Book Talk! Ask for Recs, Post Recs, TBR List, Etc.

[quietlylooking]

I thought it'd be neat to post a book-related thread that we could all contribute to. The idea of this thread is to post recommendations, ask for recommendations, talk about what you're reading (more than just the title and author), and your TBR list. I eat books like cereal, so I love listening to people talk about books, or talking about them myself. So, bookish Literoticans, unite!

In Process

• Stephen Fry's autobiography, The Fry Chronicles. I just started it today and it's so relatable that I want to stick it out with him to the end. I've always deeply identified with him over the years.
• All in Her Head: The Truth and Lies Early Medicine Taught Us About Women's Bodies and Why It Matters Today, Elizabeth Comen, M.D. Having studied medical history a little more than a lot of people, I feel this book will be helpful to me. Already, the way she talks about the origins of plastic surgery in the first chapter has made me curious.
• The Icepick Surgeon: Murder, Fraud, Sabotage, Piracy, and Other Dastardly Deeds Perpretated in the Name of Science by Sam Kean. A treatise on very weird bioethical things over the centuries, I feel it will go well in tandem with the second book, as well as feeding my penchant for the macabre.

TBR

• City of Incurable Women by Maud Casey. It's about women in institutions. A fictional piece, it's very short, but I often stare at it with a sense of fear. Could be triggering.
• The Mistress of Mellyn by Victoria Holt. I don't read many novels these days, but I remember having a very weird experience with Victoria Holt in high school. I wonder if her novels are as sexually charged as I remember them.

Both lists are way more extensive than that, but I didn't want to end up writing a novel in talking about novels I am hoping to read. Hope to hear from you, too!

I also had the same kind of vibe from Victoria Holt books (and those written under her other pseudonyms), which I absolutely devoured when I was in high school.

Currently reading Dan Jones's excellent Power and Thrones and Miranda July's All Fours (which I'm not really into yet, surprisingly). TBR: The Singer Sisters by Sarah Seltzer and maybe Dhalgren (Samuel Delaney), which I read when I was really too young to understand a lot of what that book was really about, I think.

 

[pantyboidoe]

I also had the same kind of vibe from Victoria Holt books (and those written under her other pseudonyms), which I absolutely devoured when I was in high school.

Currently reading Dan Jones's excellent Power and Thrones and Miranda July's All Fours (which I'm not really into yet, surprisingly). TBR: The Singer Sisters by Sarah Seltzer and maybe Dhalgren (Samuel Delaney), which I read when I was really too young to understand a lot of what that book was really about, I think.

Just picked up All Fours from the library! Hoping to start later this week.

 

[Desiree_Radcliffe]

Ha ha, why do you find them cringe? They help me accept things.

I mean, if they help you, go with it. I just find them to be an easy out in the self-help industry at the moment. If I want my Greco-Roman philosophy, I want it to hit hard, like Parmenides of Elea or Aristotle. I want it to punch me in the gut with insight. I just don't feel the porch guys do that as well. Not to mention the machismo that traditionally surrounds them. But I promise I am not trying to shit on your favorite thing.

 

[Desiree_Radcliffe]

I'm in the middle of THE WEALTH OF NATIONS. Important book, but not the easiest or most exhilarating read.

I have a growing list of books to be read in my basement, but I don't have the list handy. Probably a dozen or so that I need to read before Christmas and the next wave of new books arrive.

Hope you at least read The Communist Manifesto in tandem, though Capital would probably be more appropriate (but it's huge). Smith is another thinker on my personal shitlist, but I would be less biting about it if I weren't already in a "destroy the world!" mood.

You can only read these books in your basement? And yeah, the TBR struggle is real!

 

[Desiree_Radcliffe]

I also had the same kind of vibe from Victoria Holt books (and those written under her other pseudonyms), which I absolutely devoured when I was in high school.

Currently reading Dan Jones's excellent Power and Thrones and Miranda July's All Fours (which I'm not really into yet, surprisingly). TBR: The Singer Sisters by Sarah Seltzer and maybe Dhalgren (Samuel Delaney), which I read when I was really too young to understand a lot of what that book was really about, I think.

She actually tried to override my boundaries as a reader. One of her books depicted a scene of sexual assault in a very questionable way, and I just noped out. Thanks, Vicky Holt.

I've not heard of any of those other than the All Fours, which I've heard of in passing, but don't really know about the context other than probably sex and/or objectification.

