Book a Week in 2013 - week forty four

[mlbuchina]

I'm back from our 10 day trip to London, Bruge, and Paris.  Got a lot of reading done on the plane and trains.  I'd tell you guys all about it BUT while in London DH and I got the call that we got a match on our adoption! 

 

*squeeeeee*

 

She's due anytime so we're frantically getting ready to go just in case.  If we don't leave for a few days I'll be back to chat.

 

Also, I'm a little rusty on this newborn thing ... anyone have any books to recommend?  It's been nine years since I had a baby. 

 

Congratulations!!  The best baby book, IMO, is The Baby Book by Dr. Sears.  I love it so much, I give it as a baby shower gift.   :D

[trinchick]

I flew through Orange is the New Black. I heard from more than one source that if I watched the series I would likely find the book to be boring, but I didn't find that to be true at all. 

 

I read that one earlier this year but didn't care for it too much. I get that being in jail isn't fun, but her main complaints were the dearth of dark leafy greens (how many times could she say she didn't care for iceberg lettuce on the salad bar?) and a cranky boss. It also sounds like she spent the entire year entertaining visitors. And I was sick of her tone implying that she was the enlightened one who could non-judgmentally overstep cultural, class, and racial boundaries. It came across as patronizing to me. I didn't even realize it was a TV series. I'll have to look into it.

 

I'm back from our 10 day trip to London, Bruge, and Paris.  Got a lot of reading done on the plane and trains.  I'd tell you guys all about it BUT while in London DH and I got the call that we got a match on our adoption! 

 

*squeeeeee*

 

She's due anytime so we're frantically getting ready to go just in case.  If we don't leave for a few days I'll be back to chat.

 

Also, I'm a little rusty on this newborn thing ... anyone have any books to recommend?  It's been nine years since I had a baby. 

 

Wonderful news! Congratulations! My only book recommendation is Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child. It got us through many frustrating nights. Best wishes to your family as you welcome your daughter!

[Mom-ninja.]

Congratulations!!  The best baby book, IMO, is The Baby Book by Dr. Sears.  I love it so much, I give it as a baby shower gift.   :D

This is what I recommend. It's a staple.

[Lady Florida.]

 I didn't even realize it was a TV series. I'll have to look into it.

 

 

 

 

Be careful. I don't know what you are willing to watch, but the series (a Netflix original, meaning you can only see it on Netflix streaming) is different. There's a whole lot of lovin' goin' on, if you get my drift. Some of it is explicit. Do not, under any circumstances, even try to see what it's like with your kids around. According to your signature, you have young ones. I have a 16 year old and I'm quite liberal, and I still didn't watch it with him around.

[trinchick]

Be careful. I don't know what you are willing to watch, but the series (a Netflix original, meaning you can only see it on Netflix streaming) is different. There's a whole lot of lovin' goin' on, if you get my drift. Some of it is explicit. Do not, under any circumstances, even try to see what it's like with your kids around. According to your signature, you have young ones. I have a 16 year old and I'm quite liberal, and I still didn't watch it with him around.

 

Thanks for the warning! We don't have Netflix, so I guess it's a non-issue. No wonder I never heard of the series.

[Kareni]

I started and finished a good book last night.  It was a good read, and I recommend it!

 

The Rosie Project: A Novel by Graeme Simsion

 

"MEET DON TILLMAN, a brilliant yet socially challenged professor of genetics, who’s decided it’s time he found a wife. And so, in the orderly, evidence-based manner with which Don approaches all things, he designs the Wife Project to find his perfect partner: a sixteen-page, scientifically valid survey to filter out the drinkers, the smokers, the late arrivers.

Rosie Jarman is all these things. She also is strangely beguiling, fiery, and intelligent. And while Don quickly disqualifies her as a candidate for the Wife Project, as a DNA expert Don is particularly suited to help Rosie on her own quest: identifying her biological father. When an unlikely relationship develops as they collaborate on the Father Project, Don is forced to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie—and the realization that, despite your best scientific efforts, you don’t find love, it finds you.

Arrestingly endearing and entirely unconventional, Graeme Simsion’s distinctive debut will resonate with anyone who has ever tenaciously gone after life or love in the face of great challenges. The Rosie Project is a rare find: a book that restores our optimism in the power of human connection."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Jane in NC]

I started and finished a good book last night.  It was a good read, and I recommend it!

 

The Rosie Project: A Novel by Graeme Simsion

 

"MEET DON TILLMAN, a brilliant yet socially challenged professor of genetics, who’s decided it’s time he found a wife...

 

My father-in-law was a geneticist.  There are many family tales of how he applied his science to other aspects of his life.  "Brilliant yet socially challenged"? Sounds quite familiar...

[Giraffe]

I'm back from our 10 day trip to London, Bruge, and Paris. Got a lot of reading done on the plane and trains. I'd tell you guys all about it BUT while in London DH and I got the call that we got a match on our adoption!

