Read Me A Story

[Editor's note: Long-time customer Melinda Rose is a big audio book fan and a recent convert to Libro.fm, so we asked her to share her thoughts about the service and some of her personal recommendations.  See more about Libro.fm at the end of this article.]

By Melinda Rose

I love books, I love stories, and I love being read to. Growing up my parents read to us almost every night, and it's always felt like such a loving, nurturing thing when a partner reads to me.

I'm a longtime fan of audiobooks, and pretty much always have one going. The right performance can bring so much life and texture to a story, and I can get lost in a book while doing chores around the house, exercising, driving, or simply relaxing. Plus it's a great way to work through that never ending, ever increasing, to-read pile. Between all the fabulous new books coming out on the regular, recommendations from friends of great books I've somehow never read, all the books I've meaning to read, and the impulse buys when browsing my favorite bookstores, well, the sad truth is I'll never get to everything I want to read.

I've had an audible account since 2007, and I was thrilled when I found out there was an alternative that supports independent book stores. I recently made the switch to Libro.fm, and it's been wonderful. It's easy to set up an account and choose which independent bookstore you'd like to support. The company splits the profits with the bookstore, and they have a huge selection. You can set up a monthly membership to automatically buy one credit a month (good for any book in their collection) or just buy as you go a la carte style. You can listen to a sample before you buy to make sure you like the narrator (and believe me, that really makes or breaks the experience).

If you want to listen on your smartphone or other device, download the libro.fm app and your purchases automatically show up in your library. The app's interface is basically the same as Audibles, and it's very intuitive, so if you're switching over it's an easy transition, and if you're new to the world of audiobooks you’ll find it pretty easy to navigate. They also have a very human, responsive, and helpful customer service team.

It's all about the performance!
Here are some of my favorite listens

* Erin Morgenstern's latest novel THE STARLESS SEA is a story about stories, and the way the stories we love shape our lives. It has love, adventure, and hidden doorways to a secret world. There are multiple narrators and it's very effective. There's the main story arc, and then there are the books and stories the characters come across and those are read by different voice actors. This is one of the most beautiful books I've encountered, and the audio version really brings the intersecting stories to life.

* Warren Ellis's CROOKED LITTLE VEIN performed by Todd McLaren perfectly captures the twisted noir tone of the story, told in first person by a private detective reluctantly exploring the debaucherous underbelly of American culture. Sex, drugs, and plot twists galore!

* If you're a fan of The Kingkiller Chronicles, Patrick Rothfuss reading his novella "The Slow Regard of Silent Things" is an absolute treat.  It follows the adventures of Auri -- her life in the forgotten, underground halls and rooms of the university. It's an achingly beautiful character study.

* "Aliens suck at music" is the first line in YEAR ZERO by Rob Reid (performed by John Hodgman). Basically the galaxy is filled with intelligent, creative, and evolved life forms who had no intention of contacting the primitive Earthlings, until they discovered our pop music. . . . And downloaded and listened to it for decades before reading our copyright laws. Delegates from the intergalactic society descend upon a low-level entertainment lawyer to try and negotiate down the huge sum of money the rest of the galaxy collectively owes Earth.

* Neil Gaiman is as brilliant a voice performer as he is a writer, and he narrates most of his books. I've only listened to a few, but I've loved them all, and honestly I don't think you can go wrong in selecting one of his works.

I encourage you to go to libro.fm's website and explore the options. Their catalog is not quite as extensive as Audible's, but it's still a huge collection and they're helping the small independent guys, which is wonderful. I know many of us could use an extra diversion right about now.

[Libro.fm is an audiobook purchase platform specifically designed to support independent bookstores. Unlike all of the e-book sites that have offered us partnerships, and in direct contrast to Amazon's audiobook platform, Audible, Libro.fm make it practical and seamless to support Borderlands (or another indie of your choice) with your online audiobook purchases.  It's easy to sign up and easy to use, moreso, we've been blown away by their extraordinary customer service and dedication to helping bookstores. Just go to https://libro.fm/story to learn more about them and create your free account. As part of the account set-up process, you designate an independent bookstore that you want your purchases to support. (You can use this link if you want to choose Borderlands to support right out of the gate: https://libro.fm/?bookstore=borderlands .)  After that, browse more that 150,00 audiobooks and either set up a monthly membership, or buy audiobooks a la carte. ]

Initimtable Small Trouble Must Die Past Midnight

What the staff is reading this week:

Alan: "PETER PAN MUST DIE by John Verdon."

Cary: "THE BEST OF CONNIE WILLIS, and THE INIMITABLE JEEVES by P.G. Wodehouse."

Claud:"TROUBLE AND HER FRIENDS and SHADOW MAN, by Melissa Scott (rereads); THE DAYS OF ANNA MADRIGAL, by Armistead Maupin; MOTHER CAMP: Female Impersonators In America, by Esther Newton (*wonderful*); TOKYO VICE: An American Reporter On The Police Beat In Japan, by Jake Adelstein; LIFE AFTER LIFE, by Kate Atkinson; COMPLICATED WOMEN, by Mick LaSalle; KARMA, AS A FAVOR, NOT EXACTLY A BRAHMIN, TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE, A DINNER TO DIE FOR, DIAMOND IN THE BUFF, and DEATH AND TAXES, by Susan Dunlap (rereads); SEDUCTIVE CINEMA: The Art Of Silent Film, by James Card."

