I’m thinking right now about a pull quote by a publisher from one of the articles I’ve suggested worth reading: ‘Readers don’t want the same platitudes; they want books that are addressing taboos.” It makes me reflect on the books I read and review–and those kind don’t tend to be high on my list. While I don’t think all taboos are good, I tend to believe there is accumulated cultural wisdom behind many of them. From what I can tell, it seems that in many stories where the transgressive is an element, such acts seem empowering yet the stories often end as tragedies. Maybe people like these stories as mirrors of their own lives (or at least their fantasies). I’m not one of them.

That is not meant on a judgement of what others read. I posted a meme today that says “Read what you like. Let others read what they like.” I am not in the camp of those who would ban books. While I support the right of parents to help curate the book choices of their younger children, I do not think they should impose these decisions on other parents. And I cannot say I won’t read some books that challenge taboos, particularly if it seems an important book to review. But I’m probably out of sync with contemporary literary culture in its desire for such books. I’m just interested in different things.

Five Articles Worth Reading

“The Reading Revolution: How The Literary Sphere Took Over” is the article I referenced above. What is fascinating is that it offers good evidence that Gen Z is reading and driving book sales. For those who read the article, I’d be interested in your thoughts!

The Olympics in Paris began yesterday. Appropriately, The Atlantic posted “Seven Books That Will Change How You Watch the Olympics” Included in this list is a biography of Jesse Owens. As a big fan of Ohio State, I want to read this sometime!

In my younger years, I loved science fiction and have tried to read more in recent years–old and new. Esquire posted “The 75 Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time.” I found some authors to check out.

I read a lot of trade paperbacks. But I never knew the story of Jason Epstein and his role in creating the trade paperback. That is, I didn’t until reading “The Man Who Created the Trade Paperback.”

Finally, I’ve long been a fan of Ngaio Marsh, having read all her full-length Roderick Alleyn mysteries. She was one of the four Queens of Crime along with Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham and Dorothy L. Sayers. “Inside the home of New Zealand’s greatest crime writer” takes us on a tour of her home.

Quote of the Week

July 22 was the birthday of Stephen Vincent Benet, a once popular poet who was born in 1898. He made this pithy observation that I wish all with any sort of power understood:

“We thought, because we had power, we had wisdom.”

Miscellaneous Musings

I’m concluding 48 years of paid employment at the end of next month. People have asked if I will be ending Bob on Books. Very simply, no. I plan to keep reading, reviewing and talking about books. We all need a hobby!

I’m reading Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend, my baseball book for the summer. James S. Hirsch is the author. It’s an example of great sports writing, combining the story of Mays’ life with great game accounts of historically memorable games.

Earlier, I mentioned science fiction. I’m reading The Star Diaries: Further Reminiscences of Ijon Tichy by Polish science fiction writer Stanislaw Lem. If you like weird and witty, Lem is your man. Yesterday, I read an account of admitting a representative from earth into a galactic version of the United Nations. In other words, a hilarious account of bloviating bureaucratic blundering!

Well, that’s The Weekly Wrap for this week!

Find past editions of The Weekly Wrap under The Weekly Wrap heading on this page.