Book a Week in 2012 - Week 8

[JennW in SoCal]

I didn't even finish reading the thread during week six :eek: and didn't read week seven, either :eek::eek:!

 

You aren't alone! I haven't read the recent threads, either, and haven't read much of anything else since the year began. And it's all her fault (see thumbnail below) -- she looks innocent but this ball of fluff is actually Cujo, waiting for my defenses to be down so she can attack!!

 

I've managed to watch Downton Abbey, I'm more than halfway through Great Expectations, and because I had read all the previous titles aloud to my ds, I read the most recent Artemis Fowl book for all time's sake. I offered to read it aloud but my ds didn't take me up on it. But not much else to report!!

[Stacia]

this ball of fluff is actually Cujo, waiting for my defenses to be down so she can attack!!

 

Awww, pseudo Cujo is so cute!!! (I think she'd fit right in at Villa del Re. :D)

[Negin]

Wow. I could think of tons of places around the world I'd love to go (& I guess I'd take some books along too). One book that's definitely on my 'to read' list this year is 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. I suppose this location (overlooking Mt. Fuji) might do ;):

IQ84 is on my wish list. I love that view. :)

 

Have you read The Autobiography of Malcolm X (as told to Alex Haley)? I read this (and enjoyed it) a million years ago in a political science class and I re-read it periodically. Not textbook-y at all.

Thank you. Been wondering about this one. The author of the one I read didn't have the greatest things to say about it, but I might give it a try.

 

This looks almost exactly like the view from our home.

This is the beach right near our home (across the street).

 

 

And it's all her fault (see thumbnail below) -- she looks innocent but this ball of fluff is actually Cujo

Cujo is so cute! :D

[Stacia]

.

[Negin]

Ok, so maybe I can come to your house, Negin, to read Moby Dick? ;):D

Stacia, you can come anytime, with or without Moby Dick. Preferably without, so we can chat and laugh. :D :grouphug:

[Stacia]

Stacia, you can come anytime, with or without Moby Dick. Preferably without, so we can chat and laugh. :D :grouphug:

 

Sounds fabulous to me! (I didn't really want to read Moby Dick anyway. :lol:)

 

I would love to come visit! :grouphug::001_smile:

[Heather in Neverland]

:D

 

Me too. Wouldn't it be cool if we really could have a book thread group go to Villa del Re & hang out for a month???!!!

 

You can all come stay with me. I don't live in a villa but my view is the same as that picture. :D

[Negin]

I took a break from my historical romance reading to read a book about romances.

Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart *****es' Guide to Romance Novels by Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan

It was an interesting read, and I'll definitely by looking at the authors' website. (It's not for the conservative as there is plenty of language.)

I also read Loretta Chase's historical romances Not Quite a Lady (enjoyable) and Captives of the Night (very enjoyable).

Betina Krahn's The Unlikely Angel (fun)

Julie Anne Long's How the Marquess Was Won (entertaining)

Regards,

Kareni

I'm beginning to consider reading these genres again. Pure entertainment and great fun! :D I don't want to sound rude or anything, but I haven't read these types of books since high school, when we all used to swap romance novels and sneak reading time during boring classes. I think I'm going to treat myself soon. :)

[Mommyfaithe]

This week, I'm finishing The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp. It is not a difficult read and I've read about half of it, but it's taking me a while to get through because I'm spending a lot of time marking passages with Post-Its and just THINKING about the points she makes. There is lots of good food for thought in this book.

 

After that will be either Life of Pi or In The Sea There Are Crocodiles.

 

And I'll try to summon up the courage to start Moby-Dick, too. :tongue_smilie:

 

Beware: Life of Pi was one of those books that made me not want to read another book for a really long time.

[Jane in NC]

Beware: Life of Pi was one of those books that made me not want to read another book for a really long time.

 

And I had the opposite reaction! Isn't that interesting?

