What Are You Reading Part 3

[church_of_dog]

On 12/7/2021 at 2:02 PM, CTRLZero said:

Just finished “Into the Forest” by Jean Hegland.  It’s the story of two young sisters coping in a post-apocalyptic environment.  I like these sorts of fairly realistic, though sometimes grim and violent, figuring-out-how-to-live-off-the-land scenarios.  It was a needed change from my usual fare of zombie apocalypses.   

I read this too, years ago -- like you I was on a kick of the "realistic" post-apocalypse stories.  If you'd like, I can recommend some others I really enjoyed.  I favored the ones where, as you say, people were figuring out how to live off the land.  Not the bleak "we're fucked/no hope" stories like The Road but ones where people got together and made a new community and met their needs and survived.

 

[CTRLZero]

12 hours ago, church_of_dog said:

I read this too, years ago -- like you I was on a kick of the "realistic" post-apocalypse stories.  If you'd like, I can recommend some others I really enjoyed.  I favored the ones where, as you say, people were figuring out how to live off the land.  Not the bleak "we're fucked/no hope" stories like The Road but ones where people got together and made a new community and met their needs and survived.

I think I enjoy these sorts of novels because I inherited a reclusive gene (as my brother calls it).  In order to be reclusive, I need a scenario where people vanish somehow.  Oddly enough, I like being around people, until I don’t, lol.  I’m weird.

Yes, please let me know your recommendations. ❤️  Right now I’m reading a zombie apocalypse series by David Moody to pass the time until my next Inspector Gamache novel is available.  Then I really need a non-fiction interlude before my brain totally goes into sleep mode.  

[church_of_dog]

post apocalpyse recommendations for @CTRLZero:

"classic" post-apocalypse books:

Earth Abides, by George R. Stewart -- the same george stewart who wrote the primary book about the Donner Party.  Protagonist comes out of the Sierra Nevada mountains after a long camping trip and finds most people dead from mystery disease which is now gone, but there are hardly any people left.  Set mostly in Berkeley CA.  This is a must-read.

Alas, Babylon, by Pat Frank -- set in Florida small town.  Post nuke, I think.  A bit bleak but not bad.  I think this is the one with the hero librarian, which of course I loved.

Lucifer's Hammer, by Larry Niven -- set in mid-Sierra mountains of California.  Meteor hits.  One of the main characters is a politician.  Decent story, not exceptional IMO. 

 

more recent post-apocalypse books:

Wolf and Iron, by Gordon R. Dickson -- one of my favorites.  I can't recall the collapse trigger but the story is mostly one man making his way across country afterwards.

SM Stirling's "Emberverse" series:  #1 - Dies the Fire, #2 - The Protector's War, #3 - A Meeting At Corvallis" -- set in Oregon.  This series (which I think now extends beyond these three) is more aimed at the Society for Creative Anachronism folks rather than more typical gun-oriented stories -- "something unknown" has caused electricity to no longer work, and I think has caused gunpowder doesn't work either.  Planes can't fly.  So everyone resorts to swordplay...  I remember really enjoying these.

Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents, by Octavia Butler -- set in California.  I only learned afterward that the titles are biblical phrases (heathen me lol) so there might be other religious subtext in these books but if so, I was oblivious.  Some travel, some community building.  I think it starts in So Cal and ends up in the Humboldt CA area.

The Last Town on Earth, by Thomas Mullen -- set in PNW -- northern WA, I think.  This is another of my favorites.  Collapse trigger is a disease.  Good community building.

Another Oregon-set trilogy, by JR Flynn:  #1 - Shut Down, #2 - Buck: Survivor of the Shut Down, #3 - First Journey.  Not high literature but not awful -- really good community building, some of which is still clear in my memory a decade later.

Lights Out, by David Crawford -- set in the southwest somewhere (west tx maybe?) and is also oriented toward community-building.  Not high literature but not awful.  A hint of rightwing politics here but not oppressive.  Not sure what the collapse trigger was -- maybe financial, maybe political?  Can't recall.  A long book at almost 600 pages, but an easy read.

Patriots, by James Wesley Rawles -- set mostly in Idaho, more "non-literature", this one with a heavier right-wing slant -- lots of guns and survivalist macho.  Aftermath of a financial collapse.  But the community building part is there and as this was one of the first doomer books I read, I didn't quite realize the political slant.  I think there might be sequels too but I can't recall.

