As is my custom, I post books I am now reading to share my love of books and give book-hungry people some ideas. I haunt book reviews and publishing releases to sort through the mess and find the gems, at least as I see them.
These books are not the ones we are putting up for sale; I have yet to read any of them, although I have skinned some pages in all three and can’t wait to sink into them. I’ll have some time this weekend. We’re making time for lots of reading.
The first one is timely, probably disturbing, and fascinating. Extremely Hardcore: Inside Elon Musk’s Twitter was written by highly respected tech journalist Zoe Schiffer, senior editor of Platform. She covers Twitter (now X) and knows the culture well. There are many anecdotes that I have never heard before, and the book is gripping.
The word “brilliant’ has popped up to describe this book thrice in reviews. “It’s the definitive book,” writes Matt Levine from Bloomberg Opinion, “a fast-paced and riveting account of a hilarious and tragic mess.”
Elon Musk is one of the most obnoxious and arrogant billionaires to come along yet. His businesses are changing the world, but he went off the rails with Twitter. I would like to know more.
Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter has been a horrible disaster so far. I’m eager to learn how such a brilliant and exciting person turned the site into crap and hate sight overnight.
The second book I bought last week is Get The Picture, by best-selling journalist Bianca Bosker, who writes for the Atlantic and the New Yorker. The book is described as a fascinating look by a skilled journalist into the mind-bending, mysterious, and often secret New York art world. It’s also a story about how corporate money is ruining art.
It’s a see-and-tell book; Bosker worked in the art system in New York City for a couple of years, often incognito, to gather this tale of greed, wealth, ego, and secrecy.
If there are any friendly and admirable people in this art world, Bianca doesn’t find them. If you want to buy good art in a successful New York gallery, you’d be advised to be wealthy; the rest of us are considered “schmoos’ not welcome or worth wasting time on.
Only the wealthy are welcome in most art galleries, and only their children get hired to work in galleries so that they can be mistreated and humiliated.
I’m one-third of the way into the book and am loving it. Bosker has an excellent eye for detail, gossip, and insanity, and she did her homework. I have yet to come across anyone in the book that I like.
Benjamin Moser, a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer about the art world, calls the book: “…sheer pleasure, the best book I’ve ever read about contemporary art.”
A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia William is an epic, warm, and uplifting love story set in Harlem; the book is described as punchy and poignant, a novel set within a lost and magical world. It looks like a love story that revolves around time and place and is warm, fun, and well-written. I’m eager to read this book.
I can’t vouch for all these books because I’m browsing through pages to see what catches my heart and interest. This seems like a rich mix.
Please don’t try to buy these books from us; they are not currently on sale.
They might be down the road, but it will take me some time to get through them. I have a busy week and another bit of foot surgery. That might be an excellent time to dig my teeth into them.
But the books are not for sale now. This is a regular heads-up for people wondering what books to check out. I am forever grateful to have three exciting books to read.