Big Gheorghe gave to me . . .
Let me start by saying this has been a GREAT year for reading, the greatest year for reading in quite a while for me-- and this is not due to any particular book but instead due to some excellent technology (and an excellent platform to help utilize the technology).
Without further fanfare, the tech:
1. The Kindle Scribe
Last spring, I traded in my puny and feeble original Kindle and I sprung for a gigantic Kindle Scribe. This is out of character for me but it was on sale. Normally, because I am environmentally conscious (and cheap) I never buy new tech when I have serviceable old tech (this is why I still have an Android phone from 2020 and I can't join the morning basketball confirmation group chat so my wife has to have it on her iPhone and let's just say that those guys send a lot of GIFs and she's not very happy about it).
But this Kindle Scribe is awesome, so awesome that my friend Ann creates a new name for whenever she sees it-- Kindle Max, Kindle Grande, Kindle Ultimate, Kindle Colossal, etc.-- because I make all other Kindle users look lame and pathetic.
This Kindle is my version of a midlife crisis purchase-- this is my big pickup truck, fast motorcycle, and expensive sports car rolled up into one gadget. I can't express how virile, potent, and utterly dominant I feel when I pull this thing out at the beach, and the regular-sized Kindle users hide their devices in shame. And you can make the font really big! You can write notes on it as well. It's the bomb-- and as my eyes get worse and worse from grading high school essays, this thing is a real boon. Highly recommended.
And, if you get a Kindle Scribe, then you're going to need to frequent this platform:
2. BookBub
I fucking love BookBub. You CAN get free books for your Kindle on Libby, the library app, but then you only have two weeks to read the book and there is often a long wait (and Libby doesn't have everything). But BookBub is a free service that recommends the best digital books that are on sale. Usually for $1.99. And there's an algorithm and some shit to check off, so you get recs that are in your wheelhouse, for the most part.
As a result, I am stocked up on books on my Kindle. If the apocalypse comes and I break my glasses, like Burgess Meredith in that great Twilight Zone episode "Time Enough at Last," I will be just fine. Because you can make the font so big! I wouldn't need any glasses!
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| Dammit. I wish I sprung for a Kindle Scribe . . . |
Anyway, BookBub culls Amazon for deals and sends an email every day with recommendations that are on sale. Right now I am reading
The Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner, which I purchased for $1.99. The meaning of the title is worth that much alone (it's filthy).
I actually need to stop purchasing digital books and start on the massive backlog of books I've already purchased, books including but not limited to: The Witch Elm by Tana French, The Physics of Life: The Evolution of Everything by Adrian Bejan, Spin by Robert Charles Wilson, The Truth and Other Stories by Stanislaw Lem, Growth: From Microorganisms to Megacities by Vaclav Smil, The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs by Steve Brusette, and Embassytown by China Mieville.
And now I should recommend some actual books . . .
3. Magpie Murders and all of the Hawthorne mysteries.
Or you could just trust me.
4. Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis by Jonathan BlitzerThis is the ugly story of how we helped to destabilize a lot of governments in Central America and how much of the border crisis is related to our meddling. Not fun, but required reading.
5. The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham
6. The Fifties by David HalberstamComprehensive and smart. The fifties were more dynamic than you might imagine. I've heard Halberstam's The Breaks of the Game is one of the best sports books ever written-- he reports on the 1979-80 Portland Trailblazers and widens the lens to all kinds of issues-- so hopefully I'll read that one in the near future.
These two books really amplified my understanding of listless millennial women . . . and both are funny as all hell.
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15 comments:
If you have to use Cat's phone to send texts, maybe your serviceable old tech isn't serviceable.
Holy giant font, Batman! Maybe your glasses aren’t serviceable either.
Is this the point where GTB becomes a senior lifestyle blog?
Music tidbit I learned today:
The Castaways' garage rock hit "Liar, Liar" from 1965, as featured in the 1986 film Good Morning, Vietnam was always one of my favorites from that A++ soundtrack. But I had no idea that high voice singing "Liar, liar / pants on fire" was a dude in falsetto. Guitarist Robert Folschow. I had someone way different pictured in my mind. Way sexier. Now ya know.
You can always picture Debbie Harry doing her cover version.
I'd prefer that. Unfortunately, that's a Notify song.
why are there arrows in front of some of the book recs?
I thought you were telling us to look at them!
I fixed it for you.
In less fixable news, it looks like the federal government is shutting down for the holidays, thanks to Trump and Elon Musk. Nothing like fear and anxiety as a Christmas bonus for many workers.
Better get used to the government being shut down. And to saying "This is what you fucking wanted, America."
i wish i could bet on elon and trump having a massive falling out and the doj and sec "suddenly" finding lots of really sketchy shit happening in musk's companies.
There's (inane but real) chatter from some illegislators about Musk for House speaker. Tip O'Neill would be rolling over in his XXL grave on Cape Cod.
But that would make Trump a little antsy and give credence to Rob's prediction. Elon isn't gong to rein himself in. When Trump tries, ham-fistedly... make some popcorn.
nbtyrsd... if you watched and loved Arrested Development, this made me laugh a lot.
we may need an emergency pod from our jets correspondent about the recent news regarding woody johnson's idiot sons.
This post and the last are terrific. And I want to follow all of you with the kudos to Z- for his post and caring for Zmom. The older parent stuff is quite the adventure - Clark's mom is 93, my parents 89 & 84...the phone calls now are much more frequent, much longer, and more visits of 3+ hours one-way there and back often even in the same day.
In other news round here, I have a new job. Though I was attempting to find a job outside the church, for now, I've returned to being Transitional Bridge Pastor at Great Bridge Pres in Chesapeake. It's a bit of a haul for me, but we made a deal that I'm not there too many days a week in person, it's FT, and temporary, as they're trying to find their new installed pastor. Been a process there due to some real trying times/difficulty 3-4 years ago. And while I started in Dec., I'm also off now until Jan.7th. due to other plans before taking the job. WOOT!
Congrats, Rob, to your oldest on graduation. Fantastic!
Our sons are coming home for the holiday break, and oldest is going to Beijing on Jan. 2nd for 12 day special cohort program with W&M. Exciting! Hope all enjoy the Season with laughter, fun, wonder, and love. It's the most wonderful time of the year. Except for many. Here and around the world. And possibly for many more because our legislature is bonkers!
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