Book a Week in 2013 - week forty one

[mumto2]

I finished "A Quick Bite" by Lynsay Sands. It is the first of the Argenau Vampire series which I have heard of before. This is definately a romance novel with vampires but done with a bit of an entertaining twist. It was about a beautiful hemophobic (afraid of the sight of blood) vampire whose mother kidnapped a handsome psychologist to cure. Interesting vampire origin theory given and very different vampire "rules". I enjoyed it but I love an occasional humorous romance novel. Definately not "The Historian" more Lara Adrian Midnight Breed. I have the next in the series ready to read! :)

[mumto2]

Thank you all for your kind thoughts. My youngest has some medical issues and we were in the hospital getting a g-tube last week. The situation gives us some hope for a lot of the frustrations we've had over the last 3 years, but its definitely something you just have to get through and make it out on the other side. Lots of reading blocks because of stress this year, but last week I got a chance to focus and hopefully I can get back into it. Reading gives me a lot of comfort, so its difficult and frustrating to be blocked so much.

:grouphug:

[Paisley Hedgehog]

.

[Stacia]

Jane & Eliana, I also meant to mention Stork Press to you (which is the company that published my current read, The Finno-Ugrian Vampire by Noémi Szécsi, a Hungarian author). I would also like to read their published book Freshta.

 

From the "About" page of their website:

Mission

Stork Press is an independent publishing house based in London dedicated to new writing from Central and Eastern Europe and selected exceptional authors in English.

 

Why Central and Eastern Europe?

Central and Eastern Europe has given us some of the most exciting voices in literature: Franz Kafka, Imre Kertész, Wisława Szymborska, Milan Kundera, Czesław Miłosz, Herta Műller, Eugène Ionesco, Bohumil Hrabal, Ismail Kadare, Stanisław Lem. Can you imagine what literature would be like without them? Discovering some outstanding new voices is like falling in love with fictional worlds we never thought existed. For us Central & Eastern European literature is full of undiscovered gems which we want to bring to the world.

 

Our vision

We believe that the publishing world is not adequately serving non-native English speakers, and those writing in Eastern European languages, so we aim to offer these writers the support and advice they need.

 

Why Stork?

Our logo shows a White Stork – one of the most beautiful birds you can see in Central and Eastern Europe. There are more than 50,000 pairs of White Storks breeding in Poland, one of the largest populations in this part of Europe. The stork is the symbol of happiness and prosperity, and we all know storks bring children to new parents. We hope that our stork will bring you many happy moments with our books!

 

Also, this website might be a good source for finding books.... European Union Prize for Literature

[Onceuponatime]

Spook: Oh My! Hilarious! People are so strange.

[Maus]

Completed:

Book # 50 - "All But My Life" by Gerda Weissmann Klein. True story of the author's experience as a Holocaust survivor. An incident from the book was mentioned to me as an example of the power of hope. It is a hopeful book, even through the horrors she saw.

