Book a Week in 2013 - Week thirty-five

[Stacia]

So, I'm back at my sister's house for a short visit & I ran to her library today to pick up Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway. Since I had started it (& was so rudely interrupted in my reading of it by going home) over a month ago, I restarted from the beginning. Already, I'm further along than I was previously (mumto2, I just finished reading Edie's backstory -- loved it!) & am loving this book again already. Seriously, this is one high octane, smart, fun book. It's got a nice guy (from a crime family) protagonist; a kick-a** old lady who was a spy & who can still work people over; her elderly, blind dog; clockwork devices; underground tunnels; various evil villains starting to lurk around & jostle for position; custom, private trains trekking around the British countryside; WWII history; bees; & plenty of other fun, fabulous characters, events, & settings... & I've read only about 120 pages.

 

I am SO glad to be reading it now. Perfect for the long weekend.  :thumbup1:

 

From amazon:

A Wall Street Journal and Booklist Best Mystery of 2012

A Best Science Fiction Book of 2012 -- The Guardian
GeekDad's Best Adult Fiction of 2012 -- Wired.com

Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the Arthur C. Clarke Award

A rollicking romp of a spy thriller from the acclaimed author of The Gone-Away World.
 
Joe Spork fixes clocks. He has turned his back on his father’s legacy as one of London’s flashiest and most powerful gangsters and aims to live a quiet life. Edie Banister retired long ago from her career as a British secret agent. She spends her days with a cantankerous old pug for company. That is, until Joe repairs a particularly unusual clockwork mechanism, inadvertently triggering a 1950s doomsday machine. His once-quiet life is suddenly overrun by mad monks who worship John Ruskin, psychopathic serial killers, mad geniuses and dastardly villains. On the upside, he catches the eye of bright and brassy Polly, a woman with enough smarts to get anyone out of a sticky situation. In order to save the world and defeat the nefarious forces threatening it, Joe must help Edie complete a mission she abandoned years ago, and he must summon the courage to pick up his father’s old gun and join the fight.

 

[mumto2]

Yeah!!!!! Stacia, I am so glad you are finally going to be able to finish Angelmaker. :) As you know I really enjoyed it.

[aggieamy]

Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery (read aloud) – A reread.  Still love it. 

 

The 8 Minute Organizer by Regina Leeds - Yet another organizing book. Nothing new or remarkable unless you've never read another organization book.  I found it rather funny that Ms. Leeds suggested an early step in the organization process should be removing the dry cleaning bags from your closet. She even suggested it in the children's room section. Yep. I don't dry clean my nine year olds clothing! There were a number of suggestions that were so silly I had to roll my eyes at.

 

Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves by PG Wodehouse (audiobook) – This took me a long time to get through and I came to the conclusion that I like his short stories better than his longer novels.  Still quite funny in parts though. 

 

Imprudent Lady by Joan Smith – Loved this.  Very much in the same writing style as Georgette Heyer.  Her characters were fantastic and I wish I could meet them in real life.  Particularly the uncle.  He was so absurd that you looked forward to the scenes he was in and almost wished you could know more about his background.

 

In Progress:
 

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnus Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett

The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare (read aloud)

 

2013 finished books:
 

63. Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery (*****)

62. The 8 Minute Organizer by Regina Leeds  (***)

61. Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves by PG Wodehouse (****)

60. Imprudent Lady by Joan Smith (*****)

59. At Bertram’s Hotel by Agatha Christie (**)

58. Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George (****)

57. The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley  (****)

56. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (****)

55. Decorating is Fun by Dorothy Draper (****)

54. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis (****)

53. The Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Cushman (****)

52. Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear (** **)

51. Entertaining is Fun: How to be a Popular Hostess by Dorothy Draper  (*****)

50. The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories by Agatha Christie (audiobook) (***)

[Mothersweets]

 

Imprudent Lady by Joan Smith – Loved this.  Very much in the same writing style as Georgette Heyer.  Her characters were fantastic and I wish I could meet them in real life.  Particularly the uncle.  He was so absurd that you looked forward to the scenes he was in and almost wished you could know more about his background.

 

I read this earlier this year and loved it, too!

