Robin M Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Happy Sunday, dear hearts! Today is the start of week 16 in our quest to read 52 Books. Welcome back to all our readers, to all those who are just joining in and to all who are following our progress. Mr. Linky is all set up on the 52 Books blog to link to your reviews. The link is below in my signature. 52 Books Blog - Book News: I'm elbow deep in tax land this weekend and would much rather be having fun at Efteling in the Netherlands. I just discovered the park during my armchair travels and have added it to my list of dreams places to go. Another dream place on my list is Ireland since many of my great great's originated from there. I think we still have cousins long removed in Cork County somewhere. I don't know why it is, but when I think of Ireland, poetry comes to mind. Which brings me to Seamus Heaney, 1995 Nobel Prize winner and Irish poet who passed away last year, and would have been 75 years old today. He shares his birthday with Irish playwright Samuel Beckett as well as Thomas Jefferson and Eudora Welty.Poetry that Moves Men to Tears ~ 100 poems including one from Heaney as well. Future Legends of Russian Literature at the London Book Fair.During the Los Angeles Festival of Books this weekend, the 2013 Innovator's Award went to John Green and the 2013 Book Prize Winner in fiction is Ruth Ozeki for A Tale for the Time Being. Kurt Vonnegut died 7 years ago and Brainpickings highlights a 1974 interview on limitations of the brain and why the universe exists. Plus they found a 1926 recording of Dorothy Parker reading Inscriptions for the Ceiling of the Bedroom. History of the Ancient World Readalong: Chapter 5 and 6 What are you reading this week? Link to week 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 13, 2014 Author Share Posted April 13, 2014 I'm still in 13th century England reading Falls the Shadow by Sharon Kay Penman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 History of the Ancient World, Chapters 5 & 6--check. I have made a bit of progress in The Language of Baklava. This memoir is quite delightful but life has offered so many distractions that I had shelved it temporarily. And the charm of Mary Stewart has pulled me in! I am reading This Rough Magic, particularly enjoying the descriptions of Corfu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I'm currently reading King of Shadows by Susan Cooper, a yankee boy wakes up as one of Shakespeare's players in the Globe Theater.( Or should that be Theatre?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I feel blessed to have been able to complete 3 books in the past week. I'm seldom able to do so. The Mill River Recluse - 3 Stars - a sweet, light, and fluffy read - the type that Sarah Addison Allen fans will probably like. Nothing incredible, just an enjoyable read. Maus - 5 Stars - I think it was Pam in CT who recommended it to me. Thank you! :D Fabulously done. That's all. The Dream - 5 Stars - Read it in one day. That should explain how great this book is. I liked this one even more than his first book - The Invisible Wall - as if that's even possible, since I love that one so much. Harry was 96 when he wrote this beautiful memoir. MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars Fantastic, couldn't put it down 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I finished The Silent Wife http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/jul/08/summer-reads-psychological-thriller-silent-wife on my kindle fire. One of the things that always worrys me when reading on my fire is that I tend to read really fast. This time I was glad to get through quickly. From the start you know that the wife becomes a murderer and from there on I was just waiting to get the murder over with. None of the characters were likable other than the husband's secretary. :lol: Obviously not a favourite although since it was compared to Gone Girl I didn't expect to absolutely love it. I did actually like it better then Gone Girl .... it was different with really dumb characters that just made me want to scream at their stupidity, frequently. Not sure what I am reading next. I have a Joan Smith which can't be renewed because of a hold so that on top of the pile. THE accident is on my kindle. By the author of The Expats which I enjoyed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I've read up to part two (Firsts) in History of the Ancient World - yay! I'm ahead. :) and I LOVED the story in the preface of Zimri-Lim and his daughters. It is stories like that that really make ancient people real to me. I don't remember listing this next book when I finished it a week or so ago, if I did, I'm sorry: The Young Clementina by D.E. Stevenson. Good read, not super exciting (and I figured out the 'big secret' almost right away) but it was still worthwhile. I enjoyed this author's Miss Buncle's Book much more. Mrs. Hurst Dancing by Diana Sperling. Delightful book of 70 watercolors done by a young lady between 1816-1819 or so living in rural England. There is additional text by the editor that helps to put things in context and adds to the overall charm of the book. I linked to an expensive one on Amazon but if you poke around a bit you can easily find an edition that is only a few dollars - that is what I did as I couldn't find one in my library system. I love thinking that if only Miss Sperling could have imagined that people 200 years into the future would be enjoying her watercolors, what might she have thought! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I've read up to part two (Firsts) in History of the Ancient World - yay! I'm ahead. :) and I LOVED the story in the preface of Zimri-Lim and his daughters. It is stories like that that really make ancient people real to me. I don't remember listing this next book when I finished it a week or so ago, if I did, I'm sorry: The Young Clementina by D.E. Stevenson. Good read, not super exciting (and I figured out the 'big secret' almost right away) but it was still worthwhile. I enjoyed this author's Miss Buncle's Book much more. Miss Buncle is in my stack! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Just posted this late last night, but I'll repost again.... (I don't know where I come across some of the strange & wonderful books I find, lol.) My favorite part from the descriptions I've posted is, "Clearfather embarks on a surreal odyssey of self-discovery across an America that resembles a vast amusement park designed by some unholy trinity of Walt Disney, Hunter S. Thompson, and Hieronymus Bosch." :lol: & :thumbup1: (Hope it lives up to the hype!) Am now starting: Zanesville by Kris Saknussemm WHO IS ELIJAH CLEARFATHER? Futuristic bioweapon or good old-fashioned messiah? Reincarnated ex-porn star or mutant information-age revolutionary? The man who awakens in New York City’s Central Park with no memory of his identity and the enigmatic message FATHER FORGIVE THEM F carved into the flesh of his back may be all of these things and more. Taken in (and then expelled) by a group of freedom fighters battling the soul-deadening Vitessa Cultporation, Clearfather is a stranger in an even stranger land. Following tantalizing clues that point to the gnomic Stinky Wiggler, and pursued by murderous Vitessa agents, Clearfather embarks on a surreal odyssey of self-discovery across an America that resembles a vast amusement park designed by some unholy trinity of Walt Disney, Hunter S. Thompson, and Hieronymus Bosch. Accompanying Clearfather is an unforgettable cast of characters–including Aretha Nightingale, an ex-football-playing drag queen; Dooley Duck and Ubba Dubba, hologram cartoon characters sprung outrageously to life; and the ethereally beautiful Kokomo, whose past is as much a mystery as Clearfather’s own. By turns hilarious and deeply moving, a savage, fiercely intelligent satire that is also a page-turning adventure and a transcendent love story, Zanesville marks the arrival of a brilliant new voice in fiction. Also, from Booklist: *Starred Review* This sweeping, satirical first novel envisions a not-so-distant future America in which earthquakes and holy wars have wreaked havoc on the national psyche, and the people are either reclusive and superrich or damaged victims of misguided technologies. Into this schizophrenic landscape steps Elijah Clearfather, a mysterious, super-mentally-gifted amnesiac who can bring his enemies to their knees simply by chanting tongue twisters. Found by a clandestine community of rebel hackers living in Central Park, Clearfather bears a striking resemblance to a former porn-star-turned-cult-leader executed, Waco-style, by the FBI. Possessing the ability to infiltrate and unhinge the minds of those around him, Clearfather is ultimately deemed too dangerous for community membership and is ceremoniously packed onto a Greyhound bus with a makeover and a map leading him back through his haunted past. Thus Clearfather is launched on a madcap journey that involves errant 3-D-advertising icon Dooley Duck; an unlikely friendship with a wealthy adolescent drug addict and Warhol, a mutant bull mastiff; and the love of Kokomo, an enigmatic girl whose past may be as mysterious as his own. Part picaresque, part brilliantly inventive black comedy, Zanesville is one of the most creative, edgy, and entertaining novels sf has spawned in a decade. -------------------------- My Goodreads Page My PaperbackSwap Page My rating system: 5 = Love; 4 = Pretty awesome; 3 = Good; 2 = Meh; 1 = Don't bother 2014 Books Read: 01. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (5 stars). Around the World – North America (USA). 02. This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper (3 stars). 03. Aiding and Abetting by Muriel Spark (3 stars). Around the World – Europe (England). 04. Sunjata by Bamba Suso & Banna Kanute (5 stars). Around the World – Africa (Gambia & Mali). 05. The Lunatic by Anthony C. Winkler (4 stars). Around the World – Caribbean (Jamaica). 06. The Joke by Milan Kundera (4 stars). Around the World – Europe (Czech Republic). 07. One Hundred Years of Vicissitude by Andrez Bergen (3 grudging stars). Around the World – Asia (Japan). 08. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley (5 stars). 09. The French Connection by Robin Moore (4 stars). Around the World – North America (USA). 10. The Way Through Doors by Jesse Ball (4 stars). 11. Eat for Health by Joel Fuhrman, M.D. (4 stars). 12. LoterÃa by Mario Alberto Zambrano (1 star). 13. Fantômas by Pierre Souvestre & Marcel Allain (3 stars). Around the World – Europe (France). 14. The Ways of White Folks by Langston Huges (5 stars). Around the World – North America (USA). 15. Asleep in the Sun by Adolfo Bioy Casares (3 stars). Around the World – South America (Argentina). 16. Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett (5 stars). 17. Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi (5 stars). 18. Boxer, Beetle by Ned Beauman (3 stars). Around the World – Europe (England). 19. Blood Oranges by Kathleen Tierney (3 stars). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 52 Books Blog - Book News: I'm elbow deep in tax land this weekend and would much rather be having fun at Efteling in the Netherlands. I just discovered the park during my armchair travels and have added it to my list of dreams places to go. Another dream place on my list is Ireland since many of my great great's originated from there. I think we still have cousins long removed in Cork County somewhere. I don't know why it is, but when I think of Ireland, poetry comes to mind. Which brings me to Seamus Heaney, 1995 Nobel Prize winner and Irish poet who passed away last year, and would have been 75 years old today. He shares his birthday with Irish playwright Samuel Beckett as well as Thomas Jefferson and Eudora Welty. Poetry that Moves Men to Tears ~ 100 poems including one from Heaney as well. Future Legends of Russian Literature at the London Book Fair. During the Los Angeles Festival of Books this weekend, the 2013 Innovator's Award went to John Green and the 2013 Book Prize Winner in fiction is Ruth Ozeki for A Tale for the Time Being. Kurt Vonnegut died 7 years ago and Brainpickings highlights a 1974 interview on limitations of the brain and why the universe exists. Plus they found a 1926 recording of Dorothy Parker reading Inscriptions for the Ceiling of the Bedroom. So many fabulous links this week, Robin! Thanks!!! Maus - 5 Stars - I think it was Pam in CT who recommended it to me. Thank you! :D Fabulously done. That's all. The Dream - 5 Stars - Read it in one day. That should explain how great this book is. I liked this one even more than his first book - The Invisible Wall - as if that's even possible, since I love that one so much. Harry was 96 when he wrote this beautiful memoir. Will have to look into both of these. I've had Maus on my radar for awhile, just haven't gotten around to it yet. Love your posts of graphics/books this week. it was different with really dumb characters that just made me want to scream at their stupidity, frequently. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I'm away from home for about three weeks on a trip with my mother and sister. We'll be visiting family and seeing some sights along the way. I'll have limited or no internet from here on. Happy reading! I'll catch up with all you share upon my return home. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Have fun, Kareni! We'll miss seeing you here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 History of the Ancient World Readalong: Chapter 5 and 6 Oh, this is great - I wasn't sure if it was going to just be free reading or if we were going to follow a schedule. I will stick with what you guys are all reading. Still reading Cutting for Stone - I'm past the halfway mark and starting to, dare I say, enjoy it. If not enjoying, at least looking forward to reading it. I will finish that in the next few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Hope you have a great time Kareni! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I finished reading I Am Livia by Phyllis T. Smith last night. It's the book I chose as April's Kindle First freebie. It's historical fiction written like Livia Drusilla, at the end of her life, is recording her memoirs from the time right before Julius Caesar was murdered until right after the Battle of Actium. I found it to be fascinated and the writing was beautiful. Really made me curious about the real life of Livia. She was the husband, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother of 5 Roman emperors. That was my 26th book this year. Now I'm reading Austenland by Shannon Hale. Just a silly, easy read. I love the movie so when the book was one of the $1.99 Kindle Daily Deals recently I jumped on it (I have well over 300 books in my "to read" folder on my Kindle, plus some paper books I got at library sales on my shelf waiting to be read, so my rule is I can't get any books unless they are free or on sale *and* a book on my wish list... even with those rules I still manage to add 3 or 4 books most weeks thanks to my BookBub emails and the occasional wish list book that pops up as a daily deal... I think I have a book problem...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I finished reading I Am Livia by Phyllis T. Smith last night. It's the book I chose as April's Kindle First freebie. It's historical fiction written like Livia Drusilla, at the end of her life, is recording her memoirs from the time right before Julius Caesar was murdered until right after the Battle of Actium. I found it to be fascinated and the writing was beautiful. Really made me curious about the real life of Livia. She was the husband, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother of 5 Roman emperors. That was my 26th book this year. I downloaded that one too, so I'm glad you reviewed it. Thanks! I believe I finished The Devil in the White City last Sunday, so it didn't quite make it to my -finished- list last week. Then I read volumes 4, 5 and 6 of Osamu Tezuka's Buddha series (just two volumes left), and yesterday I started Insurgent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 It's National Library week! :party: We should all be celebrating! Oxford University Press is giving away free online resources until April 19! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 14, 2014 Author Share Posted April 14, 2014 We finished the taxes and had our annual hissy fit about paying so much. However very grateful the business is successful for another year and we can afford to pay it off without going into debt. Something I have to remind my hubby of each time. Have to file an extension since 2012 is still being audited, but still have to pay the full amount to avoid penalties. I need a stress break. Think I'll browse through Barnes and Noble tomorrow and treat myself. On ipad so ~cheeky grin~. I'm in the mood for something different. You get to choose ladies. Tell me what your favorite book so far this year had been and I will get one or two or three....