# Khadaji’s Whatcha Reading Thread - June 2023 edition **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [May 29, 2023, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-june-2023-edition/984751 "2023-05-29T20:42:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![NegativeZer0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/negativezer0/32/14307_2.png) [@NegativeZer0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NegativeZer0)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-june-2023-edition/984751/101 "2023-06-27T17:35:26Z")
I’m heading on an 8 day trip to Mexico next week and looking forward to _lots_ of beachside reading, but wanting some recommendations: namely, non-fiction and/or self help that is easy to read, but “smart”…if that makes sense. I don’t want to read something dense, but I do want to have something that I can learn from (subjects/topics are open). Stuff I’m considering now is “Outlived” by Peter Attia, “Four Thousand Weeks” by Oliver Burkeman, and “The Wager” by David Grann. ---
**Author:** ![TruePisces](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/truepisces/32/13628_2.png) [@TruePisces](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruePisces)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-june-2023-edition/984751/102 "2023-06-27T19:51:33Z")
I read it earlier in the month. I liked it quite a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-june-2023-edition/984751/103 "2023-06-28T03:44:41Z")
I read _Four Thousand Weeks_ and enjoyed it, mostly, though I don’t remember too much about it. Your description of what you’re looking for brings to mind Bill Bryson and Malcolm Gladwell. Not everyone (certainly not everyone here on this board) is a fan of either of these two writers, and some might say their books are full of oversimplification and factoids that aren’t quite accurate, but I like both of them; their works are accessible, not dense, and (at least mostly) informative. Might be worth a try anyway! ---
**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:** [June 29, 2023, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-june-2023-edition/984751/104 "2023-06-29T03:55:29Z")
Finished _Gone Girl_, which is a great book, and thanks for the recommendation! By the end of the story, I hated both of the protagonists. It was a excellent way to pass the miles on my drive to the West Coast. Now I have to find something for the drive home… ---
**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:** [June 29, 2023, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-june-2023-edition/984751/105 "2023-06-29T04:04:14Z")
Glad you liked it. Flynn’s other novels are good, but not _as_ good as _Gone Girl,_ I’d say. Next, I’d recommend Dan Chaon’s clever, chilling _Await Your Reply._ ---
**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:** [June 29, 2023, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-june-2023-edition/984751/106 "2023-06-29T12:51:37Z")
Finished The Wishing Game. If you’re in need of a heartwarming story with no danger of things not turning out all right, this is for you. I read the last few chapters with Kleenex in hand, but afterwards felt like I’d been eating sugar right out of the bag. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2023, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-june-2023-edition/984751/107 "2023-06-29T16:39:09Z")
I started and then quickly gave up on _The Prophets_ by Robert Jones, Jr. I got three chapters in before my sense of dread sent me to checking the Goodreads reviews (never a good sign). Many of the negative reviews called it “overwritten” which was my problem with it. Back to the library it goes. On the flip side, I recently read and loved _Dumb Dumb Dumb: My Mother’s Book Reviews_ by Mary Jo Pehl. [Here’s my review of it](https://eclecticreviewer.wordpress.com/2023/06/23/dumb-dumb-dumb-my-mothers-book-reviews-mary-jo-pehl/). ---
**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:** [June 29, 2023, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-june-2023-edition/984751/108 "2023-06-29T19:24:46Z")
Finished _The Maltese Iguana_, by Tim Dorsey, which I enjoyed. Now I’m reading _Signs and Mysteries: Revealing Ancient Christian Symbols_, by Mike Aquilina. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2023, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-june-2023-edition/984751/109 "2023-06-30T01:23:11Z")
I will get the new thread up tomorrow afternoon MST. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2023, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-june-2023-edition/984751/110 "2023-06-30T03:20:55Z")
Today on my road trip I listened to the entirety of _The Murder Rule_ by Dervla McTiernan. A decent mystery read with a really good plot twist at the end. Next up: _Await Your Reply_ by Dan Chaon. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2023, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-june-2023-edition/984751/111 "2023-06-30T03:25:37Z")
Ooo, hope you like 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:** [June 30, 2023, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-june-2023-edition/984751/112 "2023-06-30T23:08:19Z")
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