# Khadaji's Whatcha Readin' thread - August 2014 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 28, 2014, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253 "2014-07-28T16:29:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/81 "2014-08-13T21:28:01Z")
**Sean Factotum** , why do you not like King to reference his works-in-movies? I’m not being snarky; just curious. ---
**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:** [August 15, 2014, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/82 "2014-08-15T12:53:51Z")
Just finished Truman Capote’s [Breakfast at Tiffany’s and three stories](http://www.amazon.com/Breakfast-at-Tiffanys-Three-Stories/dp/0679745653/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408106564&sr=1-1&keywords=breakfast+at+tiffany%27s). I hadn’t seen the movie and knew nothing going in except that Audrey Hepburn had played Holly Golightly. Audrey must have done a bang-up job if she managed to make that character likeable; Capote’s Holly is one nasty bitch. I’m just glad the cat found a good home. Two of the other stories were nothing special. The last story, A Christmas Memory, is a masterpiece. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/83 "2014-08-15T13:34:18Z")
Oddly enough, I also just finished Breakfast at Tiffany’s (though as a stand-alone, not with the other stories as originally published). ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/84 "2014-08-15T13:53:31Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > **Sean Factotum** , why do you not like King to reference his works-in-movies? I’m not being snarky; just curious. Not really necessary, in my opinion. It just seems to me he’s showing off about now much of a cultural icon he/his works have become. Now if he mentioned these events from those movies/books as actually happening, that’s different because he’s tying the new work into the world created in those earlier ones. He’s done it before (both well and badly, IMHO) in earlier novels, but this time I think it didn’t add anything to the story. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/85 "2014-08-15T16:02:53Z")
I just finished _Mr. Mercedes_ as well, I enjoyed it. It reads like an “unlikely buddy cop movie,” so it was an engaging, quick read. I don’t think it’s going to become my favorite Stephen King novel ever, but as a fan, I thought it was fine. Two total quibbles (so definitely skip if people who quibble with details annoy you): 1. Similar to an issue I had with _11/22/63_, Stephen King is dropping the ball with writing about people my age. Janey talks about her older sister taking her (or supposed to take her) to a U2 concert … but that doesn’t match up at all with her sister getting married and leaving the house in the late 1970s. I suppose it’s possible that the point was supposed to be that the married sister came back for the U2 concert, but the entire rest of the anecdote is chronological. The crux here is that U2 didn’t tour in the US until 1980. 2. A racist character rants that “Jerome” isn’t a black name (as in, the character is annoyed that a black teenager has a white name.) I can’t for the life of me figure out whether it is the character, or the author, who doesn’t know that the name is fairly popular in the black community. I feel like I’m giving the impression that I think a name should either white or black, which is not my point at all. My issue is that it was conveyed oddly in the book and it stuck out at me. The referencing of his own movies doesn’t bother me so much, I remember it being very jarring when it happened in one of the Dark Tower books, though (Eddie talks about The Shining, if I remember correctly). ---
**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:** [August 15, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/86 "2014-08-15T16:10:51Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Just finished Truman Capote’s [Breakfast at Tiffany’s and three stories](http://www.amazon.com/Breakfast-at-Tiffanys-Three-Stories/dp/0679745653/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408106564&sr=1-1&keywords=breakfast+at+tiffany%27s). I hadn’t seen the movie and knew nothing going in except that Audrey Hepburn had played Holly Golightly. Audrey must have done a bang-up job if she managed to make that character likeable; Capote’s Holly is one nasty bitch. Well there was the over the top horrifically racist portrayal of her Japanese landlord by Mickey Rooney… so you probably got off easy in the long run. ---
**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:** [August 15, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/87 "2014-08-15T17:41:16Z")
Yeah, I’ll be interested to see the movie now. _More_ interested, I’d have already watched it but haven’t conveniently run across it on TCM yet. ---
