What are you reading this year 2020?

[Cadence]

Similar to your project, I have been thinking of reading the following Golden Age of Mystery authors in publication order. All together, year by year.
<snip author list>
And then write a quick blog post about each one as I go... It would be interesting to see how a) technology progresses in the novels and b) how major geo-political events impact each novel. For example, my sense is post WWII, many of series got a bit darker in feel.

I'd certainly be interested in reading the non-spoilery parts! Do you have a favorite that you've started reading? (A friend loves Ngaio Marsh, so I might do her next).

For Wolfe, I'm up to 1953 right now reading consecutively, and have read five more random ones up to 1965. I haven't noticed them being darker as it's gone, but the technology has definitely changed - and is particularly noticeable in "The Doorbell Rang" in 1965. Geopolitics has popped up a few times along the way.

I've been tempted to order the cookbook. And, if the Greenbrier were cheaper, might think about that for a vacation based on it inspiring the resort in one of the books where cooking was a big part of the set-up.

 

[trappedslider]

Got and finished battleground.

 

[KahlessNestor]

Still reading Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett.

Still reading Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson.

Still reading The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang.

Still reading Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity -- And Why This Harms Everybody by Helen Pluckrose and James A. Lindsey.

Finished reading the Pathfinder 2E Advanced Player's Guide.

Started reading Exploring Eberron by Keith Baker.

 

[Cadence]

Finished Rex Stout's "The Golden Spiders" (Nero Wolfe #22 from 1953).

I was expecting a little more outward rage, but thinking about it, the signs of inner rage were all there. He's really hit his stride writing them by this point.

 

[Richards]

I finished Stephen King's The Outsider (and it definitely fell into the supernatural realm by the end) and am now reading Touch the Dark by Karen Chance, a fantasy novel about a psychic (who can see ghosts and such) on the run from the vampire mob. The first chapter started off very strong so I'm hoping for good things from this; the book was another library book sale purchase for fifty cents whose back cover blurb looked interesting enough to give it a shot.

Johnathan

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Finished Manly Wade Wellman's Who Fears the Devil? While it's not the most influential work on D&D in Appendix N, I'd definitely rank it as one of the best-written. The Appalachian horror-fantasy is so evocative.

Now I'm reading Stephen King's The Shining. Officially on my second King work, after a lifetime of avoidance.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Now I'm reading Stephen King's The Shining. Officially on my second King work, after a lifetime of avoidance.

Why the lifetime avoidance? (I have done the same, mostly)

And then why go in after a lifetime of avoidance?

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Way back in the day when I was a kid, there was another kid that loved Stephen King. And also, whenever he was reading, would tear of strips of paper from the margins and eat them. That squicked me out for decades, despite it never really having anything to do with King's writing.

The change really happened as a result of my wife. She loved the It original movie series and other Stephen King adaptations. Eventually I decided to give his books a try, starting with The Running Man and have been slowly going from there.

Why the lifetime avoidance? (I have done the same, mostly)

And then why go in after a lifetime of avoidance?

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Way back in the day when I was a kid, there was another kid that loved Stephen King. And also, whenever he was reading, would tear of strips of paper from the margins and eat them. That squicked me out for decades, despite it never really having anything to do with King's writing.

The change really happened as a result of my wife. She loved the It original movie series and other Stephen King adaptations. Eventually I decided to give his books a try, starting with The Running Man and have been slowly going from there.

Hah, me too - that story squicked me out for another 20 years of no King. Thanks!

 

[Cadence]

More Nero Wolfe. Kindles are dangerous.

#23 "Three Men Out" is a three parter:
Invitaion to Murder - A let down after the last few. Characters didn't stick out, a weak breaking of one of the main schticks of the series to.
The Zero Clue - An interesting math conceit. This one was short but fine.
This Won't Kill You - The main conceit was too over the top. There was a nice getting out of a jam, but that was about it.

#24 "The Black Mountain" is one that had several surprises. It was solid but not spectacular. Lots of background on Wolfe, and a bit too much physical activity.

#27 "Might as well be Dead" is another solid but not spectacular one. A lot of the supporting cast involved in this one. Kind of a let down afer #21 and #22 which I thought were particularly good.

(I'd read 25 and 26 before).