Devany: THE THREE by Sarah Lotz, IT; NIGHT SHIFT; THE LONG WALK; and FOUR PAST MIDNIGHT by Stephen King.

Jude: "BANGKOK 8 by John Burdett, THIN AIR; CHANCE; and SMALL VICES by Robert Parker. Just finished an advance copy of LOCK IN by John Scalzi, (EXCELLENT!) and I'm currently reading BROKEN MONSTERS by Lauren Beukes (creepy and marvelous)."

Declare the Lost Wise Queer Noises of Vengeance

What the staff is reading this week. . .

Alan: PASTIME by Robert Parker.

Cary: "Re-reading Patrick Rothfuss: I'm on WISE MAN'S FEAR right now."

Claud: "LATIN: Story Of A World Language, by Jürgen Leonhardt (amazing); HOW TO BE GAY, by David M. Halperin; DECLARE, by Tim Powers (reread); BURNING BRIGHT, DREAMSHIPS, DREAMING METAL, and TROUBLE AND HER FRIENDS, by Melissa Scott (all rereads); QUEER NOISES: Male And Female Homosexuality In Twentieth-Century Music, by John Gill; INDUSTRIAL CULTURE HANDBOOK, by Research; THE BUDDHA OF SUBURBIA, by Hanif Kureishi (reread)."

Jude: "THE THREE by Sarah Lotz (wonderful and scary!); an ARC of LAND OF SHADOWS by Rachel Howzell Hall; THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BAD TASTE by Jane and Michael Stern; T IS FOR TRESPASS; U IS FOR UNDERTOW; V IS FOR VENGEANCE by Sue Grafton; THE AXE FACTOR by Colin Cotterill; PASTIME; DOUBLE DEUCE; PAPER DOLL; and WALKING SHADOW by Robert Parker."

Naamen: "Sarah Beth Durst, LOST - just started it, the story of a young woman who gets trapped in the city of Lost where all lost things turn up, and her determination to get out and back to her mother. Very atmospheric writing, really messed up people (wouldn't you be?) and a heroine with a lot of heart.  Definitely one I recommend picking up."

Raising Sharp Unwritten Provident Martians

What the staff is currently reading:

Alan: "Reading BALEFIRES by David Drake.  Re-reading, actually.  Damn but there's some great stories in that collection.  Especially Hunting Ground (which I just finished)."

Cary: "RAISING STEAM by Terry Pratchett, THE MARTIAN by Andrew Weir, and
some of the Jeeves book by P.G. Wodehouse."

Claud:"PAYOFF and SHARP, by Alex Hughes; THE UNWRITTEN (up through Volume 8), by Mike Carey and Peter Gross; MISS Z, THE DARK YOUNG LADY, by Angela Carter; THE EGYPTOLOGIST, by Arthur Phillips; QUANTUM MOON, by Denise Vitola (reread); HALF A KING, by Joe Abercrombie; CITY BOY: My Life In New York In The 1960s And 70s, by Edmund White; THE KING IN YELLOW AND OTHER HORROR STORIES, by Robert W. Chambers (reread, because of TRUE DETECTIVE); HOLDING ON UPSIDE DOWN: The Life And Work Of Marianne Moore, by Linda Leavell (very good); and IMAGES OF MAN AND DEATH, by Philippe Ariès."

Jeremy:"CHANCE by Kem Nunn and ACT OF PROVIDENCE by Joseph Payne Brennan."

Jude: "DANGEROUS WOMEN edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois (picked it up for the fun Joe Abercrombie and then got hooked -- wow,  Megan Abbott's My Heart is Either Broken is a brilliant gut punch of a story!); P IS FOR PERIL; Q IS FOR QUARRY; R IS FOR RICOCHET; and S IS FOR SILENCE by Sue Grafton, PALISADES PARK by Alan Brennert; GHOST HUNTING IN MONTANA by Barnaby Conrad III; JULIE AND JULIA by Julie Powell; and HIGH PROFILE by Robert B. Parker (I don't like the Jesse Stone novels nearly as much as the Spenser novels)."

Savage Cool Infected Real Life Freaks with Gifts

What the staff has been reading recently. . . .

Alan:"Reading the NIGHT'S DAWN trilogy by Peter F. Hamilton and wondering how I missed it for all these years.  I was surprised to note that, despite being clearly SF, it's structured exactly like a big fantasy trilogy.  Perhaps the only SF trilogy that I can think of with that sort of structure."

Cary: "AMERICAN SAVAGE by Dan Savage, MY MAN JEEVES by P.G. Wodehouse, MY REAL CHILDREN by Jo Walton, LIFE AFTER LIFE by Kate Atkinson (a good pairing with the Walton!) and MAISIE DOBBS by Jacqueline Winspear."

Claud: "COOL GRAY CITY OF LOVE: 49 Views Of San Francisco, by Gary Kamiya; INSIDE THE DREAM PALACE: The Life And Times Of New York's Legendary Chelsea Hotel, by Sherill Tippins; AFTER DEAD, by Charlaine Harris; THE PROUD TOWER: A Portrait Of The World Before The War 1890-1914, by Barbara W. Tuchman; HILD, by Nicola Griffith (excellent!); CRITICAL MASS, by Sara Paretsky; LIVING DOWNTOWN: The History Of Residential Hotels In The United States, by Paul Groth (fascinating); AMERICAN NATIONS: A History Of The Eleven Rival Regional Cultures Of North America, by Colin Woodard (really interesting); THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS, by M.R. Carey (really good); MY REAL CHILDREN, by Jo Walton (tremendously engaging); DEATH ON THE NILE, by Agatha Christie (reread); HUBERT'S FREAKS: The Rare-Book Dealer, The Times Square Talker, And The Lost Photos Of Diane Arbus, by Gregory Gibson (amazing); THE GENTRIFICATION OF THE MIND: Witness To A Lost Imagination, by Sarah Schulman; and CLEAN, by Alex Hughes (reread)."