 

*squeeeeee*

 

She's due anytime so we're frantically getting ready to go just in case. If we don't leave for a few days I'll be back to chat.

 

Also, I'm a little rusty on this newborn thing ... anyone have any books to recommend? It's been nine years since I had a baby.

Hooray!! Congratulations!!!

[Robin M]

I finished House of Leaves, my 52nd book of the year!    :party:

 

There is still lots of reading time left in the year, and I'm wondering just how much I can pack into it.   :D

Woohoo! 

 

Oh, did anyone else watch Dracula on Friday night?

Not yet. Will watch it in the next couple days! At least I know not to have high expectations!

 

I'm falling way way behind with reading. We leave in 9 days for our month long vacation in Europe, and it's ridiculous how much time it takes to prepare. The list is long and as soon as I cross something off I have to add something else.

 

Just yesterday my cousin emailed asking if I could find a Monster High doll for her daughter to take with me. So, I had to sacrifice my lovely Sunday to fight the traffic and crowd at Toys R Us to look for this specific doll.

 

Our friend wants a special hot sauce that is not even available where we live. I had to special order it. It didn't come in. So, I had to find another supplier and order it. Hoping it gets here in time.

 

I don't mind getting things for my friends and family, but why oh why do they have to ask for such obscure stuff? American flag beach towels, anybody? In October?! Yeah, have fun finding that.

 

Well, that had nothing to do with reading. Guess I just needed to vent.

 

I'm determined to finish my three books this week!

 

Oh, I don't plan on taking my Kindle with me. I think I'll just take a hardback. I'm just afraid I'll lose my Kindle or it'll get broken. Seems less painful to lose a paperback than my Kindle.

 

The question is how many books do I take? Which ones? Do I read pure mind candy or try and squeeze in some more serious stuff?

 

Doesn't that defeat the purpose of  having the Kindle?  So you don't have to carry lots of books.  One hardback?   I'd probably end up taking a small suitcase worth of books, with plans to buy more while I'm there if we were going.  I'm envious - a month in Europe. Will be living vicariously through your adventures.

 

 

I'm back from our 10 day trip to London, Bruge, and Paris.  Got a lot of reading done on the plane and trains.  I'd tell you guys all about it BUT while in London DH and I got the call that we got a match on our adoption! 

 

*squeeeeee*

 

She's due anytime so we're frantically getting ready to go just in case.  If we don't leave for a few days I'll be back to chat.

 

Also, I'm a little rusty on this newborn thing ... anyone have any books to recommend?  It's been nine years since I had a baby.

:grouphug: Congratulations!   Can't wait to see pictures!

 

 

 

 

We got back late yesterday and I'm exhausted.  Having an extremely lazy day at home and reading Poe's Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym.  About half way through at this point.   

[Stacia]

The question is how many books do I take? Which ones? Do I read pure mind candy or try and squeeze in some more serious stuff?

 

Can't wait to hear about your adventures!

 

I'm a packing minimalist (& I don't have an e-reader), so for a long trip like that, I might pack a small puzzle book & maybe 1 or 2 books that I wouldn't mind leaving behind after reading them. (Maybe also a magazine or two that I'd probably read in-flight & then leave in the airport.) Mind candy is good, imo, because if I'm sightseeing, traveling, catching up w/ relatives & old friends, & just absorbing the ambiance & culture of someplace different, I don't spend oodles of time reading ( :eek: ) -- will I be booted from the BaW thread for admitting that? I'd plan to definitely read light stuff, then ditch the books over there, giving me a little bit more packing room for bringing back other goodies from my trip.

 

And, as evidenced from my Tales of the Alhambra book, you can usually find plenty of other books to buy &/or read when traveling anyway. :D

 

 

[Mom-ninja.]

I hadn't thought leaving books behind. Good suggestion. I happen to have a Dan Brown book that cost me a whopping 50 cents. That would be perfect.

[Mothersweets]

Yep. I'm listening to the Patrick Tull audio versions and agree that he does an amazing job. I especially love how he says "pro-digious"!  I want to start throwing that around in my conversations with the same inflection.   But yeah, I am bored silly with Mauritius Command.   The first of the month is coming up when I'll have new credits to use at audible so will move on to Desolation Island.  Thanks for affirming my impressions!

 

I was so excited to find the sheet music for the Boccherini duet played by Aubrey and Maturin at the end of the movie.  I got a cellist friend to perform it with me recently!  This is awesome!

 

I'm looking forward to what you think of DI. :)

[Robin M]

If you have a nook, today's your lucky day.  Download 10 ebooks of  Ray Bradbury books for $1.99 each. 

 

Harper Voyager, the sci fi/fantasy imprint of Harper collins released 4 books today including # 11 in Kim Harrison's Hollow series  in paperback today - I just downloaded the very first book in the series to see if I like it.