**Author:** ![Politzania](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@Politzania](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Politzania)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/88 "2014-08-15T18:11:20Z")
Vacation with a 4 hr plane trip each way let me knock a few titles off my ToRead list: _**[Planet of the Apes](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/414895.Planet_of_the_Apes?ac=1)**_ by Pierre Boulle. I’ve seen the original 3 films based on this novel & it’s interesting to do the compare/contrast. Ulyses Merou seems a much more passive protagonist than Taylor, the rough & ready test-pilot/astronaut of the film. In fact, the entire novel felt more like a Jules Verne story than any other SF I’ve read from the 1960’s. Maybe it’s a French thing? Another big change from story to film is the actual setting, which I had a bit of trouble with; I think the film has a more logical twist ending. There’s a lot more character development, naturally - Zira is the most well-rounded of the apes, with Cornelius and Zaius also being filled out fairly well. The reveal of Merou as a thinking being is both more gradual and on a grander scale - I was frustrated with how the apes seemed to ignore/overlook Merou speaking to them (albeit in a different language); even if it makes more sense than Taylor’s temporary muteness then leading to immediate shared communication. I definitely enjoyed the novel - tho I actually think I like the film series a bit more. _**[The God Engines](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6470498-the-god-engines)**_ by John Scalzi. Another reviewer called this novella fantasy dressed in sci-fi clothing, and I’d kind of agree. While I’ve seen other authors (Gaiman & Pratchett come to mind) use the idea that a god’s strength derives from its worshipers; Scalzi is the first I’ve seen to take the concept of “power” literally! As the title implies, gods are used as the powerplants for spaceships, albeit under duress. A Higher Power keeps them captive, and usually complacent. But Captain Tephe is dealing with an obstreperous god, and finds his faith sorely tested. I was fascinated with the world-building in this novella - and found myself wishing for more. The story itself was entertaining, once you buy into the conceits, and the characters were well-drawn. I found it interesting how one character is never identified by gender; Scalzi does a surprisingly good job of writing around the pronouns. Overall, an entertaining story. _**[The Paper Magician](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20727654-the-paper-magician)**_ by by Charlie N. Holmberg. It’s one of this month’s Kindle First offerings & I’d recommend checking it out if you’re into YA-style magic. Ceony Twill just graduated from Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined, and has been bound to an apprenticeship in Paper Magic, despite her desire to pursue metal magic. Her master, Magician Emery Thane, is a bit of an odd duck - but when a figure from his past comes to wreak havoc - Ceony finds herself on a quest to save her teacher’s life. While a bit whimsical to start with, I found both the world building and the plot quite interesting, and the characters engaging. It’s a fun read overall & I’ll probably keep an eye out for potential sequels, as it’s billed as the first of a trilogy. ---
**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:** [August 16, 2014, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/89 "2014-08-16T04:08:58Z")
> [@DZedNConfused](#): > > Well there was the over the top horrifically racist portrayal of her Japanese landlord by Mickey Rooney… so you probably got off easy in the long run. I know a Brit over here who despises Mickey Rooney for that role and did a little happy dance when he died. He’s part Chinese, dunno if that has anything to do with the sentiment. But before and since Rooney’s death, a group of us, whenever the discussion turns to movies, will often wax poetically about Mickey Rooney establishing the definitive Japanese character and how he could be more Japanese than the Japanese. Our friend is never quite sure if we’re kidding, heh. ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/90 "2014-08-16T18:58:09Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Check out Robert Harris’s _Fatherland_ and Len Deighton’s _SS-GB_ if you want much better “Hitler wins WWII” alt-hist than _The Man in the High Castle_. _SS-GB_ is a great read. One of the few thrillers I’ve reread several times. Even better, in a similar vein, is Stephen Fry’s _Making History_. It answers the question ‘what if you could go back in time and keep Hitler from being born’? Pretty good (and funny. And sad.) ---
