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vivastory

vivastory

Joined November 2016

Literature is the most agreeable way of ignoring life.-Fernando Pessoa
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vivastory
Untitled | Unknown
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PSA: I will be on hiatus for an indeterminate period, I am currently undertaking intensive professional development, in addition to my current work schedule. I am well. Just busy! Stay well. Stay well read.

Sharpeipup Best of luck 4mo
AmyG Good luck! 4mo
Jari-chan Good luck and take care! 4mo
See All 25 Comments
sarahbarnes Take care of yourself. Thinking of you. 4mo
TrishB Hope it goes well! 4mo
Leftcoastzen Take care ! Best of Luck ! You know we want you back anytime! 4mo
CarolynM All the best with it. Hope it‘s valuable. 4mo
wanderinglynn Best wishes! Hope to see you back soon. 4mo
Bookzombie Hope it goes great! 4mo
BookmarkTavern Good luck! 🍀 4mo
BarbaraBB Good luck & take care! Hope you‘ll be back! 4mo
Ruthiella Thanks for letting us know! Hope you learn lots! 😃 4mo
batsy Good luck and take care! 4mo
Gissy Good luck♥️🤗and that is a beautiful picture. 4mo
Branwen Good luck, Scott! 💕 4mo
TieDyeDude Best wishes! 4mo
Aimeesue Have fun, and as my grandfather used to say as we went out the door to school, “Learn things!” Hope it goes well for you. 4mo
Librariana Wishing you all the good things, Scott 🍀🌈✨️📚 May this new venture and all the endeavors you undertake lead to your well-deserved success! 3mo
merelybookish Thanks for the post! I was missing you and now I know why. All the best! And you are missed. 3mo
Megabooks Missing you! I hope your professional development is going well and that you‘re finding a bit of time for books, too. Best of luck! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🍀 (I have no one to joke about 👍🏻 with. ☹️👎🏻👎🏻) 3mo
Billypar Totally missed this - hope things are going well! See you back here when things quiet down. 2mo
Branwen I know you're busy, just wanted to stop by and let you know I'm missing you! 📚💕 2mo
wanderinglynn Hope your professional development is going well. But I miss your posts. 2mo
LeahBergen Damn it. I miss you. 😆 3w
Michael_Gee Miss you. 1w
82 likes25 comments
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vivastory
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I saw Oppenheimer earlier today and was thoroughly impressed. Best movie released this year that I've seen so far, beating out my favorite: Evil Dead Rise. I do intend to eventually watch Barbie (I 💙 Gerwig & Margot Robbie) & I also want to see Talk to Me.

BarbaraBB I was impressed by Oppenheimer too. 4mo
vivastory @BarbaraBB I think it's Nolan's best movie in awhile. What a great cast! 4mo
BarbaraBB The cast was incredible indeed. 4mo
See All 12 Comments
batsy I was let down by Barbie (probably the only person to say this), though the stand-out performance for me was by Gosling. I need to watch Oppenheimer and Talk to Me! 4mo
TheLudicReader You are correct about Gosling stealing every scene he was in, @batsy. 🤣 4mo
batsy @TheLudicReader I'm not sure how he nailed the character of Ken so well, what with Ken being a total blank 😂 4mo
vivastory @batsy Thanks for the input on Barbie. I was looking forward to it but it wasn't one of my most anticipated movies of the year. Will temper expectations & yes, love Ryan Gosling. I will be curious to see what you think of Oppenheimer. It's definitely Nolan's most succesfully adventurous movie in awhile I think 4mo
vivastory @batsy Also, very curious on your thoughts if you see Talk to Me. It's apparently terrifying 😱 4mo
batsy @vivastory I'm so keen to go but have no one to go with! I'm usually someone who will go to a movie alone if I can't find someone to coordinate with (I love watching films alone, I have to say!) but I think I need company for Talk to Me 😅 And so excited about Oppenheimer; looking forward to it. 4mo
quietlycuriouskate Oooh, hoping to see it next week (and also a little apprehensive as I suspect it will need recovering from afterwards)! 4mo
Addison_Reads So glad you liked this one. I watched it recently and thought it was brilliant. On a side note, I also watched the new TMNT movie last night and thought it was great nostalgic fun. 4mo
TheBookWorm29 Skip Talk to Me. Cool concept but a dreadful protagonist. 4mo
58 likes12 comments
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vivastory
Untitled | Unknown
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Y'all, booktube videos can lead to some interesting places

Ruthiella Who on booktube started you off on this journey ? 🤔 4mo
AshleyHoss820 This is terrifying, hilarious, and intriguing…gonna stack it. 🤣 I can always count on you to find the good stuff! 4mo
vivastory @Ruthiella It was a recommendation that popped up when I was looking up another book mentioned on an extreme horror video 4mo
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vivastory @AshleyHoss820 Lol I do my best 4mo
Branwen Omg! 😂 I don't know how to feel about this! 4mo
Aimeesue And don‘t miss the next in the series, I Found a Circus Tent in the Woods Behind My House! I only wish I were kidding. 😂 4mo
vivastory @Aimeesue Building my October tbr 🤣 4mo
Aimeesue @vivastory I have a whole Kindle category - Halloweenish 🎃 (edited) 4mo
55 likes8 comments
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vivastory
Devil's Dictionary | Ambrose Bierce
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As I read a couple of Bierce stories yesterday, it seems only appropriate that my #weirdwords selection be pulled from one of the great works of American satire in the early 20th century:
“Logomachy, n. A war in which the weapons are words and the wounds punctures in the swim-bladder of self-esteem—a kind of contest in which, the vanquished being unconscious of defeat, the victor is denied the reward of success.“
@cbee

CBee In reading more about this word, I learned that “rhubarb” can also be used in place of “quarrel” 😂😂 4mo
wanderinglynn That definition has to be one of the best I‘ve ever read. I mean c‘mon, “the swim-bladder of self-esteem”!?! That‘s just brilliant 😆 4mo
CBee @wanderinglynn I do believe swim-bladder could be the next #weirdword 😂 4mo
CBee @TheBookHippie next time I have a tiff with the hubby, I‘m totally calling it a rhubarb 😂 4mo
54 likes5 comments
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vivastory
Arthur's Birthday | Marc Brown
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Hooked_on_books This is the exact problem with banning books. It‘s such a slippery slope and they are sliding right down it. I‘m so glad I don‘t live in Florida with all this stupidity going on. 4mo
vivastory @Hooked_on_books It's a very slippery slope. As a lifelong library user I feel terrible for anyone in FL who is being impacted by the stupidity & zealotry. Although unfortunately my home state is displaying it's fair share too. I don't really see it where I live since KC is more liberal but I know that it has been a problem in the more conservative/rural areas. 4mo
wanderinglynn OMG 🙄 Over 1 complaint?! WTF. What a dumpster fire. 4mo
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TheBookHippie I never ceases to amaze me the hatred and want to control others that one person can do all this harm angers me to no end… 4mo
The_Book_Ninja ALL CAPS!: Must be serious😬 4mo
AlaMich That guy needs a job or a hobby or both. He has waayyyy too much free time! 4mo
Jas16 You have got to be kidding me… 4mo
BarbaraBB 🤦🏻‍♀️ 4mo
Branwen This is seriously such a scary/frustrating/disheartening time to be a librarian. 😭 Some days it feels like we take one step forward and two steps back. 4mo
59 likes9 comments
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vivastory
Hotel Du Lac | Anita Brookner
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While reading the tagged book yesterday, crepitate jumped out at me in a passage.
#weirdwords @cbee

CBee Ah yes! Crepitus is the cracking sound that my knees make 😂😂😂😂 4mo
vivastory @CBee Def. relatable. Sound my back sometimes makes 😂 4mo
CBee @vivastory I turn 46 tomorrow and can I just say I‘m not happy about that 🤪🤪🤪 4mo
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vivastory @CBee Happy early Birthday, friend 🎈🎂📚 4mo
Megabooks Cool word! 4mo
Megabooks @CBee I wrote crepitus many times on charts! It‘s not a word I‘ve used much since I left private practice. Happy birthday!! 4mo
CBee @vivastory thank you, friend! 😊 4mo
CBee @Megabooks it‘s one of a few select words that stuck with me from nursing school - especially now that I‘ve had it myself for a few years! Darn aging. And thanks for the bday wishes 😘 4mo
46 likes8 comments
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vivastory
Hotel Du Lac | Anita Brookner
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Pickpick

After an affair, Edith ends up at the Hotel du Lac towards the end of the season. Edith is a novelist & is sent there for a reason which is revealed over the course of this novel filled with careful observations & great characterization. While at the hotel Edith meets several other unusual guests & as Edith is a very quiet individual it is through these interactions that we get a better sense of her as a character. Absolutely splendid book.

batsy Sounds lovely. This is the only Brookner I've read so far, but I loved it 4mo
vivastory @batsy Thanks for the rec! Brookner was pretty prolific, so as a newbie it's hard to know where to go next. If prizes mean much to you, this was the book that she won the Man Booker for. Beating out both Julian Barnes & JG Ballard. 4mo
sarahbarnes I loved this one, too. The only Brookner I‘ve read so far and it made me want to read more for sure. 4mo
Centique I loved this too. Ive read two other Brookners since reading this one and they were both so good - but this one is kind of perfect (imo) Definitely a Brookner fan now! 4mo
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vivastory
Atlas Six | Olivie Blake
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Mehso-so

A group of six inidviduals, all approximately in their early to mid 20s, are recruited at the start by Atlas Blakely the caretaker of the enigmatic Alexandrian Society. As the Kirkus Review succinctly states, “At the end of one year, five of the six will be initiated into the Society, and the reader won‘t be surprised to learn that the sixth person isn‘t allowed to quietly return home.“ Despite their hours & hours of reading, our characters (cont)

vivastory must have never encountered a YA book because this is news to all of them. There is a good story to be found here & it peeks out at stretches. There are also great characters with some good interactions & dialogue. And then there's the absolute worse aspects of YA: repeatedly & unnecessarily calling characters by their full names, the high stakes that often feel manipulative, & the drama. Oh, the drama, Very much a mixed bag for me I'm afraid. (edited) 4mo
vivastory PS-Also, a bit underwhelmed by the carnage promised by the tagline “Knowledge is carnage“ 🙃 4mo
Cinfhen Fantastic review!!! Made me laugh…several times😁 4mo
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BarbaraBB Haha this is so recognizable re YA! 4mo
vivastory @Cinfhen @barbarabb Lol thanks. I really wanted to like it more than I did. There's some YA that I've enjoyed but it definitely has recognizable tropes 4mo
Amiable “Underwhelmed by the carnage promised” 😄 4mo
sarahbarnes Amazing 😂😂 4mo
LitStephanie The characters must have never encountered a YA book--hahaha! Love your review. 4mo
Aimeesue Great review! 🤣 4mo
Megabooks Great review Scott!!! 😁 4mo
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vivastory
The Chuckling Whatsit | Richard Sala
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I usually post my #weeklyreport Sunday afternoon but this has been such a great reading week I am going to post now. 7 books read since previous report: 3 manga, 1 graphic novel, 1 story collection, 1 novel & 1 collection of linked novellas. The three managa were vol 7-9 of Blood On the Tracks. So disturbing. So intense. The gn was the tagged one by Sala. A hybrid of pulp, crime, expressionism & horror. The story collection was Carys Davies (cont)

vivastory Redemption of Galen Pike. I sat down one morning with the intention of reading just 1 or 2 & before I knew it I had finished it. Incredible collection. The novel & the novella I have posted reviews for recently (O'Brien's final book in her trilogy & Malfi's Ghostwritten). An excellent reading week. Am now 100 pages into Tarrt's The Little Friend & about halfway through a reread of Frank O'Hara's Meditations In An Emergency.
@cinfhen
4mo
Cinfhen I can absolutely relate to #BookishProblem 😂Such a wonderful week!!! Are you enjoying 4mo
vivastory @Cinfhen Very much! It's my first Tartt. 4mo
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BarbaraBB It‘s been quite the week indeed, wow! 4mo
Cinfhen Ohhh, that‘s good to know. I‘ve seen lots of mixed reviews so I was a little hesitant. 4mo
vivastory @Cinfhen I still have a ways to go so I'm reluctant to give a definitive opinion but I like what I have read so far. It took me a little bit to get accustomed to her style but once I did I enjoyed it & Harriet is a great character. It will probably be one I dip in & out of over a few weeks until I finish it. 4mo
Cinfhen Ok, I‘ll keep my eyes open for your final thoughts 😁 4mo
75 likes7 comments
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vivastory
Ghostwritten | Ronald Malfi
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I loved this collection of linked horror novellas about deadly books by Ronald Malfi. The first one made me think of the excellent John Carpenter In The Mouths of Madness, the second one had shades of Dark Tower, the third one was a twisty interesting book where the main object involved a popup book & the final novella involved a digital interactive Story. (cont)

vivastory I really hope that Malfi returns to this format in the future ESPECIALLY as there were at least two characters mentioned in passing here who deserve their own novellas. 4mo
Reggie Lol, love the graphic. I read the first story in here and have just kept it on pause for months. 4mo
vivastory @Reggie Are there other collections of horror novellas that you'd recommend? I love the format! 4mo
Reggie Just the ones you‘ve probably already read. Full Dark No Stars by Stephen King and Joe Hill‘s Strange Weather. 4mo
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vivastory
Little Friend | Donna Tartt
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A day late for #weirdwords but this passage in the tagged book that I'm reading seemed perfect, “...Her thoughts spooled up and unwound in complex ormolu tracery which floated around her head.“
@cbee

CBee I loved this when I read it (years ago)! 4mo
vivastory @CBee I started it this evening and am loving it so far. My first experience with Tartt. 4mo
tpixie Definitely a weird word, AND a weird usage of it!!! 4mo
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CBee @vivastory glad you‘re enjoying it! She‘s excellent. 4mo
BarbaraBB My favorite Tartt! 4mo
sarahbarnes I have a copy of this one and want to get to it soon. So glad to hear you‘re enjoying it. I loved Secret History. The Goldfinch not so much. 4mo
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vivastory
Crook Manifesto: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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My book choice for #theworldismyoyster couldn't have been easier as I have tickets to see Colson Whitehead next week! To say I am excited is an understatement. He is one of the living authors who I have not seen live that has been at the top of my list. I have read several of his books & have loved every one. However, I still need to read Harlem Shuffle. I hope to read at least half of it before the event. My song choice is (cont)

