21st Century Literature discussion

First book you finished in 2024? (If you haven't finished any yet, you can tell us what you expect it will be or you can drop back in when you have finished your first read of the year.)

I finished Landscapes from Two Dollar Radio on New Year's Day. Reactions have been mixed from other readers, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. A very strong debut from Christine Lai.

My first book was The Accidental Collector - I needed something funny

David wrote: "I finished Landscapes from Two Dollar Radio on New Year's Day."
I enjoyed this, but also had reservations.

The first book I finished this year was Robert Gluck's About Ed, a New Narrative-style memoir. A lot of great writing, but a little tighter editing would have been nice.

My first book of 2024 was Fishing for the Little Pike.

I had a great start with Quicksand by Nella Larsen.

David wrote: "I finished Landscapes from Two Dollar Radio on New Year's Day. Reactions have been mixed from other readers, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. A very strong debut from..."

The temptation to shove this through my workplace's purchase suggestion system grows all the more.

Anyway, my first book was The Black Notebooks: An Interior Journey by Toi Derricotte. Not at all a recent publication, but one that I was glad to find at a local library, considering how few ratings it has.

Thanks to Nadine it was Kick the Latch by Kathryn Scanlan. Wow. Thanks, Nadine.

Fledgling by Octavia Butler (read with the Literary Fiction by People of Color goodreads group).

Lark wrote: "Thanks to Nadine it was Kick the Latch by Kathryn Scanlan. Wow. Thanks, Nadine."

This looks incredible, will definitely be reading. Thanks, Nadine and Lark.

My first book of 2024 was My Death by Lisa Tuttle. A little mind-bending gem of a novel recently reissued by NYRB.

I finished the rather dark and absurd Comemadre by Roque Larraquy put out by Coffee House Press. It's a slim little gem and I believe I have David to thank for it (if not for nominating it, than putting it on my radar in the Newest Literary Fiction group).

I tried to get My Death from the library but it wasn't available in a timely fashion. I loved Fledgling---hope you enjoyed it, Rose.

Landscapes also for me.

I had saved them up for vacation after I read one this summer so I got to read classic Japanese mystery writer Seishi Yokomizo - started with the Inugami Curse. Anyone who regrets having read and reread all of Agatha Christie in their teens with nothing more to look forward to, these are for you.

Sasquatch, Baby!

Lolol.

Stacia wrote: "Sasquatch, Baby!

Lolol."

Woo-hoo! That was my third book of the year. LOL.

Did you two influence each other in any way reading Sasquatch, Baby! or was that miraculous coincidence?!!

LOL, I'm afraid I'm the guilty party who started the Sasquatch, Baby! craze.

I am reading Sasquatch, Baby :-0

Lark wrote: "I am reading Sasquatch, Baby :-0"

And my library copy just arrived. It's next on my list!

Omg. Sasquatch Baby's publisher is going to think there's a run on the books. (Well, there is, I guess.) Or on yeti love.

Yes, Rose is the culprit. I believe she said something to a different group along the lines of -- I can't necessarily recommend it to anyone here... except maybe Stacia because you can handle the weirdness. Lol. :-)

The first book I finished in 2024 was This Immortal by Roger Zelazny.

Stacia wrote: "Omg. Sasquatch Baby's publisher is going to think there's a run on the books. (Well, there is, I guess.) Or on yeti love.

Yes, Rose is the culprit. I believe she said something to a different grou..."

Exactly! I get most of my weird book recommendations from Stacia, so was happy to return the favor. I live in Sonoma County, where the book's (tiny, indie) publisher is, and it was on the new release shelf in my library, so I picked it up on a whim and found it to be a hoot. And if you know the area - either Napa valley wine country or the wilds of Del Norte, there are a bunch of easter eggs - thinly disguised references to actual places. A friend of mine is the garden manager at Frog's Leap Vineyard, which is called "Frog's Leg" in the book. Stuff like that made it especially fun for me. I'm glad others are getting a kick out of it!

This Sasquatch saga just keeps getting better then more I hear!
(Sort of reminds me of Bear but sounds funnier/weirder.)

RJ, the only Zelazny I've read is A Night in the Lonesome October, which is pretty fun. How was This Immortal?

Marc wrote: "...RJ, the only Zelazny I've read is A Night in the Lonesome October, which is pretty fun. How was This Immortal?"

Those two books are at the opposite ends of Zelazny's career. Lonesome October was his last published novel before he passed away, and is kind of light-hearted fun. (For those who haven't read it, the novel features a lot of famous characters and is designed to be read one chapter per day during October.) This Immortal is set in the distant future and features characters that are loosely based on Greek mythology - it's also fun but in a different way than Lonesome October. This Immortal, to me, was where a lot of Zelazny's signature style originated - Byronic heroes, sarcastic dialogue, frenemies galore, and ambiguous endings. I still think the original Amber series is the best place to start with Zelazny, but This Immortal would be good also.

My first book of the year was Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes. I found it very entertaining, though it doesn't have much complexity or many layers of meaning. It's clever.

Rose wrote: "LOL, I'm afraid I'm the guilty party who started the Sasquatch, Baby! craze."

Thank you for kicking it off. I read Sasquatch, Baby! after seeing Stacia’s review & then I passed it on to my sister.

My first book of 2024 was The Book of Goose by Yiyun Li. I would recommend it. A number of reviews found it too similar to My Brilliant Friend but for me it had quite a different feel.

I felt the same way about Stone Blind. It could almost be YA.

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store

Ellen wrote: "The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store"

Just reading that book now Ellen and I'm almost done. I think his storytelling is wonderful; I'm enjoying it immensely! It's my first by the author, but I doubt it'll be the last!

RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: "Those two books are at the opposite ends of Zelazny's career. Loneso..."
He's not a writer I know much about, so I appreciate the recs.

Have yet to read any Li or McBride, but my second finish for the year was DeLillo's Underworld (I think I started it back in August of last year).

Marc wrote: "Have yet to read any Li or McBride, but my second finish for the year was DeLillo's Underworld (I think I started it back in August of last year)...."

Some books (even great ones) should earn you the 'Wow, you finished it" award - I think you've won it here with Underworld, Marc! I awarded one to myself years ago for Infinite Jest, which I loved.

Nadine in California wrote: "Some books (even great ones) should earn you the 'Wow, you finished it" award..."

Underworld is a much easier read than Infinite Jest no matter how you slice it!

My first book I finished was the classic Anne of Green Gables, which I enjoyed.