Welcome to Litsy!

11-1-23: My October Book Wrap Up!! Another month with a low reading count but I definitely enjoyed everything. Here‘s hoping I pick up the pace in November! ⭐️📖⭐️

10-1-23: My 89th finished book of 2023! I started this book before my move and had to give it back to the library only 1 chapter in. Happy to say I finished it just now. The AMC show Lucky Hank starring Bob Odenkirk is based on this book and was a great show. I equally enjoyed this story. William Henry Devereux, Jr. is the chair of the English department at Railton University in Pennsylvania. Mid-life crisis ensues. Colorful cast or characters.

7-5-23: I only got to read 1 chapter of this one before I had to bring it back to my local library. It‘s my last time dropping off books here in Florida. It‘s bittersweet. The Orange County Library System has been a lifesaver for me these last 11 years. We leave for Philadelphia tomorrow. And once I‘m settled the first book I‘m getting is Straight Man! 📖📚

Having recently read and LOVED Richard Russo‘s Empire Falls, I had high expectations for Straight Man. Unfortunately the book fell flat for me. Too much kitsch & playing for gags. Book felt dated and I had zero compassion for the MC, William Henry Devereaux, Jr., a once-promising novelist and now middle-aged chairman of a lesser known university English department. 👇🏽

This silly goose caught my eye this morning!! I have HIGH HOPES as I LOVED Empire Falls and my sweet friend @BarbaraBB gifted me this book as one she enjoyed. So far, it‘s entertaining 🤗

Day 3: #3Books that made me laugh

▪️A spot of bother: a hilarious novel about a hypochondriac
▪️Very Nice: this one made my quarantaine, thanks to @Megabooks
▪️Straight Man: I read this one ages ago but remember laughing out loud all the time

And of course The Heart‘s Invisible Furies should be included here too, but I am saving it for another prompt (it fits many 😀)!

There are so few books I've read that not only begged to be read frequently but made me laugh out loud at the same time... THIS is one of them! I've recommended this book quite often and I wouldn't pass it up for $3!! DO IT!
#Booked2020 #MadeYouLOL (I promise to try out another author but just in case anyone's looking...)
@Cinfhen @BarbaraTheBibliophage @4thhouseontheleft

So far really enjoying the personality of the narrator! Stay tuned...

Lol, I feel like our HR is getting lazy or tired. I had to sit in our office and watch 7 sexual harassment videos and then take a quiz on each. From a reader standpoint I enjoyed the many overt and covert sexual harassment stereotypes known as The Mid-life Lothario, The Dirty Old Man, The Rising Star, The False Mentor, The Neanderthal, God‘s Gift, The Gunfighter, The Tease, The Trader, and The False Victim. As readers, we‘ve met all of them.

This 400 page book felt like 1000 for me. I‘m not sure why I made myself finish it. But I did.

Richard Russo has written a novel that contains everything the human spirit needs: family, friends, literature, and an obstructed urinary tract!

Spend a few days with the English department's chair, William Henry Devereaux Jr., also known as the department straight man and loose cannon. His wife is out of town and predicts he'll end up either in the hospital or jail. I'll leave the rest to the imagination, but know that Hank is embroiled in university upheavals, medical troubles, securing a budget, preparing for his father's return and threatening local wildlife. 💜

"We're here on the campus of Podunk College, speaking with an authority on every goddamn thing."

God, I love this book!!!!!

This was just a fun read. It reminds me of my years in academia, smartassery and all. I don't miss the politics, but the humor and intellectual engagement was fun.

A simpler effort than Richard Russo's Empire Falls or Nobody's Fool, it is nevertheless laugh out loud funny. The story is a week in the life of a professor in a rust belt PA college town. During the week our delightful main character stumbles through with his on-going search for self destruction and vengeance. However, it is vengeance without a clear target, a strategy without a plan. I felt this combo uniquely captured the human condition.

The most fun book that made me want to have "acquainted with doubt" tattooed on my body.

One of my City Wide Friends of the Boston public library book hauls

I'm switching to the hard copy so I can finish this weekend (was listening to audio). This book has made me snort with laughter many times.

They play video games and I read #fridaynight

Very dry and funny read. This book caught me in a book slump and it took me a while - but it was "me and not you" with this book.

There is this book called Domestic Violets, whose author is a huge fan of Richard Russo. And if i didn't know better, Domestic Violets, is somewhat of a love letter to this book. Or maybe more appropriately, the cool and extremely proud to be the son of this book. Both have to do with men in midlife crises. This one, however, who knew there could be so much drama in a college English department? Who knew it could be so entertaining? Great book.

It was my opinion (then and now) that two people who love each other need not necessarily have the same dreams and aspirations, but they damn well ought to share the same nightmares.

I heard this book was funny. After Station Eleven.... I need funny. #WhatImReading #NovemberReads

When my nose finally stops bleeding and I've disposed of the bloody paper towels, Teddy Barnes insists on driving me home in his ancient Honda Civic, a car that refuses to die and that Teddy, cheap as he is, refuses to trade in.

#funfridayphoto This is my go-to feel better book. I tend to buy extra (used) copies so I always have one to give away.

My back porch is my favorite reading spot. #septphotochallenge #readingoutside

Moving this stack of "read" from my bedroom to the library. Fall cleaning feels even better!

Second time reading it-liked it just as much as the first time.

"Her face now resembles a low-budget horror movie mask...." I love this book!

First time reading Richard Russo. 📚 Heard great things about this book, hoping I won't be disappointed!