I have a particular fondness for apocalyptic fiction, so when I spotted Tomorrow! by Philip Wylie on a doom-themed list, I checked it out. Both the novel and the author were unfamiliar to me.
Despite being written back in '54, when the Cold War was quite a different beast, the book has aged well. It tells the story of two “twin cities” on opposite banks of a river in the heart of the US. One is prepping heavily for atomic doom, the other is not. How these cities and their residents cope with the inevitable is just as relevant today as it was during that era. Complacency is deadly.
I recently devoured Robin Sloan’s Mr. Penumbra’s 24-hour bookstore (2012), which has everything: love story, Dan Brown-ish angles, endearing characters, mystery, technology, whodunnit…
Also, John Banville, The Sea (2005). Masterfully told story about an innocent childhood seen from old age, which turns out to have been not so innocent.
And, to be on topic, currently reading Midwinter Break by Bernard McLaverty. A happy old couple go on a city trip to Amsterdam. They’re not so happy, though.
At the moment I’m reading The Jewish-Japanese Sex and Cook Book and How to Raise Wolves by Jack Douglas. This singularly titled little gem turned up in one of my library-themed social media feeds and when I found our system had one lone copy, I put a hold on it. Mostly so I could enjoy the expressions on my co-workers’ faces when it came in. :mrgreen:
However, it’s proving to be an entertaining humorous read, about the author’s life in rural Connecticut in the early Seventies, and his experiences with exotic pets. Since I seem to be in a bit of a “reader’s block” phase at the moment, the departure may do me a lot of good.
I love classic, that’s why I’m currently reading The Hunting of the Snark: An Agony in Eight Fits, and it’s the second time already, and I like this as much as the first time. Lewis Carroll, the author knew how to attract any person who will read it.
Just read, ANCIENT INDIAN EDUCATION - Brahmanical and Buddhist, and Caitanya Caritamrta (for the 3rd time)
Mahabharata
Bhakti Rasamrta Sindu
Tattva Sandarbha
Srimad Bhagavatam
Hari Vamsa
The Vanished Library A Wonder of the Ancient World