Book a Week 2016 - BW39: Book News

[mumto2]

If this is the book by Justin Cronin, I highly recommend the series. I've read all of Cronin's novels thus far, including his more literary work and I thoroughly enjoy his writing.

It is by Justin Cronin. Thanks for the recommendation. :) I really must try it now.

 

Out of curiosity have you read The Historian? https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10692.The_Historian. It definitely isn't horror. ;) If you haven't read it it makes a great spooky read.

[Mom-ninja.]

Greetings from Lake Torch, Michigan!  We got here very late Friday night. Saturday we were at Sleeping Bear Dunes NS and Sunday on Mackinac Island hiking, biking, and horseback riding. It'd been a LONG time since I'd been on a horse. It is NOT like riding a bike since you have to consider that bikes do not have personalities. By the way, when I rode horses as a kid I don't remember waking up the next day with bruises on my nether regions. Yesterday, we went apple picking. Apples straight from the tree taste so much better than from the grocery store. We had to limit our apples (which was hard because it was so fun picking) because we are limited due to luggage weight. Today, is cold and rainy so we are spending it at the house. I am in front of a fire and the males are all playing pool. It's 53 F right now which is the middle of winter where I come from! I actually bought a coat and sweat shirt yesterday because I was so cold.  

 

I haven't had much time for reading except on the plane. I started Dodger by Pratchett. I also have a collection of short stories by Pratchett on audio that I catch little bits while getting dressed and such. Today, I want to get some reading done while I'm by the fire. However, I need to help ds with some of his homework first. This is a huge draw back to having a kid in college classes. You have to keep up with school work even when on vacation. Being a homeschool mom from the start I am not used to this and I must say I do NOT like it. Can't I homeschool college too? ;) 

 

Now to catch up....

 

 

 

 

Lobel is an award winner illustrator of children's books who was a five year old child living in Krakow when the Nazis invaded. She spent the next four and a half years with her brother and a nanny, attempting to avoid being sent to a concentration camp.  No Pretty Pictures tells this story of survival from the child's perspective.  This book was a finalist for the National Book Award (Young People's Lit) and would be an excellent home school addition for your middle school or early high school student. Let me know if you are interested in having me send it your way when I am done.

 

 

If this is still available I'd like it. I'm collecting WWII books for my kids to do next year. 

 

 

I finished the WTM 4th edition, and I'm very impressed. This edition is a significant improvement over the 3rd edition, incorporating many changes that have been discussed in recent years on the Forums! The science sections have been revamped, and the writing sections as well, and in general there is less of a focus on curriculum recommendations and more of a focus on how to actually teach the subjects, which is great.  Kudos to Susan for creating a really meaningful revised edition.

 

I also finished reading Gatsby, for the 3rd time. I'm buying another copy so I can read it *again* and annotate it before I turn Shannon loose on it.  I absolutely adore that book.  Wow. That is just about all I can say. Wow.

 

 

Good to hear about the WTM book. I've been wondering if I should get the new edition. 

 

I also love The Great Gatsby. Most people look at me like I just told them I like drinking toilet water when I confess to loving the book. 

 

 

I forgot about that. After your last WOW post, I had to go look up spoilers to find out what you were referring to. I figured that was it. :)

 

How could you forget that part?! It was a major, "No, no, no. Not that," part of the book. I still wonder what the author's reason was for adding that twist. 

 

 

Have you ever read The Lottery by Shirley Jackson?  Publisher's Weekly lists 11 Things You probably didn't know about Shirley as well as Atlantic Monthly's review of  Haunted Womanhood.

 
And speaking of haunted, next week begins our October Spooktacular reading month.  Start brainstorming and figure out which spooky read you want to tackle.
 
 
Happy Reading!

 

I love "The Lottery" and it's one of my favorite short stories. I read Shirley's collection of short stories last year and really liked it. 

 

I haven't decided what my spooky read will be. I want to read Shirley's Haunted House, but I also picked up a psychological thriller from the library sale. It was a random pick simply because it is German. I really really have been slacking on my German. I need the practice.

 

 

 

This first post is an interesting thought experiment.  I don't agree with all that the author's piece says, but it's worth reading.

 

  What 12 Books Would You Give Your 12-Year-Old Self?  by James Wallace Harris

 

 

Hummm, I'm going to make myself vulnerable here and say I get what he says about limiting books. I read a lot as a kid (and still do) yet I also had a healthy mix of playing outside a lot. Mostly kids today are stuck to screens but not reading or playing outside (or even inside). There are also kids who read so much that they do almost nothing else and have no interest in anything else. I think this can be limiting in physical and mental growth. There's time for reading and time for using your brain and body for other things and you have to find a healthy balance. So, yes, for a 12 yr old I think one novel a month is reasonable. As for one book a week it depends on the books.

 

Throw your tomatoes at me. I like tomatoes.

 

I'll be thinking about 12 books I'd tell my 12 yr old self to read.  

 

I finished So We Read On - Maureen Corrigan's homage to The Great Gatsby. It made me so happy! Someone who loves the book even more than I do and helps me appreciate it even more.

Put this on my TBR. 

 

 

 

This is one of the most baffling things I have read regarding Banned Books. 

That is just  :huh:

 

 

 

[Mom-ninja.]

Okay, here's my list in no particular order:

 

1.Letters to a Young Scientist

 

2. Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation

 

3. The Graveyard Book

 

4. Brainstorm: The Teenage Brain from the Inside Out

 

5. Number the Stars

 

6. Scammed by Statistics

 

7. The Secret Garden

 

8. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

 

9. How to Read Literature Like a Professor for Kids

 

10. Lies My Teacher Told Me

 

11. The Best of James Herriot

 

12. Fahrenheit 451 

 

[aggieamy]

 

 

 

I finished and loved To Kill a Mockingbird, and passed it on to my dd. I'm not sure what I would have gotten from the book had I read it as a teenager, but reading it for the first time now as the parent of many children, I loved Atticus as much for his skill at being a father as for anything else. And beneath the main issues of race and justice, I also thought that Harper Lee's critique of progressive education was interesting. Hopefully my dd will finish the book this week and we can talk about it, then watch the movie.

