Hello, reader…
*Note to first time readers: the following is a summary of a discussion by friends who gather monthly in a virtual space called Second Life. Reading notes are lightly edited reflections shared in real time via text chat.
Love Tales of Ancient Japan by Kyoto Ko
FireWoman shared that Kyoto Ko, a Japanese storyteller she follows, has released his fourth book, Love Tales of Ancient Japan. She explained that Ko gathered truly ancient women’s diaries and retold stories from them. In ancient Japan, she noted, poetry was often how people introduced themselves to someone they wanted to know, with poems delivered by a trusted servant of the elite. She described it as “a truly different kind of culture and history.”
James by Percival Everett
FireWoman also mentioned that she finally got her hands on James by Percival Everett. She said, “I could not put James down. The story is riveting and makes me want to reread Huckleberry Finn after decades.” When Zoe asked if readers should read Huckleberry Finn first, FireWoman replied, “I think I would definitely read Huck first.” She added that she’s currently reading banned books, noting that Huckleberry Finn is banned and predicted that James will likely be challenged too, as “the N word is used throughout it.”
The Witching Hour by Anne Rice
Zaida shared that she and Cychwynn are reading The Witching Hour by Anne Rice for another book group. She explained that it’s the book the TV show Mayfair Witches is based on. Zaida admitted that she finds it long and reads slowly, saying she feels like Anne Rice “had two great ideas for a book and mashed them together.” She added that she wishes Rice had written it more like Ken Follett’s Pillars of the Earth series, which spans hundreds of years.
Zaida said they intentionally chose to read it this time of year since she and Noctis built a witch house in New Toulouse modeled after the Mayfair witch house from the TV show. Although she usually doesn’t read horror, she mentioned finding the TV series “a little hard to follow” and expects the book will make more sense after reading it.
The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War by Fred Kaplan
Sierra shared that she is currently reading The Bomb by Fred Kaplan (not to be confused with Robert Kaplan). She described it as a detailed history of how U.S. strategy and policies around nuclear weapons evolved through different administrations after World War II. She’s about a third of the way through and finds it an interesting and engaging read, noting that she wants to take more notes as she goes.
The book examines how presidents, advisors, and military branches debated the role and use of nuclear weapons, showing tensions between “maximalist” and more incremental strategies. Sierra mentioned that she’s currently reading the section covering the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. She noted the book was published in 2020 and likely includes fairly recent material. She also believes Kaplan is revisiting themes from his earlier work The Wizards of Armageddon (from the 1980s), when much information was still classified. Overall, she finds The Bomb a good, well-paced read that will pair nicely with her other reading on the topic.
Tilt by Emma Pattee
Veyot shared that Tilt is about a woman in Portland who gets caught in an earthquake while inside an IKEA store. The building collapses, and she must walk miles across the city to find her husband.
Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich
This story, also read by Veyot, follows a woman in Minneapolis where it seems the world may be ending. The woman must hide from agencies that are killing mothers and saving babies in an effort to preserve humanity.
Veyot noted that both novels are contemporary and described them as intense and filled with turmoil.
The Hike by Drew Magary
KitKat shared that The Hike was a quick read she absolutely loved. The story begins with a man on a business trip who decides to take a short hike near his hotel before a meeting — but he gets lost, and the journey spirals into a wild mix of adventure, horror, and comedy.
She described it as chaotic but surprisingly well-tied together in the end, with strong fantasy elements reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. KitKat said there were moments that terrified her like a horror novel and even one point that made her cry. Overall, she found it very well written and thoroughly enjoyable.
Ghosts of Old New Toulouse
Nyx shared this SL Thinc book found in the cemetery at the New Toulouse sim.
The Entirely True Story of the Fantastical Mesmerist Nora Grey by Kathleen Kaufman
Zoe shared that the novel is set in Scotland and America, spanning the years 1866 and 1901. It follows two women who meet for the first time during a séance – with a unique connection initially unknown to them. Both women possess supernatural powers that allow them to communicate with spirits—and even across time with each other.
Zoe noted that each character struggles for independence from those around them. She said the book was “a little slow in parts,” but overall, she really enjoyed it and found it to be a fitting, atmospheric read for autumn.
Our final gathering for the year will be on November 9th at 1pm SLT.
SLurl to The Reading Room: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Gundeulbawe/41/164/45
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