June Miscellany

It’s the end of June and the end of the first month of 20 Books of Summer!

So, how is everyone who is taking part doing? I am actually well on track, with seven books reviewed, an eighth review coming tomorrow and a ninth book almost finished. Can it last? Let’s hope so! Do let me know how you are all getting on. As of last count, there were over 150 of us taking part so it’s been hard at times for me to like all your posts and comments.
READING
As I have been concentrating on 20 Books of Summer so much, I haven’t been reading too much outside of that, but read a few books this month that were outside of my challenges.
Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
I very much enjoyed this collection of essays by Roxane Gay which explores the difficulty of living up to an ideal of feminism. It’s actually about so much more and alongside critiques of The Help and Django Unchained, I very much enjoyed her essays on professional Scrabble tournaments, Sweet Valley High books and her love of trash reality television.
Kim Jiyoung, born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo, translated by Jamie Chang
Kim Jiyoung, born 1982 is the calmest howl of anger I have ever read. Telling the seemingly ordinary story of an ordinary woman living in Korea, the book dissects a world of misogyny and a country where women are considered second-class citizens. Billed as a Korean #MeToo, this book’s power comes from its frightening banality.
WATCHING
This month has seen us watching some real duds on Netflix – which can be so hit and miss on quality.
We did however redeem our viewing with the brilliant The Sisters Brothers, which I loved and the interesting Freaks which is like a smaller, more intelligent version of X-Men.
Thanks to the lovely Marina Sofia, I have finally subscribed to MUBI, so am pulling together a watch list of lots of interesting films. If you’ve seen anything good on this channel, do let me know and I’ll add to the to-watch pile.

Netflix has kindly put all episodes of Anthony Bourdain’s fascinating Parts Unknown up for viewing and we have been meandering all round the world in his company, enjoying the food and his musings. In light of what happened, the show can be emotional and at times very poignant, but still well worth watching.
And finally, we are binge-watching Season 3 of Dark – which has been one of my favourite shows of the last few years.
Just when I’d got my head around the while time-travel plot, they’ve now thrown alternate worlds into the mix, but despite the fact that I have, at times, no clue what it going on, this remains really smart, beautifully filmed television that rewards hard work.
LISTENING
Music-wise this has been a great month for me and I reviewed three of my favourite new releases for No More Workhorse.

