Freebie Friday
Happy snowy Friday, everyone. I do hope digging out wasn't too much of a bother.
First of all: Congratulations, Karen! You're the "Noah's Compass" winner. And with everyone's enthusiasm, it kinda makes me wish we had an Anne Tyler book every week.
Meanwhile, I'm reading "Queen Victoria, Demon Hunter." And no, I didn't just make that up. To be honest, I'm a little insulted you would say so. Here's my proof. And you know what I really love about this novel? That it combines my love of history with my delight of the morbid and just plain strange. With the Queen Victoria movie's release, this was also pretty brilliant timing on the part of A. E. Moorat.
If you're going to have a film about Victoria's struggles with ruling a country and ruling her heart, why not throw some zombies in there? Besides, the cover alone is worth it.
But you want to know about the next giveaway, huh? OK, OK. We're offering "The Swan Thieves," by Elizabeth Kostova. The best-selling author of "The Historian" has apparently been busy writing this since the 2005 release of the Dracula novel, and many of the reviews have been glowing. It follows the adventures of a psychiatrist who gets embroiled in a mystery surrounding French Impressionism when a famous painter becomes his patient.
So tell us what you're reading, and this could be yours!
Comments
I really enjoyed The Historian so I am looking forward to The Swan Thieves.
I just realized I have to read Pope Joan for my Tuesday book group meeting so I have picked it up to read this weekend. I think it will be a quick read and then I can go back to the much weightier Louisa May Alcott biography. I have a feeling I will be reading that one for a while!
Posted by: Sarah | January 8, 2010 8:29 AM
I'm reading The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest, the last installment in the Stieg Larsson trio. Not yet available in the U.S., but a friend got a copy from London!
Would love to try Kostova's newest!
Posted by: Marjorie | January 8, 2010 9:38 AM
Just finished up the last of the entries in "The Dreaded Feast", a collection of essays and short stories that celebrate the not so jolly side of the holidays. This quote from Hunter S. Thompson's contribution sums it up : "It is all well and good for children and acid freaks to still believe in Santa Claus — but it is still a profoundly morbid day for us working professionals. It is unsettling to know that one out of every twenty people you meet on Xmas will be dead this time next year... Some people can accept this, and some can't. That is why God made whiskey, and also why Wild Turkey comes in $300 shaped canisters during most of the Christmas season."
Posted by: JR | January 8, 2010 10:01 AM
I'm reading Daniyal Mueenuddin's short story collection, "In Other Rooms, Other Wonders." The stories about Pakistan are part of my 2010 New Year's resolution to read at least one book from every continent.
Posted by: Dave | January 8, 2010 11:05 AM
I'm in the middle of "Shanghai Girls" by Lisa See (she also wrote "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan"). Really enjoying it so far, but am tempted to start in on books 2 in both the Hunger Games Series and the Stieg Larssen Trio -- both of which arrived fro Amazon earlier this week!
Posted by: Jill | January 8, 2010 11:12 AM
I'm currently reading The Official CIA Manual of Trickery and Deception. It was written for the agency in the 1950's by magician John Mulholland to help agents practice deception in their missions. Very informative, entertaining, and it has great illustrations!
Posted by: Mila | January 8, 2010 11:45 AM
I just finished "Wolf Hall" and I really enjoyed it. It took me a while to get into, but wow was it good in the end! Really interesting perspective on the oft told story of Henry VIII!
Posted by: Beth | January 8, 2010 11:50 AM
I'm reading Alice Hoffman's "Local Girls," a collection told from a couple of different perspectives about a mother battling divorce and cancer, a brilliant son who gets lost in it all, a ditzy aunt and a daughter, Gretel, who is trying to hold it all together...Sad, but evocative
Posted by: Susan Reimer | January 8, 2010 11:55 AM
Reading Dick Francis' Even Money. The teller of this story is a bookie and it's moving alone at the same easy-to-follow and not-boring pace that most of his books take.
Posted by: Eve | January 8, 2010 2:03 PM
While I wait for THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET's NEST (lucky Sarah!), I'm reading the new Scandinavian debut thriller SNOW ANGELS by James Thompson (author out of Finland). It's deliciously scary and perfect for a cold winter night!
Posted by: Lydia Hirt | January 8, 2010 3:15 PM
I'm reading The Opposite Field by Jesse Katz, but have just pre-ordered Queen Victoria, Demon Hunter for my Kindle. :) Awesome! :)
Posted by: Kelly | January 9, 2010 2:30 PM
I'm reading An Invisible Sign of My Own by Aimee Bender. It's a compelling story told in deliciously exotic prose.
Posted by: Steve Rafferty | January 11, 2010 10:16 AM
I recently started reading Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel. So far so good!
Posted by: Jennifer | April 16, 2010 11:47 AM