 

[Kitty_so_frisky]

I thought it'd be neat to post a book-related thread that we could all contribute to. The idea of this thread is to post recommendations, ask for recommendations, talk about what you're reading (more than just the title and author), and your TBR list. I eat books like cereal, so I love listening to people talk about books, or talking about them myself. So, bookish Literoticans, unite!

In Process

• Stephen Fry's autobiography, The Fry Chronicles. I just started it today and it's so relatable that I want to stick it out with him to the end. I've always deeply identified with him over the years.
• All in Her Head: The Truth and Lies Early Medicine Taught Us About Women's Bodies and Why It Matters Today, Elizabeth Comen, M.D. Having studied medical history a little more than a lot of people, I feel this book will be helpful to me. Already, the way she talks about the origins of plastic surgery in the first chapter has made me curious.
• The Icepick Surgeon: Murder, Fraud, Sabotage, Piracy, and Other Dastardly Deeds Perpretated in the Name of Science by Sam Kean. A treatise on very weird bioethical things over the centuries, I feel it will go well in tandem with the second book, as well as feeding my penchant for the macabre.

TBR

• City of Incurable Women by Maud Casey. It's about women in institutions. A fictional piece, it's very short, but I often stare at it with a sense of fear. Could be triggering.
• The Mistress of Mellyn by Victoria Holt. I don't read many novels these days, but I remember having a very weird experience with Victoria Holt in high school. I wonder if her novels are as sexually charged as I remember them.

Both lists are way more extensive than that, but I didn't want to end up writing a novel in talking about novels I am hoping to read. Hope to hear from you, too!

I also had the same kind of vibe from Victoria Holt books (and those written under her other pseudonyms), which I absolutely devoured when I was in high school.

Currently reading Dan Jones's excellent Power and Thrones and Miranda July's All Fours (which I'm not really into yet, surprisingly). TBR: The Singer Sisters by Sarah Seltzer and maybe Dhalgren (Samuel Delaney), which I read when I was really too young to understand a lot of what that book was really about, I think.

She actually tried to override my boundaries as a reader. One of her books depicted a scene of sexual assault in a very questionable way, and I just noped out. Thanks, Vicky Holt.

I've not heard of any of those other than the All Fours, which I've heard of in passing, but don't really know about the context other than probably sex and/or objectification.

Today, I learned Victoria Holt, Jean Plaidy, Philippa Carr and about 5 other pseudonyms I hadn’t heard are the same author!

The name Victoria Holt set off a flicker of recognition as one of the many authors who have wrote quite a bit of historical fiction, a genre of which I am a fan. I had to Google to refresh my memory as to whether I read any of her books. I haven’t, and now that that is verified, I know exactly why:
Many years ago, I registered for Philippa Gregory’s forums (not Philippa Carr / Holt / Plaidy) to get access to an online Q&A and in-person reading and discussion, back when she was promoting The Other Queen, about Mary, Queen of Scots. Of course her forums included discussions of other books and authors, including many who focused on historical fiction. I vaguely remember them tearing Victoria Holt apart for being historically inaccurate, which I suppose is the reason I’ve never read her books. What’s funny though, is that the same people praised Jean Plaidy for her historical accuracy. Obviously, they also didn’t know the two were the same author either. It does have me wondering if she was just as historically accurate under both pen names, or if she allowed herself more creative liberty under the Holt name. From what I understand, she used Plaidy for royal historical fiction, Holt for gothic romance and Carr for family sagas. Have added Plaidy’s Mary, Queen of France to my endless queue, and if it’s good, I may read a Holt book someday to compare writing styles. Gothic-era history is a bit out of my wheelhouse though, so I may not catch historical inaccuracies there like I would with Plantagenet and Tudor-era fiction.

Also, if anyone else is looking for some good Plantagenet and Tudor historical fiction, Sharon Kay Penman and Alison Weir are among my favorites, particularly SKP’s The Sunne in Splendour and AW’s Innocent Traitor. Was just telling my honey an interesting story about The Sunne in Splendor yesterday: Penman lost the original manuscript for it while traveling, and had to rewrite the entire story! The rewrite is around 900 pages, hardcover, and although the story outline remained in her head, every word is different! Hard to imagine motivating myself to do that twice, but I’m so glad she did! Last I checked, the original manuscript still hasn’t resurfaced. Would be a fascinating read if it is ever found someday.

 

[Desiree_Radcliffe]

Today, I learned Victoria Holt, Jean Plaidy, Philippa Carr and about 5 other pseudonyms I hadn’t heard are the same author!

