Welcome to Litsy!

This felt like a rather long winded introspection on accountability for bad deeds. The analogy of Trump to the Joker felt particularly poignant given this weeks headlines. But was it an engaging read? Not really. #AuthorAMonth

Just finished my first book by Salman Rushdie. I didn‘t love it. I didn‘t hate it. I didn‘t really connect with it.

#AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

"Our home was full of tenured professors, male and female, helping. I had all the help in the world from the leading experts in Sumerian art, subatomic physics, First Amendment law, and Commonwealth literature. But nobody could help me look at the bodies."

"Taller than he is, she bends down slightly so that her mouth is close to his ear. His ear leans into her mouth, to understand what it is telling him. This is Vasilisa. She puts her tongue in his ear. It speaks a wordless language all men can understand."

"He was older now, past seventy-four, but he had lost neither his balance nor his skill. Once again there were young women waiting to be twirled and dipped. One of them was Vasilisa Arsenyeva, whose motto in life was taken from Jesus Christ, the gospel according to Saint Matthew, chapter four, verse nineteen. "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."" ?

"The Museum was dark, punctuated by brightly illuminated objects, like exclamations in a monastery."

"And here as if in an old photograph is the old man‘s wife, a small sad woman with her graying hair up in an untidy bun and the memory of self-harm in her eyes."

Strangely (maybe not so strangely...), the Golden Family made me think of Trump. I wish I had reviewed this sooner. The story and its characters are memorable, even all this time later, despite having lost the little details like his way with words, and the fact that I kept having to use the Dictionary function on my Kindle. Read this for the excellent prose, the clever insight into American politics and the fantastical storyline. #netgalley

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have always enjoyed the elements of magical realism that Rushdie incorporates. It looks like some found it pretentious in the reviews, but I didn‘t find it so. Worth a try if you tend to like his work.

So, this is not something I‘d have ever thought I‘d look up. 😳 Thanks, Salman Rushdie, for making me wonder about the post-mortem adventures of Little Napoleon. I could have gone my whole life without this macabre yet strangely interesting tidbit. Link if you‘re interested: http://mentalfloss.com/article/63312/where-world-napoleons-penis

I listened to this book. I thoroughly enjoyed, and the audio did not disappoint. Rushdie wove beautiful literary elements and references.

So I got A LOT of books signed last week (there's actually one more) #books #hay #hayliteraturefestival

DNF @ 33% I think I was too ambitious to dive into this lofty, and dare I say, pretentious novel with 3 small children demanding every minute of my time. I'll have to stick to thrillers and YA for the next few years. Your time will come Mr. Rushdie.

I fell in love with Midnight‘s Children when I was in university and loyally read every one of Mr Rushdie‘s books since. Unfortunately none has pleased like the original, and yet I persist 😅 #currentlyreading

Good gosh. Time to go read something uplifting now...

Out of fashion lit-fic, i.e. incredibly rich, prentious and written for people who get Rushdie's continous references to how clever and relevant he is. The satirical elements are not particularly clever, the characters are not that well written and the plot is nothing special. Token autistic and token gender fluid person are not really explored. Don't know if it was on purpose because of the narrative style but not a good book in my opinion.

Did you REALLY have to make the autistic a computer games genius? #lazystereotypes

Didn't realise this is a re-telling of The Brothers Karamazov (which I've never read). The writing is coming across as quite heavy-handed - this is a book that is screaming how intelligent it is and hitting you over the head with the golden symbolism and Greek/Latin allusions. Giving it a bit more of a chance.

If you are quoting that amazing Lawrence quote this better live up to expectations...

(D H & I are friends who fall out sometimes. But I can forgive him for that quote and the wonderfulness that is The First Lady Chatterley).

I‘ve been wading in and out of this one but there‘s something about this book that keeps me curious and persistent. I will get to the bottom of this! #intrigue #nevergiveup

Me, 8:00 am - I need to read the books at my own house. I am definitely NOT bringing any books home from the library today.

Me, 11:00 am - GIVEMEALLTHEBOOKS.

#everytime #lovemylibrary #nowillpower

I‘m excited to participate in my first #readingresolutions challenge in February, @Jess7 Now back to #24in48 !

