Finished a quick reread of Ellison’s “Deathbird Stories” because I needed a light read 
Was talking authors with an acquaintance, and mentioned Ellison. He’d only read “I Have No Mouth…” “Is all of his stuff that dark?” Heh. Not really, sorta, maybe…
Stepping back into a reread of Anathem. I’ll let you know when I resurface.
Reeve was on the ground covering the Unite the Right rally and has spent an ungodly amount of time interviewing people on the far-right. The book does a good job of painting a portrait of a few people in the movement while also making sure not to sympathize with them. (Literally at one point she says something to the effect of, “Regardless of anything, they made a choice. They weren’t forced into it. They made a choice to believe in and do these things.”) It’s not the easiest read because these people have some screwed up beliefs. It’s a good read, though.
That’s sometimes been my experience with writing, even just journaling.
I’ve never tried to read My Struggle. It’s always sounded like…a struggle!
Any recommendations for kids books on Greek myths?
I’ve been playing Hades and this has sparked kii-kitten’s curiosity about the Greek Gods.
Doesn’t have to be all nice-nice but we are trying err more on the side of less misogyny and rape. Which is a tall order for Greek gods.
We’ll see if the kid is interested in Percy Jackson. I like those books and while they aren’t about the myths, they have lots of those elements
Edit to add: speaking of Rick Riordan, we’ve been enjoying one of the Rick Riordan Presents books Pahua and the Soul Stealer. A book very heavy on Hmong myths
I love the idea of Rick Riordan Presents. “great middle grade authors from underrepresented cultures and backgrounds, to let them tell their own stories inspired by the mythology and folklore of their own heritage.”
[ETA]
At the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden, Jim Thorpe easily won the decathlon in the first modern version of the event. The grueling, ten-part feat was not the only addition to the burgeoning modern games. Other events that debuted at the 1912 Olympics included architecture, sculpture, painting, music… and literature.
This book has a neurodiverse protagonist who refuses to be labeled, runs her own business and takes no prisoners. She navigates the world as well as anyone. She has the same adult life, complete with (gasp!) sex. Mostly, she runs her dog rehabilitation and training center, finds a dead body and rescues dogs and people. A fun read-and a good audiobook.
Just finished that. Maddow has done an amazing amount of research.The parallels between the America of 1933-41 and current-day America are chilling, and the failure to properly punish the isolationists and Hitler apologists is infuriating. Most of the traitors got away with it.
Now you’ll have to go to Wales for the National Eisteddfod, the annual cultural festival featuring competitions in music, poetry, and pronouncing Eisteddfod.
Just finished Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon. Amazing first novel by Lennon. Publisher’s description
An utterly original celebration of that which binds humanity across battle lines and history.
On the island of Sicily amid the Peloponnesian War, the Syracusans have figured out what to do with the surviving Athenians who had the gall to invade their city: they’ve herded the sorry prisoners of war into a rock quarry and left them to rot. Looking for a way to pass the time, Lampo and Gelon, two unemployed potters with a soft spot for poetry and drink, head down into the quarry to feed the Athenians if, and only if, they can manage a few choice lines from their great playwright Euripides. Before long, the two mates hatch a plan to direct a full-blown production of Medea. After all, you can hate the people but love their art. But as opening night approaches, what started as a lark quickly sets in motion a series of extraordinary events, and our wayward heroes begin to realize that staging a play can be as dangerous as fighting a war, with all sorts of risks to life, limb, and friendship.
Told in a contemporary Irish voice and as riotously funny as it is deeply moving, Glorious Exploits is an unforgettable ode to the power of art in a time of war, brotherhood in a time of enmity, and human will throughout the ages.
Hilarious, fun, strange/weird (good and bad), brutally honest, deprived, depraved, occasionally insensitive/sexist, scary. I just reached the conclusion that much of the man was much like Life Itself.
He was kicked out of Eton (school fees etc paid by his ‘Uncle’ Evelyn - his mother’s lover, who disliked him) not long before graduation. Well, what else could they do with a kid who’d become a bookie (his racehorse trainer father gave him tips) and a seller of pr0n0graphic images?
His fucked up, loveless childhood ruined his chances of having much of an emotional “IQ.” He only got to see what happy families were like when he stayed with other kids.
He tells a lot of hysterically funny stories, and they are very well told.
Bonus:
Honor Blackman’s ‘black’ leather was actually green, which shows up as an extra nice black on B&W film.
I’m an absolute sucker for modern interpretations of Ancient Greek stories, and new versions of the plays (how I wish I’d seen Diana Rigg as Medea!) so thanks for the recommendation!
I’m fairly sure I’ve spammed the list with Atwood, Pat Barker, Madeleine Millar etc.
I loved Percival Everett’ novel James, which retells Huck Finn’s tale from the perspective of the enslaved man he floats down the Mississippi with, Jim. It’s better in many ways than Twain’s novel.
I like reading reviews of good books (and movies) after reading them. Here’s the best one I found:
I will of course be reading this.
Also Pat Barker is ridiculously forgotten it seems to me.
