# Khadaji's Whatcha Readin - June 2013 edition
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [May 31, 2013, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805 "2013-05-31T20:13:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2013, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/1 "2013-05-31T20:13:09Z")
Welcome to June, everyone. I’ve been looking forward to this month for a long time. After having almost no time to read for most of May, June promises lots of quiet time with a book or two…
I just finished ‘Fluke’ by Christopher Moore last weekend, and I’ve got a couple of his other books on order with the library. (By the way, whoever invented this system whereby you can look up a book in the online catalogue, put a hold on it and have it delivered to your neighbourhood brance ought to be canonized, in my opinion.)
I have the recent Penguin translations of Marcus Aurelius’ “Meditations”, and Confucius’ “Analects” on the go, and I’ve been reading “The Man Who Lied to his Laptop” by Clifford Nass and Corina Yen, which is all about learning about human behaviour by studying how we interact with computers. Quite fascinating.
Our last month’s thread can be found [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=689665).
What about you folks?
**Khadaji** was a long time Doper who always had kind and encouraging words for others. His passion for books and reading led him to start this ongoing monthly thread, and it is in fond remembrance that we’ve continued these threads under his name. Ave atque vale, Khadaji!
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [June 1, 2013, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/2 "2013-06-01T02:32:32Z")
I am 2/3 of the way through _Point Counter Point_, by Aldous Huxley. Published in 1928 and set about that time. His longest novel, but still I should have been finished with it by mow. Reading time grows scarcer and scarcer, says the man surfing the Internet right now. It’s very good though. Playing off the different stories of a group of friends in and near London in the same manner as a musical composition. Read it and you’ll see what I mean. It’s interesting to read who all the characters are based on too, on the book’s Wikipedia page.
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### Author:  [@movingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/movingfinger)
#### Post date: [June 1, 2013, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/3 "2013-06-01T06:49:59Z")
I just finished \*\*The Shipping News \*\* by Annie Proulx and was pleasantly surprised.
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### Author:  [@Rala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rala)
#### Post date: [June 1, 2013, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/4 "2013-06-01T08:18:44Z")
I’m reading [Pied Piper](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/107315.Pied_Piper) by Nevil Shute. An elderly Englishman whose vacation in France is interrupted by Germany invading takes a group of children under his wing and becomes determined to get them safely out of the country. It’s a sweet story.
I’m also reading the works of Tamora Pierce with an online book club. We finished [First Test](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1385663.First_Test) yesterday, and we’re starting [Page](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/153785.Page) next week. These books were a huge part of my childhood, it’s great fun to revisit them with other people, some of whom also love and remember them and some who are discovering them for the first time.
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### Author:  [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)
#### Post date: [June 1, 2013, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/5 "2013-06-01T10:12:55Z")
I would be reading the sf novel [Engineman](http://www.amazon.co.uk/Engineman-ebook/dp/B004HZYGOU/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1370081346&sr=1-1&keywords=engineman+eric+brown) by **Eric Brown** , but I’ve paused half way through. I’m now reading [Wyst](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyst:_Alastor_1716) by the late, great **Jack Vance**.
R. I. P., Jack.
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### Author:  [@Politzania](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Politzania)
#### Post date: [June 2, 2013, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/6 "2013-06-02T02:05:47Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#):
>
> By the way, whoever invented this system whereby you can look up a book in the online catalogue, put a hold on it and have it delivered to your neighbourhood branch ought to be canonized, in my opinion.)
Here, here! And even better are electronic library consortiums like [Indiana Digital Media](http://idm.lib.overdrive.com/EF2C4C8F-CEF7-435E-881C-E7F943BC2C4D/10/50/en/Default.htm) where you can not only search the catalog and put items on hold - but when they’re available, download them right to your computer/ e-reader!
I finally finished Daniel O’Malley’s _**[The Rook](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10836728-the-rook)**_ (as read by Susan Duerden) and it was really, really good! O’Malley kept ramping the plot up from peak to peak, and Myfanwy kept meeting those challenges, tho not without cost. The touches of dry, British humour added nicely to the tone of the story, and I’m really looking forward to the next installment. I’m also thankful that _The Rook_ didn’t end on a cliffhanger or leave too many threads hanging - just enough to intrigue me. I will be buying this book for my own, tho since it’s 486 pages, probably as the e-text version.