Haul from @halfpricebooks #bookstagram #bookblogger #bibliophile #book #books #reading #amreading #weekend #read

After having been a Rushdie Fan in my early twenties, this is the first of his novels that I have finished since Fury. I recognized a lot of what I loved about his style, and I am looking forward to diving in the novels I missed in the meantime. Mr Rushdie, I might have tied all my ribbons to you after all.

#DecDays Admittedly, I bailed on this book back in June, but I‘m ready to give it another shot in 2018😊
Focusing on the hypocrisies, social realities, and political dangers of contemporary American culture, it‘s a #signofthetimes 🎵http://spoti.fi/2zUg6mp (as is the notion that I‘m listening to Harry Styles😬)

This book was not for me. There were few women characters, and those that were there were flat and one note. The men were supposed to be mysterious and interesting, but instead seemed boring and without purpose. I did not find the story interesting and the format took away from the story for me.

Can‘t believe it‘s already December. I‘ve hit my goal of 50 books but as you know I value page count more. Seems I‘m failing there. 😐 There‘s still a month left though. 😃

Sunday Laundry Fun-Day 😀
Decided to start this while waiting on my wash & dry and I‘m digging it so far 👍🏽 My first Salman Rushdie. Also trying to set a record for how many books I‘m able to read and keep straight at the same time!

I am just not getting into this book. Is it worth fighting through? I was not a big fan of Great Gatsby and that is the comparison I am hearing most.

There's no one quite like Sir Salman. The Golden House is a glorious Rushdiyan tragedy where every thought references some delicious piece of popular culture from points throughout history.

In one memorable paragraph, Rushdie gets from classical Greek myth to The Tempest via a complete lyric from Lieber and Stoller's "Stand By Me". The Golden House is everything I could have hoped for from a new Salman Rushdie novel.

This book has a looping, bombastic style and is insightful and clever. It makes you think about whether changing your identity can change your fate. Honestly, I get the sense that if Rushdie had sat with it for a bit longer he would have refined this into a much better book and he would have avoided the distracting Trump comparisons.

This was my first Rushdie, and lemme tell ya--I was unprepared for the exorbitant # of allusions in this novel! I had a hard time with the foreign and obscure film titles. Unfortunately, the book digressed...a lot. So much so that the sidebars became distracting and the work was hard to digest (but not in a delightfully-challenging way). I was largely disappointed, especially since I loved the Golden family & their story so much. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I just started this last night. I've waited all summer to read it.

Gender, Politics, Family, Drama - it's all in here! Rushdie sets about this book with honesty and humour. A genuinely human experience.

I‘ve yet to read anything by Rushdie but this book may be my first one. Looks so interesting ! Thanks @Cinfhen for the giveaway contest and Congratulations again!💚💚

#crushingongiveaway

Got this on audio and enjoyed it. The narrator did a good job. The story is sweeping is scope dealing with a lot of people and events. At times it can feel a little convoluted. However it really does entertain and surprise. Rushdie manages to say so much and like most of his books there is tremendous depth you have to be willing to work at. He is a highly skilled writer.

#Bookmail is the best mail! I won The Golden House in a Goodreads giveaway, and surprise! It's a signed copy 😍😍

In other #bookmail news: @Melissa_J no sign of your package 😒 When did you send it? I've been finding Canada Post extra sluggish lately...

I started this last week, and can't bother to continue....who else?

This story is a saga of a wealthy man with a past reinventing his life in NYC with his 3 sons. It is an unabashed social commentary on recent events (the election of the Joker) alongside the family story. Early on, I actually considered bailing, as the story goes off on tangents that were hard to follow. The second half was so strong and enjoyable it changed my mind. I'm not sure if I'll try Rushdie again; we'll see.

I'm incredibly proud of myself. This is easily my most successful month ever, in both the total number of books read and the diversity in authors and settings.
#blameLitsy

Tagged is my #best of September. I've also never taken as many notes as I did with the Rushdie. 💗 But Flesh and Bone and Water is a close 2nd... Sing, Unburied Sing an even tighter 3rd. #30daysofreadathon

Emma in the Night was my least favorite.

Two snuggly puppies + a new book = ready for the weekend!