pickI am not a fan of the Johnson family but a friend gave me this to read and I felt I had to at least try and read it ! I then found myself in a position where I thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn‘t put it down ! I was not expecting that …. It‘s sort of a spoof on the 2016 Brexit referendum, Russian involvement and USA presidential election - very close to the bone at times and fascinating reading .
pickIntroducing House Arrest, a reality show where the general public are locked in a house for a couple of months for a prize of half a million pounds (basically the same format as Big Brother).
Day 27 starts like any other until one of the housemates is murdered live on the Internet feed. Whose responsible? The house is full of cameras so this has to be an easy plot to solve. Right?
so-soI picked this up at a garage sale years ago because I liked Jon Stewart back in his Daily Show days (which he is back).
It is a collection of 19 satirical essays about the Kennedys, Hitler, Hanson, The Last Supper, Bill Gates and more. I read a couple during breaks at work. It was good enough to entertain me for my breaks, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get this book.
pickI picked this up solely because it was written by Dave Eggers. I didn't so much as glance at the publisher's blurb. So, imagine my surprise when I discovered quickly that it is a totally transparent satire of the Trump administration and the horrible damage he/it did to our country and the world. Dare I hope that anyone might rethink their allegiance to MAGA politics by reading this “The Emperor's New Clothes“-style tale?
The Russians are mingling! The 3 Khvoshchinskaya sisters were writing at the same time as the Brontës. Like the Bs, the K sisters wrote under male pseudonyms, were strapped for dollars and put off that marrying nonsense. Sofia writes more in an Austen vein, though.
I‘ve already laughed a dozen times.
so-soIt was a quick listen, and a good choice for fans of the Colbert Report. Unfortunately, I like the real Stephen Colbert much more than his alter ego. 😆
Used this to fill the #PublishedbyHachette prompt for #52bookclub24.
pickI laughed out loud reading The Sellout, frequently – but in a way that made me feel oddly ashamed. It‘s a deeply satirical book. I found myself wondering whether it was really “okay” for me to be laughing, given that I‘m clearly not the intended audience, and many of the nuances would undoubtedly escape me. It‘s the taboo that makes it funny, a lot of the time. Full review: https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/the-sellout-paul-beatty/
Last 2023, I‘ve challenged myself to read 1 book per month for 12 months. So proud of myself for being able to accomplish this despite my busy-ness these days. When I was younger, I was a voracious reader. Now, I need to schedule my reading time so this was quite a feat for me.
pickThis is my first time reading this book and I understand why it‘s a classic. My heart broke so many times in such a short time frame 🥲 Definitely worth the read!