 

and Amy, you really should have your portrait done - maybe you could be holding a book? ;)

[Jane in NC]

While I am not on a board or Internet break, I am limiting my time in the cyber world for a bit. This is R&R time for my soul, folks. My goals for the weeks ahead are few but include lots of reading and walking...and staring into space. So don't think that I don't love you all.

 

I did want to report finishing the third novel in Dunnett's Niccolo series, Race of Scorpions. I will give it four or four and a half stars instead of the five given to its predecessors. The last hundred pages or so were a bit contrived although I realize that Dunnett's purpose is keeping the plot line moving for the remaining novels.

 

Time for a break from the 15th century. I have started reading the Poe novel and found a dusty copy of Leacock's Sunshine Sketches that a couple of you read earlier in the year. And who knows what a stroll through the library will reveal.

 

More another day...

[JennW in SoCal]

So, I'm back at my sister's house for a short visit & I ran to her library today to pick up Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway. Since I had started it (& was so rudely interrupted in my reading of it by going home) over a month ago, I restarted from the beginning. Already, I'm further along than I was previously (mumto2, I just finished reading Edie's backstory -- loved it!) & am loving this book again already. Seriously, this is one high octane, smart, fun book. It's got a nice guy (from a crime family) protagonist; a kick-a** old lady who was a spy & who can still work people over; her elderly, blind dog; clockwork devices; underground tunnels; various evil villains starting to lurk around & jostle for position; custom, private trains trekking around the British countryside; WWII history; bees; & plenty of other fun, fabulous characters, events, & settings... & I've read only about 120 pages.

 

I am SO glad to be reading it now. Perfect for the long weekend.  :thumbup1:

 

 

Yeah!!!!! Stacia, I am so glad you are finally going to be able to finish Angelmaker. :) As you know I really enjoyed it.

 

This must be a popular book as it is checked out at several branch libraries, but it is on the shelf at one not too far away so I'm heading up there to grab it.  Sounds like the kind of fun page turner I need this weekend!

 

 

 

Imprudent Lady by Joan Smith – Loved this.  Very much in the same writing style as Georgette Heyer.  Her characters were fantastic and I wish I could meet them in real life.  Particularly the uncle.  He was so absurd that you looked forward to the scenes he was in and almost wished you could know more about his background.

 

I read this earlier this year and loved it, too!

 

and Amy, you really should have your portrait done - maybe you could be holding a book? ;)

 

My eyes skipped the letter "r" when I first saw the title to this book, and I read it as "Impudent Lady".   I thought it was such an odd title for a book!

 

 

 

While I am not on a board or Internet break, I am limiting my time in the cyber world for a bit. This is R&R time for my soul, folks. My goals for the weeks ahead are few but include lots of reading and walking...and staring into space. So don't think that I don't love you all.

 

 

Sounds lovely.  Enjoy your respite!

[Stacia]

Oops. I just realized my post from last night ended up being on the thread twice. I keep having trouble using the mouse on my sister's computer, so maybe that's why I ended up double-posting?

 

Jane, enjoy your R&R & don't make yourself too scarce around here. Please keep a list of books read so you can catch us up on your reading when you pop back in.  :001_smile:

[Miss Innocent]

Another one finished.  :001_smile:  The Calling of Emily Evans, by Janette Oke. I have never read anything like this before, and don't know anyone IRL who would read books like this, but I must say I really enjoyed it. Simple, light, full of little domestic details, Christian, 'romantic'. Honestly, I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I might even go back for more one day!

 

Right, onto something a bit heavier going. I read most of this earlier in the year and need to get it finished - The Reason for God by Tim Keller.

 

Emma

 

PS Am I right to think I just list (some of) what I'm reading in my first post of each week?

 

 

[mumto2]

PS Am I right to think I just list (some of) what I'm reading in my first post of each week?

I think the first post can be whatever you want.....something you are currently reading is good. I think many of us try to post fairly quickly so the thread is easy to find!

 

I just finished a romance called "Code Name: Nanny" by Christina Skye. It was an easy read with Navy Seals and FBI agents. :) I thought it was a new release when I saw it inthe e book library. Seemed familiar and it could have been an unintentional reread.

