What are you hoping to read in 2023? Anything you're looking forward to reading?

And what did you read in 2022? What did you enjoy, and would recommend?

This is what I read in 2022 (ebook and audiobook):

This Much Is True - Miriam Margolyes

Stephen King - Hearts In Atlantis

Stephen King - The Gungslinger (The Dark Tower I)

Stephen King - The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower II)

Stephen King - Waste Lands (The Dark Tower III)

Stephen King - Wizard and Glass (The Dark Tower IV)

Stephen King - The Wind Through The Keyhole (The Dark Tower 4.5)

Stephen King - Wolves of the Calla (The Dark Tower V)

Stephen King - Song of Susannah (The Dark Tower VI)

Stephen King - The Dark Tower (The Dark Tower VII)

Stephen King - The Little Sisters of Eluria (The Dark Tower 0.5)

Stephen King - The Talisman

Matthew Perry - Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing

I plan to continue my King journey and cover some of the Dark Tower-related books.

I'm also planning to read The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I also have some stuff by José Saramago that I will try to incorporate.

I'd say read the first three Dark Towers back to back. Wizard and Glass is about 95% flashback, slower paced, and a love story. It's a good place to pause if you want to. Be sure to throw in The Wind Through The Keyhole before Wolves of the Calla. It was written after the first 7 books were done, but fits between 4 and 5 in the timeline. Sort of a story within a story within a story. But useful to the narrative overall.

The Little Sisters is a prequel story with Roland, and could be read at any time. It's very short so you could throw that anywhere into your schedule. Keep the rest as I listed them, though. (I didn't know about Little Sisters until I was in book 5 or 6, so I just waited).

If you read the first three, that really establishes the journey, some particulars, and the main players (who show up in the next book). t.

However I still say this - and it's not a spoiler - the climax for The Waste Lands is in the beginning of Wizard and Glass. So read into book IV to get resolution for The Waste Lands. Then when the flashback starts, that's your pause, if you want one. Wizard and Glass is Roland telling a story from his childhood, once the events of The Waste Lands get resolved. I don't know why he separated them that way, but now you know.

TrivialPursuit said:

Mostly have a lot of non-fiction on the agenda.

It's been a while but Shelly's mention of Elmore Leonard reminds me I need to bring some fiction back into the mix. I love Elmore Leonard's work.

In addition to that, 2023 will have a few bios, self-help books and books on design/photography/music. Since I've got them on my devices, I'm reading a lot more than I used to.

[Edited 1/4/23 10:55am]

S2DG said:

Mostly have a lot of non-fiction on the agenda.

It's been a while but Shelly's mention of Elmore Leonard reminds me I need to bring some fiction back into the mix. I love Elmore Leonard's work.

In addition to that, 2023 will have a few bios, self-help books and books on design/photography/music. Since I've got them on my devices, I'm reading a lot more than I used to.

I got through all those Dark Tower books by employing audiobooks, a medium I never thought I'd enjoy. But when I'm up late and working on something (like hand sewing, etc), it's a great time to concentrate on the audio and get some work done.

I'll often stop the audio book, get ready for bed and pick up on my Nook where the audio left off.

TrivialPursuit said:

S2DG said:

Mostly have a lot of non-fiction on the agenda.

It's been a while but Shelly's mention of Elmore Leonard reminds me I need to bring some fiction back into the mix. I love Elmore Leonard's work.

In addition to that, 2023 will have a few bios, self-help books and books on design/photography/music. Since I've got them on my devices, I'm reading a lot more than I used to.

I got through all those Dark Tower books by employing audiobooks, a medium I never thought I'd enjoy. But when I'm up late and working on something (like hand sewing, etc), it's a great time to concentrate on the audio and get some work done.

I'll often stop the audio book, get ready for bed and pick up on my Nook where the audio left off.

I've tried audio books a couple of times and couldn't do it. Not sure if it was the voice or someone talking for an extended period of time but it wasn't working for me.

Maybe I'll try it again, it could have been a time and place thing. I'd love to get a few more books in this year.

Thanks for the reminder!

S2DG said:

I've tried audio books a couple of times and couldn't do it. Not sure if it was the voice or someone talking for an extended period of time but it wasn't working for me.

Maybe I'll try it again, it could have been a time and place thing. I'd love to get a few more books in this year.

Thanks for the reminder!

It definitely took me a bit to get into it. I found myself really having to concentrate on the audio. Which, really, sorta turned out to be a good thing. It's not like having music on in the background where it can just sink into the back of whatever you're doing. One really has to focus on the audio, which is nice actually. It helps me focus.

ShellyMcG said:

My only concern would be the voice of whoever is reading it. Do they have an accent, do they pronounce certain words or names weird, is it a male or female voice etc.

There are a few popular narrators, and actually many film stars do audio book narrations. One guy, who is dead now, Frank Muller does a lot of King books. He has a particular style of voice, but it seems to work. Another guy, George Guidall has done subsequent King books and I enjoy his book.

It's each speakers own take on it. Some audio books are more dramatized with sounds, etc. But the King books I've listened to so far, are just straight up narration, and the people reading do voices - sort of. Maybe a change in tone or accent a bit, just so you know who they are.

I tend to do non fiction. 5 books currently.

TrivialPursuit said:

S2DG said:

I've tried audio books a couple of times and couldn't do it. Not sure if it was the voice or someone talking for an extended period of time but it wasn't working for me.

Maybe I'll try it again, it could have been a time and place thing. I'd love to get a few more books in this year.