Dev: "THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M.R. Carey (advance copy), CHASING THE MOON by A. Lee Martinez, INFECTED by Scott Sigler."

Jude: HUBERT'S FREAKS: The Rare-Book Dealer, The Times Square Talker, And The Lost Photos Of Diane Arbus, by Gregory Gibson (I loved it, too); HOTEL by Arthur Hailey (trashy 60's fun); AFTERPARTY by Daryl Gregory (advance copy; LOVED IT - a book about drugs and crime and religion and more drugs!), MY REAL CHILDREN by Jo Walton (advance copy), and SPARROW HILL ROAD by Seanan McGuire (advance copy).

Mysteries, Histories, Distances to Homes, and Chasms

What the staff has been reading recently:

Alan: "MYSTERY MAN by Colin Bateman.  Hilarious."

Cary: "THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS (advance copy) by M. R. Carey, and AT
HOME and THE MOTHER TONGUE by Bill Bryson."

Claud: "AN UNCOMMON HISTORY OF COMMON THINGS, by Bethanne Patrick; ANCILLARY JUSTICE, by Ann Leckie; GOD'S WAR and INFIDEL (rereads) and RAPTURE, by Kameron Hurley; THE BIG TRUCK THAT WENT BY: How The World Came To Save Haiti And Left Behind A Disaster, by Jonathan M. Katz (great); WEAR YOUR DREAMS: My Life In Tattoos, by Ed Hardy; HOUSE OF LEAVES, by Mark Z. Danielewski (reread); AN OFFICER AND A SPY, by Robert Harris; THE SOUND AND THE FURRY, by Spencer Quinn; RED FORTRESS: The Secret Heart Of Russia's History, by Catherine Merridale (excellent); TALES OF THE SAN FRANCISCO CACOPHONY SOCIETY, by Carrie Galbraith (wonderful); HERETIC QUEEN: Queen Elizabeth I And The Wars Of Religion, by Susan Ronald (great); HYPERBOLE AND A HALF: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, And Other Things That Happened, Allie Brosh (awesome); TOP 10, Vol. 1, TOP 10, Vol. 2 and TOP 10: 49ers (rereads) and TOP 10: Smax, by Alan Moore; THE GOLDFINCH, Donna Tartt (***phenomenal***); THE INVISIBLES, by Grant Morrison (reread); JOHNNY CASH: The Life, by Robert Hilburn (excellent); THIS IS THE STORY OF A HAPPY MARRIAGE, by Ann Patchett (wonderful); CROSSING MIDNIGHT (reread), by Mike Carey; and HENRI, LE CHAT NOIR: The Existential Musings Of An Angst-Filled Cat, by William Braden."

Devany: "CHASING THE MOON by A. Lee Martinez, HYPERION by Dan Simmons, THE INVENTION OF MURDER by Judith Flanders, EVERLOST by Neil Shusterman."

Jude: "TALKING PICTURES: IMAGES AND MESSAGES RESCUED FROM THE PAST by Ransom Riggs; JUST MY TYPE: A BOOK ABOUT FONTS by Simon Garfield; AT HOME: A SHORT HISTORY OF PRIVATE LIFE by Bill Bryson (thanks, Cary, for the Xmas present, it was wonderful!) ; HALF-OFF RAGNAROK by Seanan McGuire (advance copy -- I much prefer this narrator over the narrator in the first two books in the series); THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH AND THE COMING OF THE CIVIL WAR by Leonard L. Richards; and I am currently reading THE SILENT TRAVELER IN SAN FRANCISCO by Chaing Yee."

Naamen: "I found my copy of CHASM CITY by Alastair Reynolds that I'd thought was gone, so I've hopped back into Tanner Mirabel's story about revenge and space opera urban decay. Though to be completely honest I find the other storyline, starring Sky Haussman,  to be much more compelling and interesting a story -- but that may be because of my interest in religion and religious myth and how that will play out in a technologically advanced future. The idea of any one's ordinary choices getting codified into religious myth and cult doctrine with all the rigid inflexibility that implies is really fascinating, especially because we're not seeing that codification itself, only the before and after.  Can't wait to finish it and see how the whole thing plays out and comes together. 

While I thought I'd lost CHASM CITY,  I started reading THE COLOR OF DISTANCE by Amy Thomson.  Like Reynolds' book it alternates between two very different viewpoints -- this time divided by cultural perspective, rather than generations of people and religious myth. We follow Juna, the last surviving human of a exploratory flight on another planet who is saved and physically altered (into something more like them) to survive by the native sentient species who think/live very, very differently than humans. The other viewpoint character is Ani, one of those who finds Juna and then loses her mentor, friends and original lifepath because of this.  It's called THE COLOR OF DISTANCE because one of the cultural differences they are surmounting is that Ani's people don't use sound to communicate, they instead change the color and shading of their skin. Oh and they also eat their young. . . often.  One of the best alien perspectives I've come across without any real judgement attached in the narrative (from the author; there's plenty of judgment from Juna)."