[Jane in NC]

 

I'm not planning on posting until after Easter, but I want to hear what you thought of Balzac when I get back! Maybe being off the Intertubez will increase my reading rate.

 

Your self discipline is admirable. Recently I read about people who take an Internet Sabbath and thought that they might be on to something.

 

Sending best regards for your Lenten journey and look forward to seeing your reading list after Easter.

 

Jane

[Lizzie in Ma]

Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter, Seth Grahame Smith

soon to be a major motion picture, this book was a blast.

 

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

 

Going to re-read the Mercy Thompson series now.

[eaglei]

You aren't alone! I haven't read the recent threads, either, and haven't read much of anything else since the year began. And it's all her fault (see thumbnail below) -- she looks innocent but this ball of fluff is actually Cujo, waiting for my defenses to be down so she can attack!!

 

I've managed to watch Downton Abbey, I'm more than halfway through Great Expectations, and because I had read all the previous titles aloud to my ds, I read the most recent Artemis Fowl book for all time's sake. I offered to read it aloud but my ds didn't take me up on it. But not much else to report!!

 

Awwww... What an adorable dog!

[Just Robyn]

There's an old book by Shawn Neal Mahshie well worth a read if you can find it on inter-library loan. Though perhaps it is covered in the one you read?

 

Rosie

 

I'll look into that one, thanks! The writers said this information on the book was information from some big recent-ish conference.

 

Beware: Life of Pi was one of those books that made me not want to read another book for a really long time.

 

I haven't read it. Can you tell me why without giving too much away?

[Zebra]

Beware: Life of Pi was one of those books that made me not want to read another book for a really long time.

 

 

I felt exactly the same way, I hated that book. But, some people love it!

[-M-]

Week 8 already, eh? How did that happen?

 

Well, I lost several reading hours this past week to two round-trips into Chicago (canNOT read in the car -- Wah!) and a swim meet (coordinating the volunteers and pitching in as needed). Still, I was able to make some progress in a few books, finish the first two volumes of Sweet Tooth, and begin Rosamund Lupton's Sister.

 

In progress

 

■ Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking (Susan Cain; non-fiction)

■ The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains (Nicholas Carr; non-fiction)

■ Kill Shakepeare, Volume 1 (Conor McCreery; graphic fiction)

■ Defending Jacob (William Landay; fiction)

■ Sister (Rosamund Lupton; fiction)

 

Books read in 2012

 

■ Sweet Tooth Vol. 2: In Captivity (Jeff Lemire; graphic fiction)

■ Sweet Tooth Vol. 1: Out of the Woods (Jeff Lemire; graphic fiction)

■ The Art of Hearing Heartbeats (Jan-Philipp Sendker; fiction)

■ Thirteen Reasons Why (Jay Asher; YA fiction)

■ Stop Acting Rich... And Start Living Like a Real Millionaire (Thomas J. Stanley; non-fiction)

■ Our Town (Thornton Wilder; play)

■ Wool 5 (Hugh Howey; fiction)

■ The Crucible (Arthur Miller; play)

■ Wool 4 (Hugh Howey; fiction)

■ Wool 3 (Hugh Howey; fiction)

■ Adventure Unleashed (______ __. _________; unpublished fiction)

■ Wool 2 (Hugh Howey; fiction)

■ Wool (Hugh Howey; fiction)

■ The Project (Brian Falkner; YA fiction)

■ Like Shaking Hands with God (Kurt Vonnegut, Lee Stringer; non-fiction)

■ The Autobiography of an Execution (David R. Dow; non-fiction)

■ Feed (MT Anderson; fiction)

■ Coriolanus (William Shakespeare; play, classic)

■ Artist's Journal Workshop (Cathy Johnson; non-fiction, art)

■ The English Teacher (Lily King; fiction)

Edited February 20, 2012 by Mental multivitamin
to format

[KidsHappen]

The Hunger Games

Catching Fire

Mockingjay

The Hunger Games Companion

The Naked Lady Who Stood on Her Head

Spontaneous Happiness

The New Bi-Polar Disorder Survival Guide.

