Robin M Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 Today is the start of book week 26 and the quest to read 52 books in 52 weeks. Have you started Book # 26 yet? Mr. Linky is all set up on the 52 books blog and ready for you to link to your reviews. We are halfway there y'all and you are all doing wonderful and reading some very interesting books!!! We've made it through the whole alphabet, so where do we go from here. Our theme this week on 52 books: On Beyond Zebra. Time to be creative, mix it up a bit, explore more new authors and genres. Or try to, at least. I would love to hear some suggestions from you all - authors to spotlight, themes to cover, books to highlight. How about a few guest posts? Anyone want to volunteer? Thank you for all your wonderful participation so far! Happy, Happy Summer!!!! So watcha reading this week? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted June 27, 2010 Author Share Posted June 27, 2010 I'm currently reading "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" by Robert Heinlein. I joined in a group reading project reading all the Science Fiction and Fantasy Masterworks reissued by Orion publishing. The 12 of us are reading at least one book a month from the lists in the attempt to read all 130 books by the end of July 2011. We will be posting our reviews on the SFF Masterworks blog. Be sure to check it out. It will be ready as of July 1st. I'm a bit intimidated by the other posters because they get really analytical and write really long, in depth reviews. Wish me luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 My reading has really taken a nose dive since dd's early morning class ended. Because I want to catch up a bit (starting book #24), I'm going to read A Series of Unfortunate Events. I've checked out the first five books but I'm not sure how far I'll actually read. I'm glad I read The Hunger Games. I know it was disturbing, but I'm looking forward to discussing it with 14yodd. I didn't enjoy Catching Fire quite as much. It started to have the Twilight feel to it - love triangle, helpless heroine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 I just finished the children's book Gemini Summer by Iain Lawrence. It is set in the mid sixties and the space program plays an integral part of the book. It was an interesting read and should make for a good discussion in the Teachers as Readers group that I'm a part of. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 I'm reading The Out of Sync Child Has Fun and Win the Whining War and Other Skirmishes. My trend so far this year as been parenting books. Can you tell I have a challenging child? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiseOwlKnits Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 I finished The Help. I'm almost done with Petals in the Ashes and about halfway done with Tipping Point. The Help was book 21. Hopefully by the end of this week I'll have books 22 and 23 finished. :) We're starting Swiss Family Robinson this week as our family read-a-loud. I've never read it so I plan on counting it as well whenever we finish it. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Virginia Dawn Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 I Finished The Language of God- very interesting and thought provoking. Also just finished The Man Who Died Laughing by Tarquin Hall. It's one of a new mystery series that takes place in India with an Indian detective- lots of cultural stuff. If you liked No. 1 Ladies Detective you will like this series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiegirl Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 I tried reading "Socrates in Love" by Christopher Philips but it is not turning out to be as good as his first book. So I have switched to a bio, "Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right." I don't know that muc about Rand only that she is a controversial author. I just started the book yesterday but I find her to be quite fascinating, at least so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 What do you think of "Moon" so far? My ds and I listened to it together -- it was the 2nd or 3rd time through for him by the time I started. He really likes it, but I liked it only to a point. Heinlein's politics pushed too far into the story for my taste, but it was the basis for an interesting discussion on a very long car ride. This week I was trying to catch up by reading 2 recent titles in the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series by Laurie R. King. What fun reads! #23 The Language of Bees #24 The God of the Hive I am close to finishing a non-fiction book started a month or so ago. Banana by Dan Koeppel is a facsinating and very readable journey through the history and politics of the commercial banana business. He is a good writer to make the topic compelling reading. Our current Cavendish banana is on the brink of being wiped out due to disease, so it is a very timely book. That's book #25, Banana. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglei Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 This week I am STILL:glare: working on: #34 - The Custom of the Country, by Edith Wharton. I can't quite put my finger on why this book seems to be dragging for me . . . but it is. The good thing is that I am on page 325 of 509 pages, so only 184 pages to go:001_huh: I WILL finish this book - it is my sixth classic for this year (of my planned one-a-month) - and I INTEND to be done with this book THIS WEEK - sooner would be better(!), then I am NEVER reading it again!!!:tongue_smilie: Next up is "I don't know" . . . I am leaning towards Charles Dickens' Great Expectations, but I may need a fluff book first:D I did my high school senior thesis on Great Expectations and would like to reread the book after all these years to see what I think about it now, then reread my thesis (which I still have) and probably gag afterwards:ohmy: I had planned on reading a Karen Kingsbury book that someone suggested, A Time to Dance, but it is checked out of the library - I put a hold on it. For someone who loves to read, I sure feel at loose ends right now . . .:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 Totally frivolous read this week but a lot of fun: Daddy Long Legs (YF). We watched the Fred Astaire movie version too, but I'd recommend reading the book first. It would make a great read-aloud. Review on my blog: http://goldengrasses.blogspot.com/2010/06/daddy-long-legs.html I have Animal Farm waiting for me at the library for this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter's Moon Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 I wanted to join. I'm pretty late, but why not? Anyways, I have been reading the Chronicles of Narnia Series. Well, I just started. I finished The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and am now half way through Prince Caspian. I know I went out of order but I never knew there was a book before the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and one between Prince Caspian and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe until I actually looked at the back of the book. Lol, anyways, do these books qualify for the challenge? They were in the Young Adult section so aren't childrens' books. Are childrens' books allowed? Sorry, I just didn't know if there were specific guidelines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaissezFaire Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 Pride and Prejudice this week. I am up to 38 books for the year I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangermom Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 Also just finished The Man Who Died Laughing by Tarquin Hall. It's one of a new mystery series that takes place in India with an Indian detective- lots of cultural stuff. If you liked No. 1 Ladies Detective you will like this series. My mom just got that and I'm looking forward to reading it! This week I'm covering The Making of Americans and the latest Terry Pratchett book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 Finally I've been able to start reading again after a house move and too little sleep. Pot of Gold, by Rowena Summers, which was as crappy as I needed it to be. Fugitive Blue, by Claire Thomas, which was a lot better than I thought it would be. :) Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted June 27, 2010 Author Share Posted June 27, 2010 What do you think of "Moon" so far? My ds and I listened to it together -- it was the 2nd or 3rd time through for him by the time I started. He really likes it, but I liked it only to a point. Heinlein's politics pushed too far into the story for my taste, but it was the basis for an interesting discussion on a very long car ride. It wasn't exactly what I expected and it's slow going. Interesting and does make you think. It's one of those keep reading and hope it gets better books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted June 27, 2010 Author Share Posted June 27, 2010 I wanted to join. I'm pretty late, but why not? Anyways, I have been reading the Chronicles of Narnia Series. Well, I just started. I finished The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and am now half way through Prince Caspian. Lol, anyways, do these books qualify for the challenge? They were in the Young Adult section so aren't childrens' books. Are childrens' books allowed? Sorry, I just didn't know if there were specific guidelines. Hi and welcome to the challenge. The Chronicles of Narnia are perfectly acceptable. I really don't consider them children's books. Most books qualify except easy readers, kid's chapter books. Mainly ya and adult, plus non fiction, etc. All forms of books are acceptable including e-books, audio books, etc. Here's the link to the first week which explains it all. Important thing - have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted June 27, 2010 Author Share Posted June 27, 2010 I'm reading The Out of Sync Child Has Fun and Win the Whining War and Other Skirmishes. My trend so far this year as been parenting books. Can you tell I have a challenging child? I just pulled my copy of Out of Sync child down to reread. Have to revisit every so often to remind myself what to do and what not to do. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imprimis Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 I'm no longer on track to read a book a week at this point.... However, I just finished a wonderful debut novel that left such an impression on me. The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. I found it very evocative and lyrically written. Amid the bittersweet stories of the characters featured in this book are some amazingly descriptive food and cooking scenes. This is a treasure of a book for foodies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 I read Nothing to Envy which is an excellent book about North Korea and I highly recommend it. I also enjoyed The Amulet of Samarkand. I'm reading The Golem's Eye now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy713 Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 I'm reading The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming. For some reason, I'm slogging through it. It has all the elements that normally intrigue me: history, time travel, science, but it just hasn't grabbed me yet. I am determined to finish, though, then on to my next bit of fluff: An Irish Country Girl by Patrick Taylor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 (edited) I'm working on books 25 & 26: Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen -- so far I'm finding it both funny & fascinating. The Swan Thieves -- I loved this author's The Historian, so I wanted to try her new novel. I'm enjoying it, though not as much as I enjoyed The Historian. Books I've read in 2010: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time; Good Omens; The Palace of Dreams; Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World; Lying Awake; The Remains of the Day; Iron & Silk; Lottery; The City of Dreaming Books; Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel; Clutter Busting: Letting Go of What's Holding You Back; The Power of Less; Stop Clutter from Stealing Your Life; The Bonesetter's Daughter; Life of Pi; Orphans Preferred: The Twisted Truth and Lasting Legend of the Pony Express; Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide; Waiting for Snow in Havana; The Happiness Project; Ella Minnow Pea: A Progressively Lipogrammatic Epistolary Fable; The Dante Club; Conquering Chronic Disorganization; City of Thieves; Throw Out Fifty Things: Clear the Clutter, Find Your Life YA Books I've read in 2010: The Anybodies; The Wee Free Men; The Nobodies; Something Wickedly Weird: The Wooden Mile; Zorgamazoo; A Hat Full of Sky; Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Books I couldn't tolerate (so I quit reading them before finishing) in 2010: Bicycle Diaries; The Illuminator; The Elegance of the Hedgehog; Three Cups of Tea (YA version); The Hunger Games Edited June 28, 2010 by Stacia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 Most books qualify except easy readers, kid's chapter books. Oops! I guess I missed that part. Oh well. I'm enjoying them. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 We will be posting our reviews on the SFF Masterworks blog. Be sure to check it out. It will be ready as of July 1st. I'm a bit intimidated by the other posters because they get really analytical and write really long, in depth reviews. Wish me luck. You will do great! :001_smile: This week I was trying to catch up by reading 2 recent titles in the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series by Laurie R. King. What fun reads! #23 The Language of Bees #24 The God of the Hive I am close to finishing a non-fiction book started a month or so ago. Banana by Dan Koeppel is a facsinating and very readable journey through the history and politics of the commercial banana business. Those sound great! I loved the first Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes book, but have never read the rest of them. Banana also sounds interesting. The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. I found it very evocative and lyrically written. Thanks for the recommendation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 My ds hijacked Animal Farm but I read Tuck by Lawhead (the 3rd in the Robin Hood series). A very fun, excellent read, as was the entire series. Now reading Kevin Kelly's "New Rules for the New Economy." intriguing and creepy. Tried to read "Feed" but too crude and dark from the get-go for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 Last night I finished Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah; it's a memoir geared for young adult readers. It was certainly a sad book, but it ended on a positive note. It recounts the youth of the author in China in the 1940s and very early 1950s. Her mother died birthing the author, her fifth child, and consequently Adeline was unloved by most of her family. Her father remarried shortly thereafter to a young woman who personified the evil step-mother. It's a good eye into the culture of that time and place. It's made me curious about the author's memoir written for adults Falling Leaves: The Memoir of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter which was the basis of the book above. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi @ Mt Hope Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 I'm coming in late and I'm five books 'behind,' but better late than never. :) I finished The Core: Teaching Your Child the Foundations of Classical Education (long review here) and Twilight (long review here), two very strange books to read back to back. :lol: I haven't decided what to pick up for #22. Maybe I'll finish The Jesus I Never Knew by Yancey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 (edited) List (Links are to my review): Week 1: Touch Not the Cat - Mary Stewart Week 2: Classical Education and the Homeschool - Douglas Wilson, Wesley Callihan, Doug Jones Week 3: Parenting from the Heart - Marilyn Boyer Week 4: Meet the Austins - Madeleine L'Engle Week 6: The Moon by Night - L'Engle Week 6: The Little Book of Christian Character and Morals - Dedrick Week 7: How Lincoln Learned to Read - Daniel Wolff Week 8: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Anne Shaffer and Annie Barrows Week 10: The Young Unicorns - L'Engle Week 12: Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics - Liping Ma Week 12: The Arm of the Starfish - L'Engle Week 15: Building Her House - Nancy Wilson Week 16: Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit - Teri Maxwell Week 17: A Ring of Endless Light - L'Engle Week 20: Just So Stories - Kipling Week 20: Wise Words - Peter Leithart Week 24: Troubling a Star - L'Engle Week 24: House Like a Lotus - L'Engle Week 24: The Talisman Ring - Georgette Heyer Week 24: The Grand Sophy - Heyer Week 24: The Corinthian - Heyer Week 24: Arabella - Heyer Week 25: A Civil Contract - Heyer Week 25: The Princess and the Goblin -George MacDonald Week 25: Crocodile on the Sandbank - Elizabeth Peters Week 26: An Acceptable Time - L'Engle Edited June 30, 2010 by ladydusk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Well my dd brought home "The Last Christian" for her trip and I read it today. Along with the book on Econ, it's a little creepy in the too close to home re: AI and singularity. Finished Tuck- sooo good. Lawhead is one of my fav authors. Reveiws on my blog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 (edited) Ack - haven't been keeping up but here's what I've been up to lately: On a scale of 0-4 stars, 4 being the best rating Dreamcatcher - Stephen King *** Gifted Hands - Ben Carson, M.D. *** Gone With the Wind - Margaret Mitchell **** The Good Earth - Pearl Buck **** The Greengage Summer - Rumer Godden ** And currently reading: My Antonia - Willa Cather Tom's Midnight Garden - Philippa Pearce (read-aloud) Edited June 30, 2010 by Dana in OR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Ack - haven't been keeping up but here's what I've been up to lately: On a scale of 0-4 stars, 4 being the best rating Dreamcatcher - Stephen King *** Gifted Hands - Ben Carson, M.D. *** Gone With the Wind - Margaret Mitchell **** The Good Earth - Pearl Buck **** The Greengage Summer - Rumer Godden ** And currently reading: My Antonia - Willa Cather Tom's Midnight Garden - Philippa Pearce (read-aloud) I loved The Good Earth in high school and it was one of my favs. But I re-read it a couple of years ago and just did like it at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 I loved The Good Earth in high school and it was one of my favs. But I re-read it a couple of years ago and just did like it at all. Isn't it funny now that works? That happened to me with Gone With the Wind. I couldn't even reread it because Scarlet is so self-centered. When I re-read The Good Earth earlier this year, I didn't even remember that I'd read it until I got to the part where he doesn't like his wife's big feet. I think I liked it better in high school, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imprimis Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 I just finished Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I had never read it before. I felt compelled to read it after going to the amazing Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios' Islands of Adventure last week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 I read a kids' novel, The Peppermint Pig. Someone gave us a library discard of this. The other novel I'm reading will go for week 27 since I haven't read much of it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 Yesterday I finished Laura Brodie's Love in a Time of Homeschooling: A Mother and Daughter's Uncommon Year. (There is some discussion of it in this thread.) I recommend it. And, in the escapist realm, I enjoyed Don't Kill The Messenger by Eileen Rendahl. It's a first novel for this author; it would be classified as urban fantasy. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted July 4, 2010 Author Share Posted July 4, 2010 Link to week 27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted July 6, 2010 Share Posted July 6, 2010 Robin, thank-you for the time and energy you've put into this. It's been a blast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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