School's Out for the Winter Internet Apocalypse

What the staff is reading and has been reading:

Alan: SCHOOL'S OUT FOREVER by Scott K. Andrews.

Cary: "Was reading an advance copy of NOTES FROM THE INTERNET APOCALYPSE by Max Gladstone (due 5/2014).  Currently reading THE CARDINAL'S HEIR by Jaki Demarest."

Claud: 4 BY PELEVIN, by Victor Pelevin (rearead); MIDNIGHT RIOT, MOON OVER SOHO, and WHISPERS UNDER GROUND, by Ben Aaronovitch; FROM DEMOCRATS TO KINGS: The Brutal Dawn Of A New World From The Downfall Of Athens To The Rise Of Alexander, by Michael C. Scott; THE CRYING OF LOT 49, by Thomas Pynchon (reread); I’M YOUR MAN: The Life Of Leonard Cohen, by Sylvie Simmons (excellent biography); THREE PARTS DEAD and TWO SERPENTS RISE, by Max Gladstone (best fantasy I’ve read in ages); UNDER MY ROOF, by Nick Mamatas; THE SECRET WORLD OF SLEEP: How The Nighttime Brain Creates Consciousness, by Penelope A. Lewis; IN THE CUBE, by David Alexander Smith (reread); CREATING COHOUSING: Building Sustainable Communities, by Kathryn McCamant and Charles Durrett; MISS ANNE IN HARLEM: The White Women Of The Black Renaissance, by Carla Kaplan (really interesting); THE UNWRITTEN, Vol. 6: Tommy Taylor And The War Of Words, by Mike Carey and Peter Gross; TOP 10: The Forty-Niners, by Alan Moore; CLOUD ATLAS, by David Mitchell; LEXICON, by Max Barry; THE TALISMAN RING, Georgette Heyer (reread); STRANGERS: Homosexual Love In The Nineteenth Century, by Graham Robb; THE SHAMAN’S COAT: A Native History Of Siberia, by Anna Reid; FRAGILE THINGS: Short Fictions And Wonders, by Neil Gaiman; LOST FILMS: Important Movies That Disappeared, by Frank T. Thompson; THE TERRORIST’S DILEMMA: Managing Violent Covert Organizations, by Jacob N. Shapiro (fascinating, albeit dry); THE CORONER’S LUNCH, THIRTY-THREE TEETH, DISCO FOR THE DEPARTED, and ANARCHY AND OLD DOGS, by Colin Cotterill; FAIRYLAND: A Memoir Of My Father, by Alysia Abbott; THE VICTORIAN INTERNET: The Remarkable Story Of The Telegraph And The Nineteenth Century’s On-Line Pioneers, by Tom Standage (excellent); LIGHT THICKENS, by Ngaio Marsh (reread); REDSHIRTS, by John Scalzi; THE LIZARD CLUB, by Steve Abbott; ORYX AND CRAKE, THE YEAR OF THE FLOOD, and MADDADAM, by Margaret Atwood; THE PRAISE SINGER, by Mary Renault (reread).

Devany: "EARLY AUTUMN by Robert Parker; LOVE MINUS EIGHTY by Will McIntosh; THE WINTER PEOPLE by Jennifer McMahon. WAKING DEAD by Robin Wasserman, and ABOVE by Isla Morley.  [ABOVE is e]nthralling.  I should hate the main character, but I don't. I was reading this on the way home, continued reading and didn't notice it had gotten dark until it was too dark to continue."

Jude: "THE WOMAN WHO WOULDN'T DIE by Colin Cotterill; AN UNSUITABLE JOB FOR A WOMAN by P.D. James; CRIMSON JOY; PLAYMATES; and STARDUST by Robert Parker.  OLD CREOLE DAYS by George Washington Cable. Now I am loving THE ANXIETY OF KALIX THE WEREWOLF by Martin Millar and I wish I didn't have to work so I could finish it!"

Cracked Labyrinth Veterans on Sesame Street

What the staff is reading this week:

Alan: "VETERAN by Gavin Smith.  It's good but I suspect that the author doesn't have much in the way of an actual military background.  That is not always an obstacle but it does come through in the novel."

Cary: "THE CRACK IN THE LENS by Steve Hockensmith."

Claud: "THE SPY WHO LOVED: The Secrets And Lives Of Christine Granville, by Clare Mulley (amazing story of WW2 spy); THE BIG OVER EASY and THE FOURTH BEAR, by Jasper Fforde (rereads); THE FLANEUR, by Edmund White; SHAMAN, Kim Stanley Robinson; GEORGETTE HEYER, by Jennifer Kloester; GULP: Adventures On The Alimentary Canal, Mary Roach; MOXYLAND, by Lauren Beukes; THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE, by Neil Gaiman (amazing & melancholy); MURDER AT THE VICARAGE, by Agatha Christie (reread); LIARS AND OUTLIERS: Enabling The Trust That Society Needs To Thrive, by Bruce Schneier; THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA and RED SEAS UNDER RED SKIES, by Scott Lynch (rereads); SCATTER, ADAPT, AND REMEMBER: How Humans Will Survive A Mass Extinction, by Annalee Newitz; THE RIDDLE OF THE LABYRINTH: The Quest To Crack An Ancient Code, by Margalit Fox (fascinating tale of the decryption of Linear B); THE REPUBLIC OF THIEVES, by Scott Lynch (worth the wait); READY PLAYER ONE, by Ernest Cline; DANCE FOR THE DEAD and METZGER'S DOG, by Thomas Perry; LATE VICTORIAN HOLOCAUSTS: El Nino Famines And The Making Of The Third World, by Mike Davis (phenomenal); THE CUCKOO'S CALLING, by Robert Galbraith (great, actually); THE SHINING GIRLS, by Lauren Beukes; THE BLOODLINE FEUD, THE TRADERS' WAR, and THE REVOLUTION TRADE, by Charles Stross; and THE DRACO TAVERN, by Larry Niven.