The name Victoria Holt set off a flicker of recognition as one of the many authors who have wrote quite a bit of historical fiction, a genre of which I am a fan. I had to Google to refresh my memory as to whether I read any of her books. I haven’t, and now that that is verified, I know exactly why:
Many years ago, I registered for Philippa Gregory’s forums (not Philippa Carr / Holt / Plaidy) to get access to an online Q&A and in-person reading and discussion, back when she was promoting The Other Queen, about Mary, Queen of Scots. Of course her forums included discussions of other books and authors, including many who focused on historical fiction. I vaguely remember them tearing Victoria Holt apart for being historically inaccurate, which I suppose is the reason I’ve never read her books. What’s funny though, is that the same people praised Jean Plaidy for her historical accuracy. Obviously, they also didn’t know the two were the same author either. It does have me wondering if she was just as historically accurate under both pen names, or if she allowed herself more creative liberty under the Holt name. From what I understand, she used Plaidy for royal historical fiction, Holt for gothic romance and Carr for family sagas. Have added Plaidy’s Mary, Queen of France to my endless queue, and if it’s good, I may read a Holt book someday to compare writing styles. Gothic-era history is a bit out of my wheelhouse though, so I may not catch historical inaccuracies there like I would with Plantagenet and Tudor-era fiction.

Also, if anyone else is looking for some good Plantagenet and Tudor historical fiction, Sharon Kay Penman and Alison Weir are among my favorites, particularly SKP’s The Sunne in Splendour and AW’s Innocent Traitor. Was just telling my honey an interesting story about The Sunne in Splendor yesterday: Penman lost the original manuscript for it while traveling, and had to rewrite the entire story! The rewrite is around 900 pages, hardcover, and although the story outline remained in her head, every word is different! Hard to imagine motivating myself to do that twice, but I’m so glad she did! Last I checked, the original manuscript still hasn’t resurfaced. Would be a fascinating read if it is ever found someday.

Thank you for this. I remember this, now, that Plaidy and Holt were the same person. That is, like, old, old information filed away in the back recesses of my mind. I've never read Philippa Fucking Gregory, but her adaptations get lambasted often by Frock Flicks (I think you'd like them, they analyze costume dramas in relation to the historical accuracy of the costumes). I don't recall Holt's books being terribly inaccurate other than that some of them had magical or gothic elements, which would be inaccurate in any setting. I will try to give this one a go and see what happens.

 

[13Fantasies]

Hope you at least read The Communist Manifesto in tandem, though Capital would probably be more appropriate (but it's huge). Smith is another thinker on my personal shitlist, but I would be less biting about it if I weren't already in a "destroy the world!" mood.

You can only read these books in your basement? And yeah, the TBR struggle is real!

I've read Capital before. I've read the manifesto, but it's been ages

 

[quietlylooking]

Today, I learned Victoria Holt, Jean Plaidy, Philippa Carr and about 5 other pseudonyms I hadn’t heard are the same author!

The name Victoria Holt set off a flicker of recognition as one of the many authors who have wrote quite a bit of historical fiction, a genre of which I am a fan. I had to Google to refresh my memory as to whether I read any of her books. I haven’t, and now that that is verified, I know exactly why:
Many years ago, I registered for Philippa Gregory’s forums (not Philippa Carr / Holt / Plaidy) to get access to an online Q&A and in-person reading and discussion, back when she was promoting The Other Queen, about Mary, Queen of Scots. Of course her forums included discussions of other books and authors, including many who focused on historical fiction. I vaguely remember them tearing Victoria Holt apart for being historically inaccurate, which I suppose is the reason I’ve never read her books. What’s funny though, is that the same people praised Jean Plaidy for her historical accuracy. Obviously, they also didn’t know the two were the same author either. It does have me wondering if she was just as historically accurate under both pen names, or if she allowed herself more creative liberty under the Holt name. From what I understand, she used Plaidy for royal historical fiction, Holt for gothic romance and Carr for family sagas. Have added Plaidy’s Mary, Queen of France to my endless queue, and if it’s good, I may read a Holt book someday to compare writing styles. Gothic-era history is a bit out of my wheelhouse though, so I may not catch historical inaccuracies there like I would with Plantagenet and Tudor-era fiction.