AnneCecilie I was at one of his events last year and he‘s amazing to listen to and I haven‘t even loved every book I‘ve read by him. 4mo
vivastory @AnneCecilie At the start of the pandemic I attended a virtual event featuring him & a bunch of other authors supporting an independent bookstore, but definitely not the same. 4mo
See All 10 Comments
Cinfhen That‘s so exciting, Scott. He seems like such a genuinely cool person. Enjoy!!! 4mo
vivastory @Cinfhen Thanks, Cindy! I agree. He seems very down to earth. 4mo
Branwen Oh my gosh! Scott this is SO EXCITING! I can't wait to hear all about this event! 📚💕 4mo
vivastory @Branwen Thanks! I will definitely post about it afterwards. 4mo
SamAnne And such a sense of humor. I saw him do a joint gig with Jess Walters, another author who tackles heavy topics but also has such a dry sense of humor. 4mo
JoyBlue I gave Harlem Shuffle 5⭐, which I almost never do! I'm reading this one now. Have fun seeing Whitehead in-person! Can't wait to hear all about it. 4mo
Megabooks Excited to dig in as well! I hope you enjoyed seeing him! 4mo
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Having finished the third novel & the epilogue in O'Brien's trilogy this morning, I am at a loss at how to adequately review it, especially as I didn't post a review for the second book in the trilogy. So I have decided to list a few random thoughts on the trilogy:
*The final book in the trilogy is incredible. It's my favorite of the three & reviewers who shied away bc it was “less rollicking“* (NY Times) seem to have missed the point
(cont)

vivastory The second book, “The Lonely Girls, was my least favorite of the trilogy but was necessary overall esp as O'Brien was dealing with the backlash from the first book.*The Lonely Girls is where my feelings about Baba began to shift. I found her maddening in book 1.*This is a rare example of a work where the epilogue adds to the story.*Kate & Baba are two of my favorite characters that I have read this year & I won't be forgetting either one anytime 4mo
vivastory soon. They are not “perfect“ characters, but they are interesting characters & that is what I want in a story. *I'm no expert on contemporary Irish fiction, but I think it is safe to say that O'Brien's influence is vast. Hard to imagine a John Boyne or a Sally Rooney without her blazing the way. 4mo
BarbaraBB So cool that you read this trilogy. I never did while I read some of her later works and agree that she must have a big impact on current Irish fiction. 4mo
vivastory @BarbaraBB I read one book in the trilogy per month over the past 3 months or so. Most of them are more novella length. I added a couple of her other works after I finished today & am really looking forward to reading those. 4mo
BarbaraBB A deep dive into Edna O‘Brien. Impressive 4mo
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vivastory
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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I love this question!
I have several answers:
Although in my mind, a road trip should involve an automobile, immediately I thought of Don Quixote.
If I'm going to stick to stories involving cars/automobiles: Elliott' Chaze's noir Black Wings Has My Angel, Gaiman's American Gods, Matt Wesolowski's Six Stories series (he's always traveling between locations to interview subjects), & Jessica Bruder's Nomadland.
#sundayfunday
@ozma.of.oz

TheBookHippie Don Quixote was my first thought ! 4mo
LeahBergen Black Wings Has My Angel is one of those books that have really stuck with me! 4mo
vivastory @LeahBergen It was such a great reading experience 👏 4mo
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vivastory @TheBookHippie It's one of my favorite classics 4mo
TheBookHippie @vivastory Same. I saw the opera of it in the 90s and it was so well done. 4mo
merelybookish @leahbergen @vivastory Such a great read! Even if I always mangle the title. 😉 4mo
LeahBergen @merelybookish I just had to go back and check that I didn‘t just mangle it, too. 😆 4mo
BookmarkTavern Lots of fun picks! Thank you for sharing! 4mo
batsy @LeahBergen Yes! It's such a memorable book... Something about its mood. Thinking about it instantly conjures it up. 4mo
LeahBergen @batsy So true! 4mo
Branwen Ooooh great picks! 4mo
Annmcoop Does being on the run count as a road trip? Madam, Will You Talk? By Mary Stewart. When I was a girl, I found one of her novels at my grandmother‘s house and I was hooked. In this one the heroine races across south France while pursued by a mysterious and handsome stranger who may or may not be a murderer! I remember he drove a dark Bentley and he was hard on her heels. Made me think of that scene in To Catch a Thief, taking the turns too fast. 4mo
51 likes12 comments
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vivastory
Classic Locked Room Mysteries | David Stuart Davies, Davies
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5 books completed since previous #weeklyreport
Stine's Horror At Camp JellyjJam* Barker's Books of Blood Vol. 3*Vasko Popa's Selected Poems (translated by Simic)*Hoke's Open Throat*Tagged Book.
The first 2 were a bit disappointing. I had a lot of fun with my prior Stine book, however I have started reading One Day At Horrorland & am having a blast. The Barker was frontloaded with the best stories, definitely the weakest vol I've read (cont)

vivastory The other 3 were all outstanding & scratched different itches. A week later, Open Throat continues to be one of the most surprising new releases I've read; Vasko Popa is one of my fave poets of all-time & it was great reading Simic's versions; the tagged anthology was a lot of fun. There was only one story where I guessed how the murder was committed before the reveal.
@cinfhen
(edited) 4mo
LeahBergen 😆The butler did it! 4mo
vivastory @LeahBergen He was fed up with the nonsense 😂 4mo
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dabbe @LeahBergen He really did! Finally! 🤣🤣🤣 4mo
Branwen 😂😂🦑 4mo
Aimeesue Hahahhahaha! Such a puzzling mystery! 😂 4mo
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vivastory
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Pickpick

*fire is the only future*
Narrated from the POV of a mountain lion residing beneath the Hollywood sign, Open Throat has one of the most original narrative voices in any work that I have read this yr. With an animal narrator this could have easily been saccharine, instead it tackles issues such as ecological disaster, homelessness, & identity through an aphoristic narrative. I loved this book & will def be revisiting. One of the surprises of the yr

dabbe Wow. What a cover, too! 🤩 5mo
vivastory @dabbe I was really annoyed by cover designs a couple of years ago but I feel like a lot of the recent designs have been fantastic 5mo
Cinfhen Sounds great - intense. And I agree @dabbe cover really grabbed my attention 😍 5mo
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batsy It sounds so different! I added it recently because I think I saw it recommended somewhere (my memory is great 😂) so I'm glad to see you liked it. 5mo
Pinta Loved this book 5mo
Addison_Reads Great review. I read this a couple months ago through #NetGalley and loved it. I agree with you about it being a surprise. It was unexpected and just an overall excellent read. 5mo
Aimeesue Great review! For me it is a terrible review because now I must stack this book and add to my towering TBR. I‘ve been very into eco- fic and eco dystopias lately. I‘m having such a niche summer. ⛈️ (edited) 5mo
Megabooks Stacked! 5mo
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vivastory
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I have posted this priceless meme before but am reusing it for my #weeklyreport as I actually read 1 Goosebumps book this week (the very strange I Live In Your Basement!) & am also in the middle of the tagged book. A total of 6 books this book, including the one in progress: 2 graphic novels, 2 goosebumps, 2 novels. The standout is Orphan Master's Son which I will be recommending for years to come.
@cinfhen