Cole: "THE DOG STARS by Peter Heller.  Fantastic. It reminds me a little of FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON."

Jude: " BLACKSAD by Juan Diaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido; KILLED AT THE WHIM OF A HAT; GRANDAD, THERE'S A HEAD ON THE BEACH; ANARCHY AND OLD DOGS; and THE MERRY MISOGYNIST by Colin Cotterill, PROMISED LAND by Robert Parker; HER ROYAL SPYNESS by Rhys Bowen; WEST WITH THE NIGHT by Beryl Markham; and STREET GANG: THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF SESAME STREET by Michael Davis.

Shell Shock & Gaudy Mortal Fear Minus Eighty

What the staff is reading this week. . . .

Alan: "I'm reading the third Spencer novel by Robert Parker, MORTAL STAKES.  Despite the absolutely horrible clothes (ah, the 70s) I think that it is excellent."

Cary: "Just finished an advanced reading copy of THE REPUBLIC OF THIEVES by
Scott Lynch, currently reading ARC of DEAD SET by Richard Kadrey.
(Both are due out in October)."

Claud: "LOST IN A GOOD BOOK, THE WELL OF LOST PLOTS, and SOMETHING ROTTEN, by Jasper Fforde (rereads); DEAD EVER AFTER, by Charlaine Harris; EVELYN BRENT: The Life And Films Of Hollywood's Lady Crook, by Lynn Kear; SHELL SHOCK CINEMA: Weimar Culture And The Wounds Of War, by Anton Kaes; and BIG DATA: A Revolution That Will Transform How We Live, Work, And Think, by Viktor Mayer-Schönberger."

Cole: "WISE MAN'S FEAR by Patrick Rothfuss."

Devany: "LOVE MINUS EIGHTY  by Will McIntosh."

Jude: "An advance copy of PARASITE by Mira Grant; GAUDY NIGHT by Dorothy L. Sayers; THE GODWULF MANUSCRIPT, GOD SAVE THE CHILD, and MORTAL STAKES by Robert Parker; I IS FOR INNOCENT and J IS FOR JUDGEMENT by Sue Grafton, THE SHAPE OF DREAD by Marcia Muller.  And Cary just handed me the ARC of REPUBLIC OF THIEVES by Scott Lynch, so I know where the next few days are going!"

A Fistful of the Last Shining Human Burglars

What the staff has been reading. . .

Alan: "B IS FOR BURGLAR by Sue Grafton."

Cary: "Recently been reading THE LIVES OF TAO by Wesley Chu, and THE LAST
POLICEMAN by Ben H. Winters."

Claud: "A FISTFUL OF COLLARS, by Spencer Quinn; CARTHAGE MUST BE DESTROYED: The Rise And Fall Of An Ancient Civilization, by Richard Miles (wonderful); MR. PENUMBRA'S 24-HOUR BOOKSTORE, by Robin Sloan; LAST CALL: The Rise And Fall Of Prohibition, by Daniel Okrent (reread, amazing); FLATLANDER and TALES OF KNOWN SPACE, by Larry Niven; DEATH OF A RED HEROINE, by Qiu Xiaolong; and THE BRAINDEAD MEGAPHONE, by George Saunders."

Heather: "THE HUMAN DIVISION by John Scalzi."

Jude: "I just finished THE SHINING GIRLS by Lauren Beukes, which was riveting.  Before that I read a really trashy memoir called FULL SERVICE: MY ADVENTURES IN HOLLYWOOD AND THE SECRET SEX LIVES OF THE STARS by Scotty Bowers and Lionel Friedberg."

Far Too Many Options for a Clever Title

It has been a while since I posted this, so you'll find a flood of titles from some of us. What the staff is (and has been) reading:

Alan: "METZGER'S DOG by Thomas Perry.  It's essentially a 'caper' novel incorporating: stupid CIA operatives, smart crooks, dumb drug dealers, a cat named Dr. Henry Metzger, a 20mm aircrafit cannon hidden in the back of a panel van, the biggest junkyard dog in the world, and a safe filled with $1,000,000 of cocaine.  I am loving every bit of it and laughing my ass off at times. Also GANGS OF NEW YORK by Herbert Asbury.  I'm trying to find something that is at all like the film and failing.  And, considering what some of the history was really like, I'm even less impressed with the film than I was before I read the book."

Cary: "THE THIN MAN by Dashiell Hammett, and LOCKED ROOMS by Laurie R. King.  And just finished AN ALPHABETICAL LIFE:  LIVING IT UP IN THE WORLD OF BOOKS by Wendy Werris."

