Link to last year;
I’ll start!
I can’t believe no one has posted about this yet! It’s even sort of about a grocery store! I’m actually listening to it on the public library app, Libby, and like the narrator as well.
Here’s a picture from the NYT review
Here’s a gift link to the NYT review.
I also really enjoyed one of his other books; “The Good Lord Bird” too.
It’s on my shelf! Debating between it and the latest Colson Whitehead, Crook Manifesto, as my next read.
Am currently finishing up Marquez’s “News of a Kidnapping.” It’s excellent.
What a dilemma! I think I have that Colson Whitehead title on my list, but I just couldn’t get through “The Nickle Boys”. I haven’t given up though. I realy enjoyed “Harlem Shuffle” and "Sag Harbor ", and of course, “The Underground Railroad.”
ETA just used an Audible credit for Crook Manifesto! New York in the 70’s! Maybe I am in it!
I am also continuing to work my way through the Benjamin January mysteries, a historical fiction series about les gens de couleur libres around the time of "The Louisiana purchase ", revolving around a character who is a “sugeon” who must also work as a musician to make ends meet.
Crook Manifesto is somehow related to Harlem Shuffle - maybe same characters a few years later?
That’s what the review says. I like to think of myself as “coming of age” in NY in the 70’s, although Colson and I probably didn’t frequent the same circles. 
I never went to Sag Harbor either. 
“The Nickel Boys” was not nearly as much fun, at least the parts I got through.
“The Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan. It was tough reading the first time around, years ago. It’s even tougher today, considering that information about our food is so readily available.
Funny, I’ve been thinking about reading it again as well. It certainly made me think about a lot of things more, if not differently, and was eye-opening about other things (such as the politics behind pretty much everything).
Crazy that it’s been 18 years since it was published. I’ve been hoping for an update or new book at some point that addresses similar things about the plentiful fake meat that’s come into the system, and lab-grown meat that’s about to.
Masala Lab: The Science of Indian Cooking
“a science nerd’s exploration of Indian cooking…”
I listened to the McBride late last year. Very interesting with a quirky bunch of characters. The review aptly summarizes the strategic meandering nature of the book.
Reading Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward (fabulous work as usual) and Island of the Sea Women by Lisa See, just started for January book club.
Currently got four books going:
Snow and Steel by Peter Caddick-Adams (the current hefty tome)
If He Hollers by Chester Himes
This Wheel’s on Fire by Levon Helm
Everybody’s Fool by Richard Russo.
Goodreads target set at 45 books for 2024
Yes, the main character Ray Carney and his family, mostly, but others make return appearances too
Two New York books from N. K. Jemisin, The City We Became and The World We Make, are excellent. Not only great speculative fiction, but thought-provoking reads. Definitely gave me a stronger appreciation for the diversity and complexity of NY. And quite a few laughs and snickers, too.
I just finished that one!
I LOVED The City We Became! The audio is read by Robin Miles, who is just amazing at voicing the different boroughs. Wow. Also, I just recently learned that NK Jemisin is the cousin of W. Kamau Bell, comic, writer, TV personality.
Let Us Descend was on my Christmas List (we’ve not yet opened gifts, thanks to #reasons) and I’m hoping it’s in one of the book-shaped wrapped gifts awaiting opening!
Last fall (so technically belongs on the 2023 thread) I read (devoured) I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Hartman.
Several days later I read it again.
Dystopian. Feminist. Disquieting. Bleak.
Yet also an affirmation of life.
It’s stunning and I can’t stop thinking about it.
Edited to Add: If you choose to read this, please skip the introduction and instead consider it as an afterword. Go into with no further knowledge.
Started reading Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari. I had read the first chapter in 2022 but I couldn’t finish it as I didn’t have the book. Got the book 2 days ago and started reading today.
Glad you were able to get it; people I know who’ve read Sapiens speak well of the content and writing.
Am even more glad (gladder?) that you are back with HO; you were missed!
Late last fall I was entranced by a Sri Lankan book, The Seven Moons of Maali Almedia. Several months later I’m still thinking about the imagery, concepts, and story - and wondering how many cultural references I’d missed. The book is currently in one of my partner’s stacks and I’ll reread it once they’re finished.
Happy New Year! 
I missed the forums too, all the friends here. I was trying to learn a few tips about tourism, working at my friend’s company 
I first read the first chapter of the book when I saw it with someone staying at a hostel with me one day. Then the book was out of stock.
What the content does is it gives us a new perspective about what we learn/know as the past events of the world. So far I really like the book.
Richard Osman, The Last Devil to Die
Thomas Sowell, Social Justice Fallacies
Still saving last Stella Rimington from 2022 in hopes there’s another in the works.