Book #49 - "The Money Answer Book" by Dave Ramsey.
Book #48 - "Financial Peace Revisited" by Dave Ramsey.
Book #47 - "The Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey.
Book #46 - "The Bronze Bow" by Elizabeth George Speare.
Book #45 - "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad.  (WEM)
Book #44 - "The Gifts of Imperfection" by Brene Brown.
Book #43 - "I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn't)" by Brene Brown.
Book #42 - "Be Still: Using Principles of the Gospel to Lower Anxiety" by G. Sheldon Martin.
Book #41 - "Daring Greatly" - by Brene Brown.
Book #40 - "The New Testament" - Authorized King James Version (1611). (Inspiration)
Book #39 - "Teachings of Presidents of the Church - Lorenzo Snow"
Book #38 - "The Red Badge of Courage" by Stephen Crane. (WEM)
Book #37 - "Recovering Charles" by Jason F. Wright.
Book #36 - "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain. (WEM)
Book #35 - "Maphead" by Ken Jennings.
Book #34 - "Portrait of a Lady" by Henry James. (WEM)
Book #33 - "Earthly Deligihts" by Kerry Greenwood. (Australian author, Australian setting.)
Book #32 - "The Year of Learning Dangerously" by Quinn Cummings.
Book #31 - "The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)
Book #30 - "The Forgotten Affairs of Youth" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)
Book #29 - "The Charming Quirks of Others" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)
Book #28 - "I am Half-Sice of Shadows" by Alan Bradley. (Canadian author, English setting.)
Book #27 - ""Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs" by Ken Jennings.
Book #26 - "Because I Said So!: The Truth Behind the Myths, Tales & Warnings Every Generation Passes Down to Its Kids" by Ken Jennings.
Book #25 - "A Red Herring Without Mustard" by Alan Bradley. (Canadian author, English setting.)
Book #24 - "The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing" by Tarquin Hall. (British author, Indian setting.)
Book #23 - "The Lost Art of Gratitude" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)
Book #22 - "The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag" by Alan Bradley. (Canadian author, English setting.)
Book #21 - "Academic Homeschooling: How to Give Your Child an Amazing Education and Survive" by Tracy Chatters.
Book #20 - "The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)
Book #19 - "The Return of the Native" by Thomas Hardy. (WEM.)
Book #18 - "The Careful Use of Compliments" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)
Book #17 - "The Right Attitude to Rain" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)
Book #16 - "Inspector Singh Investigates: A Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder" by Shamini Flint. (Singaporean author, Malaysian setting.)
Book #15 - "Friends, Lovers, Chocolate" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)
Book #14 - "Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie" by Alan Bradley. (Canadian author, English setting.)
Book #13 - "Portuguese Irregular Verbs" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/]Scottish author, German character, German/Swiss/Italian/Ireland/Indian settings.)
Book #12 - "In Cold Pursuit" by Sarah Andrews. (Antarctica setting.)
Book #11 - "Anna Karenina" by Leo Nikoleyevich Tolstoy. (Russian; or WEM challenge.)
Book #10 - "The Sunday Philosophy Club" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)
Book #9 - "The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection" by Alexander McCall Smith. (]Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)
Book #8 - "The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)
Book #7 - "The Double Comfort Safari Club" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)
Book #6 - " Tea Time for the Traditionally Built" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)
Book #5 - "Crime and Punishment" by Fydor Dostoevsky. (Russian; or WEM challenge.)
Book #4 - "The Miracle of Speedy Motors" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)
Book #3 - "The Good Husband of Zebra Drive" by Alexander McCall Smith. (]Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)
Book #2 - "Blue Shoes and Happiness" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)
Book #1 - "In the Company of Cheerful Ladies" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)

[Robin M]

nm

[Robin M]

Yesterday I worked all day on the tax stuff and got it down to a gnat's ass so I'm happy.  Today I'm wondering aimlessly around the blogosphere and thought I share a few interesting finds.

 

Salvador Dali illustrates Don Quixote

 

Top Ten Best Novels You've Never Heard Of  (more to add to your wishlists)

 

 

The Art of Manliness has put together a list of 100 must read books: The Man's Essential Library (quite an interesting list and a fun r

read.

 

And last but not least since this is spooktacular month: 10 greatest apocalyptic novels of all time.

 

This is my house:

 

[Stacia]

Not that I ever encourage others to buy books or anything... :tongue_smilie: , but I thought I'd mention that Book Outlet (formerly bookcloseouts.com) is having a "Scary Fiction Sale". (And it looks like they have pretty good prices, I think.)

[aggieamy]

Here's a treat that is hot flash worthy

 

http://youtu.be/TdphtMWjies

 

And the fact that things like this get posted here is just one of the MANY reasons I love you people.  C'mon.  Group hug!

 

I also have an early autumn cold that has caused me to get a lot of reading in lately.

 

You've Got a Book in You by Elizabeth Sims - It wasn't a bad book but everything pales in comparison to On Writing by Stephen King. Skip this one and just go write instead.  ***

 

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy - Holy smokes.  Where was this book when I was ten?  Picture the four Princes from everyone's favorite fairy tales.  Now picture that their exploits have been misrepresented and they are all hapless doofs for the most part.  Now picture the four of them on an adventure.  Now start laughing madly in bed and waking your husband up at four in the morning to quote your favorite lines.

 

"No, honey.  Nothings wrong.  There's no fire.  I just want to read you this quote from a book ... no, stay awake.  You'll really like this.  And then Duncan says ... WILD CARD."  *continue laughing while DH falls back to sleep in confusion*

 

*****

 

 

On another note - Is it too early to start talking about NaNoWriMo? 

 

ETA:  Ah I see our esteemed fearless leader has already started a NaNo thread.  I will see you guys over there!

[Stacia]

Flavorwire: The 50 Scariest Books of All Time

 

Great list. I agree w/ American Psycho being on that list -- that is one of the most profoundly disturbing books I've ever tried to read & I didn't even make it very far into it.

[Kareni]

And last but not least since this is spooktacular month: 10 greatest apocalyptic novels of all time.

