In this first podcast of 2019, Julie Danskin, David Bloomfield and Jonathan “JT” Taylor discuss their most recent book picks, and in lieu of discussing a book group book talk how to track your reading. Lastly, they discuss reading resolutions for 2019!



















Current Reads & Recommendations







* Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk* Fitzcarraldo Editions* Second-Hand Time by Svetlana Alexievich* Hatred of Poetry by Ben Lerner* Swallowing Mercury by Wioletta Greg (Julie)* Witcher Series Andrzej Sapkowski (JT)* Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James (JT)* The Vorrh by Brian Catling (Julie)* Criminal Comic Book series by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (JT)* The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal (Julie & Kat)* Little by Edward Carey (David)* Lovecraft by I.N.J. Culbard (JT)* Muscle by Alan Trotter (JT)* French Exit by Patrick deWitt (Julie) * The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt (Julie)* Cassandra Darke by Posy Simmonds (Julie)* Buda’s Wagon by Mike Davis (David)







Tracking Our Reading/Reading Resolutions







* Goodreads* Book Riot’s 2019 Read Harder Challenge* Read Harder Challenge Spreadsheet* David has a ‘read books’ shelf* JT also recommends Goodreads* Resolutions: more books by women and working-class writers; trans issues (David); more nonfiction/Book Riot Read Harder challenge (Julie); more nonfiction, more politics/books bought more than a year ago (JT)* Life After Life by Kate Atkinson – as an example of the specific kind of world knowledge you acquire through novels* the exquisite agony of choosing the next book to read off your bookshelf * books on our shelf that we want to read: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley; Dracula by Bram Stoker (JT); Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury (Julie); The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton (David)







General Recommendations







* BBC adaptation of The Case of Charles Dexter Ward by H.P. Lovecraft as a true crime podcast “The Mystery Machine” (JT)* Film: Sorcerer by William Friedkin (David)* Book Series: Faber 90 Stories (Julie)







Next time, we’ll be discussing Edward Carey’s novel Little for our book group segment – read along and join in!