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Well my favourite was the one I just listed in the previous thread, The Sowers by Henry Seton Merriman. While it is nothing new or amazing, I enjoyed it and notice the ebook was available for free on Amazon, in case that is any use to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I need a stress break. Think I'll browse through Barnes and Noble tomorrow and treat myself. On ipad so ~cheeky grin~. I'm in the mood for something different. You get to choose ladies. Tell me what your favorite book so far this year had been and I will get one or two or three....... If you're looking for a stress break ( :grouphug: ), I'll stick to 'fun' books (rather than heavier reading). My recs from the last year or so... Bad Monkeys (because it's bizarre & weird & funny & different) Angelmaker (rip-roaring fun) Mr. Fox (clever & charming) Blood Oranges (because you like paranormal) Can't wait to see what other recs you get because I'll be making a list too! :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 This week I've been reading The Autoimmune Epidemic by Donna Jackson Nakazawa. This has been very informative. When people talk about environmental toxins being the cause of increased numbers of food allergies, autoimmune illnesses, or autism, I understand much better how this could be. Well-explained, well-written. I have two 14-day books from the library now--Orphan Train and Philomena--so those will be next up for me. And I'm on track with History of the Ancient World which I'm finding to be pretty enjoyable and easy reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Today I read Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver. It was a sad, sweet book about loss and the magic of life. Very charming children's novel. I hope dd9 likes it as much as I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uff Da! Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 We finished the taxes and had our annual hissy fit about paying so much. However very grateful the business is successful for another year and we can afford to pay it off without going into debt. Something I have to remind my hubby of each time. Have to file an extension since 2012 is still being audited, but still have to pay the full amount to avoid penalties. I need a stress break. Think I'll browse through Barnes and Noble tomorrow and treat myself. On ipad so ~cheeky grin~. I'm in the mood for something different. You get to choose ladies. Tell me what your favorite book so far this year had been and I will get one or two or three....... Have you read Song of Achilles? The author spent a decade working on it and the effort shows. I finished Gulliver's Travels today and by the end really liked it. I think Swift let loose at the end and was brazen about making his points. You all convinced me to try The Language of Baklava so I am waiting for that to arrive at my library. Herodotus's Histories is on my library hold list now too. In the meantime, I started Gawain and the Green Knight and have Pride and Prejudice on standby. I keep eyeing C.S. Lewis's Surprised by Joy, but I am worried about overwhelming myself with too many library books that need to be read ASAP. I'm waiting on that one. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Welllll.....I planted my butt on our brand new patio and finished Cutting for Stone this afternoon. I thought that it was broad in scope and characterization, and I liked that. I read a lot of reviews that said the book would have benefited from a good editor and could of had a 100+ pages trimmed, but I tend to enjoy things that are as wide as this novel was. I felt very entrenched in the novel and the characters. I thought that it was slow to start (v.e.r.y. s.l.o.w.) and that it lagged in areas and felt rushed in other areas, however, I guess I am glad that I read it. I don't necessarily agree with all the messages I *think* the author was conveying. I was extremely disappointed in some of the actions of the main character near the end of the book. It took me a good while to figure out a few things after I finished, but now that I figured those things out, I feel satisfied with the novel. I wasn't pleased that some characters died, but so it goes. There were parts of this book that were a bit over the top and made me nauseous and uncomfortable, but that can be a good thing. I'm going to go with 3 1/2 stars on this, and hopefully after chewing over the themes a bit tonight, I'll settle on either a 3 or 4 star rating. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 My reading week was lean. I finished The Birth House and thoroughly enjoyed it. I started Untie the Strong Woman both as an audiobook and a paper copy and am really enjoying both forms. I started, barely, The Midwife of Venice, and while it's too soon to tell whether I'll like it or not I do find myself drawn to the protagonist. Hoping to finish up chapter 4 of SotAW tonight to keep on track for this week's 5th and 6th chapters. Everything else, reading-wise, fell by the wayside this week. Kareni, have a wonderful time away. We'll miss your posts but look forward to hearing from you upon your return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 How interesting it must be to have so much to read about one's religion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Robin, Here are my suggestions...... Angelmaker A Tale for the Time Being Boy, Bird,Snow Heresy by SJ Parrish -- 16th century England What Angels Fear by CS Harris Dark Currents, Agent of Hel by Jacqueline Carey. - The only really enjoyable paranormal that I have read lately that didn't originate from your suggestions! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Started reading:A Neglected Grace: Family Worship in the Christian Home by Jason HelopoulosStill reading: The Light Between Oceans by ML StedmanFinished reading: 1. The Curiosity by Stephen Kiernan (AVERAGE)2. The Last Time I Saw Paris by Lynn Sheene (GOOD)3. Unwind by Neal Shusterman (EXCELLENT)4. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty (EXCELLENT)5. The Rage Against God: How Atheism Led Me to Faith by Peter Hitchens (AMAZING)6. Champion by Marie Lu (PRETTY GOOD)7. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink (INCREDIBLE) 8. Cultivating Christian Character by Michael Zigarelli (HO-HUM)9. Detroit: An American Autopsy by Charlie LeDuff (um...WOW. So amazing and sad)10. Pressure Points: Twelve Global Issues Shaping the Face of the Church by JD Payne (SO-SO)11. The Happiness Project: Or Why I spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun. by Gretchen Rubin (GOOD)12. Reading and Writing Across Content Areas by Roberta Sejnost (SO-SO)13. Winter of the World by Ken Follet (PRETTY GOOD)14. The School Revolution: A New Answer for our Broken Education System by Ron Paul (GREAT)15. Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen (LOVED IT)16. Beyond the Hole in the Wall: Discover the Power of Self-Organized Learning by Sugata Mitra (GOOD)17. Can Computers Keep Secrets? - How a Six-Year-Old's Curiosity Could Change the World by Tom Barrett (GOOD)18. You Are Not So Smart: Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself by David McRaney (GOOD)19. Hollow City by Ransom Riggs (OK)20. Follow Me by David Platt (GOOD)21. The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking by Oliver Burkeman (SO-SO) 22. Falls the Shadow by Sharon Kay Penman (OK) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I'm still in 13th century England reading Falls the Shadow by Sharon Kay Penman. Just finished this one. It took me about two weeks to get through it. I liked the first book better. This one was only OK for me. It needed more romance. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Sometimes I feel panicky when I think of all the books I want to read and how short life is. I will never get to them all! I want all authors to stop writing any new books until I get caught up. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I want all authors to stop writing any new books until I get caught up. :D Bet you don't really. :eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 One of the things that always worrys me when reading on my fire is that I tend to read really fast. I have this problem also. If given a choice, I would much, much rather read a hard copy than on the Kindle. Just posted this late last night, but I'll repost again.... (I don't know where I come across some of the strange & wonderful books I find, lol.) My favorite part from the descriptions I've posted is, "Clearfather embarks on a surreal odyssey of self-discovery across an America that resembles a vast amusement park designed by some unholy trinity of Walt Disney, Hunter S. Thompson, and Hieronymus Bosch." Love it! :lol: Will have to look into both of these. I've had Maus on my radar for awhile, just haven't gotten around to it yet. Love your posts of graphics/books this week. Yes, Maus was very good. I didn't want it to end. Thanks your sweet comments. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Good morning ladies! I am delighted to report that (after the longest coldest miserablest winter in memory) spring has finally, finally come to CT... I spent much of the weekend clearing my flower beds and planting containers, and last night we had friends over and actually sat out on the patio before dinner for the first time this year... aaahhhh... This will doubtless be bad for my reading, but oh-so good for my soul. I don't know why it is, but when I think of Ireland, poetry comes to mind. Which brings me to Seamus Heaney, 1995 Nobel Prize winner and Irish poet who passed away last year, and would have been 75 years old today. He shares his birthday with Irish playwright Samuel Beckett as well as Thomas Jefferson and Eudora Welty. Poetry that Moves Men to Tears ~ 100 poems including one from Heaney as well. It reveals how much I've been conditioned by the Internet and its free and instant gratification... when I followed this link and realized I actually had to buy and read the book to see what poems moved Heaney and Rushdie to tears, I was outraged!! :laugh: Maus - 5 Stars - I think it was Pam in CT who recommended it to me. Thank you! :D Fabulously done. That's all. The Dream - 5 Stars - Read it in one day. That should explain how great this book is. I liked this one even more than his first book - The Invisible Wall - as if that's even possible, since I love that one so much. Harry was 96 when he wrote this beautiful memoir. I'm glad you found Maus worthwhile. I'm definitely going to look for The Dream. I finished Invisible Wall last week, I think at your recommendation. I had forgotten until two-thirds in that it was a memoir -- it read like a novel. I can't believe the man didn't start writing until he was in his eighties! I'm away from home for about three weeks on a trip with my mother and sister. We'll be visiting family and seeing some sights along the way. I'll have limited or no internet from here on. Happy reading! I'll catch up with all you share upon my return home. Regards, Kareni How delightful! I fantasize about doing a trip like that with my mother... Enjoy! It's National Library week! :party: We should all be celebrating! Oxford University Press is giving away free online resources until April 19! Wow! Thanks for that link -- I will come back to it when I have more time to browse. Do the books go onto Kindles, or just sit on your laptop? I finished Gulliver's Travels today and by the end really liked it. I think Swift let loose at the end and was brazen about making his points.You all convinced me to try The Language of Baklava so I am waiting for that to arrive at my library. Cheers! Both of these are on my list, now... Come Thief: poems by Jane Hirschfield: I am continuing to stretch myself here with modern poetry. There was much I enjoyed, but I realized that if most of what I'd encountered had been the (lovely) modern poetry I've been reading lately, I would never have loved poetry the way I do now, nor been able to appreciate these poets.... perhaps I need a little Dickinson or Frost or Keats or... oooh! I could officially ditch Two Noble Kinsmen and read some Shakespearean sonnets! [Have I mentioned how much I hate TNK? Always have. Even in production. It is on my list this year for my Shakespearean Apocrypha challenge... but I picked it when Robin challenged