Jim's (drneutron's) Awesome Reading: Book 1

I'm Jim, 62, husband of 38 years, father of a son gainfully employed creating our robot overlords, who reads pretty much anything. We're in central Maryland with roots in Louisiana. I like to read (obviously), cook, trail bike ride/kayak with mrsdrneutron, and want to learn to fly fish and sail. There's probably bourbon somewhere in there too. Of course, LT is a big time sink, but mrsdrneutron seems to have come to terms with my LT addiction...

Reserved for 20234 Summary

Happy New Thread, Jim. Looking forward to another year of the mighty 75. Glad to see we are still going strong. Thanks for all you do, my friend.

My pleasure, Mark! Can't believe we're almost at the 20 year mark.

What Mark said, Jim. I owe so much happiness in my life to you for what you do in keeping this wonderful virtual community going.

Happy new thread, buddy.

Thanks, Paul!

Ah, I saw your post about being lonely. That should never happen! As it is, I was looking for an announcement, and even looked for the group name yesterday.

Now I just have to face the new year!

Hi Jim, starred you again. Thanks for setting up the new group and all the work you put in, looking forward to a great 2025.

Hi Jim, thanks for setting up this group again for 2025.

Happy New Year Jim. Thanks for all you do.

Hey, gang, glad you made it over!

Happy New Year Jim. Thanks for all the work you do here for our group.

Welcome back, Kerry!

Happy New Thread!

Hey there, thanks for starting us up for 2025. I'll probably ramp up my thread in the next couple days.

Thanks for keeping us going and setting up 2025!

Jim, I've relied on you so very often for technical assistance, and always you are willing to assist. A mere thank you does not seem to suffice. I hope you know how appreciated you are by this group!!!

>14 SilverWolf28: welcome back, Silver!

>15 mahsdad: sounds good, Jeff. See you there!

>16 SuziQoregon: my pleasure, Juli!

>17 Whisper1: I do! You folks are great with encouragement. 😀

Happy New Thread Jim and thank you so much for all the hard work you put in.

Happy 1st new thread of 2025! Thanks for getting the ball rolling. It's always so exciting to start again with a new slate.

I wish you a happy 2025, Jim! And thank you for putting our challenge together once again!

I'm up and ready for the new year to start. Thank you for making all of this possible, Jim!! (and a very happy new year to you too)

>19 SandDune: Thanks, Rhian

>20 Carmenere: yes, it is! Thanks, Lynda.

>21 mstrust: Thanks, Jennifer!

>22 RebaRelishesReading: Happy 2025, Reba!

And in other news, Parker made it through the first of its closest approaches to the Sun! We had contact this morning and everything was in normal operations. Culmination of 17 years of work!

>24 drneutron: Whoohooo!!! For Parker...and for our new 2025 thread! Thanks for all you do. : ) Here's to a wonderful 2025.

>24 drneutron: Wow! That's fantastic - congrats!!

>24 drneutron: I saw Parker on the news the other night. So fantastic.

>25 Berly:, >26 scaifea: We’re pretty pumped, though honestly, the spacecraft has been working so well, we were pretty confident. 😀

>27 avatiakh: Yeah, the coverage has been really fun!

>24 drneutron: Wow! Unbelievable...and amazing! Congratulations to you and your whole team!

>24 drneutron: That is fantastic Jim and something truly to be proud of. I think it is in order for the members of the group to share the pride we feel in our main man!

What a service, Jim. Providing a home for all the the 75er's every single year. Thank you for doing it. I appreciate you even though I no longer participate much.

>24 drneutron: Congratulations! That must feel so good!! I thought of you when I saw the news coverage.

Hi! I didn't keep up with your thread last year and no promises for this year but I am here now. Happy 2025!

>24 drneutron: Congrats, Jim. I've been following the news.

Happy New Year, and thanks for setting up our group and keeping us going.

Hi, Jim. Congratulations on the Parker project; that is amazing.

Thank you for all your years of work with the 75’ers. You are deeply appreciated.

Happy new year, Jim. And happy new thread!

Great accomplishment, I saw the news about the Parker Solar Probe.

And thanks for setting the new group up again.

Happy new thread Jim!

>24 drneutron: That's great news! Congratulations!

>29 SqueakyChu: Thanks, Madeline!

