N. Scott Momaday is a national treasure. I get the feeling the guy never stops writing. In this collection, not only will you find sublime verse but plenty of couplets, or goofy quatrains, that most other poets would toss to the side. However, by the time the last line is writ, you get the feeling that Momaday has lived a hundred lifetimes, and I think that‘s sort of what he wants-now that knowledge of a hundred lifetimes is your knowledge.

My initial reaction to the release of Angel was indifferent; I knew I would read it but wasn‘t sure if I wanted to just yet. Still, despite my disappointment with Reaper, I love Jade and Jones.

And SGJ really delivers! It moves with such speed that it‘s halfway over before you realize you‘re in the thick of it. It‘s an insane, often infuriating but ultimately satisfying conclusion to a story I believe will go down as one of the GOAT in horror.

April is National Poetry Month and 24th Poet Laureate of the United States, Ada Limon, has gifted us with this beautiful collection!

It‘s a gorgeous book with gorgeous writing and I‘m totally in love!

Whew 😅…

I think philosophy is so tough for me because I‘m a consumptive reader; I‘m used to moving at a steady pace and when I dive into philosophy I‘m forced to slow down, to remind myself that these essays are not to be read once, but multiple times, to be discussed and dissected.

Anyway, despite its density, I‘m glad I read it. I‘ve had it for FOREVER having come across it in a library sale. It literally fell apart while reading it.

Occasionally I will think: “This thing I enjoy/love, I don‘t actually know all that much about it.” Which is how I came to The Immortal Game.

As far as historical dives into Chess itself, it appears the selection is lacking. Most of the books I could find focus more on theory, move analysis, or famous players. As someone who is only a casual player, Shenk‘s book provided what I had been searching for: the previous items plus a basic history.

Liked this better than the second installment but not as much as the first. Lukewarm on the series as a whole, but I will admit the conclusion of the overarching storyline works. My daughter liked the series though, and that‘s really all that matters. Truthfully, YA is not my favorite, and I‘m looking forward to diving back into a good ol‘ (standalone) middle grade novel.

While Richard Lloyd Parry could have easily written a book to match the scale of the 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami, he chose to focus his attention elsewhere: an elementary school where 74 students and 10 teachers died due to negligence. As the title suggests, there is a supernatural element to this tale but it is minor and underdeveloped. The first-hand accounts of the historic tragedy are what makes this a truly harrowing read.

Well… what a long, arduous journey this has been. But like all difficult journeys there have been moments of great beauty, opportunities for philosophical insight, smiles, laughter, and discovery. Regardless of Shogun‘s myriad problems (from a 21st century stand point as well as from a writers) it has this ability to sweep you up and make you overlook its inadequacies like all the best epics do. Great story. Good characters. Just OK execution.

Standing apart from the other novels in the American Noir Collection, I Married a Dead Man begins as a melodrama, waiting until late in the third act to show its dark side. Woolrich is least successful when he attempts to play with language. But his experiments with form keep things interesting while the story, though a bit implausible, and the tension are where he proves to be at his best, and justifies its place in this collection.

This nearly 40 hour audiobook is nothing if not thorough. At such a length it‘s hard to stay focused on everything, and after a while it becomes tough to keep names straight. Nonetheless, I learned a lot about a period of Japanese history in which I was uneducated.

A pick for me, but if I had read a hardcopy, I‘m not sure I could‘ve made it all the way through. The narration by Eric Jason Martin contributed much to my enjoyment of this tome.

Hirsch‘s love of poetry is infectious. I am in awe of his ability to look at poetry analytically. To discern metaphor through the poem‘s form, to see allegory in the word choice, to look at a poem as a work of art yet not be desensitized to its power. What else is great about this book? How many new poets I have discovered and how many wonderful poems Hirsch includes here.

Time to hit up the library and check out like half their poetry section!

A bit dry, yes, but the subject matter is engaging enough to keep one invested. Less about ‘witches‘ and more about the subjugation of women throughout history. I found it scary and sad; just the very idea of what the accused went through. Makes me think about humankind, about being a man in today‘s society, and how I can be better at both.

At almost 300 pages, Nightmare Alley is the longest book in the American Noir Collection‘s first half. And it feels like it too. It seems as if Gresham is trying to create something epic but in the confines of Noir it becomes too laborious. By the end of the book the pacing is so haphazard that you can tell Gresham just wanted to be done. And by that time I did too.

