What books are you reading?

I liked "The Three Daughters of Madame Liang", "The Good Earth", "The Living Reed", "Imperial Women", "The Pavilion of Women", and "Peony". Those I remember; the others, not so much. I should check into them again, too.

Edward Rutherfurd was later, I think, than Michener, but basically exact same storylines.

Really, if anyone hasn't read Carl Hiaasen, they should! His books are like the Fargo movie, where everything seems reasonable but goes spiralling out of control A very good belly laugh. He was a reporter for the Miami Herald and his brother was one of the ones shot a while ago at the office (very sad). The last one he wrote (2020) was "Squeeze Me" which is about the Trump family and administration - quite a good laugh.

I'm re-reading Ellis Peter's Brother Cadfael series right now. I do this often - re-read. For example, I've probably re-read all the Hamish Macbeth books (never liked the Agatha Raisin series), all Anne Perry's books, all Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe books, and so many others.

Many Russian authors I didn't like for various reasons, but Isabelle Allende I did.

I feel like I'm talking into a void, but that's okay... this will be just like edgar's thread, lol. I can discuss books all day long.

I recently finished Stephen King's new book, Billy Summers. Not a horror story, more of a thriller, and as with most of King's stories, it's long, intricate, and exciting. It's not on par with, say, Thomas Hardy, and it's a bit graphic for my tastes, but it's intelligent and shows insight into the popular culture of the contemporary USA.

I'm watching my mailbox, waiting for the first volume of Carl Frode Tiller's Encircling. Sounds like something I could sink my teeth into.

This is definitely not a book, but I found this in a crossword in the NYT today and had to look it up. Have you seen this?

http://museumofbadart.org/poor-traits/

Awesome.

I probably have some art that would be accepted lol

I like any painting better than The Scream.

Alex Katz – Some of his paintings are better than others but I never quite understood his popularity.

I can certainly see the appeal in some of them, but some... I'd agree. I've always loved Edward Hopper's art.

Oh yeah, I love Hopper. When I lived in Hoboken, it sometimes felt like living in a Hopper painting. Then I moved to Downeast Maine and it also sometimes feels like living in a Hopper painting.

His painting style subject matter reminds me a lot of Alex Colville, a Canadian painter. Their paintings are provoking - making you wonder who those people are, who are they to each other, is this a good thing or a bad thing, is that gas station abandoned, what is she looking at...and so simply painted. Just honest.