Queereaders discussion

This thread is for discussing what we're all reading this month.

I finished Brobots a Gay Sci-Fi about a Human/AI Gay relationship and the struggle for AI rights. My review I quite enjoyed this novel.

I now reading Book 11 of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.

I finished Timekeeper, and started the Leech Series...

Currently reading Ila Border's memoir of her years playing baseball, including a handful of years of professional ball in the minor leagues. I'm about halfway through it. Interesting and a well done memoir, heart wrenching to read her memories of coming to realize she was gay and the need to remain closeted not only because she wanted to pursue this dream of professional baseball but also because being gay conflicted with her sincerely held religious beliefs. The loneliness is painful.

Making My Pitch: A Woman's Baseball Odyssey

Just started An Unseen Attraction and Broken Homes.

Halfway through Thunderstruck by Erik Larson. This one's about the development of wireless telegraphy and how it helped catch Dr. Hawley Crippen, who murdered his wife and tried to run off with his girlfriend.

Just finished Hard Wire- Megan Erickson, Santino Hassell and have started Oryx and Crake- Margaret Atwood. Not sure i can handle this one though. I used to love post apocalyptic books, but i'm a depressed basket case and only three chapters in!! D:

Liez wrote: "Just finished Hard Wire- Megan Erickson, Santino Hassell and have started Oryx and Crake- Margaret Atwood. Not sure i can handle this one though. I used to love post apocalyptic books, but i'm a de..."

Haha, know what you mean Liez. Oryx and Crake is on my to-read list though - interested to see what you think of it by the end.

just finished Maurice and started reading Iris Murdoch's The Bell. it is my first time reading one of her novels but I heard great reviews so am giving it a try :)

Hanan wrote: "just finished Maurice and started reading Iris Murdoch's The Bell. it is my first time reading one of her novels but I heard great reviews so am giving it a try :)"

I've heard good things about Murdoch too Hanan, though I haven't read anything by her yet.

it's really good so far!

Liez wrote: "Just finished Hard Wire- Megan Erickson, Santino Hassell and have started Oryx and Crake- Margaret Atwood. Not sure i can handle this one though. I used to love post apocalyptic books, but i'm a de..."

I loved Oryx and Crake and the other books in the MaddAddam series series. They are on my re-read list.

I'm looking forward to the TV series "The Handmaid's Tale", and the 1990 movie which will be released next month. The latter only got 6.0 on IMDB. Has anyone seen it?

Bill wrote: "Liez wrote: "Just finished Hard Wire- Megan Erickson, Santino Hassell and have started Oryx and Crake- Margaret Atwood. Not sure i can handle this one though. I used to love post apocalyptic books,..."

I saw the 90's film Bill, and I didn't think it was too fantastic. The Handmaid's Tale is a hard book to film I think as it's so claustrophobic, stuck in her imprisoned perspective. So much is in her internal reactions, thoughts, memories ....

I'll be interested to see if the new TV series works better though - a gifted filmmaker could probably make it work!

Thanks Greg. I think a TV series could work, esp if it more like a miniseries where there's a lot more time to do the book. I'm not sure how an episodic series in the universe would do—will have to wait and see.

I've been on a David Sedaris kick recently, so i just reread Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls and When You Are Engulfed in Flames
I know that his stuff can be a little shady, there's some passive transphobia and racism. I can never tell if it's genuine or not, because his stuff is so satirical anyway. Either way, I like his books, not him as a person necessarily.
I'm also reading Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch finally, as well as Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation.
I have a lot on my plate, haha.

autumn wrote: "I've been on a David Sedaris kick recently, so i just reread Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls and When You Are Engulfed in Flames
I know that his stuff ..."

Looks like some fun stuff autumn!

Finished the enjoyable but light Christie mystery The Moving Finger (3.5 stars).

Now back to polishing off Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race. Discounting the bulky end notes, I have less than 80 pages to go.

Also reading another book by Edna St. Vincent Millay, bisexual wild-woman of the 1920's and 1930's and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for poetry. This time, I'm reading the sonnet sequence telling the story of a relationship from beginning to end, Fatal Interview: Sonnets. It's superb! I see why poet and translator Richard Wilbur said that Millay "wrote some of the best sonnets of the century." I can definitely see the maturing of her craft in this 1931 book. Her earlier books had moments of brilliance but were much more uneven.

My re-read of The Poisonwood Bible will be next - should start it mid-next week.

Bill wrote: "I finished Brobots a Gay Sci-Fi about a Human/AI Gay relationship and the struggle for AI rights. My review I quite enjoyed this novel.

I now reading Book 11 of [author:Robert Jord..."

Great review Bill! Thanks for the balanced pluses and minuses. I'm tempted to give it a shot!

finished Oryx and Crake. i read for the read not to analyze or critique but i can say that was straight up a sad story. left off with possible hope but.... thats of course just my take on it. the road left me feeling the same. and grave of the fireflies.