The Rising: Journeys in the Wake of Global Warming, by Tom Pollock -- this one is pretty badly written, but it's set in my geographical area so I had to read it, and there was quite a bit I liked about it in spite of the writing.  Collapse trigger is global warming, and I think they get a lot of the science right.  There are side plots that are totally unnecessary and distracting.  If you can ignore that, it's otherwise a decent story.  Non-political.  The authors did poor local research about what plants and trees are here, which highways go where, etc -- but that's only a problem for us locals, lol.

One Second After, by William Fortschen -- set in North Carolina, post an EMP event.  Pretty rightwing author (intro to this book written by Newt G), but the politics didn't dominate the story.  Good community building.  I liked this one.  I think there might be a sequel but I never looked into it.

I know you've already read Kim Stanley Robinson's "Science in the Capital" trilogy but I'll mention them here anyway for anyone else interested in climate change apocalypse fiction.

[CTRLZero]

1 hour ago, church_of_dog said:

Lucifer's Hammer, by Larry Niven -- set in mid-Sierra mountains of California.  Meteor hits.  One of the main characters is a politician.  Decent story, not exceptional IMO

I just read this one.  It’s one of those stories that had a decent plot, but the misogyny and racism ran deep, so I wanted to rewrite portions.  Some science fiction of a certain era has this problem, and it can be very jarring.  
Earth Abides is great.  I own a hard copy.  I’ve also read Alas, Babylon, but it’s been awhile.

The others on your list I haven’t read, so I’ll check them out at some point.  Thanks! 

[KSmom]

I put together this graphic of favorite books that I read this year:

I would love to see other people’s favorites, too.

Edited December 29, 2021 by KSmom

[CTRLZero]

Happy 2022!  I liked your assortment of book covers, @KSmom.  Right now I’m continuing on with Inspector Gamache (Louise Penny, author) series.  During the pandemic, I’ve experienced a need for cozy or familiar literature, so I’m planning to do a re-read of some books this year.  With the exception of Hamilton, which I didn’t finish but hope to try again, here are a few books I plan to re-read this coming year.  I picked The Coming Plague off the shelf to see how it’s held up after so many years.  My favorite book is

Spoiler

 Doomsday Book.  And these are my comfort reads, lol!  

[KSmom]

@CTRLZero Doomsday Book looks interesting. I have a love hate relationship sci-fi. The books I like, I really like. The books I don’t, well…  This looks like it could fall into the like category. 
I’ve always loved mysteries and for some reason over the years got away from reading them. Last year I started reading Louise Penny, which I am enjoying. I am also reading Agatha Christie, which for reasons I can’t fathom I have never read. (I’ve read Dorothy Sayers, the Father Brown  mysteries, don’t know why I didn’t pick up Christie)

[CTRLZero]

2 hours ago, KSmom said:

Doomsday Book looks interesting. I have a love hate relationship sci-fi. The books I like, I really like. The books I don’t, well…  This looks like it could fall into the like category.

Other than a bit of time travel, Doomsday Book isn’t too heavy with the sci fi.  In fact, in some aspects, due to when the novel was written, we use more advanced technology in our daily lives now than what is used by the characters in the story.  I think it gives it a little charm.

I recently listened to an Agatha Christie mystery and am planning to revisit that author’s work soon.  

[church_of_dog]

My December reading:

 

Non-Fiction, History

Hoover:  An Extraordinary Life in Extraordinary Times, by Kenneth Whyte

Really liked this.  Herbert Hoover is not well-remembered except for some unpleasant Depression-related images, but he had a very interesting life before he entered politics, and of course held office during some dramatic times.  Living from the mid 1870s until the mid 1960s, he saw incredible changes during his time.  Very well written, I found it compelling listening.

 

Wonder Girl:  The Magnificent Sporting Life of Babe Didrikson Zaharias, by Don Van Natta, Jr.

I remembered learning about her in school and I am usually inspired by stories of athletes working their way to the top of their sport.  This book was well written but unfortunately Babe was just not a very nice person and that really detracted from my take of the book, although it's not a fault of the author.