Also devoured Mary Roach’s latest - _**[Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13615414-gulp)**_ - like her previous work, _[Stiff](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32145.Stiff)_ - I wouldn’t recommend reading while eating unless you have a strong constitution, as Roach covers the entire GI tract top to bottom. Along the way, she visits with scientists exploring why crunchy food is so appealing; researches an odd partnership between a man with a stomach fistula and a doctor researching digestion; and talks with the medical team (and the patient) involved in an intestinal flora transplant.
While Roach brings her same intensely curious, yet tongue-in-cheek approach to this book, I didn’t find myself quite as caught up this time around. I can’t quite put my finger on why; whether the material was at fault, or if her schtick is starting to wear thin… I’m leaning a bit toward the former.
I did buy the Kindle version of the book, as it was on sale (and I had a gift cert burning a hole in my virtual pocket) and I’m sure I’ll re-read it, tho perhaps not as often as _Stiff_ or _Packing for Mars_. Recommended to those interested in food science, GI ailments and cures or just have a general interest in the human body and how it ticks.
I also breezed through _**[Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12284375-temple-grandin)**_, a memoir co-authored by Grandin and Sy Montgomery. I didn’t realize until I started reading that it’s basically a YA book, with age-appropriate vocabulary, sentence structure and tone. However, that in no way takes away from the work; in fact, I can see it becoming a valuable resource for teachers and parents working with young people on the autistic spectrum.
While I was already familiar with the basics of her career from her other books, I enjoyed the look at her younger years, as well as the wealth of pictures and illustrations. This book also gives a very good overview of how her work has improved the lives of livestock without going into gory detail (tho it comes close in one short section). Recommended to anyone interested in a engaging biography that illustrates overcoming obstacles in a straightforward, non-cloying way.
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### Author:  [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)
#### Post date: [June 2, 2013, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/7 "2013-06-02T02:17:19Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#):
>
> (By the way, whoever invented this system whereby you can look up a book in the online catalogue, put a hold on it and have it delivered to your neighbourhood brance ought to be canonized, in my opinion.)
Indeed … although I’m also in the midst of one of those times when I had a lot reserved that didn’t come forever … and now they all came at once. I must not be saying the right novenas. And I really try to strategically manage my reserve list, too – mixing up things like bestsellers with a very long line with older titles that don’t have much demand. But yet, the system is a fickle mistress.
I finished _Serving Victoria_, which is the diaries and letters collected from people who had appointments at Queen Victoria’s court. I enjoyed it, but it’s definitely for people who want a lot of details about mundane things.
In the flood of things that just arrived, I have:
- Equilateral \*by Ken Kalfus
_The Rook_, as has been mentioned favorably in this thread several times.
_Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing_ by Po Bronson
- A Corner of White\*, a YA novel with a premise that I thought was cute - a girl meets a boy from a fantasy realm, and thinks he’s putting her on.
\*Farthing \*by Jo Walton, as I really enjoyed her _Among Others_.
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### Author:  [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)
#### Post date: [June 2, 2013, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/8 "2013-06-02T03:38:35Z")
> [@Politzania](#):
>
> I also breezed through _**[Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12284375-temple-grandin)**_, a memoir co-authored by Grandin and Sy Montgomery.
HBO did a biopic on her a few years back. There were several excellent scenes attempting to show how her mind worked, her thought processes. I thought they did a good job, and Claire Danes was great as Ms. Grandin.
I’m still reading **The Son** by Philipp Meyer, the story of a Texas family from the 1830’s to the present. I think it’s quite good, but it’s very violent.
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### Author:  [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)
#### Post date: [June 2, 2013, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/9 "2013-06-02T04:21:50Z")
Over the past few days I raced through Joe Haldeman’s _Camouflage_, which I really enjoyed despite a somewhat abrupt (but happy) ending. Two virtually immortal shapeshifting aliens feel inexplicably drawn to the same ancient artifact recovered from deep in the Pacific - one of them is amoral and violent, but the other has a conscience and a growing affinity for humanity. Good stuff.
Still making my way through Ron Chernow’s _Washington: A Life_, which is well-done but taking some time.
