TeacherZee Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Perhaps I should reread this soon. I have yet to be convinced that literary analysis is of any importance at all in high school literature - though we might mean different things by 'analysis'. ...and I have only a grudging appreciation of it in any other context - except perhaps as an amusing hobby... :grouphug: for the dead kindle...and in the middle of a move! Grrr! I was traumatized by 1984 - and still have some very vivid memories of moments in the book. ...but BNW I shrugged off. I found it distasteful and unbelievable. ...but I was much, much too young for it (not necessarily in years, but in readiness). Okay, onto the 'read soon' list it goes... thank you. For me the analysis we did of it brought out the richness and allowed me to see deeper. Take for example the Shakespeare connections that have been discussed. This was a connection I hadn't made on my own, but that added a layer when we analysed. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Angel -- would you mind organizing a BaW history trip? I bow down to you and your dh for having the courage and energy to take 13 teens on a week long van trip!! That would be fun! We actually passed Louisa May Alcott's home. We were going to go back and tour it, even though it wasn't on our itinerary (many of the girls were interested), but it was $10 per person AND it was only a guided tour AND groups of 10 had to be pre-registered :glare: so we had to skip it. But it was still neat driving by ;) I had always wanted 10 kids so when we travel with the group I love it. They know NOT to mess with me after 10 o'clock at night ;) Dh says that's when I turn into "Bad Cop" from the Lego Movie :lol: They only saw Bad Cop once :lol: 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 I finished: http://www.amazon.com/Engeland-Jane-Austen-Dominicus-Dutch-ebook/dp/B00PKFRO90/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1438061086&sr=8-1&keywords=Quint+austen Last night. It is a readable travelguide. I loved travelling by mind with all the photo's and engaging anekdotes(?). It is written with the Jane Austen fan in mind, as the book refers often to 'this place is used for that scene, in that filmedition' If you don't know them it can ne annoying I suppose. At the back some suggestions for 4 or 5 day trip, a family tree of the austens, and a booklist for further reading. Normally I have to search and buy my birthday present my self. But this year DH did a great job :D Is this available in English? It sounds fascinating! Dd's and I would love to go on this type of tour. As a side note...multi-quote isn't working for me this morning. Anyone else having issues?/ 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 . My city and county library systems are striking out on all sorts of English cozy (or should I say cosy) mystery titles, even on Overdrive. Do any of you have overdrive accounts with libraries outside your city? Is there a good library to join just for Overdrive titles? Shouldn't every single book in the English language be available to me when I want them? My library has a decent selection of books but still leaves a lot to be desired. I used to belong to the Free Library of Philadelphia until they raised the cost to $50 a year. For the last two years I've been a member of the Fairfax County Virginia library, which is only $27 a year. I spent a good deal of time going over my wish lists, series I like, checking my own library system, and comparing the cost of just buying the ebooks on Amazon to the cost of the library membership. I would recommend doing that before buying a membership. ETA: In some cases my library might have the same book but only one or two licenses, which makes the waiting period longer. The bigger library systems have more copies (aka licenses). 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Is this available in English? It sounds fascinating! Dd's and I would love to go on this type of tour. As a side note...multi-quote isn't working for me this morning. Anyone else having issues?/ Not on my laptop but I've had problems on my iPad for weeks. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Is this available in English? It sounds fascinating! Dd's and I would love to go on this type of tour. As a side note...multi-quote isn't working for me this morning. Anyone else having issues?/ Not (yet) translated, I'm afraid. It is a pretty new book (2014) and several people here had missed it's publishing... But maybe within a few years? 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 I finished How To Raise An Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims. It's been getting a lot of press lately, for good reason - it's a good indictment of helicopter parenting, and of the college admissions ratrace that has developed in this country. She was mostly preaching to the choir, but it was a good reminder as my kids get older, and do start thinking about focus/interests/college etc., that I need to be sure to take a giant step back and remember this is their life, not mine - parent/teach the kids I have, and try to tailor things to their interests rather than creating the ideal high school *I* would have wanted to attend. I did find myself constantly applying her words to the context of homeschooling, which she doesn't address at all. On the one hand, homeschooling could have the danger of being the ultimate form of helicopter parenting - removing kids from the challenges of school/world, tailoring things to them so they have a cushioned, bump-free childhood, being overinvolved and having your identity defined by your kids and their success (or failure) especially in getting into college. I'm not saying it is/has to be that way! But it's a risk. Food for thought. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 My library has a decent selection of books but still leaves a lot to be desired. I used to belong to the Free Library of Philadelphia until they raised the cost to $50 a year. For the last two years I've been a member of the Fairfax County Virginia library, which is only $27 a year. I spent a good deal of time going over my wish lists, series I like, checking my own library system, and comparing the cost of just buying the ebooks on Amazon to the cost of the library membership. I would recommend doing that before buying a membership. ETA: In some cases my library might have the same book but only one or two licenses, which makes the waiting period longer. The bigger library systems have more copies (aka licenses). Kudos for the effort you made to do a cost/benefit analysis!! :laugh: I'm not sure I'm feeling dedicated enough, though I will poke around a bit more, perhaps talk to my local librarians and see what they recommend. I live in the 2nd largest city in the state -- you'd think we'd have more of these titles in our system. Then again, the English countryside is far, far removed from sunny California so perhaps there isn't the demand. :coolgleamA: (I may be the only person in the history of mankind to read Miss Read books on the beach while on vacationin Hawaii!) The $4.00 kindle price point was low enough to indulge in (and thoroughly enjoy) Under an English Heaven. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 About Buried Giant. Eliana, I have to confess to never having read any other Kazuo Ishiguro! But I now definitely want to. I'm thinking Remains of the Day, but would be curious what you recommend. I really loved Buried Giant. It is infused with a bittersweet melancholy, but is more sweet than morose. I loved the languid pace of the plot, that the action was more as if in a dream than something you are dragged along into experiencing and feeling. It is quiet and literary and subtle. Bittersweet melancholy is very Ishiguro... Remains of the Day is a brilliant, perfectly crafted book where so much of the power is in the spaces between, in the silences, in the implications. (Artist of the Floating World, which I read very recently, is also like this, but less perfectly crafted, and, for me at least, less powerful, though still an amazing book.) Never Let Me Go isn't as quiet a book as Remains of the Day and its backward glance is not that of an unreliable narrator, but more of an unaware one. It is SFF rather than literary fiction (and unlike many lit fic authors who try genre, it does quite well at the crossover, though it is a very lit-fic-y sff book, if that makes any sense). It is also very powerful, but grimmer. I do highly recommend it, and if you prefer to genre to literary fiction, this could be a better next step. ...but RotD is, imho, Ishiguro's stand out masterpiece. Here's Jo Walton's article on NLMG (does contain mild spoilers, but not more than most descriptions of this story do) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Just finished Letters to a Young Poet, which I believe was a suggestion from Jane. It had some luminous bits of wisdom. I am sitting with this quote, from the last letter, "With each encounter with truth one draws nearer to reaching communion with it." Next up is The Magus by John Fowles, my IRL book group's August selection. I'm kind of looking forward to it! Glad you enjoyed the Rilke. Now I am curious if you are reading the original Magus or the author's later rewrite. I made a boo-boo reading the third book in the Camille Verhoeven trilogy by Pierre Lemaitre first. I have ordered the first from the library and look forward to it even though I know the outcome. Jenn--I think you will like these. (Although I am amused that we both share a love of both analytic murder mysteries along with Miss Read!) Thanks Mumto2 for the recommendation! Jane Gardam amazes me with her deft writing skills. God on the Rocks was engaging; I have moved on to The Hollow Land. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Glad you enjoyed the Rilke. Now I am curious if you are reading the original Magus or the author's later rewrite. I made a boo-boo reading the third book in the Camille Verhoeven trilogy by Pierre Lemaitre first. I have ordered the first from the library and look forward to it even though I know the outcome. Jenn--I think you will like these. (Although I am amused that we both share a love of both analytic murder mysteries along with Miss Read!) Thanks Mumto2 for the recommendation! Jane Gardam amazes me with her deft writing skills. God on the Rocks was engaging; I have moved on to The Hollow Land. I'm reading the later rewrite. I read the author's foreword to his new edition, and it was a fascinating window on an author's world & process, and on what you can hope to revise and what you can never revisit. I'm enjoying the book so far. I've never read the original edition. