What are you reading in 2024?

[Tybee]

Unmask Alice, which is about Beatrice Sparks and her literary hoax Go Ask Alice. Absolutely fascinating, and Richard Nixon figures in this one, too, along with Art Linkletter! On tape, in the Oval Office.

[iris lilies]

Unmask Alice, which is about Beatrice Sparks and her literary hoax Go Ask Alice. Absolutely fascinating, and Richard Nixon figures in this one, too, along with Art Linkletter! On tape, in the Oval Office.

That’s interesting, I should read that. I remember when the “go ask Alice” reveal happened.

[rosarugosa]

I remember that Alice was an "important" read when I was in my teens. I can also affirm that it not deter me or my peers from sex, drugs, or alcohol.

[Tybee]

I remember that Alice was an "important" read when I was in my teens. I can also affirm that it not deter me or my peers from sex, drugs, or alcohol.

That book was huge. It was the Flowers of the Attic of the early 70's.

[happystuff]

Read both of those - such sad reads!

Still trying to get through Les Miserables

[iris lilies]

Read both of those - such sad reads!

Still trying to get through Les Miserables

Are you talking about Flowers in the Attic and Go ask Alice?

I flipped through Flowers in the Attic decades ago, and it struck me as peculiarly sick. It gave me the icks..

i think that was back in the day when literature was more innocent and it represented a step forward in derangement. There’s probably a lot of things of that vein now. But it seemed like a product of a mentally ill person to me.

[happystuff]

Are you talking about Flowers in the Attic and Go ask Alice?

I flipped through Flowers in the Attic decades ago, and it struck me as peculiarly sick. It gave me the icks..

i think that was back in the day when literature was more innocent and it represented a step forward in derangement. There’s probably a lot of things of that vein now. But it seemed like a product of a mentally ill person to me.

I totally agree on your analysis of FLowers In the Attic. I hate anytime kids get hurt, neglected, etc. The book was a sad comment on parenting - generationally.

[littlebittybobby]

okay----bought a non-fiction used book through alibris called: "Mind of the Devil"...."devils" should be plural, because it deals with two different perverts who committed unspeakable, vicious, wicked acts and were caught and tried. both perverts actually requested that they be put to sleep; prolly didn't like the idea of life in prison. nope. but yeah---it should be in the mail, today. i will let you know how it turned out---both were also cremated. <spoiler. Thank mee.

[Taylor]

I'm reading the serial killer next door by Emma Kenny. It's brilliant.

[rosarugosa]

I had a winning streak of good reads in September! (all fiction)

• Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan - this was a very short novella, really a short story but bound as a book. I guess I would describe it as a touching story about human kindness.
• Flight Portfolio by Julie Orringer - this took me some time to get into, but then I liked it. It was about a gay American man in France during WW2, working for a non-profit charged with getting Jewish artists out of Nazi Europe. There were themes about valuing life, are some lives more valuable than others? Who is worth saving when resources are finite and only some can be saved? The main character's relationship and love story was also an important part of the story, because this was not a time or place when it was OK to be gay.
• The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes - a page turner about a time-travelling serial killer. It doesn't get much better than that!
• The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin - a sweet book about love and loss - - and literature. A quick read.
• The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V. E. Schwab - this was my favorite! A young girl in 1600's France trades her soul for eternal life and youth in order to avoid a dismal life and marriage, but there's an important catch . . .