Claud: DEAD UNTIL DARK, LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS, CLUB DEAD, DEAD TO THE WORLD, DEAD AS A DOORNAIL, ALL TOGETHER DEAD, DEFINITELY DEAD, FROM DEAD TO WORSE, A TOUCH OF DEAD, DEAD IN THE FAMILY, DEAD AND GONE, DEAD RECKONING, and DEADLOCKED, by Charlaine Harris (all rereads); PARASITE REX: Inside The Bizarre World Of Nature’s Most Dangerous Creatures, by Carl Zimmer (amazing); HELL’S HALF ACRE, by Will Christopher Baer; THE FALLEN BLADE, THE OUTCAST BLADE, and THE EXILED BLADE, by Jon Courtenay Grimwood; UNDERSTANDING THE MALE HUSTLER, by Samuel M. Stewar; DEAR SAMMY: Letters From Gertrude Stein And Alice B. Toklas, by Gertrude Stein; LAND’S END: A Walk In Provincetown, by Michael Cunningham; FIRE IN THE BELLY: The Life And Times Of David Wojnarowicz, by Cynthia Carr (amazing); ALTERED CARBON, BROKEN ANGELS, and WOKEN FURIES, by Richard K. Morgan; THE VERY PERSISTENT GAPPERS OF FRIP, by George Saunders; THE VANISHED LIBRARY: A Wonder Of The Ancient World, by Luciano Canfora; LONDON FALLING, by Paul Cornell; THE GREAT GATSBY, by F. Scott Fitzgerald; SHADOW CITIES: A Billion Squatters, A New Urban World, by Robert Neuwirth; THE BRIEF AND FRIGHTENING REIGN OF PHIL, by George Saunders; JUMPER, by Steven Gould; STRANGE ANGEL: The Otherworldly Life Of Rocket Scientist John Whiteside Parsons, by George Pendle (amazing); THE SUNDIAL, by Shirley Jackson (reread – amazing); YOU CAN’T WIN, by Jack Black; THE POWER OF HABIT: Why We Do What We Do In Life And Business, by Charles Duhigg (fascinating); THE ALTERATION, by Kingsley Amis; BRIGHT YOUNG PEOPLE: The Lost Generation Of London’s Jazz Age, by D.J. Taylor; ERRANTRY, by Elizabeth Hand; BLOOD ORANGES, by Kathleen Tierney; DOG ON IT, THEREBY HANGS A TAIL, TO FETCH A THIEF, and THE DOG WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, by Spencer Quinn; LOVE SONG: The Lives Of Kurt Weill And Lotte Lenya, by Ethan Mordden; and VANISHING ACT, by Thomas Perry.

Cole:"LONELY PLANET: SCOTLAND, BROKEN KINGDOMS and THE KINGDOM OF GODS by N.K. Jemisin."

Dev: "THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS by Robert A. Heinlein and PARTIALS by Dan Wells."

Heather: "DANCE WITH DRAGONS.  Lugging around this stupid 150 pound hardcover because ONCE AGAIN the paperback release date was put off.  Feh. Good book though."

Jude: "A IS FOR ALIBI and B IS FOR BURGLER by Sue Grafton, THE BARBARY COAST by Herbert Asbury, CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT ARC by Seanan McGuire, GOD OF THE HIVE by Laurie R. King.  Also, last night at a wonderful author event at Books, Inc, I picked up AN ARCHIVE OF HOPE: HARVEY MILK'S SPEECHES AND WRITINGS by Harvey Milk, edited by Jason Edward Black and Charles E. Morris, III. after hearing the editors, Frank Robinson, and Danny Nicoletta speak."

Naamen:"I am leaving for a 51 hour train ride so I'm taking an assortment of books to read on the trip: SHAPESHIFTED ARC by Cassie Alexander, WICKED GENTLEMEN by Ginn Hale, ASH: A SECRET HISTORY by Mary Gentle, A ROPE OF THORNS by Gemma Files, A STRANGER IN OLONDRIA by Sofia Samatar, THE TALENTED MISS HIGHSMITH by Joan Schenkar, JAMES TIPTREE JR: THE DOUBLE LIFE OF ALICE SHELDON by Julie Phillips, FROM HARLEM TO PARIS by Michel Fabre, CITIES OF THE DEAD by Joseph Roach, POINT OF HOPE by Melissa Scott & Lisa A. Barnett and THE DROWNING CITY by Amanda Downum. I'm thinking it might be a personal challenge to see how many I can finish in the space of the trip. Hopefully I come out of this with all my faculties intact, I mean, I didn't include Lovecraft for a reason (well, a few reasons actually). See you on the other side!"

Quantum Clouds of Inexplicable, Magical Red Atheist Serial Killers.

What the staff is reading this week:

Alan: "THE QUANTUM THIEF by Hannu Rajaniemi."

Cary: "PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane Austen."

Claud: "CLOUDS OF WITNESS, by Dorothy Sayers (reread); THE SECRET HISTORY OF MOSCOW, by Ekaterina Sedia; I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER and MR. MONSTER, by Dan Wells; and A NEW KIND OF COUNTRY, by Dorothy Gilman."

Cole: "I am reading GOD NO! SIGNS YOU MAY ALREADY BE AN ATHEIST AND OTHER MAGICAL TALES by Penn Jillette."

 Heather: "RED COUNTRY by Joe Abercrombie, woohoo!    Reading less, though, since I haven't been stuck on Muni much lately."

Jude: "LONDON UNDER by Peter Ackroyd (brilliant non-fiction companion to MIDNIGHT RIOT by Ben Aaronovitch) and THE INEXPLICABLES by Cherie Priest, which I am enjoying more than any other book in the Clockwork Century series so far."