us to read something w/ a number in the title. ...I think I could reread the entire canon faster than I'm reading (or not reading) this play. I know most folks have accepted this as canonical, but I refuse to... I just can't see it. ] LOL! You go, girl! It's not supposed to be dreadful! I have Come Thief on my Poetry Month shelf too... haven't gotten to it yet... Have a wonderful Passover. Sometimes I feel panicky when I think of all the books I want to read and how short life is. I will never get to them all! I want all authors to stop writing any new books until I get caught up. :D :laugh: Except... Not really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 We finished the taxes and had our annual hissy fit about paying so much. However very grateful the business is successful for another year and we can afford to pay it off without going into debt. Something I have to remind my hubby of each time. Have to file an extension since 2012 is still being audited, but still have to pay the full amount to avoid penalties. I need a stress break. Think I'll browse through Barnes and Noble tomorrow and treat myself. On ipad so ~cheeky grin~. I'm in the mood for something different. You get to choose ladies. Tell me what your favorite book so far this year had been and I will get one or two or three....... Hard to like a post referring to the dreadful audit, but I am truly glad that your business had a successful year. Sometimes I feel panicky when I think of all the books I want to read and how short life is. I will never get to them all! I want all authors to stop writing any new books until I get caught up. :D Funny, I share this sentiment--and I mostly read dead authors! They must be penning them from their graves! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Tell me what your favorite book so far this year had been and I will get one or two or three....... Watership Down looks to be the only book I've read this year to which I've given 5 stars. It was fun and easy, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Sometimes I feel panicky when I think of all the books I want to read and how short life is. I will never get to them all! I want all authors to stop writing any new books until I get caught up. :D Oh, my gosh! I have TOTALLY felt that way! I thought I was the only one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElaineJ Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I have a friend who is a devoted fan of Jasper Fford, so I read The Eyre Affair this week at her recommendation. It was entertaining brain candy, which is fun sometimes. :001_smile: It felt a bit like reading Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. I am now reading A Tale for the Time Being but haven't gotten too far into the story yet. Elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Pam, I'm on my Fire and it doesn't make posting easy, but I wanted to share links for the poems you wanted to see. Heaney chose Hardy's The Voice and Rushdie chose Auden's poem in memory of Yeats. links: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/184537 http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15544 (The Amazon look inside feature gives the TOC & many of the poems are available online - though this is a collection I want to browse through 'in person' ....perhaps a nice way to have a blend of some old favorites w/a few new treasures to discover) Aww, you're the best, and a more determined sleuth than I... The Voice is lovely, isn't it? I liked bits of the Auden as well, particularly Part II: "Now Ireland has her madness and her weather still / For poetry makes nothing happen / It survives.." but overall not as much. Rushdie has such an extraordinary, poetic delight in language I was curious what would move him... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Pam, I'm on my Fire and it doesn't make posting easy, but I wanted to share links for the poems you wanted to see. Heaney chose Hardy's The Voice and Rushdie chose Auden's poem in memory of Yeats. links: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/184537 http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15544 (The Amazon look inside feature gives the TOC & many of the poems are available online - though this is a collection I want to browse through 'in person' ....perhaps a nice way to have a blend of some old favorites w/a few new treasures to discover) I will likely never pick up a book of poetry to read for pleasure, but I do enjoy the poems y'all either post or link. Especially these two which really transported me out of my morning and into an island painted with beautiful words. Then again the Auden poem reminded me of just how ignorant I still am as I don't really know anything about Yeats, sending me right back to the real world! I'm still reading the modern Frankenstein-like novel Strange Bodies by Marcel Theroux. Stacia, this one is right up your alley with its wonderful mish-mash of genres, but this is a blanket recommendation. The writing is just beautiful and this younger Theroux (he is Paul Theroux's son) can really pull you into a story with vivid characters and surroundings. I'm also about half way through Treason's Harbour, the 9th in the Master and Commander series, and I'm still dabbling in Dante. I failed in keeping up with the Canto-a-day plan, but listening to a BBC radio 4 dramatization inspired me to not give up on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 So, this week I finished Harry Bernstein's The Invisible Wall: A Love Story that Broke Barriers, which I think was Negin's recommendation; a coming-of-age memoir set in a working class London neighborhood prior/during/after World War I. The "wall" refers to the great social divide between the Christians, who lived on one side of the street; and the Jews, who lived on the other; and the love story to his older sister's marriage across the