TWO-CENT TUESDAY

Below are a few (somewhat) brief, $.02 opinions about books I've read or listened to recently but don't have time, inclination or opportunity to review in full. Their appearance in this recurring piece generally has little to nothing to do with merit. Many of these books I enjoyed as much or more than those that got the full court press. I hope you'll consider one or two for your own TBR stack if they strike your fancy whether they struck mine or not.

TITLES I LOVED

The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s: An Oral History, by Andy Green

I listened to this oral history of The Office on audio and it was pure joy. The parts aren't read by the actors, but the words are theirs. A great pick for pandemic-brain, it went down smooth and sweet.

The Knockout Queen, by RufiThorpe

I believe I heard about this knockout from my pal Catherine over at The Gilmore Guide to Books (read her much longer and well-reasoned review here) and boy am I glad I tracked this down. It's a funny-as-hell yet sweet and sorrowful tale of a friendship between unlikely misfits--Bunny and Michael--who dream of "normalcy" and pass from teens to young adulthood. Thorpe's writing is fabulous and her characters sublime.

All Boys Aren't Blue, by George M. Johnson

I shamefully admit I had not heard of journalist/activist Johnson until I was captivated by the beautiful cover of his "memoir-manifesto." Cover gut did me a favor, as these essays are not only touching and maddening, but raucously funny. Read by Johnson, the essays cover a gamut of subjects and is a fantastic read for the LGBTQIA+ community (particularly young queer men of color) and allies alike. I fell in love with Johnson through his stories and this is one I will buy for the shelf.

FASCINATING, BUT LOVE ISN'T THE RIGHT WORD

Whisper Network, by Chandler Baker

Pop Culture Nerd and I read this together when it came out and it sparked a huge discussion. We had every intention of posting but it became way too unwieldy. But that's how thought-provoking this novel about workplace harassment, misogyny, power, working mothers, gossip and woes of the internet is. There were things we both loved and loathed about it, often differently; but one thing we agreed on was that there were countless lines that made us shout "Hell yes!" This is worth a read just to get you thinking.

Whistleblower, by Susan Fowler

If Whisper Network was the fictionalization of thought-provoking issues, here they are in true life. I listened to Fowler narrate her hellacious turn through Silicon Valley's patriarchy and was obviously maddened. This is definitely worth a read/listen.

Concrete, by Mary Soderstrom

The subtitle of this fascinating work, From Ancient Origins to a Problematic Future, really says it all. A look at how the use of concrete came about, how we are surrounded by it and prisoner to it, and what our future likely holds if we continue on our current path. As a lover of things concrete, I thoroughly enjoyed digging into the nitty gritty.

POTENTIAL VICTIMS OF PANDEMIC BRAIN

City at the Edge of Forever, by Peter Lunenfeld

I was really looking forward to this look at the history of Los Angeles as a city of alchemy, using various cultural touchstones (Gidget, Joan Didion, the Manson family, etc.), but was quickly put off by the author's haughty and condescending tone. This is from the description--"Lunenfeld constructs an urban portrait, layer by layer, from serendipitous affinities, historical anomalies, and uncanny correspondences." Just me? In any event, it was a no go. There are too many books about Los Angeles I have waiting on the shelf to dig into to go too far with this one.

The Heart of California, by Aaron Gilbreath

Another work about a location in my home state. The Central Valley is at the core of California and its dynamics are fascinating. I recently read a non-fiction piece about a serial killer preying on low income farm workers of the Central Valley (those no one cared enough about to follow up on) and it spiked my interest in reading more. This gorgeous cover sealed the deal. I am certain this work was a victim of pandemic brain. Non-fiction, usually my sweet spot, has been difficult, and this book was highly detailed and deeply researched. I'd love to get back to it, hopefully when our world regains some normalcy (pretty please, voters?).

The Last Interview, by Eshkol Nevo

The premise of this book, translated from the Israeli author's native tongue, has a great premise--a writer answers a series of questions put to him by an editor. The questions begin with normal fare about his history and prior work, but slowly digress into matters far beyond the intent. The description includes this summary, which completely intrigued me: "Every question the writer tackles opens a door to a hidden room of his life. And each of his answers reveals that at the heart of every truth, there is a lie—and vice versa." I just couldn't get there. I'm not sure if it was a voice issue, a content issue or a timing issue, I just couldn't connect with the material at the time. I would like to go back and give this one another go.

The Redshirt, by Corey Sobel

Really dug the premise of this novel, which combines football with issues of hypermasculinity, homosexuality and race. A closeted white prospect ends up at an elite college known for education, not football, his only chance at competing at the Division I level. His roommate is a young black man who was one of the country's top recruits, raising questions about why he ended up at King College. The start of this one drew me in, but it lost me in the morass of details early on. I take some or all of the blame as I just couldn't get myself to that level of interest. I loved the characters, their mysteries and paths, but couldn't hang in. Another one I would like to perhaps revisit. 

PUBLISHERS DOING NO FAVORS

Corvette Stingray, by Chevrolet

I requested a galley of this title from NetGalley early in the year, as soon as I saw it become available. I was pretty excited to take a look at an iconic automobile, but since the publication date wasn't until October (now pushed to January 2021), I wanted to wait until closer to publication date when folks could actually buy a copy. When I went to read it in August, the PDF (which I hate as a galley format to begin with) had expired. I contacted the publisher three times, writing to two different people, and never got any response. So while I'm not really publishing to the masses here at the old MAR, I have no chance to let anyone know whether this book is a beautiful thing worth their while. 

Confessions on the 7:45, by Lisa Unger

Second verse, almost as same as the first. I requested this title early on since I love Lisa Unger's work and she's one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. Publication date was 10/6. Publisher ignored my request until, you guessed it, 10/6. I'd rather be rejected than get an approval on publication date when there's no chance I'll (1) be able to read and review by publication date or (2) get the book into the schedule at all. Poor form. I did listen to the audiobook later in October, and this Strangers on a Train take was a good listen, but I'm never able to immerse myself in audio as a means to form a review. So I'll urge you to read/listen if you are a Lisa Unger fan.