I'm still reading Circling the Sun, the fictionalized biography of Beryl Markham by Patricia McLain. I wish I had read West with the Night first, because I have to stop now and then to look up an event so I know whether it really happened or not. I like the Beryl of the book and McLain is a good writer, but I still don't know about her use of first person. It's not that her characterization is inconsistent or wooden or fake sounding in any way, but there's always this little voice in the back of my head wondering if this is really what Beryl Markham would sound like or think like.

It was a bit of a stressful week around here; all the kids were sick, including the baby who had enough trouble with her breathing that the possibility of bringing her in to the hospital was discussed. Thankfully, many breathing treatments and an antibiotic later, she is much better. But I am hoping that this week is a little easier.

--Angela


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Hope your kids are feeling better!

 

My oldest sent my youngest the book El Deafo for her birthday. She came across a reference to "We all live on a Yellow Submarine" on page 1 and started laughing "that is so random!". I had to introduce her to The Beatles' rendition so that she would be properly educated. :laugh: :laugh:

 

It's a sad day when the Beatles are historical references.  *swoon* Paul McCartney *swoon*

 

:seeya: Good to see you again, idnib!

 

This is one of the most baffling things I have read regarding Banned Books. 

 

I think I can sum up my opinion on banning books to prisoners pretty easily.  Um ... let them read whatever they want.  I think if we had a prison full of people reading books we'd be doing much better as a society and in 20 years we'd have a bunch of empty prisons. 

 

I'm reading a "romantic Christian thriller."  Lord, help me.  I now remember why I stopped reading Christian fiction.  WWJR?  NOT Christian fiction.

 

 

Yep.  In total agreement with you.  It always strikes me as just a bit ... silly?  I can't even find the right word.  Maybe insincere?  Maybe trying too hard?

 

I just finished a Georgette Heyer - The Convenient Marriage. I liked the relationship between the H and h (and I loved the hero swoon). It wasn't as madcap as some of Heyer's stories and had an unusual heroine-she stutters!

 

One I haven't read yet.  I'm glad to see you report in on it. 

[aggieamy]

Greetings from Lake Torch, Michigan!  We got here very late Friday night. Saturday we were at Sleeping Bear Dunes NS and Sunday on Mackinac Island hiking, biking, and horseback riding. It'd been a LONG time since I'd been on a horse. It is NOT like riding a bike since you have to consider that bikes do not have personalities. By the way, when I rode horses as a kid I don't remember waking up the next day with bruises on my nether regions. Yesterday, we went apple picking. Apples straight from the tree taste so much better than from the grocery store. We had to limit our apples (which was hard because it was so fun picking) because we are limited due to luggage weight. Today, is cold and rainy so we are spending it at the house. I am in front of a fire and the males are all playing pool. It's 53 F right now which is the middle of winter where I come from! I actually bought a coat and sweat shirt yesterday because I was so cold.  

 

I haven't had much time for reading except on the plane. I started Dodger by Pratchett. I also have a collection of short stories by Pratchett on audio that I catch little bits while getting dressed and such. Today, I want to get some reading done while I'm by the fire. However, I need to help ds with some of his homework first. This is a huge draw back to having a kid in college classes. You have to keep up with school work even when on vacation. Being a homeschool mom from the start I am not used to this and I must say I do NOT like it. Can't I homeschool college too? ;)

 

 

I'm glad you and your family are having fun!

 

Dodger is one of my favorite Pratchett books.  My DH loved it even though he usually actively dislikes anything by Pratchett. 

[idnib]

The last book I finished was Browsings by Michael Dirda. That was a library book that I chose because the cover was lovely and there it was on the "Recommended by Staff" shelf. I did mostly take his advice and didn't read it all at once. The book, like these threads, added more books to my "to read" list

 

You reminded me I have Dirda's Bound to Please on the shelf. I mostly haven't cracked it open because I'm going to end up expanding my TBR list even more!

[Jane in NC]

Greetings from Lake Torch, Michigan!  We got here very late Friday night. Saturday we were at Sleeping Bear Dunes NS and Sunday on Mackinac Island hiking, biking, and horseback riding. It'd been a LONG time since I'd been on a horse. It is NOT like riding a bike since you have to consider that bikes do not have personalities. By the way, when I rode horses as a kid I don't remember waking up the next day with bruises on my nether regions. Yesterday, we went apple picking. Apples straight from the tree taste so much better than from the grocery store. We had to limit our apples (which was hard because it was so fun picking) because we are limited due to luggage weight. Today, is cold and rainy so we are spending it at the house. I am in front of a fire and the males are all playing pool. It's 53 F right now which is the middle of winter where I come from! I actually bought a coat and sweat shirt yesterday because I was so cold. 

 

 

If this is still available I'd like it. I'm collecting WWII books for my kids to do next year. 

 

 

Autumn in Northern Michigan!  Lucky you.  There is a wonderful apple orchard on the Leelanau Peninsula that sells heirloom apples.  (Also a cidery in Sutton's Bay--but that is another story...)

 

The Anita Lobel book is yours.  I went to the post office today so it may take a couple days before I go again.

[aggieamy]

I'm listening to Celia's House by DE Stevenson.  I can't put it down! I guess I can't actually turn it off since it's an audiobook.  Wonderful.  I've got an hour left and basically the whole family will have to die on the Titanic (unlikely - the story is currently in the 1930's and no unexpected tragic time traveling adventures are foreshadowed) for me to rate it anything other than five stars.     

[Butter]

#94: Top Secret by John Reynolds Gardiner.  It's a cute little book about a kid who decides to figure out human photosynthesis for his science fair project.  He succeeds and manages to turn himself into a plant.  The president gets involved and how he did it is classified top secret so he has to go back to being a regular boy and never tell anyone what he did.  I read it to the little guys.  They found it very amusing.

