Welcome to Litsy!

Very glad to have fit in this brilliant pick from @Deblovestoread ‘s #AuldLangSpine list! It was a brutal listen in some ways, between the violence, racism, painfully still relevant political references, and the constant use of the n word. Yet it was also really funny and clever and absorbing. And of course it was, because Everett wrote it. My third of his books this year and I can‘t wait to keep going.

I‘m loving the season to include the holiday-related reads…but I‘m really looking forward to the new year and the return to reading “more serious” stuff. #Auldlangspine has added an extra jolt to my TBR as I‘ve been paired with @Amiable and am intrigued by a number of her favorite reads from the past year. Above are just a few of her recommendations I plan to check out in January and well into 2025!

#auldlangspine2025
#ALSpine2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is a hard book to review only because nothing I could say could truly convey how utterly brilliant it is. The (rightful) rage the author feels is palpable. The story, though, seems almost light-hearted and ridiculous. And somehow it works beautifully. Just a stunning book all around. And the cover, that seemed so simple when I picked it up, had me in tears towards the end of the story. Definitely the best book I've read this year.

My Barnes and Noble #bookhaul from yesterday. I think I'll start The Trees first.

This was a tough read at times, but an important one.

Updated #2024ReadingBrackets:
Completed 8 books in September, 7 of which were FICTION. The clear winner, however, was “The Trees” by Percival Everett. It‘s the third book by Everett I‘ve read this year, and it‘s my favorite. The man is a genius.

I marvel at the thought process that results in a book that makes it impossible to look away from a still-unfolding culture of racist violence and plays it for laughs.
I kind of enjoyed it, after a horrified fashion: it's sickening on many levels. (And, once again P.E calls me out: murder on all sides but it's the *language* that bothers me?)
When the weird 💩 went off-the-charts crazy it lost me rather; maybe I'd just reached saturation point.

This is funniest book about lynchings I have ever read. And yes, I know how bizarre that statement sounds. It‘s a savage satire on racism and the history of violent hate crimes. (Warning: it‘s pretty graphic.) My only quibble is that the ending felt rather abrupt. Read it. Percival Everett is absolutely brilliant.

Made me snort laugh! 🤣

T for A to Z challenge!

A book about racism - it should have had more meaning . It gets excellent reviews but I was disappointed - it set off well and then became ridiculous and I still have no idea what happened in the end .

I loved this book. I had never heard of Percival Everett until his recent increased publicity from his new book James and the movie American Fiction, but I had a strong sense that I'd like his work. He pulls no punches in his criticism of southern culture, white supremacists, and, towards the end, president 45. He flirts with the supernatural, but keeps everything in this world in some excellent developments, and his quips are darkly hilarious.

I have been feeling a little blue lately, but it's been a good week overall:
1. Applied to a new job. Hoping to hear back, but it felt good just to take that first step to actively apply
2. Salmon fish & chips! (empty plate shown)
3. Giveaway box from @DebinHawaii
4. Episode 1 on the big screen this weekend
5. @WildAlaskaBibliophile being silly with me. She prefers a salon, but we will occasionally revert to COVID-era self grooming.
#5joysFriday

April #bookspin #bookspinbingo @thearomaofbooks

Bookspin: tagged
Double bookspin: Star Wars: Aftermath

Book #5 in #24in24. The writing gymnastics one has to have to have dry, witty and humorous, dialogue while still having this important weight of horrible history hanging over it is astounding. I found laughs bubbling through me on one page only to be so angry and sad on the next. The care certain characters got in here when it came to their murders while there was a whole century of people who sometimes didn‘t even get names to their bodies,👇🏼

I went to hear Percival Everett speak last month at the University of South Alabama. After that, I was anxious to read one of his books. This one was a stunner. The subject matter was hard, but there were still bits of humor throughout and really solid characterization.

I'm sure I haven't caught half the name jokes in this book, but that one's kinda on the nose. It seems... a bit weird, for a book where the theme is racial (in)justice. 🤨

Two special investigators from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation are called in after White residents of Money start turning up gruesomely murdered, accompanied each time by the body of a mysterious Black man, beaten beyond recognition, who subsequently vanishes. The initial broadly comic tone gradually takes on the weight of a terrible and bloody history, as someone or something demands vengeance for the dead. Unforgettable.

#12DaysofChristmas #May I read 6 five 🌟 books in May.

The Trees edged out the others by the merest of margins so here are the others that I also loved:

Notes on an Execution
Honor
The Sun Does Shine
Home Fire
Black Butterflies

@Andrew65

The New Yorker described this as 'deadly serious comedy' which I think is a perfect description. It is a dark and brutally violent book and yet I laughed a lot. Yes it is filled with stereotypes and silly character names, but it is also incredibly thought provoking and a serious look at racism and the history of lynching. Some books entertain, while others do that and stay with you for life...this is one of those. I loved it. 4.5/5 stars!

The Lorraine Motel, Tennesse

"It's a museum now", Jim said
"And it should't be", Ed said
"Why not?", Quip asked
"Its just a motel. That's what it is. That's all it is", said Ed. "People should rent out that room and sleep in that very bed and step through that very door and stand on that balcony and realise what happened there".

I always think of James Baldwin when I read Black voices and realise how much of my world view is perspective ?

"

I read some great books in June and was having trouble deciding which was the best but then I realized it didn‘t matter because The Trees was hands down the winner for the first half of the year. If you haven‘t read it you should.

