Dracula - Bram Stoker
It turns out what I thought was the story of Dracula was only really the first sliver of the book. A great story with compelling, heart-on-sleeve characters. Enjoyed reading it out loud and doing the voices.
Lord Foul’s Bane - Stephen Donaldson
Stephen Donaldson manages to create a sympathetic protagonist out of a man who is not very nice most of the time. Very Lord of the Rings (complimentary). I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.
Ship of Magic - Robin Hobb
The writing feels a little less crisp than I remember from the Farseer trilogy, but I don’t know if that’s just whiplash from how poetic Stephen Donaldson is. I love Kennit so far, or rather the peeks we get into his inner monologue that show the gulf between his carefully manicured presentation and what a baby he is inside.
Cinema Speculation - Quentin Tarantino
An enjoyable trip through a particular era of US cinema, as told by someone who grew up glued to the screen. Tarantino took a (verbal) swing at Paul Dano not long after I finished reading this, so take any opinions with a heap of salt. I love Paul Dano.
Municipal Gothic - Ray Newman
Ghost stories in a traditional vein, taken out of a Victorian setting and told in council estates and neglected parts of the city. A fairly breezy read at 13 short stories. Enjoyed them a lot. Keen to read more of his work.
Wintering - Katherine May
Rest and retreat, in a year where I needed a lot of rest and retreat.
The Haunting of Hill House - Shirley Jackson
Incredible opening and doesn’t get much worse from there.
An Idler’s Manual - Tom Hodgkinson
A light and entertaining read, as you might expect from the editor of the nation’s premier magazine for loafers.
The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám
A great work of poetry as translated by Edward Fitzgerald. Turned onto this by a column in Idler.
Careless People - Sarah Wynn-Williams
Just put it all in the bin, frankly. Facebook, I mean, not this book. The book can go on a shelf, probably. I greatly enjoy the Tech-dumpster-fire genre, and Careless People does not disappoint.
Arks (Volume 1)
Good art, very gruesome, but I don’t feel incredibly compelled to get the next one. It mainly just made me want to replay Horizon: Zero Dawn.
Useful, Not True - Derek Sivers
I previously read his book How To Live, and I enjoy Derek Sivers’ brief, thought-provoking books. Both books are less about giving you answers and more about helping you ask good questions. https://sive.rs/u
The Mad Ship - Robin Hobb
Packed with the character development and engaging character arcs that I’ve come to love from Robin Hobb.
The Anarchy - William Dalrymple
I knew almost nothing about the history of India going into this, and learned so much.
My Best Friend’s Exorcism - Grady Hendrix
Pulpy, trashy, a lot of fun.
The Wager - David Grann
A real page turner. It’s got boats, it’s got mutinies, it’s got drama, it’s got everything.
Things Become Other Things (RH ed.) - Craig Mod
A masterful expansion on the fine-art edition. Struggled with the B&W photos when reading in a dimly lit room.
The King in Yellow - Robert W. Chambers
Started off eldritch horror, finished a bit Jeeves & Wooster.
Mr Penumbra’s 24 Hour Book Store - Robin Sloan
I spent most of the time kind of annoyed by the dorky protagonist, but it was a fun mystery adventure. One of the key takeaways is that being a Ruby programmer is an attractive trait, so… I’ll take it.
Walking the Great North Line - Robert Twigger
I love a walking memoir, and this is the second Robert Twigger book I’ve read since *Angry White Pyjamas.
Spook Country - William Gibson
A lot of focus on brands, colours, design. Gibson apparently said his main interest is fashion, and he the novels are primarily a vessel for that.
Side Wounds - Lena Oleanderson
A book of poetry, mostly about their friend’s suicide at 17 and their relationship with faith.
The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper - Roland Allen
I really enjoyed this read. Very interesting, very inspiring.
Notes to John - Joan Didion
A summary of Joan’s meetings with her therapist, mainly regarding Quintana’s alcoholism, written as a series of letters to her husband John. Knowing how things would unfold (The Year of Magical Thinking, Blue Nights) made this a tough read.
Farenheit-182 - Mark Hoppus
I was (am) a big Blink fan, so it was cool getting the behind-the-scenes.
