Oct 22

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Books on the Nightstand, Episode 16 (23:33)

(You can listen by using the player above. If you’re using Internet Explorer, click twice to listen. If your browser does not support javascript, you won’t see the player; click the link below the player to listen, or right-click to download the episode. If you are receiving this post by email and cannot see the player at the bottom of the message, please visit http://www.booksonthenightstand.com to listen)

While this is not a Halloween episode, we take advantage of the season to talk horror. The horror category has evolved from the types of books that we read as teenagers, and in fact many books that would be considered “horror” can now be found in the general fiction section at your local bookstore.

We tell you about 5 books that can be considered “the new horror,” including two that we’ve blogged about in the past.

And as always, two new books that we can’t wait for you to read. Michael tells you about The Alcoholic by Jonathan Ames, while I go on about Doomed Queens by Kris Waldherr. Doomed Queens is a very visual book, and just listening to me talk about it does not give you a sense of the experience. Here’s a fun and short video to give you a taste of the tone and the artwork:

photo credit:Jay Heaviside __________________________

We encourage you to write down or print out the title information and shop at your local bookstore. Titles link to LibraryThing, a social networking site that allows you to catalog your home library. LibraryThing also links to various online purchasing options. Here are the books from this post:

Poe’s Children edited by Peter Straub, Doubleday hardcover

The Ruins by Scott Smith, Vintage trade paperback
Infected by Scott Sigler, Three Rivers Press trade paperback
World War Z by Max Brooks, Three Rivers Press trade paperback
Don’t Look Now by Daphne DuMaurier, New York Review Books trade paperback
Doomed Queens by Kris Waldherr, Broadway Books trade paperback
The Alcoholic by Jonathan Ames, Vertigo hardcover

 

(all information is for the U.S. editions).
  • http://www.melissasmanicmusings.blogspot.com Melissa

    Thank you for the 2 book recommendations. I have to pile them on top of my already tall pile of must read horror books!

  • http://www.melissasmanicmusings.blogspot.com Melissa

    Thank you for the 2 book recommendations. I have to pile them on top of my already tall pile of must read horror books!

  • http://taueret.typepad.com taueret

    I must have a really good think about my ‘rules’ for horror! Given that I am way too easily disturbed (as opposed to SCARED, which is easy to do, but more fun). Clive Barker breaks my rules, Stephen King mostly doesn’t but has crossed the line once or twice. I WANt to read WWZ but I need a rating on the disturb-o-meter before I go there. As you know, I did not handle _The Road_ well at all- is it that dark? I had other comments about the podcast but I’ve forgotten them! keep up the fab work guys.

  • http://taueret.typepad.com taueret

    I must have a really good think about my ‘rules’ for horror! Given that I am way too easily disturbed (as opposed to SCARED, which is easy to do, but more fun). Clive Barker breaks my rules, Stephen King mostly doesn’t but has crossed the line once or twice. I WANt to read WWZ but I need a rating on the disturb-o-meter before I go there. As you know, I did not handle _The Road_ well at all- is it that dark? I had other comments about the podcast but I’ve forgotten them! keep up the fab work guys.

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Michael

    Melissa- Glad we could help add to the horror pile!~

    Tauret – WWZ… not sure how I’d rate it but I will say there are several instances of man’s inhumanity to man, but it’s not as pervasive as in THE ROAD. I don’t think anything in WWZ disturbed as much as the baby in THE ROAD.

    Take all this with a grain of salt, since it’s going on 2-1/2 years since I read WWZ…

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Michael

    Melissa- Glad we could help add to the horror pile!~

    Tauret – WWZ… not sure how I’d rate it but I will say there are several instances of man’s inhumanity to man, but it’s not as pervasive as in THE ROAD. I don’t think anything in WWZ disturbed as much as the baby in THE ROAD.

    Take all this with a grain of salt, since it’s going on 2-1/2 years since I read WWZ…

  • http://taueret.typepad.com taueret

    heh Michael :-) I am fairly sure that in 2.5 years i will still be unable to eat meat or get that image out of my mind!! I will look fwd to WWZ. (btw Do I need a ‘parental advisory’ about “the gone away world” which I am about 80 pages into?)

  • http://taueret.typepad.com taueret

    heh Michael :-) I am fairly sure that in 2.5 years i will still be unable to eat meat or get that image out of my mind!! I will look fwd to WWZ. (btw Do I need a ‘parental advisory’ about “the gone away world” which I am about 80 pages into?)

  • http://twitter.com/leonardocsouza Leonardo Souza

    Hi Ann and Michael!

    I couldn’t be more grateful to you for the amazing book recommendations that you always give.

    But I do have to give an even bigger “Thank You” to Ann for her passionate description of “Doomed Queens”. Because of your enthusiastic review of this book, I checked it out and thought it would be an amazing Christmas gift for my girlfriend (she is totally crazy about History, particularly queens). She absolutely loved the book and couldn’t stop reading as soon as she unwrapped it. :)

    So, thank you for the great suggestion and keep up with your amazing work here on the blog.

    Best,
    Leo

  • http://twitter.com/leonardocsouza Leonardo Souza

    Hi Ann and Michael!

    I couldn’t be more grateful to you for the amazing book recommendations that you always give.

    But I do have to give an even bigger “Thank You” to Ann for her passionate description of “Doomed Queens”. Because of your enthusiastic review of this book, I checked it out and thought it would be an amazing Christmas gift for my girlfriend (she is totally crazy about History, particularly queens). She absolutely loved the book and couldn’t stop reading as soon as she unwrapped it. :)

    So, thank you for the great suggestion and keep up with your amazing work here on the blog.

    Best,
    Leo

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

    Hey Leo, you just made my day!! Thanks so much for telling your story. I’m thrilled that your girlfriend liked her gift so much, and kudos to you for giving such a great one!

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

    Hey Leo, you just made my day!! Thanks so much for telling your story. I’m thrilled that your girlfriend liked her gift so much, and kudos to you for giving such a great one!

  • Melissa W.

    I really enjoyed Doomed Queens. As somebody who loves history, I found this very compelling and loved that it didn’t just focus on the more well known queens and their demise, but on the lesser known queens.

    Thank you for the wonderful recommendation.

  • Melissa W.

    I really enjoyed Doomed Queens. As somebody who loves history, I found this very compelling and loved that it didn’t just focus on the more well known queens and their demise, but on the lesser known queens.

    Thank you for the wonderful recommendation.

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