# Khadaji’s Whatcha Reading Thread - February 2022 edition **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [February 1, 2022, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722 "2022-02-01T03:43:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/61 "2022-02-22T13:14:22Z")
Finished **The Pursuit of the Panker** a by Heinlein. Not great, but a helluva lot better than T **he Number of the Beast** (Which PotP was rewritten into) was. Now I’m reading **The WorldCon Guest of Honor Speeches** and **Ancient Astronauts, Cosmic Collisions, and other Popular Theories About Man’s Past** by William H. Stiebing, Jr. The latter is a quick read I picked up for free. It’s a Prometheus Press debunking book that I probably would have bought when it first came out some forty years ago, but missed somehow. On audio, I’m coming to the end of Stephen King’s **Billy Summers** , which is very good. It’s one of his crime novels, with nothing supernatural about it, except that he briefly mentions the Overlook Hotel and weird goings on there. King seems to have this need to slip in at least some mention of the supernatural in his novels, even if it’s not appropriate. In **Cujo** hehad that brief interlude with the Boogeyman in the closet, for instance. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/62 "2022-02-22T13:17:57Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > King seems to have this need to slip in at least some mention of the supernatural in his novels, even if it’s not appropriate. In _Billy Summers_ it seemed to fit very well, although I was a bit worried it would continue on that track too long. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/63 "2022-02-22T14:23:46Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > In _Billy Summers_ it seemed to fit very well, although I was a bit worried it would continue on that track too long. Seemed like an unneccessary diversion to me, especially when he started getting all “Sun Dog” with the painting. ---
**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:** [February 22, 2022, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/64 "2022-02-22T14:34:19Z")
“Getting all Sun Dog” 😄 I finished my John Langan stories and have moved on to something light and fun, T. Kingfisher’s [A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking](https://www.amazon.com/Wizards-Guide-Defensive-Baking/dp/1614505241/ref=sr_1_1?crid=NYRLAQB0SKR3&keywords=a+wizards+guide+to+defensive+baking+paperback&qid=1645540231&sprefix=a+wizards%2Caps%2C71&sr=8-1). Man, I could really go for a doughnut right now. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/65 "2022-02-22T14:58:18Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > I finished my John Langan stories and have moved on to something light and fun, T. Kingfisher’s [A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking](https://www.amazon.com/Wizards-Guide-Defensive-Baking/dp/1614505241/ref=sr_1_1?crid=NYRLAQB0SKR3&keywords=a+wizards+guide+to+defensive+baking+paperback&qid=1645540231&sprefix=a+wizards%2Caps%2C71&sr=8-1). Man, I could really go for a doughnut right now. Saw several copies of that this past weekend. It won the Andre Norton Nebula Award to Middle Grade and Young Adult Readers in 2020. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2022, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/66 "2022-02-23T14:48:11Z")
**The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America’s Enemies** Jason Fagone The remarkable life story of Elizebeth Smith Friedman: She grew up in a small town in Indiana. As a young adult, a chance meeting in a library in Chicago led her to being hired by a strange millionaire who was trying find hidden messages in Shakespeare’s plays. That didn’t pan out, but it gave her a love of solving codes and ciphers, and she was hired by the U.S. government in World War I to decrypt German radio messages, and then to do the same against organized crime in the 1920s and 1930s. Her most impressive achievements were in World War 2, when she and the group she led penetrated codes used by Nazi spies in South America. Fascinating book. Highly recommended. ---
**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:** [February 23, 2022, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/67 "2022-02-23T16:27:03Z")
Finished A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking. It didn’t have the zest of some of her other books, but that’s to be expected since this is at a middle grade level. Reading reviews, I’m surprised to hear that some people think this is too dark! Like, have you _met_ kids? They would love this. In my opinion, the sidekicks (a gingerbread cookie and a sourdough starter) stole the show. ---
**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:** [February 23, 2022, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/68 "2022-02-23T18:40:17Z")
I had the same thoughts when I heard those criticisms! Kids LOVE to be scared, they love dark content and they LOVE kids their own age defeating said darkness. ---
**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:** [February 23, 2022, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/69 "2022-02-23T20:21:44Z")
Finished _The Case of the One-Eyed Witness_ , by Erle Stanley Gardner. Meh. Now I’m reading _Six-Gun in Cheek: An Affectionate Guide to the “Worst” in Western Fiction_, by Bill Pronzini. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/70 "2022-02-24T04:50:36Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > Now I’m reading _Six-Gun in Cheek: An Affectionate Guide to the “Worst” in Western Fiction_, by Bill Pronzini. I love the Gun in Cheek books. ---
**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:** [February 24, 2022, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/71 "2022-02-24T06:08:06Z")
I like Pronzini a lot, I should check these out! ---