line. Beautifully written. It reminded me a bit of Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes. Also, The Nazi Officer's Wife: How One Jewish Woman Survived the Holocaust, another memoir by Edith Beer, telling her story of going underground (living as a "U-boat," a submarine under the surface of Vienna society). This is a nearly unbelievable story, of how she and a handful of other young adults, identified as Jewish and sought for deportation by the Nazi regime, managed to obtain false identities and survive the war living in plain, chronically terrorized, sight. Really fascinating story, though the writing is not as strong as Bernstein's. For my IRL interfaith book group, I read Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh's Peace is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life. He is always such a delight, and this one is no exception. Here is one of so many of his easy-peasy, interfaith infused, gentle calls for attentiveness: "In my (Buddhist) tradition, we use the temple bells to remind us to come back to the present moment. Every time we hear the bell, we stop talking, stop our thinking, and return to ourselves, breathing in and out, and smiling... Since I have come to the West, I have not heard many Buddhist temple bells. But fortunately, there are church bells all over Europe.. Whenever I give a lecture in Switzerland, I always make use of the church bells to practice mindfulness. When the bell rings, I stop talking, and all of us listen to the full sound of the bell. We enjoy it so much. (I think it is better than the lecture!) When we hear the bell, we can pause and enjoy our breathing and get in touch with the wonders of life that are around us -- the flowers, the children, the beautiful sounds. Each time we get back in touch with ourselves, the conditions become favorable for us to encounter life in the present moment." (Sigh. Me, it seems I need a lot of these kinds of reminders, over and over and over...) And I also read Elana Bell's collection of poems, Eyes, Stones, which Eliana had recommended a couple months ago. I found a number of these to be painful to read -- processing the Israeli - Palestinian conflict, often taking the same theme from different points of view in turn. One thing to do this with the Isaac / Hagar / Ishmael story; another with today's almond trees. It was especially good to read Bell's poems coming directly from Thich Nhat Hanh; it exemplified what he calls "non-duality: Not two." -- "We need the vision of inter being -- we belong to each other; we cannot cut reality into pieces. The well-being of "this" is the well-being of "that," so we have to do things together. Every side is "our side"; there is no evil side. Veterans have experience that makes them the light at the tip of the candle, illuminating the roots of war and the way to peace." This, from a man who endured his own horrors, and lived to devote his life to peace... Still in progress: I am nearly to the end of To the End of the Land, on the penultimate disc of the 26 hour audio marathon of David Grossman's book. I have much to say about this but will wait until I'm actually done. My daughter and I are on the home stretch of Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (ahhh...), and I've picked up a new dusty, the eighth century Ulster epic The Tain, also at Eliana's urging. This has not yet come together for me. I'm hoping for a bit more narrative continuity... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I will likely never pick up a book of poetry to read for pleasure, but I do enjoy the poems y'all either post or link. Especially these two which really transported me out of my morning and into an island painted with beautiful words. Then again the Auden poem reminded me of just how ignorant I still am as I don't really know anything about Yeats, sending me right back to the real world! Ah, Yeats' real world story is larger than fiction! Not just a poet, not just a revolutionary... he also founded the Abbey Theatre, which itself played an instrumental role in the drive for sovereignty and even dabbled at painting (his brother was The Family Artiste, but there are several of WB's works handing in the Abbey. Who knew?) Fascinating stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Now I'm reading Austenland by Shannon Hale. Just a silly, easy read. I love the movie so when the book was one of the $1.99 Kindle Daily Deals recently I jumped on it I read Austenland this year at my dd's request. I liked the book better than the movie, though it was kind of hard separating the two because I saw the movie when I was halfway through the book :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I have a friend who is a devoted fan of Jasper Fford, so I read The Eyre Affair this week at her recommendation. It was entertaining brain candy, which is fun sometimes. :001_smile: It felt a bit like reading Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. I am now reading A Tale for the Time Being but haven't gotten too far into the story yet. Elaine I totally enjoyed The Eyre Affair when I read it years ago. I keep meaning to read some other books from that series. Hope you love A Tale for the Time Being! I'm still reading the modern Frankenstein-like novel Strange Bodies by Marcel Theroux. Stacia, this one is right up your alley with its wonderful mish-mash of genres, but this is a blanket recommendation. The writing is just beautiful and this younger Theroux (he is Paul Theroux's son) can really pull you into a story with vivid characters and surroundings. Oh, thanks! Looks like the out-of-county library system I use has it (but I'm a few down on the waitlist). I keep thinking of you because ds is busy reading Terry Pratchett's newest book, Raising Steam. He's really enjoying it & I want to read it too, but it may not be during this library check-out cycle. (Since it's still so new, it's only being loaned out for 2 week intervals. Not sure I'll be done w/ my books before the Pratchett book needs to be returned.