[Nan in Mass]

I'm listening to Celia's House by DE Stevenson. I can't put it down! I guess I can't actually turn it off since it's an audiobook. Wonderful. I've got an hour left and basically the whole family will have to die on the Titanic (unlikely - the story is currently in the 1930's and no unexpected tragic time traveling adventures are foreshadowed) for me to rate it anything other than five stars.

DE Stevenson is long standing comfort food in my family. My mother and sisters and I have reread them over and over and over... Celia,s House is lovely. The Mrs. Tim books are a particular favourite.

 

: )

Nan

[Kareni]

Some currently free Kindle books ~

 

Rock Addiction (Rock Kiss Book 1 by Nalini Singh (this is one of her contemporary romances; it's not one of her paranormal books)

 

Tales of the Valkyries: An anthology of short stories, Viking romance and Viking paranormal romance  by Gina Conkle, Asa Maria Bradley, and others

 

 

ETA: Someone on the Book a Week thread read and enjoyed this book ~ 

 

Until the End of the World (Until the End of the World, Book 1) by Sarah Lyons Fleming

 

ETA once again:

 

Share your top 5 (or more) favorite books. I think Helen Oyeymi's Mr. Fox was my favorite of the year. Then I enjoyed the fours books in the Until The End Of The World series just because it was the exact thing I needed at the time. :)

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Butter]

#95: Sunchoke by Paisley Ray.  Honestly, this should have been the second half of the previous Rachael O'Brien Chronicles book.  It was completely part of the same story.  Editing left a bit to be desired.  I feel like she's just trying to churn out book for the sales (the price was the same for the half books as it was for full length books).

[Angel]

Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time  has been waiting in wings to be completed as well so contemplating diving in and finishing the series, rather than a slow two book per year slugfest.

 

 

 

What book are you on now?

 

I love The Historian. I have read it three times in total but sections a couple other times. My dd hasn't read it so it will probably go on the kindle for some planned travels.

 

 

I also loved The Historian!!  That is a book I would never have found if it hadn't been for this group :)

[Angel]

Hey Stacia!  I finished Nasreen's Secret School, The Librarian of Basra, AND Walter the Farting Dog!  I'm barely able to walk in the room Hop on Pop is currently in so I haven't gotten to that one yet.  Though the library had some banned books on display with the reason and Hop on Pop's was encourages violence toward parents  :lol:  :lol:  I couldn't figure out why Nasreen's Secret School was banned or Walter the Farting Dog.  The Librarian of Basra - maybe.  

 

I also finished A Wrinkle in Time.  Here's my review...

I read A Wrinkle in Time for my Banned Book.  There was a lot more to this book than I remembered.  Of course, I hadn't read it since before I was a teenager.  In fact, I think I still haven't grasped the bigger picture here, though I may just be over analyzing.  It just seems like I'm missing something.  I liked the way that Mrs. Who quoted all kinds of classical works.  And I was shocked at how many Bible verses were quoted.  Yet, at the same time they compared Jesus to Ghandi, Buddha, and Beethoven, as well as others.  I didn't quite get it.  I did feel like there were some holes in the story but that just may be reading a children's book after reading my James Rollins' book where he goes into so much detail.

 

Quote:  "But of course we can't take any credit for our talents.  It's how we use them that counts."

 

So it was nice to let my couple brain cells have that break of the children's picture books!  That was a great idea, Stacia, Thanks!  If I had more time I would reread Slaughterhouse 5 with you so I can see if I've changed my views on it :)

 

Mum2 - I, too, am already looking for a spooky read or a magical read for October.  Our IRL book club can choose either.  

[Lori D.]

Finished The Confessions of X, the fictional account of Augustine's unnamed concubine. Wept through much of the second half -- the good kind of weeping, when tears just gently drop and drop as you read when a story is so beautifully told, the characters are so strong, and their voices and choices are so real. I feel like author Suzanne Wolfe was channeling C.S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces, (a work still in my all-time top 10 list!) and the very strong female protagonist of that novel.

 

As she prepares to give birth:

"All day I labored, the pain a cresting, roaring thing that bore me up and up until it peaked, then down I rushed panting in its wake to flounder for a while in temporary calms. And as the day progressed the swells increased and I a straw doll on its surface whelmed over, battered down but still afloat, no will at all but to survive this endless pounding."

 

As she buries the aunt she rejected who had raised her after her mother's death and while her father traveled and worked as a creator of tile mosaics:

"I spent most of the money my aunt had left me on a lavish funeral. Her bier was placed before the altar in the church in the center of her brother's—my father's glorious mosaic; the lion, the angel, the eagle, and the ox a fitting escort from this world to the next. With a priest leading the way, choir boys singing so sweetly, the bell-like purity of their voices so ravishing passersby stopped in the street to listen, some crossing themselves, some weeping openly, we processed to the church of St. Flavius by the southern gate beneath which lay the catacombs of Christians. Here my aunt was interred in a stone sarcophagus I had had carved, instructing the stone masons to adorn it with putti, chubby infants with creased wrists and ankles, dimpled knees and elbows, romping in a field of flowers. Denied babies in life, denied the sight of [my son by my choice], in death I gave her children of stone. It was both a tribute and a penance, for I had given her a heart of stone when I should have given her one of living flesh."

 

 

 

Just finished two young person's books I'd been wanting to get to from Farrar's past recommendations: The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg, and The Birchbark House. Thoroughly enjoyed both. So good to see contemporary authors with strong writing for the upper elementary grade ages!

 

Also got my "spooky" read in early: just finished Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book this month, and LOVED it!

 

Speaking of those books that are geared for that age... I have a sort of opposite thought on Harris' blog article What 12 Books Would You Give Your 12-Year-Old Self?  (originally linked in post #7 above): Which is, how very aware I have become of how the 12yo me and some of the books that the 12yo me read, have helped to keep the adult me nourished, and reminded of who I am during prolonged, difficult life circumstances. :) So, for me, the "book help" has flowed forward (rather than Harris' wish to go back in time) -- and that "paying it forward" of my past reading continues to flow forward just as I need it!

