What are you reading this week of June 5, 2016?

[hermetic]

I'm reading Killer Diller by Clyde Edgerton. (Shout out to those of you who recommended this one. I'm quite enjoying it.) After finishing The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters I really needed something less alarming.

For some reason I found that pre-apocalyptic tale more disheartening than Margaret Atwoods' dystopian trilogy, of which I am still listening to MaddAddam. Definitely the best of the three. Adventure, humor, romance, superb storytelling, vintage Margaret Atwood. "Ohh, Fuck."

And you? What are you enjoying this week, which suddenly feels like the middle of summer here?

[TexasProgresive]

1. You can't stop with just "The Last Policeman"

Last edited Sun Jun 5, 2016, 04:51 PM - Edit history (1)

It was driving me crazy and I had to read all 3 as soon as could be.

Still reading The Last Colony by john Scalzi.

For any who are interested, we dewormed the goats last week. These animals are at least as smart as humans if not more so. I have to trick them into a small pen where they get locked in. The only real way is to close the other end while they are eating in this larger pen. Then a small amount of water from the hose gets them running for cover. Volia close the door.

Then comes the fun. I'm in this 8 by 12 room with 20+ goats while my son draws out the dose for each one. We didn't kill each other but it was close. The boss lady, Agnes is back begging for bird seed when I fill the bird feeders. She is a spoiled brat.

[Enthusiast]

3. Fantastic goat report, TexasProgresive! Mrs. Enthusiast will love it!

Damn smart goats!

Maybe one day I will read all three of those "Policeman books".

[hermetic]

12. Goats, how delightful!

Well, when they're not being a PIA. Butt, butt....

Yeah, I've got the other 2 ordered now. Definitely must see how this resolves itself. For sure one of the most unusual stories I've ever read.

[pscot]

2. I started Poldark

and am enjoying it very much. I'm also reading Jeeves in the Offing, by you-know-who, and The Lions of Al Rassan, by G.G.Gavriel is on my night stand. Stick with The Last Policeman, Hermetic. It's worth it.

[hermetic]

11. Yep,

ordered and on the way. I really like Winters' writing.

I didn't know Poldark was a book. I saw a preview for the TV series on one of my DVD's and was very intrigued by it. I shall look into it further, thanks. Back atcha, .

[pscot]

13. Poldark is not A book

it's 12 books. Graham wrote the 1st 4 or 5 before the end of WWII, then came back to it in the 50's and wrote 7 or 8 more. They're likely being reissued because the TV series was so popular. My summer reading is looking good.

[Enthusiast]

4. Hello everyone! Thank you for the thread, hermetic!

This past week I finished When the Bough Breaks by Jonathan Kellerman. It was a fun book. I'm looking forward to the remaining 31 books in the series. Now I am reading The Kill Switch by James Rollins and Grant Blackwood. I think I am going to like this one. Thank you, Number9Dream!

Mrs. Enthusiast finished The Stand by Stephen King. She loved The Stand. I will hook her up with "It" for her next Stephen King book.

After The Stand she read Plainsong by Kent Haruf. She liked this one too. Thank you for the recommendation, japple!

Mrs. Enthusiast hasn't decided on what to read next yet, will report later.

[dhill926]

6. yep...the Alex Delaware series (Kellerman) is great....

wonderful characters, esp. Milo Sturgis, who as a gay character is rather unique in the genre, esp. for the time. And the dogs of course....enjoy!

[Enthusiast]

7. Thanks, dhill! Yes, we like Milo!

[japple]

5. Thanks for the thread, hermetic. I think I'm one of the ones that recommended

Killer Diller. I loved it, but then I adore Clyde Edgerton. We listened to the audiobook last summer while we shelled field peas. My sister and I got a good laugh over it. The first book, Walking Across Egypt was also funny.

I read Larry Watson's book, Montana 1948 which was a very good book. Then I found a "recommended book for you" link from amazon, and downloaded a book from the library by Philip Chavanne titled The Early Tales of Snow and Oakham, which I have just started. The writing is so fluid and moving--like a dream. It promises to be a true coming-of-age adventure tale--the kind of story that is dear to my heart. At 620 pages, it is much longer than most books I've read, so it might take a long time to get through this one. Kitten season has me running up and down the highways, ferrying cats and kittens from our county animal control out to humane rescue groups around the state.