 

Spooktacular ebook bargains (available at etailers everywhere)  are Joe Hill's Heart Shaped Box, Terri Garey Ghouls Night Out, Amy Plum's Die for Me, and Greg Iles (after a 5 year haitus) Natchez Burning.

 

Anne Lamotte's newest book is out -  Stitches: A handbook of meaning, hope and repair

 

November marks the 50th anniversary of C.S. Lewis death and Harper Collins will be releasing 7 ebook editions of his work.

 

 

 

 

I finished Poe's Narrative of Gordon Arthur Pym and while I found it interesting, not to terribly scary.  Before I dive into Jules Vernes An Antarctic Mystery,  Nora Robert's newest book arrived yesterday.  Dark Witch, the first book  in her latest series -The Cousin's Odywer - which I'll be burying myself in the next day or so. 

 

 

 

[ariasmommy]

Finished my October spooky read (I gave up on Coraline):

 

55. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux (audiobook) - I thought it a rather bizarre, but compelling story. I loved the descriptions of the labyrinth under the opera house.

 

Mind candy is good, imo, because if I'm sightseeing, traveling, catching up w/ relatives & old friends, & just absorbing the ambiance & culture of someplace different, I don't spend oodles of time reading ( :eek: ) -- will I be booted from the BaW thread for admitting that?

Nope. If I ever get to travel to Great Britain or anywhere else in Europe, I don't think I'll be reading much (except maybe on the planes/trains). There's so much I want to see!

[Robin M]

Can't wait to hear about your adventures!

 

I'm a packing minimalist (& I don't have an e-reader), so for a long trip like that, I might pack a small puzzle book & maybe 1 or 2 books that I wouldn't mind leaving behind after reading them. (Maybe also a magazine or two that I'd probably read in-flight & then leave in the airport.) Mind candy is good, imo, because if I'm sightseeing, traveling, catching up w/ relatives & old friends, & just absorbing the ambiance & culture of someplace different, I don't spend oodles of time reading ( :eek: ) -- will I be booted from the BaW thread for admitting that? I'd plan to definitely read light stuff, then ditch the books over there, giving me a little bit more packing room for bringing back other goodies from my trip.

 

And, as evidenced from my Tales of the Alhambra book, you can usually find plenty of other books to buy &/or read when traveling anyway. :D

 

 

 

Never thought of bringing a book or magazine to leave behind when I'm done with it. What a great idea.  I like mind candy when traveling on plane or car because hard to concentrate.  I'm an introvert so love to take it easy when we travel. Always build down time in our vacations so we have time to relax and read and just enjoy the vibe of the place.   Unlike my sisters who are always on the go and don't stop except to sleep.   Giving me the itchies to travel around Europe and build booking shopping in the itinerary.  Some day! 

 

No you won't be booted for admitting not having time to read. 

[mumto2]

I love The Hollow series! :)

 

 

 

If you have a nook, today's your lucky day.  Download 10 ebooks of  Ray Bradbury books for $1.99 each. 

 

Harper Voyager, the sci fi/fantasy imprint of Harper collins released 4 books today including # 11 in Kim Harrison's Hollow series  in paperback today - I just downloaded the very first book in the series to see if I like it.

 

Spooktacular ebook bargains (available at etailers everywhere)  are Joe Hill's Heart Shaped Box, Terri Garey Ghouls Night Out, Amy Plum's Die for Me, and Greg Iles (after a 5 year haitus) Natchez Burning.

 

Anne Lamotte's newest book is out -  Stitches: A handbook of meaning, hope and repair

 

November marks the 50th anniversary of C.S. Lewis death and Harper Collins will be releasing 7 ebook editions of his work.

 

 

 

 

I finished Poe's Narrative of Gordon Arthur Pym and while I found it interesting, not to terribly scary.  Before I dive into Jules Vernes An Antarctic Mystery,  Nora Robert's newest book arrived yesterday.  Dark Witch, the first book  in her latest series -The Cousin's Odywer - which I'll be burying myself in the next day or so.

[Jane in NC]

Never thought of bringing a book or magazine to leave behind when I'm done with it. What a great idea.  I like mind candy when traveling on plane or car because hard to concentrate.  I'm an introvert so love to take it easy when we travel. Always build down time in our vacations so we have time to relax and read and just enjoy the vibe of the place.   Unlike my sisters who are always on the go and don't stop except to sleep.   Giving me the itchies to travel around Europe and build booking shopping in the itinerary.  Some day! 

 

No you won't be booted for admitting not having time to read. 

 

B&Bs and hostels will often have bookcases for guests: Leave a book, take a book. 

 

My son picks up reading material in Oxfam stores around Britain.  Paperbacks are often a pound or two.

 

I once ran out of reading material when traveling in Poland as a poor college student.  The only English book that I found in a used bookstore was a collection of Sherlock Holmes stories.  That volume solidified my lifelong love of Holmes, a nice bit of serendipity behind the Iron Curtain.

