Jump to content

Menu
Giving You and Your Child a Road Map to the Best Possible Education
The Well-Trained Mind Community

Book a Week in 2010 -- Week 16

Robin M
 Share

Recommended Posts

Robin M

Robin M

Posted
Posted

Today is the start of book week 16 and should have you starting book # 16. Mr linky is now up on 52 books blog and ready for you to link your reviews.

 

This weeks theme is the letter P. My originally planned post about Marcel Proust changed since I didn't have time to do the research. Hence Things that start with P including project gutenberg and links to Proust's stories online plus a few others. Enjoy!

 

What are you reading this week?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Robin M

Robin M

Posted
  • Author
Posted

This week in my Nobel Literature class was all about drama. I read the play Endgame by Samuel Beckett, aptly coined theatre of the absurd. The play was very absurd, but come to find out my professor loves Beckett. I gave up on Across the Endless River...to much description and not enough story. I started reading The Lumby Lines by Gail Fraser which is kinda like Jan Karon's mitford series. Cast of characters in a small town, except it doesn't revolve around the pastor. It's part of a series and the publicist kindly sent me the other 3 books in the series. Only need to review the first one, thank goodness. I am so far behind on reviews, it's ridiculous. I'll have to do some mini reviews and get caught up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jane in NC

Jane in NC

Posted
Posted

Oh good grief! It has been an age (well, five weeks) since I have posted in these threads. But I have been reading as follows:

 

The Year of Living Biblically by AJ Jacobs--The author is a bit twerpy, but the book provided good fodder for discussion between my son and me.

 

Uniform Justice by Donna Leon--A Guido Brunetti mystery set in Venice. I enjoy this series and packed this book for a recent airplane trip I made. Mysteries help me survive flying.

 

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society--I opened this book with some trepidation. As a fan of historical fiction, I feared this one might be a bit fluffy, yet so many friends were recommending it. I have a copy to share if anyone wants me to mail it to them.

 

The Oaken Heart by Margery Allingham. This is not a Campion mystery but a nonfictional account of her life in coastal England during the early WWII years. The book was published in 1941. It is in some ways propaganda but it is nonetheless an amazing testimony to the strength of the people on the homefront as the war unfolds. Blew me away.

 

Currently reading: No Impact Man. I followed Colin Beavan's blog during part of the process of living life while attempting to make no (or minimal) environmental impact. The good news is that Beavan seems less twerpy than Jacobs in writing about his year long project. I thought this might be another fun book for my son and me to discuss.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PollyOR

PollyOR

Posted
Posted

Reading Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. I'm about 1/3 through it and finding that Lord Henry may beat Heathcliff in terms of characters I loathe.

 

Here's my favorite quote so far, which gave me a good chuckle:

 

"Being adored is a nuisance. Women treat us just as humanity treats its gods. They worship us, and are always bothering us to do something for them." (Lord Henry, "The Picture of Dorian Gray")

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest Virginia Dawn

Guest Virginia Dawn

Posted
Posted

I've discovered a new "cozy myster" author, Patricia Wentworth. I just finished The Grey Mask and am currently reading Lonesome road.

 

Last week I also tore through The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I adored it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
eaglei

eaglei

Posted
Posted

Here is what I read:

 

#23 - Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel, by Jeannette Walls - very good, especially with The Glass Castle still fresh in recent reading memory.

 

#24 - Meant to Be: A Memoir, by Walter Anderson - The cover description is: The true story of a son who discovers he is his mother's deepest secret." Emotional, uplifting, intense, honest - a good read.

 

Currently reading:

 

#25 - Tess of the d'Urbervilles, by Thomas Hardy - first read in college days; time to re-read it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
laughing lioness

laughing lioness

Posted
Posted

Finished "Certain Women" by L'Engle last week. L'Engle is one of my favorite authors but this wasn't one of my favs. Review on my blog: http://goldengrasses.blogspot.com/2010/04/certain-women.html

 

I like "Outliers" by Gladwell so much that I'm reading his other 2. Just finished "Blink" and am now reading "The Tipping Point." My dh (a Clinical Pscyhologist) spent a year as a grad student at Purdue in their Cognitive Psych. program. This is right up his alley and stuff we actually talk about at home. Intriguing.

I couldn't help but think of the parellels between Dekker's book "Blink" about predestination and the elect and Gladwell's book.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dangermom

dangermom

Posted
Posted
I've discovered a new "cozy myster" author, Patricia Wentworth. I just finished The Grey Mask and am currently reading Lonesome road.