 

And... I totally disagree with #1 and #2 on Harris' 7 Rules for Reading. ;)

 

 

 

Edited September 28, 2016 by Lori D.

[Nan in Mass]

...

 

I also finished A Wrinkle in Time. Here's my review...

I read A Wrinkle in Time for my Banned Book. There was a lot more to this book than I remembered. Of course, I hadn't read it since before I was a teenager. In fact, I think I still haven't grasped the bigger picture here, though I may just be over analyzing. It just seems like I'm missing something. I liked the way that Mrs. Who quoted all kinds of classical works. And I was shocked at how many Bible verses were quoted. Yet, at the same time they compared Jesus to Ghandi, Buddha, and Beethoven, as well as others. I didn't quite get it. I did feel like there were some holes in the story but that just may be reading a children's book after reading my James Rollins' book where he goes into so much detail.

 

Quote: "But of course we can't take any credit for our talents. It's how we use them that counts."

 

Angel, are you conservative Christian? If so, you may not be aware that many less conservative Christians consider Jesus a great man and leader along with many others who have influenced the course of humanity, a son of God only as much as we all are sons of God, and ditto with the Bible - a fabulous book of wisdom which, along with a few other foundational books of wisdom, have influenced the course of humanity, refered to heavily by liberal Christians because this is the book of wisdom used in their culture. Just in case that helps...

 

Nan

[Onceuponatime]

Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mewed, the new Flavia mystery, is out. Our library had one copy not checked out this morning and I got it! My October line up looks like it might spill into November.

[Butter]

I just noticed that Richard Paul Evans responded *very* happily on Twitter to my tweet with the link to the sixth Michael Vey book review.  I've had quite a few authors respond to tweets and reviews (usually hearting or retweeting), but his response just totally made my day.

[Nan in Mass]

I,m listening to Jhumpa Lahiri's In Other Words and loving it. It so describes my struggles with French. Those prepositions... Ug... You pretty much have to memorize the preposition that goes with each and every single word in every single situation that word is used in because it does not align with English. And the tenses don,t line up either. I totally understand her struggles and choices, the poeticness that one has when one first is using another language. In poetry, one picks a suitable word but it is often not the usual word, and that happens when speaking a foreign language as well. Sometimes, due to memory lapses, one is even aware of it. I understand her reluctance to write in English after having finally gotten her brain switched to Italian. I understand her reluctance to translate her own Italian stories and the feeling of incredible richness that one has when returning to English. I would never love English so very much if I had not struggled in French. I have never talked about these things because I am learning French pretty much on my own, with only a bit of internet support here and there, and no one in my family speaks another language past the translating word by word stage except my youngest, and As his teacher, I didn,t want to burden him with my own struggles. I think that as her Italian improves past the level of my French, I will not identify with the book as strongly, but the first part is so true for me that it will be interesting to read anyway, I,m sure.

 

Nan

[mumto2]

Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mewed, the new Flavia mystery, is out. Our library had one copy not checked out this morning and I got it! My October line up looks like it might spill into November.

I am first on the library system's reserve list (only one ?????? Lol ) just went and checked. Not at my library yet but need to remember to check tomorrow because our village library isn't getting it's own copy from what I can tell. So it may need to be moved between branches but think it's in the system. Looking forward to your review. Even when I get my hands on it I know dd will want to go first.....

[mumto2]

I read the Flavia comment and forgot all about why I came to the BaW thread.

 

Last night I finished a book I had abandoned earlier this month. Property of a Lady https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10841914-property-of-a-lady I quit reading it because it seemed to be turning into more from the horror genre than mystery and I had no clue why I had reserved it. After abandoning it I figured out that I must have been starting the series because one of the later books takes place in a bell tower, so I got the book back. Well, it was way more horror and less Aunt Dimity than I personally like to read. I like paranormal so I don't know what my problem is with the ghosty, real sort of ghosty books. People being haunted just creeps me out. I finished it and may try the next one in the series eventually because I liked the characters. I think the bell tower book is pretty far into the series so I may not get that far. But this book certainly meets spooky criteria imo!

[aggieamy]

Finished Celia's House by DE Stevenson.  Star ratings don't do it justice.  I have to rate it using googly heart emoticons.  :001_wub:  :001_wub:  :001_wub:  :001_wub:  :001_wub:  Beautiful writing.  Wonderful settings.  Lovely people.  An ending that tied up every thread of the story in a manner that was almost sickeningly sweet.  Just the way I like them!

 

Angel - have you read any of her stories?  NoseInABook - have you?

 

 

DE Stevenson is long standing comfort food in my family. My mother and sisters and I have reread them over and over and over... Celia,s House is lovely. The Mrs. Tim books are a particular favourite.

: )
Nan

 

Just purchased Mrs. Tim as an audiobook.  I live in morbid fear of running out of books to read so I'm always happy to find a new author to love.

 

I am first on the library system's reserve list (only one ?????? Lol ) just went and checked. Not at my library yet but need to remember to check tomorrow because our village library isn't getting it's own copy from what I can tell. So it may need to be moved between branches but think it's in the system. Looking forward to your review. Even when I get my hands on it I know dd will want to go first.....

 

The only thing that makes me nervous about moving next door to you guys is that the library system seems to be a bit slow ... 

 

Well that and I would be committed to never driving again.  :blush:

 

I read the Flavia comment and forgot all about why I came to the BaW thread.

Last night I finished a book I had abandoned earlier this month. Property of a Lady https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10841914-property-of-a-lady I quit reading it because it seemed to be turning into more from the horror genre than mystery and I had no clue why I had reserved it. After abandoning it I figured out that I must have been starting the series because one of the later books takes place in a bell tower, so I got the book back. Well, it was way more horror and less Aunt Dimity than I personally like to read. I like paranormal so I don't know what my problem is with the ghosty, real sort of ghosty books. People being haunted just creeps me out. I finished it and may try the next one in the series eventually because I liked the characters. I think the bell tower book is pretty far into the series so I may not get that far. But this book certainly meets spooky criteria imo!

