# Khadaji’s Whatcha Reading Thread - September 2023 edition **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [August 28, 2023, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241 "2023-08-28T20:36:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [September 9, 2023, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/21 "2023-09-09T14:42:17Z")
I finished listening to _Dark Angel_ by John Sandford. Another well-paced, highly entertaining read by a master storyteller. This is his second novel featuring Letty Davenport, daughter of Sandford’s longtime protagonist, Lucas Davenport. The story features women sharpshooters, ransomware hackers, and Russian spies. ---
**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:** [September 10, 2023, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/22 "2023-09-10T00:07:15Z")
I dnfed _The Dictionary of Lost Words_ due to not being able to keep my interest. The book had stopped being about words and dictionaries and was more about "young motherless woman in pre world war I England. (I actually had an inkling it wasn’t for me when I saw the author’s name was Pip.) ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2023, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/23 "2023-09-10T00:09:27Z")
Un-trumping America by Dan Pfeiffer. Its very good. ---
**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:** [September 10, 2023, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/24 "2023-09-10T18:01:26Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > At about 50 pages in, I’m wishing he wouldn’t mention Trump so much. It’s set in the early days of the pandemic, so he can’t avoid it entirely, but I’d rather read about creepy serial killers than that whole unpleasantness. Same here. I hate the orange asshole as much as anybody, but don’t need to read King’s thinly-disguised opinions in his books. It’s not entertaining, and it just seems like whining. Hopefully it will get better. ---
**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:** [September 10, 2023, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/25 "2023-09-10T18:42:46Z")
Finished _The Science of Can and Can’t: A Physicist’s Journey Through the Land of Counterfactuals_, by Chiara Marletto. Meh. Now I’m reading _Wandmaking 101_, by David Hochhalter and Tom Crepeau. ---
**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:** [September 10, 2023, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/26 "2023-09-10T23:57:32Z")
I finished Laura Lippman’s newest standalone novel, _Prom Mom._ I generally like her writing very much, and I do think this book was nicely written, but on the whole it didn’t really add up for me. Among other things, one of the plot twists revealed at the end doesn’t land very well–my reaction was more “Huh? Where did THIS come from?” than “Wow, that explains everything!” Oh well. Began Dan Jurafsky’s _The Language of Food: A Linguist Reads the Menu._ I very much liked Chapter 1, a study correlating the types of words used on menus with the cost of the food; have been less interested in subsequent chapters on topics such as the history of words and dishes like _entree_ and _ketchup._ We’ll see if I stick with it. ---
**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:** [September 11, 2023, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/27 "2023-09-11T02:14:30Z")
Finished _The Outsider_, by Stephen King. A beloved high-school English teacher/sports coach is accused of the brutal rape and murder of a young boy in small-town Oklahoma. Forensics evidence and eyewitnesses lock him in as the culprit. But equally strong forensics evidence and eyewitness accounts also firmly place him hundreds of miles away at the time of the crime. What exactly is going on? Reintroduces Holly Gibney from King’s Bill Hodges trilogy. Very good. Have started reading _In a Country with No Name_, by Ron Morris. A young American man in Bangkok gets mixed up in politics in a neighboring country. The book does not come out until next year, but the author is a friend of mine and gave me an advance copy. He’s the one I mentioned before who also wrote the recent _There Are Still Unknown Places_, which I read just before the King novel. Becoming quite the author, he is. ---
**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:** [September 11, 2023, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/28 "2023-09-11T14:18:20Z")
Finishing up **Hellburner** by Mike Maden, contributing to Clive Cussler’s long-running _Oregon Files_ series. This appears to be Mr. Maden’s first foray into Cussler-land, although he’s been writing Jack Ryan, Jr. novels in Tom Clancy’s series, and has written another Oregon files novel, _Fire Strike._ He slips into Cussler’s universe and style pretty easily. Cussler’s series are one of my guilty pleasures, especially in audiobook form. But I picked this one up as a paperback a week ago. Next up, unless I find something else, is Howard Pyle’s **The Story of King Arthur and his Knights**. I’ve read a lot of the original Arthur literature, and several adaptations, such as T.H. White’s _Once and Future King_, but I’ve never read Pyle, so this ought to be interesting. ---
**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:** [September 11, 2023, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/29 "2023-09-11T15:35:48Z")
Finished _Wandmaking 101_, by David Hochhalter and Tom Crepeau. Not recommended. Now I’m reading _Wobble to Death_, a Sergeant Cribb mystery by Peter Lovesey. ---
**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:** [September 11, 2023, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/30 "2023-09-11T17:16:29Z")
Started reading _The Investigator_ by John Sandford. It’s #1 in the Letty Davenport series. I just finished #2 and realized I hadn’t read the first one yet. Yes, I’m old. ---