New Hope for People with Bipolar Disorder

The Giver

Unnatural Selection

Breking Dawn (again)

Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them

Trick or Treatent

 

Currently Reading: Overtreated: Why Too Much Medicine Is Making US Sicker & Pooer

 

Starting 11/22/63 by SK next.

 

I also have the following books on the night stand:

 

Sleep

Lights Outs

Curing Chronic Pain

Queen Bees & Wanna Bees

Bullyproof You Child.

[Rosyl]

I have a busy week so I don't know if I will have a big reading week coming up. I am reading Rumspringa, Much Ado About Nothing and Lunch Money with my kids.

 

I have read several recommandations from others doing the reading challenge and they have livened up my usual reading, so thank you all.

 

19) Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I confess I had to know how the trilogy ends so I read the epilogue in the final book when I passed it at wal-mart. What a good book. I am on hold for the rest.

 

18) The Duggars 20 and counting by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar

 

 

 

17) Emotionally Healthy Spiritually by Peter Scazarro

16) Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider

15) The Survivor by Beth Wiseman (yet another amish book)

14) The Art of Mingling by Jeanne Martinet audio book

13) Growing up Amish by Beth Wiseman

12) Ella's Wish By Jerry Eicher

11) Growing up Amish by Ira Wagler

10) The Healing by Wanda Brunstetter

9) Christmas in Sugarcreek by Shelley Shepard Gray

8) The Dark Tide

7) Little Men, Louisa May Alcott on Audio

6) Winter of the Red Snow.

 

5) The Daniel Fast by Susan Gregory.

4) A Wedding Quilt for Ella by Jerry Eicher

3) Longing by Karen Kingsbury.

2) Little Women by Alcott

1) Midummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare

[aggieamy]

I got nothing, honey! I was reading a book that is 726 pages long and made it halfway through before getting tired of the book.

 

This week I'm reading Lillian Jackson Braun's Cat Who books and Nancy Atherton's Aunt Dimity series. The Aunt Dimity series is like a dream vacation. She lives in an English cottage in a small English town. I love cozy mysteries!

 

Beth - we obviously have the ame taste in books but I've never heard of the Aunt Dimity series. What book should I start with?

[Night Elf]

Beth - we obviously have the ame taste in books but I've never heard of the Aunt Dimity series. What book should I start with?

 

Aunt Dimity's Death. Here's her website with the books in order: Aunt Dimity's World I hope you enjoy them!

[Stacia]

I haven't read it. Can you tell me why without giving too much away?

 

I'm not Mommyfaithe, but I had a similar reaction to her (didn't want to read any other books for a couple of weeks after finishing Life of Pi).

 

I'm really torn on Life of Pi. I think it's beautifully written. Parts of it are funny, parts are touching. There's lots of wonderful detail & beauty. However, the later parts of the story made me feel like my soul got crushed. Just horribly sad in a crushing way, imo. I saw it coming & knew where it was heading, but it still crushed me. (And, I'm still confused by the blurbs that say reading Life of Pi will make you believe in God or something to that effect... :confused:)

 

Anyway, the reality of the situation in the book was so distressing to me that I didn't want to read anything for weeks & I was really in a funk. I can appreciate that many love it & think it's great (and it is, in many ways), but it crushed me. Crushed me. It's like the book ripped out a little piece of my soul & stomped on it. Really. That's how I felt by the time I read the final words.

 

(Did I use the word crush enough? :tongue_smilie:)

[aggieamy]

Just Finished this week:

 

9. Island of the Aunts by Eva Ibbotson (my third YA for the year - kept me up until 1:30 am reading but the ending was a let down. Think I'm going to give up on YA for awhile.)