 

I love Wentworth! I collect those, they're so hard to find.

 

This week's entries are Demon Ex Machina by Julie Kenner, which was fun, and The Tartan Pimpernel, which was great and exciting. The link goes to my reviews of both.

 

I just now finished Diana Wynne Jones' new book, Enchanted Glass, so watch for that to appear soon--as usual it was wonderful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JennW in SoCal

JennW in SoCal

Posted
Posted

Well, I gave up on Galileo's Dream, but am still counting it as I did at least get 2/3s through it!! I wrote a short blog post about the reasons why my son and I both gave up in spite of really wanted to like the book.

 

I'm reading All Quiet on the Western Front this week. I know we aren't "supposed: to count school books, but my son and I enjoy sharing books, whether assigned for school or just for fun. I read this in high school, (over 30 years ago:scared:) so I needed to refresh my memory!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rosie_0801

Rosie_0801

Posted
Posted

I've read "Growing Up Global" as recommended on the boards here. I was annoyed my library didn't have it, but now I've read it, I'd have wanted to buy it anyway :)

 

Also read "You Majored in What?" which is a very good book for convincing someone that their liberal arts degree is actually useful. Lots of resume writing and interview tips too, so I hope dh will read at least some of it.

 

I'm part way through "Philosophers behaving badly." I don't think I'm absorbing much philosophy, but I'm not really into philosophy anyway so this is to be expected.

 

:)

Rosie

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mommyfaithe

Mommyfaithe

Posted
Posted
Today is the start of book week 16 and should have you starting book # 16. Mr linky is now up on 52 books blog and ready for you to link your reviews.

 

This weeks theme is the letter P. My originally planned post about Marcel Proust changed since I didn't have time to do the research. Hence Things that start with P including project gutenberg and links to Proust's stories online plus a few others. Enjoy!

 

What are you reading this week?

 

WOW! I fit in with the "P" theme...

 

I read Plain and Simple this week and Pirate Latitudes too. I loved them both, but BOY OH BOY! were they so different from one another. I loved Pirate Latitudes because it was...ummmm piratey...and reminded me of Johnny Depp.

 

Plain & Simple was about coming back to roots and the Amish....

Sweet book.

 

~~Faithe

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mommyfaithe

Mommyfaithe

Posted
Posted
Finished "Certain Women" by L'Engle last week. L'Engle is one of my favorite authors but this wasn't one of my favs. Review on my blog: http://goldengrasses.blogspot.com/2010/04/certain-women.html

 

I like "Outliers" by Gladwell so much that I'm reading his other 2. Just finished "Blink" and am now reading "The Tipping Point." My dh (a Clinical Pscyhologist) spent a year as a grad student at Purdue in their Cognitive Psych. program. This is right up his alley and stuff we actually talk about at home. Intriguing.

I couldn't help but think of the parellels between Dekker's book "Blink" about predestination and the elect and Gladwell's book.

 

Outliers is next on my list, but I am determined to finish Bill Bryson's Sunburnt Country (which I started in Jan...but put aside...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Storm Bay

Storm Bay

Posted
Posted
This week in my Nobel Literature class was all about drama. I read the play Endgame by Samuel Beckett, aptly coined theatre of the absurd. The play was very absurd, but come to find out my professor loves Beckett.

 

 

When I was is in high school I acted in a Beckett play that I thought was very strange called Come and Go. I found it on Youtube where they took the play we did in about 5 minutes or so and dragged it out to 8 minutes. I played the one who says the last line (only differently, of course) and I think that's Flo. If you can stand it, here is a different production I found on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaifMUo91Ds but it is truly theatre of the absurd. However, it wasn't any stranger than doing Brecht on Brecht as an understudy & for a performance (reader's theatre, but Brecht.) Thankfully we did some better plays, too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Storm Bay

Storm Bay

Posted
Posted
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society--I opened this book with some trepidation. As a fan of historical fiction, I feared this one might be a bit fluffy, yet so many friends were recommending it. I have a copy to share if anyone wants me to mail it to them.

 

 

So, what did you think?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mommyfaithe

Mommyfaithe

Posted
Posted
Why is that so important to finish?

 

:confused: !!

 

Rosie

 

HAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's not "important"....LOL! It is just sitting there looking so lonely opened downward on my night table....I already returned it to the library twice and took it out again, paid late fees on it...OY!!!

