I just finished (like five minutes ago) Harlan Coben’s thrill-ride of a novel, Gone for Good. I’ve recently discovered Coben (this was my third) and I LOVE HIM. He is the God of suspense. I crave the ability to write like him. So…if you have time to become obsessed, pick up a Coben.
My book club just read Appetites, Why Women Want by Caroline Knapp. The book is an incredibly meaningful look at Knapp’s struggle with anorexia that includes her incisive cultural commentary on advertising, food, sexual desire, and relationships (among other things). Appetites is a bit tedious in places, but the meaningful zingers are aplenty and worthwhile.
McSweeney’s #15 is my current bedside perusal. This issue primarily consists of short stories by Icelandic writers. Which are rather fascinating–particularly as I just bought a heavy Penquin paperback (782 pages) entitled The Sagas of Icelanders. Why? Because I am integrating quite a bit of Norse mythology into the novel I’m writing right now, tentatively entitled Janus Watchers (I know–Janus is Roman, but I’m allowed to mix mythologies). Once again, I seem to be unconsciously tapping into some kind of literary Zeitgeist. That’s a good thing, right?
Now I’m dying to visit Iceland. Supposedly, all Icelanders are highly literate, obsessed with books, and in awe of writers (even though most of them are writers).
More on books tomorrow…I have to go write mine.
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