**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:** [August 16, 2014, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/91 "2014-08-16T21:52:41Z")
I finished **Uneasy Relations** by Aaron Elkins. A fine easy read, though I agree with the policeman, if Gideon shows up expect a murder! hahahahaha ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/92 "2014-08-16T22:12:18Z")
I read **Plain Tales from the Hills** by Kipling, although looking at the list of stories on Wikipedia, it seems that some stories (about the Soldiers Three) were missing from the copy I downloaded from Project Gutenberg. They were pretty good, although some were fairly racist. ---
**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:** [August 17, 2014, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/93 "2014-08-17T00:12:18Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > I read **Plain Tales from the Hills** by Kipling, although looking at the list of stories on Wikipedia, it seems that some stories (about the Soldiers Three) were missing from the copy I downloaded from Project Gutenberg. They were pretty good, although some were fairly racist. Saying that some of Kipling is fairly racist is like saying some of the ocean is fairly wet. ---
**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:** [August 17, 2014, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/94 "2014-08-17T04:25:35Z")
Just zipped through F. Paul Wilson’s Nazis vs. demon novel _The Keep_, which I’d read thirty-some years ago. Not as good as I remembered, but still a good gruesome read. Skimmed through Lynne Cheney’s _James Madison: A Life Reconsidered_, which got a nice review in the NYT. She writes pretty well and provides some good context for Madison’s leadership (or lack thereof) during the War of 1812, in particular. I think slightly better of him now. Next up: Pat Conroy’s _The Lords of Discipline_, about the desegregation of a Southern military institute during the Vietnam War. This is another re-read for me; I think I last read it in high school. I’d forgotten how florid the prose of his introduction is, but will soon get past it. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2014, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/95 "2014-08-17T18:48:54Z")
Just finished “Tis”, by Frank McCourt. Liked it, but I suspect that it obviates the need to read “Angela’s Ashes”, which I haven’t done yet, and it is probably more of the same. Lase week I read J M Coetzee’s “Summertime”, which I thought was dreadful, but I’ll continue to enjoy his earlier books. Finished Rachel Kushner’s “The Flamethrower” – Now I really want to read “Telex from Cuba” but my library doesn’t have it. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2014, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/96 "2014-08-17T20:49:14Z")
**Unbroken** by Laura Hillenbrand true story about Olympic runner Louie Zamperini (upcoming movie directed by Angelina Jolie) ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/97 "2014-08-18T00:52:05Z")
I finished reading Kipling’s **The Light That Failed** ; it was a bit too melodramatic for my tastes. ---
**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:** [August 18, 2014, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/98 "2014-08-18T02:44:42Z")
> [@eenerms](#): > > **Unbroken** by Laura Hillenbrand true story about Olympic runner Louie Zamperini (upcoming movie directed by Angelina Jolie) He died early last month, alas: [http://edition.cnn.com/2014/07/03/showbiz/movies/obit-zamperini-unbroken/](http://edition.cnn.com/2014/07/03/showbiz/movies/obit-zamperini-unbroken/) ---
**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:** [August 18, 2014, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/99 "2014-08-18T12:34:42Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Next up: Pat Conroy’s _The Lords of Discipline_, about the desegregation of a Southern military institute during the Vietnam War. This is another re-read for me; I think I last read it in high school. I’d forgotten how florid the prose of his introduction is, but will soon get past it. That’s my favorite of Conroy’s. I’m currently reading [The Elementals](http://www.amazon.com/Elementals-Michael-McDowell/dp/1941147178/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-2&qid=1408364917), a horror novel by Michael McDowell. It is so laughably Southern gothic that I nearly gave it up at the beginning, but it’s gotten much creepier by the midpoint. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253/100 "2014-08-18T13:33:02Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > He died early last month, alas: [http://edition.cnn.com/2014/07/03/showbiz/movies/obit-zamperini-unbroken/](http://edition.cnn.com/2014/07/03/showbiz/movies/obit-zamperini-unbroken/) Yes, I heard that…what a story! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2014/694253.md?page=6)