 

[Jane in NC]

Frankenstein readers!  Did you hear the second hour of the Diane Rehm show today?  Her October book selection was Frankenstein; Diane's guests included two English profs and a science reporter.  Interesting conversation to be found here.

[Lady Florida.]

Frankenstein readers!  Did you hear the second hour of the Diane Rehm show today?  Her October book selection was Frankenstein; Diane's guests included two English profs and a science reporter.  Interesting conversation to be found here.

 

I missed it, but will listen to it online or my app later. Thanks for the heads up.

[Jane in NC]

I missed it, but will listen to it online or my app later. Thanks for the heads up.

 

You are welcome.  It was interesting to hear from the callers too, adults who were revisiting the book or reading it for the first time. 

[Kareni]

I didn't find most books about babies helpful, but I loved The Michael Olaf Company's catalog with its snippets of advice/information. 

 

 

Oh, I remember that catalog with great affection.  We bought our Tana Hoban books on their recommendation, and tucked away in the baby box is a wooden screw and bolt toy from there, too.  Thanks for the fun memories!

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

[Violet Crown]

Reading The Arabian Nights and The Divine Comedy, still. Why do I keep picking up huge books to read? Our used bookstore has a complete set of Decline and Fall in new condition for $18, and I was actually fingering a volume and thinking, "Hm, only 3,600 pages in all; I bet I could do that." And the little girls have been demanding extensive evening read-aloud time; as soon as I finish reading to one, the other demands Mommy. So I get to the end of the evening hoarse, exhausted, and just wanting to watch Columbo reruns on Netflix instead of reading to myself. If only I can get them through an entire book, I'll at least be able to count the read-alouds. Does anyone else deal with children who feel that Mommy's reading time is wasted if she's reading to herself?

 

Read "The Monkey's Paw" to Middle Girl this evening. She actually shivered in delighted terror. And now there's a thunderstorm brewing, and it will be my own fault if she's in my bed tonight.

[ladydusk]

B&Bs and hostels will often have bookcases for guests: Leave a book, take a book. 

 

The rental houses we've stayed at in the Outer Banks does this too.

[ladydusk]

I'm back from our 10 day trip to London, Bruge, and Paris.  Got a lot of reading done on the plane and trains.  I'd tell you guys all about it BUT while in London DH and I got the call that we got a match on our adoption! 

 

*squeeeeee*

 

She's due anytime so we're frantically getting ready to go just in case.  If we don't leave for a few days I'll be back to chat.

 

Also, I'm a little rusty on this newborn thing ... anyone have any books to recommend?  It's been nine years since I had a baby. 

 

Congrats, Amy! Prayers that all works out and it is a smooth transition adding the new little one!

[Lady Florida.]

Reading The Arabian Nights and The Divine Comedy, .

 

I'm still trying to work my way through Dante. I started reading it with a Goodreads group, got behind, and they finished. I still want to read it though, so I'm slowly working through it, and reading the archived discussions after each section (They split it up and scheduled about 10 Cantos at a time. I'm trying to follow their original schedule).

[Violet Crown]

floridamom,

 

Definitely read it, group or not. I'm not persuaded that it needs to, or even should be, read with annotations or discussion the first time.

[Onceuponatime]

Reading The Arabian Nights and The Divine Comedy, still. Why do I keep picking up huge books to read? Our used bookstore has a complete set of Decline and Fall in new condition for $18, and I was actually fingering a volume and thinking, "Hm, only 3,600 pages in all; I bet I could do that." And the little girls have been demanding extensive evening read-aloud time; as soon as I finish reading to one, the other demands Mommy. So I get to the end of the evening hoarse, exhausted, and just wanting to watch Columbo reruns on Netflix instead of reading to myself. If only I can get them through an entire book, I'll at least be able to count the read-alouds. Does anyone else deal with children who feel that Mommy's reading time is wasted if she's reading to herself?

 

Read "The Monkey's Paw" to Middle Girl this evening. She actually shivered in delighted terror. And now there's a thunderstorm brewing, and it will be my own fault if she's in my bed tonight.

 

I recall "Monkey's Paw" from  my literature book (8th or 9th grade?) I remember liking that much better than "The Lottery." Now THAT gave me weird dreams. I had one dream that a boy I had a crush on chose me from among other girls with a lottery. I got the black spot.  I wasn't so sure if I should be pleased or not.

 

I tried starting Decline and Fall 2 years ago and decided I'd much rather read something else, anything else.

[Mom-ninja.]

I love "The Lottery". It's one of my favorite short stories. 

[Lady Florida.]

I love "The Lottery". It's one of my favorite short stories. 