Greg wrote: "Bill wrote: "I finished Brobots a Gay Sci-Fi about a Human/AI Gay relationship and the struggle for AI rights. My review I quite enjoyed this novel.

I now reading Book 11 of [autho..."

Thanks Greg. There is a paperback which I got: https://smile.amazon.com/Brobots-Trev...

I have trouble reading e-books and am glad this was in a trade paperback.

FWIW, Amazon is having a sale on their 6" Kindle, Paperwhite and Voyage e-readers, $60, $100 and $180 respectively.

Bill wrote: "Greg wrote: "Bill wrote: "I finished Brobots a Gay Sci-Fi about a Human/AI Gay relationship and the struggle for AI rights. My review I quite enjoyed this novel.

I now reading Book..."

Nice Bill!! Thanks for the tips, both on the paperback and the kindle deal!

I just finished Iris Murdoch's The Bell and I liked it a lot. it was quite different from what I'm used to reading since it's written in a more traditional realistic way, but it was surprisingly beautiful and moving.
one of the three main characters is a gay man who runs a religious community and he has semi-romantic experiences with two other characters in the novel. it is quite bold since the book was published in the UK in 1958, while homosexuality was still illegal and its depiction of gay men is very real and sincere. there were some very tender scenes that really moved me.

Hanan wrote: "I just finished Iris Murdoch's The Bell and I liked it a lot. it was quite different from what I'm used to reading since it's written in a more traditional realistic way, but it was su..."

I really want to read this!!

Greg wrote: "Hanan wrote: "I just finished Iris Murdoch's The Bell and I liked it a lot. it was quite different from what I'm used to reading since it's written in a more traditional realistic way,..."

you should! I think you'll like it :)

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

Hanan wrote: "I just finished Iris Murdoch's The Bell and I liked it a lot. it was quite different from what I'm used to reading since it's written in a more traditional realistic way, but it was su..."

I really loved The Bell, it was beautiful, very well rounded characters and very touching.

I started Curse of the Mistwraith by Janny Wurts

Finished another book of poetry by Edna St. Vincent Millay, The Buck in the Snow and Other Poems (4 ★).

My review here.

Also finished Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race (3.5 ★) - a little drier than I'd hoped but a fantastic uncovering of key historical information, meticulously researched and important.

Now reading The murder of Lidice by Edna St. Vincent Millay and Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich. I also plan to start my audiobook re-read of The Poisonwood Bible tomorrow on the way to work.

currently reading The Flash: The Haunting of Barry Allen

Author Raydon Cooley;; Hello, I am new at this computer thing. So I am a new-be. I am not reading anything today, but now can look for interesting book to read here. I do have a few books published on createspace and amazon. Looking forward to new friendships and good reading material with this book-club. Thanks for letting me in.The Loser; wanted outlaws

Finished the play Creditors by Swedish playwright August Strindberg .. an intriguing play of ideas where the various characters expound on relationships, identity, gender, etc. I liked but didn't love it. Not beimg very familiar with the playwright, there were some uncomfortable views I wasn't sure how to take. (3 ★)

Also finished the book The murder of Lidice composed by Edna St. Vincent Millay at the request of the War Resources Board in WWII. I've no doubt that Nazis destroyed the town in a horrible way, but the narrative poem comes across merely as propoganda (which of course it was). The chsracters are mere idealized props. It's really only interesting as a historical curiosity. I applaud Millay's stance in writing it, but the book itself is nothing special - it even has the feel of perhaps being edited and puffed up by the War Board folks, though I have no evidence for this. (2 ★)

Still reading both 1984 and The Poisonwood Bible as well as The Collected Poems of Wilfred Owen and now also The Doors of Perception.

Well, I'm not about to go out and stock up on psychedelics, but the Huxley book is fairly fascinating! I like his description of the brain as a "reducing valve" to cut perceptions down to a level that's practical and "useful."

Phillip wrote: "Greg wrote: The Huxley book is fairly fascinating! I like his description of the brain as a "reducing valve" to cut perceptions down to a level that's practical and "useful."

The Doors of Percepti..."

Great quote Phillip, though I haven't read that one yet. Altered States was a fantastic film too! .. gave me chills, it was so otherworldly. It captures exactly the feeling in this quote.

Just finished Maddadam. Now that I have the whole series read i can honestly say that that is one of the most depressing things i've ever read. Once i started i couldn't put it down, but in all honesty i wish i hadn't read it at all. Dramatic i know! *rolls eyes* I thought The Road was bad.... this one is right up there with the anime Grave of the Fireflies.

I think for me it has a lot to do with my views on humanity and where we're headed, along with my inability to let go easily. Some may think nothing of the series. All in the eye of the beholder as they say. :)

Liez wrote: "Just finished Maddadam. Now that I have the whole series read i can honestly say that that is one of the most depressing things i've ever read. Once i started i couldn't put it down, but in all hon..."