Cinfhen Hahaha😂😂😂hilarious meme 🙌🏻 5mo
LeahBergen Love this 😆 5mo
rabbitprincess 🤣🤣🤣🤣 love it 5mo
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JamieArc 😂😂 5mo
Branwen 😂🤣😂🤣😂 5mo
Branwen I have such a soft spot for Goosebumps books! I'm thinking of rereading a bunch when spooky season starts! 5mo
vivastory @Branwen I have a couple lined up for October myself. They're fun, quick reads, 5mo
Twainy I just scrolled back … cuz I just got that 😆 4mo
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vivastory
Orphan Master's Son | Adam Johnson
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Having JUST finished the tagged book, I'm going into the weekend with a major book hangover, so for relief I will be starting the next volume of Berserk as I need to return it to the library. After that, who knows? I might read Vasko Popa's Poems, which I received in my NYRB package. I am also planning on swinging by B&N & picking up Chain Gang All Stars & Henry Hoke's Open Throat (cont)

vivastory narrated in poetic prose from the POV of a mountain lion residing underneath the Hollywood Sign in LA. I heard a fantastic interview yesterday with the author on the Poured Over podcast, which is how I was made aware of the book).
#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain
(edited) 5mo
rachelsbrittain I just finished Chain Gang All-Stars and it is great! 5mo
vivastory @rachelsbrittain I'm really looking forward to it! I just went to my local B & N & I think I grabbed their last copy lol 5mo
Josiethelibrarian Atalanta by Jennifer saint 5mo
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vivastory
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1) Tie between Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived In the Castle & Edna O'Brien's Country Girls
2) Berserk vol. 2
3) Kuang's Yellowface/Tremblay Beast You Are
4) Holly by King
5) Andersen's Cryptid Club
6) Blood on the Tracks
7) Doris Lessing
8) Cait & Baba from O'Brien's trilogy
9) Teared up at parts of Orphan Master
10) Vacationland
11) Since I received my NYRB order today I'll say Stamaty's Macdoodle St
12) Whatever I want lol

Ruthiella I like your attitude toward the TBR pile! 😆 5mo
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The Bells | Edgar Allan Poe
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My #weirdwords is one of my favorite onomatopoeia: tintinnabulation. Used to good effect in Poe's slightly maddening poem The Bells. 🔔🔔
@cbee

CBee Oooooooo, Poe 💚💚💚 5mo
vonnie862 This one is my favorite too! 5mo
Lcsmcat There‘s an SSA setting of this that I did with my high school girls‘ choir once. It‘s a fun word to sing. 5mo
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dabbe So. Much. Fun. to read aloud! 🤩🤩🤩 5mo
KathyWheeler Phil Ochs sang this 1000 years ago; I loved it. 5mo
Branwen I love this poem! Super fun to read aloud! 🤩 5mo
Megabooks Great word! 5mo
58 likes7 comments
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vivastory
Orphan Master's Son | Adam Johnson
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Brilliant book, but quite possibly the most disturbing I've read this year. I had to literally set it aside while eating lunch this afternoon because of the scene that I was reading.

MizzGraham Challenge accepted, friend 😜 5mo
RaeLovesToRead I think I can guess which scene 😅 5mo
Megabooks Adam Johnson is a MASTER! 5mo
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Branwen Yikes! 5mo
BarbaraBB I‘ve read this one not too lang ago and can‘t remember which scene(s) you‘re referring to. What does that say about me?! 5mo
Pedrocamacho I named my work computer “Commander Ga” after reading this book 🤓 5mo
Texreader Dang I was just sitting here singing that song 5mo
vivastory @MizzGraham I read a fair amount of horror books, including darker literary fiction & I recently read Child of God by Cormac McCarthy. Those books def had disturbing elements to them, but for me there is something much more disturbing about this book knowing that much of what Johnson is describing happened on a large scale/is still happening. Disturbing content is def. subjective, I think. 5mo
vivastory @RaeLovesToRead I'm on my desktop & the spoiler tag is not working so let me just say that it is not the scene that you are thinking of lol. The one that bothered me was towards the end of the first section when he first arrives at the prison mine. 5mo
vivastory @Megabooks I have his book of short stories on my TBR. If I remember correctly you're a fan. 5mo
vivastory @Branwen It's a chilling book 5mo
vivastory @BarbaraBB To be fair the whole book is fairly disturbing 5mo
vivastory @Pedrocamacho Lol I have named my car (the Pequod) but have not named my computer. I should do so 5mo
Megabooks Scott, you have to get to FS immediately! It is my ALL TIME favorite short story collection!! I‘ve read it a dozen times. 5mo
BarbaraBB That I do remember 😅 5mo
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1) The ONLY challenge I have at the moment is my GR reading challenge. I am currently on track to meeting it,
2) I would like to get caught up with the big horror releases of the past couple of years by the end of the year, but I am going to continue to mostly follow my mood. Life is stressful enough that if I force myself to read something that I am not in the mood for at the moment, it'll put me in a slump & I don't need the added stress.

vivastory #two4tuesday @thespineview
I know this tag is a few days old, but I just saw it & as I finished posting my best of the yr so far list earlier, it seemed like a fun tag to do.
(edited) 5mo
TheSpineView I am with on the mood reading! Thanks for playing! 5mo
39 likes2 comments
review
vivastory
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Pickpick

I always dip in & out of Datlow's anthologies over a period of time. However there were so many solid stories in the first half of this volume that I have gifted it to a few people before finishing today. There are two stories in here that are two of the best that I have ever read: SG Jones' Lords of the Matinee & John Langan's Altered Beast Altered Me. The latter was an epistolary story, between thinly veiled Langan & Tremblay, about a (cont)

vivastory prop used in classic vampire cinema & purchased by the Tremblay character. It is funny, clever, smart, chilling & Langan perfectly channels Tremblay that it was like he was using a ouija board at times. This may very well be my favorite anthology I've read that Datlow has edited.
Since this was horror authors on movies, I'm going to end my review with my favorite horror movies watched this yr: The Wailing, Christine, Cure, The Brood, (cont)
5mo
vivastory Evil Dead Rise, Mayhem, Speak No Evil. Monstrum, Clovehitch Killer (edited) 5mo
58 likes1 stack add2 comments
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vivastory
Oliver Twist | Dickens
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With a propulsive narrative voice, Oliver Twist is immediately engaging. A large cast of memorable characters have remained with me since finishing: especially Artful Dodger, Fagin, Mr. Grimwig, Bill Sikes. As I mentioned in a prior post about OT, Bill Sikes is one of the greatest villains that I have ever encountered, I also mentioned that there are some jarring elements in the novel, which can be found in the wikipedia entry on how Fagin (cont)

vivastory & other Jewish characters were portrayed. There's no doubt in my mind that as a work of art Great Expectations is better, however as a social protest novel with staying power that transcends the merely didactic Oliver Twist is a worthwhile read.
Book 15 of #MidwayBOTY23
Thanks for following my countdown of my 15 favorite reads of the year so far. Here's to many more excellent books!
(edited) 5mo
59 likes1 stack add1 comment
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vivastory
Orphan Master's Son | Adam Johnson
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Started earlier this evening. Engrossing & chilling. Looking forward to finishing work tomorrow so I can return to it.