 

I've always loved that story even though I'm not a fan of short stories. It's the only thing I ever read by Shirley Jackson, and thought I would enjoy The Haunting of Hill House because she wrote it. I was disappointed mostly at myself for not liking it. I still want to try We Have Always Lived in a Castle though.

[Sarah CB]

I'm reading through the Giller Prize shortlist right now.  I got stuck after the first one.  Caught by Lisa Moore was pretty incredible, even though the topic wasn't exactly one I thought I'd be interested in.  Her writing is brilliant.  Seriously.  I took a detour from the shortlist and read her novel February (incredible - my favourite) and Alligator (also incredible).  Now I'm reading through a collection of her short stories, another novel on the short list and I'm listening to The Luminaries (winner of the Man Booker Award).

 

 

[Lady Florida.]

Fiction lover though I am, I've had a hard time lately finding one that grabs me. I've been blowing through non-fiction books pretty quickly. I started Carl Sagan's Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark, but have been trying to find a fiction book. I finally decided to start Disappearance in Drury Lane, which I pre-ordered a while back, and received last month. It's light enough to read at night, and might get me back to my beloved historical mysteries.

[Mom-ninja.]

I have Sagan's book on my wishlist but haven't gotten to it yet. Probably not vacation reading material though.

[mumto2]

I finally finished the books I have been working on this week!

 

"Single White Vampire" by Lynsay Sands -- it is the first Argeneau Vampire book written just not the first in the series. It was OK. Simply wasn't as good as I was expecting which left me disappointed. I do have the next one downloaded and will read it..

 

"Timeless" by Gail Carriger is the last book in the Souless seris and I loved it. There are apparently two spin off series but I don't have easy library access to them. Just wondering if anyone here has read them?

 

I tried to read Deaver's "October List" this morning. Already abandoned it. The book starts at the end and works backwards. Appears not to be part of the Lincoln Rhymes series. Not the book for me currently but might interest someone else.

 

I have the new J.D. Robb and Frankenstein to read next.

[Onceuponatime]

I just finished The Light Between the Oceans by M. L. Stedman. (Australia) It was emotional reading and I shed a few tears at the end.

[Jane in NC]

E,O. Wilson's Letters to a Young Scientist would be an excellent reading choice for your high school student.  And not just the science oriented ones!  This is a book written as a series of letters to a young person that explains how science works.

 

Wilson begins with his childhood in Alabama where he was fascinated by the natural world.  He was a quiet kid who loved roaming swamps and forests--collecting snakes and insects along the way.  He describes those qualities that he believes makes a successful scientist, describing himself I assume:
 

There is also an introversion in the innovator that keeps him from team sports and social events.  He dislikes authority, or at least being told what to do.  He is not a leader in high school or college, nor is he likely to be pledged by social clubs.  From an early age he s a dreamer, not a doer.  His attention wanders easily.  he likes to probe, to collect, to thinker.  He is prone to fantasize. He is not inclined to focus. We will not be voted by his classmates most likely to succeed.

 

 

What Wilson does very well is explain how a scientific theory is developed, tested and toyed with. Given the lack of understanding that I feel the public has on how science works, I think that his letter on the theory of chemical communication (pheromones) makes for excellent reading for your high school student so that he can see the difference between the mathematical theorems that he will study in Geometry and those proposed by scientists.  This is in Chapter 17, "The Making of Theories".  The next chapter offers a second look at the construction of scientific theory, this time of a more global vision, that of biogeography  The theory is young and bound to be tested and tweaked.  It is probably a good field of study for your student who never quite got over his preschool paleontology phase.

 

Last summer I was chatting with two microbiologists, one doing a post doc and one just starting her PhD, on how Molecular Biology is no longer the be all and end all.  For a while, it seemed that going to the molecular world was providing such great biological insight that the discipline itself would be forever changed.  My old school biologist friends mourn this new trend which takes students out of the field and has them staring into biological soups to isolate molecules.  Wilson writes:

 

Taxonomy is often spoken of as an old-fashioned discipline. Some of my friends in molecular biology used to call it stamp collecting.  (Maybe some still do.) But is emphatically not stamp collecting.  Taxonomy, or systematics, as it is often called to spiff up its image is fundamental to modern biology.  In technology it is conducted with the aid of sophisticated field and laboratory research, using DNA sequencing statistical analyses, and advanced information technologies. To take its place in basic biology, it is grounded in studies of phylogeny (the reconstruction of family trees) and in analyses of the genetics and geographical research devoted to the multiplication of species.

 

 

Wilson goes on to explain that there are so many undiscovered species, particularly microbes and insects. Field work has not lost its relevance, I am happy to report.  And he encourages young people to go into their back yards and get started!

 

 

[JennW in SoCal]

I love "The Lottery". It's one of my favorite short stories. 