 

LOL.  That line struck me as so funny this morning!

[aggieamy]

This is really funny.  I don't know what kind of analysis Goodreads is running to determine what books I would be interested in but this was a big fail on their part.  Compare the books I'm currently reading to their suggested book on the bottom right. 

 

 

 

[Chrysalis Academy]

Spooky reads? I used to love horror, but moved away from it as I grew older and the genre focused more on gore. I like to be scared, not grossed out. From my reads this year, I'd recommend:

 

• Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff. 
• I Am Not A Serial Killer and Mr. Monster by Dan Wells

I hope to find some new books for October reads.

 

 

 

Sold. I just put those two on hold.  I was going to read The Elementals but my library doesn't have a copy. 

[JennW in SoCal]

:smilielol5:  :smilielol5:  :rofl:  :rofl:    Thank you for the morning laugh!  That is priceless!

 

This is really funny.  I don't know what kind of analysis Goodreads is running to determine what books I would be interested in but this was a big fail on their part.  Compare the books I'm currently reading to their suggested book on the bottom right. 

 

 

 

[Jane in NC]

This is really funny.  I don't know what kind of analysis Goodreads is running to determine what books I would be interested in but this was a big fail on their part.  Compare the books I'm currently reading to their suggested book on the bottom right. 

 

 

 

 

:smilielol5:  :smilielol5:  :rofl:  :rofl:    Thank you for the morning laugh!  That is priceless!

 

Not only that, I see that Lady Dusk is active on Goodreads!  She was one of the people who led me to Susan Howatch via the BaW thread.  In case she lurks here, I want to give a shout out to her/

[mumto2]

 

 

The only thing that makes me nervous about moving next door to you guys is that the library system seems to be a bit slow ...

 

Well that and I would be committed to never driving again. :blush:

 

!

Well you managed to crack up both dh and I today! I didn't even show him the Goodreads.......

 

Just remember I have a great driving teacher to recommend. I took tons of lessons and put that poor man through all my roundabout paranoia. Dh just looked at me when I read your comment to him and said if I can drive here you certainly can!

 

Ok, my library system is not what I would like it to be but I did spend many hours on a committee trying to improve it. It is much faster than before. ;) Sometimes I think I get more frustrated because I actually know what different codes mean when I look at my account. The paranoid me put on it on hold in an overdrive account because it should be waiting for me.

[Maus]

46. "The Kids' Guide to Staying Awesome and in Control" by Lauren Brukner.  Nice, straight-forward guide to OT type activities for sensory issues.  Written at a kid level, so I'm going to assign it as reading to my older two, and work through it with my youngest.

 

45. "Freaks, Geeks & Asperger Syndrome" by Luke Jackson.

44.  "Seven Miracles That Saved America" by Chris Stewart and Ted Stewart (LDS). 

43. "The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared" by Alice Ozma.

42. "Unsolved Mysteries of American History" by Paul Aron.

41. "The Out-of-Sync Child Grows Up" by Carol Stock Kranowitz. 

40. "Look Me in the Eye: my life with asperger's" by John Elder Robison.

39. "The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History" by Thomas E. Woods.

38. "A Buffet of Sensory Interventions: Solutions for Middle and High School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders" by Susan Culp. 

37. "Thinking in Pictures" by Temple Grandin.

36. "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" by Jack Thorne, et al

35. "The Wizard of Oz" by Frank Baum. 

34. "Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain.  (We listened as we traveled in Missouri!)

33. "Blue Fairy Book" by Andrew Lang.

32. "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" by Judy Blume.

31. "Greenwich" by Susan Cooper.

30. "Dark is Rising" by Susan Cooper.

29. "Clash of Cultures" by Christopher and James Lincoln Collier.

28. "The Story of US: First Americans" by Joy Hakim.

27. "Freak the Mighty" by Rodman Philbrick. 

26. "The Mouse and the Motorcycle" by Beverly Cleary.

25."Caddie Woodlawn" by Carol Ryrie Brink.

24. "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George.

23.  "The Power of Vulnerability" by Brene Brown.

22.  "My side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George.

21. "Cheaper By the Dozen" by Frank Butler Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey.

20. "Murder on the Ballarat Train" by Kerry Greenwood.

19. "Over See, Under Stone" by Susan Cooper

18. "Sing Down the Moon" by Scott O'Dell.

17. "Soft Rain" by Cornelia Cornelissen.

16. "The Collapse of Parenting" by Leonard Sax.

15. ""Flying Too High: A Phyrne Fisher Mystery" by Kerry Greenwood.

14. "Cocaine Blues: A Phyrne Fisher Mystery" by Kerry Greenwood.

13. "Let It Go" by Chris Williams

12. "Writing From Personal Experience" by Nancy Davidoff Kelton.

11. "Writing the Memoir" by Judith Barrington.

10.  "Boys Adrift" by Leonard Sax.

9. "Girls on the Edge" by Leonard Sax.  

8. "Christ and the Inner Life" by Truman G. Madsen. (LDS)  

7. "Gaze into Heaven" by Marlene Bateman Sullivan. (LDS)

6. "To Heaven and Back" by Mary C. Neal, MD.

5. "When Will the Heaven Begin?" by Ally Breedlove.

4. "Four" by Virginia Roth.

3. "Allegiant" by Virgina Roth.

2. " Insurgent" by Virginia Roth.

1. "Divergent" by Virginia Roth.

 

[aggieamy]

Not only that, I see that Lady Dusk is active on Goodreads!  She was one of the people who led me to Susan Howatch via the BaW thread.  In case she lurks here, I want to give a shout out to her/

 

I miss her too.  I don't know if she stopped homeschooling or what happened to her.  I'm glad to see that she's at least still reading and active on Goodreads. 

