Queereaders discussion

I can't believe it's February already! This thread is for discussing what we're all reading this month.

I will be reading:

The Road
The Second Sex
The Waves
I, Claudius
In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower

I might add some if I finish up these.

Pshaw - neither can I Greg. FWIW, I turn 72 today and don't do much celebrating anymore.

I finished Take Back the Sky finale of the War Dog military SciFi series. I liked the 1st 2 books, but this disappointed me.

And, started book 10 of the Wheel of time series.

Bill wrote: "Pshaw - neither can I Greg. FWIW, I turn 72 today and don't do much celebrating anymore.

I'll second the happy birthday wishes :)

I just finished The Graves Are Walking: The Great Famine and the Saga of the Irish People and am moving on to something lighter, DC Comics: Bombshells, Vol. 1: Enlisted. I've been looking forward to this one; the artwork is really nice.

Bill wrote: "Pshaw - neither can I Greg. FWIW, I turn 72 today and don't do much celebrating anymore.

I finished {book:Take Back the Sky} finale of the War Dog military SciFi series. I liked the 1st 2 books, ..."

As others have said, happy birthday Bill!

I'm reading a light fun book full of talking dragons - His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik. Very enjoyable.

After that, I'll probably pick up one of our group reads, The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurst.

Bill wrote: "Pshaw - neither can I Greg. FWIW, I turn 72 today and don't do much celebrating anymore."

Happy birthday from me too.

Greg wrote: "I'm reading a light fun book full of talking dragons - His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik. Very enjoyable.

After that, I'll probably pick up one of our group reads, The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurst. "

Oh, I love Novik's Temeraire series. Temeraire learning new things and arguing with people is always funny.

And I've only read Hollinghurst's The Line of Beauty.

Happy birthday Bill!

Alex wrote: "Greg wrote: "I'm reading a light fun book full of talking dragons - His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik. Very enjoyable.

After that, I'll probably pick up one of our group reads, The Stranger's Ch..."

Temeraire is great Alex! :) Such a fun book!

Greg wrote: "...After that, I'll probably pick up one of our group reads, The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurst. ..."

I have this to read too. Let us know what you think.

Thank you for the birthday wishes everyone.

CC wrote: "I started The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. Finding it very enjoyable so far..."

I liked that book a lot CC

Almost to the end of A Faithful Son which has been excellent in every way.

My train/commuter read is currently Intimate Journals by Charles Baudelaire.

Tim wrote: "Almost to the end of A Faithful Son which has been excellent in every way.

My train/commuter read is currently Intimate Journals by Charles Baudelaire."

The journals look fascinating Tim! I've read his poetry but didn't even know he wrote journals. You can't do better than those editors/translators - Isherwood and Auden!

Greg wrote: "The journals look fascinating Tim! I've read his poetry but didn't even know he wrote journals. You can't do better than those editors/translators - Isherwood and Auden!"

I found this really thin volume at a used bookstore. It's a posthumous publication of journal entries but actually reads more like Baudelaire keeping a running list of ideas and observations that he might or might not have planned to develop further. I'm finding it more a curiosity than anything - no "wow" moments yet.

Tim wrote: "Greg wrote: "The journals look fascinating Tim! I've read his poetry but didn't even know he wrote journals. You can't do better than those editors/translators - Isherwood and Auden!"

I found this..."

That's too bad - sounds like a sort of writing journal. Hope it picks up.

Have only read spiritual and technical non-fiction so far this year. Currently ...

All Love: A Guidebook for Healing with Sekhem-Seichim-Reiki and SKHM by Diane Ruth Shewmaker

Numbers: A Very Short Introduction by Peter M. Higgins

I am reading Call Me by Your Name I heard the movie will premiere this year.

Rick wrote: "I am reading Call Me by Your Name I heard the movie will premiere this year."

It's rated highly by several friends, including Bill I believe. Eager to hear what you think of it Rick!

Greg wrote: "Rick wrote: "I am reading Call Me by Your Name I heard the movie will premiere this year."

It's rated highly by several friends, including Bill I believe. Eager to hear what you think..."

Thank you. I am new to posting in this group. I am a little isolated where I am from other queer readers and hope to be more involved here.

