I haven’t started a book since finishing Intermezzo. It’s a combination of not knowing what to start, not wanting to cloud my mind before Wednesday’s book club, and not having any significant reading time in the last few days.
I was in the middle of Sandwich when I stopped it to start Intermezzo. It’s ok. The main character is a mother with poor boundaries and definite enmeshment issues with her children. This doesn’t make her a bad person in any way. It’s just kind of unpleasant to read and I’m not getting the sense that there’s a larger theme to the book than a woman in her 50s having subacute adjustment issues on top of a people-pleasing, chronically anxious personality. Wow, with a description like that, why would I even read it at all. Well, it’s not that hard of a read and I think I’m already 40% through. I don’t know.
On my Kindle (currently in airplane mode), I’m most excited about The Magician by Colm Tóibín (year of Tóibín ), Long Island Compromise, Martyr!, and Wandering Stars. I’ve had Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange checked out a few times and never got around to reading it, but I’ve heard fantastic things about it. I also have the non-fiction book Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention- and How to Think Deeply Again which has also received strong reviews.
On my non-airplane mode Kindle app, I have Horse by Geraldine Brooks, Kairos, You are Here, and The God of the Woods. So many choices!
I’ve read 43 books this year. It would be great to make it to 52, but that would require some serious downtime. That may happen in December but TBD.
Any recs?
Oh, I really liked Horse. I’m a sucker for horse stories. Have you read Perestroika in Paris, by Jane Smiley? I loved that book, just charming. A racehorse escapes the racetrack and wanders Paris. The book is mostly told from her point of view, but not entirely. Some birds have opinions, as do some people. I really liked it a lot.
I have The God of the Wood on hold at the library, but it’s a long wait and I’m getting FOMO.
Oooo, I haven’t but it sounds great. I read a lot of horse books when I went through a stage when I was younger- Black Beauty, My Friend Flicka, etc. I’m also a big fan of birds so I like the idea of opinionated birds!
Of all those, I would go with God of the Woods. I read Sandwich was was underwhelmed. It has been done before; I did finish it but was not that excited about it. I have not read Intermezzo and am not sure I will, as I have seen mixed reviews from my tried and true reading friends. What did you think about it?
It was hard to get into but ultimately, I liked it quite a bit. I was a really big fan of one of the main characters (Ivan). Our group was split though. One woman felt like she was reading bad slam poetry and almost DNF’d.
I want to read Gof of the Woods but I am stillon waiting list… I think another 16 people before me. Sigh.
35 of the 100 top is an amazing ratio. That is more Ethan a third. I think I had like 6 or so.
My book count is coming in over my set goal but about 25 short of last years and I will most definitely not hit that goal but its ok.
I have Sandwich on my list but I feel it is similar to Tom Lake and I DNFed that one. Not sure I want to pick it up. But it will be available next week.
I love Ann Patchett so I finished Tom Lake, but it wasn’t one of her best. I really loved Bel Canto when I first read it and I’ve been searching for the same amazingness ever since.