James Weldon Johnson -- The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man 1912 novel by Johnson, originally published anonymously
River of Stars by Guy Gavriel Kay This came at least a year later than it's originally announced release date, but has been well worth the rate so far.
Then you'll be right at home with this "The Pet Goat" You can find a copy in the Bush Memorial Library.
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. The novel is, unsurprisingly, very different from the film as its ending considering that the novel revolves less around action but more around the protagonist's coping with the aftermath of a vampire apocalypse.
Fortress Europe: Dispatches from a Gated Continent (2012) by Matthew Carr Just started this. I thought it would be interesting to read accounts from Europe considering how contentious the issue is the United States. Publisher description: On the militarized Turkish-Greek border, Afghan migrants brave minefields to cross into Europe—only to be summarily ejected by Greek border guards. At Ceuta and Melilla, Spanish enclaves in North Africa, migrants are turned back with razor wire and live ammunition. Deportees from the U.K. and France have died of "positional asphyxia" on deportation flights, strapped to chairs, their mouths sealed with tape. In a brilliant and shocking account, Fortress Europe tells the story of how the world’s most affluent region—and history’s greatest experiment with globalization—has become an immigration war zone, where tens of thousands have died in a human rights crisis that has gone largely unnoticed by the U.S. media.
Branch Rickey by Jimmy Breslin A short book in the Penguin Lives series. My first time reading Breslin. Very unique style.
Just reading the "Old Man" section this time. "All life consists of having to get up sooner or later and then having to lie down again sooner or later after a while."
So like I said, I ordered the book from the library, received a notice that it was ready for pick up, next time I went by I go to get it off the pick up shelf and find that they'd sent the DVD. Now, I'm second on the list for the book...
The Iron Heel (1908) by Jack London Only giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because of it's uneven balance from first half to second, and it's relatively weak characterizations. The first half, though, was utterly engrossing and terribly timely. Although the novel is 116 years old, we are in an economic/political/societal cycle that has in many ways seen the return of the same issues.
I saw this when it was posted and let it slip by. I've done the same over the years especially when I was big into sci fi. It's wonderful when you read one of the stories and then find a whole library by these, vitually, unknown authors. I ran across one author I liked back in the 70's and read a few of her books. (I've just googled her up and found that she died in 1983. and they list a lot of her books I'd never heard of. What I read of hers was a series written about a group of humanoids from a crashed ship who try to assimilate with us good folk on earth, surreptitiously. "The People stories." They did a made for TV show of an episode that didn't stink. I have to get back into some good sci fi again, I've sort of dried up on my regular favs.
We (1921) by Yevgeny Zamyatin Written 90+ years ago, yet not in the least stilted today, and a terrific precursor to so much literature and film that has come out since. At times, as the novel rushed headlong towards the climax, the writing style became frustrating, but in a way that worked hand in hand with the characterization of the narrator and the psychic issues he was undergoing. Loved that the ending wasn't trite, or happily ever-after, and that it underscored the idea that there is no final revolution.
The World of Music According to Starker by Janos Starker, a cellist who died last week at the age of 88 (which given his heavy smoking and whiskey drinking is damn impressive). Not one of the great memoirs, but he does an adequate job conveying what it must've been like surviving WWII then establishing a career in classical music as an orchestral player, a soloist, a recording artist and a renouned teacher at Indiana (one of the blurbs on the back jacket is from Bobby Knight, who'd have Starker address the basketball team on topics like the proper mental approach to practice, etc. And to a couple of nearly blind nuns... Dante's Divine Comedy, trans. Clive James. I don't know if this is the best translation, but for reading aloud, it's the best one I've come across.
"The town horse, used to gaudy trappings, no doubt despises the work of his country brother; but yet, now and again, there comes upon him a sudden desire to plough."
I'm finishing up Tom Sawyer and then will finish reading Huck Finn, which I'm well into via audiobook listened to during my commute. I think I read Sawyer, but not Finn, in school. If ever assigned Finn, I don't think I read it in full because I don't remember much about the antics of the King and the Duke.
The third night the house was crammed again -- and they warn't new-comers this time, but people that was at the show the other two nights. I stood by the Duke at the door, and I see that every man that went in had his pockets bulging or something muffled up under his coat -- and I see it warn't no perfumery, neither, not by a long sight. I smelt sickly eggs by the barrel, and rotten cabbages, and such things; and if I know the signs of a dead cat being around, and I bet I do, there was sixty-four of them went in.
The continuing Saga. So, I get an email from the library that the book is in ready for me to pick up. My wife was heading that way so she picked it up it for me. So last night I got comfy and snuggled down with said book. Opened it up and found it was a hard bound, you know like a book is, but it was a comic book...! Never seen anything quite so wierd. I haven't looked at a comic book since... well since I could read. I know some people really like the genre although I don't understand why. I mean isn't that is what having a mind and imagination is all about. No, I really don't need someone drawing pictures for me. Oooops..! It's not a comic book, it's a graphic novel. A book for the imagination challenged. So anyway, I run it back this morning and they just happened to have "the book" in..! I checked it out, then checked it out... Ist edition, 1954 cover. All of 25 cents....
Well...! After all that, a real anti-climax. Big difference in writing between now and 1954 and a big difference between attitudes on how men and woman interact and talk to each other. The basic storyline is there but it was just one of about 8 short stories. All in all the screenplay fitted the 21st century better than a mid 20th C book. Had to find out for myself though after that hassle.
It's been a while since I read one of Rankins books and remembered how much I enjoyed his writing"Standing in another Man's Grave" is his latest. Made a really good filler while waiting for the last debacle to end... So just for grins I ordered his first 3 books from the library thinking, I'd start from the begining and see how they go
I've been putting off reading the last Inspector Rebus novels. Does he have a post-Rebus series under way?
This is the latest from his website. http://www.ianrankin.net/ RANKIN RETURNS WITH A NEW REBUS NOVEL Ian Rankin announced today that his new novel will be entitled Saints of the Shadow Bible, and will feature his long running series character John Rebus. He doesn't really say but I 'feel' Malcolm Fox will be featured again. I had my map of Scotland open next to me as I read. "Some" years ago I spent some time up in that area. Some pretty stuff, in the summer, but remote areas. I like remote. Have to go by the library later, they have his first 2 books in for me.
Thanks for the heads up. I've never been to Scotland but two books make me want to go there: David McFadden is a Canadian poet and travel writer. Pretty funny IMO. His books about traveling around the Great Lakes (two with his family, one after a divorce) are great, as is his trip to Scotland). And then there's this essential soccer book: