# Khadaji's Whatcha Readin' thread - September 2014 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 29, 2014, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911 "2014-08-29T22:15:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**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 26, 2014, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/161 "2014-09-26T15:16:51Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > I did like _King of Shadows_, thanks for recommending it! Even though I read the last couple of chapters with tears in my eyes. šŸ™‚ Youā€™re welcome! Oh, I did too, I knew he was going to have to return to our time and that was so hard. I do like how Cooper points out that Shakespeareā€™s plays have turned into an almost religious experience now and so many have become such stuffy productions, when at the time, they played around with costumes, sets and had more fun. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2014, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/162 "2014-09-26T15:19:44Z")
Two recent YAs: _Summer of Yesterday_, by Gaby Trianna, which was a cute enough time travel romance, where a teenage girl goes back in time to the early 1980s ā€“ but the real score for me was the setting, which was River Country, Disney Worldā€™s now defunct water park where I spend two vacations when I was a kid, and I was _amazed_ at how all the details brought it all back. Crazy! So I really enjoyed it, but I think the strongest part of the book was the Disney nostalgia. _Anna and the French Kiss_, by Stephanie Perkins. This is a really sweet YA romance, set in Paris, that has more actual substance than the title or the book cover would have you think. Thereā€™s a bit much of ā€œbut does he like me? Does he _like_ like me?ā€ that never seems to end, but that is a built in risk for adults reading YA. Other than that, I was surprised by how genuinely _funny_ a lot of this book was, just quick little snap one-liners that made me think the author would be a very fun person to hang out with. A request, as we are getting toward the end of the month. Could the first post of the new month contain a link to the lastā€™s monthā€™s thread? It was so convenient when the first post always had that link. Thanks! ---
**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 26, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/163 "2014-09-26T15:44:12Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > A request, as we are getting toward the end of the month. Could the first post of the new month contain a link to the lastā€™s monthā€™s thread? It was so convenient when the first post always had that link. Thanks! I always assumed anyone reading would have subscribed to the prior monthā€™s thread alreadyā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2014, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/164 "2014-09-26T17:18:14Z")
Iā€™m now reading a short story collection by Nikolai Gogol, and am almost done with "Taras. Bulba " ---
**Author:** ![Politzania](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@Politzania](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Politzania)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/165 "2014-09-26T17:39:29Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > I also read _California_, by Edan Lepucki. Itā€™s a post-apocalyptic novel, which is not generally my thing, but I liked it well enough (I picked it up because itā€™s been getting strong reviews). A married couple living in the wilderness following the breaking down of civilization in general (I guess, the details of the actual downfall is deliberately vague) becomes involved with a survivors camp and there is a lot of intrigue. FYI - If youā€™re on GoodReads, the audiobook of _California_ is being offered for free thru the end of September thanks to the Ford Motor Company: [https://www.goodreads.com/challenges/show/2668](https://www.goodreads.com/challenges/show/2668) Speaking of audiobooks, I just finished Scott Westerfeldā€™s _**[Goliath](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9918083-goliath?ac=1)**_, the third (and presumably last?) in the _Leviathan_ series. Prince Alek of Hohenberg and Dylan/Deryn Sharpe are still aboard the _Leviathan_ - a massive, living airship that is part of the British Air Service. The ship is responding to a request from Russia, one of its Darwinist allies to travel to Siberia to rescue a scientist and his team. This scientist is none other than Nikola Tesla, and his latest Clanker invention may just possibly end the World War. I LOVE the world-building in this series of YA novels! The mix of fabricated beasts created by the Darwinists and the steampunkesque contraptions built by the Clankers provides a rich visual tapestry for the story to proceed upon. Alek and Dylan/Deryn (Deryn the girl is masquerading as Dylan the boy) are very well-rounded and have both shown considerable growth of character throughout the trilogy. The secondary characters, like Volger and Dr. Barlow, and even Eddie Malone are also well-drawn and help move the plot along as well. Not only does Tesla make an appearance, so does William Randolph Hearst and Francisco ā€œPanchoā€ Villa. And I really, really want a Perspicacious Loris (which I see as a cross between a mogwai and a chinchilla). Alan Cumming does a masterful job of narrating this trilogy - although his American voices (particularly his Adela Rogers St. Johns) could use a bit of work. However, I canā€™t imagine coming back to this trilogy (which I can definitely see myself doing) without ā€œhearingā€ his portrayal of Dylan/Deryn Sharpe and her wonderful Scottish slang! ---
**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 29, 2014, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/166 "2014-09-29T03:24:09Z")
Still digging _The Year of Living Biblically: One Manā€™s Humble Quest to follow the Bible as Literally as Possible_ by A.J. Jacobs, and am now more than halfway through. Started the novel _The Namesake_ by Jhumpa Lahiri, and must admit, Iā€™m underwhelmed so far. It might not pass my must-hook-me-by-page-50 test. Also started _Death of a King_ by Tavis Smiley and David Ritz, about MLKā€™s last year of life, and itā€™s so-so. Just not very engaging writing. The authors at least allude to the less-attractive traits of the great civil rights leader, but donā€™t dwell on them. ---