 

Whoa - one could almost use an anti-depressant after reading that list!   I'd like to see a list of the ten greatest uplifting books.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Violet Crown]

Almost done with Emerson. I started out thinking his essays were difficult because they were cerebral and densely written, and that's not quite untrue; but I think he's often (and some essays are worse than others) just maddeningly diffuse in his writing style. Still reading Arabian Nights, but to make up for its near-thousand-page length, I read the first thin volume of the Penguin Great Ideas series ( http://www.penguin.co.uk/static/cs/uk/0/minisites/greatideas/index_1.html ), Seneca's essay "On the Shortness of Life," and decided to count it as a book. Because Penguin is selling it As A Book.

 

Anyone else want to join in a reading of the series? The Seneca was free from Google Books here: http://www.google.com/books?id=BLICAAAAYAAJ

 

Up next: Marcus Aurelius, Meditations. Followed by Augustine. The Penguin people seem to be awfully fond of Stoicism.

[LostSurprise]

Top 10 Apocalyptic Novels

Whoa - one could almost use an anti-depressant after reading that list!   I'd like to see a list of the ten greatest uplifting books.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

 

That list automatically invalidated itself the moment it said I Am Legend was "one of the greatest pieces of fiction ever written." Ack. 

[mlbuchina]

And last but not least since this is spooktacular month: 10 greatest apocalyptic novels of all time.

 

Thanks to the author of this list, I don't have to read any of those books.   :D   Some of the comments at the bottom were funny, and just what I was thinking. :lol:

 

And the fact that things like this get posted here is just one of the MANY reasons I love you people.  C'mon.  Group hug!

 

 

I agree!  And, I'll join in that hug.   :grouphug:

[Stacia]

Almost done with Emerson. I started out thinking his essays were difficult because they were cerebral and densely written, and that's not quite untrue; but I think he's often (and some essays are worse than others) just maddeningly diffuse in his writing style. Still reading Arabian Nights, but to make up for its near-thousand-page length, I read the first thin volume of the Penguin Great Ideas series ( http://www.penguin.co.uk/static/cs/uk/0/minisites/greatideas/index_1.html ), Seneca's essay "On the Shortness of Life," and decided to count it as a book. Because Penguin is selling it As A Book.

 

Anyone else want to join in a reading of the series? The Seneca was free from Google Books here: http://www.google.com/books?id=BLICAAAAYAAJ

 

Up next: Marcus Aurelius, Meditations. Followed by Augustine. The Penguin people seem to be awfully fond of Stoicism.

 

Also, if you need it in a format other than Google Books (as it so politely kept informing me -- you don't have a device -- lol), look here:

http://archive.org/details/minordialoguest00stewgoog

 

I might, might be tempted to join in a reading of the series....

 

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, free here: http://www.amazon.com/Meditations-ebook/dp/B0082XJGRK/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381375024&sr=1-2&keywords=+Marcus+Aurelius+-+Meditations

Augustine, Confessions, free here: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3296

[Stacia]

Or, here's the essay (novel?) On the Shortness of Life by Seneca in a .pdf file:

http://vitruvianman.wikispaces.com/file/view/Seneca-+On+the+Shortness+of+Life.pdf/383447842/Seneca-%20On%20the%20Shortness%20of%20Life.pdf

[mlbuchina]

Has anyone else's antivirus software been going crazy when they get on this page of the thread? Every time I come on to read the new postings, it comes up, and says it has blocked malware.

[Robin M]

We listened to The Swiss Family Robinson on our drive to and from the beach. We all greatly enjoyed it. Hooray for Librivox and KayRay as a reader!

You posted as Robes55son as well with the same emoticons then deleted your account, and today have a new account with no introduction and 9 posts all at the same time in various threads.  Now this post sounds exactly like one of our regulars posted. 

 

Me thinks we have a troll ladies.  Reported

[Robin M]

Has anyone else's antivirus software been going crazy when they get on this page of the thread? Every time I come on to read the new postings, it comes up, and says it has blocked malware.

 

I was have the same trouble yesterday.  Had to clear my cache and history a few times. 

[Robin M]

On another note - Is it too early to start talking about NaNoWriMo? 

 

ETA:  Ah I see our esteemed fearless leader has already started a NaNo thread.  I will see you guys over there!

 

Never too early.  Nano thread is over here. or if you want to keep it inhouse so to speak, we can!

 

 

NaNoWriMo revamped the website as well to work with all screen sizes. 

 

[Negin]

I really like The Stories of Eva Luna (even more than the mother novel Eva Luna) by Allende. 

 

Tam, I don't think I ever read The Stories of Eva Luna. I just added it to my wish list. That was weird. I thought I'd pretty much read all of her books other than her most recent one. 

