stuff I read in April!

[@NerdyNurseReads]

OH god not Tampa!!! Why is this making the rounds again!!!!!

[@pretentioussystem]

Definitely a channel to stick around! No suprise from the country of the once mighty frigginboom. KD [once] Books brought me here.

[@tapts]

I agree with your opinion on Gaiman but Coraline is a fun read imo

[@nathansnook]

bangin reading month sir! need to try out this Coetzee. was not a major fan of Disgrace and this will be my second chance for him!!! also thank you for reminding me of Tampa. have always seen it as the reflection to Lolita. did not know it had laughs!!!

[@ReadingIDEAS.-uz9xk]

Best wishes with your reading choices. I hope you get some great stories. Taking more than a month to read one. Currently at page 883 of the Count of Monte Cristo. Still got some way to go. Happy reading.

[@charlottemolloy]

Tampa! Youve convinced me to read it!

[@FrankOdonnell-ej3hd]

glad u liked tampa⚛😀

[@axlgzrdmattick]

MIKE in the intro, wow

[@Showmeyourshelfie]

Praiseworthy!! Looking forward to your review of that one. I'm dying to read it and might pick it up this week just to keep up with the Disco Bob's. I just finished Love in the New Millennium and saw you had it tagged on GR. Did you get into it what were your thoughts?

[@TheDiscoKingOfficial]

Awesome! Yeah excited to give Can Xue another crack, the books on my shelf but im yet to dive in yet!

[@jackwalter5970]

I've read 26 books so far this year. Mi mi mi mi mi! Haha! If the protagonist of Tampa were a man, people would be freaking out, so there's that. You're so funny!

[@kalkwiese]

Damn, that Neil Gaiman slander. Gave you a like anyway Didn't read Sandman, so no comment on that. American Gods is a mess, that's absolutly true, and Gaiman is aware of it. The first published version was tighter and strongly edited, but he didn't really like that version and restored the longer, more messy version at a later point. So, yea, make of that what you will, he at least is aware that it's messy and rambly. I really loved Stardust and Good Omens. It's nice how he is able to combine funny moments and horror elements.

[@elisabasta]

What is incredible about Gaiman is that he is by far worse than any fully market focused writer. It's like he got lucky or something. I don't really understand how he got so famous, no interesting ideas, no domain over the craft, I guess he is another testimony of what market/marketing can do for you.

[@KDbooks]

Absolute wormwashed

[@amandahsawyer]

Thank you Jesus for Gaiman review. Living.

[@NerdyNurseReads]

And yes the subject matter of Tampa is AWFUL but I needed all that cringe to be for something! but ultimately it was just a self indulgent look at how attractive women can get away with things a man could never. WHAT WAS THE POINT???? (I stand by my review)

[@bookofdust]

Neil Gaiman is at his best as a writer for young readers, those are incredibly strong books with nice tight storytelling that I’m not sure his adult works have going for them. But ever since I came to understand that his father was one of the main proponents of promoting Scientology in the UK, I worry that he is using his fantasy inspired writings to embed Scientology or his own spirituality into his works the same way L. Ron Hubbard did. Knowing the strictness of Scientology households, he may have all but been limited to reading L. Ron Hubbard books and they may have had the great impact on him as a writer. It all just kind of creeps me out, but I’m shocked more people aren’t asking similar questions.

[@kalkwiese]

This thing about his father is interesting, I didn't know that. Do you feel any Scientology in his books? I didn't sense anything weird so far, but I only read very few of his books. Dismissing Gaiman because of his father alone would be unfair, I guess

[@bookofdust]

@@kalkwiese I’ve never read an L. Ron Hubbard book, who wrote fantasy and SciFi, as well as, I guess, religion, or what I would consider cult studies. I’ve only read a smattering of Gaiman’s adult stuff, so I have no idea what influence, or influences, his work had on Gaiman, but it seems like a ripe topic for PhD studies, and I would be interested in reading that. He’s Elizabeth Moss quiet on his religion and spirituality, so he himself isn’t filling in any blanks, and I’m creeped out enough from Scientology that I don’t even want to read their recruitment materials or foundational beliefs. I wouldn’t ever dismiss reading someone’s writings based on their religious beliefs, I’m sure Cotton Mather and Anne Hutchinson have some very interesting things to say, and I’ve read Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz extensively despite having little regard for Catholicism.

[@kalkwiese]

@@bookofdust I see. Yea, I haven't read any Hubbard either, I just know the South Park breakdown of S., really. Wikipedia says about Gaiman's beliefs: Gaiman says that he is not a Scientologist, and that like Judaism, Scientology is his family's religion.[10] About his personal views, Gaiman has stated, "I think we can say that God exists in the DC Universe. I would not stand up and beat the drum for the existence of God in this universe. I don't know, I think there's probably a 50/50 chance. It doesn't really matter to me."[11] I mean, that's quite clear to me, because I see myself in a similar camp, really. The question whether or not Hubbard's writing style had an impact on Gaiman IS interesting and it's really weird to think about. Yea, someone needs to do a PhD on this

[@laurasalo6160]

​@@bookofdustyeah theyre pretty hard on Sanderson for his religious beliefs too, tho im not sure if those criticisms are well-founded (usually not imo) or fair.