There I was, adrift. It was 11/9. And what should arrive in the mail but "On Bullshit." This is a serious monograph (67 pp) on the subject that attempts to define its subject, placing it outside the truth/lie continuum, but finding it more dangerous to the truth than lies, because truth-tellers & liars both acknowledge that there IS a truth, but BSers are "unconnected to a concern with the truth." Five necessary stars.

I was in tears trying to read several paragraphs of the first three pages of this book aloud. Tears as in "fits of uncontrollable laughter, giggles, guffaws and a strange 'heee, heeeee' noise I make trying to get myself back under control." You know, those kinds of tears. A follow-up (greatly delayed) to "Notes From A Small Island," Bryson once again tours his adopted home (and its inhabitants) with wit and affection (and homicidal irritation).

Delightful--a wonderful homage to The Russian Novel, with all the asides, detailed observations, manners and mores, wit and stoicism, and love of Russia you would expect, but in a significantly less-dense delivery. Character creates story, and the author uses quotidian details to lead the reader to a satisfying intersection of Fate and persona. 4.8 out of 5--I can't recommend this novel highly enough. Wonderful in every way.

If you have somehow gotten this far in life without knowing what a schmeckle DT is, then this brief overview should fill in some gaps, but if you're looking for something with depth and breadth, this may not be quite enough. Not up to the author's usual standard of clarity, but *lots* of citations for further reading, plus an index.

The Thinking About War Pack. Cannot recommend the top 3 in this stack highly enough--all thought-provoking and well-written. Looking forward to the rest. Are you one of those readers who starts on a subject and must keep drilling down and spreading out? I know I am.

Who went to the CostCo book table? I did. I went to the CostCo book table. And I am now the last person in the English-speaking world to have read The Girl On The Train. Which was very good, as it happened.

A low-key Nordic mystery/ police procedural, in the vein of the Kurt Wallander series--but not as angsty. One of the most interesting parts was the stunning difference in the entire understanding of how an investigation is handled between a similar American procedural and this one. It's not the first of the series, but it is the first for me, so that may account for my feelings of disconnection from Van Veeteren.

This and "Ghettoside" are now in contention for my Christmas books. This is a meditation on the value--no, the necessity--of community to human beings, and how little American society enables or celebrates it. Junger uses examples as varied as soldiers at war, early colonists who preferred Native American culture to their own and Londoners during the blitz. The fact that I've been thinking these things myself in no way influences my ?????

If you have a little girl or boy and a toy-crazy dog, or any one of those things, this adorable super-size board book is for you. There is one actual word (repeated many times)--no spoilers from me!--but the drawings tell the charming story. Highly recommended!

OK--in a totally-non-book-related moment, I would like to report that I just spent a moment or two hurling myself around the house as the US 4x100 free relay team won gold. Michael Phelps is (consults thesaurus...still consulting....uh.....I'll have to get back to you)
Current book nerd, former swim nerd

This is the third book of a trilogy--kind of Cronin's answer to "The Stand." Throughout the characters have had depth and the world-building has been detailed and compelling. It's possible the book deserves a "Pick" and it suffered because it's just been too long since I read book 2. I did enjoy it, but there's a 1st-person backstory narration by an unlikeable character that goes on for 40 pgs, isn't useful & kills the momentum.

While not as funny as Pole to Pole or Around The World in 80 Days, this is a worthy addition to the "Michael Palin travelogue" oeuvre. I read it as a follow up to Into Thin Air. (Weirdly, Palin arrives at a memorial at Annapurna for one of the main climbers who survived the '96 Everest season.). The book chronicles his journey across the mountain range from Pakistan to Bangladesh. I definitely want a summer hut and a yak in Bhutan.

Watching "Everest" on HBO. If you haven't read this book, you should. I am a flatlander & afraid of heights. Krakauer opens up the world of mountaineering and the particular conditions--overcrowding, overconfidence, bad luck, bad weather, human error--that led to this calamity. Big recc.

Exploring the cutting edge of theoretical physics--no equations or formulae required. Excellent real-world analogies, 16 completely comprehensible visual examples, a sprinkling of humor, good history of ideas, great presentation of new concepts. Seriously, fascinating. Check it out!

Now that I can't remember what books I've read five minutes after I finish them, I find some kind of record-keeping system really necessary. This is the one for me. It's kind of like the Tardis--not too big but surprisingly roomy inside.

Terrific--a portrait of a regular family that crashes headlong into our ultimate unknowability to each other, especially the inherent gulf between parents and teens. Well written, unflinching and insightful. Highly recommended.

I'm not sure why, but lately these books have been my 'palate cleanser' between weightier tomes. Do I need violent revenge fantasies, or just the feeling that wrongs can be righted, evil people done and dusted, and that there is uncomplicated competence in the world? 🤔

...black men.
They were the nation's number one crime victims. They were the people hurt most badly and most often, just 6 per cent of the country's population but nearly 40 per cent of those murdered.