Readers thread: what or who are you reading right now?

[Rose White]

On my night walk tonight came across a little wooden house that had mountains of books in the front yard. All jumbled and piled and spilling out of boxes and falling-apart bookshelves. Across the whole front yard. That house had been a little ramshackle for a long time with an empty bird bath and fairy and frog lawn ornaments, and a little dilapidated bench. I could see the house had been emptied, next to the book mountains was a roll off dumpster.

I pieced together the owner of the books from the book topics. She loved Christmas most of all, and crafts, and British mysteries, and she taught children. She loved cats and magazines of all kinds and hosting parties and baking. It had rained lightly today so everything was already getting ruined. But much of the lot already ruined—torn and dirty and folded.

I got a Penguin classic “Silas Mariner” by George Eliot and an 8x11 Dover classic for children “Perrault’s Fairy Tales” illustrated by Gustave Doré. Some of the illustrations are stunning! I could frame them but I don’t want to dismantle the book.

 

[Lost in the Woods]

Joan Didion’s A Year of Magical Thinking.

 

[Rose White]

I finished “Women Who Run With the Wolves” by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. It took me a year and a half. I liked it so much when I started and for most of it. In the end I felt it belongs in the trash. It was written in 1992 and it’s just so sexist and biased. I feel like it was sort of a culmination of first wave feminism and they were going to change the world. But she didn’t (couldn’t) anticipate a lot of the changes to come. I don’t even want to put it in the free library because I don’t think it has a good message for anyone in 2025. In a way I feel kind of relief at having read it and seen what doesn’t work for me anymore. It’s the essentialism of “all women” that is so grating. And also this idea that with enough grief work we will somehow have a happy heavenly union with a wild self—then what??

At the same time, it has so many positive reviews that even if it’s not for me maybe some people need/want what it has to offer? (So put it in the free library with the understanding that I have no idea what others need/want?)

 

[shezzah]

the body keeps the score

 

[whiteraven]

Hm...something about making your cat an internet sensation. My neighbor let me borrow it, even though I absolutely hate monetizing...well, anything...but esp. the cats.

My next read is Separation of Church and Hate, by John Fugelsang.

 

[Lost in the Woods]

Human Society in Ethics and Politics, Bertrand Russell.

 

[Freddyt]

 

[Sideways]

I’ve cracked open A Gentleman In Moscow on the assurance that it was brilliantly written.

Well, okay, yes - the writing style is very well done.

But, call me a fuddy-duddy, but…I do like a plot. And beyond a few opening pages given over to explaining why this dude is living in a hotel, I’m increasingly suspicious that there is no plot, or “He lives in a hotel” is the plot.

If you like prose? This is your book.
If you need a plot slightly more substantial than “The Real Housewives” set in post-revolution Moscow - not so much.

 

[Rose White]

But, call me a fuddy-duddy, but…I do like a plot.

I felt this way about “Orbital” by Samantha Harvey. It got the Booker prize and Oprah loved it and it opened so beautifully! But it was like just prose without plot. Overall unsatisfying for me.

 

[Freddyt]

It's so much more than just the comic's @Rose White There are letters, reactions to certain comics (most of which? are as funny as his cartoons, especially reactions to the "Act's of God" cartoon) Letters by famous people - Timothy Leary comes to mind.

Some of my favorites are reactions to the Jane Goodall references, mostly because he was a massive supporter of hers and a good friend who spent time with her as well.

 

[Rose White]

@Freddyt are you referring to the book @Sideways mentioned?

 

[Freddyt]

@Freddyt are you referring to the book @Sideways mentioned?

Your wow reaction to my Far Side post.....sorry if I wasn't clear.....