A little haunt in the usual theme of Jonathan Carroll‘s books, crossing through reality, the dream world and death. This is probably the first so-so I‘ve given any of his books. It is a short 90 page novella, which is maybe why. Maybe I just don‘t feel like I get enough with a novella. He packs a bit into this little book though.

This was a quick, sexy read. Starts with a crazy tragedy and the tragedy continues to unveil itself throughout the story. I was 😮🫢 through about 90%. I give an 7/10, and overall pick. Giving it to my husband to read. Hope it doesn‘t freak him out too much 😂😅

This is 1 of those books I want to get a copy for everyone I know. Just finished the audio this morning & now want a hard copy for myself, my sister, mom, aunts, friends & coworkers. This book impacted me-crying on my audiodrive home from work. Now to check out her website for the downloads & maybe ordering 10 copies for Xmas gifts. Working on my courage, vulnerability & overcoming anxiety. It‘s been a hard year for me & this was a necessary read.

God of War: Ascension by Roxanne Lando… My 6th grader had to do a report on a Greek god, so I read this book on Libby with him last night. It was pretty horribly written, typos, and an odd pattern of illustrations (maybe cause it was a digital version) but not sure if this book actually exists in hard copy. It did, however, provided a nice chronological story easy for an 11 year old to follow and paraphrase for a report.

I was intrigued when I got this odd novella from my local used book store when I went to swap some books. Having just finished the last page, I ended this thinking what the F? I mean, I guess that is a place to end a story, but it just feels so unfinished. And he really left the protagonist in an unfortunate position. Wild and sometimes disturbing, and peppered with illustrations, I‘ll say I was entertained, but also, WTF 🤔 🧐 🤨

So honestly, (and apologies to Ms. Doris) this book was pretty bad. The most interesting thing about it is her about the author & that she gave it to my grandma with this note, “To my long-time friend, Marvel.” I did not know my grandmother was friends with a CIA agent & diplomat to Pakistan… if it hadn‘t been almost a year since she passed, I‘d like to talk to Grandma about her friendship with Ms. Doris. My family is passing around this odd gem.

I feel like this was a (self inflicted) required reading to get through. Thank goodness for audiobooks and a 30 minute commute. This book provides good histories of where people came from and how we are stratified in society today, and argues against some evolutionists racist explanations. In the academic sense, this book is fantastic, however as he does in Collapse, Diamond beats a dead horse at times. Not always captivating and entertaining.

My most recent audio… this was so good, and when I googled to look up some pictures, it looks like Scorsese making a movie with Keanu Reeves and Leonardo DiCaprio. I can‘t wait… I bet it will be so good! Psychotic murderer loose along with history of the construction of the Chicago World‘s Fair.

This was creepy and weird. Two great qualities in fiction.

This book contains three short stories. “A Gentle Creature” is a sad story of a young woman who was orphaned and is married off to an older man with some love and other unfortunate events. “White Nights” is another sad pseudo love story of a painfully introverted man. “Dreams of a Ridiculous Man” is a little cheerier, also the reason I got this book after reading Master and Margarita, which is supposed to be inspired from this story.

Not my usual kind of read but okay for a romance novel. Made me laugh and cry a little. Overall good story.

First book read second in the Vincent Ettrich series. Another story about tricking life, death and Chaos. Making my way through Jonathan Carroll‘s books but not sure if I‘ll finish them all by the end of the year, but I think I‘ve completed my collection of his hard to find books, and sometimes spending too much 💸

Many have never heard of the batture, but it is well known in southeast Louisiana. It is the thin strip of mercurial land where eccentrics and unconventional families made their homes. This book was especially interesting for me, as I work for the Port and local rail line, and hearing the interactions between the agencies and residents here. Disputes with the Army Corps of Engineers, wealthy lawyers and industry, and how so many lost (cont…)

Inspiring reminder of how we can all accomplish more and how to inspire the next generation for success.

A great nonfiction review of patterns of enforced segregation & discrimination in US housing. Talked about how HUD programs & GI bill loans forced people into certain housing developments or suburbs by race, or flat out denied them loans or housing. Saw this week on CNN how a married black couple (university professors) had a white friend go on an appraisal of their house to have it appraised $300k higher, as not from a black family—infuriating.