8. The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie (my first Miss Marple mystery - not what I expected but I enjoyed it. I'm really enjoying the mysteries lately.)

 

 

In progress:

 

All Quiet on the Western Front by Enrich Maria Remarque (for book club)

Ginger Pye by Elanor Estes YA (our next read aloud)

The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison (my current audiobook)

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa (recommended here - going to read for my ladies book club)

The High Window by Raymond Chandler

 

 

2012 finished books:

 

7. The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler (****)

6. What I Wore by Jessica Quirk (**)

5. How Not to Look Old by Charla Krupp (*)

4. The Georgraphy of Bliss by Eric Weiner (***)

3. The Inquisitor's Apprentice by Chris Moriarty YA (*)

2. The Anybodies by NE Bode YA (**)

1. The Little World of Don Camillo by Giovanni Guareschi (****)

 

 

Read alouds 2012:

 

The Twenty One Balloons by William Pene du Bois YA (****)

Edited February 20, 2012 by aggieamy

[SunnyDays]

Okay, based on the reviews, I don't think I'll be reading Life of Pi anytime soon, LOL!!

 

The Aunt Dimity series sounds fun, I also love cozies!!

 

JennW, little Cujo is BEAUTIFUL!! :)

[aggieamy]

Okay, based on the reviews, I don't think I'll be reading Life of Pi anytime soon, LOL!!

 

No kidding. It was on my to be read list for the year but now it has a red warning beside it. Soul crushing is not my type of read.

[Stacia]

Soul crushing is not my type of read.

 

To be fair, it is not soul crushing for everyone that reads it. Many love it, re-read it, & cherish it. It is beautiful in many ways. However, for me personally, it was heartbreaking & soul crushing.

 

Please don't let my review scare you away. (Hoping some that loved Life of Pi will pipe in here....)

 

And, sometimes, even soul crushing books are worth reading. Kwim?

[joannqn]

I finished my 8th book last night: Mozart's Last Aria. After seeing it mentioned here, I noticed it on the library's new books shelf and grabbed it.

[The Governess]

I'm not Mommyfaithe, but I had a similar reaction to her (didn't want to read any other books for a couple of weeks after finishing Life of Pi).

 

I'm really torn on Life of Pi. I think it's beautifully written. Parts of it are funny, parts are touching. There's lots of wonderful detail & beauty. However, the later parts of the story made me feel like my soul got crushed. Just horribly sad in a crushing way, imo. I saw it coming & knew where it was heading, but it still crushed me. (And, I'm still confused by the blurbs that say reading Life of Pi will make you believe in God or something to that effect... :confused:)

 

Anyway, the reality of the situation in the book was so distressing to me that I didn't want to read anything for weeks & I was really in a funk. I can appreciate that many love it & think it's great (and it is, in many ways), but it crushed me. Crushed me. It's like the book ripped out a little piece of my soul & stomped on it. Really. That's how I felt by the time I read the final words.

 

(Did I use the word crush enough? :tongue_smilie:)

 

This is so interesting! I really loved Life of Pi. I think the 'believe in God' part comes from the idea that literal and figurative truth can co-exist, and that figurative truth is in no way less true than literal truth, and our survival depends on our ability to believe in something more than cold facts. I ended the book feeling hopeful in a weird way.

 

I do know what you mean though, when you say your soul felt crushed. I felt that way after reading The Sparrow. Have you read it? It took me a looooong time to get over that book. In fact, it's been a year and I can still feel the imprint of the soul stomp that book gave me.:tongue_smilie:

[The Governess]

 

And, sometimes, even soul crushing books are worth reading. Kwim?

 

Absolutely. I think that these types of books make me ask hard questions/go to deep places that I wouldn't otherwise.

[aggieamy]

I just can't do sad books. I think at this time of my life with all the loss we've had in the last few years and the family members we have that are close to passing on I need happy books. Last night when I finished Island of the Aunts I was bummed out at the sad ending. Tells you something about my current mental state. I'll have to revist reading that book when I've got oodles of happy going on in my life so I can enjoy a sad book.

