Queereaders discussion

Share here what you're reading in October.

Just finished Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. I really loved it - so unique! I especially liked the all the odd such about Mercerism and the tomb world. I won't say more to avoid sppilers.

Greg wrote: "Just finished Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. I really loved it - so unique! I especially liked the all the odd such about Mercerism and the tomb world. I won't say more to avoid ..."

A great novel! I'm sort of looking forward to Blade Runner 2049, though it doubt it can approach Blade Runner in quality, music or cult status. Also, I'm not a big fan of Ryan Gosling. Still...

Bill wrote: "A great novel! I'm sort of looking forward to Blade Runner 2049, though it doubt it can approach Blade Runner in quality, music or cult status. Also, I'm not a big fan of Ryan Gosling. Still... ..."

Haha, I feel exactly the same about the movie and Gosling. We'll go see it next week anyway. My expectations aren't too high; so that should help!

I've just started Christodora by Tim Murphy. It's about the residents of an East Village building in Manhattan as the neighborhood deals with poverty, drug addiction, AIDS & is slowly changed by gentrification. It may be a quick read as I'm having difficulty putting it down!

Bill wrote: "I've just started Christodora by Tim Murphy. It's about the residents of an East Village building in Manhattan as the neighborhood deals with poverty, drug addiction, AIDS & is slow..."

I see that one got stellar reviews from several of my LGBTQ friends as well as several of my straight friends. In fact another friend sent me a recommendation for it thst I hadn't noticed yet. It looks really good! Eager to see what you rate it when you're done. I just added it to my to-read list.

I've been rereading some old Batman comics that I haven't touched in years. 'Tis good fun :)

I started Something Like You by Timothy James Beck continuing my Gay Fiction Festival.

Eileen wrote: "I've been rereading some old Batman comics that I haven't touched in years. 'Tis good fun :)"

How many years ;-)

Finished The Swimming-Pool Library, and I do think it was wonderfully written, but I preferred The Line of Beauty. In that one the characters had more depth. I feel like this one was more about the milieu and the time.

Greg wrote: "Finished The Swimming-Pool Library, and I do think it was wonderfully written, but I preferred The Line of Beauty. In that one the characters had more depth. I feel like ..."

I liked The Line of Beauty better too. All of his books are a pleasure to read IMO.

You and Your Gender Identity: A Guide to Discovery by Dara Hoffman-Fox -- Just released and so good! http://discoveryourgenderidentity.com

I just started reading History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera. It's incredibly beautiful YA, and I can already tell I'm going to cry through a good portion of it, but like his other books I imagine it will be ultimately uplifting.

I'm also diving into One Hundred Years of Solitude. Wish me luck! I love magical realism, so this should be good.

Bill wrote: "Eileen wrote: "I've been rereading some old Batman comics that I haven't touched in years. 'Tis good fun :)"

How many years ;-)"

Lol, eight, maybe? I bought these collections a while ago. Don't remember when or how long it's been since they've done anything but collect dust on my shelf :)

Eileen wrote: "...Lol, eight, maybe? I bought these collections a while ago. Don't remember when or how long it's been since they've done anything but collect dust on my shelf :)
Lol, eight, maybe? I bought these collections a while..."

😁 Most of the comics I want to re-read are Golden/Silver age from when I was a kid. Most I can't afford and the reprints I've found are black&white which is not the same...

I started last night Alan Hollinghurst's new book The Sparsholt Affair. It arrived in the mail yesterday.

Bill wrote: "I started last night Alan Hollinghurst's new book The Sparsholt Affair. It arrived in the mail yesterday."

I bought a copy of this book yesterday from my local bookshop. I also picked up a copy of Armistead Maupin's Logical Family: A Memoir. Two of my favourite authors for very different reasons. I am hoping to start the Alan Hollinghurst next week.

I just started rereading Bradbury's The Halloween Tree. Haven't read it since I was 11 or so. The prose is much more flowery than I remember it being. It's definitely Bradbury.

Bill wrote: "😁 Most of the comics I want to re-read are Golden/Silver age from when I was a kid. Most I can't afford and the reprints I've found are black&white which is not the same..."