[Kareni]

A book-ish post for Banned Books Week ~

 

Top 5 Ancient And Medieval Censored Books To Read During Banned Book Week by Sarah Bond

 

"This week (September 25-October 1, 2016) is banned books week. The week celebrates the freedom to read any book that we want, despite the fact that written works continue to be censored and removed from libraries even today. The American Library Association (ALA), reported 311 books in 2014, and keeps a running top 10 list of books banned yearly; however, many censored books — as many as 80% — are never even reported to the ALA.

 

The tactic of banning books is, to quote Disney’s version of Beauty and the Beast, a tale as old as time. Yet it is rarely an effective method for halting the spread of information. The word censura (“censorshipâ€) comes from the Latin verb censeo, which means to assess. Although publication took a different form prior to the printing press’s introduction to the West in 1450, there was still a great deal of textual censorship and numerous instances of book burning in the premodern Mediterranean. Here are just a few: ..."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Chrysalis Academy]

Well, we're reading Ovid right now in history class, so I guess that counts as a banned book.  ;)

 

I'm completely against censorship and I love Banned Books week, I think it's a great reminder of the importance of free speech and the insidious ways it can be challenged. OTOH, I find it interesting that on the ALA website, a frequent reason for books to be challenged - not banned - is "unsuitable for age group" which I think is totally legitimate. I think it's ok for parents, teachers, etc. to judge that a book contains material that a kid isn't ready to process at their age/stage.  OTOOH, I listened to an interesting piece yesterday about how most challenged books by parents are those in the 4-6 and 14-17 age groups. The commentator was implying that this is because it's a time when parents are struggling with letting go of control, with big changes in life stage and the child venturing out into the wilder world, and that it's a function of parents' discomfort with that process. I suppose, though, it could be that it is a time when other people start to have more influence on what kids are offered to read - teachers, peers, etc. and so you can't really infer causality from the correlation.  Interesting, though. I'm definitely against censorship, but I do pay attention to and sometimes limit what books my kids are exposed to. I'm guessing I'm not the only one.

 

I also think that "unsuitable for age group" has a lot of dimensions.  It may be due to disturbing content in the book, but it may also be due to a lack of maturity in the reader. I know that I found Virginia Woolf unsuitable for my particular age group until I was past 40 - and that says way more about me as a reader than it does about the content of the books.  ;)

[aggieamy]

Well, we're reading Ovid right now in history class, so I guess that counts as a banned book.  ;)

 

I'm completely against censorship and I love Banned Books week, I think it's a great reminder of the importance of free speech and the insidious ways it can be challenged. OTOH, I find it interesting that on the ALA website, a frequent reason for books to be challenged - not banned - is "unsuitable for age group" which I think is totally legitimate. I think it's ok for parents, teachers, etc. to judge that a book contains material that a kid isn't ready to process at their age/stage.  OTOOH, I listened to an interesting piece yesterday about how most challenged books by parents are those in the 4-6 and 14-17 age groups. The commentator was implying that this is because it's a time when parents are struggling with letting go of control, with big changes in life stage and the child venturing out into the wilder world, and that it's a function of parents' discomfort with that process. I suppose, though, it could be that it is a time when other people start to have more influence on what kids are offered to read - teachers, peers, etc. and so you can't really infer causality from the correlation.  Interesting, though. I'm definitely against censorship, but I do pay attention to and sometimes limit what books my kids are exposed to. I'm guessing I'm not the only one.

 

I also think that "unsuitable for age group" has a lot of dimensions.  It may be due to disturbing content in the book, but it may also be due to a lack of maturity in the reader. I know that I found Virginia Woolf unsuitable for my particular age group until I was past 40 - and that says way more about me as a reader than it does about the content of the books.  ;)

 

Yep.  I'm still too young for Virginia Woolf.  Also probably Moby Dick.  And Hemmingway.  :laugh:

[aggieamy]

I've decided on my October spooky read.

 

It's about as scary as I like my books these days.

 

I sure hope you gals are laughing with me and not at me.

 

 

I just love her books.  They are some of the few board books I'm going to keep around for when I have grandkids. 

Edited September 28, 2016 by aggieamy

[Kareni]

I've decided on my October spooky read.

 

It's about as scary as I like my books these days.

 

I sure hope you gals are laughing with me and not at me.

 

 

I'm definitely laughing with you!  Funnily enough, yesterday while passing some time in the local grocery store, I picked up and read Spooky Pookie by Sandra Boynton.

 

I too like Sandra Boynton's books.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Angel]

 

 

Also got my "spooky" read in early: just finished Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book this month, and LOVED it!

 

 

I read this last year as my spooky read, and I enjoyed it, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I really loved it.  I just recommended it to many in my book club!

 

Angel, are you conservative Christian? If so, you may not be aware that many less conservative Christians consider Jesus a great man and leader along with many others who have influenced the course of humanity, a son of God only as much as we all are sons of God, and ditto with the Bible - a fabulous book of wisdom which, along with a few other foundational books of wisdom, have influenced the course of humanity, refered to heavily by liberal Christians because this is the book of wisdom used in their culture. Just in case that helps...

 

Nan

Yep, I'm a conservative Christian. ;)   And yep I am more than familiar with how many less conservative Christians consider faith/religion/Jesus.  I guess that in retrospect I did write in my review that there were many classical quotes.  And for those who do put Jesus in that mix, they usually do consider him and the Bible classical works.  I didn't think of it that way.  

 

Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mewed, the new Flavia mystery, is out. Our library had one copy not checked out this morning and I got it! My October line up looks like it might spill into November.

I, too, can't wait to get my hands on this.  My Book Club's November theme is mystery so I'll probably hold off until then.  Because... my October line up is also VERY full.  I know I'll never have the time to finish them all but I sure would like to give it a try :)

 

Finished Celia's House by DE Stevenson.  Star ratings don't do it justice.  I have to rate it using googly heart emoticons.  :001_wub:  :001_wub:  :001_wub:  :001_wub:  :001_wub:  Beautiful writing.  Wonderful settings.  Lovely people.  An ending that tied up every thread of the story in a manner that was almost sickeningly sweet.  Just the way I like them!