 

Non-Fiction, other than History

Preventable:  The Inside Story of How Leadership Failures, Politics, and Selfishness Doomed the U.S. Coronavirus Response, by Andy Slavitt

Really liked this one, better than Gottlieb's book.  Informative and not too depressing,

 

American Zion: Cliven Bundy, God, and Public Lands in the West, by Betsy Gaines Quammen

Writing quality was so-so but the topic really interested me.  She went into more detail than I needed about Mormonism and not enough for my taste about the specifics of the Bundy family attitudes and activities, but overall my interest outweighed my criticism and I'm very glad I read it.

 

I'll Take Your Questions Now: What I Saw at the Trump White House, by Stephanie Grisham

Meh.  She really seems shallowly focused on things like Melania's fashion.  On the other hand her approach made this more of a gossipy tell-all rather than serious political analysis, and as a gossipy tell-all it was quite enlightening.  Interesting insights into how a presidential communications shop works, and also into his psychological games -- why he is so directly and childishly insulting to his opponents.  (some similarities to Babe Didriksen in that arena!)

 

Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show, by Jonathan Karl

Better than most TFG books I have read (which is quite a lot by now!)  I like how he breaks down the lies and shows the actual truth.  Karl reads it himself which is great, and there are some actual audio clips in the audiobook version -- whether that is a plus or a minus is up to each listener.

 

Fiction

Spider Bones (Temperance Brennan #13), by Kathy Reichs

I liked this one.

Edited January 1, 2022 by church_of_dog

[Woods Nymph]

On 1/1/2022 at 12:18 PM, CTRLZero said:

Happy 2022!  I liked your assortment of book covers, @KSmom.  Right now I’m continuing on with Inspector Gamache (Louise Penny, author) series.  During the pandemic, I’ve experienced a need for cozy or familiar literature, so I’m planning to do a re-read of some books this year.  With the exception of Hamilton, which I didn’t finish but hope to try again, here are a few books I plan to re-read this coming year.  I picked The Coming Plague off the shelf to see how it’s held up after so many years.  My favorite book is

  Reveal hidden contents

 Doomsday Book.  And these are my comfort reads, lol!  

What a great assortment of books! I've added about 25 books to my to-be-read list just by reading the last few pages of this thread. The Alexander Hamilton book is good; I read it years ago found it to be informative and interesting. 

[KSmom]

Favorite December reads:

No Cure for Being Human by Kate Bowler. This is a spiritual memoir. Bowler is an author and associate professor at Duke Divinity School. Bowler is a cancer survivor and honestly shares her life battling cancer and all of the emotional, physical and spiritual challenges that it entails. I love her bluntness and the way she takes aim at so many empty platitudes that our world pushes.

Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver. One of my favorite authors, this is a continuation of The Bean Trees. This book raises the questions of what makes a family, and also historical and ethical questions of how Indigenous peoples have been and are still treated. 

Monsignor Quixote by Graham Greene. This is the first novel of Greene’s that I have read and I will definitely be reading more. This is Graham’s light-hearted take on Cervantes. What makes this book so compelling is the dialogue between Monsignor Quixote and his friend Sancho, the communist ex-Mayor. Of course there is a road trip and comedic adventures along the way. 

A Black Women’s History of the United States by Diana Ramey Berry and Kali Nicole Gross. Written in the vein of Howard Zinn, Berry and Gross go back over 400 years and tell the story of the United States with black women at the center. While there are many names you will recognize, there are many, many more little known women’s stories that they bring to light. The authors give us a history that is diverse and multi-faceted.

[CTRLZero]

On 10/4/2021 at 3:09 PM, church_of_dog said:

The Madness of Crowds, by Louise Penny -- I really liked it even though (and maybe because) it was a bit outside the mold of the usual Armand Gamache.  Set back in the idyllic town of Three pines, I knew I would like that because the town and its characters are what I enjoy far more than the actual crime plots.  But this book focused on ethics and even hinted at a bit of politics (though nothing was made explicit)

I’m just starting to listen to this one and my first thought is, oh, no, it’s set in our pandemic!  This is, I believe, the most recent Armand Gamache novel, so I’ll be moving on outside of Three Pines soon.

Overall, the plots were sometimes a bit of a stretch, and some of the adult emotional dramas were over the top, but the characters really redeemed the novels.  I’m glad I found this series, though.  It’s gotten me through some really gloomy days lately. 

[church_of_dog]

22 minutes ago, CTRLZero said:

I’m just starting to listen to this one and my first thought is, oh, no, it’s set in our pandemic!  This is, I believe, the most recent Armand Gamache novel, so I’ll be moving on outside of Three Pines soon.

Overall, the plots were sometimes a bit of a stretch, and some of the adult emotional dramas were over the top, but the characters really redeemed the novels.  I’m glad I found this series, though.  It’s gotten me through some really gloomy days lately. 

Wait -- do you mean you'll be moving on because you're caught up and there won't be another Gamache book for a year or so, or because you don't like that she includes the pandemic?  I hope you mean the first.  (and for those worried, she incorporates the pandemic as something in the recent past, but that is over (she might have been a mite optimistic there, but -- literary license etc).

I agree that some aspects of the series stories were a stretch, and I have to keep reminding myself that these are cozies, not realistic detective  stories.  Also there were some aspects to the latest Three Pines book I didn't like, which I hope she doesn't continue in future Gamache stories (which I don't want to mention until you're done even though they're not spoilers).

After you're done we can also discuss (in a non-spoilery way) the issue I have with the tidbit of Three Pines crossover she included in her thriller cowritten with Hillary Clinton, State of Terror.

[CTRLZero]

1 minute ago, church_of_dog said:

do you mean you'll be moving on because you're caught up and there won't be another Gamache book for a year or so

This one.  I’ll be back to discuss when I’m finished.  Hopefully in a couple days. 😊 

[Jigsaw3]

I just finished Pat Barker's The Women of Troy, sequel to The Silence of the Girls. They're told from the point of view of Briseis, a captive in the Greek camp during the siege of Troy, and offer a woman's view of the events in the Illiad.  Briseis was a princess of Lyrnessus, a city near Troy that was razed during the siege, and her ownership was a big point of contention in the Greek camp.

They're really good and I absolutely recommend them!  (But obviously, massive trigger warnings for slavery, rape and violence.)

[CTRLZero]

On 1/11/2022 at 10:54 AM, church_of_dog said:

After you're done we can also discuss (in a non-spoilery way) the issue I have with the tidbit of Three Pines crossover she included in her thriller cowritten with Hillary Clinton, State of Terror.

I’d love to read your thoughts.  As I recall, the reference to Three Pines interrupted the flow of the novel, but maybe only for those of us with knowledge of the series.

One big plus in the Louise Penny series, is that I learned a little bit of a subject matter or event outside of my daily life.  Here are some random tidbits to explain what I mean (in no particular order):

Spoiler

Eugenics; Dionne quintuplets; Canadian geography and history; early music notation; art exhibits; artistic process; poetry (loved all the quotations); woodworking; and the optimistic outcome of the novel’s pandemic.  Probably a few more, but these are what come to mind between baking batches of cookies. 😊

 

[church_of_dog]

34 minutes ago, CTRLZero said:

I’d love to read your thoughts.  As I recall, the reference to Three Pines interrupted the flow of the novel, but maybe only for those of us with knowledge of the series.

One big plus in the Louise Penny series, is that I learned a little bit of a subject matter or event outside of my daily life.  Here are some random tidbits to explain what I mean (in no particular order):

  Hide contents

Eugenics; Dionne quintuplets; Canadian geography and history; early music notation; art exhibits; artistic process; poetry (loved all the quotations); woodworking; and the optimistic outcome of the novel’s pandemic.  Probably a few more, but these are what come to mind between baking batches of cookies. 😊

 

Yes!  Although I admit that sometimes for me those side topics slide in one ear and out the other, contributing to my overall sense of the story while I'm reading it, but not sticking after I've moved on to the next book.

One example:  I recently read a book about the Dionne quints.  After I finished, I went back and read an Amazon plot description of the Three Pines book that included one of the quints, and found that even when reading the description, I couldn't bring the plot details to mind.  I remembered that there was a quint involved, but not much more than that.

One I do recall -- I remember when I first became familiar with the series, I wondered whether her explanation of the meaning of the three pines was an actual historic fact, so I looked it up and it appears it is:  Canadian towns near the US border planted three pines in a public/visible common area for the purpose of indicating to escaping British soldiers in the colonies, who didn't want to fight, when they were safely across the border and no longer in the US.  I do have some skeptcism, such as -- how did they plant presumably sapling size trees and have them immediately large enough to be visible to an outsider entering the village?  

(side irk:  Louise Penny's three pines icon, visible on merchandise and possibly on the books themselves, really looks to me like the shape of fir trees, not pines.  Literary license I'm sure but it irks me anyway!)