 

For some reason a film version of "The Lottery" was shown to the 4th,5th and 6th graders at my elementary school every year.  There was no discussion related to it, we just filed into the cafeteria to sit on the floor and watch a movie.  We were always excited for the break from routine but then BOOM!  The Lottery.  It freaked me out when I was 9 and freaked me out the next 2 years I had to watch it.  I don't know if the Principal loved it, if he used it as some kind of cold war, anti-group-think propaganda or what, but needless to say I don't like the story.  Had to read it in 8th grade English, too.  

 

It's a week for some mystery reading, thanks partly to those irresistible Kindle daily deals.  I tried a Chief Inspector Gamache novel, Still Life by Louise Penny and am enjoying The Tooth Tattoo, a Peter Diamond Investigation book by Peter Lovesey.  The Tooth Tattoo has the added charm of featuring a string quartet.  Both are fine police procedurals with good characters, and yet not on par with the DI Banks mysteries I was devouring earlier this year. But I will likely read more titles in each series as I come across them, though I won't obsess over them the way I did the DI Banks series. 

[Jane in NC]

 

It's a week for some mystery reading, thanks partly to those irresistible Kindle daily deals.  I tried a Chief Inspector Gamache novel, Still Life by Louise Penny and am enjoying The Tooth Tattoo, a Peter Diamond Investigation book by Peter Lovesey.  The Tooth Tattoo has the added charm of featuring a string quartet.  Both are fine police procedurals with good characters, and yet not on par with the DI Banks mysteries I was devouring earlier this year. But I will likely read more titles in each series as I come across them, though I won't obsess over them the way I did the DI Banks series. 

 

Peter Diamond fan reporting in!  I have not read this latest though.  If you are intrigued, I would start at the beginning of the series because of the background story.  Enjoy!

 

[JennW in SoCal]

  And he encourages young people to go into their back yards and get started!

 

Which reminds me.  The Project Feeder Watch season starts next weekend.  It is the perfect homeschool science project from the comfort of your backyard, even from inside your house looking out the window.  Put up a feeder or two, perhaps a birdbath and start observing the birds that visit your backyard.  You report counts of birds on-line, data which researches at the Ornithology department at Cornell University, as well as scientists and college students across the USA, use.  

 

You'll love it so much you'll start reading books about birders and birding such as Big Year, or To See Every Bird.  

[Chocolate Rose]

I read that one earlier this year but didn't care for it too much. I get that being in jail isn't fun, but her main complaints were the dearth of dark leafy greens (how many times could she say she didn't care for iceberg lettuce on the salad bar?) and a cranky boss. It also sounds like she spent the entire year entertaining visitors. And I was sick of her tone implying that she was the enlightened one who could non-judgmentally overstep cultural, class, and racial boundaries. It came across as patronizing to me. I didn't even realize it was a TV series. I'll have to look into it.

 

DANG! I LOVE the show and picked up the book at Costco a couple of weeks ago. I guess I should have checked reviews before buying.

[Just Robyn]

I read that about 10 years ago when my niece came home to school after 7th grade. I wanted her to read it and love it, but she just couldn't get into it. I think she had been so brainwashed to confuse schooling with learning by that time and wanted nothing to do with learning. Her deschooling took almost a year. Fortunately she got over it and began to love learning again.

 

This is what I'm afraid of. I'm really enjoying the book, and I'd love to pass it to my children and have it inspire them and work as kind of a role model for them. But if they don't have the right attitude, it doesn't matter how good the book is. And if I'm the one giving them the book, they're even less likely to be open to it. *sigh*

[Storm Bay]

I've been working on stacked book poetry, and have a couple in my camera. Since I'm doing this with ds as end of the week English work, we went ahead & borrowed a number of books to have some fun with math (okay, that one is for me, but dd has a book  that got me on a tangent with math), etc. Sometimes I know a title I don't own that would work perfectly. Now I need to find the cord to upload the photos with. Either dh has it, or I put it in the attic one day in an attempt to clear the computer table (the entrance to the attic is not far away).

 

I'm still reading Jesus Wars and am slowly reading Allegiant; I'm not sure how much my current lack of interest in fiction is affecting my judgement of how well or poorly this story has been done, but the first was definitely better. Now I want to read e: the Story of a Number  because there is a delightful break in the book for a fictional conversation between JS Bach (who invented the modern tuning system for the piano, etc, that allows for someone to play any key without retuning) & Bernoulli. However, my math at this point may be too modest even for this book. Most of it is nonfiction, of course.

 

I will have more to say about E.O. Wilson's Letters to a Young Scientist after finishing the book. I will note now that this would have been a perfect selection for my son at age 13 or 14. Alas, it had not been published so instead I took him to hear the man in person when he lectured at the nearby university. The tech crew that night had trouble with the interface between Professor Wilson's laptop and the projector. This delayed the talk for a bit; then Wilson walked on stage and said that he had given more lectures without Power Point than with. The show would go on! (I was reminded of this incident while at a public meeting this week that was delayed for fifteen minutes because of technological issues. When the speaker finally got his Power Point to work, he was basically just reading us the slides! There was one illustration--one!--that added some meaning to his presentation. Argh.)