 

Angel - have you read any of her stories?  

 

No, I haven't, but I had already opened the goodreads link from your first post  :D  That is EXACTLY the kind of romance book I love!!  I'll be adding it to a TBR pile that is getting ridiculously out of hand these days!!

[idnib]

Sold. I just put those two on hold.  I was going to read The Elementals but my library doesn't have a copy. 

 

 

I'm almost done with it. Do you want me to mail it to you, just in time for a spooky read?

[Ethel Mertz]

For those who like Fannie Flagg's books (Fried Green Tomatoes anyone?), she has a new book coming out in October. The Whole Town's Talking

 

I am now number 29 on the waiting list for when my library's copy arrives.

[Chrysalis Academy]

I'm almost done with it. Do you want me to mail it to you, just in time for a spooky read?

 

Oh, that would be stellar! Thank you!

[ladydusk]

 

As I have noted before, I am fan of Susan Howatch, preferring her later books to her earlier Gothic romance books.  The latter though are often compared to books by Victoria Holt. Months ago I grabbed a Holt novel from the Wee Free box and placed it in my dusty stacks.  Over the weekend I cracked open The Legend of the Seventh Virgin and felt as if I had started a Mary Stewart novel. I'm rather fond of Stewart's smart and independent heroines.  I know there are a number of Victoria Holt fans here and I think I can see why.

 

 

Hi Friend. Some favorites.  :) Hope you are well <3 I liked Victoria Holt before I liked Susan Howatch ... In fact, as I recall, I found Howatch by looking a couple of shelves below Holt and wondering what she was about with titles like Cashelmara and Penmarric.

[Jane in NC]

Hi Friend. Some favorites. :) Hope you are well <3 I liked Victoria Holt before I liked Susan Howatch ... In fact, as I recall, I found Howatch by looking a couple of shelves below Holt and wondering what she was about with titles like Cashelmara and Penmarric.

Welcome back! We have missed you.

 

Jane

Edited September 28, 2016 by Jane in NC

[ladydusk]

I miss her too.  I don't know if she stopped homeschooling or what happened to her.  I'm glad to see that she's at least still reading and active on Goodreads. 

 

Aw, I'm still actively homeschooling but left the WTM fold for AmblesideOnline/Charlotte Mason and have needed support more directly from those groups. I was sad to lose track of this group but I so rarely venture to the Hive anymore that it's hard to keep up with ...  I actively blog (ladydusk.blogspot.com) and am active on other social media.

 

I'm reading Harry Potter for the first time, finished Goblet of Fire last night and that's about as spooky as I can hack, does that count as my spooky read? 

 

I've read all of the kindle-available Joan Smith titles. I'm still stumping for Susan Howatch - in fact shared on my blog's facebook page yesterday that The Rich are Different was on sale (might still be ... )

 

I'll try to swing in more regularly. Part of the problem is I'm on mobile most of the time and I hate Tapatalk :/ But I'm working a few hours a week for Pam Barnhill so am on my laptop more, so that will make it more viable.

 

Thanks for remembering me <3

[Robin M]

stacia: Mostly recovered from the dog stuff, but I still can't bend down on my injured knee. I think it's still pretty deeply bruised & may be a few more weeks. Robin, how are you doing???

 

Ouch. Knee's do take time to heal.  I'm good and no more pain, although it's more crooked  than before.

 

 

Angel: Which book are you on? 

 

#6 Lord of Chaos.  

 

Hi dawn! Good to see you!

 

 

James and I are listening to HP and the Half Blood Prince. Have forgotten most of the story as it's been so long since first read it.  I'm thinking the whole series will be worth a reread at some point next year.  Speaking of rereads - contemplating Frankenstein or The Historian for October if nothing else meets my fancy.  Hubby is gone for the rest of the week to a convention in LA so probably will have an adventurous shopping trip to B & N! 

Edited September 29, 2016 by Robin M

[Stacia]

So in the middle of the night my sleep deprived brain fixated on what to read for spooky October. Some years I just read a couple paranormal series books and call it done but one year I joined Stacia in a great read. We did The Historian https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10692.The_Historian?ac=1&from_search=true and Stoker's Dracula in the fiction category. We also read a historical account of Vlad, I read https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/73989.Dracula_Prince_of_Many_Faces but I think Stacia had an updated version. It was great......btw I love The Historian. I have read it three times in total but sections a couple other times. My dd hasn't read it so it will probably go on the kindle for some planned travels.

 

Since many here have enjoyed The Historian already I thought I would share some of my more productive links from my search for a book like The Historian.

 

I found a book called The Passage on this list. One interesting thing google told me about the Passage is people love the audiobook. Anyway I downloaded it from overdrive in book form because it is 800 pages long so would take weeks to listen to for me.

 

Thanks for the reminder about The Passage. I keep meaning to read it.

 

I finished a re-read of The Maltese Falcon last night.  What a brilliant book. And it's fun reading it juxtaposed to The Great Gatsby.  Sam Spade is the anti-Gatsby on so many levels.  

 

We're doing a unit on the hard-boiled detective and film noir, so I get to indulge in some great books and movies in the coming weeks.

 

I love The Maltese Falcon too, esp. the edition I read which had a lot of old/historical b/w photos of the San Francisco area.

 

Looking forward to hearing more titles on your hard-boiled/noir list....

 

We have our new puppy! So, not much sleep (for me--Molly gets 18-20 hours per day at this age, but not much at night yet!), and not much reading.

 

Yay! How fun (even though there's not much sleep for you).

 

I've been traveling and starting up school so I haven't been around much. It's good to "see" everyone!

 

Good to see you popping back in, idnib!

 

This is one of the most baffling things I have read regarding Banned Books. 

 

:mellow:  Wow. (And I mean that in a bad way.) Thanks for posting the article, Jane.