This was one of my favorite books in high school. I think it came out my junior or senior year and a bunch of my friends read it. It really reminded us of us. I‘m heading back to my HS for my 20 year reunion next month and listened to the audio as a refresh of the infinite feeling of youth. In enjoyed the narrator, he felt like the voice Charlie should have. The 20 year follow up letter from the main character was heartwarming.

I give this a “meh” as an audiobook. I didn‘t really care for the narrator. Cute story of white privilege with some peppered in tragedy. A mostly feel good summer story. I think I would have enjoyed this more as an actual read and not on audio, not doing that to myself, though.

“How do you paddle a boat on a wooden sea?” The Wooden Sea is the conclusion to the Crane‘s View series, and follows Francis “Frannie” McCabe, Crane‘s View chief of police that has been a staple through the previous two books. As usual Carrol provides a bit of mystic and bizarre wonder. There‘s travel through time and across lives. Sacrifice for love and anachronistic change that bends the mind.

Another haunting tale by my favorite author. Second book in the “Cranes View” series. Follows Miranda, a rare book dealer and epiphanies of her lives and the bizarre world she realizes she‘s altered from her selfishness. Encounter some of the characters from Kissing the Beehive, and takes us back to the strange sleepy town, Cranes View, New York.

Has anyone here read this book? It is mentioned in The Marriage of Sticks by Jonathan Carroll and now I want to read it! The book is sooo expensive though and doesn‘t look like it is available at my local library. My former grad school library looks like they have it in their rare books collection, but now I kinda want it! Has anyone here spent $100+ on a novel before (not even signed or 1st edition), or am I being silly? I love this cover art.

Audio listen after I read the book a few years ago. Related to my work but fiction. First 100 pages are boring & a struggle to get through. Easier to listen but even boring on audio. It picks up & worth sticking with. Historical fiction with an ax murder mystery that ties in construction of the NOLA industrial canal & the birth of jass (or jazz). Didn‘t care for the reader‘s character voices & a few mispronunciations of local words. Still good!

An audio I finished a little while ago. Picked up for some history regarding my work. Very intriguing and entertaining for a history/non-fiction. Would have liked the full version, but only abridged was available from the library app. Maybe will have to pick up a hard copy.

Less fantasy than most, more murder mystery. Still a twisted psychological story. I can‘t go wrong with Jonathan Carroll.

I enjoyed how this book made me uncomfortable & made the point to say white people need to be uncomfortable. We don‘t deserve to be comfortable when so many injustices have been done by people who look like me. I hope to be an ally, speak up & strive for anti racist actions when needed. I hope others confront me if I express racist words or actions so I can correct my behavior. It is not about my intent, but about the impact it has on others.

I loved this audio. I cried so many times. Just a warning… it is quite a tearjerker. She tells a fantastic story of her struggles in childhood and making her way to SNL and beyond.

I loved some of the beautiful flowing and descriptive prose throughout the book. I enjoyed the character development and some of the outrageous scenes. Entertaining and haunting interactions, and quite compelling supporting characters. My biggest letdown was being very unsatisfied by the conclusion. I wish there was just a little more resolution. Not one of my favorite Morrisons.

Very good audio read by the author. I always enjoyed her reporting & mid ‘00s “auto tune the news” youtubes. I had no idea about so many of her struggles. She generally seems humble in knowing how fortunate she‘s been given her financial resources. Although at times, I couldn‘t believe her casualness talking about multiple millions she‘s made/year in some contacts. Katie is charming, sassy, serious & funny. Overall enjoyed through laughs & cries.

This book gave me nightmares, combined with some snippets of my current audio (Katie Couric‘s Going There). Imaginative, emotional and doesn‘t seem that far fetched. Wonderful characters and character development. I felt vested in them. Book wrapped up well, too. I heard there‘s a series (Netflix?)… has anyone seen it? Want to watch it with some friends after passing around the book.

This book took me FOREVER to finish. I‘m not sure what one thing it was—I felt like it had small text, long unusual names, lots of characters, I kept falling asleep & it felt disconnected. You might ask, why a pick then? It was a unique story that came together well in the end & one that will stick with me a while. A story of love, evil & the good in evil. Chaos & finding peace. Loved this line that the moon rules. Rings true in my house.