I hope that you will soon have far less stress in your life with your youngest's medical issues.  :grouphug:

[Onceuponatime]

 

 

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy - Holy smokes.  Where was this book when I was ten?  Picture the four Princes from everyone's favorite fairy tales.  Now picture that their exploits have been misrepresented and they are all hapless doofs for the most part.  Now picture the four of them on an adventure.  Now start laughing madly in bed and waking your husband up at for in the morning to quote your favorite lines.

 

"No, honey.  Nothings wrong.  There's no fire.  I just want to read you this quote from a book ... no, stay awake.  You'll really like this.  And then Duncan says ... WILD CARD."  *continue laughing while DH falls back to sleep in confusion*

 

 

 

 Thanks! Our library didn't have Saving Your Kingdom but it did have The Hero's Guide to Storming Your Castle. It is now on hold.

 

Almost done with Emerson. I started out thinking his essays were difficult because they were cerebral and densely written, and that's not quite untrue; but I think he's often (and some essays are worse than others) just maddeningly diffuse in his writing style. 

 

I read through Emerson's Essays when I was young and thought there was so much depth to him. So, I revisited him a few months ago and found someone who was just a product of his times and quite sexist to boot. I wasn't impressed.

 

 

About the Ode to the Nightingale video: Pardon my ignorance, but who is that guy? And is that voice his? That's quite a voice.

 

ETA: Never mind,  I found out who he is.

[Stacia]

Nice post, Robin! (Benedict of course.)

 

It reminds me of a recording many years ago:

http://www.amazon.com/When-Love-Speaks-The-Sonnets/dp/B000TENFL8/ref=tmm_other_meta_binding_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1381403144&sr=1-1

 

The nice thing about that one is that it includes Alan Rickman reading Shakespeare... :-)

 

[Violet Crown]

You posted as Robes55son as well with the same emoticons then deleted your account, and today have a new account with no introduction and 9 posts all at the same time in various threads.  Now this post sounds exactly like one of our regulars posted. 

 

It's not a troll, but a spambot. It snips a sentence from a real post so as to look like a human being with a comment relevant to the thread. Don't click on the emoticons.

[Onceuponatime]

 

For me, some day is now.

[mlbuchina]

It's not a troll, but a spambot. It snips a sentence from a real post so as to look like a human being with a comment relevant to the thread. Don't click on the emoticons.

 

Ah.  That explains why my antivirus software has blocked them.  I didn't know what they were, as there is an empty little box in their place.

[Paisley Hedgehog]

.

 

[Violet Crown]

Yesterday, I started a Grimm's fairy tale collection titled Household Tales translated by Lucy Crane. I am reading four or five each day for the next week or so. The first several tales were new-to-me and wonderful.

 

.

This is great! Just yesterday, Wee Girl brought me our Dover edition of Household Tales and asked me to read it to her. So I'm now working through it. (Though I best love the Sendak-illustrated, Segal/Jarrell-translated Grimm collection, The Juniper Tree.)

[Lady Florida.]

I haven't been around mostly because my reading has been sloooowwww. I also haven't been online much. I finally finished The Name of the Rose last night. It took me just over a month. It went back to the library once and I was afraid it was going to have to go back a second time. I did enjoy it, but the Church history got pretty boring in many parts (and I'm a Cradle (ex)-Catholic who's familiar with that period in RCC history). I think I might watch the movie now.

 

I also read Man's Search for Meaning for a new IRL book club I joined. That was painful. I'm so not into existential stuff. The meeting was fun though, and we all enjoyed hearing each other's love or hate for the book.

 

I'm reading The Historian and enjoying it (go ahead, say it Stacia :lol:). I almost wish I had chosen The Haunting of Hill House for my October read. I read it in college and think it would be fun to read again. I just might, if I finish The Historian.

 

I also just started The Flamethrowers, by Rachel Kushner, which was my choice for the book club's next book. There are 9 of us, so now I won't have to choose a book for another 8 months.

 

 

 

Is anyone watching the Shakespearean plays on Great Performances?  I watched the first half of Henry IV Part One (Henry IV, the first Quarter?) online.  Something was wacky with the site, my computer or our Internet provider when I tried to watch the second half.  Henry IV Part Two should be online now.  Perhaps this week I'll pull out my knitting and try again.

I keep meaning to watch. Our older Roku boxes don't get PBS, and I'd rather watch it on tv than on my computer. We're planning to buy new Roku boxes that just came out, so this will go on my to-watch list.

 

 

 

I've been working on The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova.  I've made it to chapter 18, and it has gotten to a point where I want to tell the girls it's break week! so I can just sit and read straight through.  LOL  I'm really enjoying it so far.  I'm also glad that I read Dracula before reading this, as it has added to the atmosphere of the story for me.   :thumbup1:

I agree that having read Dracula makes a difference.