>30 PaulCranswick: it was fun to share the build and launch of the spacecraft with you folks! One highlight was getting to do a FaceTime interview with Amber’s Charlie and his class in school - stuff like that is the best part of the job.

>31 mckait: It’s my pleasure! You’re welcome here at whatever level you’re able to join in.

>32 RebaRelishesReading: 😀 Thanks Reba!

>33 elorin: Glad you’re back no matter how often you visit!

>34 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! And welcome back to the madness!

>35 Matke: Thanks, Matke! It was a lifetime’s worth of work, but well worth it. I think there’s more than 1500 scientific papers that have been published using the data so far, and more to come.

>36 EllaTim: My pleasure, Ella! I love getting us going every year.

>37 quondame: Thanks, Susan!

Happy New Year, Jim and thanks for continuing as our Leader!

>38 drneutron: And it's still something we talk about to this day, that FaceTime visit - so cool!

>38 drneutron: You are a wonderful sharer, Jim, we see evidence of it every day and Charlie and his schoolmates got a special version of it.

>31 mckait: A Kath sighting! How wonderful!

>40 CDVicarage: Happy New Year, Kerry!

>41 scaifea: 😀

>42 PaulCranswick: Yeah, I was pretty happy when I saw she dropped by!

I started the Nonfiction Reading Challenge for 2025. You can come join us here.
https://www.librarything.com/topic/366835

Unfortunately, we don't have a space topic featured this year. But you could read a book about mapping the Universe for the February Challenge - Cartography.

>44 benitastrnad: Saw the thread! I'm going to try to join in, but I'm not at all good at keeping up with these challenges... 😀

Adding my thanks, Jim, for getting us started for the new year, and for all you do in facilitating this big bag of book riches in our lives!😀

Very exciting about the Parker probe’s closest approach. You must all be thrilled/deeply satisfied by how well it’s doing.

Have you read Orbital yet? It won the Booker and is the next for me after the Liz Moore I’m reading.

>46 jnwelch: Not yet, but it's on my list for the year.

Happy New Year, Jim - and thanks a lot for making a new year possible for this group.

Thanks for all you do and I hope your 2025 reading is blessed.

>48 ctpress:, >49 Tess_W: Thanks, Carsten and Tess!

Happy New Year, Jim and thanks for getting the ball rolling for 2025 and all the admin that you do!

Here's the New Year's readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/366980

Happy new year, Jim!

Happy new year, Katie!

Let's resolve to do this more.

Mrsdrneutron and I have been doing that for decades and didn't know there was a word for it!

Here's my summary stats history through 2024:



- Ebook usage seems to have leveled out about 55%
- I'd like to be more conscientious about choosing non-male authors this year - let's see if I acn get that back up to the 40% level
- I'd also like to push myself not to read the most recent thing on the library's New Books shelf - let's see if I can break 10% of my authors from the past.

>24 drneutron: Nice! Congratulations!

Happy new year and thank you for setting this place up for all of us to hang out :)

Happy 2025, Doc Roc

>58 figsfromthistle: Thanks, figs!

>50 drneutron: Happy New Year, Paul!

Just dropping my star. Great to see you again.

Thank you so much for your work on behalf of this group! I just hit the 20-year mark of LibraryThing.

I think of you as I walk the trail at Point of Rocks.

Happy New Year, Jim and mrsneutron. And Congratulations! That's awesome!

Happy New Year, Jim!! Hope all goes well for you and yours.

Happy new year and new thread, Jim. And as so many have already said, I thank you for all you do here, over and above the call of duty! Where would we be without you?!

>61 sirfurboy: Thanks for coming by, Stephen!

>62 witchyrichy: Our favorite trail! Glad you're enjoying it.

>63 mitchma: Happy New Year, Paula!

>64 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba!

>65 jessibud2: I'm sure someone would step in, but I'm glad I have a chance to do it. It's not a duty, for sure.

Here's to a new and better year -- let's go 2025!! ( I like your book breakdown -- I did way more audio books last year!)

Happy New Year Jim. Cool to read the update on the probe.

Happy New Year Jim!

>67 Berly: Mrsdrneutron is way into audio books - especially as she quilts. But we've gotten into the habit of listening to one as we drive long distances. So I think I had two last year on our way down to and back from Louisiana/Texas for the family whirlwind tour. Still not my thing so much, but they work in that context for me.

>68 Oberon: Thanks, Erik!

>69 The_Hibernator: Happy new year, Rachel!

Happy New Year, Jim! Thanks for once again getting us all set up.

Happy New Year Jim! And, thanks!

Happy New Year!

>71 Crazymamie:, >72 swynn:, >73 SilverWolf28: Thanks, Mamie, Steve, and Silver!

Update Time!



1. Beneath London by James P. Blaylock

Blaylock, along with Tim Powers and Kevin Jeter, are considered the progenitors of steampunk back in the 70s, my formative years. And one of the best characters of the day was Langston St Ives, gentleman scientist and explorer. Uncovering plots and conspiracies, battling evil villains, he’s the prototype of our more recent wave of steampunk that’s more steam than punk.

So when I saw this in a used bookstore, I had to have it! And it did not disappoint. It’s the sixth in the St Ives series, but actually published in 2015, so I hadn’t read it. And it nicely filled the plane ride back from Seattle with a bit left over for New Year’s Day.

I have Lord Kelvin’s Machine, the clasdic from way back in the 70s, and now this one. I just need to find the rest!

Hope you have a great year of reading!

Thamks, Lori!

A Happy and Healthy New Year to you and yours, Jim.

Happy New Year, Jim, and thanks for all you do here!

Hi there, Jim, and congratulations on the exciting Parker news. I’m glad you can fit this little book group into your scientific life. Haha. We really do appreciate all that you do.

Happy New Year, Jim!

Happy New Year, Jim, and as always, thank you for setting up the group.

>75 drneutron: I am going to have to get to Blaylock's books. I very much enjoy steampunk. Thanks for the mention, Jim!

Happy New Year, Jim!

Happy New Year and Happy New Thread, Jim.
And thank you for all of your work.
>24 drneutron: what a great news!

>75 drneutron: If Blaylock is anything like Powers, then I'll have to check him out...

>81 quondame:, >82 AnneDC: Happy New Year, Susan and Anne!

>83 alcottacre: I think you'd like the Langston St Ives series, Stasia. Definitely check them out!

>84 SirThomas: Thanks, Thomas! We're still pretty excited to see the data coming down - turns out we built a pretty good one. 😀

>85 scaifea: A lot like Powers! He, Powers, and Kevin Jeter were mentored at about the same time by Phillip K. Dick. He and Powers wrote a bunch of stuff together. He was director of the Creative Writing Consortium at Orange County High School of the Arts while Powers was Writer in Residence. I'm pretty sure you'll like Blaylock's books.

>86 drneutron: Excellent - onto the list he goes!

By the way, his Balumnia trilogy is one of my favorites ever. The Elfin Ship is just a delight.

>88 drneutron: Ooh, noted. I just put Homunculus on my list, but I'll add that one, too.

>75 drneutron: OH!! Taking a book bullet for that series - looked it up on Amazon, and the first one is not available on Kindle, nut the other three in the series are just $1.99 each! I wonder why they don't have the first one. Anyway, thanks for bringing this author to my attention, and I have made a note of what you posted in >88 drneutron:. Most exciting!

>90 Crazymamie: Hah! Second day of the year and I zapped you already. 😀

>75 drneutron: That's a difficult find, Jim...the people who have Blaylock's books are almost always big fans who don't let go. I hope you get the rest this year.

>91 drneutron: Right?! Good work!

>92 richardderus: yeah, I was stoked to find the one I did - and at $6 too!

>75 drneutron: Nice. I've barely read any Blaylock -- I'm pretty sure I read The Elfin Ship in high school, but I can't remember details and online summaries don't ring a bell.

I do have a copy of Homunculus around here somewhere ....

>95 swynn: Heh. I've started a Blaylock revival!

I have a couple of Blaylock books in my boxes. I might have to go dig them out before it rains this weekend. The books won't get wet, but I will while getting to them so I should do it while the sun shines.

Happy New Year, Jim! Thanks as always for organizing all of this; I really appreciate you.

>97 benitastrnad: More Blaylock!

>98 norabelle414: Happy New Year, Nora!

Thanks for keeping the mighty 75ers going for another year, Jim! If you do wander north from Seattle to Vancouver include me in any meet up invites.

