Forced catch-up

A while ago I read Richard Mason's History of a Pleasure-Seeker (2011). Don't remember much about it now, but the library is calling it back, so I had to get something down...I think it wasn't as good as the pretty cover had caused me to hope? Decent evocation of a time and place (Amsterdam, 1907), but too self-consciously concerned with sex, is my vague recollection.

Yay, a good book finally!

Just finished Hari Kunzru's Gods Without Men (2012), and really, really enjoyed it. It took me a while to read it, but only because I was (am) also reading a couple other books at the same and have been (am) generally busy. But it was good; unique, strong and memorable characters, nice writing.
Basically the intersection of several lives, over hundreds of years -(skipping back and forth) with a spot in the desert. More later, hopefully, but now I need to return the book before the library comes after me...

And on a related note:

Stumbling Across a Rarity, Even for the Rare Book Room

Marie Malchodi, who works as a “book conservation technician” at Brown University, recently came across a piece of paper signed by “P. Revere Sculp” — and knew it might be a big find.

New York Times, 5.3.2012