Sunday, August 16, 2020

The Sunday Post #237


The Sunday Post is a chance to recap the past week, talk about next week, tell you what I’m reading, and share news. It’s hosted by The Caffeinated Book ReviewerReaderbuzz, and Book Date.

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The Sunday Post #237





On The Blog Last Week







On The Blog This Week


  • On Tuesday I blather about book series that should be made into TV shows.
  • On Thursday we might talk about an experiment I did on Instagram.





In My Reading Life


Last week, I finished Beartown by Fredrik Backman. Like all of Backman’s books, it’s excellent. He’s great at creating realistic characters with memorable personalities. Beartown is about the fallout in a small Swedish town after a star hockey player rapes a teenage girl. It’s heartbreakingly realistic and has more humor than you’d expect. My only complaint is that the author sometimes tries too hard and over-explains things. I can figure out the moral of the story on my own, thank you very much. I highly recommend this novel, especially if you love sports.




Then I read Red Clocks by Leni Zumas. I liked this book, too! I guess I’d call it a literary alternate present novel? The world is almost the same as it is now, but abortion is illegal, and there are laws about who can have children. The book follows 5 women who are trying to start families or escape from families. I liked some perspectives more than others. My favorite is a (possibly?) mentally ill “witch” who is on trial for allegedly poisoning a pregnant woman. I also appreciate the perspective of an older woman who is trying to get pregnant before it becomes illegal for her to have children.

My biggest complaint is that I can tell the author has an MFA in writing. Sometimes the book is weird for no good reason. (I know from experience that college professors love books that are weird for no good reason.) For example, there’s a character who randomly eats a handful of dirt. The dirt-eating ties into the book’s themes, but it’s heavy handed and doesn’t fit with the character’s personality, so it pulled me out of the story. Despite the random weirdness, I’d recommend this book to fans of literary dystopias like The Handmaid’s Tale.




I’m currently reading An American Marriage by Tayari Jones. It’s brilliant so far! It’s about a man who’s arrested for a crime he didn’t commit and his wife, who isn’t sure she wants to stay married to him. The writing is stunning. Is it too early to predict that this book will be a favorite of the year? I haven’t even finished reading it yet!






In The Rest Of My Life


Five things that made me happy last week:

  1. I’m still re-watching every episode of The Great British Bake Off / Baking Show. I’d like to try baking those fancy foods, but I definitely don’t need the calories. Also, I’m still mad at Paul for insulting American pies and telling the bakers to “make them British” to make them taste good. I agree that American pies taste like sugar, but sugar is an excellent thing, Paul! Don’t abuse my sugary native cuisine.
  2. I’m watching hockey too. My team has done well in the playoffs so far. Go Avalanche!
  3. I’ve now done yoga every day for 6 months. I’m still terrible at it. The saying “Practice makes perfect” does not apply to me. I currently have rug burns on my wrist because I fell over while failing at crow pose.
  4. Thank you to everyone who looked at my “Answering Bookish Questions” post. It’s been a while since I wrote a post that required a ton of research. I love doing research, but it tends to take multiple forevers.
  5. BINGO! I guess I succeeded at Reverse Readathon? I don’t know. I did 3 readathons in a row, and now everything is blurry. (Literally blurry. I have eyestrain. I’m taking a long break from readathons.)







Please love me. I’m usually nice!













Take care of yourselves and be kind to each other! See you around the blogosphere!





31 comments:

  1. I know exactly what you mean about recognizing stories written by authors with MFAs. It gets in the way of enjoying a book for me. The similes are in my face. Stop it, I want to tell them. Just tell me the story.

    Good for you with yoga. It's slowly calming, I think. I miss my yoga class so much. But it is nice just to put on the music and make my own flows.

    I don't remember Paul putting down American pies, but I can easily see him saying that. Pie is probably my favorite thing to bake, too. I dare you, Paul, to try my pie and set it aside for a British pie.

    I hope you have a great week.

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  2. Ha ha! Like Deb above, I also can tell when an author starts using literary techniques to be clever, rather than to tell the story. By then I generally sling the book across the room, or flick it into my DNF list on my ereader. You're very nice and patient to tolerate that nonsense:)).

    Paul Hollywood is apt to make rather silly, sweeping assertions - but those brilliant blue eyes and that male charisma means he generally gets away with it! Though, like you, I LOVE Bakeoff:)). Have a great week, AJ.

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  3. You crack me up! Now, I am envisioning you falling over while doing yoga, but I am also impressed with your perseverance. I tend to give up pretty quickly on things I am not good at. So, gold star for you. Pies at not my thing, though I like to enjoy them at Thanksgiving.

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  4. Yes yes but AJ, Crow Pose is hard!!!! I bet you improved a lot since you began!

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  5. I always get the urge to bake more when I’ve been watching the Great British BakeOff

    It seems you had a great Reading week, I hope this one is too.

