Sunday, September 27, 2020

The Sunday Post #243

 

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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.

 


The Sunday Post #243

 

 


On The Blog Last Week

 

 

 

 

 

On The Blog This Week

 

  • On Tuesday I share my favorite quotes from Fredrik Backman books.

 

 

 

 

In My Reading Life

 

Last week, I finished I’ll Be Gone In The Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search For The Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara. It’s true crime. The title pretty much tells you the plot. I have mixed feelings about this book because I see so much missed potential! It’s a fascinating story about an amateur detective’s quest to find a serial rapist. Unfortunately, the author died while writing the book. Her research partners pieced the story together from her notes and published it. There is some brilliant writing, but because of how everything came together, it feels scattered and unfinished. That sucks. I wish the author had been able to finish it. It would have been epic. I don’t think this book is the next In Cold Blood, but if you like true crime, it’s worth reading.

 

As soon as I finished I’ll Be Gone In The Dark, I watched the documentary series that was made about the book. I like the documentary more than the book. It fills in the book’s gaps. Please watch it if you get the opportunity.



Then I finished American War by Omar El Akkad. OMG, this novel. I don’t know how to talk about it. Okay, it’s a dystopia about a young girl who is growing up in a refugee camp after the Second American Civil War forces her family out of their home. The girl is eventually recruited to be a child soldier. As you can probably tell by the plot, the book is relentlessly bleak. I eventually switched to the audiobook so I could do other things while listening instead of just reading and wallowing in the characters’ misery. (The audiobook narrator is Dion Graham, who is a great voice actor, by the way.) One of the reasons the novel is depressing is because the characters feel plausible. There are no good guys or bad guys. There are just a bunch of average guys clinging too stubbornly to their ideas. The ending is not happy. It’s not an easy book to read, but it’s beautifully written with a lot of interesting observations. I even highlighted some quotes:

 

“You fight the war with guns, you fight the peace with stories.”

 

“What was safety, anyway, but the sound of a bomb falling on someone else's home?”

 

If you like dystopias and can tolerate “heavy” books, check this one out.



Up next, I’m reading Beasts Of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang and Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie. I haven’t started either of them yet.





 

In The Rest Of My Life

 

Five things that made me happy last week:

 

  1. Watching TV. I really liked I’ll Be Gone In The Dark. Right now, I’m watching Away on Netflix. The plot is kind of predictable, but I like the characters. Also, Great British Bake Off! It’s back!
  2. New books! They’re in my haul post, if you want to see them.
  3. It’s cold enough at night that I can drink hot cocoa without feeling like a weirdo.
  4. I took a break from hard workouts and only did easy yoga every day. My body feels so much better! I thought exercise was supposed to make people feel good? That appears to be a lie. I feel better when I sit on the couch and eat M&Ms. I’m restarting the hard stuff again this week.
  5. I got distracted while reorganizing my (mostly abandoned) Facebook account and ended up looking at old vacation photos. I found this one from my last camping trip. Remember when we could go places? Places were fun.

 


 

 


Can I Get A Connection?

 

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





32 comments:

  1. Hey, if you still have that pop up, it's the perfect way to vacation right now. They actually said RV accidents are up, because so many new-RV owners are out on the roads. I agree with you about exercise. I started this program, which is actually awesome, because the exercises are really straight forward (I am not very coordinated), but every morning, I feel like garbage. Where are the endorphins and good feelings!!! Enjoy your cocoa!

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  2. I've totally slacked off on exercising the last two weeks. I plan on restating tomorrow morning. I am not pleased. But I'll do it anyway. Love the Pooh meme. :)

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  3. I had my first cup of bedtime cocoa last week. My book club read American War and it was a great discussion. You might want to try The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi if you haven't read it yet. It is one of my favorite book club reads.

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  4. I keep on seeing reminders everywhere on Election. It's a good thing for busy people.

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  5. I need to start the new Bake Off season, but I have so many older seasons to catch up on, too!

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  6. OMG the Pooh meme *lol* That´s just perfect! Thank you for sharing it with us. Going on vacation with an RV was the hit over the past months here in Germany. Was the only way to avoid large croweds and to do the socially distancing. But your are right, I miss being "free" to do and go as I please, too. Have a wonderful new week and happy reading. Stay safe.

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  7. Well I think you can work mildly hard when going for very long walks. No need to run. If you combine with yoga, that should be enough for you not to suffer LOL

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  8. I loved I'll be Gone in the Dark, but also felt like it was unfinished, only because of her untimely passing. It was a book I could not put down and I felt like her assistants did the best they could, but it just was not quite the same. I will have to watch the doc!

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  9. I miss my yoga class so much. I know that people can do yoga at home, alone, but it's a rare day that I actually do.

    I am eagerly looking forward to the new season of the Great British Bake-Off. I've been told there's an American counterpart, but I've never been able to find it at Amazon or Netflix.