Natasha (Diarist) wrote: "Have only read spiritual and technical non-fiction so far this year. Currently ...

All Love: A Guidebook for Healing with Sekhem-Seichim-Reiki and SKHM by Diane Ruth Shewmaker.."

I know some Reiki practitioners Natasha though I don't know much about it. Do you practice?

I am also reading The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee. It is very good, but it's a slow read. I was in Paris last week and the story takes place there.

Greg wrote: "I know some Reiki practitioners Natasha though I don't know much about it. Do you practice? "

I do, Greg. I got Reiki I and II in 2006, and Reiki III in 2009. I'm mainly a web developer, but I work as a Reiki practitioner on the side. Reiki (which is Japanese) is wonderful. And I have just been initiated into Sekhem ancient Egyptian healing energy, which is really exciting.

Natasha (Diarist) wrote: "Greg wrote: "I know some Reiki practitioners Natasha though I don't know much about it. Do you practice? "

I do, Greg. I got Reiki I and II in 2006, and Reiki III in 2009. I'm mainly a web develop..."

That is exciting Natasha! A friend of mine did a Reiki laying on of hands for me some years ago. And I must say things did turn out very well, though I know very little about the practice beyond that.

Just finished The War Prayer by Mark Twain.

My brief review here

A clear poem with no artifice whatsoever, but it's perhaps the most searing piece of writing I've ever read - an indictment of war itself but also more specifically, certain religious attitudes toward war that were prevalent in his time and unfortunately, still exist in many corners today. The straightforward way he whisks the veil off the too-easy hypocrisy is shockingly affecting. I feel a little stunned. Everyone should read this. I was tempted to give it 5★ based on sheer power alone, but I settled on 4★ in the end.

John Groth's ink drawings that accompany the poem are crudely drawn but appropriate. Like the poem itself, they're forceful, expressive, and unadorned.

This week I finished the beautifully told story of life in a small Colorado town in the mid 20th century. A Faithful Son includes a coming out story but that is only one aspect of this wonderfully observant tale.

Also finished up one of the group reads - Queer Aging: The Gayby Boomers and a New Frontier for Gerontology and started a discussion thread for anyone else reading the book.

Now on to Panorama by Dušan Šarotar. Originally written in Slovac, I'm afraid it's struggling with a translation to English that's not the best. We'll see if it improves as I get further in.

Tim and Rick, those books look intriguing.

I'm reading The Stranger's Child and Leviathan Wakes, and I'm liking both of them a lot, in completely different ways. It was kind of a bad idea to read both at once though - the story in Leviathan Wakes is so gripping that it's keeping me up late.

Greg wrote: "Tim and Rick, those books look intriguing.

I'm reading The Stranger's Child and Leviathan Wakes, and I'm liking both of them a lot, in completely different ways. It w..."

I loved Leviathan Wakes! Are you going to read the series? What do you think of the TV series in relation to the book?

Bill wrote: "Greg wrote: "Tim and Rick, those books look intriguing.

I'm reading The Stranger's Child and Leviathan Wakes, and I'm liking both of them a lot, in completely differe..."

I liked the TV series about as much - both were great! But I think I'll hold off on watching the second season of the tv show until I finish the second book. I definitely plan to continue with the second book, after I finish The Stranger's Child though. :)

Phillip wrote: "Greg wrote: "Just finished The War Prayer by Mark Twain . . . an indictment of war itself"

Ed Sheeran has a nice cover of Masters of War by Bob Dylan you might enjoy. S..."

Thanks so much for the link Phillip!! - this performance by Sheeran is amazing, definitely to my taste!

Embarrassingly, the only Sheeran song I really knew up to this point was "I See Fire" from the Hobbit film (a good song too though!). I think I need to explore him more! Is there a particular album you recommend? I'm definitely going to look for this cover on ITunes at the very least.

Just finished K.J. Charles's Rag and Bone. Planning on starting Ben Aaronovitch's Whispers Under Ground.

Phillip wrote: "Greg wrote: "I think I need to explore him more! Is there a particular album you recommend?"

You know, I'm pretty unfamiliar with Ed Sheeran myself. I'm aware of his cover of Masters of War only b..."

I like the way you put that, simple and restrained, exactly. It's the right way to do that sort of song.