Pedrocamacho Love this book so much 5mo
vivastory @Pedrocamacho It's an amazing (but oh-so-dark) book 5mo
39 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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vivastory
Murder Must Advertise | Dorothy L Sayers, Dorothy L Sayer
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This was my first experience with Sayers & I was a bit jarred when I read that it was published in '33, as many of the concerns expressed feel contemporary. The office politics was humorous & painful, the social commentary was spot-on & cleverly tying in the murder with the greater themes without browbeating was brilliant. I will definitely be reading more Sayers.
Book 14 of #MidwayBOTY23

BarbaraBB Great to see this book again. It‘s been awhile. 5mo
vivastory @BarbaraBB Any other favorites by Sayers? 5mo
BarbaraBB I also enjoyed 5mo
See All 7 Comments
vivastory @BarbaraBB Thanks for the rec. Added to TBR 5mo
BarbaraBB It‘s good! 5mo
Annmcoop Gaudy Night is a favorite of mine because of the college setting. 5mo
vivastory @Annmcoop Love a college setting for mysteries! 5mo
54 likes5 stack adds7 comments
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vivastory
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*Name a book that has coffee/dessert on cover or in title: I was reminded of Crosley's essay collection just this week. Still TBR, I hope to read it soon.
*Your favorite dessert and beverage: Tiramisu, cherry/apricot danish, coffee cake, pecan pie, cheesecake.
Ice coffee in it's glorious manifold forms & lately an occasional refreshing gin & tonic or cold pinot grigio.
#wondrouswednesday @eggs

CBee I read this forever ago and loved it! 5mo
Eggs Cherry-Apricot Danish sounds great for a weekend breakfast 😋 5mo
vivastory @CBee It sounds great. Love humor essays. So hard to pull it off, but memorable when done right. 5mo
See All 7 Comments
vivastory @Eggs Might have to add some to my grocery order for the weekend. It's been awhile! 5mo
CBee @vivastory speaking of iced coffee, I usually don‘t branch out but today I tried a brown sugar oatmilk espresso from Starbucks and my goodness it was delish 🤤 5mo
vivastory @CBee I don't order it often, but that is one of my favorite Starbucks drinks! 5mo
CBee @vivastory I kept thinking it wouldn‘t be good but it‘s a new favorite! I already want another one 😂 5mo
62 likes7 comments
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vivastory
Howls Moving Castle | Diana Wynne Jones
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I was about 1/3 of the way through Jones book when I realized that it was essentially a fantasy version of Black Books. Tamsin Greig's Fran as Sophie Hatter, Bill Bailey's Manny as Michael Fisher & Dylan Moran's Bernard Black as Howell Jenkins. I watched the Miyazaki movie ages ago & thought, “Meh,“ & was struggling a bit at the beginning as it felt like a bit of an imitation of Pratchett. However, when I came up with my own cast for it, I (cont)

vivastory loved it.
Book 13 of #MidwayBOTY23
This was one of the most difficult selections. I changed my mind several times. Honorable mentions: Berserk Deluxe Vol. 1 & 2, Hariton Pushwagner's Soft City, Henry Eliot's Follow This Thread: A Maze Book To Get Lost In.
5mo
Branwen Okay, this casting is perfect! 🥰 5mo
54 likes1 stack add2 comments
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vivastory
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From the author of Stranger In the Woods, this nonfiction sounds wild! Will definitely be checking out. Love a heist story, especially in the summer.

TheBookHippie Ooooo I love a heist story!!! 5mo
Megabooks I am on the list at the library and v excited! 5mo
60 likes1 stack add2 comments
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vivastory
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To NYRB or not to NYRB, that is the question
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of reading from my groaning shelves
Or to take cards against a sea of books
And by buying, perhaps one day reading them...

Ruthiella There are more books on earth, Scott, than are dreamt of in your library. 5mo
vivastory @Ruthiella Aye, there's the rub 5mo
Leftcoastzen 👏😄 5mo
See All 8 Comments
Suet624 That's a difficult site to ignore. 5mo
vivastory @Suet624 It is, I could spend hours on the NYRB Classics section let alone their NYRB Poetry, NYRB Comics & NYRB editions... 5mo
Aimeesue Nooooooooo! Oh, I am doomed. Doomed, I tell you. 🥺 5mo
vivastory @Aimeesue It's good for the economy. Good for the soul. 📚📚📚 5mo
Aimeesue @vivastory Good point. Boy, I‘m awfully easily swayed, aren‘t I? 😋 5mo
56 likes8 comments
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vivastory
Cathedral | Raymond Carver
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I have read quite a few short story collections this years & Carver's Cathedral is easily one of the best. Several of these have now entered the modern canon of the short story form, & for good reason. But there are other, less well-known works in the collection that deeply moved me: A Small, Good Thing & The Compartment. Carver's stories are filled with blue-collar workers, misfits & oddballs but many of them are just trying to make it (cont)

vivastory with the ambiguous hope of a better future & trying to keep themselves from becoming too jaded. Great stuff.
Book 12 of #MidwayBOTY23
5mo
Leftcoastzen His stories seem to always shake me emotionally. Powerful 5mo
vivastory @Leftcoastzen Completely agree. He's great at subtext. What people say about Hemingway is what I get from Carver. 5mo
See All 8 Comments
sarahbarnes This is a writer I‘ve always wanted to read and have yet to do so. A friend of mine always tells me he is one of her favorites. 5mo
youneverarrived He‘s one of the best short story writers 5mo
vivastory @youneverarrived You speak the truth, Katie 5mo
vivastory @sarahbarnes I'll be curious to see what you think! 5mo
SamAnne Loved this collection. 5mo
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vivastory
Complicity | Iain Banks
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Four books read this week. one was a short story collection that I had been working on for a few weeks, another was PK Dick's Electric Dreams & two bleak, unsettling works of dark literary fiction: Iain Banks' Complicity & Cormac McCarthy's Child of God. My favorites were the Banks & the McCarthy.
#weeklyreport
@cinfhen

Cinfhen Love the graphics 😄 5mo
vivastory @Cinfhen The use of Iain Banks & Iain M. Banks in Hot Fuzz is very clever 😂 5mo
BarbaraBB I loved Complicity! 5mo
vivastory @BarbaraBB I saw your review in the feed. I was pleasantly surprised to see that this was a 1001 book when I finished reading. 5mo
62 likes4 comments
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vivastory
Country Girl: A Memoir | Edna O'Brien
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When Edna O'Brien's debut novel was published it was immediately condemned in her native land. It was even burned in her hometown. I did not read this for the scandalous content, but because I had previously read another of her works & wanted to try more. I LOVED this coming of age story of Cait & her complicated friendship with Baba. I was deeply moved by certain parts of the book & I am looking forward to diving into the second book today.

