What I'm Reading
Books, Books, Books
When I got laid off at CNN, one of the pledges I made to myself was that I would use the time I had to read more.
I have, generally speaking, stuck to that pledge. And, from time to time, I like to share what I am reading/have read — and get recommendations of what you all have been reading and liking too.
Here’s my most recent reading list1:
“Mistborn” by Brandon Sanderson. I have been wanting to get into Sanderson for a while now. (I LOVED Robert Jordan’s “Wheel of Time” series — which Sanderson helped finish.) This is the first of a 7-book series by Sanderson. And I LOVED it. Great world-building. Intriguing characters. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
The “Beartown” trilogy by Fredrik Backman. I know nothing about hockey and even less about Sweden. But these books are still great. I didn’t realize they were turned into a HBO series — in Sweden — a few years back.
“Victory City” by Salman Rushdie. Ever since “Midnight’s Children,” I read everything Rushdie writes. This wasn’t my favorite of his recent stuff but it proves he is still one of the most electric writers in the world.
“Checkout 19” by Claire-Louise Bennett. This is one of the best reviewed books of 2023. It wasn’t really my cup of tea.
“Cold People” by Tom Rob Smith. I LOVED this book. An alien invasion, an exodus to Antarctica and an attempt to adapt for future survival. My favorite read of the year so far.
What are you reading and loving?
As you likely will figure out, I am on a MAJOR fiction kick these days.
'Babal' by RF Kuang, a historical fantasy set in 1828 Oxford University, where "silver-working is the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars". A tall order to swallow the premise but once past that it's tremendously entertaining, as the Royal Institute of Translation is housed in the tallest structure on campus called of course the Tower of Babel and takes you through some very intriguing permutations of history and linguistics with a dash of misty magic and social commentary thrown in to spice up the narrative. Rebecca Kuang is Hugo and Nebula award nominated. Kept me engrossed while quarantined, highly recommended
In a follow up - yesterday I finished Babi Yar. I believe it required reading for everyone not because it is particularly enjoyable (it's disturbing, uncomfortable, grueling), but so history is not repeated.
It is frightening how much of the motivation, manipulation, actions, and ideologies of the Nazis and Soviets in 1941 mirror and reflect the talking points of the far right and Trumpism today.