OS Book Club Pt II

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: OS Book Club Pt II

I can't keep up with new releases. I need like an email from Good Reads saying "these are the highest rated new releases for last month," because I completely forget outside of January.

Plus, a lot of the anticipated lists are filled with books in an existing series.

Not sure what my reading plans are for now. I'll finish Wishful Drinking tonight and start Darker Shade of Magic most likely. I want to run through the Harry Potter series again soon and go through the Hannibal series. Other than that I have no clue. There's a bunch of books on my bookcase that I haven't read before so I should probably start there (The Way of Kings, Basketball: Great Writings about America's Game, The Mirage, The Prestige, All the Pieces Matter, Musashi, James Baldwin Collection, numerous Native American/US History books, etc).

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: OS Book Club Pt II

I'll probably make it to February with the 4 or 5 I want to read now, and then I can get into the January releases. I think I can find enough interesting ones, just looking through lists I found a bunch. I use the 2019 in gaming/film from Wikipedia for those, but the literature page hasn't been made yet and last year's was barren. NYT gonna have to have my back on this one.

[DJ]

Re: OS Book Club Pt II

My goal for 2019 is to read at least 24 books.

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: OS Book Club Pt II

My goal for 2019 is to read at least 24 books.

I made mine 30 which is 2.5 books per month. I wanted to allow myself "study time" to finally start learning music theory/composition, but it also allows me to read a couple more "epic" length novels without having a panic attack.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: OS Book Club Pt II

I'm going for 40, I'll probably end up bumping it back to 50 by March. Going to be going back to school full time in the Fall so I don't know how that will affect things. I did 67 in 2017, and 52 last year. Hoping I don't fall off too hard.

[DJ]

Re: OS Book Club Pt II

I made mine 30 which is 2.5 books per month. I wanted to allow myself "study time" to finally start learning music theory/composition, but it also allows me to read a couple more "epic" length novels without having a panic attack.

I had 40 in mind originally, as I turn 40 next month and thought that'd be cool to try and achieve. Who knows, I may get there, but will be starting a new job in a couple of weeks, so didn't want to set the bar too high, but feel like 2 books a month is attainable.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: OS Book Club Pt II

Giant Steps by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem is one of my favorite people, so it doesn't surprise me that I liked this book. This guy is just the personification of greatness to me, whether it's about his basketball skill or just his outlook, I admire him greatly. The glimpse into his mind is valuable, and it's easy to understand why he thinks the way he does. Not only did he stand out as a freakishly tall person, but a freakishly tall black person at a time where it could be considered an act of defiance just to stand out. Dominant in high school, so dominant in college they had to change the rules and ban dunking to stop him, then gets to the pros and continues to dominate. From Harlem, to UCLA, then to Milwaukee, where the culture shock couldn't have been more apparent. His childhood featured his Catholic school basketball coach trying to inspire him by insulting him with "You're playing like a n*****". It's amazing hearing his thoughts on old players, Black Jesus (Earl the Pearl), meeting and befriending Wilt (who was a pro) in high school and carrying that rivalry into the league, stories of the Rucker, how Magic influenced him (nothing to do with the bubbly personality but just the skill he played with making the game easier and more enjoyable) ... Putting everything on the line to stand up for his people, whether that be the people he was born into or the ones he chose. I am irrationally angry over a trade that wasn't made 2 decades before I was born, and will continue to be. The thought of an Abdul-Jabbar Knicks jersey... Uh.

I'll add quotes later when I get to my computer, but because I love lists...

Favorite Reads of 2018

Spoiler

Fiction

Spoiler

10. Her Body and Other Parties, Carmen Maria Machado
9. Dubliners, James Joyce
8. Vengeful, VE Schwab
7. The Haunting of Hill House, Shirley Jackson
6. Kindred, Octavia Butler
5. Freshwater, Akwaeke Emezi
4. Native Son, Richard Wright
3. Heads of the Colored People, Nafissa Thompson-Spires
2. Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov
1. Infinite Jest, David Foster Wallace

Nonfiction

Spoiler

10. Becoming, Michelle Obama
9. A Well Regulated Militia, Saul Cornell
8. Giant Steps, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Peter Knobler
7. Playing in the Dark, Toni Morrison
6. Locking Up Our Own, James Forman Jr.
5. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Harriet Ann Jacobs
4. Gather Together in My Name, Maya Angelou
3. Heart Berries, Terese Marie Malihot (really stuck with me)
2. Black Boy, Richard Wright
1. Cheating but... Souls of Black Folk, W.E.B. Du Bois

There There by Tommy Orange

This one was interesting, I think the author is much better than the book if that makes sense. He's a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes in Oklahoma, born and raised in Oakland, and is telling a unique story of Native life as lived by those in the city. Despair is the word that comes to mind, hopelessness. The title is taken from a section of the book where the idea of going home is being discussed, and there's no home for them to go to as it's been destroyed... They can't go there, because there is no "there" there anymore.