**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:** [September 12, 2023, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/31 "2023-09-12T18:38:35Z")
I finished _The Passengers_ by John Marrs, a near-future British thriller about multiple autonomous cars being hacked one day by a shadowy bad guy(s). Each of the people in the hijacked cars - a cop, an aging movie star, an Indian woman escaping an abusive husband, etc. - has a secret. Several good twists and turns in the book, which I liked, all in all. Almost halfway through with _JFK, Oswald and Ruby: Politics, Prejudice and Truth_ by Burt W. Griffin, nonfiction by a retired judge who was a Warren Commission staff lawyer. His primary responsibility was determining whether Jack Ruby was part of any conspiracy. The writing is a bit plodding at times, but I’m pressing on. Just started _Colonel Sun_ by Kingsley Amis, which was, in 1968, the first non-Ian-Fleming-written James Bond novel. I like it so far. Bond is worried that he’s getting into a bit of a rut, but doesn’t yet know that he’s under surveillance by someone who almost certainly doesn’t wish him well. > [@CalMeacham](#): > > …Next up, unless I find something else, is Howard Pyle’s **The Story of King Arthur and his Knights**. I’ve read a lot of the original Arthur literature, and several adaptations, such as T.H. White’s _Once and Future King_, but I’ve never read Pyle, so this ought to be interesting. Check out Thomas Berger’s _Arthur Rex_ sometime. It’s a knowing and affectionate retelling of the Arthurian tales - the chapters on Sir Gawaine are particularly good. ---
**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:** [September 13, 2023, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/32 "2023-09-13T11:24:31Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Check out Thomas Berger’s _Arthur Rex_ sometime. It’s a knowing and affectionate retelling of the Arthurian tales - the chapters on Sir Gawaine are particularly good. I reads it when it first came out. The Sir Gawaine chapter was excerpted in Playboy, with a Frank Frazetta illustration. If you haven’t read the classic poem (or seen the recent movie), have a look. Berger sexes things up significantly. ---
**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:** [September 13, 2023, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/33 "2023-09-13T11:37:18Z")
Here’s the painting – “Castle of Sin” > **[TRANSISTORADIO](https://transistoradio.tumblr.com/post/79399695016/frank-frazetta-castle-of-sin-1978-oil-on/amp)** > > Frank Frazetta, Castle of Sin (1978), oil on masonite, 24 x 15 inches, illustration for an excerpt from the novel Arthur Rex by Thomas Berger, published in Playboy magazine, September 1978. > **[Amazon.com: KLAUZ 30+ Frank Frazetta Artwork Wall Art Decor Poster Print Fantasy...](https://www.amazon.com/KLAUZ-Frazetta-Paintings-Bathroom-Unframe-28-08x12inch/dp/B0BVM1MN5T)** > > We offer an extensive range of products and never compromise on quality. We want to be considered as the best place for shopping for these items.1. We try our best to provide accurate descriptions and realistic pictures. However, due to personal... ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2023, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/34 "2023-09-13T15:31:17Z")
**Ascension: A Novel** Nicholas Binge In 1991, a giant mountain suddenly appears in the Pacific Ocean. An expedition is sent to climb it, and all of them die or go insane. So, a second expedition is sent. Of course. As the members of the second expedition ascend the mountain, things get weirder and weirder… Well-written and briskly paced, with some good plot twists and lots of psychological horror. Highly recommended (if you don’t mind the horror and violence) ---
**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:** [September 13, 2023, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/35 "2023-09-13T18:11:12Z")
Finished Stephen King’s Holly this morning. It was decent. If you already like his stuff, you’ll like this too, though I don’t think it’ll bring any new fans. No supernatural stuff. Actually I was expecting more gory details, but no. It’s just a detective story with an implausible denouement, told in a familiar style. (Thank you, Stephen, I love you!) ---
**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:** [September 13, 2023, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/36 "2023-09-13T18:30:11Z")
Finished _Wobble to Death_, a Sergeant Cribb mystery by Peter Lovesey, which I enjoyed. Now I’m reading _Deadly Memory_ by David Walton. It’s the sequel to _Living Memory_, a science fiction novel. ---
**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:** [September 13, 2023, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/37 "2023-09-13T18:40:08Z")
Ah, yes, thanks, **CalMeacham**. I had seen that Franzetta painting before, and saw the recent movie. ---
**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:** [September 14, 2023, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/38 "2023-09-14T15:13:13Z")
Started today on a collection of stories and poems called [Midnight Under the Big Top: tales of madness, murder, and magic](https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Under-Big-Top-Madness/dp/1587678896/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1694703908&sr=8-1). Some real big names here and some stories I’ve read previously. The first story was a Stephen King story I’d never read, or maybe I did and forgot about it. It was very forgettable. ---
**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:** [September 14, 2023, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/39 "2023-09-14T15:43:09Z")
And it is available as a kindle book! Found this online: > King wrote “The Night of the Tiger” in 1963 at the age of 16, ---
**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:** [September 14, 2023, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241/40 "2023-09-14T15:44:15Z")
Oh all right then. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-september-2023-edition/989241.md?page=3)