Mocking Mrs. Pollifax's Midnight Blue Thirst for Hydrogen

We've been so busy with the holidays that I've forgotten to post what the staff is reading for a few weeks!  Here's our current reading:

Alan: "MOCKINGBIRD by Chuck Wendig."

Claud: "MRS. POLLIFAX PURSUED, MRS. POLLIFAX, INNOCENT TOURIST, MRS. POLLIFAX AND THE LION KILLER, and MRS. POLLIFAX UNVEILED, by Dorothy Gilman (rereads); WOLF HALL and BRING UP THE BODIES, by Hilary Mantel (awesome historical fiction); THE HYDROGEN SONATA, by Iain M. Banks (best Culture novel in years); THE RESCUE ARTIST: A True Story Of Art, Thieves, And The Hunt For A Missing Masterpiece, by Edward Dolnick; RED COUNTRY,  by Joe Abercrombie; A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED, by Agatha Christie; FAIREST: Wide Awake, by Bill Willingham; THE CHOSEN FEW: How Education Shaped Jewish History, 70-1492, by Maristella Botticini and Zvi Eckstein (amazing economic history of Judaism); THE PLAYER OF GAMES, by Iain M. Banks (reread); THE ALIENIST and THE ANGEL OF DARKNESS, by Caleb Carr (rereads); GEORGETTE HEYER: A Critical Retrospective, by Mary Fahnestock-Thomas; and WHOSE BODY?, by Dorothy L. Sayers (reread)."

Cole: "I've been re-reading THE PRINCESS BRIDE as well as THE SCIENCE FICTION HALL OF FAME VOL. 1."

Jude: "I finished the advance copy of MIDNIGHT BLUE LIGHT SPECIAL by Seanan McGuire, which was even better than the first book in the series, and I'm currently reading SIN IN THE SECOND CITY: Madams, Ministers, Playboys, and the Battle for America's Soul by Karen Abbott."

Naamen: "Currently reading an advanced copy of MIDNIGHT BLUE LIGHT SPECIAL by Seanan McGuire. It has everything that made me like the first book (DISCOUNT ARMAGEDDON) and seems to be building into a massive good versus evil showdown which I always love.   Also just started EARTH THIRST by Mark Teppo; not that deep into it yet but vampires who want to save the environment/earth from wasteful humans and rampaging multinational corporations? I'll bite. "

A Humming, Shivering Little Caravan of Abercrombie

What the staff is reading this week:

Alan: "RED COUNTRY by Joe Abercrombie."

Cary: "RED COUNTRY by Joe Abercrombie."

Claud: "CARAVAN, by Dorothy Gilman (reread); THE MAN WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH THE MOON, by Tom Spanbauer (reread); BLACK SHEEP and BEHOLD, HERE'S POISON, by Georgette Heyer (rereads); CLOSE TO THE MACHINE: TECHNOPHILIA AND ITS DISCONTENTS, by Ellen Ullman (reread); THE EXECUTOR'S GUIDE: Settling A Loved One's Estate Or Trust, by Mary Randolph; LITTLE BROTHER, by Cory Doctorow (reread); and HOMELAND, by Cory Doctorow."

Heather: "Still reading BEST SERVED COLD by Joe Abercrombie.  Haven't had to take MUNI as much lately so haven't had as much reading time."

 Jude: "Just finished RED COUNTRY by Joe Abercrombie. (See a theme among the staff this week?) I enjoyed it SO much; just loved it!  I haven't been so enthused about a novel in ages."

Naamen: "Just started THE HUM AND THE SHIVER by Alex Bledsoe. It's about a group of people called the Tufa who wield music and magic in the Appalachian mountains and who've been there as long as they remember. Bronwyn Hyatt is just returning from a tour in Iraq, injured and being hailed an international hero for an act she can't remember, to a city she couldn't wait to leave. Meanwhile tragic portents haunt her people and n apparition has appeared to her family for the past week waiting to speak with Bronwyn. Really interesting set-up that plays on my literary kink for different humanities and cultures existing alongside our own, and the POV voices are great so far."

Rescuing the Last Wicked Cold Silent Film Nuns

What the staff is reading this week:

Alan: "THE RESCUE ARTIST: A TRUE STORY OF ART, THIEVES, AND THE HUNT FOR A MISSING MASTERPIECE by Edward Dolnick."

Cary: "BORN WICKED by Jessica Spotswood."

Claud: "SILENT FILM SOUND, by Rick Altman; MRS. POLLIFAX AND THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE and MRS. POLLIFAX AND THE WHIRLING DERVISH and MRS. POLLIFAX AND THE SECOND THIEF and A NUN IN THE CLOSET and THE CLAIRVOYANT COUNTESS, by Dorothy Gilman (all rereads); HYENA, by Mikita Brottman; and THE BUG, by Ellen Ullman."

Heather: "BEST SERVED COLD by Joe Abercrombie.  Strange how something can be so violent and yet so damn funny."

Jude: "I'm alternating between THE HYDROGEN SONATA by Iain M. Banks and THE LAST OUTLAWS by Thom Hatch, which is about Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."

Cowboy vs. Dracula in Hong Kong & London

What the staff is reading this week:

Alan: "Back to NOS4A2 by Joe Hill after being distracted by non-fiction quack medicine."

Cary: "COWBOY FENG'S SPACE BAR AND GRILLE by Steven Brust."

