What are you reading?

Outside The Beltway
183

Was ready to give this lady a review on Amazon, which previously hasn’t been an issue. It appears there’s an issue with my account now, most likely I’ve purchased fromthem but not the minimum $50.

Anyway the second novel in Carol J. Perry’s Witch City mysteries, Tails, You Lose, was disappointing compared to the first. I love the idea of so called “cozy mysteries”, involving a loved one & settling down to talk with a good cup of coffee or tea.

Plot was bizarre and slow to develop until about 2/3 of the way through, with unnecessary dialogue. Does anyone over 5 say they’ll be a “tv star”? “Whatever medical examiners do”…A two minute internet search could have eliminated this line.

The “stalker”, would it not have been easier to ask the romantic target “Are you dating anyone?”? A Salem LEO “Running a plate through the DMV”, sweetheart Massachusetts calls it the RMV, or Registry of Motor Vehicles.

Wouldn’t recommend it, but can’t rule out interest in the series as someone whose spent a little time in Salem & likes cozy mysteries.

Am planning to purchase some merchandise on Amazon, but maybe it’s just as well my account is disabled for reviews. The first review for this read is the most ignorant ■■■■ on planet Earth, slamming the book for displaying “all whitesville”, which “would be more befitting of Texas”.

Am sick and tired of ignorant ■■■■■ with no knowledge of history and no ability to conduct yet another two minute internet search that would have generated this gem

https://worldpopulationreview.com/states/massachusetts-population/

And I’m willing to bet the reviewer is one of those white peoples he or she disses as, ironically enough, it isn’t non whites in this neck of the woods who have so much venom to spew at states like Texas—at least not as often.

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184

Thanks for the review. She wasn’t on my radar, and won’t be now. I do love “cozies” though. I find the horrendous murders taking place in the most benign settings as particularly scary. Rereading Agatha Christie can still make me jumpy and checking my doors, lol. I may have mentioned this one before, but I loved “And after that, the dark” by Charlotte Hughes.

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185

This forum :smiling_imp:

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186

I’ll have to look up Charlotte Hughes. I do so hope the quarantine ends soon & the library can reopen.

187

A good source of non-fiction and fiction.

188

It’s odd, because I loved that book. I’ve also read and enjoyed Janet Evanovich (sp). But I read a book that they collaborated on and didn’t like it at all.

189

Interesting. I’ve read one of Janet Evanovich, and it wasn’t bad, but didn’t have me running to get another. Guess I’m neutral about her.

Same with Alex Kava, suspense writer from Nebraska.

Her first Maggie O’Dell novel in 2000, Finding Evil, was based on John Joubert—U S Soldier from Lawrence, Massachusetts, convicted and executed in Nebraska for murdering young boys.

Perhaps if I reread the novel, or something else by her, I’d feel differently about her work, but I remember when this was recently released seeing it as a really average read.

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190

No Evanovich isn’t top of my list either, lol. But ok for easy, mindless escape.

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191

Currently reading a title recommended by a Barnes and Nobles associate. It’s well documented and researched, but it’s taking me awhile to complete.

Why? It’s part history, part mystery involving oil wealth acquired by the Osage tribe in the early 20th Century and murders connected to it.

Quite often, I have to take a break, or I’ll have a head explosion over the treatment of indigenous Americans by the dominant whites that still takes place to this day by Federal agencies like the BIA.

Basically the land alotted the Osage was the site of oil, and it allowed them to live in splendor. The catch was they were not allowed to spend their own money :exploding_head:

Instead, white guardians were appointed for them—who in the heck is appointed a guardian but a child or an incompetent?—and the “guardians” robbed them blind. One widow was denied access to her own money to tend to a sick child, and he died.

Indian land is still held “in trust” by the BIA so whites can’t buy it, meaning this group is still impoverished as they don’t have the same property ownership and selling rights as the rest of us.

As I said, it’s a fascinating account of the history—also includes a history of the Texas Rangers & birth of the FBI—but read with caution if you’re hot headed. There’s plenty of condescending attitudes & cruel exploitation to raise your hackles.

