What are you reading in 2025?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I have recently rediscovered Hiaasen, and he's been on a roll, lately.

He's definitely rediscovered the joys of channeling his outrage into his work, which made Tourist Season and Stormy Weather so amazing back in the day.

 

[cl3ver]

Checked out Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies (20th Anniversary Edition) along with a couple of other books from the library.

that book is already 20 years old? I remember me and a few friends buying that shortly when it came out... went to Barnes & Noble and everything.

 

[prabe]

He's definitely rediscovered the joys of channeling his outrage into his work, which made Tourist Season and Stormy Weather so amazing back in the day.

I can't help but wonder if that rediscovery had anything to do with Tim Dorsey, who was clearly more outraged (and pretty joyful in his venting).

 

[Mannahnin]

Finally started Playing at the World 2E Volume 1. It's pretty good so far. Definitely an easier read than 1E. I do like the extra resources and citations Peterson is including this go around. Not that 1E lacked citations or resources, only he's since found more and has reworked the book to reflect that. Hopefully he has included more about David Wesely and Dave Arneson.

In his recent interview on Ben Riggs' show he talked about the re-org of the book. IIRC the first edition had the creation of D&D "main stuff everyone wants" split between sections 1 and 5 of the book, and for the revamp he put those together in volume 1 and put the more in-depth precursors and prior history of simulation games in volume 2 (which I think is arriving on my doorstep today, if my USPS Informed Delivery email update is correct).

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I can't help but wonder if that rediscovery had anything to do with Tim Dorsey, who was clearly more outraged (and pretty joyful in his venting).

I think a lot of it has to do with the current resident of the White House, based on Hiaasen's social media postings.

We had a lot of years where he was messing around with pretty humdrum stuff like "killers chase lottery winner" or "developer builds big house on beach," which were fine, but nothing near the highs of books like Native Tongue or Skin Deep, where you could feel Hiaasen's fury at developers poisoning the Everglades or the cruelty of dolphin parks just ripple off the page.

 

[prabe]

I think a lot of it has to do with the current resident of the White House, based on Hiaasen's social media postings.

We had a lot of years where he was messing around with pretty humdrum stuff like "killers chase lottery winner" or "developer builds big house on beach," which were fine, but nothing near the highs of books like Native Tongue or Skin Deep, where you could feel Hiaasen's fury at developers poisoning the Everglades or the cruelty of dolphin parks just ripple off the page.

It could also have to do with what happened to his brother in Annapolis, I suppose. I've been pleased with the Hiaasens I've read from the past decade-ish, though Squeeze Me was definitely his angriest novel in a while.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

It could also have to do with what happened to his brother in Annapolis, I suppose. I've been pleased with the Hiaasens I've read from the past decade-ish, though Squeeze Me was definitely his angriest novel in a while.

Yeah, Rob's death definitely knocked him on his ass for a while. I'm sure that caused a lot of self-reflection about what he wants to do with the rest of his life, however long it may end up being.

 

[prabe]

Yeah, Rob's death definitely knocked him on his ass for a while. I'm sure that caused a lot of self-reflection about what he wants to do with the rest of his life, however long it may end up being.

My wife works in the courthouse in Annapolis where the guy was planning to go after shooting up the newspaper.

 

[trappedslider]

that book is already 20 years old? I remember me and a few friends buying that shortly when it came out... went to Barnes & Noble and everything.

amazing how time flies

I checked out: The Battle of Manila: Poisoned Victory in the Pacific War by Nicholas Evan Sarantakes and Hell Put to Shame: The 1921 Murder Farm Massacre and the Horror of America's Second Slavery by Earl Swift
along with putting in a request for an interlibrary loan for Code Name: Pale Horse: How I Went Undercover to Expose America's Nazis by Scott Payne

 

[Richards]

Conversely, that synopsis makes me think of my favorite episode of Black Mirror.

Oddly enough, my son and I just started watching Black Mirror at the advice of a co-worker of mine. We're only two episodes in, but we're already enjoying it immensely. I guess "Metalhead" is just three short seasons in my future.

Johnathan