It's split between like 8 or so different perspectives as they all come together at what is going to be a Big Oakland Powwow where people will get together and celebrate their culture, most of the characters in the book are removed from the culture in some way that makes them even more a part of the culture: abandoned by parents who had not yet come to terms with the fate of their own lives, an alcoholic father who as a teenager raped another tribe member who gave the child up, the child herself that was given up, the woman who was raped, her sister who is taking care of her grandchildren after her other daughter committed suicide, broken families that can never be put back together because the original pieces are too broken. Parts are told in third person, parts in second, parts in first, and then there's a narrator during the prologue and interlude that gives historical (non-fiction) context to the situation, like the Native occupation of Alcatraz which was interesting to learn about.

It was so close to being a perfect book, but the ideas and emotional beats outpace the plot IMO, the end just kind of happens and doesn't hit with the oomph that I think it should've, but I've seen others say that's intentional, that sometimes things just end with no satisfying conclusion and that's the point... I don't buy that but what can ya do?

The 900+ pages of this Douglass bio are not lost on me and I'm gonna push it to February and make it my BHM book, though there's also another Toni Morrison book coming next month I want to get. Going to get through Washington Black and either do Order of the Phoenix to kill time until Douglass or find a new release, I have one in mind but don't know if I want to pull the trigger or not.

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: OS Book Club Pt II

Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher

This was given to me for our annual Christmas Eve book exchange (Jolabokaflod), but I didn't start reading it until after Christmas. It's a short read so while this took me a week it could easily be read in a single day.

Technically it's a memoir of sorts and comes on the heels of Carrie's ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) which surprised me to know people still do this. Perhaps this was in the news at some point, but I did not know Carrie went through this procedure. As such she has memory problems (whether the ECT helps or hinders I'm still unclear after reading this) and decided to write down her autobiographical stage show into this book. According to the cover HBO has also made a documentary/show about it.

Fisher essentially speeds through the fifty-two years of her life giving a rough overview with some details sprinkled throughout. Her sarcastic-wit is full throttle throughout. Her writing style is stream of consciousness on speed as she writes manically. Considering she's been diagnosed with manic-depression this makes perfect sense and her writing gives the reader a clear sense of her insanity. Funnily, of course. Carrie is certainly brash and doesn't beat around the bush which is rather refreshing considering most celebrities are concerned about PR and maintaining some kind of well-manicured image. It's a great look and provides some good insight into her life and lets the reader know that everybody is ****ed up no matter their station or celebrity.

Spoiler

Well, when the Enquirer becomes your standard for living, you're in a lot of trouble!

And he says, "Because...there's no underwear in space."

I heard someone say once that many of us only seem able to find heaven by backing way from hell. And while the place that I've arrived at in my life may not precisely be everyone's idea of heavenly, I could swear sometimes - if I'm quiet enough - I can hear the angels sing.

But the main thing I've learned, I learned all by myself, no help needed. I learned not to get my tongue pierced. Because if you're getting it pierced for the reason why I think you're getting it pierced and you're not good at that thing to begin with, no little piece of jewelry is going to save the day.

I'l get in on the lists, too. Rankings are fairly random outside of the top 3 or 5.
Favorite Books from 2018:

Fiction:

Spoiler

1) Blood Meridian - Cormac McCarthy
2) Beloved - Toni Morrison
3) Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
4) IT - Stephen King
5) Animal Farm - George Orwell
6) Circe - Madeline Miller
7) Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison
8) The Haunting of Hill House - Shirley Jackson
9) Mistborn trilogy - Brandon Sanderson
10) Children of Blood and Bone - Tomi Adeyemi

Non-Fiction:

Spoiler

1a/1b) I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings/Gather Together in My Name - Maya Angelou
2) Color of Law - Richard Rothstein
3) Souls of Black Folk - W.E.B. DuBois
4) Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown
5) Being Mortal - Atul Gawande
6) Basketball (and other Things) - Shea Serrano

I actually read more nonfiction that I thought I had. Unfortunately, I didn't complete Maya's autobiographical series so I hope to jump back on that train within the coming weeks. I'm not sure what all I want to read for Black History Month in February. I need to tackle James Baldwin. More Toni Morrison is a must considering how much I loved Beloved. More autobiographies/memoirs/bios is a must, too - Malcom X, Becoming, and When They Call You A Terrorist are all high on my list outside of Maya. Finally reading Octavia Butler is a must and I also found some other authors to check out for fantasy/sci-fi readings.