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 24 Awesome Librarian Tattoos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I totally enjoyed The Eyre Affair when I read it years ago. I keep meaning to read some other books from that series. Hope you love A Tale for the Time Being! Oh, thanks! Looks like the out-of-county library system I use has it (but I'm a few down on the waitlist). I keep thinking of you because ds is busy reading Terry Pratchett's newest book, Raising Steam. He's really enjoying it & I want to read it too, but it may not be during this library check-out cycle. (Since it's still so new, it's only being loaned out for 2 week intervals. Not sure I'll be done w/ my books before the Pratchett book needs to be returned.) Raising Steam is my next audible download, as both my ds and I enjoy listening to Stephen Briggs's narration! We're so very excited to have a new Pratchett to share! I was thinking I'd love to lend you Strange Bodies when I'm done with it, and then was struck with the idea that maybe we should come up with a BaW book sharing club. Use flat-rate box from the post office and send a box of favorite titles out to a fellow BaWer. That person could take a book or two, add a book or two, then send it on to someone else. Sort of a Flat-Stanley book club. We could write notes in the margins, send along favorite tea bags or post cards or knitting patterns or something. Of course including our overseas pals might be more of a challenge... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I was thinking I'd love to lend you Strange Bodies when I'm done with it, and then was struck with the idea that maybe we should come up with a BaW book sharing club. Use flat-rate box from the post office and send a box of favorite titles out to a fellow BaWer. That person could take a book or two, add a book or two, then send it on to someone else. Sort of a Flat-Stanley book club. We could write notes in the margins, send along favorite tea bags or post cards or knitting patterns or something. Of course including our overseas pals might be more of a challenge... Fun idea! I could try to participate, but I do get a lot of the books I read from the library, lol. (I can still come up w/ some books to send, though.) Over the past year or two, I have sent a few books on to fellow BaWers (& they have shared a few w/ me too). We need a flat librarian or something that could go along & then each person to get the box would have to take a photo of the flat librarian on their bookcases, or in their library, or out & about in town, etc.... :lol: Hey, for overseas pals, we could send postcards saying hi. I say that because Rosie did the awesome postcard send-out from Hanging Rock if you read Picnic at Hanging Rock. (Which I most certainly read because I considered it to be uber cool to receive a postcard from the locale & the better bonus that it was from Rosie!) :coolgleamA: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murmer Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Finished: FIAR through the Seasons by Jane C. Lambert and Becky Jane Lambert Shatter by Elizabeth C. Mock (I ended up enjoying this but it took about 1/2 the book to get a good feel for it) Working on: Fiction: Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer Kindle: The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim (this is a switch but its the book club book for this month so I figure I should read it) Non-fiction: The Writing Road to Reading by Romalda Bishop Spalding Phone: The Anvil of the World by Kage Baker Computer: Don’t Just Do by Richard Eyre Well Education Mind: Gulliver Travels by Johnathan Swift Angel Girl: Water Babies by Charles Kingsley Sweet Boy: Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tales Book Audiobook: Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Berry and Ridley Pearson Total Read for 2014: 52 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Fun idea! I could try to participate, but I do get a lot of the books I read from the library, lol. (I can still come up w/ some books to send, though.) Over the past year or two, I have sent a few books on to fellow BaWers (& they have shared a few w/ me too). We need a flat librarian or something that could go along & then each person to get the box would have to take a photo of the flat librarian on their bookcases, or in their library, or out & about in town, etc.... :lol: Hey, for overseas pals, we could send postcards saying hi. I say that because Rosie did the awesome postcard send-out from Hanging Rock if you read Picnic at Hanging Rock. (Which I most certainly read because I considered it to be uber cool to receive a postcard from the locale & the better bonus that it was from Rosie!) :coolgleamA: I would be happy to do some postcards over the summer. Heathersage area/Jane Austen, Whitby/Stoker, and Haworth/Bronte sisters, are all on the list to visit this summer. If someone has a special request I can try -- we love historical spots. Send me a pm with address and preference and I will do my best to find the postcards. Oh, Ashby de.....for Ivanhoe fans would be pretty easy too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Hey, for overseas pals, we could send postcards saying hi. I say that because Rosie did the awesome postcard send-out from Hanging Rock if you read Picnic at Hanging Rock. (Which I most certainly read because I considered it to be uber cool to receive a postcard from the locale & the better bonus that it was from Rosie!) :coolgleamA: I sent a few when people were reading 'The Rosie Project' too. If there was anyone who read that, wanted a postcard and didn't get one, give me a yell. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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