Claud: "DRACULA CHA CHA CHA, by Kim Newman (reread); MRS. POLLIFAX ON THE CHINA STATION and MRS. POLLIFAX AND THE HONG KONG BUDDHA, by Dorothy Gilman (rereads)."

Heather: "BEST SERVED COLD by Joe Abercrombie."

Jude: "I'm trying to decide between LONDON FALLING by Paul Cornell and AMERICAN ELSEWHERE by Robert Jackson Bennett.  I think the UK is going to triumph for now."

Spellcrossed, Fairy-Tale Cold Hydrogen Safari

What the staff is reading this week:

Alan:"CHARLATAN: AMERICA'S MOST DANGEROUS HUCKSTER, THE MAN WHO PURSUED HIM, AND THE AGE OF FLIMFLAM by Pope Brock.  Non-fiction about the scariest quack doctor of the 20th century. Compelling and absolutely horrible."

Cary: "SPELLCROSSED by Barbara Ashford."

Claud:"SOME KIND OF FAIRY TALE, by Graham Joyce; A PALM FOR MRS. POLLIFAX and MRS. POLLIFAX ON SAFARI, by Dorothy Gilman (re-reads); and SMILLA'S SENSE OF SNOW, by Peter Hoeg (another re-read)."

Heather: "Starting BEST SERVED COLD by Joe Abercrombie. :)"

Jude: "I've come back to HYDROGEN SONATA by Iain M. Banks after having been distracted for a while."

Duplicate Elusive Spellcast Farm Cat Comedy

What the staff is reading this week:

Alan: "About to start NOS4A2 by Joe Hill.  Very much looking forward to it."

Cary:"SPELLCAST by Barbara Ashford."

Claud: "TOWARD AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL THEORY OF VALUE: THE FALSE COIN OF OUR OWN DREAMS, by David Graeber; DUPLICATE DEATH, by Georgette Heyer (reread); THE UNEXPECTED MRS. POLLIFAX, THE AMAZING MRS. POLLIFAX, and THE ELUSIVE MRS. POLLIFAX, by Dorothy Gilman (rereads); and DARK CONTINENT: EUROPE'S TWENTIETH CENTURY, by Mark Mazower."

Heather: "I bought HOW TO TELL IF YOUR CAT IS PLOTTING TO KILL YOU by The Oatmeal which I read today. Took about 15 minutes. :) "

Jude: "I just finished COMEDY AT THE EDGE: HOW STAND-UP IN THE 1970's CHANGED AMERICA by Richard Zoglin and last night started CAPOTE: A BIOGRAPHY by Gerald Clarke.  I've also got THE FARM by Emily McKay staring at me balefully from my desk, waiting to be read."

Thousands of Golden Kingdoms, Zero Homelands for Infidels

What the staff is reading this week:

Alan: "Deeply engrossed in ZERO POINT, Neal Asher's sequel to THE DEPARTURE.  I'm liking it, especially the characterization of the villain.  She's a very nasty piece of work but there are real, believable motivations and reasons for her actions."

Cary: "An advance copy of HOMELAND by Cory Doctorow."

Claud: "THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS, THE BROKEN KINGDOMS, and THE KINGDOM OF GODS, by N.K. Jemisin, and THEY FOUND HIM DEAD, by Georgette Heyer (reread)."

Jude: "I just blew through an uncorrected manuscript copy of Joe Hill's next book NOS4A2.  This is a brilliant book about a very bad man and his very bad car, and one very unconventional & persistent heroine."

Naamen: "Just finished a reread of THE GOLDEN COMPASS by Phillip Pullman. I really love the world he builds in this book and Lyra is probably one of my favorite YA heroines. Currently almost finished with MIDNIGHT RIOT by Ben Aaronovitch: a really interesting and fun Urban Fantasy. I love it even though I get the feeling that at least half of the hilarity of the book is going over my head because of a lack of familiarity with British culture. Can't wait to read the sequels. About to start a reread of the first two books in Kameron Hurley's the Bel Dame Apocrypha series - GOD'S WAR & INFIDEL- since the third one, RAPTURE, is about to come out."

Drowning Fuzzy Sonatas in Mists and Blood

What the staff is reading this week:

Alan: "About half-way through THE HYDROGEN SONATA, Iain M. Banks' new Culture novel.  And LOVING it!  I think he's really stepped up his game in the last three books."

Cary: "MR. PENUMBRA'S 24-HOUR BOOKSTORE by Robin Sloan."

Claud: "ANNO DRACULA and THE BLOODY RED BARON, by Kim Newman (new editions); CATWINGS, by Ursula K. Le Guin; DEATH IN THE STOCKS, by Georgette Heyer (reread); and BY BLOOD, by Ellen Ullman."

Heather: "Finished MISTS OF AVALON Monday, finished FUZZY NATION by John Scalzi Thursday. Waiting patiently until Monday when I get get a new book."

Jude: "I am racing through LEE MILLER'S WAR by Anthony Penrose following a visit to San Francisco's Legion of Honor to see the Man Ray & Lee Miller exhibition.  Absolutely fascinating."

Naamen: "Just plowed through the entirety of the Prospero's Daughter trilogy by L. Jagi Lamplighter and absolutely loved it. A perfect blend of Shakespeare and Urban Fantasy. Still trying to figure out why none of my friends recommended these to me and getting ready to re-read the whole thing.

Also just started THE DROWNING CITY by Amanda Downum. Spies, magic and fomenting revolution. Who could ask for anything more?"