[The Governess]

I just can't do sad books. I think at this time of my life with all the loss we've had in the last few years and the family members we have that are close to passing on I need happy books. Last night when I finished Island of the Aunts I was bummed out at the sad ending. Tells you something about my current mental state. I'll have to revist reading that book when I've got oodles of happy going on in my life so I can enjoy a sad book.

 

:grouphug:

[TravelingChris]

I can't find the notebook I am writing down the books so I am not sure of the numbers. BUt I think I have done 15 books already so here is number 16 and 17.

 

16. Enchantment by Orson Scott Card. This was a fantasy book that I read for book club. I have never read any of his books before nor do I read fantasy ever. I was so pleasantly surprised. I really liked this book. I am going to have my dh read it since he does read SF and may read a fantasy every now and again. But the cool thing for me was where it was set-Ukraine. My mother's family was Polish nobility living in what is now the Ukraine.

 

17. Locked On by Tom Clancy with Mark Greaney. Fast moving spy thriller that is 853 pages long but I read it in only a few days. Liked it and am looking forward to the next book.

 

next on is Death comes to Pemberley by PD James since it is due in the library in three days and is probably on hold.

[Angel]

 

 

Seriously?!!! I am so jealous!

 

I agree with Stacia, well, minus Moby Dick. I have no interest in Ahab and the whale. I have serious interest in that view!!

[Robin M]

This week, I'm finishing The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp. It is not a difficult read and I've read about half of it, but it's taking me a while to get through because I'm spending a lot of time marking passages with Post-Its and just THINKING about the points she makes. There is lots of good food for thought in this book.

 

After that will be either Life of Pi or In The Sea There Are Crocodiles.

 

And I'll try to summon up the courage to start Moby-Dick, too. :tongue_smilie:

 

I'm one of the ones who enjoyed Life of Pi. I hated his second book Beatrice and Virgil. Now that one was weird and morbid. Life of Pi was oddly fascinating. Here's the link to the review I wrote a couple years back. It is a book that makes you think and wonder what really happened. If you aren't going to read it, check out Wikipedia's plot explanation. It's the 3rd part of the book I think that affected folks the most - you don't know which version is really true and it makes you go hmm!

[Robin M]

This is the beach right near our home (across the street).

 

 

 

 

 

Wow! Seriously jealous.

[TN Mama]

I didn't think I was going to finish my book for the week since I'd only read about 50 pages in the last several days. But today I declared a reading day and 275 pages later, I finished #9 Mudbound by Hillary Jordan. Wow!

 

I'm glad someone from my book club chose this book, because I think it'll make for a wonderful discussion!

[*Inna*]

Last week I read:

 

• The Shallows. Interesting.
  
• My Kind of Crazy: Living in a Bipolar World. This was a free Kindle book. Very good.
  
  
• When Food is Love by Geneen Roth. This was a very hard and emotional read for me. I cried pretty much through the whole thing.
  

Almost done reading The Lightning Thief and The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow.

Both are light reads and ... cute. ;)

 

ETA: Here's my Shelfari link if anyone interested.

Edited February 20, 2012 by *Inna*

[Storm Bay]

You can all come stay with me. I don't live in a villa but my view is the same as that picture. :D

 

It sounds great, but would we have to ride in cars there???

 

I'm not Mommyfaithe, but I had a similar reaction to her (didn't want to read any other books for a couple of weeks after finishing Life of Pi).

 

I'm really torn on Life of Pi. I think it's beautifully written. Parts of it are funny, parts are touching. There's lots of wonderful detail & beauty. However, the later parts of the story made me feel like my soul got crushed. Just horribly sad in a crushing way, imo. I saw it coming & knew where it was heading, but it still crushed me. (And, I'm still confused by the blurbs that say reading Life of Pi will make :tongue_smilie:)

 

It didn't crush me, but I have to say the same otherwise. If it were now, I might not have finished it.

