonder how Louise is doing these days. Her store is in Minneapolis and I hope is staying safe.

japple

(9,773 posts)
14. I just recently finished The Night Watchman. As with all of her books, I relish the time spent
Sun Jun 21, 2020, 03:44 PM
Jun 2020

inside the pages and feel a sense of loss when the book is finished. The Night Watchman is one of her best.

I'm still reading Alice Hoffman's, The World that we Knew. Beautifully written, compelling story, and well-drawn characters hooked me right from the start. She is another gifted writer.

10. "The Crime at Black Dudley" by Margery Allingham
Sun Jun 21, 2020, 02:09 PM
Jun 2020

I read "Murder at the Brightwell" by Ashley Weaver which is set in 1932, and really not too bad. Decided to make a comparison with works written at that time so read "Murder must Advertise" by Dorothy L. Sayers written in 1933. One of the two Sayers that I hadn't read, and really very good.
"The Crime at Black Dudley" was written in 1929. I think I read it at school and didn't like it.
Next up is "Overture to Death" by Ngaio Marsh.

There have been a few more virus cases in our district - these seem to be linked to an outbreak at a meat processing plant, but otherwise the trend seems to be slightly down. The best indicator for us seems to be the local hospital, which has now had no deaths in over a fortnight. They keep relaxing the restrictions and so far it seems things are in check. The pubs and hairdressers re-open on 4th July so that'll be the next test.

Stay safe bookworms

hermetic

(8,258 posts)
11. Overture to Death
Sun Jun 21, 2020, 02:38 PM
Jun 2020

is listed as a "Locked Room Mystery" and those are usually interesting, with authors finding ways hide the guilty party right up to the end.

I do miss going to my local pub but I'm not willing to put myself at risk just yet. Maybe in another month or so...

hermetic

(8,258 posts)
13. That souns pretty good
Sun Jun 21, 2020, 02:57 PM
Jun 2020

The first entry in the acclaimed Ruth Galloway series which follows the archaeologist as she investigates a child's bones found on a nearby beach, thought to be the remains of a little girl who went missing ten years before.

TexasProgresive

(12,148 posts)
16. Done with Ruth Rendell- she drags so many red herrings it makes my head spin
Sun Jun 21, 2020, 08:17 PM
Jun 2020

Starting M.C. Beaton’s Hamish MacBeth series

hermetic

(8,258 posts)
17. All right!
Mon Jun 22, 2020, 11:13 AM
Jun 2020

"Hamish Macbeth--Scotland's most quick-witted but unambitious policeman." These sound like fun and my library has many. I just grabbed the online audible Death of a Ghost which is a fairly new one and sounds like my kind of entertainment.

Beaton also has an Agatha Raisin series, which sounds delightful and she's written several stand-alone novels about witches and stuff. Looks like I've got plenty to keep me busy for a while now.

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