What are you reading in 2026?

[Old Fezziwig]

I just finished Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (22nd edition) by Damien Keown. When I was in Japan last month, I was lucky enough to see an extended service? ceremony? of some sort while visiting Zōjō-ji. It was fascinating, but I had absolutely no idea what I was seeing. And I thought it was worth rectifying that. I still have no idea what I was watching there, but I at least know a little more about Buddhism generally, or, at least as much more as you can learn from a book with the subtitle A Very Short Introduction.

 

[prabe]

I just finished Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (22nd edition) by Damien Keown. When I was in Japan last month, I was lucky enough to see an extended service? ceremony? of some sort while visiting Zōjō-ji. It was fascinating, but I had absolutely no idea what I was seeing. And I thought it was worth rectifying that. I still have no idea what I was watching there, but I at least know a little more about Buddhism generally, or, at least as much more as you can learn from a book with the subtitle A Very Short Introduction.

Back when I was recording audiobooks, we recorded a number of the Very Short Introductions. Good series, overall.

 

[Brendan Byrd]

The Shadow of What Was Lost
(James Islington)

 

[prabe]

So, after reading and disliking to various degrees horror novels by Paul Tremblay and Gabino Iglesias (The Pallbearers Club and House of Bone and Rain, respectively) I was pleased to completely enjoy reading The Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina Henry. She just writes on a completely different level than those other two, no need to hide behind various "literary" antics. (Tremblay did this more than Iglesias, to be fair.)

 

[Old Fezziwig]

Back when I was recording audiobooks, we recorded a number of the Very Short Introductions. Good series, overall.

Yeah, it was well done -- detailed but concise and to the point. It was a standard text in a few lower-level religion, philosophy, and art classes when I worked at a book store in grad school. Has a great bibliography, too. If the rest of the books are like that, that's pretty cool.

 

[prabe]

Yeah, it was well done -- detailed but concise and to the point. It was a standard text in a few lower-level religion, philosophy, and art classes when I worked at a book store in grad school. Has a great bibliography, too. If the rest of the books are like that, that's pretty cool.

Obviously there's some variation, but the books I saw inside of that I came into with any knowledge were all worthwhile, as I remember.