    American War sounds interesting. I never used to read much fantasy or sci fi but last week I read two, so it appears that I am changing.

    Have a good week!

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  10. Hi AJ! We are on vacation at the moment and blogging is a bit of drag as we have no WiFi. But between the two of us, we have data. But then the cellphone networks doesn't work all that well. Ai jai jai....

    I've been eying I'll be gone in the dark, but from your review, I'll give it a skip. Wasn't too sure. It's a horrible story though!

    Please let me know what you thought of Beast of Extraordinary Circumstance. I loved that book.

    I'll keep an eye out for your post on Tuesday for the Backman quotes.

    Have a good week!

    Elza Reads

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  11. I enjoy traveling but it's not happening right now. My daughter has introduced me to the Great British Bake-off while I am fixing dinner. I tend not to watch tv at all because I'm usually reading. Good luck with your yoga!

    Anne - Books of my Heart Here is my Sunday Post

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  12. Sounds like a good week, with a book haul and easy workouts! Hope you have another good week! Thanks for stopping by! Happy reading!

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  13. I definitely wish Michelle McNamara could have finished her book, but I mostly wish she would have seen him get caught so close to her death. I DO remember places. I miss them. Happy reading!

    Natflix&Books

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  14. I really enjoyed American War, It was a difficult read but I was glad I did read it. I’m so glad Bake Off is back, in these depressing times we need cake!

    Have a good week!

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  15. The Pop-up camper looks like a great way to get away. What a crazy world we are living in right now. Thank goodness for books so we can slip away to other worlds. My Sunday Salon post

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  16. I felt the same way about the book I'll Be Gone in the Dark (too unfinished) and American War (too bleak). But I highly recommend Home Fire ... which was one of my favorites from a couple years ago. Hope you enjoy it.

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  17. I'm trying to get myself back into the exercise mode. It's not easy, though. Hope you have a great week.

    My post is here.

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  18. I've heard complaints about I'll Be Gone in the Dark which given the circumstances makes sense but doesn't improve the reading experience. I'll probably stick with the documentary. I'm so excited that The Great British Bake Off is back. It's my favorite! I hope you have a great week.

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  19. You're the second person I've seen mention Away - I will definitely need to check that out!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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  20. Oh man, it's terrible when an author dies midway through writing their book. The book sounds interesting to read though. Have a great week!

    Here’s my Sunday Post!

    Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog

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  21. That Pooh graphic cracked me up! And oh my gosh American War seems timely lol. I'm watching Away too although it's slow going- maybe because I have like three shows going at the same time. Away kind of reminds me of In Another Life with Katee Sackhoff, which has a similar plot plus aliens.

    Oh, and this "I feel better when I sit on the couch and eat M&Ms". Seems reasonable.

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  22. I always feel like people are gaslighting me when they say excercise should feel good, I've never gotten that, all I feel after a workout is sore and tired. I started some saily light yoga this year and at least my back feel happy about it, so that's something

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  23. Love the Pooh! I've been watching OFFSPRING on Netflix -- total escape viewing.

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  24. I want to read and watch I’ll Be Gone in the Dark.
    I was disappointed in Talking To Strangers, The Butchering Art is on my wishlist though.

    Wishing you a great reading week

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  25. Love your opening graphic. I've already sent in my absentee ballot. I shouldn't have to listen to any more political stuff! I agree about exercise. Sitting on the couch is the thing that feels best for me too. I'm currently reading only light books or historical mysteries. Reality is just too real right now. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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  26. I relate hard to Pooh Bear. This year is hell.

    I need to get back to both reading and watching I'll Be Gone in the Dark.

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  27. i feel the same way, but september is almost behind us...though hurricane sally has left her mark for september
    sherry @ fundinmental

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  28. Yes to the British Bake Off back on! I also feel better with wine, chocolate, and a great show to watch at night.

    I also enjoyed I'll Be Gone in the Dark. I read it when it was first published but I enjoyed the documentary as well. I'm so glad they finally got him.

    Love your Pooh comic at the beginning! OMG! So true.

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  29. That Pooh meme is perfect. Lol.

    I keep saying I need to get back to yoga. So far it hasn't happened. However, a glass of wine at night and Oreos does.

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  30. Your Pooh comic is way too relatable, lol. I hear you on the exercise too. I've been trying to use my exercise bike more lately and although it feels very satisfying while I'm actually riding, I feel like death the next day. I'd definitely rather lounge on my couch and eat candy.

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  31. Love the Pooh meme. I feel the same, Pooh.

    I'm slowly starting to be more active these days - but I walked a TON and up and down a hill a couple times on Saturday -and my body still hurts in places. It's ridiculous. Where are all my feel good endorphins? Huh, science? LOL

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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  32. The Pooh quote sums up my opinions about 2020 and Covid 19 for sure. I wish it would just go away!

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