2022 ONTD Reading Challenge discussion

Did you enjoy your June pick? Would you recommend it to your fellow readers?

I was stressing myself out about reading my choice (I keep getting sucked into reading books that were recently released) that I went ad looked for a novella and ended up reading The Body by Stephen King. He was born in 1947. I do not recommend it. I've never seen the movie, but I'd imagine it was probably better than the book.

I read A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley, since she's a boomer author. I found it tedious at the beginning but it got more interesting as the drama starting happening. I liked it for the most part, it's supposed to be a retelling of King Lear but I've never read King Lear so I don't know how accurate it is. I liked the ending because I think it's more of a realistic set up even though I was frustrated however this is definitely something that happens in the real world. I think if you're into more of a dramatic read especially set in a rural farming community it's a decent read.

I went a little above and beyond this month and picked a handful of memoirs by people in the entertainment industry that are in the boomer age range.

Just the Funny Parts: ... And a Few Hard Truths About Sneaking Into the Hollywood Boys' Club by Nell Scovell
Here's the Deal: Don't Touch Me by Howie Mandel
Riding the Elephant by Craig Ferguson
Believe Me by Eddie Izzard
I Must Say by Martin Short
Me by Elton John

I enjoyed most of them. I thought Eddie Izzard rambled off topic WAY too much, even if it was funny. His audiobook could have been 5 hours less (it was literally 14 hours)
My absolute favorite one was Martin Short's book. He played music, did voices, and made everything sound interesting.

I read The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie published in 1961.

I think many Christie fans don't like this one as much but personally, it was one of my favorites of hers.

Wow Juliana... you are on a roll

I have been too stressed to read, to be honest. I've fallen ridiculously behind my reading goals.

Lea wrote: "Wow Juliana... you are on a roll

I have been too stressed to read, to be honest. I've fallen ridiculously behind my reading goals."

To be fair, they've all been audiobooks and I'm listening to them while I work. I've read a total of two actual books in the last three months...even though I have 12 ARCs I want to read and just can't seem to bother.

1984 is much more terrifying to read now than as a naive high school senior who thought, "totalitarian regimes are scary but that could NEVER HAPPEN."

I read and overall liked The Alienist by boomer author Caleb Carr. If you like procedural style stuff, I think you'd probably enjoy the book.

I'm also reading Katalin Street, which was originally published in 1969, so just outside the boomer cut-off, but because it's a book that deals with Hungary during and immediately after WWII, it does feel very fitting for the theme!

Finished Killing Commendatore and hated it. It was a huge disappointment because I love his other books.

I read The Blindfold by Siri Hustvedt. It's an okay debut novel I'd say but I prefer her later work.