Thanks for the reminder!

It definitely took me a bit to get into it. I found myself really having to concentrate on the audio. Which, really, sorta turned out to be a good thing. It's not like having music on in the background where it can just sink into the back of whatever you're doing. One really has to focus on the audio, which is nice actually. It helps me focus.

I think you hit the nail on the head here. I think that's where the irritation comes in because I'm treating it like a background element without keeping focus.

Great perspective to go into this when I make another attempt.

Thanks again TrivialPursuit, I appreciate your insight here.

TrivialPursuit said:

ShellyMcG said:

TrivialPursuit said:

There are a few popular narrators, and actually many film stars do audio book narrations. One guy, who is dead now, Frank Muller does a lot of King books. He has a particular style of voice, but it seems to work. Another guy, George Guidall has done subsequent King books and I enjoy his book.

It's each speakers own take on it. Some audio books are more dramatized with sounds, etc. But the King books I've listened to so far, are just straight up narration, and the people reading do voices - sort of. Maybe a change in tone or accent a bit, just so you know who they are.

Thanks for the info. I think I'll get an Audible trial from Amazon and give it a go on my way to work. See how it goes. The voice of the narrator would be a deal breaker for me. Like, for example, the Cormac McCarthy book "No Country For Old Men" would be perfect if the audiobook was done by Tommy Lee Jones or someone similar. But there's no way I could listen to it if the narrator was, say, English or something. It just wouldn't feel right. I wonder, though, are there different versions of audiobooks with different narrators?

Didn't think about the narrators voice, that can be a major deal-breaker if it's annoying.

I wanted to jump into audio books but it looks like this is the main option, right? I see Apple has their version of audio books but the selection choices aren't there.

Trivial, where do you get your audio books and do you buy them like or music or just rent them?

S2DG said:

Didn't think about the narrators voice, that can be a major deal-breaker if it's annoying.

I wanted to jump into audio books but it looks like this is the main option, right? I see Apple has their version of audio books but the selection choices aren't there.

Trivial, where do you get your audio books and do you buy them like or music or just rent them?

Torrents.

As far as voices, the Frank guy I mentioned (who has since passed away after a terrible car accident affected his brain and motor skills for his remaining few years) really had a certain way of reading The Talisman. He said that narrating SK books was his favorite, and he really puts a lot into them. But that one tested me. He's better on Black House (the sequel). The other guy's voice, George Guidall, is super nice, and he did the latter half of The Dark Tower series.

TrivialPursuit said:

S2DG said:

Didn't think about the narrators voice, that can be a major deal-breaker if it's annoying.

I wanted to jump into audio books but it looks like this is the main option, right? I see Apple has their version of audio books but the selection choices aren't there.

Trivial, where do you get your audio books and do you buy them like or music or just rent them?

Torrents.

As far as voices, the Frank guy I mentioned (who has since passed away after a terrible car accident affected his brain and motor skills for his remaining few years) really had a certain way of reading The Talisman. He said that narrating SK books was his favorite, and he really puts a lot into them. But that one tested me. He's better on Black House (the sequel). The other guy's voice, George Guidall, is super nice, and he did the latter half of The Dark Tower series.

Gotcha!

onlyforaminute said:

Not that anyone cares but I've taken Triv's suggestion and started an audiobook.

It turns out to be a perfect distraction when I'm walking every other day for a few miles. Took a second to get used to the guy reading it but because I love the book (THE STAND) so I'm all in.

Feel like a dumbass for not doing this sooner...

ShellyMcG said:

onlyforaminute said:

I finished Black House by King and Straub, the sequel to The Talisman. It was long, but the pace kept the action going. While the book could end Jack Sawyer's story as a duo, there is certainly room for a third book. Straub and King started it, but Straub died in 2021. I hope King finishes it.

I may take a break from fiction, and dig into Prince Harry's Spare. Because why not.

By the way, if anyone is on Goodreads, you can add me.

[Edited 1/19/23 16:50pm]

ShellyMcG said:

TrivialPursuit said:

onlyforaminute said:

ShellyMcG said:

I read The Talisman a very long time ago and it stuck with me for so long. Loved it. I did start Black House but I failed to complete it. I will revisit it one day. SK has so many novels.

Once, SK and George RR Martin had a talk at a university. GRRM said, "How do you write so many damn books?"

SK made a good point, which - I wish I had the discipline to do myself as a writer - was to work on 4-6 pages a day. Get them really good, work them and rework them. Doesn't seem like much, but you do an average of 5 really good pages a day, and your book is 500 pages, that's just over 3 months than you have what is probably more than just a rough draft.

Some people tell you to not edit as you go, but I find myself doing that time to time. And I think if it's part of one's creative process, then do it. It can be a distraction to going further, so a writer has to check themselves.

I meant to mention earlier that Black House sideways mentions people from Hearts in Atlantis and Insomnia. The latter I find constantly amusing because SK said that book and Rose Madder were books where he was "trying too hard." Yet it was Insomnia where we first see the Crimson King make an appearance. One needs a case of insomnia to get through that behemoth book. Took me two months to read that (before my audio book days).

TrivialPursuit said:

onlyforaminute said:

Usually had 3 books going at a time and got thru them all in 2-3 week. I'd like to get back to that.

I think it was 2019 that I was doing that. I had a fiction and a non-fiction. I'd read one every other night when I went to bed. I think I read 21 books that year, which is a lot for me. I'm not a fast reader, either.