# Khadaji's Whatcha Readin' thread -- August 2018 Edition **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 30, 2018, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787 "2018-07-30T00:33:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/101 "2018-08-20T15:37:20Z")
Last night I finished _[Less](https://www.amazon.com/Less-Winner-Pulitzer-Prize-Novel/dp/031631613X/)_, which was delightful. I don’t think I’ve ever used that word to describe a book before, but it fits. 🙂 It was recommended/reviewed by a Facebook friend last month. I plan to check out more from the author, Andrew Sean Greer. Tonight I’ll start a book written by D.C.-area musician [Robert “Bob” Boguslaw](https://www.bobboguslaw.com/), called _**Keys to the White House (And Other Stories of a Gig Warrior)**_. It isn’t available online, and isn’t in the Goodreads database (yet): I got my copy by sending him a check. Bob is a retired US Marine, and spent years as a pianist for the “President’s Own” US Marine Band. From his website: “The book takes us from the night clubs and cruise ships of Miami, to show bands in South America, to the concert halls and horse farms of central Kentucky, to White House State Dinners and Kennedy Center Honors celebrations. The best and worst gigs, the emotional highs and lows, and some of the lessons that life has taught me through music, are all in this book.” It will be the first “real” book I’ve read in some time; I’ve been all e-book for years. It’ll be interesting to have to remember to keep the bedside light on. 😉 I’m looking forward to starting it tonight, and I’m also looking forward to hearing Bob and his group play at a local venue on Friday evening. ---
**Author:** ![Panther\_Modern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@Panther\_Modern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panther_Modern)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/102 "2018-08-20T15:43:20Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > I love that book. I’ve read it two or three times. > > Right now I’m working on book 3 of The Expanse series. So far the quality is holding up, which is nice. My experience with long series like this is that typically the first book or two are good and then quality drops precipitously. So we’ll see. My friend loves this series and highly recommends it. This is on my to-read list, but I’m not ready to jump into a major series just yet. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2018, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/103 "2018-08-20T15:55:21Z")
I’m not done with _Leonardo da Vinci_ yet, but spotted _Paul Simon: The Life_ on the library shelf, so grabbed it. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/104 "2018-08-20T16:44:38Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Have started _Doctor Sleep_, by Stephen King, his sequel to _The Shining_, in which young Danny has grown up to become an alcoholic like his father and seriously damaged by the events of the first book, which took place when he was five years old. Fascinating so far. About 100 pages into it, and it’s just as good as _11/22/63_. I really liked _Doctor Sleep_. Once you’re done, I’d be interested in swapping thoughts on the ending. I could never get into _11/22/63_, however. I’ve tried a few times. I may try one more time. Everyone else seems to like it. 😕 I finished the second Dr. Greta Helsing book, _Dreadful Company_. I really liked it. It introduces monster pets, which were simultaneously cute and odd. It’s been a fun series. I also read _Jane Doe: A Novel_ by Victoria Helen Stone (AKA Victoria Dahl). It’s a revenge story, and a beach read. I liked this one as well. A woman comes to town to seek revenge on her best friend’s abuser. Nothing deep in this story, but it was interesting to see the dissection of his techniques from her side. His constant little digs about appearance and so on. I’ve started _The Calculating Stars_ by Mary Robinette Kowal. It’s an alternate history story. Humanity is forced to reach for space earlier when a meteorite hits the planet and starts catastrophic climate change. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/105 "2018-08-20T17:11:45Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Now I’m reading **Greeks Bearing Gifts** , the final Bernie Gunther novel. For those not familiar with him, he’s a German cop who started policework before the rise of the Nazis and who muddled through the Third Reich trying not to do anything too horrifying. He more or less succeeds but comes out with a bone-deep case of self-loathing. Finished this one, and it’s as good as all the Gunther books. If I’m right, that it’s the last one, it’s a shame: the character was poised to go in a really interesting direction. Currently I’m reading [Space Opera](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24100285-space-opera), by Cathrynne Valente. It has all her faults–ADHD writing that’s super in love with its own wordplay–and all her virtues–ADHD writing that’s super in love with its own wordplay, plus clever plots and plenty of humor. She’s fun, but exhausting. ---
**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 20, 2018, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/106 "2018-08-20T18:06:55Z")
Listening to an audiobook of Jewish-themed short stories, _For the Relief of Unbearable Urges_, by Nathan Englander. It’s OK but not great. Doubt I’ll remember it a week after finishing 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:** [August 20, 2018, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/107 "2018-08-20T21:32:51Z")
