'Our Mrs. Reynolds'
There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."
Thanks, Sparky! I hadn't even thought of libraries.
Hmm. None of the libraries in the Washington Region catalog have it. I'll talk to my university librarian about ILL or something. (Although I just remembered that I'm not allowed to take out books because I have too many fines. I should probably take care of that before trying to find this.)
Ok, so if I'm "the new guy" in a book group, and they want my suggestions, how much me should go into that? Should I know the book well? Not at all?
Does anyone have a good recommendation for books dealing with 19th century American history? Teacup Guy's birthday is coming up. He is currently reading a biography on Theodore Roosevelt and think he is interested on reading more about that era.
Ok, so if I'm "the new guy" in a book group, and they want my suggestions, how much me should go into that? Should I know the book well? Not at all?
In my book club, we try to pick books that no one else has read before. For me, I'd just as soon suggest something that I've heard is good, but don't know too much about -- if everyone hates it, it's not really my fault. If you see what I'm saying.
Has he read The Alienist? If not, that would be a good fiction read (old NY, early Teddy Roosevelt) for him.
Low Life, by Luc Sante, is FASCINATING and a cracking good read. It's an overview of the crime and vice of that era and is one of my favorite books. [link]
Low Life, by Luc Sante, is FASCINATING and a cracking good read. It's an overview of the crime and vice of that era and is one of my favorite books. [link]Oooh, that sounds way better than Five Points by Tyler Anbinder, which I would definitely not recommend. Boring.
Has he read The Alienist? If not, that would be a good fiction read (old NY, early Teddy Roosevelt) for him.
I was hoping for more of a non-fiction history book, but that sounds good. New York in that era is definitely what he is interested in.
Was he reading the Edmund Morris TR biography? Because that's in the TBR stack on my table (not to be confused with the TBR stack by the bed). Should it be upgraded to bed status?
Low Life, by Luc Sante, is FASCINATING and a cracking good read.
Heh. Hec was just raving about that book last night to my brother and spouse, who are newly New Yorkers and not fully steeped in its history as yet.
Also, anything by Herbert Asbury (The French Quarter, The Barbary Coast, Gangs of New York). His books are simultaneously narrower and broader than 19th century history -- each one focuses on a single city or region, and explores everything worth hearing about both before and after the 19th cent. -- but they're great, snarky, lively books crammed with deliciously low, nasty, murderous history. There's so much glorious filth that has played a huge part in shaping the character of our greatest cities, and most of it never makes it into the official texts.