vivastory Book 11 of #MidwayBOTY23 5mo
Suet624 The Catholic Church in Ireland DID NOT approve of Edna, that's for sure. 5mo
vivastory @Suet624 It's their loss! 5mo
Branwen Oooooh! I am intrigued! 5mo
75 likes5 stack adds4 comments
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vivastory
Mygale: City Lights Noir | Thierry Jonquet, Donald Nicholson-Smith
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This gritty, bleak novella was the basis for the 2011 Pedro Almodovar film The Skin I Live In. I have not seen the Almodovar movie, however I do recall seeing trailers for the movie & immediately thinking of Georges Franju's 1960 movie Eyes Without a Face, one of the first Criterion Collection movies I ever watched. This is a deeply unsettling work of transgressive fiction that I wouldn't recommend to many. As The Complete Review states (cont)

vivastory “Mygale . . . is, appropriately enough, a spider web of a book, the different threads spun out until it all comes together in its very neat design. Jonquet serves up some extremely unlikely coincidences to get it to all fit together, but most of what he dishes up is so bizarre that one can almost overlook that..Jonquet spins out several threads separately, jumping from one to the other until they finally all come together.“ Upon finishing (cont) 5mo
vivastory Mygale rather than watching the Almodovar adaptation, I opted to revisit the Franju. I didn't think it was possible, but it was even better the second time around.
Book 10 of #MidwayBOTY23
(edited) 5mo
Lesliereadsalot I thought Almodovar‘s movie was extremely disturbing, although I usually recommend all his movies. I was mostly in awe watching it, as my skin crawled! 5mo
vivastory @Lesliereadsalot I plan on eventually watching it as I do really like his films. While at the library yesterday I saw that he had also adapted a series of linked stories by Alice Munro. I was unaware of the book and the movie but both sound great. 5mo
Reggie That Almodovar movie was crazypants. My favorite of his is Volver followed by Sobre de Mi Mama, La Mala Educacion, La Ley de Deseo and Habla Con Ella. 5mo
48 likes5 comments
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vivastory
Faith, Hope and Carnage | Nick Cave, Sean O'Hagan
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The book that have I lined up for #sexdrugsandrocknroll for July is a collection of interviews with one of the greatest living patron saints of rock 'n roll. I might also squeeze in the recent book by Cave's frequent collaborator: Warren Ellis' Nina Simone's Gum. My tune is Bad Reputation by Joan Jett 🤘
#titlesandtunes @cinfhen @barbarabb

Cinfhen #GreatMinds !!!! Joan Jett is a legend #BadAss 5mo
vivastory @Cinfhen Total #badass I even love her cover album & cover songs can be really hit & miss for me. Her version of Love Hurts is 🔥 5mo
itsjustme40something She's my most bitter pill to swallow. Her music & talent always hits right in the feels...but she was an absolute POS to my mother. So I struggle to seperate the 2 5mo
See All 14 Comments
TrishB Cave has been splitting the fan base here recently Scott with his establishment moves when everybody loved him as not part of the establishment. It‘s been very interesting. 5mo
vivastory @TrishB I'm not really up to date with the latest Cave news. Did he sign with a new label? 5mo
TrishB No- he went to the Coronation and then said he was best mates with the Archbishop of Canterbury (apparently spiritual help with grief- fair enough). He‘s always been a rebel/anti establishment figure and to become part of the establishment is frowned on. I‘m not judging- just summarising 😁 5mo
Cinfhen Love the insider‘s British gossip @TrishB 5mo
vivastory @TrishB Interesting. I'm just glad he didn't go the way of Johnny Rotten 😬😬 5mo
TrishB @Cinfhen - hubby is a big fan! 5mo
TrishB Or Morrissey!! 5mo
BarbaraBB Interesting @TrishB I didn‘t know either. I love your choice Scott! And I also loved Johny Rotten and Morrisey. Oh those #sexdrugsandrockandroll 🖤😎 5mo
Suet624 I‘m reading this book right now. It‘s had me diving into videos online and Spotify. 5mo
Suet624 @TrishB he has really moved into a spiritual space with his life and his music. Searching for the Divine. He wrote an album called the Seven Psalms which is his pleading to connect to spirit/God. I‘m all for it because I spend a lot of time doing the same, but I can imagine his fans from his earlier work are having trouble with it. The death of his son Arthur changed him. (He also had a second son who died more recently.) 5mo
Suet624 Also, don‘t know if you‘ve read Dave Grohl‘s book but he has lovely things to say about Joan. 5mo
62 likes14 comments
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vivastory
2001: A Space Odyssey | Arthur C. Clarke
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Of all of the genres that I currently read, sci-fi is high on my list of personally acquired tastes. Although I have always admired stories & movies of the mindbending & conceptually driven variety (typically involving time travel & questions of reality/identity) I have tended to shy away from the genre until the past few years. Clarke's 2001 is a strange beast. Although Clarke has sole authorial credit, it was co-authored with Kubrick the (cont)

vivastory same time as they were working on the film of the same title. I found it to be a throwback to the high concept sci-fi that enthralled me when I was younger with the themes of technology, evolution, human ambition & destruction. Hands down a new favorite sci-fi novel.
Book 9 of #MidwayBOTY23
5mo
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vivastory
Untitled | Unknown
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Not sure why this isn't in the Litsy database. I stumbled across this at the library earlier today & although I have a lot that I intend on reading soon I immediately picked it up. It's incredible. Definitely worth looking for in your library.

kspenmoll The cover is beautiful! 5mo
59 likes2 stack adds1 comment
review
vivastory
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Pickpick

PK Dick is the author of Ubik, one of my favorite novels of all-time, as well as one of my favorite short stories of all-time, Upon The Dull Earth. This is all of the stories that were adapted for the tv series (haven't watched). Although I have read a few of Dick's novels & a handful of stories prior to reading this volume, I suspect that this wasn't necessarily his greatest stories. That would be a tall order as the insanely prolific (cont)

vivastory author wrote 44 novels & 121 (!) stories in 53 years. Take that Stephen King! Still there were quite a few memorable pieces in here: The Hanging Stranger, Sales Pitch, Foster You're Dead, The Impossible Planet & The Father-Thing (so creepy). PK Dick has a great knack for putting a spin on well-known tropes, his stories often leave me with more questions than answers. (edited) 5mo
CatLass007 @vivastory Isaac Asimov wrote and published 40 novels, 383 short stories, over 280 nonfiction books, and edited about 147 others. Take that, Stephen King! Here‘s how he did it: https://qz.com/886038/isaac-asimov-wrote-almost-500-books-in-his-lifetime-these-... (edited) 5mo
CatLass007 @vivastory Here is a list of 21 of the most prolific authors of all time: https://irisreading.com/10-of-the-most-prolific-authors-of-all-time/ 5mo
See All 9 Comments
vivastory @CatLass007 Interesting list. Love Simenon & Dickinson. 5mo
CatLass007 @vivastory This just indicates that I now need to add to my already ginormous Audible wish list of 5,824 books. 5mo
RamsFan1963 @vivastory Have you read The Philip K. Dick Reader? Its has some of his best, and best known, short stories, like "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" (the basis for the movie Total Recall), and "The Minority Report" (the basis for the movie of the same name). I usually recommend it to anyone who's interested in PKD's writing. 5mo
vivastory @RamsFan1963 I will definitely be looking into that. Thanks so much for the recommendation! 5mo
Aimeesue PKD has always struck me as a guy who had incredible ideas and imagination whose writing didn‘t always match the height of those ideas. When it does, it‘s awesome; when it doesn‘t, I feel super disappointed. I think that because of that though, a lot of his stories made excellent movies/TV, because they‘re about the concept or ideas more than anything. 5mo
vivastory @Aimeesue I wholeheartedly agree with what you said. I have read only three novels by him. However 2 of them were 5 star reads for me. One of them was disappointing, yet is the basis for one of the most iconic SF movies of all-time: Blade Runner. 5mo
66 likes9 comments
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vivastory
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I'm posting my bibliophile highlight of the week as a separate post & several days early because there's no way that it will be topped. A few days ago I had the extremely good fortune to spend a delightful evening with my fellow horror fanatic @reggie There was book shopping, dinner & lots & lots of great conversation. It was a fantastic evening!
#weeklyreport

