Kareni Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Which Star Trek, Kareni? I'm reading all of the Enterprise books now. :D I'd be interested in hearing your favorites pertaining to the original series, Deep Space Nine, and Next Generation. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeganCupcake Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 I finished The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World by Eric Weiner (ironically pronounced 'whiner' since he's a self-professed grump :lol:). I'd probably give this book 3.5 stars. I really enjoyed The Geography of Bliss, especially the first half of the book. The first half had some interesting insights, profound ponderings, and neat facts/trivia about the places visited. The later parts of the book, though, seemed to lose some steam, imo. Perhaps the author didn't get as immersed in the later cultures, maybe the places were not as 'happy' as the first places, or maybe his natural grumpiness factor was showing through after visiting quite a few 'happy' places... the second half just didn't really have the same spark that the first half did. Even so, it was an entirely enjoyable read & one I'd recommend. Oh, this sounds great. I will put it on my to-read list. I have a fascination with Bhutan. I am currently reading The Happiness Project and finding it kind of blah, so maybe this would be better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMom Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Oh, and some questions for those who have read The Geography of Bliss.... Which countries in the book would you like to visit? Which country do you think would best fit you? The ones I'd like to visit: Bhutan & Iceland. (I've been to the Netherlands & Switzerland already, but would also like to visit both again.) Realistically, I could (probably) easily live in the Netherlands, but things that Weiner mentions about Bhutan & Iceland speak to my soul.... :001_smile: I have had an obsession with Switzerland since I read this book last year! I want to go there!:) I finally got into a book. Outliers came through on my Kindle request at the library. I'm about 35% done with it and really enjoying it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 I'd be interested in hearing your favorites pertaining to the original series, Deep Space Nine, and Next Generation. Regards, Kareni Ok, I haven't read many of the original series books. But for DS9, my favorites are by Diane Carey and for Next Generation, I prefer Peter David's works (except the second Imzadi book, which was pretty bad) and Michael Jan Friedman. Peter David "gets" Troi and Riker and Q really well and MJF is just all around good with the characters without being overly dramatic. Occassionally, an author will write Star Trek like a soap opera and that drives me bonkers. I think the "river of ebony hair" author was A.C. Crispin and whoever that is, drives me just completely insane. I always expect his/her books to start out with, "It was a dark and stormy night... in the holodeck." :lol: I have completely outed myself as the biggest nerd here, haven't I? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Oh, this sounds great. I will put it on my to-read list. I have a fascination with Bhutan. I am currently reading The Happiness Project and finding it kind of blah, so maybe this would be better. The Geography of Bliss is much, much better (funnier, more engaging, more thoughtful, better written) than The Happiness Project (which was, to me, only so-so). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 #15 Chocolate Cat Caper by JoAnna Carl which is the first book in this series. I know I have read another book in this series some years before. It was quite enjoyable. Now I am reading Enchantment by Orson Scott CArd for book club and so far, I am liking it quite a bit. I am surprised as I don't like fantasy books normally. But this one is set both in the US and in Ukraine and my mother was from what is now Ukraine (when she was born and a girl, it was part of Poland) and the main antogonist is Baba Yaga, which is a witch that I used to hear about as a little girl so it brings back memories while still be interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ariasmommy Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 I finished The Help (audiobook) today. I think I neglected my family a bit, 'cause I just had to find out what happened! Hubby is reading Oliver Twist to me. It's nice to have someone read aloud to me for a change. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Ok, I haven't read many of the original series books. Thanks for sharing your favorites. Most of my favorites are from the original series; I listed some of them in this post. And, yes, a couple of them are by A.C. Crispin -- but the stories are so neat! I'll have to dig through my stacks of books to find the titles of my favorites from the other ST series. Until then ... Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMom Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 I've had a rough reading week too. I did three books last week and sometimes after doing that, I take a break. I have started The Book Thief though and I mostly like it, it feels a little fluffy-ish to me right now and I'm not quite certain what exactly the narrator is and I think this might be one of those books where hearing too much about it ruins it. So I live with confusion. :lol: Fluffy-ish? I found it pretty profound. Maybe I'm just not all that deep.;):lol: I think the narrator is just who he says he is. I think the author leaves it open for you decide what you want to interject for that. Death is a universal experience and concept so each reader can interject their own belief system into it. It definitely became one of my favorite books.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Fluffy-ish? I found it pretty profound. Maybe I'm just not all that deep.;):lol: I think the narrator is just who he says he is. I think the author leaves it open for you decide what you want to interject for that. Death is a universal experience and concept so each reader can interject their own belief system into it. It definitely became one of my favorite books.:) :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 I am currently reading The Happiness Project and finding it kind of blah, so maybe this would be better. I didn't care for it much either. She irritated me a bit. :001_huh: I LOVED The Geography of Bliss. :D I finally got into a book. Outliers came through on my Kindle request at the library. I'm about 35% done with it and really enjoying it! Love that book and all the Malcolm Gladwell stuff. If you like Outliers, you might like Mindset., although not right after. ;) Fluffy-ish? I found it pretty profound. Maybe I'm just not all that deep.;):lol:I think the narrator is just who he says he is. I think the author leaves it open for you decide what you want to interject for that. Death is a universal experience and concept so each reader can interject their own belief system into it. It definitely became one of my favorite books.:) :iagree: Book Thief was superb, I thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvnlattes Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Love that book and all the Malcolm Gladwell stuff. If you like Outliers, you might like Mindset., although not right after. ;) :iagree: I finished Mindset last weekend and enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Thanks for sharing your favorites. Most of my favorites are from the original series; I listed some of them in this post. And, yes, a couple of them are by A.C. Crispin -- but the stories are so neat! I'll have to dig through my stacks of books to find the titles of my favorites from the other ST series. Until then ... Regards, Kareni I'm just so excited to have another geek here with me!! And I stand by my feeling that The Book Thief is fluffier than the other books I'm reading. I don't have to pause to absorb anything in TBT, like I do in Moby Dick or Oliver Twist. It's a good book but it's not what I consider "literature." It's the kind of book you can sit down and just read. Lately, I've been prefering the harder stuff. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clear Creek Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 I didn't get a chance to post what I read last week, so here it is: #10 - Waiting for Summer's Return by Kim Vogel Sawyer. A fluffy, enjoyable read. #11 - Crossing Over by Ruth Irene Garrett. The true story of a woman who left the Amish. While I understand that she is presenting her own one-sided perspective of the situation, it was rather eye-opening in parts. I enjoy reading this type of non-fiction to balance out all the Beverly Lewis books. :D This week I read: #12 - The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. It was...different. It never really drew me in; in fact, I had to force myself to continue reading it after I had stopped for a few days. It had the potential to be deep, but was so showy that it just never got there, which was kind of a disappointment. The aura of mystery that she cast over the characters hinted at a depth that just wasn't there. I might give the author another chance in a few years when she has had a chance to mature (her photo on the cover looks like she is all of fourteen, lol!). I am currently reading: #13 The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks. I have a degree in psychology and I enjoy reading case studies (even ones that are out-of-date and can be explained using modern research). This one has been on my list to read for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 I read #14 The Gingerbread Bump-Off by Livia J. Washburn. It was OK, but not as good as the others in the series; #15 Joy in the Morning by Betty Smith, which I loved; #16 Aidan's Song: A Year in the Life of a Parish Priest by Aidan Wilcoxson - very funny and heart-warming; #17 The Woman I Was Born to Be by Susan Boyle - enjoyable, interesting read; #18 The Case of Jennie Brice by Mary Roberts Rinehart, which was very suspenseful and a little creepy. I made a little more headway in Bill Clinton's My Life but it's slow going. Fluff seems to be ruling right now :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enough Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 This week, I finished The Shallows and Mockingjay (Hunger Games #3)- quite the mix, huh? :lol: The Shallows was spectacular. Chapter 7 alone was worth the price of the book. I have NEVER been a cultish fan of the Internet, so this book reinforced- with hard science, no less- many intuitive beliefs I already had about it. Really made me think about the time I spend "connected" online, how it might be affecting me neurologically, and how to have HEALTHY Internet habits. FYI: There was no happy ending to this book- the author himself struggled with keeping a balance- and I really appreciated that honesty. (Book snobs, look away.) Mockingjay was fluff, and awesome, and I make no apologies for reading it. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Hey! Two books this week Woo-hoo! I finished book 4 today, How to Tutor Your Own Child, which was on the 14 day shelf in the education section at the library and jumped off the shelf to me. I really liked it ... the author recommended The Hive (more than once!), PHP, WTM, etc. Her focus was more on a lifestyle of educating or tutoring children as simply part of your parenting. Imagine that! She was very positive about homeschoolers, which I was a bit nervous would not be the case. In fact, I wonder if she isn't a member of the Hive! (I'm pretty convinced she is but I can't figure out who she is!) I think this book would be very helpful for any homeschooler, but I could see it being a strong encouragement to any afterschooler. Anyway, this wasn't the kind of book I'd read every single word of (I did scan each page enough to say I read it all), but it was a good encouragement and reminder during the February blahs. 2012 Books Reviews 1. Lit! by Tony Reinke 2. Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic 3. Words to Eat By by Ina Lipkowitz 4. How to Tutor Your Own Child by Marina Koestler Ruben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Continuing my love affair with books published by Europa editions, I've just started reading The Nun by Simonetta Agnello Hornby. (Thanks!! ;):001_smile:) The thing I love about historical fiction is finding out new facts about different times & places (& sometimes things that are still true). I've just barely started this book which opens in Messina in 1839 during the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The annual religious procession still takes place in Messina & there are various photos & videos posted online. The machine used in the procession is a huge, pyramid shaped creation that includes rotating parts depicting the sun, moon, and various angels. During the time of "The Nun", apparently real infants were used in this machine to portray the angels -- 7 or 8 hours in the hot sun, rotating high above street level....Of course, these days, infants are no longer used and statues are in place instead. Anyway, this is just one of the neat history tidbits I've picked up from this book. If you are interested, here are a few photos I found & a video that shows what I'm referencing: http://www.thoughts.com/backpackernews/la-vara-festival-in-messina-sicily http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9bBBgeZ65o&feature=related Do you find yourself looking up things (photos, maps, videos,...) when reading historical fiction? :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cani e porci Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Do you find yourself looking up things (photos, maps, videos,...) when reading historical fiction? :-)Yes, all the time, and not only when reading historical fiction. I find myself reading books and looking at Google Earth constantly, trying to figure out exactly where things happened. Glad I'm not the only one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 :iagree: I finished Mindset last weekend and enjoyed it. I'm so glad that you did. I wish they would make an edition for young teens and up. For example, there are so many versions of Who Moved My Cheese for young kids all the way up, or The Seven Habits, etc. I'd love it if they would do it for this also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 I finished The Book Thief last night. It was ok. I'm 25% done with Moby Dick and 30% done with Oliver Twist! I'm forcing myself to finish one of those before I add any brain candy to the mix. And I need to start reading chicken books very soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMom Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 I finished The Book Thief last night. It was ok. I'm 25% done with Moby Dick and 30% done with Oliver Twist! I'm forcing myself to finish one of those before I add any brain candy to the mix. Are you classifying The Book Thief as "brain candy?":001_tt2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Are you classifying The Book Thief as "brain candy?":001_tt2: I'm NOT getting into a fight with you!! Love you too much! :D:D:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMom Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 I'm NOT getting into a fight with you!! Love you too much! :D:D:D I'm not picking a fight. Just havin' fun with you. You are free to like (or not) whichever books you choose. No judgement or offense from me!:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 I'm not picking a fight. Just havin' fun with you. You are free to like (or not) whichever books you choose. No judgement or offense from me!:D I know. That's why I tend to like you and the stuff you read. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 Link to week 7 - please continue conversation in new thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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