Since I usually have at least two books going at once, I may next return to one of Alan Dean Foster’s _Star Trek Logs_ (adaptations of ST animated series episodes) next. I loved those as a kid.
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### Author:  [@Future\_Londonite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Future_Londonite)
#### Post date: [June 2, 2013, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/10 "2013-06-02T09:44:39Z")
Have started reading **The Bloodline Feud** by _Charles Stross_ which is the first omnibus of the **Merchant Princes** series - am quite looking so far - nothing mindplowingly original but it plots along nicely with enough twists and stories being set up. Once finished ith this series I’m starting **The Lives of Tao** by _Wesley Chu_
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### Author:  [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)
#### Post date: [June 2, 2013, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/11 "2013-06-02T11:28:24Z")
Finished reading _Myth-ion Improbable_, by Robert Lynn Asprin, last night and will be starting _Myth-Fortunes_ tonight.
My current car book is _Thirteen at Dinner_, by Agatha Christie.
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### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [June 2, 2013, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/12 "2013-06-02T15:16:56Z")
**Shades of Grey**
The novel by [Jasper fforde](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2113260.Shades_of_Grey), that was published a couple of years before another novel with a similar name
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### Author:  [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)
#### Post date: [June 2, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/13 "2013-06-02T19:43:14Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#):
>
> **Shades of Grey**
>
> The novel by [Jasper fforde](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2113260.Shades_of_Grey), that was published a couple of years before another novel with a similar name
I quite enjoyed this! I haven’t checked if the sequel is out yet… _wanders off to Amazon_
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### Author:  [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2013, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/14 "2013-06-03T13:28:31Z")
> [@delphica](#):
>
> Indeed … although I’m also in the midst of one of those times when I had a lot reserved that didn’t come forever … and now they all came at once. I must not be saying the right novenas. And I really try to strategically manage my reserve list, too – mixing up things like bestsellers with a very long line with older titles that don’t have much demand. But yet, the system is a fickle mistress.
It happened to me this weekend too. I picked up six things at once and now I’ll have to go through my TBR pile in strict order to make sure it all goes back to the library in time.
Starting on [The Round House](http://www.amazon.com/The-Round-House-Louise-Erdrich/dp/0062065246) by Louise Erdrich. I’m annoyed by the lack of quotation marks in the dialogue, but the tale is interesting enough.
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### Author:  [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2013, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/15 "2013-06-03T14:29:31Z")
I was mostly finished reading **Robinson Crusoe** when I sat on my e-reader and cracked the screen. ☹
Until I get a new reader, I’ll be rereading my dead tree copy of **Vanity Fair**.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2013, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/16 "2013-06-03T16:08:15Z")
> [@hogarth](#):
>
> I was mostly finished reading **Robinson Crusoe** when I sat on my e-reader and cracked the screen. ☹
>
> Until I get a new reader, I’ll be rereading my dead tree copy of **Vanity Fair**.
See? This is why I’m still reading dead tree copies. I can sit on them forever, and they won’t break.
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### Author:  [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2013, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/17 "2013-06-03T17:27:25Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#):
>
> See? This is why I’m still reading dead tree copies. I can sit on them forever, and they won’t break.
Most dead tree books I don’t have to worry about sitting on, but that’s because they don’t fit in my back pocket!
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### Author:  [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/18 "2013-06-03T20:39:40Z")
I see [Joyland](http://www.amazon.com/Joyland-Hard-Case-Crime-Stephen/dp/1781162646) shipped today! 🙂
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### Author:  [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2013, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/19 "2013-06-04T19:26:30Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#):
>
> I see [Joyland](http://www.amazon.com/Joyland-Hard-Case-Crime-Stephen/dp/1781162646) shipped today! 🙂
This is one of those agonizing times, because _Joyland_ is my Mother’s Day gift (ordered then, to arrive now) AND I got hit with the massive influx of reserved books from the library, some of which are new releases so I have limited time with them. How am I supposed to enjoy reading another book when _Joyland_ is sitting around the house, ignored?
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### Author:  [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-june-2013-edition/659805/20 "2013-06-04T20:01:25Z")
**delphica** , I’ve got the same problem. I’m going to finish the book I’m on, then _Joyland_, then back to the regularly scheduled TBR pile. There’s not \*really \*a Library Policeman, right?
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