I finished The Stranger's Child, one of our group reads. I loved it, but am feeling disturbed. More later on our group's discussion page.

I started book 10 of The Wheel of Time

Bill wrote: "I finished The Stranger's Child, one of our group reads. I loved it, but am feeling disturbed. More later on our group's discussion page...."

I got distracted by Leviathan Wakes, but I'll make more progress on it this weekend. :)

Greg wrote: "...I got distracted by Leviathan Wakes,:..."

I can certainly understand that. It's hard to put down.

Just finished the beautiful Panorama by Dušan Šarotar. Once I got into the flow of the book it was incredible - highly recommend though there are patches where the translation was challenging.

I'm starting a week of vacation from work want something fun, also something good for a plane ride. I'm thinking Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.

Tim wrote: "Just finished the beautiful Panorama by Dušan Šarotar. Once I got into the flow of the book it was incredible - highly recommend though there are patches where the ..."

If you like geeky underground 80's references, especially to videogames, I think you'll enjoy Ready Player One Tim. I thought it was a lot of fun. A thrilling read in spots too!

The other book you mentioned looks intriguing - adding it to my to-read list!

Greg wrote: "...If you like geeky underground 80's references, especially to videogames, I think you'll enjoy Ready Player One Tim. I thought it was a lot of fun. A thrilling read in spots too!.."

I love this book, so nostalgic and exciting.

Tim wrote: "I'm starting a week of vacation from work want something fun, also something good for a plane ride. I'm thinking Ready Player One by Ernest Cline."

Ready Player One was my favourite book of last year by a very wide margin.

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is an excellent novel about comic books with one Gay character. Does anyone know of other books about comics - novels, not graphic novels or actual comics?

Bill wrote: "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is an excellent novel about comic books with one Gay character. Does anyone know of other books about comics - novels, not graphic novels or ..."

I'm drawing a blank at the moment, though there must be others. I'll keep thinking.

Right now, I'm reading The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurst and Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly.

I'm enjoying both in very different ways. The Shetterly one is definitely written like traditional non-fiction, focused more on the facts than the presentation, but it's fascinating already, very well researched. I think all Americans should know the historical information in this book!

Greg wrote: "Right now, I'm reading The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurst and [book:Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Wh..."

About Hidden Figures, do you know how it compares with the movie?

Alex wrote: "Greg wrote: "Right now, I'm reading The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurst and [book:Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Math..."

I haven't seen the movie Bill, and I'm only 50 pages into the book. My guess though is that the movie is going to be more personal and dramatized. The book so far has a lot of factual history presented - for instance, it's only because of an executive order by FDR that blacks were allowed to be hired at Langley at all. Also, there were several incidents of blacks in military uniforms being refused bus service even in the black section because soldiering was seen as a "white job" and blacks who served were seen as trying to go above their proper place. It's all very interesting, but the presentation so far is a bit dry.

Tara Road by Maeve Binchy.

I started Sinclair Lewis' It Can't Happen Here

Bill wrote: "I started Sinclair Lewis' It Can't Happen Here"

A good one for the present political climate!

Phillip wrote: "Re-reading The Words of My Perfect Teacher which dovetails well with my understanding of reality."

Added it to my to-read list Phillip

I just finished Dworkin's Woman Hating, which was super awesome and a really powerful read, although the last chapter is... concerning to say the least. Even so, it's a really awesome text and Dworkin's feminist theory is like nothing I've really seen before. I'm also very excited to read The Persistent Desire: A Femme-Butch Reader now that I've finally found a copy.

Abigail wrote: "I just finished Dworkin's Woman Hating, which was super awesome and a really powerful read, although the last chapter is... concerning to say the least. Even so, it's a really awesome..."

Hmm Abigail, I read one by Dworkin that I wasn't too crazy about - I think it was The New Woman's Broken Heart: Short Stories. I bet the last chapter was fairly extreme - she didn't seem like one for moderation in the one I read.

Interested to hear how you like the other one you found by her!

Greg wrote: "Bill wrote: "I started Sinclair Lewis' It Can't Happen Here"

A good one for the present political climate!"

Amazing book. I've only read Arrowsmith by him ages ago. which I should read again. A good, fast-to-read author.