Image from the 1947 film adaptation. Directed by Edmund Goulding

Not what I had expected — more witches and wizardry than horror. It‘s the type of story that could‘ve gone so many ways. Unfortunately, I think Moreno-Garcia struggled with which way to take it. The writing feels rushed and the characters are sort of flat; more like sketches than fully fleshed out people.

As a movie buff, however, I loved all the film references.

With Julia being one of my favorite novels of 2023 I had high hopes for The Men. Granted, while I found the idea intriguing, I knew it would take a decent amount of willing disbelief. That turned out to be less of an issue. What really keeps The Men from being anything other than a novel with a cool idea and some thought-provoking observations is its disjointedness. It goes in too many directions in a very small space and feels hollow by the end.

Like most anthologies, the stories here are hit or miss. And in most ‘miss‘ cases it‘s a matter of technique that irks me; perhaps I‘m too critical. But I am a huge supporter of Indigenous fiction and I am happy to have some new authors to add to my TBR list.

Standouts: White Hills/ROANHORSE, Quantum/MEDINA, Before I Go/BLACK, Heart-Shaped Clock/FORD, The Longest Street in the World/VAN ALST JR, Dead Owls/POWER, Collections/BLAESER-WARDZALA

Loved this!

Woolf chronicles a part of history that has been overlooked but is integral to entertainment today: the birth of the freak show, the circus, and especially the people who made them possible. At times it reads like a PT Barnum biography, but its main focus is the ‘freaks‘ who commanded the attention of a society prone to look away.

Too long have they been in the dark; I‘m glad Woolf placed them in the spotlight again.

Been working through these the past couple months between books or whenever I only have a few minutes here and there. Not going to have them finished before they need to be returned to the library (probably gonna buy my own copies) but I did want to point out how wonderful they are.

Hirsch adds new life to old standards with helpful insights and analyses. Harjo‘s book, with its focus on Native poetry, is sublime and should be read by everyone.

Been working through these the past couple months between books or whenever I only have a few minutes here and there. Not going to have them finished before they need to be returned to the library (probably gonna buy my own copies) but I did want to point out how wonderful they are.

Hirsch adds new life to old standards with helpful insights and analyses. Harjo‘s book, with its focus on Native poetry, is sublime and should be read by everyone.

1984 is a certified classic so I can understand people‘s disinclination to give Julia a chance. But if we appraise it for its own virtues, not as a book that is trying to usurp 1984, but as a story that stands on its own, using Orwell‘s work as a way to readjust its balance on occasion, one would find a superb novel. And here‘s the kicker—if Julia didn‘t have to stand in Orwell‘s shadow it would, in my opinion, be the superior of the two.

Having never read 120 Days of Sodom and knowing little about de Sade or the world of manuscript and letter collecting, I found this endlessly fascinating. There‘s something almost supernatural about how 120 Days has survived, the impact it‘s had on those who have sought it. I‘m enamored by his legacy—was he a monster or a paragon? Warner isn‘t trying to answer this question but he does a fine job giving us the info to consider it for ourselves.

Not unlike The Old Ways (which I recently finished) in the way Macfarlane presents his subject. Lyrical, visually detailed, a bit rambling. I was able to stay more focused on Underland than I was The Old Ways however. Not sure if it‘s just that the subject matter interested me more or if Mathew Waterson‘s voice is less calming than Robin Sachs‘. Regardless, I am quite enjoying Macfarlane‘s work, but I think next time I‘ll read a print copy.

My oldest daughter‘s name is Adelaide, and like the eponymous character she feels everything deeply. So it felt like a sign. A tough book in the sense that it‘s practically telling my daughter‘s future; Adelaide the character goes through the same struggles I have often imagined my daughter will go through.

As far as the book itself: the subject matter has been done, and done better but that‘s not to say Adelaide isn‘t worth the time.

Not my first time reading 1984 but it is the first time I listened to it. Simon Prebble does a fantastic reading; narrators like him make me love audiobooks. 1984 is one of my favorite novels, and personally, it‘s still one of the greatest ever written. But I did find a few bothersome things: I don‘t think Orwell had much respect for women. The third act is repetitive and opts for more tell over show. Still, I‘m amazed by how well this holds up.

Another one that would‘ve been better to read than listen to. Robin Sachs may have been too perfect a choice to narrate Macfarlane‘s expressive prose. As his sultry voice described beautiful landscapes, and made accessible a world I knew nothing of, I would find myself wondering what had happened.

Consequently, as far as I can tell, The Old Ways is about ancient pathways and the people who still walk them. But what it‘s about? I can‘t quite say.