**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 29, 2014, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/167 "2014-09-29T12:48:46Z")
Started _Snuff_, another of Terry Pratchettā€™s Discworld novels. ---
**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:** [September 29, 2014, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/168 "2014-09-29T13:46:08Z")
I finished Poul Andersonā€™s [Mother of Kings](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1527434.Mother_of_Kings) yesterday. It took a little getting used to the writing style, but I started imagining a skald standing in front of the mead hall reciting the tale and that helped me get into it. Itā€™s a fictional biography of [Gunnhild](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunnhild,_Mother_of_Kings), Queen of Norway back in the 900s. Sheā€™s not the most likeable of characters, but sheā€™s also a product of her times and social status so she couldnā€™t really be the most kind and compassionate of women. On the whole I really liked this, and not just because itā€™s relevant to my interests concerning a project Iā€™m working on. ---
**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 29, 2014, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/169 "2014-09-29T16:17:57Z")
Iā€™m three quarters of the way through **Lost Light** by Michael Connelly and Iā€™m going to be eternally disappointed in my desire to have Eleanor fall off a cliff arenā€™t I, Siam Sam? ---
**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:** [September 29, 2014, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/170 "2014-09-29T23:36:38Z")
Iā€™ve been reading some short collections of stories by Lord Dunsany. Most of them are as good as I remembered, but some of the Gods of Pegana stories had me skimming a bit. ---
**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 30, 2014, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/171 "2014-09-30T00:00:51Z")
> [@DZedNConfused](#): > > Iā€™m three quarters of the way through **Lost Light** by Michael Connelly and Iā€™m going to be eternally disappointed in my desire to have Eleanor fall off a cliff arenā€™t I, Siam Sam? Iā€™ll never tell! ---
**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 30, 2014, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/172 "2014-09-30T00:03:08Z")
Finished **Lost Light** by Michael Connelly, a very well written well paced book and very depressing too. I guess the end should have cheered me up except I really did want Eleanor to move to the North Pole or somethingā€¦ ---
**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 30, 2014, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/173 "2014-09-30T17:16:45Z")
Soā€¦ no cliffs? ---
**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 30, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/174 "2014-09-30T17:44:00Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Soā€¦ no cliffs? Sadly not, sheā€™s just going to remain as an emotional anchor for Harry. when she left him two or three novels earlier, she was pregnant. The baby is now 4, so for FOUR years she has raised this child without Harryā€™s knowledge. A pretty dick and cruel move in my opinion. Harryā€™s no saint, but thereā€™s nothing in the books to indicate that he would be a bad parent. ---
**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 30, 2014, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/175 "2014-09-30T17:50:54Z")
New thread for October here [Khadaji's Whatcha Readin' thread - October 2014 Edition - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735880) ā€œFrom ghosties and ghoulies and things that go bump in the nightā€¦ā€ ---
**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 30, 2014, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/176 "2014-09-30T17:55:20Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > Started _Snuff_, another of Terry Pratchettā€™s Discworld novels. I loved **Snuff** , it my favorite Sam Vimes book, right after **Night Watch**. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2014, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/177 "2014-10-01T02:49:23Z")
> [@DZedNConfused](#): > > Sadly not, sheā€™s just going to remain as an emotional anchor for Harry. Or ā€¦ maybe ā€¦ not. šŸ˜‰ EDIT: 'Tis October over here. New thread? EDIT EDIT: Never mind. Just saw the earlier post about the new October thread. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2014, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/178 "2014-10-01T02:52:15Z")
> [@SiamSam222](#): > > Or ā€¦ maybe ā€¦ not. šŸ˜‰ One can only hope. Letā€™s face it, Harry has crap taste in women šŸ˜ƒ Iā€™ll see how Rachel pans out later. Scroll up tthree posts Sam šŸ˜‰ ---
**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:** [October 1, 2014, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/179 "2014-10-01T03:01:58Z")
> [@DZedNConfused](#): > > One can only hope. Two words: _Nine dragons_. šŸ˜‰ ---
**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:** [October 1, 2014, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/180 "2014-10-01T03:12:59Z")
> [@SiamSam222](#): > > Two words: _Nine dragons_. šŸ˜‰ Working my way there. I figure I better read **The Poet** next since **The Narrows** deals with the events of that bookā€¦ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911.md?page=8)