[Negin]

Seriously?!!! I am so jealous!

I agree with Stacia, well, minus Moby Dick. I have no interest in Ahab and the whale. I have serious interest in that view!!

Angel, you're welcome to come. :D

Yes, I agree without the Moby Dick ;). Seriously, if you ladies were here, we wouldn't get much reading done. :lol:

 

Wow! Seriously jealous.

:grouphug:

And we often envy the ease of life that you all have - libraries, Barnes & Noble, malls, Target ... :D

 

[*]When Food is Love by Geneen Roth. This was a very hard and emotional read for me. I cried pretty much through the whole thing.

:grouphug:

Although I haven't read this one, she's great.

[VeganCupcake]

I'm not Mommyfaithe, but I had a similar reaction to her (didn't want to read any other books for a couple of weeks after finishing Life of Pi).

 

I'm really torn on Life of Pi. I think it's beautifully written. Parts of it are funny, parts are touching. There's lots of wonderful detail & beauty. However, the later parts of the story made me feel like my soul got crushed. Just horribly sad in a crushing way, imo. I saw it coming & knew where it was heading, but it still crushed me. (And, I'm still confused by the blurbs that say reading Life of Pi will make you believe in God or something to that effect... :confused:)

 

Anyway, the reality of the situation in the book was so distressing to me that I didn't want to read anything for weeks & I was really in a funk. I can appreciate that many love it & think it's great (and it is, in many ways), but it crushed me. Crushed me. It's like the book ripped out a little piece of my soul & stomped on it. Really. That's how I felt by the time I read the final words.

 

(Did I use the word crush enough? :tongue_smilie:)

 

I started reading it when I was pregnant with my DD and I just couldn't finish it--I just had this feeling of dread about it. I don't think I could have handled soul crushing, and I expect that's what my reaction would have been.

[*Inna*]

 

:grouphug: Although I haven't read this one, she's great.

Thanks, Negin. I'm planning to read more of her books. (insert "sucker for punishment" icon :tongue_smilie:).

[Angel]

Angel, you're welcome to come. :D

Yes, I agree without the Moby Dick ;). Seriously, if you ladies were here, we wouldn't get much reading done. :lol:

 

 

:grouphug:

And we often envy the ease of life that you all have - libraries, Barnes & Noble, malls, Target ... :D

 

 

 

 

That's the truth!!! But since we have all read so many books, we would have PLENTY to discuss. ;)

[eaglei]

Oooh, a reading thread!! Can I join you??

 

I just joined the Hive a week or two ago, and just found this. I'm a huge reader and have a pretty big goal for this year.

 

Today I finished my 12th book of the year... I've been on a "cozy" mystery kick and have been reading JoAnna Carl's Chocoholic mystery series. My three favorites of the year: The Language of Flowers, What Alice Forgot, and The Lightning Thief (first Percy Jackson).

 

Welcome!:) Glad to have another reader adding to the thread!

 

I am seriously amazed at the number of books you (and others) have already read this year! I am lagging behind in my reading so far - need to get moving with it - especially since it's something I totally enjoy!

 

Looking forward to reading your posts here!

[Sparkle]

Oooh, a reading thread!! Can I join you??

 

I just joined the Hive a week or two ago, and just found this. I'm a huge reader and have a pretty big goal for this year.

 

Today I finished my 12th book of the year... I've been on a "cozy" mystery kick and have been reading JoAnna Carl's Chocoholic mystery series. My three favorites of the year: The Language of Flowers, What Alice Forgot, and The Lightning Thief (first Percy Jackson).

 

Welcome, Cris, jump on in! I enjoy cozy mysteries too.

[Stacia]

I finished my 8th book last night: Mozart's Last Aria. After seeing it mentioned here, I noticed it on the library's new books shelf and grabbed it.