 

 

 

Now I'm reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, which is sort of slow.  It's interesting, but much more historical info about Savannah than I care for.  Waiting for the murder.  hehe

The bolded is some of what I liked best about that book. :)

 

I've only made it through the first page of this thread. Off to read the other pages so I can catch up on what you all are reading.

[aggieamy]

Almost done with Emerson. I started out thinking his essays were difficult because they were cerebral and densely written, and that's not quite untrue; but I think he's often (and some essays are worse than others) just maddeningly diffuse in his writing style. Still reading Arabian Nights, but to make up for its near-thousand-page length, I read the first thin volume of the Penguin Great Ideas series ( http://www.penguin.co.uk/static/cs/uk/0/minisites/greatideas/index_1.html ), Seneca's essay "On the Shortness of Life," and decided to count it as a book. Because Penguin is selling it As A Book.

 

Anyone else want to join in a reading of the series? The Seneca was free from Google Books here: http://www.google.com/books?id=BLICAAAAYAAJ

 

Up next: Marcus Aurelius, Meditations. Followed by Augustine. The Penguin people seem to be awfully fond of Stoicism.

 

I was thinking about this post when I was trying to fall asleep last night and I came to a strange realization that seemed logical in my pre-sleep mind. 

 

I decided if we were to compare the books we read to booze then Violet's books are like a good strong aged Scotch.  They burn a bit going down. There's a lot to them and you want to drink them slowly to enjoy all the subtle flavors and depth.  You come away from them feeling like you've really experienced something wonderful. 

 

My taste in books is more like a frozen peach margarita with sugar on the rim.  Sure there might be some good tequila in there but let's be honest I'm licking at the sugar and slurping them down because they're tasty and they make me giggly.

 

And then there's a romance loving friends where the question isn't so much 'what drink' but is 'who's bringing it to them'.  They are of course having their drinks in someplace tropical but they've got a big floppy romantic hat on to protect their delicate features and the drinks are being served with little umbrellas in them by very attractive cabana boys. 

 

I was going to go on with this and come up with drinks vs books for everyone but then I finally fell asleep. 

[LostSurprise]

I finished Howl's Moving Castle by Diane Wynne Jones yesterday. Its a fairy tale which plays with both traditional and modern settings. And its funny. I love that the main character (a 17 year old eldest sister and hat maker) has to become an elderly woman to grow into herself and gain the confidence to seek her fortune. Almost everyone she meets is obviously flawed but they become family to her. A nice twist on the fairy tale genre. Recommended. Shelved with the youth novels. 

[Lady Florida.]

Forgot to mention: I'm listening to The Age of Innocence

 

 

I've always thought I should read The Bell Jar (but thought it might be too dark). Another one of those on my (too long) to-read list.

That was assigned reading in high school, but I totally didn't have the maturity or life experience to understand it. I've never had a desire to reread it though. Yes, it's dark.

 

 

Thank you! I can now access the videos! (That's a relief, I thought I was doing something wrong.)

 

So we are going to read *all* Grimm's fairy tales? I had assumed we would only read a selection.

 

 

Good luck with the course!

Wait! What did I miss? Reading subsequent posts, is this a Coursera course? I signed up for one on historical fiction that starts Oct. 15th. I've read one of the books listed in the course and plan to read at least one more (Fever: A Novel, which is about Typhoid Mary).

 

 

The nice thing about that one is that it includes Alan Rickman reading Shakespeare... :-)

Sigh. :swoon: The Voice.

[Violet Crown]

And then there's Eliana, traveling the world sampling the finest vintages and writing erudite articles for Wine Spectator.

[LostSurprise]

Violet Crown, on 09 Oct 2013 - 9:32 PM, said:

Almost done with Emerson. I started out thinking his essays were difficult because they were cerebral and densely written, and that's not quite untrue; but I think he's often (and some essays are worse than others) just maddeningly diffuse in his writing style. 

 

I read through Emerson's Essays when I was young and thought there was so much depth to him. So, I revisited him a few months ago and found someone who was just a product of his times and quite sexist to boot. I wasn't impressed.

 

 

I agree with Violet. Emerson is purposely diffuse, that is a major element of his style.

 

I think that layering technique of his is expected from his generation though. I often think of Emerson as a romantic (ie a member of the romantics/romanticism) and a mystic of the natural world. Mystics tend to use more vague and layered construction of words. They allow readers to read in their own interpretation and activate an emotional response which may not be there with a simple linear statement. Sometimes mystics find the connection between people more important than the details of agreement.

