Two things. FIRST, I wanted to thank you vigorously for all the comments on the post about how to get certain points across to Rob. I feel like I have RICHES now, and from all directions—things I wouldn’t have found on my own, places I wouldn’t have thought to look, angles I wouldn’t have considered. This is one of my favorite things about the internet, and reminds me of that story where everyone brings one thing for the pot of boiling water and so everyone ends up eating soup. All I had was boiling water.
Second, I read a book and really liked it and felt like it was different than anything I’d read before:
(image from Amazon.com)
The Gone-Away World, by Nick Harkaway.
I would never have tried the book at all if I hadn’t read a review by Jenny on ShelfLove. The premise didn’t appeal to me. The cover didn’t appeal to me. (I read the hardcover, which I think is even less appealing than the paperback image above, and looks as if it were printed on someone’s home color printer.) What got me to read it was Jenny saying she hadn’t wanted to read it, but now wanted everyone to read it. And I ended up feeling the same way: I hadn’t wanted to read it, but now I want everyone to.
It took me some effort to get into it: it starts out with a lot of macho guy talk and it’s hard to figure out what’s going on at all. I found I frequently had to re-read a paragraph I hadn’t understood. I didn’t start to love it until I was nearly 50 pages into it—but after that, I really loved it.
Loved The Gone Away World!!!!! I’m not sure why I read it, but it was on a kindle so the cover was never an issue. But yes, completely different than anything I had read.
I immediately read his next book, Angelmaker – which was still interesting, but I didn’t think as good. But the ways in which it was novel were completely different again, so still worthwhile.
Right? Right??? Oh, I am so pleased you liked it!
Ok, I read this post hours ago and couldn’t figure out what Link Soup was. STONE SOUP REFERENCE. DUH! Just realized it. I am laughing at myself.
Also, I loved the post about Rob and all the comments. I read several of the linked articles and appreciated all the perspectives even though I had nothing useful to add myself. Thanks, Swistle readers.
Finally, thanks for the book rec.
*adding that book to my wish list*
Ok…I’m intrigued enough to add this one to my list. Despite the fact that it doesn’t sound like something I would like. But I’ll try it. And, if I don’t like it, my son surely will.
I’ve been toying with reading this for years without actually getting around to it. This is exactly the push I needed. To toy around with reading it in a MUCH MORE IMMINENT fashion. Right now I keep going to bed after my husband is asleep and now that I HAVE the ipad and can read without a light I feel bad turning on a light to read an actual book, but there are SO MANY actual books – sorry, not actual books, concrete paper object books – that are piled up needing to be read. He might just have to deal with a light in his face, the poor delicate flower.
I thought you might want to know this about your boyfriend, Target, and how the price codes work. There is a stupid ad first, of course.
http://www.dailyfinance.com/videos/featured/518215125/?ncid=dynaldusaolp00000106
Thank you so much for the book recommendation. I have been looking for a good, not-depressing, solid book. I bought this for my Kobo last night and I am plunging into it. Well into the first flashback now and it is so real and so funny. Yay for booksharing!
i loved angelmaker! he’s a terrific writer –
Coming back here after having read The Gone-Away World strictly from your recommendation. It was SO GOOD. The big plot twist surprised the hell out of me and I loved it and I’m in awe that the author set it up so brilliantly yet the setting-up was completely invisible until afterwards. There were so many funny, clever, apt, insightful descriptions and explanations of things that I wish I could’ve marked to come back to (library copy so didn’t). It IS difficult to describe what the book is about but Jenny’s review did a good job of that. So — thanks! Both of you!
Oh, I’m so glad you liked it! I didn’t see the big twist coming either!