30 doesn't quite seem like enough now, haha.

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: OS Book Club Pt II

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

With two acclaimed series V.E. Schwab's name has been in a lot of literary places the past year or so. I first came across this particular series when I was looking for fantasy series to get into. Basically, it came down to picking between Mistborn and A Darker Shade of Magic and I decided to go with Sanderson's metal-magick universe first.

A little late to the party on Schwab, but for me A Darker Shade of Magic is a perfect 3.5/5 book. The narrative itself is fairly simplistically structured around a chase story of sorts. Kell is one of two Antari across four Londons that exist on parallel universes each with varying degrees of magic. Antari are basically super-adept magic users as they can control multiple elemental magics. Kell is given a super-magic stone (the macguffin) and from that point forward is pursued by the other Antari. In the meantime Kell happens across a survivalist, street-wise thief by the name Delilah (Lila for short) Bard. She was my clear favorite character and is a strong and satisfactory female lead. There is palpable chemistry between the two main characters. This is good because outside of them and the chase there is little development.

What's on the pages is great. It's a fun, quick, and highly enjoyable read as the reader sprints along with Kell and Lila across three different Londons. My main problem is what's not on the page. Perhaps that's not a fair way to judge, but I could smell the potential from this intriguing universe. Yet, I felt like there was little more than a simple introduction to the world. The four Londons are quickly explained, but not explored. Likewise there are secondary characters that offer little to the story apart from plot devices or haphazard victims.

Basically, I can see the potential of the universe coalesce by the end. The premise of the universe is intriguing and certainly worth pursuing the rest of the series for. My disappointment stems from seeing all this potential left unexplored by the end of the book as the characters literally rush from one London to the next.

There are enough threads to pursue for the rest of the trilogy and I expect them to be developed more in the next two books. Here's to hoping!

Spoiler

Kell might have cut him some slack, but men who waded into waters claiming they could swim should not need a raft.

The bodies in my floor all trusted someone. Now I walk on them to tea. (Simply BAMF status)

Power in Balance. Balance in Power.

Lila. A soft name but she used it like a knife, slashing out on the first syllable, the second barely a whisper of metal through air.

All of it at her fingertips. And then gone. And Lila left feeling empty, hungry, and hollow in a new and terrifying way. Or maybe it was the same kind of hunger she'd always felt, and now the missing thing had a name: magic.

His grip wasn't crushing; if anything, his hold was casual, confident, and Lila had been around cutthroats long enough to know that the ones you truly had to fear were the ones who gripped their guns loosely, like they'd' been born holding them.

Hesitation is the death of advantage.

Kell woke up in Lila's bed for the second time that night. Though at least this time, he discovered, there were no ropes.

I'd rather die on an adventure than live standing still.

Of course. It was a different world. A different king and queen. But there was always royalty.

I apologize for shooting you in the leg. I was myself entirely.

I started on The Mirage which is Matt Ruff's 9/11 flipped upside down novel. I also started the Library of America's collected essays of James Baldwin. I'm hoping to be finished with the majority of that by the time February rolls around so I can make time for If Beale Street Could Talk. I have Kindred on the way and I pre-ordered Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James so my BHM is pretty much set. There's a bunch of memoirs I want to read, but I'll pepper those in throughout the year instead.

[hvegasooner]

Re: OS Book Club Pt II

Planning on reading some more books. Anyone got any history, music, movie or sports book recommendations?


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[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: OS Book Club Pt II

What part of history? There's so many for everything imaginable. For general history texts I think the most common places to start are Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Text Book Got Wrong and A People's History of the United States. Both are general American history. Those are the only general history texts I have currently.

Any specific genre of music?

Shea Serrano's Basketball and Other Things is a great pick-up both for avid and casual readers alike. It's entertaining, interesting, and really drove me to get motivated to go back and watch old NBA games.

What do you mean by movies? Books about movies? Or books that movies have been based on?

[hvegasooner]

OS Book Club Pt II

What part of history? There's so many for everything imaginable. For general history texts I think the most common places to start are Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Text Book Got Wrong and A People's History of the United States. Both are general American history. Those are the only general history texts I have currently.

Any specific genre of music?

Shea Serrano's Basketball and Other Things is a great pick-up both for avid and casual readers alike. It's entertaining, interesting, and really drove me to get motivated to go back and watch old NBA games.

