# Khadaji's Whatcha Reading Thread - October 2019 edition **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 1, 2019, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-reading-thread-october-2019-edition/841072 "2019-10-01T02:43:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 5
**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 30, 2019, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-reading-thread-october-2019-edition/841072/81 "2019-10-30T02:58:47Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Apparently _The Twisted Ones_ is a retelling of “The White People” by Arthur Machen, a short horror story I haven’t read. > I also picked up a children’s book, [26 Absurdities of Tragic Proportions](https://www.amazon.com/Absurdities-Tragic-Proportions-Matthew-Woodruff/dp/1720861757/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1WYTYJILCVVA9&keywords=26+absurdities+of+tragic+proportions&qid=1572378304&s=books&sprefix=26+ab%2Caps%2C145&sr=1-1) by Matthew Woodruff, but I’m going to return it to the library unread. It’s a book of short stories based on the alphabet book _Gashlycrumb Tinies_ by Edward Gorey. However, I don’t have a copy of _Gashlycrumb_ on hand to use as a reference, and _Absurdities_ doesn’t give the stories their proper titles, e.g. “A is for Amy who fell down the stairs.” I thought it would be cute, but without the charm of the Gorey illustrations, I can’t summon the motivation to get through any of this. Based on your enthusiasm, I started it yesterday:D It can rotate with Ronan Farrow’s newest book. Damn that you’re a continent away, I have the Amphigorey books by Gorey that have the Gashlycrumb Tinies in them! I would loan if you were closer! ---
**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:** [October 30, 2019, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-reading-thread-october-2019-edition/841072/82 "2019-10-30T12:39:09Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > I love me some T. Kingfisher/Ursula Vernon. Adding that one to my list! > [@DZedNConfused](#): > > Based on your enthusiasm, I started it yesterday:D I’m glad! I’ve really been enjoying it and plan to check out some of her other stuff too. ---
**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:** [October 30, 2019, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-reading-thread-october-2019-edition/841072/83 "2019-10-30T13:33:16Z")
Finished _The Honour of the House_, by E. M. Channon. Meh. Now I’m reading _God Can Move Mountains: The Story of the Christian Appalachian Project_, by Father Ralph W. Beiting. ---
**Author:** ![Rough\_Draft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@Rough\_Draft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rough_Draft)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-reading-thread-october-2019-edition/841072/84 "2019-10-30T13:43:43Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Then I tried reading a Patricia Cornwell book, **Book of the Dead** , because of **Death’s Acre**. It was awful. Someday somebody’s going to write a biography of Patricia Cornwell that will be a textbook example of a perfectly good mystery author slowly descending into madness and incompetence. And it’s all thoroughly documented in her writings. ---
**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:** [October 30, 2019, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-reading-thread-october-2019-edition/841072/85 "2019-10-30T14:34:04Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > My current book is [The Twisted Ones](https://www.amazon.com/Twisted-Ones-T-Kingfisher/dp/1534429573/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1572267881&sr=1-1) by T. Kingfisher (a.k.a. Ursula Vernon). It’s about a girl cleaning out her grandmother’s old house and discovering some weirdness out in the boonies. It has a nice Lovecraft vibe and it’s also somewhat gentle and amusing, especially for dog owners. Sample sentence regarding the dog, “Bongo’s nose is far more intelligent than the rest of him, and I believe it uses his brain primarily as a counterweight.” 😃 I met Vernon a couple of years ago at Arisia. My wife and I bought and read a couple of her books. I hadn’t heard of this one, which sounds pretty different from her others. ---
**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 30, 2019, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-reading-thread-october-2019-edition/841072/86 "2019-10-30T17:06:55Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > I’m glad! I’ve really been enjoying it and plan to check out some of her other stuff too. The Seventh Bride… creepy and atmospheric but really really good. And for adventure, warped technology and otherworldly creatures, there’s the Clocktaur series, starting with The Clockwork Boys. ---
**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:** [October 31, 2019, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-reading-thread-october-2019-edition/841072/87 "2019-10-31T18:12:17Z")
Finished _God Can Move Mountains: The Story of the Christian Appalachian Project_, by Father Ralph W. Beiting, which I thought was very good. Now I’m reading _Bite Club_ by Laurien Berenson. It’s one of her Melanie Travis cozy mysteries. ---
**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 31, 2019, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-reading-thread-october-2019-edition/841072/88 "2019-10-31T20:08:10Z")
My bookclub choice for this month arrived today:\*\* Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI\*\* by David Grann. I’ve been quite eager to read this… I am about a third of the way through **Twisted Ones** by T. Kingfisher aka Ursula Vernon. She DOES hook you and pull you into the story quickly! Let’s give it up for overactive, somewhat stupid dogs! ---
**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 31, 2019, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-reading-thread-october-2019-edition/841072/89 "2019-10-31T23:36:25Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I met Vernon a couple of years ago at Arisia. My wife and I bought and read a couple of her books. I hadn’t heard of this one, which sounds pretty different from her others. Nah dude, this is straight up Ursula with out the kid protections 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:** [October 31, 2019, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-reading-thread-october-2019-edition/841072/90 "2019-10-31T23:40:16Z")
New thread: [Who the hell turned on the AC already?! It’s only November!](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=21948981#post21948981) ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2019, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-reading-thread-october-2019-edition/841072/91 "2019-11-01T12:59:32Z")
> [@Rough\_Draft](#): > > Someday somebody’s going to write a biography of Patricia Cornwell that will be a textbook example of a perfectly good mystery author slowly descending into madness and incompetence. And it’s all thoroughly documented in her writings. Oh? Do tell. I know there was some controversy about her having an affair with a married woman and hubby was none too pleased…it was enough to become an episode of one of the Law and Orders. ---
**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:** [November 17, 2019, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-reading-thread-october-2019-edition/841072/92 "2019-11-17T20:31:28Z")
Finished _The Monkey’s Raincoat_, the first of a string of novels by Robert Crais featuring private detectives Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. Murder, kidnapping and drug deals in 1987 Los Angeles. Very good. The title is a reference to the 17th-century Japanese poet Matsuo Basho, who wrote: “Winter downpour; even the monkey needs a raincoat.” The novel won the 1988 Anthony Award for “Best Paperback Original” at Bouchercon XIX and the 1988 Mystery Readers International Macavity Award for “Best First Novel” and has since been named one of the 100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. A little strange though in that I read Crais’ 2017 novel first and then this 1987 one – written 30 years apart, mind you – and he has the same cat in both. Definitely the same cat, an old street cat he lets live with him and which had once been shot in the head with a .22. This is one tough cat. Next up is Crais’ second novel, _Stalking the Angel_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-reading-thread-october-2019-edition/841072.md?page=4)