What I Read During 2024 (Music & Germs)

1. Lab 257 – Michael Christopher Carroll (nonfiction)

2. The Lost Tomb – Douglas Preston (nonfiction)

3. Sitcommentary – Mark Robinson (nonfiction)

4. Brothers – Alex Van Halen (nonfiction)

5. Island – Aldous Huxley (fiction)

6. 20 Fat Loss Tips for Faster Weight Loss – Gregory Groves (nonfiction) [The point of this was to learn how to market inside Amazon publishing. The text itself was awful.]

7. Penguin Perspectives on Covid – 10 – various authors (nonfiction)

8. Brave New World – Aldous Huxley (fiction)

9. Horseshoes and Hand Grenades – John Corabi (nonfiction)

10. The Great Depression: A Diary – Benjamin Roth (nonfiction)

11. An Election – John Scalzi (fiction)

12. The Black Death: A History From Beginning to End (Pandemic History) – Hourly History (nonfiction)

13. What A Fool Believes – Michael McDonald with Paul Reiser (nonfiction)

14. You Like It Darker – Stephen King (fiction)

15. 11/22/63 – Stephen King (fiction)

16. Major Dudes: A Steely Dan Companion – Barney Hoskyns (nonfiction)

17. Son of a Milkman – Brian Wheat (nonfiction)

18. Extinction: A Novel – Douglas Preston (fiction)

19. Level 4 – Virus Hunters of the CDC – Joseph B. McCormick, M. D. (nonfiction)

20. The Mist – Stephen King (fiction)

21. Under The Dome – Stephen King (fiction)

22. The Stand – Stephen King (fiction)

23. Duma Key – Stephen King (fiction)

24. The Longevity Paradox: How To Die Young at a Ripe Old Age – Steven R. Gundry, M.D. (nonfiction)

25. Allergic: Our Irritated Bodies in a Changing World – Theresa MacPhail (nonfiction)

Another year, another 25 books. Some were much better than others as is always the case. I typically veer toward nonfiction and this was the case again in 2024. My favorite nonfiction books were Horseshoes and Hand Grenades by John Corabi and What A Fool Believes by Michael McDonald. The stories in both are wild, especially the McDonald book. There’s a little ditty about Eddie Money that was both hilarious and sad. I’ve read heaps of books about metal bands but less about other famous musicians (Steely Dan excluded). McDonald’s book provides a whole different background on the music industry in the 70s, spanning his time as a nobody to accomplished session singer to Doobie Brothers frontman to solo star. I had no idea McDonald was so addicted to drugs, either. Rehab worked for him.

Island was the hardest novel I’ve read in ages. Classic Aldous Huxley and the companion book to one of my all-time favorites Brave New World. I re-read BNW before Island for the comparisons. Very interesting but it was a bit of a slog since I kept waiting for something "big" to happen. Island is more of slow burn.

Extinction by Douglas Preston was the craziest novel I’ve read in a long time. It’s a dystopian thriller about future technology and animal science research. I don’t want to give away any tidbits because this book is way too good for spoilers. Just read it.

Of course, Stephen King’s The Stand is perfection – there is a reason why people call the novel his masterpiece. Over a thousand pages never went quicker! Such a fun, fascinating and terrifying read. In my top 5 favorite books of all time. I’m jealous of people who get to read this book for the first time. 

'Awake' - Violent Breed, New Music

Violent Breed is a new band formed by bassist Brian Wheat of Tesla and new rock voice AleX. The group's debut single is called "Awake" and the official video came out yesterday. Also, guitarist Dave Rude (Tesla) played on the track as well.

From his book, it is pretty clear that Wheat likes to keep busy and he's always interested in finding new talent and making music. Wheat and AleX have been working together a long time, so the collaboration seems and feels natural. I would assume shows will happen sometime soon and obviously more music is coming.