 

I think that's why he had more of a following then Thoreau in his own time period. While Thoreau was an idealist, he was never a mystic. 

[mumto2]

Wait! What did I miss? Reading subsequent posts, is this a Coursera course?

Just in case you couldn't find the course University of Michigan has a Fantasy and Science Fiction Coursera that started on Monday. Nice selection of books including Dracula and Frankenstein.

[Kareni]

I read and enjoyed Faking It by Elisa Lorello.

 

"After breaking off her engagement, thirty-something writing professor Andi Cutrone abandons New England for her native Long Island to focus on her career and start over. When she meets Devin at a cocktail party, the sight of an honest-to-goodness male escort shocks her—and fascinates her more than a little. Months later, Andi impulsively calls Devin. Over cheesecake in Brooklyn, she offers him a proposition: he will teach her how to be a better lover, and in return, she will give him writing lessons. He agrees, and together they embark upon an intense partnership that proves to be as instructive as it is arousing. For in the midst of lessons in rhetorical theory and foreplay, Andi and Devin delve into deeper questions about truth, beauty, and self, gradually coming face-to-face with the issues at the core of their emotional limitations. Smart, witty, and introspective, Faking It is an engrossing novel about two people discovering their authentic selves."

 

Given the subject matter, let me state that this book is not for the conservative reader. 

 

I'm not sure how I'd categorize this book.  It wasn't a romance though there were strong romantic elements.  Perhaps it would be defined as chick lit.  It was fun to read about rhetoric in a novel rather than in a writing text.  No, there was no mention of the progymnasmata, but there were mentions of Peter Elbow and Donald Murray.  I'll be looking for more books by this author.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Robin M]

Alice Munro won the 2013 Nobel Prize for Literature  "master of the contemporary short story"

[Onceuponatime]

 

Violet Crown, on 09 Oct 2013 - 9:32 PM, said:

 

 

 

 

I think that's why he had more of a following then Thoreau in his own time period. While Thoreau was an idealist, he was never a mystic. 

 

 

 

Perhaps that is why I like Thoreau more. Even so, I found some of Emerson's sentiments about the world and the natural order of things more disturbing than when I read them the first time. They didn't seem very enlightened to me. I think the years have changed me more than I suspected and that is what may be so unnerving.

[Robin M]

I was thinking about this post when I was trying to fall asleep last night and I came to a strange realization that seemed logical in my pre-sleep mind. 

 

I decided if we were to compare the books we read to booze then Violet's books are like a good strong aged Scotch.  They burn a bit going down. There's a lot to them and you want to drink them slowly to enjoy all the subtle flavors and depth.  You come away from them feeling like you've really experienced something wonderful. 

 

My taste in books is more like a frozen peach margarita with sugar on the rim.  Sure there might be some good tequila in there but let's be honest I'm licking at the sugar and slurping them down because they're tasty and they make me giggly.

 

And then there's a romance loving friends where the question isn't so much 'what drink' but is 'who's bringing it to them'.  They are of course having their drinks in someplace tropical but they've got a big floppy romantic hat on to protect their delicate features and the drinks are being served with little umbrellas in them by very attractive cabana boys. 

 

I was going to go on with this and come up with drinks vs books for everyone but then I finally fell asleep. 

 Love it Amy!!!!

[trinchick]

I read and enjoyed Faking It by Elisa Lorello.

 

"After breaking off her engagement, thirty-something writing professor Andi Cutrone abandons New England for her native Long Island to focus on her career and start over. When she meets Devin at a cocktail party, the sight of an honest-to-goodness male escort shocks her—and fascinates her more than a little. Months later, Andi impulsively calls Devin. Over cheesecake in Brooklyn, she offers him a proposition: he will teach her how to be a better lover, and in return, she will give him writing lessons. He agrees, and together they embark upon an intense partnership that proves to be as instructive as it is arousing. For in the midst of lessons in rhetorical theory and foreplay, Andi and Devin delve into deeper questions about truth, beauty, and self, gradually coming face-to-face with the issues at the core of their emotional limitations. Smart, witty, and introspective, Faking It is an engrossing novel about two people discovering their authentic selves."

 

Given the subject matter, let me state that this book is not for the conservative reader. 

 

 

 

Sounds good. Just ordered it on inter-library loan. I hope my DH doesn't pick it up at the library and read the summary; he might think I'm using it as a tutorial and will be bitterly disappointed.