Also, if anyone else is looking for some good Plantagenet and Tudor historical fiction, Sharon Kay Penman and Alison Weir are among my favorites, particularly SKP’s The Sunne in Splendour and AW’s Innocent Traitor. Was just telling my honey an interesting story about The Sunne in Splendor yesterday: Penman lost the original manuscript for it while traveling, and had to rewrite the entire story! The rewrite is around 900 pages, hardcover, and although the story outline remained in her head, every word is different! Hard to imagine motivating myself to do that twice, but I’m so glad she did! Last I checked, the original manuscript still hasn’t resurfaced. Would be a fascinating read if it is ever found someday.

Yes! I love Sharon Kay Penman's books, and The Sunne In Splendour and her Welsh trilogy are particular favorites of mine. What a great story about her writing of The Sunne in Spendour!!! I have read some of Alison Weir's nonfiction, but haven't tried her historical fiction yet.

I really enjoyed the Jean Plaidy books when I was young, too; they (along with Margaret Campbell Barnes) were my first "historical fiction" reads beyond juvenile books like The Door in the Wall and Johnny Tremain. I still love historical fiction, but I find that category of books has been diluted a lot in recent years (for example, the many books whose covers feature a woman wearing a dress who is looking away or whose face is not visible...).

 

[Kitty_so_frisky]

Thank you for this. I remember this, now, that Plaidy and Holt were the same person. That is, like, old, old information filed away in the back recesses of my mind. I've never read Philippa Fucking Gregory, but her adaptations get lambasted often by Frock Flicks (I think you'd like them, they analyze costume dramas in relation to the historical accuracy of the costumes). I don't recall Holt's books being terribly inaccurate other than that some of them had magical or gothic elements, which would be inaccurate in any setting. I will try to give this one a go and see what happens.

For me, Philippa Gregory books are mostly hits, and some misses. She does her research, and doesn’t just “fill in the blanks,” but she does take some admittedly large leaps in creative license in some cases, Anne & George in The Other Boleyn Girl being chief among them. As much as I love Jim Sturgess, both adaptations of that movie were pretty fucking terrible. Some of the Starz adaptations of her books are much better, but I think the writers who adapted them for TV actually pulled a lot of material from Sharon Kay Penman’s books as well. Other than the Anne & George controversy that shadows an otherwise solid The Other Boleyn girl…The Queen’s Fool takes a historical figure of a woman who was a “fool” in the court of all 3 of Henry VIII’s children (Edward, Mary, Elizabeth), but of whom little else is known, and adds visions, mysticism, hints of alchemy and witchcraft. The Wise Woman goes full-on witchcraft and a couple parts gave me some pretty big icks. The White Queen and The Lady of the Rivers also lean into the legend of Elizabeth Woodville’s family being descended from Melusina and lean into witchcraft with it. The Other Queen had pretty much no sex, just the suggestion of it in flashback, and is therefore one of the most boring for many of her core readers. The rest are pretty solidly historical fiction.

Yes! I love Sharon Kay Penman's books, and The Sunne In Splendour and her Welsh trilogy are particular favorites of mine. What a great story about her writing of The Sunne in Spendour!!! I have read some of Alison Weir's nonfiction, but haven't tried her historical fiction yet.

I really enjoyed the Jean Plaidy books when I was young, too; they (along with Margaret Campbell Barnes) were my first "historical fiction" reads beyond juvenile books like The Door in the Wall and Johnny Tremain. I still love historical fiction, but I find that category of books has been diluted a lot in recent years (for example, the many books whose covers feature a woman wearing a dress who is looking away or whose face is not visible...).

Sunne is one of my favorites, and I also really enjoyed her books about Henry and Eleanor and their children, including John “Lackland” and Richard the (much overhyped and actually kind of a monster) “Lionhearted.” Haven’t read the Welsh trilogy yet!

Oh! Another author/series I’ve enjoy from the Henry & Eleanor era was the William Marshall series by…I think it was Elizabeth Chadwick.

Also, I’m the kind of nerd who reads historical fiction and nonfiction concurrently. I love that Alison Weir does both, and I can see how well-researched her novels are and exactly where she took creative license. If I don’t have both fiction and relevant non-fiction checked out at the same time, I tend to fall down Wikipedia-type rabbit hole after rabbit hole!

