# Khadaji’s Whatcha Reading Thread - December 2023 edition **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [December 1, 2023, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931 "2023-12-01T01:31:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2023, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/81 "2023-12-25T05:13:51Z")
Finished _The Immortality Key: The Secret History of the Religion with No Name_, by Brian C. Muraresku. A look at the role of psychedelics in the founding of Western civilization and the early days of the Christian church. Interesting stuff. The author explores the archaeochemical and archaeobotanical data suggesting a possible unbroken chain of spiritual, psychedelic experiences from all the way back in the Stone Age to the first couple of centuries or so AD. Ancient Greece in particular had the Mysteries of Eleusis, whose ceremonies were overseen by women officiants. By the time the newest magician in town had appeared, Jesus, he and his followers were vying with the cult of Dionysus for the faithful. Possibly the early church coopted the Eleusynian eucharist, and it was possibly a little more psychedelic in the early days than what is offered at Mass these days, along with the Dionysian myths in a bid to win converts – Dionysus had been turning water into wine long before Jesus came along. As the Christian Church became dominant and male-centric, the Eucharist became watered down, and the literal witch hunts of the Middle Ages by the Church was, according to the author, nothing more than a concerted effort to stamp out the last vestiges of folk pharmacology still dominated by women. Interesting stuff, and I certainly had heard before of the male-dominated Church brutally wresting power away from the women. > [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > I finished _Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI_ by David Grann. His writing style is a bit too florid at times for my tastes, but it’s an interesting and chilling tale. Someday I’m sure I’ll see the movie. I recently started reading this. These days I just can’t suffer through 3-1/2-hour movies as well as I used to, but I heard this was a fantastic story, so I picked up the book. I’m almost halfway through it – the newly formed FBI has just entered the fray. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2023, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/82 "2023-12-25T14:10:00Z")
I finished listening to _The Exchange_ by John Grisham. Full disclosure: I have read each and every one of Grisham’s novels. I can say that I have enjoyed reading each of these books, even though at times it has felt like Grisham was churning out a story because he knows it will sell. I can no longer say that. I did not like this book. The premise was fine, and the first part of the story was okay, but the majority of the book was, in a word, boring. There was precious little action throughout, and the ending was totally unsatisfactory. ISTM that this book was written because the author and publisher decided that it would sell, no matter how bad the story might be. Virtually all of Grisham’s novels take place somewhere in the Deep South, with Southern lawyers as the protagonists. This book has the lawyer, but the action (such as it is) is either in NYC, Maine, or Libya. I hope that his next book takes place back in Memphis. Next up: _Resurrection Walk_ by Michael Connelly. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2023, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/83 "2023-12-26T00:54:40Z")
Finished _The Galaxy, and the Ground Within_, by Becky Chambers, which was okay. Now I’m reading _Dickens and Prince: A Particular Kind of Genius_, by Nick Hornby. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2023, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/84 "2023-12-26T01:09:42Z")
Another art history one: **Mad Enchantment: Claude Monet and the Painting of the Water Lilies** Ross King The story of Claude Monet’s water lily paintings, which he created when he was in his 70s and 80s with failing eyesight. Enjoyable book. Ross King does a lot of good research and has a nice prose style. Recommended ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2023, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/85 "2023-12-26T02:28:42Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > Ross King does a lot of good research and has a nice prose style. I’ve enjoyed everything I have read by Ross King. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2023, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/86 "2023-12-26T03:05:40Z")
Same here! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2023, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/87 "2023-12-26T19:36:02Z")
Over the long Christmas weekend, I read _Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Sleigh_ by Mo Willems, the latest of his seven offbeat, funny kids’ books about a strong-willed pigeon who wants to do cool stuff others tell him he can’t. I also read _Penny_ by Karl Stevens, a graphic novel about the inner life of a housecat. A must-read for any cat lover. I also browsed through _This is What a Librarian Looks Like_ by Kyle Cassidy, including essays by Cory Doctorow and John Scalzi, and an interview with George R.R. Martin. Good stuff. I’ve begun _What’s the Deal with Deadman’s Curve? And Other Really Good Questions about Cleveland_ by Jim Sweeney, which has interesting short essays on all sorts of North Coast lore. I’m enjoying it. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2023, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/88 "2023-12-27T02:14:12Z")