 

 

There was an issue of one of my kids' magazines once that was devoted to EO Wilson that was quite good. I actually saved this because at first I mixed up Wilson with something else, so my original comment doesn't apply. Both Wilson and this other author each wrote at least one book on a particular topic not appropos here. Just wrote this because Jane will see I replied & this way it won't be something non-existant.

[Sarah CB]

 

 

 

>I read February earlier this year, and was curious about her other stories.  I'm ashamed to admit >that I've never heard of the Giller Prize; I'll have to look over the lists so I can learn a little more >about Canadian literature.

 

I'm a big Canadian lit fan - and it's a good time to get into it.  Alice Munro (Canadian) just won the Nobel Prize for literature.

[Stacia]

I'm back from our 10 day trip to London, Bruge, and Paris.  Got a lot of reading done on the plane and trains.  I'd tell you guys all about it BUT while in London DH and I got the call that we got a match on our adoption! 

 

*squeeeeee*

 

She's due anytime so we're frantically getting ready to go just in case.  If we don't leave for a few days I'll be back to chat.

 

Also, I'm a little rusty on this newborn thing ... anyone have any books to recommend?  It's been nine years since I had a baby. 

 

Congrats, Amy!

 

As for books, I always found it handy to have the "What to Expect..." books around. So, I guess What to Expect the First Year. I liked the 'reference' sections that gave milestones, things to look for re: various illnesses, etc....

 

Stacia, this is rather funny. 

Similar thing happened a few years ago when I was covering the phones at our front desk. This lady called and asked for directions to the University before heading to our hotel. First, she said that she was so relieved that I actually spoke English. I thought, "Hmmm, that's odd." Then I started giving her directions. None of the places sounded familiar to her. She called me back from her cell phone a few times while she was on the road. She had me speak to someone who, she said, understands some English. That was right around the time I realized that she was calling me from Granada, Spain and looking for a hotel with the exact same name as ours. I mean, come on, what are the chances? Hilarious. She was stunned that she was calling the Caribbean and not Spain. Maybe Christopher Columbus should have taken a bit more time in naming the island :lol:.

And when we were at the airport in Tel Aviv a few years ago, they all gathered round to look at my Grenadian passport and thought it was so cute that I had a passport from Granada. I kept trying to explain to them, but it was no use. They thought it was so cute that I had my own passport and not one from Spain.

Don't know what's going on with the font thing here.

 

I had heard that story about the lady going to an unintended location. Sounds like the airlines at least handled the situation well for her, though. That was nice to read.

 

:laugh:  about your 'cute' passport.

 

I finished Poe's Narrative of Gordon Arthur Pym and while I found it interesting, not to terribly scary.  Before I dive into Jules Vernes An Antarctic Mystery, 

 

I wonder if you will find Poe & Verne to be very Oscar & Felix/Odd Couple-ish like I did....

 

If I ever get to travel to Great Britain or anywhere else in Europe, I don't think I'll be reading much (except maybe on the planes/trains). There's so much I want to see!

 

That's what I find. If I have free time, I enjoy just people-watching too.

 

I like mind candy when traveling on plane or car because hard to concentrate.  I'm an introvert so love to take it easy when we travel. Always build down time in our vacations so we have time to relax and read and just enjoy the vibe of the place.

 

:iagree: 

 

Those photos are gorgeous, Stacia!  ...I don't think I've read that book since I was a teen.  I've reread his Sketchbook several times in recent memory, but I should revisit this... but not, I think, this year!

 

I have a great photographer named Google Images. ;)  The Alhambra is such a beautiful place.

 

"The Lottery."

 

Everyone seems to have read this. I've never even heard of it. :confused:

 

I'm reading through the Giller Prize shortlist right now.  I got stuck after the first one.  Caught by Lisa Moore was pretty incredible, even though the topic wasn't exactly one I thought I'd be interested in.  Her writing is brilliant.  Seriously.  I took a detour from the shortlist and read her novel February (incredible - my favourite) and Alligator (also incredible).  Now I'm reading through a collection of her short stories, another novel on the short list and I'm listening to The Luminaries (winner of the Man Booker Award).

 

Nice to see you on the thread. Like Eliana, I had not heard of the Giller Prize. Will have to spend some time looking through their nominees. Thanks for mentioning it.  :thumbup1:  How are you liking The Luminaries???

[Stacia]

"Timeless" by Gail Carriger is the last book in the Souless seris and I loved it. There are apparently two spin off series but I don't have easy library access to them. Just wondering if anyone here has read them?

 

Is one of them the Etiquette & Espionage (YA) book? My dd has that one, but hasn't read it yet. I picked it up awhile ago & read the first chapter or two & thought it seemed fun. Haven't sat down to read the whole thing yet, though.