Maybe you're right...maybe I should just pack it on up and not finish it. I just have such a hard time reading 1/2 a book and this one is actually really good. My ds loved it, but I am not a travel book kinda gal. I prefer more sci-fi political stuff or realistic fantasy, biographies, histories and cultural anthropological books. Travel books...not so much as chances for me actually going to those place are pretty much nil to not gonna happen.

 

I did trash one last week when I tried to read The Looking Glass Wars...BLECH! I even really tried to finish that twaddle...but finally just tossed it back in my bag and read Pirate Latitudes...still somewhat trashy...but oh, so fun...LOL.

 

Rosie, you always cheer me up and crack me up. I am glad you are on this board!

 

~~Faithe

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jane in NC

Jane in NC

Posted
Posted
So, what did you think?

 

The book reminded me of the PBS television series, Island at War (Masterpiece Theatre). I think that the use of letters to tell a story presents some problems at times in that the letters take on an unnatural quality in order to further the story. That is perhaps the greatest flaw in the book. But overall I enjoyed it.

 

How about you? I think I remember that you read it, right?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JennW in SoCal

JennW in SoCal

Posted
Posted

Sunburnt Country is one of my all time favorite books!! My ds and I both have it on our iPods, with Bill Bryson doing the narration, and it makes me laugh every time I listen. And I relisten to random sections of it often.

 

It, along with all your fun posts, Rosie, really makes me want to visit Australia!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Storm Bay

Storm Bay

Posted
Posted
The book reminded me of the PBS television series, Island at War (Masterpiece Theatre). I think that the use of letters to tell a story presents some problems at times in that the letters take on an unnatural quality in order to further the story. That is perhaps the greatest flaw in the book. But overall I enjoyed it.

 

How about you? I think I remember that you read it, right?

 

 

I read it with great skepticism, since some (but not all) of the people who had recommended it to me don't necessarily share my taste. Yes, it was a bit unnatural that the story of Elizabeth and the war should unfold the way it did, but I really enjoyed the book anyway--there's always an element I have to suspend in order to enjoy fiction, so if the writing is good I just go with it. I like the way the author writes and would read her again if she came out with another book. I thought that the letters helped show the characters well, because you saw people as they wrote as well as the way others described them or wrote about them. Plus, I was a sucker for the ending.

 

I haven't watched Masterpiece Theatre regularly in years since the timing is usually bad. Perhaps I ought to see if I can get that story from the library. I read the story fresh, so it didn't remind me of anything.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ali in OR

Ali in OR

Posted
Posted

I think I keep starting a book a week, but I now have three in progress. And I think I need to start another to be up to #16. Not much reading time in spring. Anyway, here's what I've got going on:

 

The Aeneid for Boys and Girls--read a few more chapters this week. More than half way through.

 

Hungry Planet--probably halfway through

 

The Book Thief--started this week. About halfway through on this too--really enjoying it.

 

Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads--this just came up for me at the library after being on hold a couple of months. I tend to count his cookbooks as books because there is so much in them besides recipes. I will probably start this one this week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jane in NC

Jane in NC

Posted
Posted

I haven't watched Masterpiece Theatre regularly in years since the timing is usually bad. Perhaps I ought to see if I can get that story from the library. I read the story fresh, so it didn't remind me of anything.

 

I found Island at War to be very compelling, but I'll admit that I was fairly ignorant of the occupation of the Channel Islands when PBS aired the program.

 

My favorite historic novels of WWII are by Alan Furst. His espionage books set in the period are beautifully written with well developed, complex characters set against dramatic backdrops. Great stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Kareni

Kareni

Posted
Posted

I just finished 8 First Choices: An Expert's Strategies for Getting into College by Joyce Slayton Mitchell which was a worthwhile read. I'd recommend it for someone who is starting to think about the college application process. I've already read a number of books in that area, so this one didn't have much I hadn't known already.

 

I've also been on a kick of reading paranormal/fantasy novels (which are not for the easily offended). I finished two today as I'd been reading them concurrently:

 

City of Souls (Sign of the Zodiac, Book 4) by Vicki Pettersson

 

Death's Mistress (Dorina Basarab, Book 2) by Karen Chance

 

I enjoyed them both, but I don't think they would make much sense if you hadn't read the earlier books.

 

And I also finished Broken Wings by Lora Leigh which is a fantasy novel.

