Perv: The Sexual Deviant in All of Us
Corrin sent me this book after she tweeted about it and I discovered our library didn't have it. (I can't imagine why a library wouldn't carry this book.) It reminded me of a Mary Roach book, which I always adore. Based on the title, it's obviously about sexual norms and mores and a look into why certain things are considered deviant. What I found interesting was the historical aspect behind so much of the book--why certain deviancies evolved at the time they did and whether or not they were considered normal at one time. Parts of the book were a little scientifically dry, but overall, it was a pretty fun--and sometimes disgusting--read.
Summer House with Swimming Pool: A Novel
I was very excited about this book, having been left pretty speechless by The Dinner. This is not The Dinner, which is not to say that it wasn't still good. It opens with a man who describe himself as a good doctor, a great general physician who takes the time for his patients. Only it seems that one of his patients, a famous actor named Ralph Meier is dead and--from the profanity Ralph's wife is screaming--Dr. Marc Schlosser is to blame. Marc's voice is, first of all, excellent. From the beginning, the book goes back to the summer before Ralph died, where Marc, his wife Caroline and their two daughters end up spending much of the summer at Ralph's summer house. The characters in this book are not likable. They are deviant and immoral and in many ways, not nice people. While the ending didn't leave me with the same shocked feeling as The Dinner did, it still made me stop and think and read between the lines. Like The Dinner, it left me feeling uncomfortable in quite a few parts, but it didn't stop my enjoyment of the book. I like books that make you think, and this is definitely one of them.
What are you reading?
7 comments:
Getting ready to start The Drowning Guard by Linda Lafferty.
After that - I have a few on my bedside table that were lent to me. Raising Faith, One Summer and Common Clay (some mystery novel based in NC).
I was holding my breath while reading what you thought of Summer House. I can't wait to pick it up from the library!
Once again my favorite weekly blog post because it always gives me a new book to add to my list :)
I actually got to read last week! (Being sick will do that for you I suppose.)
- I finished Frog Music (Usually I like stories with an unreliable narrator but this time the narrator was unreliable because she was dumb and that isn't as fun.)
- Then I read Looking for Alaska (I didn't like it as much as I hoped I would. I think John Green does such a nice job realistically portraying teens but this story was very out of touch for me. Too melodramatic - which is probably fitting for the genre but I didn't love it.)
- Then I read Unwind (oh my gosh I can't wait to hear what discussions happen in E's class this fall! Though of all the dystopian series out now, this one is my least favorite but the concept is growing on me.) And now I'm tearing my way through Unwholly with Unsouled waiting on my bedstand.
Whew - that might be the longest comment ever!
I have the new Koch book on hold at the library (I didn't care for The Dinner- I'll have to look back and see what you thought of it!) I read Never Let Me Go (interesting story but it didn't wow me and it took me way too long to plow through it) and then flew through The Good Luck of Right Now (SO GOOD - my favorite book this year I think). Now I've picked up Where'd You Go Bernadette again because I started reading it when we were moving a couple years ago and it just didn't click with me. I am loving it so far.
Steph
I finished Astoria - a good historical account of westward expansion before it even began.
Those Who Wish Me Dead (Michael Koryta) you were the one who got me to read several of his earlier books. Not sure if you read this one as well. Not so supernatural. But a good quick thriller of a read.
Currently reading The Selected Works of TS Spivet about a 12 year old genius who maps and categorizes everything in his world. This book is full of fun side bars and illustrations. I'm enjoying it.
I am reading Endangered which is a book about a young black man in Philly who is charged with murder basically because he is black and a lawyer who takes on the case and is trying to make young black males an endangered species. And Top Secret Twenty One because I have a Janet Evanovich problem. ;)
Instead of your homework, I bet Morgan ate your book ;) I put some books on hold at the library, letting the librarian do it for me. After a week of not one coming in, I got online to check the status. She NEVER actually put a hold on them. Last time I trust a librarian to hold books for me!
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