What are You Reading?

[+ Lucky]

I sure would like the Literature Forum to be about literature. There are other fora for tv shows and movies, even if based on a book.

[Rod Hagen]

On 3/19/2024 at 7:04 AM, Lucky said:

I sure would like the Literature Forum to be about literature. There are other fora for tv shows and movies, even if based on a book.

The two posts were related to a book I had recommended, seems a reasonable aside.   Asking people to not deviate briefly and potentially helpfully onto a parallel subject seems excessive, even controling.

Edited March 21 by Rod Hagen

[dutchal]

I just finished an M/M Romance, "Something Wild and Wonderful" by Anita Kelly (2023).  I've read dozens of M/M romances, and I can't remember another where I enjoyed both the main characters and the story as much as I did in this one.  The book is, ultimately, about journeys.  It is about two gay guys who meet while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, which physical journey is both the armature for the plot and a metaphor for both the individual journeys of self-evaluation, self-discovery, self-realization, and self-repair the two men are each on and the emotional journey that their romance becomes.  Yes, this is very much a slow burn, and yes, as in most of these books, they eventually hit a crisis, and yes there is an HEA ending.  But the two characters are drawn in such wonderful, even emotive detail that you are barely conscious of the tropes.  By the end of the book, you know them so well, and like both them and their relationship so much, that you are left with a powerful desire for a sequel, which, alas, is not available.  But you are also left with two of the sweetest gay characters you've ever met and one of the most sensitively portrayed gay romances you can find in this fiction genre.

https://www.amazon.com/Something-Wild-Wonderful-Anita-Kelly/dp/1538754886

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/something-wild-wonderful-anita-kelly/1141725049

You can find the blurb at the Amazon and Barnes and Noble links, and there are customer reviews there, too.

Here's a review that captures a lot of why I enjoyed it so much (and you can also read the generally gushing reviews at goodreads):

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/something-wild-and-wonderful-by-anita-kelly/

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/61399138

 

Edited March 27 by dutchal

[samhexum]

• Jared Kushner’s brother has bought LIFE Magazine and intends to bring back the print version.

[Welshman]

I've been too busy writing books to actually read them myself. Ever since I discovered that the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise was essentially an adult version of the Twilight franchise, I have been writing a series of books based on the tales of the Musketeers, featuring Henry Cardigan, who we join in 1624 as the son of the newly enobled Lord Cardigan who takes up a position in the House of Commoners at the start of King Charles I's reign.

So far there are four books encompassed by the title "The Adventures of Henry Cardigan" which have the following volumes: 1) The English Musketeer, 2) The Titanic Musketeer, 3) The Global Musketeer, 4) The Ultimate Musketeer and the Iron Mask with to follow 5) The Olympian Musketeer, 6) The Cavalier Musketeer and then finally 7) The Phantom Musketeer

I am also going to do some short stories at the same tine covering topics such as the Dutch tulip market of the 1630's (where he simply buys a tulip, just because he likes it and within months is beseiged by people wanting to buy the bulbs it produces) to when he finds himself stranded in 2050 due to a course deciding to take Porthos's assessment of him being strong and testing it in combination bodybuilding / powerlifting contest.

Here's a progress of him from a cadet in 1625, a Musketeer in 1628 and as the Ultimate Musketeer in 1635 and when he is asked to attend a ball as the Ultimate Musketeer in 1644

[Rod Hagen]

On 3/12/2024 at 11:47 AM, BenjaminNicholas said:

Woody Allen's memoir, Apropos of Nothing

Thank you.  Forgot about this one.  Just finished it.  Interesting. Since I was already on his side, I wish he wasn't compelled to spend 1/3 of the book defending himself .  Movie and life stuff was great.  NYtimes review was shit.

Edited March 30 by Rod Hagen

[+ DrownedBoy]

Currently reading Ravelstein, Saul Bellow's final novel.

Pretty interesting, basically an accurate portrayal of the U of Chicago prof Allan Bloom, whose book COTAM I read waaaay back in the day.

I love how the book reveals that the grumpy, moralistic man who wrote COTAM was actually a closeted gay guy who paid 16-year-old boys for sex down in Hyde Park, even when he was dying of AIDS.

[DaltonJ]

Book: "Circe" by Madeline Miller

“Circe” is a mythological novel that reimagines the story of Circe, a lesser-known character from Homer's "Odyssey." It follows her life as she grows up in the house of Helios, god of the sun, and discovers her own powers of witchcraft. After she is exiled to the island of Aiaia, Circe encounters famous figures from Greek mythology and embarks on a journey of self-discovery and transformation.