Yeah, I tend to stay away from black-and-whites also. It really loses something without the colors.

Eileen wrote: "Bill wrote: "😁 Most of the comics I want to re-read are Golden/Silver age from when I was a kid. Most I can't afford and the reprints I've found are black&white which is not the same..."

Yeah, I tend to stay away from black-and-whites also. It really loses something without the colors."

I don't mind the b&w reprints. Although when the stuff getting reprinted is from the full color pages it can get pretty murky, particularly with stuff from the 90s. In those cases I'd rather have the color editions.
For me it's kind of like b&w films verses color films. Sometimes, if the material is good enough, it doesn't matter.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Really enjoying.

Natasha (Diarist) wrote: "The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Really enjoying."

I loved this book! It haunted me for weeks after I finished it. Did you read The Goldfinch? I really liked that one too, but even though people made more of a fuss about it, I thought The Secret History was her best.

I've not read anything else by her, Sarah. The Goldfinch seemed to get very mixed reviews, whereas The Secret History seemed to be universally loved, so I've played it safe. ...

Rick wrote: I don't mind the b&w reprints. Although when the stuff getting reprinted is from the full color pages it can get pretty murky, particularly with stuff from the 90s. In those cases I'd rather have the color editions.
For me it's kind of like b&w films verses color films. Sometimes, if the material is good enough, it doesn't matter.

I wouldn't mind the black and white if that was the way it was originally printed, but if it was originally color, that's the way I prefer to read it.

That goes for colorized films too, actually--if it was in black and white, I want to see it in black and white. I had a colorized copy of Miracle on 34th Street growing up, and even then I could tell something was weird about it.

Eileen wrote: "... That goes for colorized films too, actually--if it was in black and white, I want to see it in black and white. I had a colorized copy of Miracle on 34th Street growing up, and even then I could tell something was weird about it."

I couldn't agree more. Colorization was/is a terrible practice. But the reverse isn't necessarily true. Both of the films Logan and The Mist are better in the black & white versions. This were not as they were originally released theatrically. I'm sure there would be other films that would just as good, perhaps even better, in black and white, but the studios won't allow them to be released that way.
Schindler's List and Psycho would both have not been nearly as powerful had they been released in color. But in both cases the director had a big enough reputation to have the final say (unlike with Logan & The Mist).
Still, for the most part, I agree with you that the original version of the art form is the preferred version. There are exceptions though. ;)

Rick wrote: "I couldn't agree more. Colorization was/is a terrible practice. But the reverse isn't necessarily true..."

Agreed Rick and Eileen. I can't imagine watching Citizen Kane colorized.

Tonight we're watching What Ever Happened to Baby Jane - in B&W. (For some reason I keep thinking about drag queens ;-)

While watching "Baby Jane" & all those great lines from Bette & Joan don't overlook the Oscar nominated performance by Victor Buono, best known for playing King Tut on the '60's tv Batman, and lived his whole life closeted.

I haven't seen "Baby Jane" in YEARS. I really need to watch it again.

After seeing Buono camping it up in Batman, how could anyone not have known. ;)

Just finished David Litt's Thanks, Obama: My Hopey Changey White House Years.

Got a bit nostalgic...

I finished The Sparsholt Affair by Alan Hollinghurst. It's an elegant book, a thinking person's book, PG-rated. I am going to have to let it marinate a bit before reviewing. Recommended!

I started Red Gods Sing by Trevor Barton, book 2 of the Gay Sci-Fi series Brobots, probably the best self-published series I have read. Recommended!

Bill wrote: "I started Red Gods Sing by Trevor Barton, book 2 of the Gay Sci-Fi series Brobots, probably the best self-published series I have read. Recommended! ."

That sounds awesome. Brobots is an awesome title. I'll definitely check it out.

Rick wrote: "Colorization was/is a terrible practice. But the reverse isn't necessarily true. Both of the films Logan and The Mist are better in the black & white versions. This were not as they were originally released theatrically. I'm sure there would be other films that would just as good, perhaps even better, in black and white, but the studios won't allow them to be released that way."