I started **Hidden Figures** by Margot Shetterly. I’m not far, but it’s pretty obvious that she’d never written non fiction before this book: she’s cramming in a lot of detail and hops from subject to subject. I also started **Soul Breaker** by Clara Coulson yesterday, it’s best described as a much less snarky, American, bloodier version of the **Rivers Of London** series. Basically; rookie cop sees supernatural murder, is transfered to the “supernatural” unit of the police, hijinks and murder ensue. It’s pretty enjoyable even with the first person, present tense “noir” narrative, but it sure ISN’T Peter Grant and Co. ---
**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 21, 2018, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/108 "2018-08-21T14:12:36Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > …I’m going back to reading Richard W. Smith’s _Bishop McIlvaine, Slavery, Britain & the Civil War_, about a top Episcopal cleric who helped Lincoln as an unofficial envoy to the British government… Finished it. Rather dry, and poorly edited, but I learned a bit from it. Also recently finished: _Rocket Jockey_ by Lester del Rey - A fun, exciting 1952 sf novel about a race across the Solar System, starting and ending on Earth, and touching on every inhabited world - Luna, Mars, Mercury, Venus and four Jovian moons. _Twenty Days with Julian & Little Bunny by Papa_ by Nathaniel Hawthorne - The famous author’s 1851 short account of his time as a single parent while his wife was out of town, leaving him with their precocious son and pet rabbit in rural Massachusetts. Charmingly familiar scenes for any parent, although most of us don’t have Herman freakin’ Melville drop by for coffee and literary chats. Includes a nice intro by Paul Auster. ---
**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 22, 2018, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/109 "2018-08-22T04:38:56Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > I really liked _Doctor Sleep_. Once you’re done, I’d be interested in swapping thoughts on the ending. I could never get into _11/22/63_, however. I’ve tried a few times. I may try one more time. Everyone else seems to like it. 😕 I loved _11/22/63_. My only complaint was I read an edition published in London, and they had 1960s Texans using British slang such as “fags” for “cigarettes” and “snog” for “kiss.” Having grown up in Texas in the 1960s, I can assure you that would never have happened, particularly that usage of “fags.” ---
**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 23, 2018, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/110 "2018-08-23T00:51:50Z")
Now reading _Great Stories of Space Travel_, a 1963 collection of short stories edited by Groff Conklin, and _Groo: Friends and Foes, Vol. 1_, a Conanesque sword-and-sorcery parody by longtime _Mad_ magazine cartoonist Sergio Aragones. ---
**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 23, 2018, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/111 "2018-08-23T01:24:20Z")
Most frequently unfinished books, per Goodreads: [The 15 Most Common Books Never Finished, According To Goodreads](https://bookriot.com/?p=169172) ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/112 "2018-08-23T01:28:50Z")
That’s an interesting list. I can absolutely understand some of 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:** [August 23, 2018, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/113 "2018-08-23T01:35:53Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Most frequently unfinished books, per Goodreads: [https://bookriot.com/?p=169172](https://bookriot.com/?p=169172) The two I read, I reviewed very low. Not sure WHY I finished Miss Peregrine as much as I loathed everything after the first chapter. About half that list, I wouldn’t read for ANY amount of money, I value my brain cells too much. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/114 "2018-08-23T01:48:34Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Most frequently unfinished books, per Goodreads: [https://bookriot.com/?p=169172](https://bookriot.com/?p=169172) I DNFed two (Miss Peregrine (I don’t have a review, but I know I DNFed that MFer) and the Harkness book). I stopped reading the Divergent series at book one. Have read _Outlander_ (3 stars), _A Game of Thrones_ (3 stars, DNF the 2nd book and the series), _Shiver_ (2 stars),\* Throne of Glass\* (2 stars), and _The Magicians_ (3 stars). I wouldn’t reread any of them and wouldn’t consider continuing any of the series. The one that leaves the nastiest taste in my mouth is _The Magicians_. Blech. ETA: I just reread my review of The Magicians and I’m shocked I gave it three stars. I didn’t like the book and said I would likely be back to lower the rating but I didn’t. I’m going to do it now. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/115 "2018-08-23T02:54:12Z")