My friend Bridget @BCfinn just joined Litsy… welcoming her and her new journey reading! I gave her the tagged book last week. She‘s told me she hated reading before, but seems to be liking it and finished a few books already this year! And here‘s a picture of a-hole caterpillars we have in the south US, just cause.

For a comedian, I cried more than I laughed with this one. Good book, interesting story and tribute her family.

Finished this and watched his new movie a couple weeks ago. I loved getting to know Grohl through his creative, funny and thoughtful writing. The movie I didn‘t like as much. Getting to know his band mates and past struggles through this book makes my heart break more hearing about the untimely death of his good friend and drummer Taylor Hawkins.

Good little WWII era book. Now to see the movie, Passage to Marseilles. Found this old crusty copy on my bookshelf at home. Was going to send it to my dad and it was a quick read, so I had to do it. I usually never give anyone a book I haven‘t read. Now I can‘t help but wonder if this was an original copy owned by someone involved in the movie, with actors‘ names listed in the back. Didn‘t realize it was a film until I saw that and looked it up.

This was okay and worth the listen as my commute audiobook. Some good insights of life, although I thought it was a little hilarious at one point in the book when he said something like, “now that I‘m in my 30s” stated with a sense that now he‘s so mature and has the answers 😅 I guess a little mansplaining.

This is fantastic… I just heard “fuck” about 348 times on the way to work. I‘ll have to check out his other one “Everything is F*cked”. “We‘re never going to cure cancer, go to the moon or feel Jennifer Aniston‘s tits, and that‘s okay. Life goes on.”

Pretty good. Audio on recommendation from a couple friends. Want to watch the movie now. I had some inkling of H‘s IRL identity.

On layover coming home after my grandma‘s funeral and contemplating Jesus.

Dystopian post-apocalyptic future story, with a new Wild West, and urban migration. I enjoyed the first half of this but a little disappointed with the end. The book is filled with many characters and is primarily third person, multiple points of view, and a few sections of first person narrative. In the second half I had a little trouble making connections, but it came back together a little. I‘d give this a 7/10. Overall a pick, worth reading.

The third of three memoirs by psychologist Catherine Gildiner. She was a trailblazer of a woman in the early 70s. Really enjoyed this!

I love this description of a fly. Don‘t worry… this guy probably deserves it.

Looks like a good list from the Atlantic. I'll have to check some more of these out! Have read two, so a few more to read! https://www.theatlantic.com/books/archive/2022/01/critically-acclaimed-books-atw...

Intense stories of five people who had encountered unimaginable childhood trauma. Psychologist Catherine Gildiner helped them identify their monsters and overcome barriers that had arrested their lives. My jaw dropped so many times.

Sometimes we come together with all of our soulmates and it is magical… here‘s some of the backstory of Ingram York in a little novella. I was introduced to him as Maris‘s brother in Sleeping in Flame. Need to work on my J. Carroll character web!

Excited for my first #ARC from my BFF! About 1/4 through and so far it is interesting. Lots of characters; a futuristic, dystopian sci-if that jumps geographies a bit, and creatively deals with current social issues of structural racism and gentrification.

Finished this last week. Love the art on the various editions of this book (pulled from google). I barely remembered this story, from having read it long ago. Although it was a reread, I really could not remember the end. Loved it! Always such crazy stories.

Rereading my first I ever read by Jonathan Carroll many years ago, as it is part of the “Answered Prayers” series and I‘ve just read all the others. I am thinking of making a web diagram of characters and places that interact between his books. Love the cover art on this edition.

Sooooo excited about this book haul 📚 I spent more than I‘ve ever spent for a book on The Crow‘s Dinner from eBay, but less than listed on Amazon, and it is signed 🤩 working on my JC collection with some hard to get titles. I can‘t wait to get through these two. As short stories and somewhat autobiographic prose, look so different than others I‘ve read 💥 merry Christmas to me, and you all too!

This was okay… good tips and anecdotes. Trying to keep myself motivated in my career and moving ahead. Time to focus.

On my journey to read every JC book… I don‘t think it is possible for me to give anything but a “pick”. Although this one is not close to my favorites, it is still a chillingly amazing story. I was immersed in it - cheering for the antiheroes, hoping they‘d win out in the end, despite their horrible acts.