Mark Coakley
@markcoakley
* romance-horror novel, Murder Bugs: A Love Story * history of psychedelic therapy, Shroom Boom: Canada's Psychedelic Pioneers * journalism on law and cyber Now writing truecrime book 3, after Hidden Harvest and Tip & Trade
Gravity's Rainbow Thomas Pynchon "a screaming comes across the sky" This book inspired a teenaged me to be experimental in creative writing and not conform to what's popular at the time. My taste has changed since then but my goal of making a wild book like this remains #booksky #writingcommunity
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream Hunter Thompson Transgressionary literature at its best. Shocking & hilarious & brave from the #Homer of stoners Great illustrations by Steadman #journalism #nonfiction #reporting #drugs #newjournalism #vegas #hi
Books I Love The Fight by Norman Mailer About a boxing fight in central Africa between two Black Americans. Ali v Foreman. "Rope-a-dope." Mailer's fiction is boring but his journalism is great #boxing #sports #seventies #70s #ali #foreman #mailer #journalism #nonfiction #africa #congo #colonialism
Books I Love Put Out More Flags by Evelyn Waugh Written in England in 1941, when the democracies were losing WW2, this is a wild comedy about a society moving from frivolity to purpose. Brings back characters from Waugh's earlier novels. Fun, sad, entertaining #booksky #writingcommunity #fiction
Books I Love Circe by Madeline Miller A great novel about ancient Greek mythology, by the author of The Song of #Achilles. #booksky #writingcommunity #odyssey #theodyssey #iliad #theiliad #mythology #circe
Books I Love #TheOdyssey by #Homer Sequel to #TheIlliad I always remember the line about the "rosy-fingered dawn" A book that will live long after the movie is forgotten #booksky #writingcommunity #myth #legend #greece #fiction #Odyssey #hollywood #classic #classics #poem #poems #homecoming
Books I Love A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood After books that inspired the musical Cabaret, his last novel tells of a man mourning his dead boyfriend and his own mortality. Set in LA just after Cuban Missile Crisis. Warm and compassionate. #booksky #writingcommunity #fiction #novel #novels
Books I Love One Hundred Years Of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez #Colombia 's greatest author. About 7 generations of a family, with a wild blend of folklore and imagination now called "magic realism." A strange and powerful tale that ends in a wind-storm. #writingcommunity #booksky #fiction
Books I Love Labyrinths by Jorge Luis Borges #Argentina 's greatest author. A collection of mind-twisting short works. Mazes, masks, mirrors, endless libraries, lotteries, the unforgettable, secret encyclopedias, infinite texts; all beautifully written #writingcommunity #booksky #fiction #essays
Books I Love The Autobiography of Martin Luther King by MLK, edited by Clayborne Carson "Cowardice asks the question, ‘Is it safe?’ Expediency asks the question, ‘Is it politic?’ And Vanity comes along and asks the question, ‘Is it popular?’ But Conscience asks the question, ‘Is it right?’"
Books I Love Sex, Art and American Culture by Camille Paglia #sex #art #culture #essays #provocations #contrarian #funny #madonna #camp #cleopatra #bodybuilding #muscles #brando #drag #universities #rock #90s #nineties #rants #writing #books #sexual
Books I Love On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder "History does not repeat, but it does instruct."
Books I Love The Spanish Gambit by Stephen Hunter A clever combination of espionage and chess. The story has been in my mind for years as an example of great plotting. #booksky #writingcommunity #thriller #thrillers #spy #spies #espionage #coldwar #chess #gambit
Books I Love The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon A classic mystery whodunnit, narrated by an amateur detective who is also a 15-year-old boy with autism. Really fun and enjoyable #writingcommunity #booksky #mystery #mysteries #crime #fiction #novels #books #dogs #dog
Books I Love Casino Royale by Ian Fleming The Bond movies are great, but the books are better. #booksky #writingcommunity #thriller #thrillers #spy #spies #espionage #coldwar
Books I Love A Perfect Spy John le Carré Inspired by real spy Kim Philby, it shows the son of a con artist betraying his father, then climbing to the top of the UK spy service, to betray it and his country. Powerful. #booksky #writingcommunity #thriller #thrillers #spy #spies #espionage #coldwar
Books I Love The Spy Who Came In From The Cold by John le Carré Great novel about a burnt-out British spy in the Cold War who, after falling in love with a shy librarian, tries to regain his humanity. Big plot twists #booksky #writingcommunity #thriller #thrillers #spy #spies #espionage #coldwar
Books I Love The Woman In The Dunes by Kōbō Abe (安部 公房) Strange and beautiful! #booksky #writingcommunity #japan #entomology #insects #bugs #books #fiction #dreams
Books I Love The Saga of Halfdan the Black by me A semi-true novel about the first king of Norway. Born a Viking, but with an African mother, Halfdan the Black leads the 793 AD raid on Lindisfarne. Written in the style of ancient Norse sagas #historicalfiction #history #viking #vikings #medieval