 

Regards,

Kareni

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Narrow Gate Academy

Narrow Gate Academy

Posted
Posted

I finished up the 3rd and 4th books in the Harry Potter series this week thanks to a baseball game. DH stayed up Saturday watching whatever game it was that went 20 plus innings, so I got to read until about 10:30. Sunday, he crashed right after I got Henry to sleep, so I stayed up until 11 to finish book 4 (although it was very hard to get up this morning.) That puts back on track with 15 books complete now. I'll try to finish the next Harry Potter book at least this week. I'm also going to try to get back to The Iliad which I've been neglecting since I started the Potter series.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Imprimis

Imprimis

Posted
Posted

I finished Mario Puzo's The Godfather, which I would have enjoyed a whole lot more if it weren't for the abundance of over-the-flippin'-top graphic scenes and descriptions-------much too much info in there for me.

 

Now I'm on to The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe. It's a gothic mystery/romance/travelogue that I learned of from Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey. It's mentioned many times by Austen's heroine, Catherine Morland. I love finding books within books, and so far, I'm enjoying this one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mom-ninja.

Mom-ninja.

Posted
Posted

Now I'm on to The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe. It's a gothic mystery/romance/travelogue that I learned of from Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey. It's mentioned many times by Austen's heroine, Catherine Morland. I love finding books within books, and so far, I'm enjoying this one.

 

I'm reading Northanger Abbey. :001_smile:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rosie_0801

Rosie_0801

Posted
Posted

Rosie, I've now added Growing Up Global to my Amazon list.

 

I doubt you'll regret it. And I think you'll have a chuckle when you realise you are familiar with a lot of the recommended reading because of conversations on here! There's an unofficial WTM reading list...

 

Rosie

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Angel

Angel

Posted
Posted

I haven't posted in a few weeks either. I got behind while catching up on Robert Jordan's epic fantasy series. I think I am on the right week now, however, I doubt I'll finish my book 16 this week since I haven't decided what it will be :glare: I've got "Becoming Jane Austen," "David Copperfield," and "Teach Like Your Hair is on Fire" out of the library, but haven't decided which to pick up and read next.

 

The last few books I've read are:

Epic Fantasy

"Crossroads of Twilight" Robert Jordan

"Knife of Dreams" Robert Jordan

"The Gathering Storm" Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

 

Christian Historical/Romance

"Silk" by Linda Chaikin

"Under Eastern Stars" Linda Chaikin

"Kingscote" Linda Chaikin

 

The Linda Chaikin books were set in India. Not a country I've visited in my reading before. Fascinating.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
laughing lioness

laughing lioness

Posted
Posted
And I think you'll have a chuckle when you realise you are familiar with a lot of the recommended reading because of conversations on here! There's an unofficial WTM reading list...

 

Rosie

 

That is so true! My reading list is very directed by recommendations on this board.... there are many instigators on board here!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SusanAR

SusanAR

Posted
Posted

 

 

 

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society--I opened this book with some trepidation. As a fan of historical fiction, I feared this one might be a bit fluffy, yet so many friends were recommending it. I have a copy to share if anyone wants me to mail it to them.

 

 

 

 

 

:iagree::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ladydusk

ladydusk

Posted
Posted

Still behind, maybe not quite as far ...

 

 

List (Links are to my review):

Week 1: Touch Not the Cat

Week 2: An Introduction to Classical Education: A Guide for Parents

Week 3: Parenting from the Heart

Week 4: Meet the Austins

Week 6: The Moon by Night

Week 6: The Little Book of Christian Character and Morals

Week 7: How Lincoln Learned to Read

Week 8: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society [sigh]

Week 10: The Young Unicorns

Week 12: Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics

Week 12: The Arm of the Starfish

Week 15: Building Her House

Week 16: Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Storm Bay

Storm Bay

Posted
Posted
I found Island at War to be very compelling, but I'll admit that I was fairly ignorant of the occupation of the Channel Islands when PBS aired the program.

 

My favorite historic novels of WWII are by Alan Furst. His espionage books set in the period are beautifully written with well developed, complex characters set against dramatic backdrops. Great stuff.

 

 

Perhaps I'll try one. I haven't read an espionage novel for a while. It will get me out of LOTR & kids' novels.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PollyOR

PollyOR

Posted
Posted

I'm not naturally a reader, so 52 books in 52 weeks is truly a challenge for me. Yesterday I felt a little burned out and gave myself permission to slack off. So what do I do today? I start another book :D... The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Storm Bay

Storm Bay

Posted
Posted
I'm not naturally a reader, so 52 books in 52 weeks is truly a challenge for me. Yesterday I felt a little burned out and gave myself permission to slack off. So what do I do today? I start another book :D... The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.

 

 

Let us know what you think of this book. Last year there was a reader's group social group going and we read that. I'd be interested to see what you think about it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...