[mumto2]

On the subject of dh's and libraries. I use dh's library card as my own. I know his number and mine at three libraries with small checkout limits.I just can't remember which card belongs to which adult. Poor man has been picking up alot of bodice ripper vampire book covers in his own name lately. Occasionally I get a gentle hint that it is very embarrassing when he picks those books up! :lol:

[Kareni]

Sounds good. Just ordered it on inter-library loan. I hope my DH doesn't pick it up at the library and read the summary; he might think I'm using it as a tutorial and will be bitterly disappointed.

 

Tell him that you're interested in the writing instruction!

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Violet Crown]

On the subject of dh's and libraries. I use dh's library card as my own. I know his number and mine at three libraries with small checkout limits.I just can't remember which card belongs to which adult. Poor man has been picking up alot of bodice ripper vampire book covers in his own name lately. Occasionally I get a gentle hint that it is very embarrassing when he picks those books up! :lol:

Dh and I use Great Girl's Amazon account for ordering, as she gets Amazon Prime through the university. She often complains about the recommendations Amazon gives her as a result. "Items to consider: Thomas Pyncheon...; Cicero...; Uncle Wiggily...."

[Violet Crown]

I often think of Emerson as a romantic (ie a remember of the romantics/romanticism) and a mystic of the natural world.

Interesting you should say that. I was just telling someone that I felt Emerson was best described as "Yankee Romanticism."

[Stacia]

I'm reading The Historian and enjoying it (go ahead, say it Stacia :lol:). I almost wish I had chosen The Haunting of Hill House for my October read. I read it in college and think it would be fun to read again. I just might, if I finish The Historian.

 

I also just started The Flamethrowers, by Rachel Kushner, which was my choice for the book club's next book. There are 9 of us, so now I won't have to choose a book for another 8 months.

 

Me saying it ----> 

 

:laugh:

 

As for The Flamethrowers, I'll say "it" here too... hope you are enjoying it! :thumbup1:

 

 

I was thinking about this post when I was trying to fall asleep last night and I came to a strange realization that seemed logical in my pre-sleep mind. 

 

I decided if we were to compare the books we read to booze then Violet's books are like a good strong aged Scotch.  They burn a bit going down. There's a lot to them and you want to drink them slowly to enjoy all the subtle flavors and depth.  You come away from them feeling like you've really experienced something wonderful. 

 

My taste in books is more like a frozen peach margarita with sugar on the rim.  Sure there might be some good tequila in there but let's be honest I'm licking at the sugar and slurping them down because they're tasty and they make me giggly.

 

And then there's a romance loving friends where the question isn't so much 'what drink' but is 'who's bringing it to them'.  They are of course having their drinks in someplace tropical but they've got a big floppy romantic hat on to protect their delicate features and the drinks are being served with little umbrellas in them by very attractive cabana boys. 

 

I was going to go on with this and come up with drinks vs books for everyone but then I finally fell asleep. 

 

:smilielol5:  That's totally awesome, Amy!

 

I think you fell asleep because the attractive cabana boys were a nice idea to fall asleep to... ;)  :001_tt2: 

 

I have to go on a little tangent here.... As I read your post, I was thinking of not Violet, but Violent (per my gaffe many weeks ago) & was originally thinking V.C. would be a well-oiled Winchester rifle w/ lots of detailing, along with historical background because it had been handed down through the family & so on. Then I realized that I was totally wrong & in reality, V.C.'s reading taste would be more like a classical dagger (Et tu, Brute?) used through many early civilizations.

 

And, I'm a pacifist, so I don't even know why that stuff popped into my head & I'm certainly no expert on weaponry. :huh: :confused:  Of course, your 'spirited' analogies are much better! :hurray:

 

And then there's Eliana, traveling the world sampling the finest vintages and writing erudite articles for Wine Spectator.

 

Sounds spot-on!

 

Sounds good. Just ordered it on inter-library loan. I hope my DH doesn't pick it up at the library and read the summary; he might think I'm using it as a tutorial and will be bitterly disappointed.

 

:lol:

[Maus]

Completed:

Book # 51 - "Reinventing Your Life: The Breakthrough Program to End Negative Behaviour...and Feel Great Again" by Jeffrey E. Young, Ph.D., and Janset S. Klosko, Ph.D. Well, this was assigned reading for DH when he was in the Pysch ward last month. DH is a slow reader, though, because he's dyslexic, so he asked me to read it. Not quite sure how that's supposed to work. Some kind of learning by brain transference or something!  :laugh: It was okay, though.  I did identify some "lifetraps" of my own, and educated myself on the lifetraps the on-staff therapist identified by testing DH.