 

Five Great Reads Featuring Creepy Ass Water  by Kendare Blake

 

Just the title of that makes me :lol: . But, since I've often lived around water for most of my life, I think I may skip ALL of those books!

 

I am pretty sure it was because of you that I started reading W. Somerset Maugham. I think you posted about loving Slaughterhouse-Five and so I just trusted that if you loved Vonnegut, you must be right. About everything. And I was right! You are!

 

I will probably do the same and re-read Slaughterhouse-Five for Banned Books. I am too sleep-deprived to try anything new this week.

 

Aww, thanks. :blush:  (Guess I'd better start Slaughterhouse-Five since the week is almost over!!)

[Stacia]

I also love The Great Gatsby. Most people look at me like I just told them I like drinking toilet water when I confess to loving the book. 

 

Another fan of The Great Gatsby.

 

Hey Stacia!  I finished Nasreen's Secret School, The Librarian of Basra, AND Walter the Farting Dog!  I'm barely able to walk in the room Hop on Pop is currently in so I haven't gotten to that one yet.  Though the library had some banned books on display with the reason and Hop on Pop's was encourages violence toward parents  :lol:  :lol:  I couldn't figure out why Nasreen's Secret School was banned or Walter the Farting Dog.  The Librarian of Basra - maybe.  

 

I also finished A Wrinkle in Time.  Here's my review...

 

Well, you are way ahead of me. I'm 5th on the waitlist for Nasreen's Secret School, Walter the Farting Dog was checked out, & I forgot about Hop on Pop. I have considered grabbing a Captain Underpants book (I check them in & out all.the.time working at the library -- they are hugely popular), but I haven't done it yet. Lol.

 

However, I did read the picture book I Am Jazz today. I liked it & thought it was entirely appropriate for the age group. It's simple, has pretty illustrations & basically describes the things that Jazz likes to do, as well as some mild mentions of struggles of having a boy body but a girl brain. Until I read the book (& in the info at the end), I didn't realize that Jazz is a real (vs. fictional) person, has made numerous tv appearances, etc....

 

 

Jazz has never stood still … appearances on 20/20, 60 Minutes, Oprah Winfrey and others, many awards, her new vlogs on YouTube, and now she even has a published book ‘I am Jazz’ co-authored with Jessica Herthel and with pictures by Shelagh McNicholas. In this first-of-a-kind autobiographical picture book, Jazz talks about what it is like to have “a girl brain but a boy body†and how it was for her family to understand it all. A recent review, Kirkus Reviews calls it An empowering, timely story with the power to help readers proclaim, in the words of Jazz’s parents, “We understand now.â€

 

 

 

This is really funny.  I don't know what kind of analysis Goodreads is running to determine what books I would be interested in but this was a big fail on their part.  Compare the books I'm currently reading to their suggested book on the bottom right.

 

Yep.  I'm still too young for Virginia Woolf.  Also probably Moby Dick.  And Hemmingway.  :laugh:

 

Well, I don't know, Amy. Looking at what Goodreads is recommending for you, I'd say you're waaaay past Woolf, Hemingway, & Moby Dick!

 

:lol:

 

I've decided on my October spooky read.

 

It's about as scary as I like my books these days.

 

I sure hope you gals are laughing with me and not at me.

 

 

I just love her books.  They are some of the few board books I'm going to keep around for when I have grandkids. 

 

I love her books. My favorite is Blue Hat, Green Hat. I almost always include a copy of it with baby gifts. And, like you, these are some that have been saved in our house too (along w/ all Richard Scarry books).

 

I'll try to swing in more regularly.

 

Hey, ladydusk! Good to see you too!

[Butter]

#96: The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum.  Of course I loved it.  It was amusing and fun to read.  I only have one more Oz book to go and I will have read all of them.

[Nan in Mass]

Stacia - Yup. I,m not reading those water books either. Baaad idea for me.

Nan

[Kareni]

If there was one book from your reading this year that you'd just have to recommend, what would it be ? My booklist is long, but it's not long enough :) It will only get me through to November.

 

Any recommendations/genres welcome - although I'm not mad keen on romance.

 

Please list some of your favorite books from the past few years to help me get calibrated.

 

I read it prior to this year, but I'll recommend The Martian by Andy Weir.   The audio version is also quite good. 

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Chrysalis Academy]

I have one exam to go (tomorrow!) till I am finished my studies - temporarily, as I start a Masters degree next year. But between this Saturday and the end of Feb 17, I can read ALL THE BOOKS!

 

If there was one book from your reading this year that you'd just have to recommend, what would it be ? My booklist is long, but it's not long enough :) It will only get me through to November.

 

Any recommendations/genres welcome - although I'm not mad keen on romance.

 

Just one????  That's difficult. How about No Country for Old Men?  or . . . . nope, nope, stepping away from a second suggestion.  ;)  :D

 

Ack, no, on second thought, The Plover for you.  I suggest The Plover.  Completely ignore my previous suggestion.  :001_tt2:

Edited September 29, 2016 by Chrysalis Academy

[Kareni]

Well, I really loved and adored The Last Policeman.  Ann Cleeve's Shetland series. Anything by Miriam Troews. Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff.  The Vegetarian. Anything by William Maxwell. The Moth Snow Storm.

 

Sadly Sadie (which makes me think of Suddenly Seymour), I've read none of your favorites.  I found this list of five suggestions that might be worth considering:

If you liked 'Fates and Furies' by Lauren Groff

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

I've finished a couple of books ~

 

A Spool of Blue Thread: A Novel  by Anne Tyler

 

I read this for my sister's book group which will be meeting in a couple of weeks the night before I fly home.  I am not unhappy to have read this; however, I would not have finished it were it not for a book group.  It's the kind of book that left me with more questions than answers.

**

 

I also read  Defying the Odds (Battered Hearts Book 1)  by Kele Moon which is a contemporary romance (adult content).  I enjoyed it, but it didn't quite meet my expectations given the praise I'd heard.

 

Regards,

Kareni