192

Doing some comfort reads, a volume of new Sherlock Holmes stories, as well as the originals. The Dying Detective, The Creeping Man, The Sussex Vampire and The Blanched Soldier all deal with medical conditions/issues. DH just finished “The Reaper”, non-fiction, and a book called “Will and Tom” a novel about a friendship/rivalry between two 19th century painters.

193

There are several “read-alike” sites, mostly sponsored by libraries - sort of “if you like this writer, you might like that writer” I think that people who liked Evanovich or liked the concept of the humorous mystery were steered toward Katy Munger, Joan Hess, Sarah Strohmeyer, Donna Andrews - or for a harder edge, Elmore Leonard and Carl Hiassen.

194

I love Joan Hess, and Donna Andrews is fun. Never read any of the others though.

195

Me too.

196

Read this book, an interesting history of the US’s brief dalliance with Imperialism before abandoning it for the system of economic and cultural hegemony that is starting to break apart today.

The section about post war Japan did get me thinking about the abandonment of actual Imperialism leading to Globalism… where one doesn’t actual control the country in any political or cultural sense but uses the economic benefits of the cheap labor for cheap goods. The book doesn’t go into this explicitly, but it did get me thinking about it.

Right now read “The Overstory”

Which is just a beautiful book. I am in awe of it.

197

https://www.amazon.com/Stranger-House-Novel-Shari-Lapena-ebook/dp/B01N238IRQ/ref=reads_cwrtbar_1/145-6896353-2938924?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01N238IRQ&pd_rd_r=3e6bbb27-20ef-4840-881d-eb7a371d8f59&pd_rd_w=49aWG&pd_rd_wg=RytY9&pf_rd_p=dc653f06-36ab-4589-b62f-77fafd26b5a4&pf_rd_r=93XRQREVA76V24NRYD6G&psc=1&refRID=93XRQREVA76V24NRYD6G

Finally found a suspense novel I liked on a trip to Target. If you’re looking for characters who are likeable, this isn’t it.

Oh what tangled webs we weave, when we practice to deceive describes the main characters. But suspense and wanting to know what happens next kept me glued.

There’s a little bit of similarity to Julia Roberts & Patrick Bergin in Sleeping with the Enemy, including a bathtub scene. There’s some similarities to a SYG shooting in Southern Florida where a rejected neighbor was the harasser, as well as the “Mary Walker” case on the series Stalked.

Am truly looking forward to reading more by Ms. Lapena.

198

Hawthorne anthology. First was Scarlet Letter. (It’s way different from when I was REQUIRED to read it in high school!!) Followed by a dozen of his short stories. I’m in that part now. It ends with The House of Seven Gables.

Previously finished “Tales of the Canadian North”, which is a compilation of short stories and essays written in the late 1890s and early 1900s. Interesting take on the history, thought process, vernacular and biases of the time. And it’s an insight into the human toughness it took to explore, settle and populate northern Canada.

199

Worm by Jonathon “Wildbow” McRae.

This was an online serial started back in 2011 where he published two chapters a week and then just kept going as long as people were willing to donate. He ended up writing around 1.6 million words which is like 26 regular novels. I’m roughly halfway done right now based on chapters.

Its basically a novelized comic book story but darker and real worldish than comics as it deals with some pretty dark stuff like serial killers with powers.

200

Can anyone recommend one or two Thomas Sowell titles?

I like his quotes and am interested in reading some more of his work.

TIA.

201

Thomas Sowell’s “Basic Economics” should be basic reading. I would probably put it into a high school curriculum, because not enough young people know how money, budgeting and economic policy work. I also liked “Inside American Education.” Some of that might be due for ann update, since the book was written in 1993, but it was very insightful.

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202

Having been disappointed by the last suspense novels read, I’d been meaning to read this particular short read,

https://www.amazon.com/The-Four-Agreements-don-Miguel-Ruiz-audio/dp/B0007OB40E/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=ruiz%2Cdon+miguel&qid=1629706015&sr=8-6

and picked it up at 20% off at Target. Don Miguel Ruiz, a scholar of the Toltec ways in his native Mexico, reveals four truths to clear out toxic thinking & enjoy a more joyous life.

Took a bit of the first chapter to get to that wisdom, felt like being in psychology or sociology class for awhile, but once he got to the point it’s very revealing. Being without sin in how one communicates and never taking anything personally are the first two.