[Robin M]

I finished Pym by Mat Johnson today. My thoughts...

 

The book is a somewhat-witty satire of both Poe's The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket & the issue of race. Johnson's book starts out strongly, but bogs down with the fantastical story in the middle of the book. Johnson regains some of his steam for the final few pages & thoughts. Poe pulled-off the weirdness of his Pym tale; Johnson almost did but the story itself was too uneven overall.

 

The book's highlights/strengths are its skewering of Poe's work & of Thomas Kinkade (contemporary, popular 'painter of light'), along with some of the thoughts on race & race relations. The weakest points are the fantastical storyline & some of the characterization.

 

I wanted to love this book & did love the sections where Johnson nailed the satire. However, there were just too many uneven/fantastical parts that detracted from the crux of the message for me to fully love the book. Overall, 3 stars.

-------

 

And, on a separate note, I just realized that Pym marks my 52nd book this year!

 

Woohoo!

 

For a virtual view from the top of mount everest

[Stacia]

For a virtual view from the top of mount everest

 

Absolutely gorgeous!

[JennW in SoCal]

Reading Angelmaker makes me want to exclaim "Oh frabjous day!  Callooh!  Callay!"   It has all the parts of other books that captivate me -- London as a fantastical setting, but not quite as bizarre as it is in China Mieville's hands, clockwork and gears except it isn't steampunk, a good mystery and scrumptious language.  Oh the quotes that could be quoted!!  

 

The rest of the house has to scrounge for dinner tonight.  I'm busy reading!

[Jane in NC]

Stacia!

 

Europa edition alert! Jane Gardam's Old Filfth trilogy caught my eye at the library yesterday. I have started with the first, Old Filth, and am bedazzled by the storytelling.

 

Poe's Pym is not something I can read straight through so I am happy to balance the tale with a character driven piece like Old Filfth as well as a most interesting book on design and sustainability, Cradle to Cradle.

 

So much for dropping out of sight.

Jane

[Paisley Hedgehog]

. 

 

[Stacia]

Stacia!

 

Europa edition alert! Jane Gardam's Old Filfth trilogy caught my eye at the library yesterday. I have started with the first, Old Filth, and am bedazzled by the storytelling.

 

Poe's Pym is not something I can read straight through so I am happy to balance the tale with a character driven piece like Old Filfth as well as a most interesting book on design and sustainability, Cradle to Cradle.

 

So much for dropping out of sight.

Jane

 

:lol:

 

I'm glad you had to pop back in to share the news! (Sorry this is making you mess up your sabbatical from electronics.) 

 

I think my library has that book, so I'll have to check it out. Looks like a great story. I did try her book Crusoe's Daughter at some point last year, but didn't get into it (& didn't finish it).

 

Cradle to Cradle also looks good. I have Zero Waste Home sitting here to read, which would probably go well with Cradle to Cradle. I know the author of Zero Waste Home advocates rethinking & reducing your consumption (w/ recycling being much further down on the list).

[Robin M]

Link to week 36 - please continue conversation in new thread

[Guest The Usual Bohemian]

This discussion is very enlightening.  I am the author ("My Viridian Rose"_, and find this site very intriguing.  Even though the description is a bit "unique," I believe it will be productive in the long run.  I have two other novels; "Pure Iron Metal Head," and a new novel coming out any day, "The Legend of Rail Wolf (set in 1897's Barbary Coast city of San Francisco)."  If you go to Teachers Pay Teachers you download these two works for free.  I am very proud of many of the shorter works there as well; including "Traipsing to Auschwitz," and "Drinking Banana Milk at Matt Marsh's."  Groups like this are inspiring (definitely to a retired public school teacher).  Best.  "The Usual Bohemian"

I did do a search of my libraries for " My Viridian Rose" because it appeared to be the most readable of the ones listed in Goodreads. I really don't get how a green rose is romantic so was interested but viridian is a really fun word per dd which might explain the title.

At least I am sorted. I have Stacia's Viridis ready on my kindle. We are off to spend Bank Holiday Monday with my WTM real life friend and her family. :)