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Bittersweet melancholy is very Ishiguro... Remains of the Day is a brilliant, perfectly crafted book where so much of the power is in the spaces between, in the silences, in the implications. (Artist of the Floating World, which I read very recently, is also like this, but less perfectly crafted, and, for me at least, less powerful, though still an amazing book.) Never Let Me Go isn't as quiet a book as Remains of the Day and its backward glance is not that of an unreliable narrator, but more of an unaware one. It is SFF rather than literary fiction (and unlike many lit fic authors who try genre, it does quite well at the crossover, though it is a very lit-fic-y sff book, if that makes any sense). It is also very powerful, but grimmer. I do highly recommend it, and if you prefer to genre to literary fiction, this could be a better next step. ...but RotD is, imho, Ishiguro's stand out masterpiece. Here's Jo Walton's article on NLMG (does contain mild spoilers, but not more than most descriptions of this story do) I LOVED Remains of the Day but could. not. stand. the narrator in Never Let Me Go, to the point where I couldn't finish it. I loved the silence of Remains. It was...well hard to describe, but as Eliana says, perfectly crafted. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Agreeing that Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day is a perfectly crafted book. I loved it. The only other Ishiguro I've read is When We Were Orphans. I thought it was quite good too (but not as perfect as The Remains of the Day). 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 I made a boo-boo reading the third book in the Camille Verhoeven trilogy by Pierre Lemaitre first. I have ordered the first from the library and look forward to it even though I know the outcome. Jenn--I think you will like these. (Although I am amused that we both share a love of both analytic murder mysteries along with Miss Read!) Thanks Mumto2 for the recommendation! I am so glad you enjoyed the book and agree that Jenn would enjoy them. I somehow managed to read these out of order also, 2-1-3 , and actually did not mind. Gasp!!! :lol: These books have a lot of depth and even though you know the basics there is so much more to the story. Knowing the spoilers actually didn't matter. It mght have made the first one a bit more poignant but as I remember foreshadowing existed to some level...... 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Alrighty, then. Looks like the next titles to add to the TBR pile include Remains of the Day along with the Camille Verhoeven trilogy. Thank you for all the recommendations, Jane, Mumto2, Eliana and Stacia! I haven't read Brave New World, either, though I have read and seen The Tempest. Did you know the movie Forbidden Planet is supposed to have been loosely based on The Tempest?! And Stacia, I owe you an update on my son's reaction to the Johann Cabal/ Necromancer title. He liked it, although I think he was taken aback by just how dark it is. He thought the humor in the writing would keep the book from actually going to a dark place, but it really did. It surprised him, I guess, but didn't disturb him. I haven't started it and have quite the stack of other titles vying for my attention so, don't know if I'll get to it or use it as a spooky October read. I was thinking of The Historian for October... Go Set a Watchman was on the 2 week shelf at the library, so that is my next read along with My Antonia and an Inspector Diamond mystery. Oh and a reread of Hound of the Baskervilles as we are seeing a production of it this week, a production with 4 actors playing all the parts in a theater-in-the-round. I'm waiting for a couple of other mysteries to show up either on the hold shelf or the virtual overdrive shelf. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 The Vladimir Putin Book Club…Or Literary Censorship in Russia? Russian Booksellers Balk at “Help†from Putin in Picking Books 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted July 29, 2015 Author Share Posted July 29, 2015 Multiquote nor likes are working for me so consider yourselves all liked. ;) I've not read Brave New World so on the list it goes. But from everything you all have said I have to read Tempest first. An actually that works out since Tempest in one of the books James has to read for 10th grade. I have homework to do. Already doing Andy Andrews Teaching the Classics which enjoying greatly. Isn't Brave New World on the Banned list? Maybe we need to do a shakespeare read in August and Brave New World in September during Banned Books month. Zee - good luck with your move! Mel - Your new puppy is adorable. Remember when Luna was a kitten, having to baby proof the house. I was down on my hands and knees, crawling around, covering up holes with duct tape so she couldn't get lost under cabinetry and shelves. Plus she wanted to sleep with us and not in her kitty bed. Nothing like having a kitty crawling all over at night. Glad he is finally sleeping through the night. Just like having another baby. I lurve Keri Arthur. 