BOOKS THREAD

Got "The Girl on the Train" for my bday; fun thriller, maybe not up to par with Gone Girl but not that far away.

Now into "Descent"; another thriller, seems meatier.

 

I've been reading "The Book of Strange New Things," a science fiction novel by Michael Faber. (He also wrote "Under the Skin," which was apparently made into a recent movie starring Scarlett Johansen.)

It's about a Christian missionary on a faraway planet that Earth has colonized. He's teaching the Bible to the aliens there. While it might appeal to God squadders, it's not "Christian fiction," so to speak. It's an excellent science fiction novel - the subplot is that he's light years away from his pregnant wife, who he communicates with via email only during his time on the distant planet.

 

I read that. Was ultimately disappointed. Hope you enjoy it.

 

I guess I'm a little quick to say it's an "excellent" novel, being about halfway through it. It's definitely an interesting premise and, so far, submersive into this new world. Where it goes from here and whether that is satisfying, I don't know.

 

I thought it was excellent at that point, or at least the first third. The rest just didn't grab me.

 

Started "Sandy Koufax" even though I've always been a Dodger hater. Anyone else read it?

 

Anyone else pre-order Larson's latest, "Dead Wake"?

 

I bought this one after hearing an NPR interview with the author. It's about amateur sleuths who help solve cold cases -- usually murders -- that police have either given up on or just can't figure out. It's an interesting read; my hometown was mentioned a couple of times, so that was kind of creepy. I know as writers we're supposed to include details in our stories, but the author seems to be trying too hard to describe every setting and every person with as much precision as possible. Aside from that, it was enjoyable.

Joe Bob says check it out.

 

The Jane Leavy book? Years ago. I don't remember it very specifically, but I finished it, so it must have been good. Her Mickey Mantle book was very good, too.

 

Yep that's the one. Thanks

 

Interested in a very different look at mixed martial arts fighters? Check out "Thrown" by Kerry Howley, a philosophy professor who followed a couple of guys -- not the UFC big time -- for three years. I almost thought it was fiction... and I say that as a positive, though perhaps not for those trying to make it in the fight game.

 

I've read both Leavy books and can vouch positively for them.