I just got a Charles Stross book from the library and got 100 pages in before I realized I'd read it before. (The Merchant's War, 4th in a series I enjoy just enough to borrow from the library. But obviously not very memorable book-to-book, since I thought this was a new one until I was almost halfway through!)

I've been reading that series too, Jessica, and am also unsure where I am in it--I bought the first few, and think I may have read one or two more in the library/bookstore, but am not sure.

I liked the Atrocity Archives, but The Jennifer Morgue was much funnier. Of course, I was much more familiar with the tropes in it.

I think I threw Callahan's Key after the third conversation about how gosh-darn perfect Jake is.

I just modded my old Mariners jersey, put "Coleridge" on the back.

If only the A's colors included red, I'd mod that one with "Prynne."

Next up, get a Ravens jersey and add "Poe."

I just bought The Atrocity Archives on the recommendation of a bookstore coworker. Is it that bad, Matt?

I can't say for sure that you won't like it. But the narrator/protagonist came off as such a whiny, entitled know-it-all right from the start that I quickly wished it was actually written by Lovecraft, since that would mean he'd go crazy and be eaten by the end.

Guy Gavriel Kay has a new book out. I read it, it was ok. But I really haven't liked anything he's done since "Lions of Al-Rassan." Or, wait, did the Sarantium books come out after that? I liked those, too.

I though "Ysabel" was eminently forgettable.

Anne Lamott's new novel -- Imperfect Birds -- is...I don't know. I keep whipsawing between hating all the characters and identifying with them entirely. (I realize it's possible to do both simultaneously, but I'm not.)

And the thing is, I liked these characters in the previous books. I don't know if it's me, if I'm just no longer in a place in my life where I click with them, or if it's this particular book, and they're written this way.

Grumble.

Any thoughts for good short story or column for Father's day. So far I have a Sholom Alecheim short story , and two Dave Barry columns. Quite a difference in quality there: I'm looking for funny stuff for a Father's day theatrical reading, but a bit better than Barry's. (Heck I'd consider fanfic if it is high quality, not too sex focused, and you don't need to know the fandom.)Any recs appreciated.

It's old school, but what about Bill Cosby? He wrote a book called "Fatherhood" that I remember giving to my dad one year. It's pretty funny.

Not older school that Sholom Aleichem. Old school is great. Thanks