Just finished Dolly Parton: Behind the Seams, a big coffee table book full of beautiful color pictures of Dolly and her outfits through the years. I was just going to skim through it, but there’s plenty of text and I got sucked in. There are amazing closeups of the fabric that make you realize the amount of work that goes into these clothes. I think Dolly is the best person on earth and I’m glad she got to live her dreams of wearing these beautiful things. She deserves them. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2023, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/89 "2023-12-27T14:21:54Z")
Finished _Dickens and Prince: A Particular Kind of Genius_, by Nick Hornby, which was very interesting with lots of historical anecdotes. I’m not much of a fan of either of its subjects, but I liked this book a lot anyway. Now I’m reading _Firefly: Carnival_, by Una McCormack. (It’s based on the TV show and set during its run.) ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2023, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/90 "2023-12-27T16:04:01Z")
I’m reading _We Wish You Weren’t Here_ by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch. Ghost hunting family called in to get rid of a haunting in a small town find more than they bargained for. The book was recommended by one of my favorite authors. So far quite enjoyable. Read _A Man and His Cat_ by Umi Sakurai last night. It’s a short manga about a lonely widower who adopts a lonely cat. Surprising emotional for the comic strip format. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2023, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/91 "2023-12-28T13:32:40Z")
Just finished My Darling Girl, by Jennifer McMahon, a novel about a woman who comes to realize her dying mother is possessed by a demon. It was just okay. Wondering now if I can fit in one more book before the end of the year! ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2023, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/92 "2023-12-28T14:59:54Z")
Finished _Saevus Corax Captures the Castle_ which was ok, enough that I immediately started the last book in the trilogy _Saevus Corax Gets away with Murder_, which was ok too (finished it last night) Now I’m reading _Here begins the Dark Sea: Venice, a Medieval Monk, and the Creation of the Most Accurate Map of the World_ by Meredith F. Small which at first was hard for me to get into because the author style seemed similar to many social sciences textbooks: Define concept A, then define it again with other words, then define it AGAIN with other words, then, just in case somebody still doesn’t get it, define it yet again, with different words. I swear they must be paid by the word or something. Fortunately this seemed to be only the writing style in the prologue, subsequent chapters do not have that style and I’m happily chugging along. ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2023, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/93 "2023-12-28T20:06:19Z")
I finished _We Wish You Weren’t Here_ by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch… and damn the second half did not live up to the first half. Also I HATE when the ending isn’t a conclusion because the author is planning a series. So I’m stuck with a bunch of whys and no inclination to read the next book. On the upside, I’m back to _A House with Good Bones_ by T. Kingfisher. I am enjoying it a whole lot. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/94 "2023-12-29T00:30:28Z")
> [@DZedNConfused](#): > > and damn the second half did not live up to the first half. Damn, I was planning on getting it next. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/95 "2023-12-29T00:35:36Z")
Yeah, but my library didn’t have it. ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/96 "2023-12-29T02:42:21Z")
Well your enjoyment may vary from mine… ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/97 "2023-12-29T15:57:22Z")
I squeezed in another book today, and it was amazing, possibly the best of the year! The Sight, by Melanie Golding. It’s about a woman in a traveling carnival who can see how a person will die when she looks into their eyes. Sounds like a horror novel but isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/98 "2023-12-29T16:40:41Z")
Calling all Doper bibliophiles: [Your Top Ten books of 2023](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-books-of-2023/995319) ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/99 "2023-12-29T17:04:59Z")
Finished _Firefly: Carnival_, by Una McCormack, which was okay. Now I’m reading _1000 Hours Outside: Activities to Match Screen Time with Green Time_, by Ginny Yurich. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/100 "2023-12-29T19:44:27Z")
**Ronnie Spector** , the autobiography. I never knew about the lunatic known to the world as Phil Spector. He quite literally tortured her and drove her to drink. She was lucky to escape that fucker. An interesting book about the time of the doo-wop singer, for all that. She hung out with the Stones and The Beatles, among other stars of the time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931.md?page=6)