 

[Desiree_Radcliffe]

For me, Philippa Gregory books are mostly hits, and some misses. She does her research, and doesn’t just “fill in the blanks,” but she does take some admittedly large leaps in creative license in some cases, Anne & George in The Other Boleyn Girl being chief among them. As much as I love Jim Sturgess, both adaptations of that movie were pretty fucking terrible. Some of the Starz adaptations of her books are much better, but I think the writers who adapted them for TV actually pulled a lot of material from Sharon Kay Penman’s books as well. Other than the Anne & George controversy that shadows an otherwise solid The Other Boleyn girl…The Queen’s Fool takes a historical figure of a woman who was a “fool” in the court of all 3 of Henry VIII’s children (Edward, Mary, Elizabeth), but of who little else is known, and adds visions, mysticism, hints of alchemy and witchcraft. The Wise Woman goes full-on witchcraft and a couple parts gave me some pretty big icks. The White Queen and The Lady of the Rivers also lean into the legend of Elizabeth Woodville’s family being descended from Melusina and lean into witchcraft with it. The Other Queen had pretty much no sex, just the suggestion of it in flashback, and is therefore one of the most boring for many of her core readers. The rest are pretty solidly historical fiction.


Sunne is one of my favorites, and I also really enjoyed her books about Henry and Eleanor and their children, including John “Lackland” and Richard the (much overhyped and actually kind of a monster) “Lionhearted.” Haven’t read the Welsh trilogy yet!

Oh! Another author/series I’ve enjoy from the Henry & Eleanor era was the William Marshall series by…I think it was Elizabeth Chadwick.

Also, I’m the kind of nerd who reads historical fiction and nonfiction concurrently. I love that Alison Weir does both, and I can see how well-researched her novels are and exactly where she took creative license. If I don’t have both fiction and relevant non-fiction checked out at the same time, I tend to fall down Wikipedia-type rabbit hole after rabbit hole!

So interesting! I might end up giving her a read. I think I have The Queen's Fool in my storage somewhere. I like historical novels that speculate and portray people who were not the rockstars of their era, but who were adjacent. Thank you for the awesome TED Talk!

 

[37_ttej]

One of my favourite books is The Heaven Tree by Edith Pargeter. It’s part of a historical fiction trilogy of the same name.
Far superior to Ken Follet’s Pillars of Earth.
Pargeter’s writing is like nothing else I’ve ever come across. She writes in incredibly descriptive, emotion-charged vignettes. Definitely worth a look if you appreciate high quality writing even if you’re not a fan of period romance / dramas.

 

[Desiree_Radcliffe]

One of my favourite books is The Heaven Tree by Edith Pargeter. It’s part of a historical fiction trilogy of the same name.
Far superior to Ken Follet’s Pillars of Earth.
Pargeter’s writing is like nothing else I’ve ever come across. She writes in incredibly descriptive, emotion-charged vignettes. Definitely worth a look if you appreciate high quality writing even if you’re not a fan of period romance / dramas.

I love period romance/dramas. I've heard of Pillars of Earth but never wanted to read it, but probably because the cover was super boring and also it was one of those "book club/eat your vegetables" kinds of books. I was just..meh.

 

[37_ttej]

I love period romance/dramas. I've heard of Pillars of Earth but never wanted to read it, but probably because the cover was super boring and also it was one of those "book club/eat your vegetables" kinds of books. I was just..meh.

Got it in one. I read it because it was recommended to me, but that was also my reaction - meh.
I found his knowledge of the period middling at best and his characterisations one dimensional.
It’s an OK read, but definitely not in my hit list.

 

[37_ttej]

At the other end of the spectrum (or maybe not) the Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson is phenomenal. An epic fantasy series breathtaking in the scope of the imaginative world building he and Esslemont have done. Vast plot lines, an immense cast of characters and the whole written in a perfect, piquant emulsion of raw brutality and delicate empathy which makes George RR Martin look like a hack.
Prepare to be moved, entertained and disturbed on every page.

 

[Desiree_Radcliffe]

Got it in one. I read it because it was recommended to me, but that was also my reaction - meh.
I found his knowledge of the period middling at best and his characterisations one dimensional.
It’s an OK read, but definitely not in my hit list.

I love when people shit on "solid" authors. Even if I don't agree, it's great to see people who don't want to read it because it frankly isn't that good. Thank you for that.

That's interesting, about the fantasy series. I think I am sort of not really into fantasy much anymore. I went through a huge Tolkien phase as a teenager, and read a little Lackey here and there, but I just. I don't know, now it doesn't do it for me, sadly. I've gotten oddly picky, though, in my old age.

 

[37_ttej]

And my last recommendation for today is the bite-sized Five Go on a Strategy Away Day by Bruno Vincent.
A clever parody based on Enid Blyton’s beloved characters who are now dealing with the reality of adulthood. Anyone in business will instantly recognise and appreciate this jocular satire.
Vincent has written a few other books in similar vein, but this is the pick of them for mine.