TrishB Oh that‘s so cool 😁 although where‘s the real pics ❤️ 5mo
Megabooks That is awesome!! 5mo
youneverarrived Ah amazing!! 😁 5mo
See All 18 Comments
vivastory @TrishB No pics, just hanging out. A true Gen X experience lol. In all seriousness I'm on computers/phone all day for work and I didn't even look at my phone once while we hung out except to look up the name of a movie. It was nice ignoring my phone for the evening 5mo
vivastory @Megabooks @youneverarrived It was pretty spectacular 🙂 5mo
TrishB Understand totally! They are the really good nights. 5mo
Jas16 That is awesome. I am very jealous! 5mo
Addison_Reads Love this! 5mo
Centique This is the BEST update 🙌 Two Litsy legends in the same place at the same time! I‘m surprised lightning didn‘t strike as planets realigned or Stephen King turn up to make it a perfect trio. 😜 5mo
vivastory @Jas16 He is as awesome as you would imagine 🤘 5mo
vivastory @Centique Legend? You're too kind, Paula! Reggie was one of the very first people I ever met on here so it was great meeting in person. I have seen King in person but he wasn't there that night lol 5mo
batsy How fantastic! I agree with @Centique two Litsy legends meeting is a major event 😁❤️ 5mo
sarahbarnes That is so cool! Two of my fave Litsy folks meeting up! 😃 5mo
vivastory @batsy @sarahbarnes Thanks, friends! It felt like the meme “Introverted but willing to discuss books“ come to life lol 5mo
Branwen Awww how wonderful! 🥰 Sounds like such a great night! 💕📚💕 5mo
vivastory @Branwen It was fantastic 🙂 5mo
Reggie 🖤🖤🖤 5mo
59 likes18 comments
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vivastory
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Scheduled for pub 10-24-23.
Sounds terrific & what a cover!

Zoes_Human That's going on my TBR for sure! What a great title! 5mo
Suet624 That‘s a whole bunch of gore right there. 5mo
vivastory @Suet624 What are the holidays without a bit of red? 🙃 5mo
See All 11 Comments
vivastory @Zoes_Human It's fantastic 👏 5mo
Megabooks Incredible cover!! 5mo
Megabooks And I just saw that Tremblay has a new on this month, but I haven‘t read a blurb yet. 5mo
vivastory @Megabooks Tremblay is an auto buy author for me. I'm especially excited as it's a collection of stories which he hasn't released in a bit. July is going to be a good month! 5mo
Twainy Cover buy … great authors … I need this … Moving it to the wish list!! 4mo
vivastory @Twainy You just know the SG Jones will be fantastic 4mo
Twainy I imagine that cover came from his brain … or story … immediately added to my Amazon Book Wishlist … already thinking about a buddy read … 😆 4mo
vivastory @Twainy I have read a few of Datlow's anthologies recently. There's some real gems in there! 4mo
57 likes8 stack adds11 comments
review
vivastory
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Pickpick

Of the 29 stories included in Datlow's recent anthology about the monstrous, there are no shortage of memorable stories. It has been my experience reading Datlow's anthologies that, in general, the best stories are by the authors that I was already familiar with. That was def the case with Screams From the Dark, as the real winners were the pieces by SG Jones, Gemma Files, Daryl Gregory, Caitlin Kiernan, Laird Barron & quite possibly one of (cont)

vivastory the best stories I have ever read by Brian Evenson. I was reading the Evenson story while drinking my morning coffee a couple of days ago & honestly the Evenson did more to jolt me awake than the coffee did. Incredible. 5mo
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vivastory
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1) Quite a few: Edinburgh, Venice, London, Mexico City, Toronto.
2) I loved it, but I would not recommend it lol.
3) Currently reading the tagged book. I have about 80 pages left.
#wondrouswednesday @eggs

Eggs Thanks for playing 🥳 5mo
45 likes1 comment
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vivastory
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According to Oxford Reference, bags of mystery was first recorded in 1864 to refer to sausage of dubious origin.
#weirdwords @cbee

Texreader 😂😂😂 5mo
Suet624 😂😂 5mo
CBee I wonder if that‘s where “mystery meat” came from 🤭😂😳 5mo
See All 6 Comments
Aimeesue Lol, accurate! 5mo
sarahbarnes Omg 😆 5mo
Branwen OMG! 😂 I think we need to bring this term back! 🤣🤣🤣 5mo
58 likes6 comments
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vivastory
The Fifth Child | Doris Lessing
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This is a brilliant work about a couple, out of step with their times, who decide to have six children. Their home becomes a center for friends & family & everything is fairly idyllic until the birth of their fifth child, Ben. Ben does not fit into the family unit, but the reason why is difficult to put into words & it is this elusiveness that makes this a work I can't stop thinking about. It includes quite possibly the most harrowing scene (cont)

vivastory I've read this year.
Book 8 of #MidwayBOTY23
5mo
Suet624 Ah, Lessing. She is so good. 5mo
vivastory @Suet624 This was the first one I'd read by her, will definitely be reading more! 5mo
See All 11 Comments
Billypar I liked how she doesn't give into the temptation of creating devil-child melodrama or push any particular theory to explain Ben's behavior. It really captures how this situation plays out in real life. 5mo
vivastory @Billypar I completely agree! I had so many theories about Ben while reading it. I'm curious to read the follow up from Ben's perspective 5mo
BarbaraBB I read Ben earlier this year, thank to you Scott! 5mo
vivastory @BarbaraBB Your review has def made me even more curious, Looking forward to it. 5mo
Branwen I love love LOVE Doris Lessing! 5mo
vivastory @Branwen Are there any particular favorites? 5mo
Branwen @vivastory The Golden Notebook, for sure! Have you read that one? 5mo
vivastory @Branwen It's on my tbr shelves. I was thinking about it the other day. 5mo
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vivastory
The Hellbound Volume 2 | Yeon Sang-Ho
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When I read vol 1 several months ago, I drove 15 minutes to the closest library to pick up volume 2 as soon as I had finished volume 1 of Sang-Ho's imaginative work about a world where people are dismembered in violent public demonstrations after receiving notifications. These 2 volumes have much to say about vigilante justice & truth in the era of social media. A book that is memorably portrayed by one of the finest South Korean directors.

vivastory Book 7 of #MidwayBOTY23 5mo
61 likes1 comment
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vivastory
Road | Cormac McCarthy
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I read some great books this week, but in lieu of stats & discussion of books read for #weeklyreport I want to honor Cormac McCarthy. I have read only a couple of books by him, but The Road is one of the best books I have read the past few years. Although he died of natural causes & lived a long life, the world definitely feels poorer without his presence.
Contemporaries & critics pay tribute (Link in comments):