Hi Jim, thanks for being the 75 group overlord and carrying the admin load. I just realised I am 15 years on LT this March! Was pretty such in this group from the onset and so have known some of you for *that long*! Pretty cool, imo. So thanks.

>24 drneutron: Did you see XKCD's take on the Parker Solar Probe's accomplishment? Snarky. https://www.xkcd.com/3029/

>100 Familyhistorian: Of course! Wouldn't miss the opportunity!

>101 LovingLit: Yeah, it's amazing how long this thing has been going. I don't feel old at all. 😀

>102 jjmcgaffey: Yep, we saw it - thought it was pretty funny! We've made XKCD a few times over the years.

>1 drneutron: Happy New Year, and happy reading in 2025!

>104 johnsimpson:, >105 ocgreg34: Happy New Year!

Both the wiki and the threadbook seem to have an issue...I keep getting a 504 error message when I try to access either of them.

Hi Jim. Happy New Year, and happy first thread of 2025.

>24 drneutron: Congrats on Parker’s mission, the hard work that went into making it a success and the work that still continues.

>58 figsfromthistle: Good goals, love your stats.

>107 laytonwoman3rd: Yeah, me too - started last night. I’m keeping an eye out so I can add a few more threads.

>108 karenmarie: happy New Year, Karen!

Happy 2025, Jim! Hope the new year brings good things to you!

Hey, Chelle! Happy New Year!

Have a super Saturday, Jim!

>75 drneutron: Very cool find, doc - I love those serendipitous finds of books you've always looked for.

>112 alcottacre: You too, Stasia!

>113 blackdogbooks: 😀

Did I say Happy New Year yet, Jim? If not, Happy New Year! And takes again for supplying the underpinnings that make the 75er group sail smoothly. I like your goal of 10% of the books you read being from the past. I try to do that, too. There are so many great ones lying in our wake. Mark has a group reading one of my all-time favorites, The Count of Monte Cristo. The Stars My Destination would make for an interesting companion read.

I hope you have a great reading year, buddy.

I’m reading Monte Cristo with Mark, just finished Chapter 30, so a quarter of the way through. Loving it so far!

>75 drneutron: I knew it. I knew it! I clicked on your thread and the mechanism released steam and put me at this book. Right between the eyes. Owwww! Obviously, Jim, I've got to look for Mr. Blaylock's oeuvre.

>116 drneutron: The Count of Monte Cristo is my very favorite all-time book, no question. I'm so glad you're loving it!

Happy New Year - and I'll certainly add my thanks for providing this platform for this amazing book group.

Very cool updates on the Parker probe. 1500 scientific papers published is more than mind-boggling.

I also love the graph of your reading. Darn if only I'd started something like that when I started here!

I haven't read anything by Blaylock, but my favorite book search site is www.bookfinder.com It's a metaengine (is that term still used?) that searches hundreds of book dealers. If you can't find it there ... well

Happy Saturday, Jim. I dove in head first into Monte Cristo today and knocked out the first 100 pages. I know this a favorite of so many people but I was still surprised how well done and fast-paced it is. I just finished chapter 11.

Happy new thread and new year, Jim! Thanks for all you do.

>117 weird_O: Heh. Another one!

>118 scaifea: 😀

>119 streamsong: I have a collection for each year, so it was pretty easy for me to go back and gather the stats for early years. I’ve got an excel spreadsheet I use to collect the data - happy send it to you as an example if you like.

>120 msf59: Thanks for putting this together!

>121 banjo123: Happy New Year, banjo!

Thank you Jim for setting us up so skillfully and so promptly. So appreciated!

Thanks, Mary!

Also Portland isn't that far from Seattle or Vancouver...just saying!! : ) Keep me in the loop plz.

Oh, we plan on a Portland trip!

Yay!!!

WikiThing is back up, Jim.

Yep, just saw that. Now to get caught up... 😀

Happy New Year! Thanks for all you do behind the scene to get us up and running!

My pleasure!

>75 drneutron: Darn, zinged by a book bullet. Unfortunately, none of my libraries has it for e-lending.

Belated happy New Year to you and mrsdrneutron, Jim! Thanks for setting us up once again (oh, wait; that didn't come out right ...)

