What’s Coming off Your Shelf?
Friends, it’s an exciting time for Bookkaholic. We are celebrating our two-year anniversary. Over the past 24 months, we’ve shared our thoughts on old and new books alike. We’ve interviewed up-and-coming writers. We’ve even had a few debates about which books we like the best.
Through it all, you guys, our readers, have played a major part in our success. So, we thank you for supporting us.
While we’ve enjoyed sharing our thoughts with you, we want to know more about you. We’ve decided to start a new monthly feature called “What’s Coming off Your Shelf?” Our monthly column, which will appear during the third week of every month, will ask you, our devoted Bookkaholics, to tell us about what you are currently reading. Let us know if what you’re reading is worth checking out. Hey, if it’s not very good, tell us that, too.
I’ll also share my thoughts on what I’m reading. Maybe we’ll overlap on a few titles.
Truthfully, I’m not very good at multitasking, especially when it comes to reading. I like to be completely engaged in a book, and handling more than two at any given time is just too much for this guy.
So, here are the two titles that are coming off my shelf:
Reif Larsen’s I Am Radar
I’m finishing up Larsen’s sophomore novel. Look, guys, Larsen’s debut, The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet, is one of my favorites. I love how it revolves around a precocious boy. I like how it’s a journey narrative. The voice is so remarkable. The included maps are so engaging. It’s just great. I Am Radar is no T. S. Spivet, but it’s not bad. It’s just bigger, more literary, and much (much) more dense—arguably to a fault.
I won’t go into all the plot twists because knowing where it’s going might take away from part of the novel’s appeal. If you are a reader who loves big, engrossing, ambitious tomes, you’ll probably enjoy I Am Radar.
Also, if you are a reader who enjoys science, quantum physics, war, and art, you might want to give it a try. Be prepared to set aside a lot of time to get through it. This one requires a lot from its readers.
S. M. Hulse’s Black River
Yes! Yes! Yes! I’m only a couple of chapters into Black River, but it’s remarkably emotional and powerful. I know that it’s only February, but this one will, without any doubt, be among my favorite books of the year.
If you are a fan of the late Kent Haruf’s work, then run to the nearest bookstore and buy Black River. Even from just reading the first few pages, you can feel the Western atmosphere oozing from the pages. The prose is tender and even haunting. The characters are so brilliantly thought out and constructed.
I don’t know what’s waiting for me to uncover, but I can’t wait to find out.
So, I’ll ask again: What’s coming off your shelf? Sound off in the comments and let us know what you’re reading.
Bradley Sides