OK, the crossover between Three Pines and State of Terror -- I agree with you that using Three Pines as a plot location was perhaps overemphasized in a way that might have seemed distracting to those of us who weren't busy squealing over the mention.  It had a "tried too hard" feel to me, and it also seemed rather unlikely to me that a place like Three Pines would be the location of that particular plot point. (speaking vaguely to avoid spoilers)

But my main gripe is that, in State of Terror, she pairs one of Three Pines regular characters with someone new, not the person this character had seemed to be dating as per the latest couple of Three Pines books.  I'm so curious whether, in the next Three Pines book, the previous couple has reunited, or whether some explanation is given as to the change of partner, or whether we are supposed to hold State of Terror as an unattached story that does not require continuity with the series?  I mean it was, to my mind, almost as if Gamache's wife in SoT was named "Mary" instead of Reine-Marie.  Not quite that extreme since he's the protagonist but you get my point.

[CTRLZero]

On 12/28/2021 at 7:02 PM, KSmom said:

I put together this graphic of favorite books that I read this year:

I’m currently listening to Three Girls from Bronzeville by Dawn Turner.  I didn’t know Bronzeville was a real place, though I’ve read histories of south Chicago before.  That fact probably just zipped in and out of my brain.  The book is very well written.  I’m at the church service section and can just envision what’s going on.  Thanks for the recommendation! 

[church_of_dog]

My January reading:

Fiction

Flash and Bones (Temperance Brennan #14), by Kathy Reichs

The books in this series are fairly formulaic and the plots sort of blend together in my memory, but I enjoyed this one.

 

The Collective, by Allison Gaylin

Interesting book with a somewhat unique plot.  Not fantastic but quite good.  However, as the story unfolded, I thought of some really intriguing twists the plot could take, to make a really heartrending dilemma for the main character.  Although I found the plot mostly interesting, it didn't go in the direction I imagined, which disappointed me.  I don't usually have ideas of "how this book could have been better" so I was irrationally hoping it would go there and was disappointed when it didn't.  Still I would recommend it if the basic description on Amazon or Goodreads appeals to you.  It revolves around parents who have lost a child to either a crime or an act of carelessness by another, so could be triggering for some.

 

Nonfiction, History

The Miracle and Tragedy of the Dionne Quintuplets, by Sarah Miller

A good basic background of the quints, about whom I knew very little.  Overall a very sad story.

 

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, by Daniel James Brown

This was fascinating -- thanks, @MarblesMom for the recommendation way back a long time ago!  I like stories of extreme physical accomplishments so thought that aspect would be interesting, plus the historical component.  It was so much more!  Very compellingly written. Also, @CTRLZero, nearly all the story (other than the actual Olympics and a few other regional events) takes place in the western Washington area.  You might find that a plus!

 

Nonfiction, other than history

Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery, by Robert Kolker

I follow some true crime stories and this sounded interesting.  I was disappointed.  Even though the title clearly says "unsolved", I kept waiting to see who the perp was -- and no one was (or has yet been) arrested.  A few of the girls' names were familiar but I was most of the way through the book before I realized this is the story of the presumed victims of the Long Island Serial Killer.  I'm glad to now know the basics of that story but it was only mediocre reading/listening in my opinion.  (it's also true that when there are so many characters, introduced rapidly and with similar names and stories, it's harder for me to keep them clear in my head when listening than it would be if I were reading a print copy.  My criticism might have been less harsh if I had read it instead of listening.)

 

Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company That Addicted America, by Beth Macy

This was just ok.  It was more about the victims of the opioid epidemic and how their lives led them to addiction.  I was hoping for more science and legal history rather than personal anecdotes.  Not bad, just not what most interested me.

 

Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved To Do Is Healthy and Rewarding, by Daniel E. Lieberman

Super interesting book!  As I mentioned in the fitness thread, this is not a how-to or self-help book but more an anthropological take on exercise and why we do it and whether it really helps us.  I really liked it.

 

Empire of Pain:  The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty, by Patrick Radden Keefe

This was the opioid book I was looking for -- a legal and investigative presentation of the Sackler Family and Purdue Pharma, and how they came to produce the drugs that are fueling the opioid epidemic.  Having just listened to Dopesick might have helped me with having background fresh in the front of my mind, but this book was really well researched and well written.  Of course the story is still unfolding.