This was close to being a Pick for me — there are some legitimately terrifying sequences, and certainly some moments where I was anxiously turning the next page. But there is something ‘off‘ about the overall tone of the book. The best way I can put it is that I never felt grounded in Starling‘s world; from the faux Victorian setting to the characters, it all felt like a sketch or vague idea.

All I recalled about - Devils/Demons/The Possessed - is that it was the toughest Dostoevsky novel I had read, so when I came across it in my Audible membership, narrated by George Guidall no less, I figured it was time for a refresher.

It‘s still his toughest book; it was a struggle to stay focused. But what it lacks on the surface it makes up for in subtext. It‘s not Dostoevsky‘s greatest novel, but it might be his greatest philosophical work.

For every part of IT that I enjoyed there was an equally cringeworthy part I hated. But given the scope of this project, it‘s no surprise, and King is successful in a lot of ways. While it is not his best (written) book I can understand the obsession with it. For me, what really works are the set pieces — the Barrens, the sewer pipes, Derry, the house on Niebolt Street. And of course Pennywise is iconic and truly deserving of Its status in horror.

This is about on par with the first one for me — kinda ‘meh.‘ It has lost that initial ‘Scooby Doo shine‘ that made the first installment fun. Part of me is interested to read the third book, but I‘ve been reading it with my daughter, and if she were to want to move onto something different I wouldn‘t be heartbroken.

First of all, I had to listen to this on audiobook; Sir Patrick just has the type of voice that is both commanding and inviting. And his performance did not disappoint!

There are times when he is cringingly honest, which I appreciate. But there are also times when he is overly sentimental, which is probably the book‘s most obvious shortcoming.

The stuff about his early childhood is gold, and it was fun hearing Picard drop so many F-bombs.

What the heck did I just read?!

First time reading Palahniuk, and at first I was like ‘is this whole book going to be written in this voice?‘ The answer is yes, and it took me about 1/3 of the novel to appreciate it. At a certain point it washes over you, fully immerses you. You have to give Palahniuk credit for writing the whole thing in Cecil‘s POV without slipping up once; that takes some serious skill.

Recommended only for the adventurous.

I absolutely enjoyed this look at the women who inspired the noble ladies of Proust‘s In Search of Lost Time. This particular period in French history fascinates me; the salons, the unwritten laws of ‘polite‘ society, the scandals. Caroline Weber is the next best thing to reading Proust himself.

While less focused on Proust there are plenty of juicy details regarding his life which only helps to enrich one or the greatest novels of all time.

For a book with such a spooky-awesome cover, the story is rather bland. I like Khaw‘s prose (most of the time; half this novella seems devoted to finding new ways to describe a person‘s smile or their breathing), and the atmosphere is right. But I feel like I‘m missing something, like the story is too simple to not be complex.

There are parts of Frankenstein I wish were written differently; it‘s apparent that Shelley was an inexperienced writer. But the mythology, parable, metaphor she created is superb and still holds up after 205 years.

The text of this annotated version follows the 1818 edition with the 1832 edits, along with other drafts, within the annotations. Klinger does a fantastic job covering all the bases including popular culture, academia, and much more.

Going into this all I knew was it had a Dark Tower connection, so I wasn‘t sure what to expect…

…but it wasn‘t this.

The DT connection isn‘t the main reason to read Hearts. I think people forget how well King does Literature, and he doesn‘t fail to impress here with his wisdom and the way he so deftly captures the idea that memories can both hurt and heal. It masterfully displays King‘s depth and range, and I consider it amongst his best works.

Within the first few pages of Yellowface, we are apprised of how publishing companies buy optimum placement in stores and pay social media influencers to get us to read and purchase the books that they want us to read and purchase; it‘s a moment that goes beyond meta, and sets the tone for a a novel that, while not perfect, is quite brilliant in the way it is layered. I believe its true power lies in getting us to peel those layers away.

Ok. I‘m done.

I have now read and listened to Ulysses in the same year. Not only that, but I have listened to Kevin Birmingham‘s The Most Dangerous Book which goes deep into the book‘s history. Plus scholarly lectures, other various resources, and reading The Odyssey.

I have officially had my fill. ⬇️

First time reading The Odyssey (I only bought this set like 15 years ago 🙄). I guess I always felt intimidated by it; oddly a 500 page poem sounds like more work than a 500 page novel. But Fagles‘ translation is quite accessible, tending toward prose over verse, which I‘m sure made a daunting task not so daunting.

Still, what can one say that hasn‘t already been said? It‘s The Odyssey and it‘s worth the effort.

