The Book Thread Book • Page 15

From time to time I'll read 2 or 3 at a time. But usually one will be a massive brick that is best consumed in small doses (Gravity's Rainbow, Infinite Jest) with smaller books and always very, very different genres to help keep them separated. Although if I fall in love with something / become obsessed, then it's that until the end.

 

Vonnegut is my favorite author and I enjoy all of his novels on some level, but some are just too sporadic and unfocused to consistently engage me. Slapstick immediately comes to mind.

 

I'll typically leave it completely up to chance. I will add another book by the author to my to read list and stick the entire list into a randomizer and just read the book that come out on top.

I've also been reading one book from Time Magazine's Top 100 Books of all time every third book or so which has been pretty fun/interesting.

 

So excited to read Jack Ketchum's new book, The Secret Life of Souls. He's my second favorite author, read all of his work, and I feel like it's been forever since I've read one. It's about a dog and a little girl (I believe) so I'm sure my heart will break quite often.

 

I was just looking up some of his books! Anything in particular you recommend? Trying to get into more fiction books soon since I feel like I read non-fiction so much.

 

He's probably the most terrifying author out there because he tends to base his books on real events, humanity at it's absolute worst. Girl Next Door is his masterpiece, one of my all time favorite books, though it's one of the toughest reads out there as far as content, it's brutal. If you want to have some "fun" with your horror Offspring, Off Season, and The Woman were based off the same thing that Hills Have Eyes was, a similar sort of story that absolutely masters the Slasher(ish) format. Tremendously violent, the first was banned for awhile, but it's not as emotionally draining as things like The Girl Next Door. The first I read from him was The Lost, which hooked me (and also has a tremendous splatter-filled film adaption). Right To Life, Joyride, Red, Old Flames, Only Child, and Cover are all perfect. The only one I'm not huge on is his one supernatural story She Wakes, where he was obviously writing outside of his comfort zone.

And on another note, I'm halfway through his one one now and it's incredible. Not really horror and thus far doesn't have any of his trademark brutality, but it's very heartbreaking.

EDIT: If you want something quick that gives you a taste of his style check out Closing Time. I believe it's considered a novella.

 

Wow, that's a lot haha. Thanks! Picked up a Peter Straub book at the library today so I'll see what of his they have when I go back.

 

Which Straub book?

 

Lost Boy Lost Girl. They only had a couple at the one I was at so I went with that instead of Mrs. God.

 

That should be a pretty good entry point. The main character is actually from an older trilogy of his, The Blue Rose, which starts with Koko (that was the Vietnam one I was telling you about previously), but if I recall correctly it's really not super important to Lost Boy, and the sequel In the Night Room. For the Blue Rose trilogy he stopped writing about the supernatural and exclusively wrote real world horror, and Lost Boy sort of connects the two eras by bringing a supernatural twist into that world, which was really surprising for me when I originally read it.

It's a good book, let me know what you think!

 

Awesome, I'll try to find In the Night Room next. And will do!

 

Started listening to Harry Potter series on Audiobook and they are great so far! Started Chamber this morning and there's really a lot that I've forgotten about in the books that's great to revisit. Granted I haven't read them since Middle School(2-4) and College(5-7).

 

I've started Dune for the first time. Not far in, but pretty good so far.

 

Fuck, the Secret Life of Souls was absolutely incredible. So different for Jack Ketchum. Completely broke my heart in two, one of the saddest books I've ever read. Some of the most complex characters I've read in a long time. I had some pretty bad anxiety flair ups when I was reading the climax, had to put it down at least once, for like a minute. I've never read anything quite like it.

It's amazing that even when the story isn't about torture, murder, or sexual assault yet manages to still find the absolute worst in humanity.

 

Just finished up But What If We're Wrong? by Chuck Klosterman. Enjoyed it as much as I expected since I dig his writing.

 

Finishing up With Or Without You by Dominica Ruta which I'm reading for class and loving. Next on my list is Barbara The Slut and Other People by Lauren Holmes, but I'm expecting my copy of Laura Jane Grace's memoir to show up tomorrow so I might have to push that up because I'll probably finish it in 2 days anyway.

 

I just ordered Tranny and am so excited to start reading it! Are you a fan of hers? The Going Off Track podcast did a cool book release interview with her just last night,

 

Yesss I'm a huge Against Me! fan. I'm just over halfway through it and enjoying it a lot so far--way more stuff about Against Me! signing with a major, touring, etc. than I was expecting.

 

I'm confused. Is this thread about books that you read or about the band The Books?

 

Yeah, I think it is in there because it is such a huge part of her life and a major way she dealt with dysphoria for years. I'm on chapter 3 and loving it.

 

Just finished up Lost Boy, Lost Girl by Peter Straub and really enjoyed it. Now I'm starting Ahsoka to dive back into the Star Wars world.

 

Finished the bulk of Barbara the Slut and Other People in one sitting, then went back and read a few of the first stories again. Really, really enjoyed it. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a great short story collection.

 

I just bought some children's books. I had like 14 in my cart and narrowed it down. I got the Rainbow Fish for my nephew cause it's iconic but I really wanted to get Llama Llama Mad At Mama. I am obsessed with the Llama Llama books and the one where he's mad at mama is the best. He is shopping with her and is getting bored and hates trying on clothes so he throws this ridic tantrum and it's like the story of my life.

For my kids I also got The Little Raindrop which is super gorgeous, and Beautiful Hands which seems very lovely.

 

We plan to get my soon most of the Llama Llama books that we don't already have for Christmas! They're so great he loves getting those read to him to the point of being obnoxious for Mama and myself haha. Very sad about Anna Dewdney's passing several months ago.

 

Getting all my nieces and nephews (6 total) The Encyclopedia of Animals because it's an awesome book and they need to read more.