Thanks so much for the farm report, Texas Progressive. I LOVE goats, though I've never had one in my life. I watch every goat video that gets posted to youtube. My favorite is the screaming goats video!
You might like Philip Chavanne--he is from the TX Hill Country, manages his family ranch there.
http://philipchavanne.com/about-the-author/

Have a good week everyone!

[japple]

8. I found out last night that Killer Diller had been made into

a movie, so I went to youtube to see if there were any clips. What a nice surprise. Turns out the whole movie has been posted, but it is in 10 parts. Started watching it, and it blew my mind. It was very well done, and the cinematography is gorgeous. Lucas Black is the actor who plays Vernon. Fred Willard (one of my favorite character actors) plays Ned. The music is amazing--Shanita has a beautiful voice. After what I saw on youtube and reading the rave reviews on amazon, AND reading that Keb Mo' and Taj Mahal contributed to the music, I ordered a copy from amazon. Look for my full review of the movie SOON.

[Enthusiast]

9. Thank you, japple!

[hermetic]

10. Thanks for telling us

I popped over to Amazon and there were only 2 copies left so I decided to go for it. I'm sure I will be happy with it because of the music. Like O Brother..., I listen to that often just for the music. Not that I mind looking at George Clooney but those songs just get me up and singing along.

Of course I wanted the free shipping so I got a few other things, including another installment of The Last Policeman. So, it's been a good morning.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

14. Finally found the acclaimed Sweetland. Had to order on line.

Love it so far. Main character - Sweetland - a resident on an island that his ancestors inhabited for centuries. The government wants to buy him and all others off the island.

He is the only one resisting except for another man - who drank kerosene as a child and no one in town could light a match near him

Savoring it...

Sweetland, Michael Crummey a "superb novel"
http://www.macleans.ca/culture/books/sweetland-a-superb-fourth-novel-from-michael-crummey/

[hermetic]

17. Nice write up from Macleans

I recently bought 2 other Crummey novels and I look forward to reading all of them. The people in our little group here sure do find some good reads and I am never disappointed when I get my chance to peruse them. Glad you are enjoying this one, too.

[SheilaT]

15. Currently finishing up Lost by S.J. Bolton.

It's a thriller/police procedural set in London. I've read a couple of others by her and generally like them.

Absolutely finish The Last Policeman series.

Winters has a new book coming out the beginning of July: Underground Airlines. It's set in a United States which never had the Civil War, and as a consequence there are still slave states. From Amazon:

A gifted young black man calling himself Victor has struck a bargain with federal law enforcement, working as a bounty hunter for the US Marshall Service. He's got plenty of work. In this version of America, slavery continues in four states called "the Hard Four." On the trail of a runaway known as Jackdaw, Victor arrives in Indianapolis knowing that something isn't right--with the case file, with his work, and with the country itself.

I have it on order with my local independent bookstore.

[hermetic]

18. That sounds really good!

Thanks for letting us know and be sure to tells us what you think of it after reading.

[SheilaT]

20. Okay, I finished it. And I liked it well enough.

I often like to read thrillers, police procedurals, and mysteries in general.

Bolton has several stand-alone novels, and the Lacey Flint series, which Lost is the third. Lacey herself is deeply flawed, and has an enormous secret that is revealed at the end of the first Flint novel, Now You See Me.

Her earlier book, Dead Scared has, in my opinion, enormous plot and logic flaws. Nonetheless, if you like this sort of book, and if you already like anything by Bolton, you'll enjoy it.

[beveeheart]

16. Just finished Me Before You

Last edited Sat Jun 11, 2016, 02:55 PM - Edit history (1)

by JoJo Moyes. Now don't know whether to watch the movie or not because you never know what they'll do to a book. It's been quite a while since I read a book and had to put it down to brush a tear(s) away.

[hermetic]

19. I looked up the movie

They changed the name to "Me Before You" and I get the feeling they changed other things, as well. It really is rare, though, for a movie to truly do a book justice. You just never know. The book really does sound sad, though. Thanks for telling us about it.

[Live and Learn]

21. I just read 'The Book of Harlan' by Bernice McFadden.

A fascinating blend of non-fictional characters and fiction that gives a mesmerizing and historical glimpse of American black culture and jazz during the early twentieth-century. It was a fast read that I really hated to end. Already ordering some more of her books.