Book # 50 - "All But My Life" by Gerda Weissmann Klein.
Book #49 - "The Money Answer Book" by Dave Ramsey.
Book #48 - "Financial Peace Revisited" by Dave Ramsey.
Book #47 - "The Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey.
Book #46 - "The Bronze Bow" by Elizabeth George Speare.
Book #45 - "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad.  (WEM)
Book #44 - "The Gifts of Imperfection" by Brene Brown.
Book #43 - "I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn't)" by Brene Brown.
Book #42 - "Be Still: Using Principles of the Gospel to Lower Anxiety" by G. Sheldon Martin.
Book #41 - "Daring Greatly" - by Brene Brown.
Book #40 - "The New Testament" - Authorized King James Version (1611). (Inspiration)
Book #39 - "Teachings of Presidents of the Church - Lorenzo Snow"
Book #38 - "The Red Badge of Courage" by Stephen Crane. (WEM)
Book #37 - "Recovering Charles" by Jason F. Wright.
Book #36 - "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain. (WEM)
Book #35 - "Maphead" by Ken Jennings.
Book #34 - "Portrait of a Lady" by Henry James. (WEM)
Book #33 - "Earthly Deligihts" by Kerry Greenwood. (Australian author, Australian setting.)
Book #32 - "The Year of Learning Dangerously" by Quinn Cummings.
Book #31 - "The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)
Book #30 - "The Forgotten Affairs of Youth" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)
Book #29 - "The Charming Quirks of Others" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)
Book #28 - "I am Half-Sice of Shadows" by Alan Bradley. (Canadian author, English setting.)
Book #27 - ""Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs" by Ken Jennings.
Book #26 - "Because I Said So!: The Truth Behind the Myths, Tales & Warnings Every Generation Passes Down to Its Kids" by Ken Jennings.
Book #25 - "A Red Herring Without Mustard" by Alan Bradley. (Canadian author, English setting.)
Book #24 - "The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing" by Tarquin Hall. (British author, Indian setting.)
Book #23 - "The Lost Art of Gratitude" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)
Book #22 - "The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag" by Alan Bradley. (Canadian author, English setting.)
Book #21 - "Academic Homeschooling: How to Give Your Child an Amazing Education and Survive" by Tracy Chatters.
Book #20 - "The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)
Book #19 - "The Return of the Native" by Thomas Hardy. (WEM.)
Book #18 - "The Careful Use of Compliments" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)
Book #17 - "The Right Attitude to Rain" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)
Book #16 - "Inspector Singh Investigates: A Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder" by Shamini Flint. (Singaporean author, Malaysian setting.)
Book #15 - "Friends, Lovers, Chocolate" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)
Book #14 - "Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie" by Alan Bradley. (Canadian author, English setting.)
Book #13 - "Portuguese Irregular Verbs" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/]Scottish author, German character, German/Swiss/Italian/Ireland/Indian settings.)
Book #12 - "In Cold Pursuit" by Sarah Andrews. (Antarctica setting.)
Book #11 - "Anna Karenina" by Leo Nikoleyevich Tolstoy. (Russian; or WEM challenge.)
Book #10 - "The Sunday Philosophy Club" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)
Book #9 - "The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection" by Alexander McCall Smith. (]Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)
Book #8 - "The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)
Book #7 - "The Double Comfort Safari Club" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)
Book #6 - " Tea Time for the Traditionally Built" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)
Book #5 - "Crime and Punishment" by Fydor Dostoevsky. (Russian; or WEM challenge.)
Book #4 - "The Miracle of Speedy Motors" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)
Book #3 - "The Good Husband of Zebra Drive" by Alexander McCall Smith. (]Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)
Book #2 - "Blue Shoes and Happiness" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)
Book #1 - "In the Company of Cheerful Ladies" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)

[Stacia]

Well, this was assigned reading for DH when he was in the Pysch ward last month. DH is a slow reader, though, because he's dyslexic, so he asked me to read it. Not quite sure how that's supposed to work. Some kind of learning by brain transference or something!  :laugh:

A Vulcan Mind Meld, maybe? :tongue_smilie:

[Stacia]

Finished The Finno-Ugrian Vampire by Noémi Szécsi today. I felt some sections were 3 star worthy, while others were 4 star, so overall I'd give it 3.5 stars.

It's a sardonic, dark comedy (in the ancient Greek definition of comedy) of a vampire book, one of the few vampire stories written by a Hungarian author (& maybe one of the only ones then translated into English). Worth reading if you're a fan of vampire lit & also possibly for fans of Eastern European lit.

 

If anyone is interested in reading this book, let me know & I can mail it to you.

[6packofun]

Finished Me Before You by JoJo Moyes in one sitting last night.  lol  Really enjoyed it.