5 Great Spy Novels That *Everyone* Should Read

Some spy stories are great works of literature that shouldn’t be passed over — even by readers not usually drawn to the genre.

I love reading spy novels of all kinds, but the ones I recommend here are truly exemplary. Not only are the authors superb English stylists, but each had worked in intelligence and/or wartime propaganda. Their stories are informed by firsthand experience from the WWI, WWII, and the Cold War.

My book recommendations are always based only on books I’ve actually read. There may be other great spy novels out there I haven’t read or haven’t even heard of. I’m confident in recommending these. Each one is well worth reading, even if you’ve never read any spy novel in your life. . . .

See full article on Medium:

https://medium.com/books-are-our-superpower/5-great-spy-novels-that-everyone-should-read-3cb185ad40b1?sk=6dd6f60037f2ed17ffa032a7bd3d80df

My 101 Favorite Novels — Suggested Readings for Your TBR List

In approximate order, I offer those novels that gave me the most memorable reading experiences of my life thus far. . . .

See full article on Medium:

https://medium.com/@johnpeytoncooke/my-101-favorite-novels-suggested-readings-for-your-tbr-list-302de1388a4b?sk=1ab1aedda9618899425fb850cc207bf6

My ‘Darkness at Noon’: The Enlightening Journey of a Used Book

My old copy of Arthur Koestler’s anti-totalitarian novel was given to someone else as a gift in 1941 — by a most interesting couple . . .

See full article on Medium:

https://medium.com/books-are-our-superpower/my-darkness-at-noon-the-enlightening-journey-of-a-used-book-9ad8b22b41be?sk=51911f49c3a2f1317fda11e1007f8db7

4 Brilliant Gay Novels by 3 Authors Who Left Us Too Soon 🌈

All of the novels I’m writing about here are by authors we lost to HIV/AIDS. If you’re a reader of LGBTQ+ literature, you may be saying to yourself, “Why did he leave out so-and-so?” The answer is, too many writers were lost. One could write a book about them. I’ll add more in future lists.

I’ve previously written about The Boys on the Rock, by John Fox (1952–1990), and collecting the work of Robert Ferro (1941–1988). Both also died from HIV/AIDS. Fox’s The Boys on the Rock and Ferro’s Second Son belong on this list. I’ll revisit Second Son in the future. There are so many others.

The four novels below are each set in different recognizable centers of gay life — London, New York City, and Los Angeles. Urban experiences, yes, but different vibes. The mood of each book matches its locale; the authors’ voices are authentic. . . .

See full article on Medium:

https://medium.com/prismnpen/4-brilliant-gay-novels-by-3-authors-who-left-us-too-soon-e8963e58c549?sk=83ec8a011e027f9b159d33ea18070f72

2 More Novels About Gay Men That *Everyone* Should Read

This is a follow-up of sorts to my previous article “5 Novels About Gay Men and Teens That *Everyone* Should Read.” What I’m doing in this series is recommending books that even non-LGBTQ+ people might find enjoyable, due to their quality and universality.

I don’t intend to stop here, so please keep your eyes peeled for future lists of LGBTQ+ book recommendations — primarily books about gay or bisexual men, since that’s my own main personal interest.

See full article on Medium:

https://medium.com/prismnpen/2-more-novels-about-gay-men-that-everyone-should-read-efbcef43230f?sk=39e96bebcb88ea072c420020e4ce4614

Reading Gay Secondhand Books — Unique Legacies for New Generations

I collect gay fiction, but I don’t consider myself a serious collector. I collect new books but also used or secondhand books. I don’t need them to be first editions. It doesn’t have to have a dust jacket. It doesn’t even need to be in good shape, as long as I can still read it.

A surprising amount of gay fiction remains out of print. Those that have come back into print are usually available only as trade paperbacks or e-books. I prefer hardcovers if I can get them.

So I go out cruising for books. Old hardcovers are my type. . . .

See full article on Medium:

https://medium.com/prismnpen/reading-gay-secondhand-books-unique-legacies-for-new-generations-9c1da6d5a81c?sk=7a83de2b329063007597ccbedf2ba83f 

East Meets West With a Vengeance in ‘The Singapore Grip’

As a fan of “East-meets-West” fiction, I’ve long wanted to read The Singapore Grip (1978), a historical novel by J. G. Farrell. I’ve visited Singapore several times and am fascinated by its older as well as its modern history.

All I knew going in to The Singapore Grip was that it was set mainly in Singapore in the years leading up to February 1942, when the Japanese Imperial forces overwhelmed the British in Malaya. I didn’t know what the central themes would be. 

See full article on Medium:

https://medium.com/books-are-our-superpower/east-meets-west-with-a-vengeance-in-the-singapore-grip-b151b2589232?sk=a7d1b898e8c15f99037b7f999b4065f7