Sounds like I should wait until a particularly strong moment to read it!

well its a long series. three books but small print. so a long "moment" of strength perhaps. lol

Liez wrote: "well its a long series. three books but small print. so a long "moment" of strength perhaps. lol"

:)

How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog by Chad Orzel

Phillip wrote: "Greg wrote: " Altered States was a fantastic film too! .. gave me chills, it was so otherworldly."

Works capturing this emptiness are among my favorites, and it's interesting how folks resolve the..."

I'm enjoying Huxley's Buddhist references as the book gets further Phillip. It's a great book!

I finished Curse of the Mistwraith and The Gathering Storm. I am now reading New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson which is definitely a Cli-Fi, but I'm not sure yet if it's a Sci-Fi.

I just finished/finishing Things fall apart, American gods, Treasure Island, Sandman Chronicles, Equal rites, and Mort. I suppose Sandman Chronicles and American gods are the ones with some lgbt characters, due to Neil Gaimans feeling a lack of them in literature.
Things fall apart I could describe as Diary of a man who hates women. American gods is like nothing I have read before, it is fascinating and bizarre in style, story, and blunt sexuality. If the story continues I will get them. Treasure Island I feel I can't appreciate, though I am a huge fan of The Mysterious Island. The Sandman Chronicles are full of stories that are sometimes artsy, gritty, beautiful, and feel like they are weaving in and out of reality, history, pure fantasy, and folk stories. Equal rites and Mort are Discworld books one about a battle of the sexes and one about its death character. I enjoy Terry Pratchetts witty writing, it will be hard to ration the books out.

After finishing these I plan on reading the LGBT books: Gracekeepers(which is a Lambda finalist on at coles for $7), Other voices other rooms, Trumpet, and Simple Justice.

Greg, it's too bad that hidden figures was a bit dry, I have been debating buying it. I was happy to drag someone to see the movie in theaters and it was amusing and we'll done. Does the book go into more detail of the reality of it?

Liez the Canadian, The Road and the movie Grave of Fireflies are on my shelf waiting to read/see. Suddenly thinking I will have to make a weekend of them with expectations of not wanting to see people for a couple days?
That is the kind of thing I am expecting when I read my nice Stieg Larssons "Girl who... played with fire" Trilogy books. Such a nice set of new books, they look so good on my shelf, but I will be surely hating the world for days after and regretting life and my ability to read.

Kristopher wrote: "Greg, it's too bad that hidden figures was a bit dry, I have been debating buying it. I was happy to drag someone to see the movie in theaters and it was amusing and we'll done. Does the book go in..."

I definitely want to see the movie Kristopher, but I haven't seen it yet. The book goes into a lot of detail on laws and historical developments, some vital stuff to know but the presentation is a bit disorganized as it covers a vast array of politicians, labor leaders, black and white engineers, scientists, "computers," etc, literally hundreds of people. It doesn't really zero in. From what I hear, the movie is much more focused.

Kristopher wrote: "I just finished/finishing Things fall apart, American gods, Treasure Island, Sandman Chronicles, Equal rites, and Mort. I suppose Sandman Chronicles and American gods are the ones with some lgbt ch..."

I had to read Things Fall Apart back in college, but I don't remember it at all. I still have it in the attic--I might have to dig it out and dust it off one of these days.

Glad to see your enjoying Neil Gaiman Kristopher! Love his works!! I've read many of his books. I started with the Sandman series way back when they were still being written. Was a nice doorway into his world.

The Road and Grave of the Fireflies took a few days to process and enable me to return to happy thoughts. :P It's interesting how invested we can become in these worlds and the characters within them. I find anything that shows how society is doomed to crumble makes me sad. The Road being a plausible post apocalypse and Grave of the Fireflies also a plausable outcome to war and what many have gone through. Makes the stories more real.

I finished Sandel by British author Angus Stewart. Review Here

I'm starting Asimov's The Caves of Steel for another group read. This is his 1st Robot novel from the Golden Age of Sci-Fi.

i just finished A Series of Unfortunate Events Box: The Complete Wreck and I started Stardust this morning. I'm planning on starting Interview with the Vampire next week.

Well, the book Other voices, Other rooms ended confusingly. Fantasy morphs into reality so fast that I ended up doing a lot of rereading thinking that I had missed something at first and realizing that the writer was writing as much as he left out. I am even now conflicted on whether I'd say the gay aspect of it was written at length or in simple passing.
At least it helped me to pay close attention while I was reading Touch by Alexi zentner a straight fiction about pioneer days through generations of stories in a backwood town featuring inuit mythological creatures.
Now onto Gracekeepers, because my neice wants to read it next and I can't complain over her insisting to read a novel featuring two lesbian main characters.

Started book 13 of the wheel of time series Towers of Midnight

I've recently finished Buffering by Hannah Hart, Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl by Carrie Brownstein, Georgia Peaches and other Forbidden Fruit, and both YA books by Becky Albertalli