AshleyHoss820 Cormac McCarthy is one of my favorite authors. If I could write like anyone, I would want to write like him. I wish I had had the opportunity to meet him. I‘ve read several of his books, and I think The Road and No Country for Old Men have stayed with me the most. 5mo
AmyG I remember reading Blood Meridian. Where I was, the feeling I had reading it. I will never forget it. He is an author that just stays with you. He will so be missed. 5mo
See All 9 Comments
Megabooks I didn‘t realize he‘d passed. I loved his recent duology and have more flagged to read soon, including The Road. 5mo
vivastory @AshleyHoss820 No Country etc is high on my tbr & yes, it would have been incredible to have seen him in person 5mo
vivastory @AmyG I still need to read Blood Meridian but I definitely suspect that I will have a similar experience. One of my favorite movie going experiences was seeing the adaptation of No Country For Old Men 5mo
vivastory @Megabooks I received The Passenger for Xmas. Definitely looking forward to it. I think news of his passing were overshadowed by the political headlines. 5mo
sarahbarnes Oh wow, I hadn‘t even heard he passed away. 5mo
Megabooks His dialogue with age and regrets in The Passenger was very moving and thought-provoking. Looking forward to reading what you think when you finish it. 5mo
75 likes9 comments
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vivastory
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I loved this collection of essays of 58 novellas recommended by Davis. Each entry includes opening line, plot synopsis, biographical information, an argument to convince you to read it & further recommendations. At the back of the book is a list of several more great short books. There are obvious entries: Animal Farm & The Great Gatsby, however the choice of book by some authors was surprising (Evil Under the Sun & Surfacing come to mind). (cont)

vivastory This book also introduced me to a few books I was unfamiliar with. As someone who loves novellas, this was a real treat.
Book 6 of #MidwayBOTY23
5mo
vivastory Side note: When I bought this at the beginning of the year it was on a novella display at B&N. I picked up 3 novellas, along with this book. I have read 2 of those & 1 of them will be making an appearance on my list. 5mo
monalyisha This seems like a fantastic idea for a book! 5mo
Megabooks I really enjoyed this too! 5mo
Branwen I need this immediately! It looks incredible! 5mo
63 likes3 stack adds5 comments
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vivastory
Dirty Snow | Georges Simenon
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Set in a fictional occupied country (clearly Vichy France), Dirty Snow is one of the bleakest books I have read so far this year with a character, Frank Friedmaier, who is at times a representative & at others an exaggeration of the morally bankrupt landscape surrounding him. As Volllmann writes in the afterword, “Simenon has concentrated noir into a darkness as solid and heavy as the interior of a dwarf star.“
Book 5 of #MidwayBOTY23

BarbaraBB Oh wow this sounds good. I had no idea Simenon wrote more than just the seemingly endless series of Maigret books! 5mo
vivastory @BarbaraBB I have only read non Maigret books by him so far. I think that you'd really like this one! 5mo
BarbaraBB I‘ll definitely stack now! 5mo
Megabooks This sounds great! Someone‘s huge collection of nyrbs came to my library as a donation, and I picked up a few including this by Simenon, whom I‘ve never read before. 5mo
vivastory @Megabooks I forgot about Red Lights. NYRB's rights for the Simenon books must have lapsed as they are all out of print, which is rare for NYRB titles. Are there any other NYRB titles that you picked up that you are really looking forward to? 5mo
70 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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vivastory
Bartleby: The Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Moby Dick was tied with King Lear as my favorite book read last year. I have never read another book like it before. Bartleby is a jewel of a novella that starts as an employee's admirable quiet rebellion against the extra tasks that are piled on his workload with one of the greatest mottos of 19th C American lit, “I would prefer not to.“ Bartleby soon transforms into a complex story as Bartleby begins to refuse to do more & more with the (cont)

vivastory motivations left to the reader to discern. It is a work that does not provide ready explanations & Bartleby is a figure that has endured for very good reason.
Book 4 of #MidwayBOTY23
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Leftcoastzen That should be my official Tshirt! 5mo
KathyWheeler I read this so long ago in undergrad and loved it. It might be time for a reread. 5mo
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shortsarahrose Moby Dick is my favorite of all time! Bartleby is so good, too, for precisely the reasons you describe. 5mo
vivastory @Leftcoastzen I have a shirt with the phrase. Should wear it to work lol 5mo
vivastory @KathyWheeler I will def revisit in the future when I have read other Melville. I plan on reading The Confidence Man next. 5mo
vivastory @shortsarahrose It is very rare for me to have a favorite book of the year but I knew while reading MD that it was going to be my favorite of the year. 5mo
KathyWheeler @vivastory it also took me over 40 years to get around to reading Moby Dick. I was so sure I wouldn‘t like it, but I decided to read it as part of a Litsy buddy read a couple of years ago and, to my shock, I loved it. 5mo
batsy I love this book! I need to tackle the big one at some point 🐳 5mo
Liz_M @Leftcoastzen I have the coffee mug 😁 which made an appearance on many COVID work zoom calls @vivastory 😂 5mo
dabbe “Ah! Bartleby, Ah! humanity!“ LOVED this! 🖤🤍🖤 5mo
vivastory @batsy I read 70-80 pages per week and was finished in about a month. The chapters are really brief but there's a lot to think about & it often switches between different perspectives so it never dragged for me 5mo
vivastory @dabbe One of the best novellas I've read 💙 5mo
vivastory @Liz_M Lol that's fantastic 5mo
Branwen Bartleby is one of my favorite names ever. I definitely have a stuffed crocodile named Bartleby! 😂🐊 5mo
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vivastory
Untitled | Unknown
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My #weirdword is Defenstration. An act of political violence to remove one's enemies with a 600 year history. It was an act of defenstration that started the Thirty Years War & it is still used in Russia as the following recent Atlantic article states, “Here is a list of people you should not currently want to be: a Russian sausage tycoon, a Russian gas-industry executive, the editor in chief of a Russian tabloid, a Russian shipyard (cont)

vivastory director, the head of a Russian ski resort, a Russian aviation official, or a Russian rail magnate. Anyone answering to such a description probably ought not stand near open windows, in almost any country, on almost every continent.“ (Sudden Russian Death Syndrome 12-29-2022 Issue)
Painting Credit: Defenstrations of Prague Karel Svoboda
@cbee
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CBee Good one! Sounds like another word I recently came upon - defenestration. Apparently the act of throwing someone out a window 😂😂 5mo
vivastory @CBee The Wikipedia list for defenestration led me down a truly bizarre rabbit hole:List of Unusual Deaths 😬😬 (edited) 5mo
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CBee @vivastory oooooo I‘ll have to check that out 😂🤪 5mo
Bette Just read a Crimereads article: The businessman and the author by Josh Haven …the businessman wanted to tell his story, since it‘s time sensitive…he‘s the last living person to be able to talk about his business in Russia…that sounded very similar to what you posted. 😬 5mo
Megabooks I love this word, but I have equal love for fenestration, especially the medical usage. Fond memories of surgical lectures! 😂😂 5mo
vivastory @Megabooks Was unaware of fenestration in the medical sense until your comment. Although I have been a health coordinator for years now I still manage to see things that catch me off guard. 😬 5mo
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