Considering this is a book about lynching, it's really very entertaining. I don't know how to sell you all on this but definitely give it a try. It's very clever. I thought it was really well done.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

This was on several #Bestof22 list and I can see why. It‘s perfection and gets all my stars! 💜💜💜

First book done for #20in4…about 5 ish hours of reading today.

“Money, Mississippi looks exactly like it sounds.”

I‘m at chapter 21 and am LOVING this book!

Such an inventive piece of work. At times I chuckled at the dialogues and dark humour, next, I was silent at the gruesome crime scenes and the all-important, grave issues that Everett is putting across. An unexpected read, a page-turner, and the rousing finale… I want to read more of Everett. 👍

I listened to this one and knew pretty quickly I would need a physical copy on my forever shelf. I found it in one of my local charity shops for Q9 - bargain!

“Money, Mississippi, looks exactly like it sounds.”

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

I‘m a bit late with this months #2023readingbracket (as usual). It was a really difficult choice this month between two 5⭐️ books, but in the end The Trees won out. Thanks @chasjjlee for making this reading bracket. I really like the way it works this year 😊

19/23 I finished this book a couple of days ago but needed time to let it settle. I loved it, but when I talk about it, a book about lynchings, racism, bigotry, it doesn‘t sound right to say I found it very (darkly) funny, extremely entertaining and original. But that‘s the truth. The New Yorker described it as deadly serious comedy, this is correct. Everett is extremely talented and I will certainly be picking up more books by him. 5⭐️

Wow. This will be one of my best reads of the year. I have a crazy book hangover. All the stars for this fast read. Members of the families responsible for Emmet Till‘s murder start showing up lynched with a black cadaver left at the scene. The story telescopes out from there, an incredible balancing act between violence, America‘s ongoing racist legacyand biting humor and great hard-boiled detective dialogue.

Oh my. A novel with horror and dark humor about lynching in America. Emmit Till‘s murder is avenged. Heart aches one moment, laughing the next. Some whip smart humor in this very dark novel. Like Jordan Peele taken to 11. Or more like Peele with subtlety removed. Only 60 pages in. Was supposed to return to library today. No print copy in town! Will be a late night/early morning to finish. I will be reading more Percival Everett.

Just going to start with the one on the top 📚

#tbr

I would not or could not stop talking about this wild & bonkers & heart breaking story. So, my husband said he‘d like to try to it. Since I had listened to the audio version I ordered a physical copy on the spot! I‘m not sure he‘s going to like it, but I‘ll for sure read it again. 😄

Brilliant. But tough. Though there‘s dark, satirical humor to it (tone-wise a little like Heller‘s Catch-22), it‘s the kind that‘ll have you chuckling at a bit of dialogue while continuing to cry with rage & horror & marrow-deep heartbreak. The crime story is fiction, but the history (& continuation) of lynching, police brutality, & white supremacy it‘s built around is all too real.

I‘ve got a lot of processing to do before book club tomorrow.

This is a fast, fun, gory, light book full of wisecracks that is legitimately funny and entertaining…and then it brings in Emmett Till, and the history of lynching, linked to the names we know from very recent news. So how does one go back to seeing anything fun. Percival doesn‘t change anything. The fun and gore continue. My brain had trouble flexing, and it‘s little unsure how to feel. That must be a compliment. #booker2022

WOW!!!!!

Me to my kids- “right kids, we are dropping books back to the library. But we are NOT getting any more books, we‘ve got enough to read at home at the moment”

Me and my kids 10 minutes later… 🤦🏻‍♀️ Like mummy like sons I guess!

I picked up the tagged book after listening to this weeks A Good Read on BBC Sounds and then reading all the rave reviews on Litsy. Even though I am supposed to be reading my shelves 😬

Phenomenal.

#12Booksof2022 day 10

A murder mystery that is about so much else as well

Favorite fiction part I. The Trees was probably my top book of the year. The Feast I picked up after seeing it here on Litsy and I‘m so appreciative of those that posted about it.

#12booksof2022 April.
Genius writing- how did he make us laugh whilst writing about such a serious subject.

#12booksof2022

I read a lot of books in January, and this was one of four 5 star reads, but just edged it over the others.

#AdventRecommends December 18th

A murder mystery that turns into so much else.

A strong, thought-provoking novel. I had mixed feelings. I loved the characters of Ed and Jim & the punchy, smart writing. But the satirical, flippant tone - whilst deliberate - jarred & distanced me from the story. There were speculative elements that I didn‘t get on with, again because it was far-fetched so I wasn‘t connected & didn‘t care about the characters. But I appreciate the issues may be too horrific to deal with straightforwardly.

I loved this. It starts like a really good police procedural - filled with sarcastic humour, so it was just my jam, and then it gets darker and Everett slowly subverts the genre he‘s chosen in order to shock the reader, to turn their assumptions on their head. Quite different for the Booker shortlist.
I won‘t say any more for fear of spoiling it, but a high recommendation from me.

What a fascinating and humourous take on hate, racism, and police violence. The humor and wit are outstanding, especially considering the horrid history of America. Those few chapters on past presidents, so funny.
Quote from author that resonated with me because this book could surely be banned. “There‘s a reason that oppressive regimes often resort to burning book.”

Great read. Yes, it's a satire involving lynching, but somehow it works, mostly by being so over the top that it's two steps removed from reality and the physical horror is tamped down. And honestly, the names are spectacularly funny - in response to the attacks, the President says ⬇️