2nd reading Riley series before Dark Angels. Karen - Jumpstart your Art link - Thank you for that. I've been working through the Write Brain book. So much fun. Will have to check out the other books. Hell on Wheels - loves that series. Great humor as well as lots of steamy stuff. Angel - I'm exhausted just reading about your trip. Sounds like lots of fun. Eliana - :grouphug: Stacia - thanks for the links to Putin's book club. James will have a field day with that. It's all part of Putin's grand conspiracy to take over the world. And in book news today - the latest in Jennifer Estep's Elemental Series is out - Spider's Trap 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Finished up 'Under an English Heaven' by Alice Boatwright last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. Perfectly light summer reading. I've started a new series by Charles Finch, the first in the series of Charles Lenox mysteries called, A Beautiful Blue Death. From Amazon... Charles Lenox, Victorian gentleman and armchair explorer, likes nothing more than to relax in his private study with a cup of tea, a roaring fire and a good book. But when his lifelong friend Lady Jane asks for his help, Lenox cannot resist the chance to unravel a mystery. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momto4inSoCal Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 I fell off the book reading wagon last week. It was a busy week but I finished deconstructing penguins today. I felt like it didn't give me the tools I really need to open up any book and deconstruct it which is what I was looking for. I think the book recommended to me on the last thread (How to Read Literature Like a Professor) is more along the lines of what I was looking for. I do think I will buy deconstructing penguins though (It was a library book) to keep for future reference. It has a good list of books to use with different grades and give a brief synopsis along with explaining how they deconstructed that particular book. I guess I feel like I need an answer key so to speak. What if I start deconstructing a book and tell my kids the protagonist and antagonist and get it wrong? The author started a book club and mentions many of the parents pick the wrong person or get underlying themes wrong. I moved on to The Knowledge Deficit and it seems ok so far. I disagree with the author stating that education today is based on idea's from the 19th century (romance education is what he calls it). 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaughingCat Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Watched the tv version of Brave New World as a teen (watched a lot of old movies on Saturdays back then actually) -- and it did not inspire a passion in me to read the book :scared: This week: Skin Game by Jim Butcher (Reread) -- this is my favorite of this whole series -- and the only one I've had any desire to reread The Tempering of Men (sequel to A Companion to Wolves) -- this had barely any of the violence or sex of the first (references but not the description ), but it also seemed pretty clearly a 'middle' book -- by which I mean it's main purpose is setting up things for the next book. It seems to me that there are few books of this type that are really gripping (probably I am forgetting some obvious ones though ) and I have unfortunately been reading more and more of them lately. From a High Tower by Mercedes Lackey -- meh. Almost gave up on it and then jumped around a bit and got my interest up enough to go ahead and read it (although it wasn't really worth it I must admit) 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaughingCat Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 I fell off the book reading wagon last week. It was a busy week but I finished deconstructing penguins today. I felt like it didn't give me the tools I really need to open up any book and deconstruct it which is what I was looking for. I think the book recommended to me on the last thread (How to Read Literature Like a Professor) is more along the lines of what I was looking for. I do think I will buy deconstructing penguins though (It was a library book) to keep for future reference. It has a good list of books to use with different grades and give a brief synopsis along with explaining how they deconstructed that particular book. I guess I feel like I need an answer key so to speak. What if I start deconstructing a book and tell my kids the protagonist and antagonist and get it wrong? The author started a book club and mentions many of the parents pick the wrong person or get underlying themes wrong. I moved on to The Knowledge Deficit and it seems ok so far. I disagree with the author stating that education today is based on idea's from the 19th century (romance education is what he calls it). One of the things I didn't like about Deconstructing Penguins was how the authors acted like there was only one right set of answers and the point was to lead everyone to those not to teach them how to figure it out for themselves. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 This is what I was trying to say about Umbridge the other week http://www.tickld.com/x/sp/the-real-reason-you-hate-umbridge-so-much 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Stacia - scary article...the changing of the history books is the worst! After just being surrounded by American History that is not or no longer taught in our children's history books...well, it's scary. Shukriyya - I found A Beautiful Blue Death at the Dollar Tree. I picked it up because I loved the cover. I haven't had the chance to read it yet. Zee - There is a lot of truth to that piece on Umbridge! She makes my skin crawl. In other book news, I picked up Maze Runner the other night. Aly has been wanting me to read it and Scorch Trials before the movie comes out in September. So far it's just ok. Which is what I expected. We'll see if it picks up. The writing is fairly simplistic and there is no vocabulary, but I can usually get past that if the story is good. So we'll see. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 In other book news, I picked up Maze Runner the other night. Aly has been wanting me to read it and Scorch Trials before the movie comes out in September. So far it's just ok. Which is what I expected. We'll see if it picks up. The writing is fairly simplistic and there is no vocabulary, but I can usually get past that if the story is good. So we'll see. My daughter has been begging me to read Maze Runner for ages. She loves that series. Of course she has refused to finish it because apparently something happens in the third one I think that upsets her. She knew it was coming, but she gets very, very attached to characters. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate is a kindle daily deal at 2.99. I read the sample and my inner twelve-year old tomboy self was pleasantly engaged. I think this will be next on the list. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate is a kindle daily deal at 2.99. I read the sample and my inner twelve-year old tomboy self was pleasantly engaged. I think this will be next on the list. We love that book!! Shannon is/was totally that kid. We read it when she turned 11, and I've gifted it to several 11/12 year old girls. I'm looking forward to reading it with my younger dd soon, and to reading the sequel which was recently published. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 TeacherZee, hope the move goes smoothly! Angel, what a cool trip! Feeling blah about my reading year overall so far. Will keep Marco Polo waiting until the group read-along. May return Bone Gap to the library unfinished -- I feel like I'm not being fair to it because it's actually a decent YA book but I'm just really, really not in the mood for a YA book now. (Maybe because I haven plenty of teen-related stuff going on in my real life right now? ;) :tongue_smilie: ) Well, to be fair, I'm almost never in the mood to read a YA book because that's just not my thing. Lol. But, I will say that for some of you with teens, your teens might enjoy it, so be sure to check it out. I think the mix of realism, fable/folktale/myth, & magical realism might make it a fun & different book from the standard YA fare out there. I even did something I rarely do -- I read the last page to see how the story ended. So, with my partial reading, I'll give it a thumbs up; just keep in mind that I'm a curmudgeon who doesn't usually like or read YA books & I'm in a reading rut or gully right now so I didn't stay the distance with this one because of that reason (my curmudgeonliness). 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 ... keep in mind that I'm a curmudgeon .... Here you go, Stacia. A book for your inner self ~ The Portable Curmudgeon by Jon Winokur "The world's greatest cynics, critics, and grouches--from H. L. Mencken to Groucho Marx--use their wit to cut down every subject under the sun in a compendium of quips, barbs, profiles, and interviews." We had this on the shelf for many years, and it was always fun to browse. This one also by Jon Winokur looks good, too. The Traveling Curmudgeon: Irreverent Notes, Quotes, and Anecdotes on Dismal Destinations, Excess Baggage, the... "On the theory that an account of a pleasant journey is best not thrust upon friends and strangers, that a disaster makes for a more entertaining story, here is a gathering of quotes, commentary, and anecdotes about the travails of travel, the downright strangeness of foreign places, and rueful encounters on the road. Abetted by a parade of well-known curmudgeons, Jon Winokur offers a thousand reasons not to go there. The Traveling Curmudgeon proves that travel and all things related to going from here to there -- destinations, the locals, the tourists, the food, the accommodations, and, oh my god, the souvenirs we drag home -- are all grist for a very entertaining mill." Regards, Kareni 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Have you read Elle Kennedy's Off Campus series? It starts with The Deal. TeacherZee, my library's copy finally came in. So, yes, yesterday I read Elle Kennedy's The Deal (Off-Campus). I enjoyed it, and I'm likely to re-read it at some point. Now I need to put in a purchase suggestion to my library for book two in the series. "She's about to make a deal with the college bad boy... Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she's carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush's attention, she'll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice...even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date. ...and it's going to be oh so good All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he's worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he's all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn't take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn't going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him." Regards, Kareni 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Here you go, Stacia. A book for your inner self ~ The Portable Curmudgeon by Jon Winokur "The world's greatest cynics, critics, and grouches--from H. L. Mencken to Groucho Marx--use their wit to cut down every subject under the sun in a compendium of quips, barbs, profiles, and interviews." We had this on the shelf for many years, and it was always fun to browse. This one also by Jon Winokur looks good, too. The Traveling Curmudgeon: Irreverent Notes, Quotes, and Anecdotes on Dismal Destinations, Excess Baggage, the... "On the theory that an account of a pleasant journey is best not thrust upon friends and strangers, that a disaster makes for a more entertaining story, here is a gathering of quotes, commentary, and anecdotes about the travails of travel, the downright strangeness of foreign places, and rueful encounters on the road. Abetted by a parade of well-known curmudgeons, Jon Winokur offers a thousand reasons not to go there. The Traveling Curmudgeon proves that travel and all things related to going from here to there -- destinations, the locals, the tourists, the food, the accommodations, and, oh my god, the souvenirs we drag home -- are all grist for a very entertaining mill." Regards, Kareni :smilielol5: I love it! (And I'm adding them to my library request list....) 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Here you go, Stacia. A book for your inner self ~ It's probably not only my inner self, but my outer self too. :leaving: :laugh: 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 We love that book!! Shannon is/was totally that kid. We read it when she turned 11, and I've gifted it to several 11/12 year old girls. I'm looking forward to reading it with my younger dd soon, and to reading the sequel which was recently published. I figured you knew of this and would have glowing things to say about it. The writing seems both solid and evocative and the subject material, the natural world and our interface with it, is a wonderful canvas to work with. Hoping my ds will get on board with this one. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 The Portable Curmudgeon by Jon Winokur "The world's greatest cynics, critics, and grouches--from H. L. Mencken to Groucho Marx--use their wit to cut down every subject under the sun in a compendium of quips, barbs, profiles, and interviews." I felt like a portable curmudgeon this morning -- 3 hours at the DMV just to take an eye test and get a new photo taken for my driver's license. The saving grace of the morning was searching through my collection of unread kindle titles and getting immediately drawn into a beautifully written story by William Kent Kreuger, Ordinary Grace. And Kareni and Mumto2. You are both a bad influence on me. :toetap05: I stayed up late last night reading the first book in the Hell on Earth series, which Kareni kindly pointed out was free in the kindle store. Not my normal genre, but it was a fun guilty pleasure read! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 My daughter has been begging me to read Maze Runner for ages. She loves that series. Of course she has refused to finish it because apparently something happens in the third one I think that upsets her. She knew it was coming, but she gets very, very attached to characters. Aly (almost 15) devoured it earlier this year. She and dh really enjoyed the series. And yes, I do vaguely remember talk about tearing up and something being sad. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Could I count The Historian as a mystery or thriller? I think so! I'm updating my Reading Challenge. Also for the Reading Challenge, today I read my "graphic novel" while waiting in Books & Co for the girls who were hanging out with friends. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mesamin Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Jane came to visit and I ended up in the hospital of all things. I read , "Mr Darcy takes a wife" which I liked but don't remember and then read "The Middle Place" by Kelly Corrigan which is a humorous account about growing up and having cancer. Hospitals must do something to the brain because I don't really remember either book that I read all that well. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Jane came to visit and I ended up in the hospital of all things. :eek: :grouphug: :grouphug: Hope you are doing ok now! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 So I finally settled into my comfort zone…a Georgette Heyer book. I was able to finish Arabella before we left for Boston. Another sweet Heyer tale was just what I needed! I got a little bogged down with Arabella’s brother’s story. It seemed a little out of place to give so much detail to it. I was ready to get back to the rest of the story. I truly enjoy the humor that Heyer weaves into her stories. More often than not I find myself grinning or chuckling at the characters, and Arabella was no different. ANOTHER SWEET HEYER READ. While waiting for the girls to be done hanging with their friends, I picked up a graphic novel at Books & Co. to read for my Reading Challenge. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi was definitely out of my comfort zone. I found myself wondering why I hadn’t picked up a Manga book. I don’t know how I feel about it. I think I’m still processing. One thing is for certain, my modern history is lacking more than I thought. The ostrich in me doesn’t want to dwell on some of these things. I would have understood it more if I would have understood the history behind it, but I was 8-10 when it was happening and don’t remember. It will certainly provoke some researching. INTERESTING, BUT NOT SURE IN A GOOD WAY. I may have to come back and rate this one later. These were books #27 and #28 so I'm a little behind. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Do any of you like Simon Winchester? I read his book The Professor and the Madman years ago & loved it. I meant to mention that (once again) I heard a great interview on Bob Edwards this past weekend & it was with him. Apparently, in addition to being an author & various other things too, he is an Oxford-educated geologist. He has a new book out for kids called When the Earth Shakes (which he has dedicated to his grandchildren). Has anyone read anything else by him? 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Do any of you like Simon Winchester? I read his book The Professor and the Madman years ago & loved it. I meant to mention that (once again) I heard a great interview on Bob Edwards this past weekend & it was with him. Apparently, in addition to being an author & various other things too, he is an Oxford-educated geologist. He has a new book out for kids called When the Earth Shakes (which he has dedicated to his grandchildren). Has anyone read anything else by him? I loved that book also! I haven't read any of his others. I would like to. Maybe he should go on Robin's list of idea's. Did someone here read the Map one a couple of years ago? I wanted to read that one but couldn't find a copy. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Since I managed to double post I might as well update with my latest book. Currently reading Visions by Kelly Armstrong. It is thd second in her new series which is simply OK. Going slow, probably partly me. I am rather enthralled by my latest quilt project, hexagon quilting. It is rather like making mosaic pictures with the dc's which I loved.Hand sewing is hard on the hands. I have drawn blood a few times! My fingers are going to need s break soon....so I will need to go back to my books. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Do any of you like Simon Winchester? I read his book The Professor and the Madman years ago & loved it. I meant to mention that (once again) I heard a great interview on Bob Edwards this past weekend & it was with him. Apparently, in addition to being an author & various other things too, he is an Oxford-educated geologist. He has a new book out for kids called When the Earth Shakes (which he has dedicated to his grandchildren). Has anyone read anything else by him? Professor has been on my to-read stack for years. I'll have to actually read it, since you guys liked it so much! I've looked at some of his other books but never read any of them. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Do any of you like Simon Winchester? I read his book The Professor and the Madman years ago & loved it. I meant to mention that (once again) I heard a great interview on Bob Edwards this past weekend & it was with him. Apparently, in addition to being an author & various other things too, he is an Oxford-educated geologist. He has a new book out for kids called When the Earth Shakes (which he has dedicated to his grandchildren). Has anyone read anything else by him? I love Simon Winchester and have had several of his books on my lists over the past few years. He is a more erudite and less sarcastic writer than Bill Bryson. If you like audio books, his are a treat because he himself reads them with his nice Oxford accent. I need to find that interview and have a listen! Among the books I've read, besides Professor and the Madman: Krakatoa gives a nice history of Indonesia, a background in the geology of the area and a vivid account of the volcanic eruption. The Map the Changed the World about William Smith, a self-educated Englishman who created the first geologic map of England The Men Who United The States which I posted about a couple of months ago. It is not about the founding fathers but the explorers, surveyors and inventors who helped tie this large country together through railways and the interstate highway system, for example. The Man Who Loved China is a fabulous biography of Josheph Needham who wrote the groundbreaking, multi-volume tome on the science and technology of historical China. I've started but not finished his book on the Atlantic as well as the one on the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Of all of those I highly recommend Krakatoa. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 And Kareni and Mumto2. You are both a bad influence on me. :toetap05: I stayed up late last night reading the first book in the Hell on Earth series, which Kareni kindly pointed out was free in the kindle store. Not my normal genre, but it was a fun guilty pleasure read! Evil chuckle here .... Fans of romance might enjoy this post from NPR ~ Happy Ever After: 100 Swoon-Worthy Romances You can click on the link above to see the entire list or you can go directly to a sub-category of interest by using these links ~ Historical, Classics, YA, Suspense, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Paranormal, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance, Inspirational, Contemporary, Category Romance. Given that romance is my favorite genre, it's probably no surprise that I've read 60% of the titles/series that are on the list. Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 I can't recall if anyone has mentioned reading Ann Rule's true crime books in previous Book a Week threads; a real life friend of mine is a big fan. I see that she has died. Ann Rule, 83, Dies: Wrote About Ted Bundy (a Friend) and Other Killers ** A free Kindle offering that might interest some here: F. Scott Fitzgerald Four Pack - Benjamin Button, This Side of Paradise, The Beautiful and Damned, The Diamond... by F. Scott Fitzgerald also Tales of the Jazz Age by F. Scott (Francis Scott) Fitzgerald ** This sounds amusing. Another currently free Kindle book ~ An American Werewolf In Hoboken (Wolf Mates Book 1) by Dakota Cassidy "Hilariously funny, An American Werewolf In Hoboken takes you on a laugh-out-loud roller-coaster ride from beginning to end, as Max Adams, one strong alpha male, finds himself at the mercy of a woman who thinks he’s a big, fluffy dog. Dakota Cassidy takes you on an erotic journey as Max seduces his mate, who just happens to be his human owner, at least according to the local dog pound. Dog by day, man by night, things can’t get any more complicated…or can they? An American Werewolf In Hoboken is Book 1 in Dakota Cassidy’s Wolf Mates series. This is one romantic comedy you don’t want to miss." ** Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Feeling blah about my reading year overall so far. . just keep in mind that I'm a curmudgeon who doesn't usually like or read YA books & I'm in a reading rut or gully right now so I didn't stay the distance with this one because of that reason (my curmudgeonliness). I'm right there with you but for different reasons. I went through a real rut of about 4 or 5 months of not a lot of interest in reading. Part of it was personal stuff to deal with here which seemed to sap my interest for reading much at all. I feel I'm just now...s-l-o-w-l-y finding my way back in. As a result my original goal of 52 in 52 has now been realistically reduced to 26 in 52. I'm on book 10 so it's early days yet but nevertheless I'm doing what I can to refind my reading 'feet' and currently that seems to be with cozy British mysteries. I'm halfway through Catherine the Great but have come to a bit of a standstill with it. Anyway :grouphug: Stacia 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Evil chuckle here .... Fans of romance might enjoy this post from NPR ~ Happy Ever After: 100 Swoon-Worthy Romances You can click on the link above to see the entire list or you can go directly to a sub-category of interest by using these links ~ Historical, Classics, YA, Suspense, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Paranormal, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance, Inspirational, Contemporary, Category Romance. Given that romance is my favorite genre, it's probably no surprise that I've read 60% of the titles/series that are on the list. Regards, Kareni Jenn, Just in cas you weren't brave enough to look Hell on Wheels is on the list. :lol: I just spent a really really long time going through that list with all my library tabs open, my wish lists are overflowing because my holds are full. I have read my fair share of books and authors on that list. ;) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Jane came to visit and I ended up in the hospital of all things. I read , "Mr Darcy takes a wife" which I liked but don't remember and then read "The Middle Place" by Kelly Corrigan which is a humorous account about growing up and having cancer. Hospitals must do something to the brain because I don't really remember either book that I read all that well. Yikes! I hope you are on the mend. Hugs, Jane 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 I,m still struggling with my Japanese textbook. My clan is sort of adrift this summer, so there isn,t as much reading time as summer usually contains. Nan 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 I don't think "likes" register from my phone but you know that y'all are loved by yours truly. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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