I’m pasting them in here: > [@](#): > > Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (1,240 total nopes) > Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James (1,100) > The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling (1,012) > The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (956) > The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (928) > American Gods by Neil Gaiman (907) > City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (862) > A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin (838) > Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (805) > Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (766) > A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (731) > Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (729) > Allegiant by Veronica Roth (723) > Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass (705) > The Magicians by Lev Grossman (701) Outlander - DNF The Magicians - DNF Song of Fire and Ice - finished, 3 stars, but no desire to re-read or read any more Allegiant - finished, 3 stars Throne of Glass - finished, 3 stars Miss Peregrine - finished, 4 stars American Gods - finished, 2 stars, hubby loved it, but it’s not my cuppa A Discovery of Witches - TBR (I think it got buried, and I’d forgotten until now) The Casual Vacancy - TBR ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/116 "2018-08-23T14:04:53Z")
I’ve discovered that I can no longer comfortably read print books in bed at night! Even a 300-page paperback feels heavy and awkward, the bedside light seems too bright, and I’d forgotten how close to my face I need to hold pages. So, _[Keys to the White House](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41432444-keys-to-the-white-house)_ has been moved from the nightstand to the coffee table – which means it’s going to take some time for me to get through it – and I’ll pick something else to read on my Kindle at night. It had been a while since I’d read a print book, but I didn’t expect to just be like “nope!” As for the DNF list, I’ve only picked up a few but I liked them all:[ul] [li]_ **The Casual Vacancy** _ - I gave it 4 stars, and have read/will read more from her[/li][li]_ **A Song of Ice and Fire** _ - I gave it 4 stars, but then started watching _Game of Thrones_ and didn’t feel the need to keep reading the series[/li][li]_ **A Discovery of Witches** _ - I gave it 4 stars; I bought the next book in the series (_Shadow of Night_), but 6 years later I haven’t started reading that one yet (I think because it’s very long)[/li][\*]_ **The Magicians** _ - I gave it 4 stars, immediately read the other two books in the series and gave \*them \*4 stars, and watched the first season of the TV show[/ul] ---
**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:** [August 23, 2018, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/117 "2018-08-23T14:13:48Z")
Interesting, because I DNF quite a few books, and yet I’ve finished almost all of the books on this list that I’ve read: Night Circus, Book Thief, A Discovery of Witches, and Miss Peregrine’s Home. Only one I didn’t finish was American Gods. Though when I think about it, I can understand why a lot of people would stop reading those other books. I remember being irritated by both Night Circus and A Discovery of Witches, because the plot moved so slowly. The Night Circus seemed more like a writing exercise for the author to describe a setting than it was an actual story, and A Discovery of Witches started out with a lot of promise and then devolved into primarily a romance novel in which the male character was creepy and obnoxious. I could see Miss Peregrine’s appealing to people who don’t read much because of the pictures, and then those same people abandoning the book when they realized how heavy the book was on words. No idea why The Book Thief would be hard to finish, though. > [@](#): > > Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (1,240 total nopes) > Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James (1,100) > The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling (1,012) > The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (956) > The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (928) > American Gods by Neil Gaiman (907) > City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (862) > A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin (838) > Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (805) > Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (766) > A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (731) > Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (729) > Allegiant by Veronica Roth (723) > Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass (705) > The Magicians by Lev Grossman (701) ---
**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 23, 2018, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/118 "2018-08-23T14:47:55Z")
The only books from that list which I’ve ever even started are those in Martin’s \*A Song of Ice and Fire \*series, all of which I’ve read and enjoyed (although some more than others). My wife read Rowling’s _The Casual Vacancy_ and liked it. She gave up on _Miss Peregrine’s Home_ and really, really disliked it. Many of the others I’ve never even heard of. ---
**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:** [August 23, 2018, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/119 "2018-08-23T20:58:07Z")
Finished _Martians Abroad_ by Carrie Vaughn. Meh. Not horrible, but neither the characters nor the plot really interested me. Next up: _Sire and Damn_, by Susan Conant, a cozy mystery. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787/120 "2018-08-23T21:59:37Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > She gave up on _Miss Peregrine’s Home_ and really, really disliked it. Many of the others I’ve never even heard of. This is interesting. I read Miss Peregrine after seeing the really cool movie trailer for it, and I thought it was a giant derivative yawn, but figured maybe I was just being snooty. I didn’t realize what a common opinion it was :). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-august-2018-edition/818787.md?page=7)