Apparently, I’m the only person who didn’t read Station Eleven during the pandemic…
Published in 2014, Emily St. John Mandel’s post-pandemic world was ahead of its time. And it was rediscovered during Covid-19 as not only brilliant, but thank-god-ours-isn’t-as-bad-as-this-one.
Yeahhh, I don’t think I’d have read it exactly that way. I did become even more grateful, and longtime readers will know that I have a daily gratitude practice. But for me, it spoke of the fragility of life and how quickly things can change.
Mandel also crafted an exceptional story told through different characters, at different times, but the novel centered around a Hollywood actor in a 7-degrees-of-Kevin-Bacon kind of way.
Highly recommend.
My friend Henry told me that The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer is “fucking hilarious”, and since I do know Mortimer from British panel shows as FH, I thought, why not?
It’s a mystery told through the eyes of Gary, a very ordinary guy, who I constantly imagined as Bob, complete with his voice and everything. However, a quick scroll through reviews reveals that not everyone agrees with Henry and I.
Sigh. They obviously don’t know Henry and I.
It was a light read, which I really needed after Station Eleven. There were times I laughed so hard I cried. His character descriptions are great, and I enjoyed the story. Charming, funny, and read it in record time.
It’s not fair to include this because I’m still reading it — and to include it under “unfinished” as well. But I’m considering putting it down for a bit while I start another novel.
This isn’t because I don’t like it, but rather because I want to read one of the many books I have queued up! It’s been a long time since I’ve read two fiction books at the same time. Normally, I’d read one fiction and nonfiction, but I’m thinking because this is a short story collection, I can go between both.
Do you read more than one book at a time?
“ESSAYS” I ENJOYED:
// Kathryn Ma on Growing Up a Librarian’s Daughter – unexpected and sweet
// This is 68 and 1/2: Cancer Doc Robin Schoenthaler Responds to The Oldster Magazine Questionnaire – what a beautiful unique perspective on aging and life
// The Sun magazine has a section called Readers Write which I really dig.
How was your February?
Life, the Universe, and Lani 
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