 

Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone, by Eric Klinenberg

Ugh, this was very much NOT what I had hoped.  It's a topic I find intriguing, especially as a hermit-ish person.  I was hoping for a look into the psychology of how and why people are enjoying living alone and maybe how that has changed over time.  Instead I found research done from an urban planning perspective, with clear and sometime blatant implication that even people who choose to live alone are only doing it because the alternatives are worse, but they are nevertheless lonely and doomed to die abandoned (I'm only slightly exaggerating).  It was entirely focused on urban situations, with a few mentions of how suburban developments and the car culture play in.  Zero mention of rural lifestyles.  He explicitly points out that this is so, but he does so only in the afterword.  If I had seen that I would have known right away this wasn't what I wanted.  Oh well, at least it was short...

 

[CTRLZero]

On 2/1/2022 at 5:45 PM, church_of_dog said:

Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved To Do Is Healthy and Rewarding, by Daniel E. Lieberman

Super interesting book!  As I mentioned in the fitness thread, this is not a how-to or self-help book but more an anthropological take on exercise and why we do it and whether it really helps us.  I really liked it.

This was a very thought-provoking book.  I’m contemplating buying it to make notes and think on it some more.

In a variation on the theme, I’m listening to “Let’s Get Physical- How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World” by Danielle Friedman.  It’s about the modern evolution of the fitness industry, starting with Bonnie Prudden.  I’m at the point on the timeline where women are just being allowed to participate in “men’s “ events, namely running marathon races, in the 1960s-70s.  I’m recalling some of these things from my own youth, as Title IX kicked in.  Interesting stuff, and I may discuss this more over in the fitness thread. 

[KSmom]

Here are some of the books I read in January:

A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell. This is a biography of Virginia Hall, an American spy during WWII and the first female CIA officer. She was a fascinating woman. Her story is full of excitement and danger, and frustrations and challenges as she faced sexism at every turn. At times there is quite a lot of detail, but I found it all very interesting.

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead. This is a crime novel set  in Harlem in the late 50’s, early 60’s. The reader is introduced to Ray Carney and the struggles he faces tying to be a legitimate business man while still keeping his toe in the fencing game. I’m not a big crime novel reader, but I found myself rooting for Ray. Whitehead always gives the reader plenty to think about and this book is no exception.

Abuelita Faith by Kat Armas. Armas is a second generation Cuban American, who grew up in Miami, surrounded by her abuela and other wise women. In this book she explores what we can learn from women who have been marginalized. Women that she knows, women in our world today, and women in the Bible who are often overlooked. She focuses on women’s struggles, wisdom, resistance and strength. I marked up this book quite a lot and have quite a list of authors she mentioned to explore. Highly recommended.

Also, three mysteries:

Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie 

The Nature of the Beast and  A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny 

[clueliss]

The Forever Summer by Jamie Brenn.  

[CTRLZero]

I read (listened to) a couple non-fiction books:

Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas by Jennifer Jaff.  The author is a professor who is very well-versed in using ancient DNA to trace various groups who arrived in present day Alaska from Siberia, then travelled throughout the Americas.  She is very respectful in working with tribal entities when archaeological finds are made.  Although I listened to an audio version, it was not difficult to trace routes with my maps in hand.  Good balance of science and theoretical explanations of what might have occurred.

The Premonition by Michael Lewis.  This follows a few scientists and others who were instrumental in tracking Covid in its earliest days.  I found it a little disjointed, but it shows how sprawling and political the infectious disease program is in the United States.  I didn’t realize Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan had set up an early testing facility, so that was interesting.  Much of this book was a familiar tale, but there were stories of behind the scenes health officials that were new to me. 

[byzant]

I've been reading Irving finkle the history of ghosts. He's a very cool curator at the British museum specalising in ancient mesopotamia and it's looking at mesopotamian sources about ghosts and using it to explore the society, homes , religion and relationships- it's excellent would highly recommend. 

and by caves of steel by Asimov an amazing futurist sci Fi murder mystery - brilliant 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[clueliss]

Malibu Rising byTaylor Jenkins Reid.  Enjoyed the first half, felt disconnected and rather Meh about most of the second half.  
 

and I’m reading the audiobook version ofThe House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune.  Which is just delightful.  I keep getting the best case of giggles while it’s on.