What do you mean by movies? Books about movies? Or books that movies have been based on?

For music pop rap or country. And both books about movies and books that have been turned into movies. For history I love books about the civil War, World War II and Tennessee history where I’m
From


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[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: OS Book Club Pt II

Shea Serrano also has a book on rap - The Rap Yearbook. He starts in 1979 and picks one song per year. I've heard it's really good and have it on my list of books to read this year.

Movies based on books. Most movies are based on some form of literature so I would just start with your favorite movies and search for related books.

Civil War (and likewise WWII) should have a ton of books. I would pick a specific topic you're interested and search for best book lists. Most of my history readings have been related to Native American history. I have a bunch on my to read list, however. Namely Du Bois Black Reconstruction and his John Brown biography. The Oxford History of the United States series installment on Civil War - The Battle Cry of Freedom.

[mattlanta]

Re: OS Book Club Pt II

I just finished Dune by Frank Herbert. I genuinely enjoyed it, and I finished it in a relatively short amount of time (one week) for my standards. Not sure I will continue right away with the series, but I enjoyed the mix of politics, sci-fi, and action in one book. Also, last week I stopped by Barnes & Noble and read Animal Farm by George Orwell in one sitting. It didn't disappoint. It was a short "story" but straight to the point(s).

Right now, I'm reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X... I enjoy switching from fiction, to non-fiction, to fiction, etc. My semester starts up again in a couple weeks, and I've already been doing clinical since the third of January so we'll see how much longer I can keep up this reading frenzy.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: OS Book Club Pt II

I want to get to Dune one day, it's on my (seemingly infinite) list.

Washington Black by Esi Edugyan

I really don't know what to say about this. It was OK. The writing style is vivid and filled with elaborate imagery, the plot just didn't hold up its part of the bargain. I'm just not sure it got somewhere impactful. It's about a slave in Barbados, named George Washington Black, who through a series of events, gets his face burned, witnesses his masters cousins suicide, runs off with his masters brother who is against slavery and intends to protect him, discovers a prodigious talent for drawing helping Titch his companion take scientific measurements and records, (here's where it gets weird)... Travels to the arctic where his companion leaves him, comes up with an idea to create the first aquarium, falls in love, realizes the idea for the aquarium will never be attributed to him because he's a slave, discovers his birth mom which was the strangest thing (in the beginning there's a slave who watches after him, and it's her...it was just telegraphed) reunites with Titch. There were moments were emotions should've been stirred but they weren't. The overarching themes didn't hit hard enough to take center stage so the plot was the main course, not liking it was a death sentence. Not a bad read, just not a great one to me. I wouldn't slap it out of someone's hand if I saw them with it but I'd probably recommend any number of books before this, even that came out last year (Heads of the Colored People/Freshwater specifically).

Spoiler

"Be faithful to what you see Washington, and not to what you are supposed to see."

"I will only say that if I have acquired any wisdom from Big Kit, it is to live always with your eyes cast forwards, to seek what will be, for the path behind can never be retaken."

"Though I did not know it then, I had begun the months of my long desolation. I became a boy without identity, a walking shadow, and with each new month I fell deeper into strangeness. For there could be no belonging to a creature such as myself, anywhere: a disfigured black boy with a scientific turn of mind and a talent on canvas, running, always running, from the dimmest of shadows."

"Everything is bizarre, and everything has value. Or if not value, at least merits investigation."

"And so it is that the true and living disappear, and in their place rise the disfigured and the unnatural and the damned."

"He was a wretched man, a pox, but I did not rejoice at the brutality of his end, however well deserved. He too had been a boy once, desirous of understanding the world. And how he had wasted all his talents, all his obvious facility for learning, twisting every new fact and arranging it into senselessness and cruelty. He had spent years trying to cultivate an ethos, and despite possessing a clear intelligence, he had lived his whole life in avoidable savagery. How easy it is, to waste a life."

"I thought of my existence before Titch’s arrival, the brutal hours in the field under the crushing sun, the screams, the casual finality edging every slave’s life, as though each day could very easily be the last. And that, it seemed to me clearly, was the more obvious anguish—that life had never belonged to any of us, even when we’d sought to reclaim it by ending it. We had been estranged from the potential of our own bodies, from the revelation of everything our bodies and minds could accomplish."

Going ahead with Order of the Phoenix, gonna try to get this done and then I'll probably get to HBP in March. Right after this, going to get into this year's reads with a newly published story by Sylvia Plath and then an Orchestra of Minorities which has a fairly low goodreads rating but some really strong reviews. Hopefully it doesn't suck. Douglass and Toni Morrison for next month.