Stacia Posted July 29, 2016 Share Posted July 29, 2016 Someone was checking the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty out of the library the other day. Seeing it there reminded me of how much my ds & I really enjoyed that movie; it's just one of those nice movies that is a joy to watch. It is based on James Thurber's short story, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Though the movie is something entirely different, I think they did an excellent job capturing the day-dreamy spirit of the original story. Thought I would mention it in case anyone is having a movie night sometime & wanted a recommendation of something nice to watch (w/ a literary connection). 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 29, 2016 Share Posted July 29, 2016 (edited) Maybe this has some helpful info for our Kindle users? 21 Things You Never Knew You Could Do With A Kindle and 31 Incredible Books You Simply Must Read This Summer Edited July 29, 2016 by Stacia 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted July 29, 2016 Share Posted July 29, 2016 A couple of enjoyable posts from Tor.com's Five Books About series. Do read the comments for additional suggestions ~ Five Fantastic Cities by Willow Palecek and Five Books That Get Survival Right by Alexandra Oliva Regards, Kareni "Portal to another world..." My five books with cities that do that for me, off the top of my head, are: LotR Ombria in Shadow Door into Ocean Dragon Singer Galactic Gourmet As far as survival books go, we view any fiction book that involves boats with suspicion, especially boats where something goes wrong. We love the ones where they get the details right, but when they are wrong, it is unbearable. I remember reading a book about painting once that gave the same advice every book gives about using artistic license to improve the composition of a painting rather than strictly copying what you see, but then said something to the effect of: The exception is boats - you have to paint boats exactly as they are and get every detail of the rigging right or every boater you ever meet will point out your "mistake". Yup. Yup. Yup. Ditto with literature. Bad things happen when you don,t get things right on boats. Very bad things. Especially on sailing vessels. It is not artistic to paint or write them wrong. It is just upsetting. Lol. Weather not looking great next week. Sigh. Looks like we are going to be beating into it. Ug. Nan 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted July 29, 2016 Share Posted July 29, 2016 Yesterday I read the steampunk romance Clockwork Heart (Clockwork Love) by Heidi Cullinan which I enjoyed. (Adult content) "As the French army leader’s bastard son, Cornelius Stevens enjoys a great deal of latitude. But when he saves an enemy soldier using clockwork parts, he’s well aware he risks hanging for treason. That doesn’t worry him half as much, however, as the realization he’s falling for his patient. Johann Berger never expected to survive his regiment’s suicide attack on Calais, much less wake up with mechanical parts. To avoid discovery, he’s forced to hide in plain sight as Cornelius’s lover—a role Johann finds himself taking to surprisingly well. When a threat is made on Cornelius’s life, Johann learns the secret of the device implanted in his chest—a mythical weapon both warring countries would kill to obtain. Caught up in a political frenzy, in league with pirates, dodging rogue spies, mobsters and princesses with deadly parasols, Cornelius and Johann have no time to contemplate how they ended up in this mess. All they know is, the only way out is together—or not at all." Regards, Kareni 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted July 29, 2016 Share Posted July 29, 2016 Maybe this has some helpful info for our Kindle users? 21 Things You Never Knew You Could Do With A Kindle Cool. As a die hard Kindle fan I knew all but two, and only one of those is useful to me. I don't read graphic novels (except for the current book club Persepolis) so I wouldn't have cared about the comic converter if I knew. I didn't know you could pinch the screen to change the font size, and that one is useful. When I'm wearing my contacts I usually have to increase the font size. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted July 29, 2016 Author Share Posted July 29, 2016 Well heck! Opened one too many links and lost my responses. Hi y'all. Instead of lions, tigers and bears, we have alligators, turtles and foxes. Oh my! Angela, glad Abby is okay. Shukriyya, happy you popped in. Karen and Stacia and Sandy - thanks for all the great links. I've been reading a scattering of books while working on 11th grade plans, dealing with a very sick kitty, and meetings with realtor/financial folks for business property. And hubby's finally decided that since we won't personally be moving for a very long time, that we can remodel the house. My head exploded with that announcement. And I took out my stress on the customer service rep for Wall Street Journal since it seems the carrier for our area is simply incapable of delivering our newspaper or giving us the correct newspaper. So I cancelled it to my son's shock but I'm sure he'll find a replacement soon enough. He's decided he likes OReilly Factor and the Daily Ledger. :svengo: 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted July 29, 2016 Share Posted July 29, 2016 Love reading this thread each week although I don't often check in. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 I read my book for Robin's seafaring challenge: The Tale of the Unknown Island by Jose Saramago. It's very short, more of a fable than a novella. It's an odd little story. But I love Saramago's digressive wandering after details that seem irrelevant, but aren't. So different from Melville's constant digressions into details that seem irrelevant, and actually are!! I'm listening to Moby Dick, and enjoying its flashes of brilliance while being annoyed by its long digressions. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Someone was checking the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty out of the library the other day. Seeing it there reminded me of how much my ds & I really enjoyed that movie; it's just one of those nice movies that is a joy to watch. It is based on James Thurber's short story, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Though the movie is something entirely different, I think they did an excellent job capturing the day-dreamy spirit of the original story. Thought I would mention it in case anyone is having a movie night sometime & wanted a recommendation of something nice to watch (w/ a literary connection). That looks like a fantastic movie! I bet my big girl would love it. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 (edited) Robin, sorry to hear that your kitty isn't doing well. :grouphug: That looks like a fantastic movie! I bet my big girl would love it. I bet you guys would love it. It's just a nice movie. Ds & I saw it when it first came out & really loved it. (I made ds read The Secret Life of Walter Mitty before we went to see it. Lol. I re-read it myself beforehand too.) I asked the lady who was checking it out if she had seen it already & she said she had -- she was just checking it out again because she loved it so. ETA: Staying on movie talk for a minute. I saw the third Star Trek movie in the theater tonight & really enjoyed it. I've enjoyed this whole series -- the first was best, of course, but I think they've done an admirable job of keeping it well-done & interesting throughout the series so far. There was a toast at the end of the movie to "absent friends" in honor of Anton Yelchin (who portrayed Chekov & died in a horrible accident last month). I was impressed that a full theater of people sat through the credits until the point that a memorial was printed for both Leonard Nimoy & Anton Yelchin. Nobody left the theater until after that. Edited July 30, 2016 by Stacia 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 I was innocently reading my latest book on the bus today when I encountered this sentence at the end of chapter ten: "And at that moment the alligators burst into the room." Alligators seem to be everywhere! I'm about halfway through this fantasy book and am enjoying it. I think others here might like it, too. The Invisible Library (The Invisible Library Novel) by Genevieve Cogman “Cogman writes with a vivacity and wittiness that breathes new life into the genre…. Reminiscent of the works of Diana Wynne Jones and Neil Gaiman, Cogman’s novel is a true treat to read.â€â€”Publishers Weekly“Bibliophiles will go wild for this engaging debut, as Cogman hits all the high notes for enjoyable fantasy. Intriguing characters and fast-paced action are wrapped up in a spellbinding, well-built world.â€â€”Library Journal "Collecting books can be a dangerous prospect in this fun, time-traveling, fantasy adventure from a spectacular debut author. One thing any Librarian will tell you: the truth is much stranger than fiction... Irene is a professional spy for the mysterious Library, a shadowy organization that collects important works of fiction from all of the different realities. Most recently, she and her enigmatic assistant Kai have been sent to an alternative London. Their mission: Retrieve a particularly dangerous book. The problem: By the time they arrive, it's already been stolen. London's underground factions are prepared to fight to the death to find the tome before Irene and Kai do, a problem compounded by the fact that this world is chaos-infested—the laws of nature bent to allow supernatural creatures and unpredictable magic to run rampant. To make matters worse, Kai is hiding something—secrets that could be just as volatile as the chaos-filled world itself. Now Irene is caught in a puzzling web of deadly danger, conflicting clues, and sinister secret societies. And failure is not an option—because it isn’t just Irene’s reputation at stake, it’s the nature of reality itself..." Regards, Kareni 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 I was innocently reading my latest book on the bus today when I encountered this sentence at the end of chapter ten: "And at that moment the alligators burst into the room." Alligators seem to be everywhere! I'm about halfway through this fantasy book and am enjoying it. I think others here might like it, too. The Invisible Library (The Invisible Library Novel) by Genevieve Cogman :lol: Sounds like a cool book, Kareni. One of my libraries has it! Yay! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 No, Kareni, ALLIGATORS ARE NOT EVERYWHERE. No alligators on the Maine coast. I asked. People here have assured me I don,t have to worry about swimming and being in the dinghey in the muckier bits of Maine this next month. Upsetting creatures. Robin, I am sorry about your kitty. Stacia, we enjoyed the Star Trek movie, too. Very 3D. A bit too much hitting for me but I guess that is not unKirklike. Jane, I am sorry We didn,t manage to get together. Boat repairs. The cockpit and bottom of the bulkhead were tipped the wrong way and rotted. We didn,t launch until last week and then it was a scramble to get ready to sail. Still can,t get the depth sounder to work consistantly or the engine temp gauge to read. At least the forcast has improved. I hope you are having a lovely, alligator free time on the Cape. Hopefully you,ve had a sea breeze to mitigate the heat. Nan 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Robin, Hope your kitty feels better soon. Kareni, I put the Invisible Library on hold also. I have had some fluffy finishes on my kindle this week. Simon Brett's Mrs.Pargeter's Pound of Flesh was a fast easy read. They are always entertaining. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17208692-mrs-pargeter-s-pound-of-flesh I read a recent book in the Amanda Pepper cozy series. One of he series I have read sporadically for years. It was a bit disappointing. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/275592.Helen_Hath_No_Fury Then I read the third book in Hazel Holt's Mrs. Mallory series. I loved the ending! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13511333-the-shortest-journey I spotted this Christian Romance by an author who sounded familiar. Totally enjoyable. Series of three but my library doesn't have the second. Number three is on hold. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4546330-nothing-but-trouble 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Someone was checking the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty out of the library the other day. Seeing it there reminded me of how much my ds & I really enjoyed that movie; it's just one of those nice movies that is a joy to watch. It is based on James Thurber's short story, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Though the movie is something entirely different, I think they did an excellent job capturing the day-dreamy spirit of the original story. Thought I would mention it in case anyone is having a movie night sometime & wanted a recommendation of something nice to watch (w/ a literary connection). They really made an excellent movie out of a very short story. I remember watching the original movie with Danny Kaye and when I heard they were remaking it I thought I'd read the story. I was so surprised at just how short and bare bones the story is! Also, I've seen the new Star Trek movie twice already. :) One of my daughters bought all seven of us uniform tshirts to wear to the movie. We had three gold commanders, two blue engineers, and two red shirts (although my youngest insists she is a communications officer-NOT a red shirt, lol). It was fun and we got a lot of positive comments from other moviegoers. I did finish a book this week but want to wait until tomorrow to talk about it! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Has anyone seen this?! Woman's tweet to bookstore's Twitter account ended in wedding bells How romantic and wonderful! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 No, Kareni, ALLIGATORS ARE NOT EVERYWHERE. No alligators on the Maine coast. I asked. People here have assured me I don,t have to worry about swimming and being in the dinghey in the muckier bits of Maine this next month. Upsetting creatures. <snip> Jane, I am sorry We didn,t manage to get together. Boat repairs. Nan How quickly Nan forgets the harmless (and silly) Alligator Named Daisy! Sorry too that we did not connect. Crazy summer. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Stacia, we enjoyed the Star Trek movie, too. Very 3D. A bit too much hitting for me but I guess that is not unKirklike. We just saw the regular version, not the 3D one. (3D ones often give me a headache. The only one I saw that I remember really liking & thinking was well-done was Alice in Wonderland.) Yeah, I kind of expect amped-up action/fighting for movies like that. They really made an excellent movie out of a very short story. I remember watching the original movie with Danny Kaye and when I heard they were remaking it I thought I'd read the story. I was so surprised at just how short and bare bones the story is! Also, I've seen the new Star Trek movie twice already. :) One of my daughters bought all seven of us uniform tshirts to wear to the movie. We had three gold commanders, two blue engineers, and two red shirts (although my youngest insists she is a communications officer-NOT a red shirt, lol). It was fun and we got a lot of positive comments from other moviegoers. I did finish a book this week but want to wait until tomorrow to talk about it! I agree re: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. I had forgotten how short it was, in addition to it seeming quite dated. But, the movie was a wonderful reinterpretation of it. Sounds like a fun way to go see the Star Trek movie! But, hey, aren't the red shirts the expendable ones?! ;) Ohhh. A cliffhanger for us. We have to wait until tomorrow to hear about your book! :thumbup1: (Looking forward to it!) 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Has anyone seen this?! Woman's tweet to bookstore's Twitter account ended in wedding bells How romantic and wonderful! Awww. I love it! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Powells Books blog has this list: 25 Books to Read Before You Die, World Edition I've read 8 of the authors on the list (sometimes the book mentioned, sometimes a different work by them). One of those mentioned is Uruguayan journalist and author Eduardo Galeano. They mention his book Mirrors (which I haven't read), but I'll put in a plug (again) for his work The Book of Embraces, which I read a couple of years ago. I think I need to treat myself & track down some more of Galeano's works to read. In case you're interested in The Book of Embraces, here's what I wrote about it when I read it in 2014: In a way, I find Galeano's work like Kurt Vonnegut's in that both write in a manner that comes across as deceptively simple, quick & easy to read, but then you realize that it's so tightly edited, so finely tuned, that just a few words are as accurate & as powerful as a bullet between the eyes. Galeano's wide net of musings range from friendships, to art, to dreams, to politics, to society, to heartbreaking realities of poverty, racism, war, & violence. As with many Latin American writers, there are elements of magical realism that seem to float through some of his work. (Do the Muses give the Latin American writers some special spark?) It's almost like a collection of poetry or (very) short stories. But... not quite. Most items are maybe a paragraph or two, certainly less than a page, interspersed with some wild & strange line drawings. It's not quite poetry, not quite short stories, not quite a memoir -- it is its own original creation & a lovely one at that. So glad that I stumbled onto this Uruguayan gem of literature. Highly recommended. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 25 Books to Read Before You Die, World Edition Thanks for an intriguing list, Stacia. One of the books on the list is The Street of Crocodiles and Other Stories by Bruno Schulz. If crocodilians are not everywhere, Nan, they are certainly making their presence felt on the board this week. Regards, Kareni 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 If crocodilians are not everywhere, Nan, they are certainly making their presence felt on the board this week. Isn't it funny how themes seem to emerge in life sometimes? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Sounds like a fun way to go see the Star Trek movie! But, hey, aren't the red shirts the expendable ones?! ;) Lol, yes they are! But Uhura does wear a red uniform so she must be the exception. ;) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Crocodiles.......I just got home from wandering through some stores while waiting for the kids who were hanging out with friends. Dh and I went in to a new to our area grocery store where pretty much everything is frozen that can be. Anyway I glanced into a case and there sat crocodile burgers. Could not believe it, £2.50 for two. Crocodiles and Alligators seem to be everywhere this week. They also had camel. I didn't buy either..... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Lol, yes they are! But Uhura does wear a red uniform so she must be the exception. ;) Scotty is red too! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Thank you, Jenn, for your generosity in sending me Rock Paper Tiger by Lisa Brackmann, which I'm now reading. It has pulled me in pretty quickly & I read about a third of it in one sitting. It's the kind of thriller book that makes for good summer reading. American Iraq War veteran Ellie Cooper is living in Beijing when a chance encounter with a Uighur—a member of a Chinese Muslim minority—at the home of her sort-of boyfriend Lao Zhang turns her life upside down. Lao Zhang disappears, and suddenly multiple security organizations are hounding Ellie for information. They say the Uighur is a terrorist. Ellie doesn’t know what’s going on, but she must decide whom to trust among the artists, dealers, collectors, and operatives claiming to be on her side—in particular, a mysterious organization operating within a popular online role-playing game. As she tries to elude her pursuers, she’s haunted by memories of Iraq. Is what she did and saw there at the root of the mess she’s in now? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Sounds like a fun way to go see the Star Trek movie! But, hey, aren't the red shirts the expendable ones?! ;) Hah! I just put Redshirts on hold for a fun vacation read. :D 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Powells Books blog has this list: 25 Books to Read Before You Die, World Edition I've read 8 of the authors on the list (sometimes the book mentioned, sometimes a different work by them). One of those mentioned is Uruguayan journalist and author Eduardo Galeano. They mention his book Mirrors (which I haven't read), but I'll put in a plug (again) for his work The Book of Embraces, which I read a couple of years ago. I think I need to treat myself & track down some more of Galeano's works to read. In case you're interested in The Book of Embraces, here's what I wrote about it when I read it in 2014: In a way, I find Galeano's work like Kurt Vonnegut's in that both write in a manner that comes across as deceptively simple, quick & easy to read, but then you realize that it's so tightly edited, so finely tuned, that just a few words are as accurate & as powerful as a bullet between the eyes. Galeano's wide net of musings range from friendships, to art, to dreams, to politics, to society, to heartbreaking realities of poverty, racism, war, & violence. As with many Latin American writers, there are elements of magical realism that seem to float through some of his work. (Do the Muses give the Latin American writers some special spark?) It's almost like a collection of poetry or (very) short stories. But... not quite. Most items are maybe a paragraph or two, certainly less than a page, interspersed with some wild & strange line drawings. It's not quite poetry, not quite short stories, not quite a memoir -- it is its own original creation & a lovely one at that. So glad that I stumbled onto this Uruguayan gem of literature. Highly recommended. I'm kind of feeling sheepish that I've only read two of them. I guess I've read more deeply than widely - not so many international writers, although I have been remedying that, with the assistance of Stacia and other people here! I put a bunch on my TR list and I had one on hold already. When I looked at their non-world edition (linked at the bottom of the page) I have read 14/25. Just goes to show, I read too many dead white males! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 I'm kind of feeling sheepish that I've only read two of them. I guess I've read more deeply than widely - not so many international writers, although I have been remedying that, with the assistance of Stacia and other people here! I put a bunch on my TR list and I had one on hold already. When I looked at their non-world edition (linked at the bottom of the page) I have read 14/25. Just goes to show, I read too many dead white males! Well, on that list, I've read 12 of the authors (but not always the books listed), but I wouldn't really classify that list as dead white males. On the female author list (link at bottom of the page), I've read only 6 of those authors. And, again, it's not always the work listed but something else they wrote. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 I did say I wasn't looking forward to In Cold Blood, didn't I? Today I started it and made more progress than I expected. In spite of the theme, the story is riveting, and very well written. It goes to show that you never can tell how a particular book will strike you. If anyone is interested in receiving Blood of Victory, let me know. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethel Mertz Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 There is something in the air. DS just walked in to tell me all about alligator snapping turtles. Did you know they can weigh over 200 lbs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 (edited) I'm kind of feeling sheepish that I've only read two of them. I guess I've read more deeply than widely - not so many international writers, although I have been remedying that, with the assistance of Stacia and other people here! I put a bunch on my TR list and I had one on hold already. When I looked at their non-world edition (linked at the bottom of the page) I have read 14/25. Just goes to show, I read too many dead white males! I've only read one of the World Edition list, and nine of the non-world (and four of those I didn't particularly like). I hate to think what that says about me. ETA: ... and only Eliot and Shelley from the women's list. Edited July 30, 2016 by Violet Crown 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Pertaining to this weeks's theme:Any Gillian Bradshaw fans here? Here's an enthusiastic review of one of her books from the Dear Author site ~ REVIEW: The Sun’s Bride by Gillian Bradshaw by Joanne Renaud "Dear Ms. Bradshaw, Current events and politics have not been terribly pleasant lately, and I’ve been turning to my favorite authors for comfort reads. One of those authors is you, a reliably brilliant and fluid storyteller who can bring antiquity to life the way no one else can. (For those of you unacquainted with Gillian Bradshaw’s works, she wrote the wonderful Render unto Caesar and Cleopatra’s Heir– reviewed by Jayne here— as well as her famous Hawk of May Arthurian trilogy.) Yet another one of my favorite books of yours is the more recent The Sun’s Bride, released by Severn House in 2008. I usually avoid any seafaring fiction with a ten-foot pole, but here in Bride you write a rip-roaring tale of hunting pirates and crazy ship battles and ruthless royal intrigue in the Hellenistic era, in the 3rd century BC Mediterranean. The hero is the strong-willed, smart, proud, stubborn– and not to mention very poor– naval officer Isokrates, from the island Republic of Rhodes, known for policing the sea and protecting people from the scourge of pirates...." Regards,Kareni 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 I'd forgotten that I put Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore on hold. It became available so I am now listening to it. At first I didn't like the narrator but now he fits. I didn't read anything about this book so I have no idea where it's going. So far it's fun. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 (edited) We saw a whale!!! Kind of scary since was about the size of our boat and obviously passed under us, then came up and blew. His back rolled on forever, it seemed. Sailing away seems very spontaneous until you do it and realize that it involves provisioning, repairs, closing down the house, and leaving loved ones. We are off at last, though. Haven,t quite got our sea legs yet. I was entering tomorrow,s courses into the log when suddenly the kitty landed on my head. She fell off the cabin top, bounced off my head, and then landed on the chart along with tufts off i credibly soft fur. Poor baby. Gorgeous swimming, cool but not cold, and then a colourful sunset. Nan ETA and hopefully no Daisy in my bunk when I turn in lol. Edited July 31, 2016 by Nan in Mass 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Thanks for an intriguing list, Stacia. One of the books on the list is The Street of Crocodiles and Other Stories by Bruno Schulz. If crocodilians are not everywhere, Nan, they are certainly making their presence felt on the board this week. Regards, Kareni This is one of my favorite books. Bruno Schultz was an amazing author. No crocodiles in Poland, by the way. Well maybe in a zoo. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethel Mertz Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 I'd forgotten that I put Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore on hold. It became available so I am now listening to it. At first I didn't like the narrator but now he fits. I didn't read anything about this book so I have no idea where it's going. So far it's fun. Hope you enjoy it! It's a strange little book and thoroughly entrancing. I was all set to read Henry Beston's The Outermost House: A Year of Life on the Great Beach of Cape Cod for our theme this week, but I can't find our copy. I picked up a copy from our library, but it is old, moldy, and smells of sunblock! I know our copy is here somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 OT: Movie talk again... Dd & I saw the Ghostbusters movie tonight. I know it got a lot of hate in reviews & online, but I can't understand why. I think it was a silly, fun summer movie. It gave some good laughs & nice nods to previous movies/cultural references & was an entertaining way to spend 2 hours. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen. Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 I read "Digging Dinosaurs" by John Horner. I love learning about dinosaurs and his books are always packed with great details. My 10yo read "The Tempest A Shakespeare Story" by Andrew Matthews. ☺ 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 I finished Rock Paper Tiger by Lisa Brackmann tonight. Thanks again, Jenn, for sending it my way. This was a good international/political thriller that I think probably creates a pretty-good picture of modern-day China. I don't always read a lot of thrillers, though I usually enjoy the ones I do read. This was a nice mental break for me for summer. I'd definitely read more of Brackmann's books. (And it looks like my library has at least a few more of her books available so I'm glad about that!) From Publishers Weekly: Ellie Cooper, the heroine of Brackmann's electrifying debut, is an Iraq War vet trying to forget her past while bumming around the fringes of the Beijing art world. Having been ditched by her husband, Trey, a former army interrogator now working in China as a private security consultant, Ellie has drifted into a relationship with the artist Lao Zhang, as well as into a fog of Percocet and ennui in order to escape her memories of Iraq. After Zhang disappears with a mysterious Uighur, Ellie becomes a person of interest to U.S. and Chinese authorities, and soon Ellie's evading goons and cops, getting information from Zhang's friends via a massive multiplayer online game, and flashing back to her experiences as a combat medic at an Abu Ghraib–like detention center. The China scenes are fast paced and strikingly atmospheric, and Ellie's backstory—her and Trey's return from combat is tough, sad, and endearing—is given in doses that perfectly complement the central action. Given the high-octane leadup, the ending is a bit of a letdown, but the book's exotic setting and tough heroine will definitely appeal to fans of John Burdett and Stieg Larsson. If anyone would like to read this, please send me a PM & I'll send the book along the BaW chain.... 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 I'll be heading out tomorrow for a four day wedding reception; the bride and groom (our nephew) have rented a group camp site. There will be a celebration tomorrow night, and guests are welcome to camp if they can for any of the time until Thursday noon. It should be fun. I'll miss flushable toilets and showers. On the upside, the couple has hired a cook to prepare breakfasts and dinners, so that aspect is quite appealing. I shall report. ** Earlier today, I finished a re-read of yet another old favorite Star Trek novel ~ The Kobayashi Maru (Star Trek, No. 47) by Julia Ecklar "A freak shuttlecraft accident -- and suddenly Captain Kirk and most of his senior officers find themselves adrift in space, with no hope of rescue, no hope of repairing their craft, or restoring communications -- with nothing, in short but time on their hands. Time enough for each to tell the story of the Kobayashi Maru -- the Starfleet Academy test given to command cadets. Nominally a tactical exercise, the Kobayashi Maru is in fact a test of character revealed in the choices each man makes -- and does not make. Discover now how Starfleet Cadets Kirk, Chekov, Scotty, and Sulu each faced the Kobayashi Maru...and became in turn Starfleet officers." Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 There is something in the air. DS just walked in to tell me all about alligator snapping turtles. Did you know they can weigh over 200 lbs? Yes, and they are very loud when mating. We have a creek behind our house - lots of crashing and thrashing. We thought a big gator had gotten something but no, just the call of the wild. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Powells Books blog has this list: 25 Books to Read Before You Die, World Edition I've only read two on that list, plus one of the other authors but not the book listed. From the non-world list I count six plus three that I want to read. Finally, on the women authors list I read seven. I'd forgotten that I put Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore on hold. It became available so I am now listening to it. At first I didn't like the narrator but now he fits. I didn't read anything about this book so I have no idea where it's going. So far it's fun. I listened to it a few years ago and enjoyed it. I thought the narrator was good. A narrator can make or break an audio book. The only audible.com book I ever returned was because I didn't like the narrator. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Well, on that list, I've read 12 of the authors (but not always the books listed), but I wouldn't really classify that list as dead white males. On the female author list (link at bottom of the page), I've read only 6 of those authors. And, again, it's not always the work listed but something else they wrote. I've read 12 of the female authors. And you're right, none of their lists are focused on DWMs, they are actually wonderfully diverse! I was referring more to my own reading past . . . Between those three lists, I added a ton of books to my To-Read shelves! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted July 31, 2016 Author Share Posted July 31, 2016 Link to week 31 - please continue conversation in new thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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