The Mookse and the Gripes discussion

A few of us have said we’re struggling to read fiction and with all that’s going on in the world. I thought this might be a nice place to mention an interesting nonfiction book we’re reading, especially if it offers a new point of view, new information, or insight into the public health crisis, the long overdue focus on race in America, the new ways of being together while staying apart, the climate crisis, or any topic that has a wide reaching impact.

Gumble, you mentioned a book you’re reading about race, I just received my copy of How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. Has anyone read Kendi yet?

I have both of his books, and plan to get to them soon. On the subject of race, I’ve recently read Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower, White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism, So You Want to Talk About Race, and Trace: Memory, History, Race and the American Landscape.

I also just listened to And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic. There were similarities between now and then, especially the government’s failing to fund research or properly address the epidemic. And Dr. Fauci was the harbinger of doom then, too. Not to mention the anger that I felt over my gay friends’ fears, and my friends’ and family’s fears now.

This month has been a nonfiction catch up for me, especially in more social issues. Usually my nonfiction preference is more science/medical.

I just read an entertaining nonfiction travelogue that also dealt with climate change and the effects of colonization, Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before. I enjoyed the author’s writing style so much that I purchased three other books of his: Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War, Spying on the South: Travels with Frederick Law Olmsted in a Fractured Land, and Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid That Sparked the Civil War.

WndyJW wrote: "Gumble, you mentioned a book you’re reading about race, I just received my copy of How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. Has anyone read Kendi yet?"

Kendi's book was one of the best I've read on racism, and his interviews are great too.

I subscribed to this Ally Box, the first of which will be shipped July 1, so I'm waiting to see what the subscription brings, but I definitely want to read the Kendi books.

https://www.fultonstreet918.com/new-p...

I think they made a movie from "And the bank played on" in the early 90s -- I remember watching it on TV (whether it was made for TV or I just saw it much later, I do not remember).

I think I would like Blue Latitudes, Kathy - sounds super interesting.

I just picked up a book someone recommended me in another thread here yesterday, by the Bojack Horseman writer, but I've not started it.

Just a note - I moved this over to Talking Points (after making sure we'd all still get updates if we were already.) Just in case the discussion opened to more than books but the themes contained therein.

I have a question about bookshop.org and wasn’t sure where to put it - but thought to ask the group. What is the normal wait time for a book in the UK. I’m a member of an online book group that meets next Monday (15th March) and the book was being reprinted and has become available tonight. (Monday 8thMarch). The website states up to two weeks but I was wondering what folks experience was if they had bought a book through Bookshop. As an aside or supplementary question, I also came across another selling site tonight, Fishpond, and wondered if anyone had experience of buying from them. Thanks in advance,

I have found that international shipping can take at least 3 weeks to get to the US, so it probably depends on where the book is being shipped and from where it’s being shipped even in the UK.

I normally receive books the day after ordering or sometimes the same day I ordered them using the Website that also brings us Goodreads.

Gumble wrote : I normally receive books the day after ordering or sometimes the same day I ordered them using the Website that also brings us Goodreads.

I wonder if that applies to those not in their prime.

I find bookshop.org takes about 3 days within the UK.

That compares pretty well with Blackwells and Waterstones (both generally a week or more plus random delays if they have to order the book in), but you may have a more efficient local post office than mine.

I've been surprised how long Blackwell and Waterstones books have taken when I've used them. Doesn't even seem to be the post as seems to be some time until even show as dispatched.

Incidentally given the negative story around bookshop.org in December (seemingly hasn't worked for some bookshops) there was a much more positive one earlier this month:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/202...

I decided to try Bookshop.org but my local bookshop (which is not very local) did not have the books I was after so I emailed them direct asking if they could order in the books for me. That was 2 weeks ago and still not had a reply.

From what I've seen recently, there are still lockdown-related glitches in the supply chain, resulting in release dates being rescheduled, and in some instances, even put on hold indefinitely. This said, if you haven't had a reply from the local bookshop to your email, I recommend you chase them. If they read your email and looked up the books you sought on their distributor's database, they should be able to tell you if and when they expect to get the books out to you.

In general, I recommend indie bookshops as first port of call before Bookshop.org. This way, the indie gets a bigger cut. But, Bookshop.org isn't a bad second port of call.

I think the evil empire is quicker if you’re a prime member or even a regular shopper. They watch what you order or look at and project what you’ll order next and ship it to the closest dispatch center. If you order peanut butter and bread, they’ll send jelly near you odds being you’ll want jelly soon.

I don’t know if that works with books though. It probably does.

Just watch prices, they were caught raising the price a few cents at checkout on regular shoppers, rightly assuming they customers didn’t check to see if the price when they ordered it was the same at checkout.

Thanks for all help. I think I may just have to miss out on my online bookclub this month. Too many inponderables.

What was the book, Stephen? I’m not a big fan of ebooks, but in a pinch I would read an ebook.

WndyJW wrote: "If you order peanut butter and bread, they’ll send jelly near you odds being you’ll want jelly soon."

That would soon put them out of business in the UK! Peanut butter and jelly??!?!?

Peanut butter and marmite perhaps - or even better https://www.marmite.co.uk/products/ma...

Wendy said : What was the book, Stephen? I’m not a big fan of ebooks, but in a pinch I would read an ebook.

The book was Grey Bees by Andrey Kurkov. I have run out of time to order or read before the group meets. I'm midway through Obama's memoir. That will keep me going for a few more days!

Since you’ve brought up marmite, I’m going to ask what it is behind the British obsession with tea? It’s almost comical, though it’s not meant to be, that on British television shows no matter what’s occurred: a visitor pops in, I’ve lost my job, your brother was found dead, my husband’s been cheating on me, the response is always, “I’ll make us some tea,” which would make sense if tea contained alcohol or extract of the poppy plant, but it’s caffeinated, it’s not going to have a calming effect. There is no equivalent in the US unless it’s a glass of wine, but that doesn’t happen nearly as often as the offer of tea.

What is the flavor group of marmite? Savory, spicy, yeasty, sweet, salty? But yes, in the UK Amazon would have marmite nearby, and the amount of tea they must have handy is beyond comprehension!

Stephen, I envy you your bookclub! Grey Bees sounds very good, my neighborhood bookclub, that I’ve politely avoided all winter, reads Phillips Gregory or NYT Best Sellers.

Marmite is umami

At least in my experience the TV shows you mention reflect reality of my friends and family.

Not sure I could survive food/drink wise without marmite and tea - I would happily give anything else up I think (eg meat and alcohol even though I like both).

So savory, meaty?

Tea drinking must be psychologically comforting in that it’s familiar and making tea gives one a task when thinking what to do next.

Savory but not meaty (that's Bovril)

Yes I think that's a very good summary

Wendy wrote : Stephen, I envy you your bookclub!

I stumbled across it last March at the start of Lockdown. It was originally set up to begin last March as a 'physical bookclub' but had to move online and has been online ever since. One book a month, translated literature from the past 10 years, first 45 minutes we discuss the book and then formulate questions for a guest who joins us for the second half of the meeting. The guest is either, the translator, the author, the editor or on one occasion a judge from the International Booker Prize. I feel humbled to have stumbled across it and be part of it.

That does sound interesting!

Stephen wrote: "Wendy said : What was the book, Stephen? I’m not a big fan of ebooks, but in a pinch I would read an ebook.

The book was Grey Bees by Andrey Kurkov."

This has just been longlisted for the EBRD Prize:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

This seemed like a good place to post this essay about the Sally Rooney phenomenon from the point of view of a black woman reader.

https://electricliterature.com/i-love...