 

I just finished The Light Between the Oceans by M. L. Stedman. (Australia) It was emotional reading and I shed a few tears at the end.

 

I have the feeling that would be my reaction to the book too.

 

He describes those qualities that he believes makes a successful scientist, describing himself I assume:

 

Wow, wow, wow. That quote you posted sounds *exactly* like my dd. Exactly.

 

Which reminds me.  The Project Feeder Watch season starts next weekend.

 

Love doing this!!!

 

I've been working on stacked book poetry, and have a couple in my camera.

 

Can't wait to see them!

 

I sat down to print out a recipe, and ended up finishing off my replies, so I will further indulge myself by sharing my delight at a book I started yesterday:

 

Shadow of the Sun  by Ryszard Kapuscinski.  ...I've been exploring Hungarian, Czech, and Polish literature (when I'm finished them, and have a better sense of their quality/usefulness, I'll share the titles of the respective guides), and I tripped across this lovely little book.

 

Very neat. Thanks for sharing -- and can't wait to see your lists of Hungarian, Czech, & Polish lit.

 

I'm a big Canadian lit fan - and it's a good time to get into it.  Alice Munro (Canadian) just won the Nobel Prize for literature.

 

Any list of faves to recommend??? :001_smile:

[ariasmommy]

And I'm thinking about reading The Day I Became an Autodidact by Kendall Hailey.

Yours is the second mention of this book I've seen in the last few months, and it looks very interesting. :)

 

I sat down to print out a recipe, and ended up finishing off my replies, so I will further indulge myself by sharing my delight at a book I started yesterday:

 

Shadow of the Sun  by Ryszard Kapuscinski.  ...I've been exploring Hungarian, Czech, and Polish literature (when I'm finished them, and have a better sense of their quality/usefulness, I'll share the titles of the respective guides), and I tripped across this lovely little book.

Thanks for posting this! I've been wanting to read more about Africa, and this may be just the ticket.

 

Sadly, neither of these books is at my library, but I found used copies on Amazon. And my to-read list grows longer... :D

[Robin M]

For Stacia and those who have never read the short story, it's available online and a quick read - Shirley Jackson"s The Lottery

[mumto2]

Is one of them the Etiquette & Espionage (YA) book? My dd has that one, but hasn't read it yet. I picked it up awhile ago & read the first chapter or two & thought it seemed fun. Haven't sat down to read the whole thing yet, though.

 That is one of the series. I just looked at goodreads and the other series is to be released in 2014. Since it looked good to you I went ahead and put a request in. I never know how things will go with that library system but I have really enjoyed the other series so will give it a try.

 

Thanks for the link Robin. I vaguely remember the story and was going to find it for dd. She liked it I guess....thinks it is like "Hunger Games".

 

For Stacia and those who have never read the short story, it's available online and a quick read - Shirley Jackson"s The Lottery

[mumto2]

JennW and Jane-- Just requested the first Peter Diamond mystery "The Last Detective". Looking forward to trying them.

[mumto2]

Oh, I don't plan on taking my Kindle with me. I think I'll just take a hardback. I'm just afraid I'll lose my Kindle or it'll get broken. Seems less painful to lose a paperback than my Kindle.

 

The question is how many books do I take? Which ones? Do I read pure mind candy or try and squeeze in some more serious stuff?

I need reading material to travel well and having a huge variety available on my kindle has been a huge blessing. I was reluctant at first too but dh pointed out that the books are part of our amazon account and can be reloaded on another kindle. I still take an emergency paperback for take offs and landings. :lol:

[Lady Florida.]

It's a week for some mystery reading, thanks partly to those irresistible Kindle daily deals.  I tried a Chief Inspector Gamache novel, Still Life by Louise Penny and am enjoying The Tooth Tattoo, a Peter Diamond Investigation book by Peter Lovesey.  The Tooth Tattoo has the added charm of featuring a string quartet.  Both are fine police procedurals with good characters, and yet not on par with the DI Banks mysteries I was devouring earlier this year. But I will likely read more titles in each series as I come across them, though I won't obsess over them the way I did the DI Banks series.

 

I liked but didn't love Still Life. I will read others in the series, probably when I run out of my favorite detective stories, or if any of them go on special at Amazon. The Beautiful Mystery and A Trick of the Light were only $1.40, so I grabbed them. That was too hard to pass up. :)

 

Shadow of the Sun  by Ryszard Kapuscinski.  ...I've been exploring Hungarian, Czech, and Polish literature (when I'm finished them, and have a better sense of their quality/usefulness, I'll share the titles of the respective guides), and I tripped across this lovely little book.

 

Thank you for sharing. This looks really interesting.

 

Sadly, neither of these books is at my library, but I found used copies on Amazon. And my to-read list grows longer... :D

 Yes. It's a wonderful "problem" of frequenting these threads. :D