danielwcarlson.bsky.social Book Recommendations & Book Mentions

danielwcarlson.bsky.social

24. THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY, Douglas Adams (audio, Stephen Fry). Genuinely hilarious. I did what the kids call “LOL,” or “laugh out loud.” Additionally, Fry is the ideal narrator for this. https://t.co/j7iaoJ4dBT

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30. THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM, Victor LaValle. A haunting novella that builds speed and tension the whole way through, erupting from horror into cosmic brutality. I read it in one sitting. https://t.co/uCK10Sl1rT

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4. DEVIL HOUSE, John Darnielle. I’ve really liked every Darnielle book I’ve read, and this was no exception. Starts out as a drama about true crime, evolves into a meditation on the unknowability of every person’s secret universe. Beautiful. https://t.co/Wa03QtMNRI

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Revisited THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE. Still so good; George V. Higgins wrote crime stories like no one else. Struck by the fact, though, that one character is named “Dave Foley” and another is “Jackie Brown.” Feels like it has to be a portent or something; just don’t know what.

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14. RUNNING BLIND, Lee Child. I am having an absolute blast with these. I ate this up in a few days. https://t.co/0hmFCnIuGG

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13. THE HUNTER, Richard Stark (Donald Westlake) (audio). My first Stark/Parker novel, so I figured I’d start at the beginning. Just as grim and gutsy as I wanted it to be. There’s this uneasy undercurrent of “how far can I push this” that made it really compelling. https://t.co/nI6ptvm9F1

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37. THE BLINDS, Adam Sternbergh. What a blast. Mystery, action, regret, revenge, redemption. I wolfed this down. (Speaking of: I had to buy the kindle version bc my dog chewed up my hardback, and that’s how we learned not to put things on low shelves in the living room.) https://t.co/ueB5blbJcP

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16. STONER, John Williams. It’s the years *and* the mileage. Profound, moving, powerful; a razor through the heart. I found myself both unable to stop turning the pages and reluctant to read too quickly, as if it was a resource to be rationed. Perfect. https://t.co/cwLiDHLGgJ

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5. DON’T KNOW TOUGH, Eli Cranor. Ate this up in a weekend; just didn’t want to put it down. Football, doomed families, blood truths, revenge, redemption, cost. Beautiful and sad and hoping characters. Nobody got nothin on Billy Lowe. https://t.co/1YqGp9OemG

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23. WITHOUT FAIL, Lee Child. The 6th Reacher book. These run in a groove and are fantastically paced; one night I stayed up until 1 a.m. reading without realizing. I’ve enjoyed every one so far. https://t.co/kVe5Vx1j3r

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