I’ve loved the loose sunshine country-rock sound of Rose City Band, the sharp and sassy sounds of Phoebe Bridgers and the stunningly beautiful piano compositions of Gabriel Olafs.
That’s been my month in reading, watching and listening! What’s been on your cultural radar this month?
20 Books of Summer Monthly Miscellany 20 Books of Summer anthony bourdain born 1982 Gabriel Olafs kim jiyoung Monthly Miscellany Phoebe bridgers Rose City Band roxane gay the sisters brothers
Cathy746books View All →
I am a 40 something book buying addict trying to reduce the backlog one book at a time!
I’m 3 books into my 20 books now – aiming to speed up through the next two months. But I have been seriously distracted by The Walking Dead on Prime. I love survival stories, and 6 series in with 4 to go still, I’m amazed there are still new ways with zombies and armed gangs, and that there’s anything left to scavenge at all! I can’t believe I still haven’t seen The Sisters Brothers – I’ll have to try and find a time when my daughter isn’t using the Netflix sub.
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We watched one season of The Walking Dead and stopped. Might pick up on it again! The Sisters Brothers is a treat. Fabulous performances and it looks gorgeous.
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I’m on my 4th book of the list. Have been watching The Luminaries on BBC. Compulsive and almost entirely incomprehensible viewing. It’s based on Eleanor Catton’s book which I also didn’t understand.
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Lol! I have the hardback of that book. It’s been glaring at me from the bedside table for 7 years but I’ve still not read it 🤣
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Now reading my 10th title for #20booksofsummer20. I’m trying to aim for reading 30 titles before the challenge ends. I have SO many review commitments that I wish I could read more than ten titles in a month, but sadly that seems to be all I can manage.
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I seem to read 10 books a month on average too!
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I have read and reviewed 4 books of the 20 so I’m a little bit behind but not by much. Hopefully I can catch up.
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That’s not bad at all! X
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Thank you!! I’m pretty sure I’m already doing better than I did last year so that’s a plus.
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I just got Mubi too! Really loved Catherine Corsini’s Summertime (2015) and The Black Power Mixtape; Atlantics was more hit or miss for me (at only 16 minutes long, it’s sort of hard to understand its existence) and I watched a film called MS Slavic 7 which seems to fall between two stools in its fiction/documentary aspect but still felt worthwhile. I’m also loving Parts Unknown – although it suddenly struck me halfway through S1 that the people who show him around and bond with him are virtually never women, and suddenly I can’t unsee that.
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Thanks for the recs. I know what you mean – he liked his male friends.
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Yeah, I mean he’s not Jeremy Clarkson but he’s definitely a bit of a lad
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I’m on track with my 20 books – have read and reviewed 6 and currently reading 7-9! I watched a couple of episodes of Dark a while back and have been meaning to try it again. I just enjoyed Into the Night on Netflix, which was totally compulsive.
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Oh thanks for that recommendation Laura! We have 4 eps left of Dark and will be bereft when it’s over! Congrats on the 20 Books progress, I think this is the most on track I’ve ever been!
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Shtisel, I might have said before but that’s my series of the summer so far. Thanks for your music recommendations and Kim Jiyoung, born 1982 sounds like a must read although not an easy one.
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Oh thanks! Must check it out.
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I have read 14 books so far but only 2 I’ve included in my summer books, because I tried to make it more of a challenge! So cue all the rushed reading in August 🤣
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Lol! you could always swap some round!
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I know but I didn’t read one from my list last year 🤣 I am trying to be strong! Lol
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Well done on your 20 Books of Summer so far! 🙂 I’m also doing well with mine – I’ve read seven and reviewed all of them and am now reading my eighth. I do love this challenge every year. 🙂 Hope you enjoy the next books you read.
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Snap! I always love getting to the end of June and being on track. Let’s hope it stays that way!
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I’ve read five of my 20 Books of Summer so I’m feeling quite relaxed and have read a couple of books that don’t appear on my list. They’ve all been good.
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Great to hear!
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Pretty similar to what you experienced though not as varied. Enjoyed reading your post. Much appreciated and thanks for sharing
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Thanks fror stopping by!
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I’m happy with my 20 Books progress so far – I’ve read and reviewed seven, which was my goal for June, and that included 100 pages of a DNF so seven and a half, really. Just six to do this month and I might sneak in starting my first Persephone for August as I have some chunksters in that part of the pile!
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Yes, my goal was to review 7 this month too. Nice to have reached that milestone!
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Mubi has been my best cultural investment during lockdown, for sure. Like Elle, I loved Catherine Corsini’s Summertime – it’s very much in the mould of Celine Sciamma’s films (most of which are available through the Mubi library). The Ida Lupino double bill is excellent too – right up your street, I think!
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Thanks Jacqui!
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You’re doing well on the summer reading! I’m going to reserve Kim Jiyoung, born 1982 as soon as my library reopens. I’m halfway through Kitchen Confidential and there have already been FIVE references to suicide — others he’s heard about, or jokes, but still, it’s so ironic it puts chills down my spine.
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Oh god, that would be creepy. There are a few references in Parts Unknown that stop you short too.
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I think I’m doing pretty well; I’ve only finished four, but will probably finish #5 today. Two of my titles are looooong and I’m on schedule with them, and about halfway through another big one.
Finished: a biography of Edward Lear, Thames: a Biography (meh), Oroonoko, and The Return (meh).
Well into: Forest of a Thousand Daemons, The View from the Cheap Seats, The Golden Bough, Mystery of Udolpho, Uncommercial Traveller.
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Hi Cathy – looks like you have a good balance between reading, watching and listening! I don’t think I’ll make it to 20 books this summer (currently at 3), but I enjoy aiming for it!
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You can always change to 10books!
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True 🙂
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I’m doing better on reading my 20 books than on reviewing them – halfway through book 4 but have only reviewed 1 so far. Still possible to get through them all, though, so long as there’s not a sudden chocolate famine…
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Oh I LOVE THIS: “Kim Jiyoung, born 1982 is the calmest howl of anger I have ever read.”
Yes! This book was such a tour de force. So glad you enjoyed it.
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Thank you for recommending Gabriel Olafs. I had never heard his music before – it is beautiful.
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Isn’t it? And perfect to read to! Glad you liked it.
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