November has ended and the holiday season is well on its way. For the people who read House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, I hope you enjoyed it. Yes. it was a really weird look into post modernism and I know there were a lot of ‘WTF’ moments within this book. But I do hope everyone got something out of it, even if it is just the ability to say, “Yes, I’ve read it”. For me the book was far too pretentious, even if that is normally my thing. I’m glad to have read it, but I don’t think it is something I would read again. There were some interesting discussions about the book, including if the book is a novel or a piece of art.
In December we will be reading the Beat classic; On the Road by Jack Kerouac as part of our Travel theme. This is a relatively short book so I’m sure people will be able to fit it in around all the festivities.
My monthly reading this month might have leaned heavily toward genre fiction but I felt like it was an enjoyable and relaxing month of reading for me, apart from House of Leaves. Highlights for me include Metroland by Julian Barnes, a look into the life of Christopher as he looks over his past and tries to work out if he is happy with his life. I’ve been looking to read another Barnes book for a while and this was well worth it. Then there was The Marriage Plot by Jeffery Eugendies; finally a book where a love triangle is done properly. This was a book of discovery as we watch three interconnected young adults grow into adults.
What have you been reading this month? What are the highlights?
- Perchance to Dream by Robert B. Parker
- House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
- Without Warning by John Birmingham
- San Miguel by T.C. Boyle
- Truth by Peter Temple
- Shadow of the Rock by Thomas Mogford
- Books: A Memoir by Larry McMurtry
- Mr Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
- No Orchids For Miss Blandish by James Hadley Chase
- The Dirty Streets of Heaven by Tad Williams
- The Artist as Mystic by Yahia Lababidi
- Metroland by Julian Barnes
- The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides