Billy (the Kid), The Book of V., and Straight White Male: Mailbox Monday

Did you get any new books last week? It was a tumultuous week. Some of us were peeking out from our corona lockdowns for the first time. Others were taking to the streets in protest. Others were still under stay at home orders, following events online or staying as offline as possible.

I can understand pretty much every reaction to current events. I don't agree with all reactions or all events, but I try to understand. And then I mull. I did a lot of mulling last week.

And I acquired a few books, as always happens. Book shopping is my retail therapy. And I get a book here and there from authors or publishers, as I did last week. So there are always books wandering my way. Thank goodness.

Last week, three new books came into my house. Do any look good to you? How about you? What new books came your way last week?

Billy (the Kid) by Peter Meech. This alternate history imagines that Billy the Kid survived Pat Garrett's bullet and, in 1932, is a retired dentist living in Pueblo, Colorado. But when bootleggers start a war, the once-famous outlaw finds himself in the middle of the action, and fighting for his last chance at romance to boot.

The Book of V. by Anna Solomon. This is my book club pick for June. We've been meeting by Zoom, which isn't as fun as meeting in person, but it isn't bad. I don't miss not sitting in Portland traffic for an hour trying to get across town by 6:00. And no one has to worry about driving home after drinking wine. Not that our book club ladies drink wine. Yeah, right!

Straight White Male by John Niven. Oh my! OK, so I ordered this in May, before Pride Month and protests made it probably the least popular book of last week. I didn't dare post it on social media for fear of being banned for life.

I ordered it when I saw it had been short listed for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for best comic literature. It lost out to Lost for Words by Edward St. Aubyn, which may be the funniest book I've ever read, so if this came close, I had to have it.


MAILBOX MONDAY

Leslie of Under My Apple Tree, Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit, and Martha of Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf host Mailbox Monday every week where participants share the books they got the week before. Please visit and play along!