It‘s hard to not compare The Spy and the Traitor to a typical John le Carre plot. And while le Carre‘s work does come from experience, his novels were total fiction (at least that‘s the consensus 😉). But Macintyre has clearly done his research and written a work of nonfiction just as compelling as anything from le Carre. I will definitely be purchasing a hard copy of this and re-reading it sometime in the near future. So good!

Possibly the best biography I‘ve ever read. Thoroughly researched, well told, and well structured. I enjoyed how Mann presented the myth then provided a more accurate portrait; the book is as much an indictment of the star making machine as it is a biography. It‘s apparent that Mann has much admiration for Bogie and Bacall, yet he recognizes they were flawed human beings. Which is essentially his point: bigger than life, yes. But also human.

Otherlands reminds me of the recent slew of ultra HD nature documentaries—it‘s beautiful, dense, and full of wonder. Halliday takes us backward in time, using specific fossil sites around the world to give us a better understanding of what the earth was like in past epochs. The prose is fantastic but also very dense, and I‘m not sure an audiobook was the best way to enjoy this; I found it hard to concentrate. Definitely one I will revisit.

At just over 200 pages, Finkel keeps things tight, his focus solely on prolific art thief, Stephane Breitwieser, so it makes for a quick, compelling read. On the other hand, he barely skims the dark and complex subculture of art thieves.

I finished this book feeling sympathetic for Breitwieser. I don‘t think he is a bad person, I think he is ill. Without explicitly meaning to be, this book is a perfect example of the stigma around mental health.

It took me about 6 months to get through The Dark Tower Series on audiobook (3 months longer than when I initially read it). I have many thoughts; first and foremost, I wish there were more. Here are my star ratings for each individual book:

The Gunslinger - 4/5
The Drawing of the Three - 4.75/5
The Wastelands - 5/5
Wizard and Glass - 5/5
The Wind through the Keyhole 5/5
Wolves of the Calla -4.5/5
Song of Susannah - 3.5/5
The Dark Tower -4.5/5

I want to clarify that this review strictly pertains to the Audible version narrated by Philippe Duquenoy; the merits of Poe‘s work isn‘t up for discussion here. Duquenoy‘s narration is so monotone and stilted that it actually lessons the merits of Poe‘s writing. It took me almost two years to get through this. At nearly 50 hours it was too hard to tolerate except in little bursts. Overall, I can‘t recommend this particular recording.

I am by no means a “birder” but I really took something away from this book. Through a series of essays that combine stories from Gannon‘s life and his love of birding, he touches on subjects that a lot of non Native people might not want to hear, but should. He‘s made me think twice about ascribing human characteristics to animals, as he views it as a product of colonization. And naturally I have begun to take more notice of the birds around me.

Despite the implausible premise, the first third or so of The Inheritance Games was good. It sucked me in by capitalizing on one of my childhood fantasies: a giant mansion with secret tunnels, book case doors, and essentially living in Scooby Doo world.

Once the love triangle started getting more prominent, I grew weary. The Emily sub plot felt a bit under developed and uninspired, too. Still, invested enough to check out the next one.

This is the second Michael Pollan book I‘ve listened to this year, and once again it did not disappoint. He has a keen ability of making his subject accessible to the layperson. In The Botany of Desire his main conceit is to present the reader/listener with a view of humanity from the perspective of 4 different plants: apples, tulips, cannabis, and the potato. I‘m not sure if he really stays true to his thesis, but the plethora of info is great.

Let me just say that I still think that The Dark Tower could have ended no other way. King sort of leads on that maybe he wasn‘t quite content with it but I would have to disagree. (I mean, what does he know; he only dedicated half his life to writing it.)

This entry is not without its faults. I think King misses a lot of opportunities, and if he hadn‘t felt rushed to complete it, this could have been a truly epic book. Still, that ending though…

I think people forget how good of an actor Feldman can be. Watch Stand by Me; his performance is masterful. But the man has gone through some things and his career has suffered for it. I was surprised by the brutal honesty on display here. I‘ve seen criticism that he comes off egotistical; not sure I agree, but it does seem like he‘s painting himself a certain way.

His narration is solid, and I enjoyed this book despite the tough subject matter.

This sits right on the border between a Pick and So-So for me. For all the things I liked about it, there were an equal number of things I didn‘t like.

Due to the high praise and the dystopian nature I was pretty excited to read this; maybe my expectations got the better of me. The basic premise is enticing, and I do love the social commentary, but ultimately this novel is all commentary and metaphor, dropping any real plot to the wayside.