I know- this post is usually “reading and eating.” I have been eating (obviously) but nothing worth sharing. My dinner motivation is at an all-time low. Don’t worry- somehow, we are managing not to starve but dinners have not been photo-worthy.
Moving along! I have several books to discuss. First, I read Slow Horses by Mick Herron (no photo because I gave the book away right after I finished it- oops.) This is the first book in a series about M15 spies, who have screwed up their careers in one way or another, and are now referred to as “Slow Horses.” In this story, they have an opportunity to redeem themselves by rescuing a young man who has been abducted- but since this is a spy novel, the situation is not all as it initially seems.
I liked this! It was funny, well-written, and the ending was exciting. I would read more in this series, except that I have so many books on my TBR right now, I’m not interested in going down a rabbit hole with any particular author. Maybe someday.
Next up- I finished this book:
I’m glad I read it because I learned about the fascinating condition acquired savant syndrome. The main character becomes a mathematical and puzzle-solving genius after suffering a brain injury (the syndrome is real! But I think they could have come up with a better name so the acronym isn’t “ASS.”) Anyway…
Overall, I didn’t like this book. I thought the ending was bizarre- it’s about mysticism! No, it’s a romance! Wait, it’s about quantum physics! I would have liked it better if it was just a mystery about a guy who solves puzzles- I didn’t like the supernatural elements.
Here’s a book I got my husband for Christmas:
I noticed it languishing on his bedside table, so I snatched it up. It’s divided into 28 chapters, and the idea is to read a chapter a day. I’m only on Day 3, but I like it! In the introduction he talks about how, with all our efforts to get more done, be more productive, and be in control, our lives can lose their “resonance.” Oooh! You know how some words just leap out at you?
I looked up the definition of “resonance” and found a couple: “The quality in a sound of being deep, full and reverberating.” And- “On the same wavelength as the universe or divine intelligence.” One more- “emotional resonance is about empathizing, feeling, and truly connecting with others.”
Resonance! My word of the week.
What are you reading?
If you had a word of the week, what would it be?
Top photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash
19 Responses
Do you know that Slow Horses is a show on AppleTV? It’s so good! I’m on season four (I think there are six, maybe seven?) Highly recommend if you liked the book (which I have not read). I’m still muddling through The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store (still not into it, but it’s for book club) and Alas de Onyx. I’ve been reading my daughters English version of Onyx Storm some and it’s helping me follow it better. There are so many made up words and it can be hard for me to remember those names and places when I don’t see them, and only here the Spanish versions of them. I still can’t really figure out who half the people mentioned are though.
Yes, the person I gave the book to told me about the show. I can imagine it’s really good.
Some of my coworkers are reading Onyx Storm so I know it’s popular right now!
I didn’t love Heaven and Earth grocery store… I struggled through it.
My husband and most people I know love the Slow Horses adaptation on the TV so you could just watch that! The author is great, I have transcribed an interview with him and he was lovely.
I am away at the moment so plenty of reading. I’m in the middle of June Sarpong’s nonfiction “Diversity” which is really good but a bit slow going (not fascinating enough for the plane journey but I need to finish it so I can leave it here and replace its space in my suitcase with some packs of a kind of sweet you cannot get in the UK), and just finished Caroline Khoury’s The Love Intervention, which was a fun novel spanning several countries. Next up on the Kindle is a book about the history of the Wages for Housework campaign.
Re boring food, last night we went to a restaurant we went to last October and I had the same meal as I did then!!
Ha, I frequently have the same thing at a restaurant, over and over again. I’m always impressed by the wide variety of books you read, and your willingness to persevere through some of these non-fictions. I read almost all fiction.
I’m taking a note to check out the Slow Horses TV show.
I was floundering on both the food and book fronts, and I’m still floundering for food but not books. I don’t usually read romance, but everyone is talking about Funny Story, so I picked it up and I’m digging it. I finished The Blue Castle last night and it is going to be so hard to keep my lips zipped until next Monday when we discuss it.
I know- we can’t talk about the ending! Although, you must be so happy you told me your predictions when you were here. You basically figured out the entire book.
One of my goals is to read a romance novel this year. Maybe Funny Story will be the one!
Resonance is such a beautiful word. It reminds me of the sound rippling from a prayer bowl…
I’m reading _Catolog of Unabashed Gratitude_ by Ross Gay; I love everything by him. (It was a present that I discovered in my TBR.)
I think I read something else by Ross Gay- it was a while ago. And yes, resonance- so many great connotations.
Resonance is such a perfect word for your family, especially since it has an application to music! I think my word of the week would be anxiety! I’ve been so anxious that I’m going to catch that stomach bug that any sort of off feeling in my stomach has me dreading what is to come. But somehow I have miraculously managed to avoid it so far. I want to say I’m in the clear but Phil got sick five days after Paul got sick so I have a few more days of sort of holding my breath.
I just finished reading a book called ,the time of the child’. The early part of the book moved really slowly for me and I had debated abandoning it, but it had over a four star rating on Goodreads so I stuck with it and the ending did redeem it. But I don’t know that I would recommend it to others because it was hard to get into. Now I’m reading a novel that said during the Christmas holiday! It was clearly a popular book during the holiday season so I didn’t get it from the library until this week. I was crazy craving something light and easy to read so decided to read a Christmas book in February. Ha. It’s called ‘the Christmas you found me.’ It has some heavier elements to it, including a sick child, but I’m really enjoying it!
Ha, I don’t think I would want to read a Christmas book in February! But- light and easy sounds good. i really should keep a list of books to read in December. It’s hard for me to keep up my reading because I’m so busy in November-December, but Christmas themed books would be perfect.
Fingers are still crossed that you stay healthy!!!
I finished reading The Secret Book of Flora Lea and really, really enjoyed it. The ending was a 3.5/5, maybe, but I rated the whole book a 5/5 which is relatively rare for me. I couldn’t put it down.
I don’t have a word of the week…but I remember doing that a few years ago and loving it since every week does have it’s own “flavour” and I’m not someone that picks a word of the year.
I’ve never heard of that book! It sounds like something I should know about.
I read Slow Horses last year maybe. I did enjoy it, but like you – there’s so many books I want to read that I don’t want to stick with one series/author. I’m about to finish The Blue Castle, and then I plan to start The Hunter by Tana French. It’s for book club in March. I already know I’ll miss book club, but if I like it – I’ll stick with it. It’s a big book though and I don’t want to bring a big heavy book to Italy next month (I don’t anticipate being done before we leave in 4 weeks), so I might have to start something ‘light weight’ for my trip. The book you got your husband sounds interesting. If I was gonna pick a word of the week, I’d choose Breathe. Like Lisa, I’m worried about the stomach bug hitting me. Kay has it now. A baby I sit for puked all over me – like a fountain of milk, yesterday. Plus basketball happenings have been frustrating me. *breathe* It’s all gonna be fine.
Egads! A fountain of milk puke??? Okay yes- just breathe. Everything will be fine!
Resonance is a great word, and I relate to what that book says about how striving for productivity makes life less fun. I know when I’m trying to be go-go-go that I get more annoyed at little things that get in my way, whereas when I’m on vacation or in a more relaxed mood, life just feels more meaningful!
You may have just summarized the entire book, ha ha. After I’ve read the whole thing I’ll report back and tell you if I got any more out of it than that.
I liked The Puzzle Master a lot more than you did. Connie 4 LYFE!!
Well, yes- there was Connie. But I was worried about her for a while!!!