Jim, I messed up. Is there a way for you to move a few posts from the old *In Memorium* thread of last year to the new one? I thought I was posting in the current one but apparently not. It would be posts #203 to 208. If not, no big deal. I can repost and maybe the others can, too.

>132 humouress: Hey, Nina! Happy new year to you and yours as well.

>133 jessibud2: Left you a message - I don't have access to do that. Simplest thing to do is to copy and paste.

Saw that. No prob. Will do it. Thanks

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/367493

Thanks!

Wishing you a belated Happy New Year, Jim! Apologies for not getting over here until now; it's taking me a while to work my way around all the new threads. And let me add my thanks for all you do getting the group set up and running.

>24 drneutron: Congratulations on the Parker Solar Probe. We saw the news while we were out of town visiting family for the holidays, and I was thinking of you. That's quite an impressive achievement!

Happy Saturday, Jim. I am about to wrap up the first half of Monte Cristo. He certainly can be wordy at times but it is keeping my attention. Are you into the 2nd half?

>138 atozgrl: Hey, Irene, glad you dropped by - you’re welcome anytime!

>139 msf59: Finished up to chapter 51, so not quite halfway yet. I’ll probably get there tomorrow.

Yep, wordy, but it’s a great story!

Stopping in to say Hello as I signed on again. Thanks for keeping the group going. Congrats on the Parker project. I get warm fuzzies when I hear news of it, thinking “I have a connection to someone who made that happen”. Best wishes for 2025.

Welcome back!

Update Time!



2. The Princess Bride: S Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure by William Goldman

I picked up a very beautiful illustrated copy of the 25th anniversary edition last year, and it's been sitting by my reading chair since. Well, I finally got to it, reading bits of it every evening, and now I've finished! The story's still so much fun, and the illustrations are wonderful. Glad I added it to my library.

The Coming of the Third Reich by Richard J. Evans

First in Evans' trilogy on the rise and fall of Nazi Germany, and one that was both captivating and horrific. I've read The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, which is more Shirer's eyewitness account of events. Evans is a historian rather than a journalist, so excels at explaining the historical sources that allowed the Nazis to come to power and sets the context with other authoritarian moves in Europe at the time. And analyzes how the Nazis were able to come to power - which sounds very familiar when looking at events in the US these days, I'm sad to say.

And currently reading:

The Count of Monte Cristo: I'm about 800 pages in, it's a wonderfully plotted book!

And He Shall Appear: a nice ghost story I'm really enjoying as relief from the Evans book.

Hope to finish both soon!

I read As You Wish a few years back and rewatched the movie as I read. So much fun! Your copy of the original The Princess Bride book looks beautiful!

>144 drneutron: How many pages are there? I know it's a door stop, but wow!

>143 drneutron: The Princess Bride is such a fun book, and your edition looks beautiful.

I don't know if I have the fortitude to read about the Nazis now.

>145 jessibud2: It’s a beautiful edition!

>146 BLBera: My version on Overdrive has 1245 pages. Yeah, an electronic doorstop!

It’s what’s happening now that got me reading it - trying to learn from history.

>143 drneutron: Birdy has that copy of The Princess Bride, and you are reminding me that we had planned to read it together and then forgot about it. Thanks for the reminder - it is a gorgeous copy. And I am wanting to get to The Coming of the Third Reich, which I have in the stacks.

I am listening to The Count, which is full of fabulous. I did get a hardcopy out of the library to follow along in, and that edition (The Modern Library edition) has 1462 pages. The audio has quite a bit of narration that is not included in The Modern Library edition, so I am wondering how many pages the audio would be. Heh. At any rate, it's a big boy.

Oh, you and Birdy should definitely read it! And the z Evans is really good, even if the subject isn’t.

How many hours is the audiobook? Must be 30 at least. 😀

>149 drneutron: It's 52 hours 31 minutes.

That would be 2 months of listening on my daily commute…

I listen while doing household stuff and cooking.

Hi Jim, just read your bit about The Coming of The Third Reich and the analysis of how it looks with the coming of Drumpf tomorrow, not very edifying really. It would seem that good orators can whip up crowds, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Oswald Mosley in UK and when the Miners went on strike in UK in 1984/5 our Union leader, Arthur Scargill was a orator and now Drumpf, they all seem to push the right buttons in some folk and then it just escalates.

