Counternarratives

pick

#12Booksof2022 @Andrew65 October late posts!Another really busy reading month,all excellent!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5040717232
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5067720361
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4940961804
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4994364345
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4997984958
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5099292245

Andrew65 Looks interesting. 2y

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Billypar

Counternarratives | John Keene

pick

One of my favorites this year was this collection of stories that may be lost from history: tales of runaway slaves or freedmen trying to survive, strange goings-on in monasteries and orphanages, and unexpected encounters with historical figures. They also take on styles that fit their historical settings so they felt extra immersive. I really enjoyed how varied they were: magical realism, satire, suspense - all excellent no matter the genre.

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Billypar

Counternarratives | John Keene

#Top21of21

Thanks for the tags @Centique and @Nute
There were certainly lots of great reads to consider. Unlike other years where I've had one favorite in particular, I think it was a three-way tie between Counternarratives, Written on the Body, and Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead. Close behind are Gorilla My Love, The True Deceiver, and The Intuitionist.

Tagging any other fellow procrastinators on choosing their year-end picks!

Centique Yay there‘s The Go Between and Lolly Willowes! I have taken a screen shot to add more to my TBR š¨ 3y

BarbaraBB I loved Tove and Olga too but I‘ll have to take a screenshot too! 3y

Ruthiella Eclectic mix! I read A Grain of Wheat
by NgÅ©gÄ© wa Thiong'o in 2020 and am keen to read more. Maybe I‘ll make this one the next I read...

Petals of Blood

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LeahBergen I see lots of our NYRBs! š‘¸š¸» 3y

Billypar @Centique Those were both good in very different ways. The Go Between felt like a better version of a familiar setup, and Lolly Willowes wasn't like anything else I've read. 3y

Billypar @BarbaraBB It was my first read of both of those authors - I can't wait to read more. 3y

Billypar @Ruthiella Based on your review of A Grain of Wheat, it sounds like that should be my next of his! 3y

Billypar @LeahBergen Yeah, I really connected with so many of them this year! 3y

batsy Oooh! This is a great list and I'm definitely taking notes š“¯ 3y

Billypar @batsy It's fun to see everyone's NYRB picks on these lists - it looks like we have True Deceiver in common. That one was very memorable. 3y

merelybookish Great list! The Copenhagen trilogy made my list too! And I'm currently listening to Drive Your Plow. Not far in but it's making me laugh. 3y

Billypar @merelybookish Yeah, The Copenhagen Trilogy was really excellent, as sad of a story as it was. I was not expecting Drive Your Plow to be so funny. I was laughing out loud at the police letters - I think you'll enjoy those if you haven't reached them yet š™‚ 3y

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AMVP

Counternarratives | John Keene

#riotgrams #day7 - #blackwriters

Another book from my time at Emory. Read the first couple of stories before getting sidetracked, so this is definitely one I plan on returning to this year.

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batsy

Counternarratives | John Keene

Love the simplicity of the Fitzcarraldo book covers. #minimalistcovers #jubilantjuly @RealLifeReading

TBR. (To be honest I'm afraid to start this one because I'm intimidated by its metatextual elements and feel like my brain might miss the layers of symbolism, history...)

Billypar Intimidating for the reasons you say, but I feel like those aspects also add to the allure- it's been on my TBR since it came out. If you really want to geek out there's a good interview between Keene and Michael Silverblatt from the 'Bookworm' radio program on KCRW (available in their archives online) 7y

batsy @Billypar Yeah it definitely adds to the allure. Am I ever ready to geek out! Thanks for that, I will check it out. 7y

mickeysirena I absolutely loved this book. Some of the references were unknown to me but it still worked. I did get introduced to several new writers and artists I didn't know and I found myself returning to it over and over. It's a great read. 7y

batsy @mickeysirena Thank you, you've convinced me! I will give it a go, maybe in a month or so when I've got some other reads out of the way. It seems like a good book to immerse oneself in completely. 7y

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mickeysirena

Counternarratives | John Keene

#readsoullit Day 7 Underrated Authors- This one was a bit hard for me. I try to read authors that are flying under the radar, but I also have a hard time returning to the work of newly discovered authors, and I don't like vouching for authors if I haven't read a lot of their work. These are all authors I've read only one piece by, but they impressed me enough to trust that the rest of their work won't disappoint. Especially John Keene. #underrated

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WordWaller

Counternarratives | John Keene

Spotted this book on my first visit to Boneshaker Books last week! I've been meaning to get it from the library was grateful for the reminder (I've been dropping way too much on books lately!!) I've heard so much good about this one š‘ Have any of you read it?

shawnmooney No I haven't read it, but I've heard wonderful things about it on one or more of the various book podcasts I listen to. 8y

ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Where, oh where, is Boneshaker Books? I need a bookmark or something from there because that name is the BEST! 8y

Belles Ive not heard of it but trying so hard not to buy another stack of books till I get the present stack done. I'm growing weaker by the minute though. 8y

readinginthedark I don't know anything about this book, but what a great cover! It draws you in! 8y

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Kenny

Counternarratives | John Keene

Beyond short story, beyond history, beyond a fierce account of the human condition. I don't remember who I was before I read this. Counternarratives is out in paperback next week and then my job will be super easy because this will be all I sell.

SGJ That's got to be the best recommendation I've ever heard for a book. 9y

Kenny @SGJ What a small world. Someone was just recommending I read your work because of my love for Keene. 9y

Orbeck33 You are very persuasive! 9y

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JWoollen I've been trying and trying to entice local people about this. It is so good and should be so much more of a thing. 9y

Taylor Yeah, this book rocks 9y

DrBird Stop recommending books! I can't keep up! 9y

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BradJohnson

Counternarratives | John Keene

This book broke me down & built me back up Only a select few books each year are classics. This was surely one of 2015. Get it, read it, share it ... & keep talking about it.

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