Read a Good Book Lately?

Eileen Cope

posted in Read a Good Book Lately? Sign in to subscribe

5 days ago

Write Your First Book

Downtime during the holidays is the perfect TIME to get started writing your book! As a 30-year veteran in the book publishing industry I am now I am offering a 4-week one-on-one mentorship! Message me for details. Happy Holidays! Eileen

Maurice Vaughan

5 days ago

Happy Holidays, Eileen Cope!

Debra Holland

Author, Publisher, Screenwriter

posted in Read a Good Book Lately? Sign in to subscribe

2 weeks ago

The Anxious Generation

I'm listening to the audiobook of The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing anEpidemic of Mental Illness, by Jonathan Haidt, and it's one of those books that I want to tell everyone to read/listen to, especially if you have (or plan to have) children.

It's also a good pla...

Expand post

Douglas Self

2
2 people like this
- Don Zorbas
- Maurice Vaughan
2 weeks ago

Definitely one I will check out. Thanks, Debra!

Don Zorbas

1
1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
1 week ago

Thanks for sharing.

Michael Bret Hood

1
1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
1 week ago

Love Jonathan Haidt's work. Great recommendation!

Sydney S

Marketing at Stage 32 ♦

posted in Read a Good Book Lately? Sign in to subscribe

2 weeks ago

What books for 2026?

Hey creative community, happy Tuesday!

As we look ahead to 2026, I’m curious...what books are you planning to read next year? I’m starting to plan my own reading list and would love some inspiration from fellow creatives.

Alex Tur

1
1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
1 week ago

Hey, Sydney S. Something tells me this will be a sequel to my existing series, which I'm currently working on—reading, rereading, revising, adding to, and adapting for TV. )

Unfortunately, I find it di...

Expand comment

Zackary Goncz

Author, Director, Editor, Crew, Screenwriter, Production Assistant, Assistant Director, Assistant Editor, Casting Assistant, Casting Director, Comedian, Dialogue Editor, Film/Theatre Journalist, Music Editor, Musician, Playwright, PR / Public Relations Professional, Researcher, Script Consultant, Script Coordinator, Script Supervisor, Songwriter, Sound Editor, Sound Mixer, Storyboard Artist, Story Analyst

posted in Read a Good Book Lately? Sign in to subscribe

1 week ago

Brave New World

Expand post

I read Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. I mostly read it because I saw a used book for a dollar and was like "I've heard of this". It's kind of a dystopian sci fi but from a different angle. It's often contrasted with 1984 by Orwell. While Orwell's dystopia is one where oppression is sustained with fear, Huxley's is sustained with pleasure. People are are not allowed to be free in Orwell's while people don't want to be in Huxley's. Through conditioning and biological manipulation Huxley sees a society that is in a never ending cycle of oppressing itself, that doesn't fight to end oppression but to make it work.

I quite enjoyed this book. I do like some sci fi but am not especially drawn to dystopian stuff, but definitely an interesting book. First of all, it's an easy read. By that I mean the prose goes down very smooth. That's all the more impressive given all the sci-fi gibberish peppered throughout regarding embryos and chemicals and behavioral conditioning. And despite all that, the prose is very compelling and the characters are quite interesting and seem to avoid falling into exactly the type of roles you might expect them to at the beginning. It totally makes sense in the context of the story but a weaker author might feel more compelled to squeeze certain characters into certain roles. Without getting into spoilers, there's one character who seems to be set up to take on the system. But he turns out to be kind of just a petty and selfish person who is trying to get the most out of the system he can. He's unsatisfied with what the system has provided to him, less than with the system itself, and why wouldn't he be? Why would he imagine another way having not been in our shoes as the reader and knowing there is another way? He instead serves to introduce an outsider who can envision another way because he knows another way.

I agree with the stereotype that this is a good companion to Orwell. I think it really provides an interesting perspective on dystopia that you do not get elsewhere. The oppression is a warm blanket, not shackles, but the results are the same. And is that not more frightening? What will break the oppression if no one opposes it, and who would oppose it if everyone feels happier for having been oppressed?

I don't suppose this would lend itself that easily to being a movie. Not that it couldn't be made into a good movie, but sci fi isn't cheap from a production standpoint and the book is very much about subtle processes and long conversations, so not blockbuster material probably. It could be a good TV show though. TV tends to work more for those contemplative type of sci fis, although movies do tend to work for an ending with this type of tone. I'd be interested either way.

Good book. I'd recommend.

Maurice Vaughan

1
1 person likes this
- Zackary Goncz
1 week ago

Brave New World sounds interesting, Zackary Goncz! I just added it to my read list. Thanks for the book rec.

Nawaf Al Janahi

Actor, Director, Screenwriter

posted in Read a Good Book Lately? Sign in to subscribe

3 weeks ago

Book Recommendation

For those interested in enhancing their screenwriting skills and exploring the depths of the writing process in general, I recommend reading "Immediate Fiction: A Complete Writing Course" by Jerry Cleaver. I used to struggle with writing my screenplays, in fact, it was very painful, until I read thi...

Expand post

Cynna Ael

2
2 people like this
- Debra Holland
- Maurice Vaughan
3 weeks ago

It's currently on sale in the Kindle side for $2.99 for a limited time. Definitely worth investing in.

Douglas Self

1
1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
2 weeks ago

Thank you, Nawaf Al Janahi . I will check it out.

Douglas Self

Screenwriter, Actor

posted in Read a Good Book Lately? Sign in to subscribe

2 weeks ago

Two collections of poetry

For all of the poetry lovers:

Lock Her Up by Tina Parker. "It is an examination of the platitudes, misdiagnoses and treatments administered to women who needed succor not restraint, understanding not punishment; women who had been set aside by their families or bored husbands, were abused, widowed or Expand post

Lock Her Up

https://accents-publishing.com/lockherup.html

In Lock Her Up, Tina Parker gives voice to the women from the not too distant past who were not allowed to make decisions about their own bodies and mental health. In this thought-provoking collection…

Heather Gill

Set Decorator, Set Designer, Set Photographer

posted in Read a Good Book Lately? Sign in to subscribe

1 month ago

Unreasonable Hospitality

Fantastic book, everyone should read. Have you read it?

Maurice Vaughan

2
2 people like this
- Alex Tur
- Heather Gill
1 month ago

Hi, Heather Gill. I just looked up Unreasonable Hospitality. It sounds interesting. I added it to my read list. Thanks.

Sydney S

1
1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
2 weeks ago

Will check out, thank you Heather!

Michael Williams

Managing Director at CalTex Productions ♦ Screenwriter

posted in Read a Good Book Lately? Sign in to subscribe

2 weeks ago

Cry Havoc by Jack Carr

Excellent fast passed action novel that provides some unique historical insight within its fictional story. Sets up for a sequel. And this is already a spinoff from mini-series "Terminal List" and "Dark Wolf". Jack Carr is a great story teller and prolific author.

Mick Eggins

Screenwriter

posted in Read a Good Book Lately? Sign in to subscribe

1 month ago

Order of Watch V Read first

I am just after everyone's opinion.

I much prefer to watch a movie or series before reading the book. I find that a lot of the time I am let down by the viewing as I think they miss many parts (obviously as it has to be shortened).

I found reading the Game of Thrones series was much more exciting afte...

Expand post

View all All comments

Maurice Vaughan

2
2 people like this
- Debra Holland
- Mick Eggins
1 month ago

You're welcome, Mick Eggins. Thanks.

Cynna Ael

3
3 people like this
3 weeks ago

I usually do the opposite- but I've learned to parse the whole Book vs Movie/TV thing as I've gotten older. I think most of it stems from the fact that writing scripts, working in comics, and writing...

Expand comment

Mick Eggins

3
3 people like this
3 weeks ago

Cynna Ael great response! I love that point of view

Kirsty Louise Joyce

4
4 people like this
3 weeks ago

An interesting topic because I have in fact been holding myself back from watching The Thursday Murder Club, until I have read the book by Richard Osman. This is probably because I want to really abso...

Expand comment

Mick Eggins

2
2 people like this
- Debra Holland
- Maurice Vaughan
3 weeks ago

Obviously...

Expand comment

Sean Rodman

Author, Screenwriter, Voice Actor, Creative Executive

posted in Read a Good Book Lately? Sign in to subscribe

2 months ago

Best Served Cold - Joe Ambercrombie

I'm on my 4th Joe Ambercrombie novel - Best Served Cold. Rebecca Ferguson was attached to the movie version of this book for quite some time (which is why I picture her as the lead character) but I believe that project is currently in development hell.

Ambercrombie does something really well in his n...

Expand post

Mick Eggins

1
1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
1 month ago

I will check this series out. Thank you

Sylvia Jacobs

Host/Presenter, PR / Public Relations Professional

posted in Read a Good Book Lately? Sign in to subscribe

1 month ago

Book Review

The Still Further Adventures of Jelly Bean

Third book in The Adventures of Jelly Bean series

Nightingale Books

182 pages

August 28, 2025

CAT Classification: Children’s/Teenage Fiction & True Stories

Reading Age: 8-12 years

This book c...

Expand post

The Still Further Adventures of Jelly Bean

https://www.amazon.com/Still-Further-Adventures-Jelly-Bean/dp/1787883361

The Still Further Adventures of Jelly Bean [Pollack, Amy Meislin] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Still Further Adventures of Jelly Bean

Sylvia Jacobs

Host/Presenter, PR / Public Relations Professional

posted in Read a Good Book Lately? Sign in to subscribe

2 months ago

Book Review of 207 West End Avenue (Self Published By Randie K. Berman)

Book Review by Books And More 1818

207 West End Avenue by Randie K. Berman

Samantha Ross is the first in her family to graduate from college.

She is a young female lawyer who resides in a modest apartment on the upper West End side of New York City. She works for a prestigious law firm, which undoubted...

Expand post

Read a Good Book Lately?

Write Your First Book

The Anxious Generation

2 people like this

1 person likes this

1 person likes this

What books for 2026?

1 person likes this

Brave New World

1 person likes this

Book Recommendation

2 people like this

1 person likes this

Two collections of poetry

Lock Her Up

Unreasonable Hospitality

2 people like this

1 person likes this

Cry Havoc by Jack Carr

Order of Watch V Read first

2 people like this

3 people like this

3 people like this

4 people like this

2 people like this

Best Served Cold - Joe Ambercrombie

1 person likes this

Book Review

The Still Further Adventures of Jelly Bean

Book Review of 207 West End Avenue (Self Published By Randie K. Berman)

Top Contributors

CRAFT AND BUSINESS

GENERAL DISCUSSION

PROMOTION

Read a Good Book Lately?

1 person likes this

1 person likes this

2 people like this

1 person likes this

1 person likes this

2 people like this

1 person likes this

2 people like this

1 person likes this

5 people like this

2 people like this

1 person likes this

2 people like this

3 people like this

2 people like this

1 person likes this

3 people like this

7 people like this

2 people like this

3 people like this

3 people like this

4 people like this

2 people like this

4 people like this

1 person likes this

1 person likes this

2 people like this

Top Contributors

CRAFT AND BUSINESS

GENERAL DISCUSSION

PROMOTION