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  6. Ahh I'm happy to hear you liked Beartown, I've heard amazing things about this book, maybe I need to check it out :) and ahh practice makes perfect doesn't seem to apply to yoga too much for me, either, years later and I'm still trying and failing a lot hahaha.
    I hope you'll have a lovely week, take care <3

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  7. There is something so rejuvenating about doing yoga! But its something you build up slowly with.

    This reverse read a thon looks so much fun!!

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  8. I'm proud of you hanging in there with the yoga. I have An American Marriage on audio but have yet to read it. My daughter has me watching some Hell's Kitchen with her. The mistakes are outrageous. I'm looking forward to a bit cooler temps and more great books this week!

    Anne - Books of My Heart Here is my Sunday Post   

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  9. I loved Beckman's other books and this one is on my TBR. I hope you stay safe and the things better soon.

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  10. People in Britain definitely do have different tastes than we do! Nobody on that show seems to like anything too sweet.

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  11. Aj, I am pleased to hear you had a good week of reading and viewing. Just ignore Paul Hollywood - I have since he has such a problem with a soggy bottom on an apple pie, which everyone knows where I come from is the best bit! 😄 Take care and a happy upcoming week. 😃

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  12. Good for you with the yoga, I’m trying and failing to get a good exercise regime going. Ah Paul Hollywood, he sets many a heart racing with those piercing eyes and that Hollywood handshake, I love him!

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  13. I've yet to read anything by Backman despite seeing so many raves for his books. An American Marriage has been on my radar for a while but I'm not sure I can handle it. I think it would make me ragey and break my heart at the same time.

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  14. I tried to yoga for awhile and decided that it was never going to work for me so I feel your pain. Six months is a big time commitment. I also did the reverse readathon but didn't even look at the bingo sheet. Maybe next time :)

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  15. I still need to read An American Marriage! Last year I listened to If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin and loved it! My understanding is that the plots of these novels are very similar. I'm interested in finding out for myself. Glad you're enjoying Jones' book.

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  16. I plan on reading Beartown based on what you said. Looking forward to it. Happy yoga and reading :-)

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  17. I'm so glad you enjoyed Beartown. It can remain on my TBR. I keep jumping back and forth between whether I want to read An American Marriage. I'm glad to hear you are enjoying it!

    I've gotten behind on checking out posts on my favorite blogs! I am heading over to read your posts from the week now! I understand your feelings on your bookish questions post. I feel like the posts that take the most research and creativity on my part go largely unnoticed. Your hard work deserves all of the love!

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  18. Congrats on the readathons! I've always wanted to do one and never had time. I hope you have a great week!

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  19. An American Marriage sounds good. And yay for hockey! My team sucks now but I still love it... :)

    Lol about yoga. I'd fall over too.

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  20. what is a crow pose? You should model it :)

    Go Vegas--they seem to be hot again during this shortened hockey season.

    www.thepulpitandthepen.com

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  21. Even attempting crow pose is impressive - just doing a plank makes me want to die. (Oh and I've tagged you in Jess at Jessticulates' Medieval Queens tag if you fancy it http://basedonthebook.blogspot.com/2020/08/medieval-queens-book-tag.html)

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  22. I have An American Marriage - hope I can read that one soon! Yay for winning the read-a-thon!!! I haven't done one in forever, and when I have done them, I don't get much read. LOL

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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  23. I could re-watch GBBO a million times and never tire of it.

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  24. I like watching cooking shows too and also don't need the calories. Bear Town has been on my wishlist forever. I really should read it one of these days. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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  25. I'm glad you like Beartown. I loved it, too.

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  26. Oooh...what good books for you lately! I really want to read both Beartown and An American Marriage. I just finally listened to A Man Called Ove on audio this winter :)

    Wow, 3 readathons in a row? That sounds like fun! Our summer has been hectic and exhausting - maybe I will look for a readathon to participate in.

    Enjoy your books and your British Baking Show this week!

    Sue

    2020 Big Book Summer Challenge

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  27. Your vacation graphic cracked me up. Looks like we took the same vacation, lol. I'm also glad to hear you're enjoying An American Marriage. That's one of my backlist reads I'm hoping to get to this year.

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  28. I enjoy Bake Off but I'm worried now that the presenter line up is changing again. I love Noel and Sandy and don't want change!!! I'm not a fan of Matt Lucas and I hated Little Britain so I'm not looking forward to the new series.

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  29. Yay fellow hockey fan! Our team sucks right now so they weren't even invited (LA Kings lol). But my husband loves the Avalanche too! I don't really care who wins but it's nice to have something to watch

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  30. It is impressive how you are holding on to that yoga thing. Now I have an image in my head of a woman falling over while doing that yoga pose *lol* You made my day with that picture! Happy reading.

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  31. Oh it drives me crazy when I can feel the writer behind the words! Like I can almost see them patting themselves on the back for being so clever. The crow pose is HARD! I've attempted it a time or two but decided we just aren't friends. I had to laugh at the Bake-Off comment. Sometimes dessert should be sweet! Hope you're having a great week.

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