I just finished Murderers in Mausoleums: Riding the Back Roads of Empire Between Moscow and Beijing by Jeffrey Tayler. It’s one of the better travelogue books I’ve read lately.
Published in 2009, some of the political info is slightly dated, but it didn’t detract from the book. For many of the major locations, Tayler wrote enough about each area’s recent history to contextualize locals’ socio-political views and cultural attitudes. The book was sufficiently informative and entertaining for me to finish reading it.
I binged The Ruin, The Scholar, The Sisters, and Roommate by Dervla McTiernan. The Ruin was a GOOD mystery. The last two are novellas and were luke warm imo.
I read what sounds like a similar book about ordinary soldiers experiences from WW1 on the western front. It was mainly about the British and started on the outbreak of war but also took POV’s from French, German and American soldiers. Sources were letters home and interviews done in the 70’s I think, covered all subjects like rations, differences between officers and enlisted, warfare and even their liasons with the local women…
Unfortunately lent it to a friend of my moms and can’t recall what it was called
You can access many audiobooks for free via a public library. Though some want to actually own the audiobook and or directly support the author, which I can understand
This is what I do. I read too much and listen to too many audiobooks. The audiobooks in particular were way too expensive for the number I was listening to. For anything new and fancy I just place holds and get surprises every now and then when they come available.
I just read the new Stephen King one “Billy Summers”. I love most of his books and this was no exception. It’s not a horror. It’s an engaging story about a sympathetic hit man.
Definitely worth it. This one has supernatural elements but I wouldn’t call it horror. King’s attention to minutiae always makes me nostalgic for things I’ve never experienced. I still crave a root beer he described drinking at a soda fountain when the protagonist goes back to the 60’s.
I never thought I was into horror but I read 5 of King’s book in a month earlier this fall and enjoyed them all. I became a fan much quicker/easier than expected.
I don’t (or didn’t, been a while) read King for horror, I read him because in his later books, at least, he seems like someone you’d like to have a beer with.
Helluva story. I agree it’s worth a listen/read. I am waiting for the library to get some different books. I tapped out on what my library has available. I have found some good free ones on audible too.
Finishing Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev, which exceeded my expectations. Loving it.
Today I snagged from my library one of the few remaining available copies of Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen. Should be interesting.
I’m pleased by how much reading I managed this year. Way more than last, and I still read a lot last year. I’m so grateful for my local libraries helping keep me sane amidst current events.
You really do read an impressive amount! I wish I could say the same but I quickly lose my stride once I hit a block. I used to read days, nights and whole holidays as a kid. I sometimes wish I would have kept going.
)