**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:** [February 24, 2022, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/72 "2022-02-24T14:31:18Z")
Now reading Neil Gaiman’s [Stardust](https://www.amazon.com/Gaiman-Charles-Vesss-Stardust-Gaimans/dp/1401287840/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2KORJ967T7LJW&keywords=stardust+neil+gaiman&nav_sdd=aps&qid=1645712884&refinements=p_n_feature_browse-bin%3A2656022011&rnid=618072011&s=books&sprefix=stardust&sr=1-3), illustrated by Charles Vess. I’m not much of a one for graphic novels, but this one has a lot of text, and I am enjoying the art. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/73 "2022-02-24T17:31:41Z")
I’m nearing the end of Stephen King’s **Billy Summers** on audio. Not that long ago I read his recent book **Later** , also on audio. I’ve noticed a disturbing trend in recent Stephen King novels. He’s now basically writing “Choose your own Adventure” books, at least as far as the endings go. He presents a long and detailed ending, then backs up to a branch point and says, in essence, “…but this is how it _really_ ends.”. He gives you a Happy Ending and a Sad Ending. He had played with this in his earlier works, going down one pathway of the “What ifs?” before going back to his main narrative. (remember the one in _Pet Sematary_? Is Gage hit by the truck or not?) But now they’re longer, and at the end of the book. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/74 "2022-02-24T19:22:51Z")
I finished [The Five People You Meet In Heaven](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3431.The_Five_People_You_Meet_in_Heaven) by Mitch Albom last night. Honestly, I only finished it because the entire thing was 200 pages. It felt schmaltzy and like it was a chore to get through. I’m also pretty early on in [Haben: The Deadblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43211952-haben?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=RQKcrsdkmA&rank=1), a memoir by Haben Girma. ---
**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:** [February 25, 2022, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/75 "2022-02-25T16:13:04Z")
Last night I finished _Immersion: A Pilgrimage into Service_ by James Menkhaus, about meaningful, non-oppressive and non-judgmental Christian missionary work. I know the author and wanted to be able to post a good Amazon review. The library yanked back my audiobook copy of Sally Rooney’s contemporary Irish novel _Beautiful World, Where Are You,_ which I’d gotten about three-quarters of the way through, dammit, so I’m taking an involuntary break from that. I’ve begun another audiobook, _The Longest Day_, Cornelius Ryan’s much-praised history of the WWII D-Day landings, in the meantime. I’ve also started _Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun_ by Rhoda Blumberg, a Newbery prizewinner about the U.S. 1853-54 diplomatic initiative to open Japan to foreign trade. ---
**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:** [February 25, 2022, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/76 "2022-02-25T20:29:05Z")
So do I. I read _Gun in Cheek_ and _Son of Gun in Cheek_ (my favorite of the three) many years ago. Pronzini’s _Six-Gun in Cheek_ is also a lot of fun. It includes gems such as “Yo’re lying!” cracked the cruelster." (Note: In context, the last word means “Someone who does cruel things.”) Now I’m reading _Rediscovery: Science Fiction by Women (1958-1963)_. It’s a collection of stories, and no editor is listed. ---
**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:** [February 25, 2022, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/77 "2022-02-25T21:26:22Z")
Started today on [Beneath a Pale Sky](https://www.amazon.com/Beneath-Pale-Sky-Philip-Fracassi/dp/1590217195/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1645824196&sr=8-1), a short story collection by Philip Fracassi. I haven’t got far enough to have any opinions yet, but I see it’s been nominated for a 2021 Bram Stoker award, so that bodes well. ---
**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:** [February 27, 2022, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/78 "2022-02-27T15:11:44Z")
Finished _Rediscovery: Science Fiction by Women (1958-1963)_ , which is an anthology. Normally, I list only my favorite story from an anthology here, but this time the quality is so high that I’m listing three: Best Twist: “The Pleiades”, by Otis Kidwell Burger Best Action Sequence: “A Matter of Proportion”, by Anne Walker Best Overall: “Unwillingly to School” by Pauline Ashwell I’m surprised that these stories aren’t better known. I strongly recommend all three. Now I’m reading _Surgeon in Blue: Jonathan Letterman, the Civil War Doctor Who Pioneered Battlefield Care_, by Scott McGaugh. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/79 "2022-02-28T13:44:59Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > Finished _Rediscovery: Science Fiction by Women (1958-1963)_ , which is an anthology. I read this a couple of months back, and listed it in the corresponding thread here. Interesting book, with lots of authors I never heard of. ---
**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:** [February 28, 2022, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722/80 "2022-02-28T14:36:59Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Started today on [Beneath a Pale Sky](https://www.amazon.com/Beneath-Pale-Sky-Philip-Fracassi/dp/1590217195/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1645824196&sr=8-1), a short story collection by Philip Fracassi. Mmm, I’m not going to read this. At three and a half stories in, I realized I wasn’t having any fun. I think it might be more apt to call these stories “weird” than to call them horror. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-february-2022-edition/958722.md?page=5)