Q2 Reads 2026

Enjoyed doing the Q1 reading review, and I feel like it did help me with reading retention, organizing my thoughts. So, here's that quarterly report boss:

The Glass Cage by Simenon - I believe this was his last hard novel. I enjoyed most of the novel however I did not like the ending. While I do appreciate how formulaic Simenon's novels are, he had the opportunity to do even a slight zag, and the novel would have been better. Put another way: maybe he was running out of steam. This did not really have the constant building of momentum his hard novels usually have.

Growing up Weightless by John M Ford - First John M Ford I've read after being recommended his writing repeatedly. Really well constructed novel: despite taking place in the span of a couple weeks, it manages to conjure a whole world, set of social relations. To be clear too, Ford doesn't do this in the typical 'worldbuilding' way, but through life as the main character experiences it. Just a very good book, simple as.

The Walrus and the Warwolf by Hugh Cook - I have not read a Hugh Cook novel since this one. This novel was an overwhelming amount of nonsense. I said it on the timeline, but rarely have I seen someone start off a novel this ludicrous and escalate the main character's delusions at every turn. Easily deserves its cult status. I wouldn't recommend starting with this novel if you're curious about Hugh Cook, but I do highly recommend it. Incredibly ambitious novel.

Maigret at Picratt's by Simenon - this is even noted in the novel itself, but this is the rare case where Maigret tracks a lone wolf. It's interesting to see Simenon take on this subject matter because his novels are always so social, about relationships. Another good Maigret.

Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett - It's a classic!

Adam Smith in Beijing by Giovanni Arrighi - I started this like a year ago and never finished it. Finally got around to it, and ultimately I think it's an important addendum to the Long 20th Century but it is an addendum. I do think though specifically the reflections on the Iraq War are worth thinking about 'the appearance of wars paying for themselves.'

The Bounty by Myung Mi Kim - Might need to reread this. Got lucky at a used bookstore and found a copy and read it one night.

Thread Ripper by Amalie Smith - was very excited for this book as it structurally does something I am interested in, and the actual content is also something I am interested in. However, this is really a case where the author should have understood the negatives of LLMs and did not address them. It's one of those books where the author lines everything up well and still whiffs. Baffling.

The Fox's Tower and Other Stories by Yoon Ha Lee - Some stories in here I really liked. I know I posted one for the curious. Read the Ninefox Gambit series a few years ago, and it was cool to see Lee operating in a different mode here, writing parables. Very nice book physically too.

The Fortune of the Rougons by Zola - First novel in Zola's cycle. Tren started reading these and I decided to join. Great start. Great depictions of how craven and opportunistic reactionaries and the petite bourgeois are. You can really feel how much Zola hates some of these people too in a way that's often quite funny. I've always heard Zola is maybe too sentimental (and that is definitely there - it begins with sentimentality) but Zola has tremendous range. To me, the redeeming factor is the humor and (like Simenon) the exploration of social relations.

Riding the Torch by Norman Spinrad - first off, another early cyberpunk style story from Spinrad. I don't really want to spoil it because it is a short novella and I'd recommend reading it. Might reread this. Dense in a way... much to consider.

What Began Us by Melissa Buzzeo - looking back right now, as I write this, and this kind of a predecessor to one of my favorite books: M Archive by Alexis Gumbs

The xibalba arcane by jack hirschman - I'm conducting an investigation

You can be the last leaf by Maya Abu Al-Hayyat translator Fady Joudah - Some great poems about everyday life and illness. The trajectory of the poems over the course of the poet's life as Joudah selected is really moving too.

Tehanu by Ursula Le Guin - In retrospect, I did not like the ending of this as much as I remembered and some of the characterization of Therru I think could be 'problematic.' Still better than the Farthest Shore. Still a classic...

Maigret's First Case - Does what it says on the tin

Trullion Alastor 2262 by Jack Vance - Hit or miss for me overall, but seeing Jack Vance design and describe a space sport is fun. Guess it was an appropriate World Cup read. Ending was good too.

His Excellency Eugene Rougon by Zola - Should clarify I'm reading the Oxford Classics translations of these. Another problematic book in a way, but again just feel like there's something really worth exploring here. Definitely not a 'beginner friendly' book, but really fascinating to consider in the present moment - it's a ripped from the headlines book about I suppose an illegitimate ruler and his cronies enriching themselves. They don't make liberals with this kind of literary ambition anymore.

Extracting the Stones of Madness by Alejandra Pizarnik - I might have read this when it came out. I don't know why I picked this up. I don't really like Pizarnik.

Maigret's Holiday by Simenon - I love when Maigret's out in the countryside or whatever solving a case he doesn't want to solve.

The Restraint of Beasts by Magnus Mills- Another Tren recommendation. You know this reminds me that I wanted to write something... great book by the way. Will be fully investigating the works of Magnus Mills. Stay tuned.

Thanks for reading, as always.

Remembered a couple things I've been meaning to write while writing this, so hopefully next post soon.