>153 johnsimpson: It was pretty eerie reading about the tactics the Nazis used to consolidate power - and then see those same things happening now, for sure.

>143 drneutron: I feel like I "should" take a book bullet for The coming of the Third Reich but I just don't feel up to reading another downer.

>150 Crazymamie: I read Count late last year, before I saw the group read. My version was 46 hours+ and it took me 29 days to read it, had to renew it once. And at that, I think I was mostly reading it at 1.6x

>155 ArlieS: I get that, for sure.

>156 mahsdad: 😀 I just crossed the 1000 page mark. But I really didn’t want to stop. Unfortunately, dinner duty called!

>156 mahsdad: The difference in pages and in audio time of the unabridged versions is so strange to me. I was listening to the audiobook in one translation and following along from time to time in another translation in a hardcopy book from the library, and I was amazed at how much more narrative the audio had compared to the print version. And they were leaving out very good stuff - just like two to ten sentences here and there, but it adds up, and I felt the audio translation was much richer. It took me just under two weeks to listen to it, but I do think it was the right book at the right time for me. Like Jim, I kept not wanting to stop - it just pulled me right in.

I finished it, Jim! I finished it, Jim. I was shooting for 3 weeks and came in just short of that. The Count was well worth the time. Glad we could do it.

I was late to The Princess Bride but what a darn treat that book was. I should revisit it every few years.

>145 jessibud2: I have added As You Wish to the tbr. Movie already planned...see below.

>146 BLBera: I feel the way you do about reading about the Nazis. But I think a reread of The Princess Bride along with a rewatch of the movie would be lovely.

>159 msf59: I need to check Wikipedia to see if there are different versions - I know there are abridged ones, and I’m sure different translators would mean different page counts. It would be a bit odd to have to reconcile an audio and print that were two different versions!

>159 msf59: I’m getting closer! About 200 pages to go. Fernand just got his comeuppance.

I really enjoyed this edition of The Pricess Bride - the illustrations were great!

>160 witchyrichy: 😀 it’s on our regular rotation!

Hi, Jim, and a belated Happy New Year! I’m finally getting around to all the threads. Dropping a 🌟 so I can come back and see what you’re up to.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/367914

Thanks, Silver!

>154 drneutron: Not just happening now, but resurfacing from earlier fascist attempts and Nazi support -

see Prequel for a comprehensive, well-researched written version or

listen to the podcast Ultra - 2 seasons.

Will check them out. Have you heard of the Behind the Bastards podcast? In some of the episodes, Robert Evans covers history and current fascism in the US. One of my go-tos.

Great recommendation, thanks - will look it up.

Another vote for Prequelwhichi red ( heard) as an audiobook.

In the 1930's coast to coast radio wsa as big a ting as the Internet is today, and just as effective in spreading the poison.

Those who do remember the past are also doomed to repeat it apparently.

>143 drneutron: I own Evans' entire trilogy and I really need to get it read. Thanks for the reminder, Jim.

As far as The Princess Bride goes, I was lucky enough to buy a first edition 20+ years ago. I need to re-read it (if I can find where I put it!)

Have a fantastic Friday, Jim!

>168 magicians_nephew: With two votes, will definitely check it out!

>169 alcottacre: Just got volume 2 from the library, so will be starting it this weekend.

I have a paperback original edition tucked away somewhere. I did enjoy this one though, there's a new forward for the 25th anniversary, but the illustrations are really nice. I'm glad I came across it!

Hi Jim - The Coming of the Third Reich isn't on my TBR for this year, but somehow a whole lot of books about fascim and authoritarianism are. Sigh. I'm going to mix a lot of lighter fare, too, before I depress myself too badly.

Maybe it's time for A Princess Bride reread. :)

>165 blackdogbooks: >168 magicians_nephew: I second third the recommendation to read Prequel.

Happy Friday! Hope your weekend is great.

>171 Dejah_Thoris: Yeah, I'm mixing in some more uplifting stuff - just started The Farthest Shore today!

>172 Storeetllr: Well, ok then. Consider me convinced!

New thread!

https://www.librarything.com/topic/367933

>75 drneutron: $2.00 on Apple Books today. Easy choice.