I don't think I've ever considered the reverse :) I haven't seen either of the examples you mentioned, but from what I've heard about Logan, it does sound like it would work extremely well in black and white.

Also, just so this thread about current reads doesn't get too derailed by movie discussions, I'll mention that I'm finishing up Batman '66 Meets the Man from U.N.C.L.E.. I don't think I've had this much fun with a comic since the Batman '66/Green Hornet crossover.

Eileen wrote: "...I'm finishing up Batman '66 Meets the Man from U.N.C.L.E. ..."

I haven't read that one yet. I enjoyed Batman '66/Green Hornet and would like to read Batman '66 Meets Steed & Mrs. Peel.

I'm reading Dan Brown's Origin. Robert Langton's at it again!

Bill wrote: "I'm reading Dan Brown's Origin. Robert Langton's at it again!"

I still haven't read the last one. I like to get the illustrated editions when they're on sale and never picked that one up.

Rick wrote: "Bill wrote: "I'm reading Dan Brown's Origin. Robert Langton's at it again!"

I still haven't read the last one. I like to get the illustrated editions when they're on sale and never..."

I think Origin is one of the best. I didn't know there were illustrated editions other than like this with a few small diagrams of symbols and such. I've been looking up a lot of buildings and artwork on Google images.

Alex wrote: "Just finished David Litt's Thanks, Obama: My Hopey Changey White House Years.

Got a bit nostalgic..."

:)

Bill wrote: "I finished The Sparsholt Affair by Alan Hollinghurst. It's an elegant book, a thinking person's book, PG-rated. I am going to have to let it marinate a bit before rev..."

That's interesting Bill; his later books definitely seem more PG :) Where was it set?

How do people feel about restarting the monthly group reads? Are people interested? If so, I'll make a new nomination thread.

Greg wrote: "How do people feel about restarting the monthly group reads? Are people interested? If so, I'll make a new nomination thread."

Good idea ;-)

Greg wrote: "How do people feel about restarting the monthly group reads? Are people interested? If so, I'll make a new nomination thread."

I would be interested in restarting the monthly group reads. It was through the group reads that I was introduced to Octavia E. Butler and Patience & Sarah.

Bill wrote: "Greg wrote: "How do people feel about restarting the monthly group reads? Are people interested? If so, I'll make a new nomination thread."

Good idea ;-)"

I feel bad for letting it lapse - things were just so crazy with the work situation.

If anyone is interested in joining us moderators, message me or Bill. It would be great to have a new moderator or two to help us out. :)

Greg wrote: "...That's interesting Bill; his later books definitely seem more PG :) Where was it set?
"

The Sparsholt Affair is set in the UK starting in Oxford during WWII. It is about several generations of related people spanning periods up thru the 80s or 90s. The structure reminds me of that of The Stranger's Child. The story does not seem as complex as the latter, but still just as compelling.

I finished Dan Brown's origin (lots of fun) and started Surprising Myself by Christopher Bram a well written Gay novel.

I'm up for joining a group read - I have an especially long commute at present

Benjamin wrote: "I'm up for joining a group read - I have an especially long commute at present"

Me too Ben - an hour or two of commute reading every day; so I get through a fair number of audiobooks

ok, here we go, nominationations for our revived Queerreaders group read are up. We'll take nominations for a week, through October 31.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Bill wrote: "... I didn't know there were illustrated editions other than like this with a few small diagrams of symbols and such. I've been looking up a lot of buildings and artwork on Google images. "

Yeah, there are lavishly illustrated editions (at least for the first three volumes) that save the reader all that work of looking up images and such. They're nice volumes, although a bit more expensive. Here's a link to one for The Da Vinci Code https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Rick wrote: "Yeah, there are lavishly illustrated editions ..."

Thanks. I did spend some time on google while reading these books checking reality, looking at art images, &c. In Origin I looked up Antonio Gaudi's building that were discussed in some detail and even decided to buy an art book by him.

Gaudi did some AMAZING work. I'd love to travel to Barcelona just to see some of his architecture. What an incredible artist.