 

How did you like it?

 

This is so interesting! I really loved Life of Pi. I think the 'believe in God' part comes from the idea that literal and figurative truth can co-exist, and that figurative truth is in no way less true than literal truth, and our survival depends on our ability to believe in something more than cold facts. I ended the book feeling hopeful in a weird way.

 

I do know what you mean though, when you say your soul felt crushed. I felt that way after reading The Sparrow. Have you read it? It took me a looooong time to get over that book. In fact, it's been a year and I can still feel the imprint of the soul stomp that book gave me.:tongue_smilie:

 

I read The Sparrow quite a few years ago & really enjoyed it. Well, 'enjoy' is not the right word, perhaps. I thought it was well written & thought-provoking. It was a great book club book as there was lots to discuss. It was sad & depressing in parts, yet I didn't feel the same soul-crushing loss as I did w/ Life of Pi. Different books just strike different chords in people.... (And, there's no way I could have found a sense of hope at the end of Pi. None. To me, it was a sad, depressing, soul-crushing view of what you have to do to survive the utter horror of reality. Deluding oneself does not erase the horror of reality, though, just gives you a coping mechanism, I suppose. But, I don't find that uplifting. The fact that Pi had to go through all that is horrifying, regardless of whether he could convince himself of an alternate reality or not.... Imo, of course.)

 

I just can't do sad books. I think at this time of my life with all the loss we've had in the last few years and the family members we have that are close to passing on I need happy books.

 

:grouphug: I generally have a hard time doing sad books these days too.

 

I'm one of the ones who enjoyed Life of Pi. I hated his second book Beatrice and Virgil. Now that one was weird and morbid. Life of Pi was oddly fascinating. Here's the link to the review I wrote a couple years back. It is a book that makes you think and wonder what really happened. If you aren't going to read it, check out Wikipedia's plot explanation. It's the 3rd part of the book I think that affected folks the most - you don't know which version is really true and it makes you go hmm!

 

As I said previously, to me the ending was totally clear, no ambiguity, no question about what happened. That's why I think it depressed me so....

 

Seriously, if you ladies were here, we wouldn't get much reading done. :lol:

 

I'm ready to hop on a plane! :D

 

That's the truth!!! But since we have all read so many books, we would have PLENTY to discuss. ;)

 

:iagree:

[cani e porci]

Anyway, the reality of the situation in the book was so distressing to me that I didn't want to read anything for weeks & I was really in a funk. I can appreciate that many love it & think it's great (and it is, in many ways), but it crushed me. Crushed me. It's like the book ripped out a little piece of my soul & stomped on it. Really. That's how I felt by the time I read the final words.

 

(Did I use the word crush enough? :tongue_smilie:)

Dang. I just ordered it this morning. I need less crushing in my life right now, so it doesn't sound like a good choice for me at the moment.

[Stacia]

Dang. I just ordered it this morning. I need less crushing in my life right now, so it doesn't sound like a good choice for me at the moment.

 

As I've mentioned, many love it & quite a few don't find it soul-crushing. So, perhaps it will be ok for you. Perhaps the combo of when I read it & the subject matter did me in. It is a good book, beautifully written. Just too heart-wrenching for me (but that may not be the case for you).

[Robin M]

Sorry it's so late in the day but just discovered this. Special president's day nook book offers.

[readinmom]

This week I am reading:

 

The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian, and Left Neglected by Lisa Genova. I've been wanting to read Night Strangers but had to be patient on the waiting list at the library.

[Guest]

Gosh, I've missed this thread! I have been battling with my eyes and have not been reading. I just got a new pair of glasses today (my first!) and am hoping that I can read again! Looking forward to catching up on what everyone else is reading.

[joannqn]

How did you like it?

 

It was pretty interesting, though I started to get bored with it towards the end. A lot different than what I'm used to reading. I especially liked the older feel to the writing style.