“Circe" is a few years old (published in 2018, but finally coming around to it), but its exploration of power, love, and self-discovery remains timeless. I was struck by the depth and beauty of its narrative, particularly Circe's journey. Her exile to the island of Aiaia and subsequent discovery of her own powers felt like a metaphor for the process of coming out and embracing one's true identity. Miller's portrayal of Circe's relationships with both men and women throughout the story provided a nuanced and heartfelt exploration of love that transcends traditional gender roles. “Circe” is not only a captivating mythological retelling but also a deeply personal journey of empowerment.

Reflecting on Circe's journey, I couldn't help but wish I too felt as empowered in my own life. Circe's transformation and her ability to take control of her destiny speak to a sense of agency and self-determination that I admire. Despite the challenges she faces, Circe ultimately finds strength in herself and her abilities. In a world where empowerment can feel elusive, Circe's story serves as a reminder of the power that lies within each of us to shape our own paths and embrace our true selves. 

[Danny-Darko]

'Gay Berlin: Birthplace of a Modern Identity'
by Robert Beachy 

I found this gem at my local library! Below is the blurb Amazon posted:

- In the half century before the Nazis rose to power, Berlin became the undisputed gay capital of the world. Activists and medical professionals made it a city of firsts—the first gay journal, the first homosexual rights organization, the first Institute for Sexual Science, the first sex reassignment surgeries—exploring and educating themselves and the rest of the world about new ways of understanding the human condition. In this fascinating examination of how the uninhibited urban culture of Berlin helped create our categories of sexual orientation and gender identity, Robert Beachy guides readers through the past events and developments that continue to shape and influence our thinking about sex and gender to this day. -

[DaltonJ]

Book: "Wow, No Thank You" by Samantha Irby

If you're a fan of David Sedaris' wit and humor, diving into Samantha Irby's "Wow, No Thank You" is a natural next step. Irby's candid and unfiltered essays offer a similarly hilarious and insightful perspective on the absurdities of modern life. Covering topics like relationships, family, health, and pop culture, her writing style is brutally honest, providing sharp commentary on societal norms and expectations. Funny and self-deprecating.

[Rod Hagen]

On 4/2/2024 at 3:25 PM, DrownedBoy said:

Currently reading Ravelstein, Saul Bellow's final novel.

Pretty interesting, basically an accurate portrayal of the U of Chicago prof Allan Bloom, whose book COTAM I read waaaay back in the day.

I love how the book reveals that the grumpy, moralistic man who wrote COTAM was actually a closeted gay guy who paid 16-year-old boys for sex down in Hyde Park, even when he was dying of AIDS.

Oh I read Ravelstein....didn't like it, really wanted to.  Don't remember why.  Hope you do. I did not know that was his final novel.

Edited April 11 by Rod Hagen

[Danny-Darko]

A very interesting read I found. 

'Bad Gays: A Homosexual History'

By Huw Lemmey & Ben Miller

 

An unconventional history of homosexuality for readers of The Deviant's War by Eric Cervini

We all remember Oscar Wilde, but who speaks for Bosie? What about those 'bad gays' whose un-exemplary lives reveal more than we might expect? Too many popular histories seek to establish heroes, pioneers and martyrs but, as Huw Lemmey and Ben Miller argue, the past is filled with queer people whose sexualities and dastardly deeds have been overlooked.  

Based on the hugely popular podcast series, Bad Gays subverts the notion of gay icons and queer heroes and asks what we can learn about LGBTQ+ history, sexuality and identity through its villains and baddies. From the Emperor Hadrian to anthropologist Margaret Mead and notorious gangster Ronnie Kray, the authors excavate the buried history of queer lives. This includes kings, fascist thugs such as Nazi founder Ernst Rohm, artists, and debauched bon viveurs.

Hadrian * Aretino * James I and VI * Frederick the Great * Jack Saul * Roger Casement * Lawrence of Arabia * The Bad Gays of Weimar * Margaret Mead * J. Edgar Hoover and Roy Cohn * Yukio Mishima * Philip Johnson * Ronnie Kray * Pim Fortuyn

Together these amazing life stories expand and challenge the mainstream assumptions of sexual identity. They show that homosexuality itself was an idea that emerged in the nineteenth century and that its interpretation has been central to major historical moments of conflict from the ruptures of Weimar Republic to red-baiting in Cold War America.

Bad Gays is a passionate argument for rethinking gay politics beyond questions of identity and the search for solidarity across boundaries.

[+ DrownedBoy]

On 4/10/2024 at 11:59 PM, Rod Hagen said:

Oh I read Ravelstein....didn't like it, really wanted to.  Don't remember why.  Hope you do. I did not know that was his final novel.

I wouldn't have enjoyed Ravelstein as much if I hadn't both read Bloom's COTAM (reread it right before Ravelstein) and known his history and reputation at U of C.