Book a Week in 2012 - Week 23

[VeganCupcake]

I was a bit bothered by Why We Get Fat, too. I did a little research about the longevity of Inuit people eating a traditional (carb-free) diet, but I didn't come to any conclusions.

 

I finished Blue Nights by Joan Didion. I really liked it, but it was very difficult to read. I'm listening to Factory Girls as an audio book--it's about Chinese migrant workers and is very interesting. I'm not sure what I am going to read next, though.

[Rosie_0801]

I'm coming to the end of very, very long and extremely deep, as in make-you-think very deep, Baha'i book. Since I'm probably the only Baha'i on this thread, I won't bother sharing the title.

 

All the more reason to tell us about it. Baha'i books don't cross my path.

 

:bigear:

Rosie

[Stacia]

All the more reason to tell us about it. Baha'i books don't cross my path.

 

:bigear:

Rosie

 

I agree with Rosie, Negin. :001_smile:

 

Good to see you posting agin, Negin. :001_smile:

[laughing lioness]

Read The Dashwood Sisters Tell All by Beth Patillo. Great, fun chick lit for Austenites. DD and I read "Mr Darcy Ruined My Life" last year.

 

Still making my way through 5 Red Herrings by Sayers. The brogue is throwing me- difficult to read and to understand.

 

I picked up a couple Howatches cause folks here seem to like her so well and I cannot wait to dig in!!

[Rosie_0801]

I just finished a fairly silly mystery called 'Six Geese A-Slaying' by Donna Andrews and have made a start on another of hers. I don't particularly recommend them, but they're making nice, snuggle under the doona where it is warm reading.

 

Rosie

[Negin]

I was a bit bothered by Why We Get Fat, too. I did a little research about the longevity of Inuit people eating a traditional (carb-free) diet, but I didn't come to any conclusions.

Yes.

One of the things that doesn't agree with me is the whole minimal fruit thing, but it's okay to load up on stuff like ham and bacon. :confused: I totally disagree with that. It goes against everything I believe in. I like ham and bacon just fine, but if anyone tries to tell me that they're healthier than fruit, etc. ... well, I just won't participate in that dialogue.

When I first read this book, I really loved it. But now, a few months later, some of the points he raises really doesn't agree with me. I'm more into all things in moderation. Even doing that is not always easy, however. :lol:

 

I'm listening to Factory Girls as an audio book--it's about Chinese migrant workers and is very interesting.

I've heard about this. Is it very depressing? I can't handle too depressing.

 

All the more reason to tell us about it. Baha'i books don't cross my path.

:grouphug:

Rosie, the one I read is not an introductory Baha'i book and really not geared for newbies to the Faith. It's very overwhelming and mostly history. It's The Child of the Covenant.

 

There are lots of others that are more suitable for those who are new to the Faith. Some of these are ones that I've liked a lot.

 

By the way, I've met several Baha'is from Australia over the years. They seem to have a fairly large community and their books are superb. I've never, ever been disappointed by a Baha'i book from Australia. In fact, the kids and I are reading a fabulous one in school every morning.

 

Not that it's anywhere near you, but you probably are aware that there's a Baha'i House of Worship outside Sydney.

 

 

Good to see you posting agin, Negin.

Stacia, thank you :grouphug:. I've missed you so much and I miss having time to post on this thread.

 

I don't particularly recommend them, but they're making nice, snuggle under the doona where it is warm reading.

Rosie

Is a doona the same thing as a comforter/continental quilt/duvet? I love the word doona! :D

I would so love to visit the southern hemisphere someday - most especially Australia. :) I wish airfares were a non-issue.

[Lizzie in Ma]

Man, I am slacking off on blogging all this.

I just read Divergent by Veronica Roth and am reading the sequel, Insurgent.

[Stacia]

I've got end-of-school-year-brain-fried-summer-is-here going on. Therefore, I've decided to put aside The Dancing Wu Li Masters right now. I've read over 200 pages in it, yet I keep ignoring it at this point. :lol: So, back to the library it goes.

 

Any reading recommendations for my fried brain??? :001_smile:

[KnitWit]

Just finished Chocolat by Joanne Harris. I really enjoyed the movie years ago, now I want to rewatch the movie to see how closely it followed the book. It *seemed* to be pretty close.

 

Now I'm reading the sequel to it The Girl With No Shadow. It got off to a confusing start, but now that I figured out what is going on, I'm interested to see where this will go.

[Jane in NC]

Oh my! Susan Howatch's Sins of the Fathers (#27) was a compelling book! I think I will agree with Ladydusk that this sequel to The Rich are Different is better than the first book. Both are good. Both leave the reader spoiled rotten--few writers narrate a family saga so well.

 

The Julius Caesar parallel to The Rich are Different was immediately clear. But that is a play that I have reread in recent years and have seen performed. I have not read Antony and Cleopatra since college. Looks like I need to put that on my summer reading list, too!

 

What I particularly love about Sins of the Fathers is how Eliot's Four Quarters is woven into the story. This set of four poems has been a personal favorite for decades. (I actually wore out a copy of the poems--the book was rubberbanded together and eventually replaced with another copy.)

 

Now off to read something completely different: self indulgent silliness! I have A.J. Jacobs latest, Drop Dead Healthy. My son was not impressed with it but I suspect that his middle aged mother might be more amused.

[TravelingChris]

I have finished two books in the last two days-

 

#34, Red on Red by Mark Conlon I liked this book okay but it was sort of depressing.

 

#35. Heartshot by Steven F. Havill= a mystery set in southern NM and I liked this book a lot more. I will look for more books by this author.

[Rosie_0801]

Not that it's anywhere near you, but you probably are aware that there's a Baha'i House of Worship outside Sydney. I knew the Baha'i were around, though. I've mooched through their website a couple of times.

 

 

Nope. I wasn't. :) I've only spent a few hours in Sydney. It's a pretty building.

 

Is a doona the same thing as a comforter/continental quilt/duvet? I love the word doona! :D

Yep.

 

I would so love to visit the southern hemisphere someday - most especially Australia. :) I wish airfares were a non-issue.

In this weather? Trust me, if airfares were a non-issue, I'd be heading for the Caribbean right now!

 

Back to the subject of books, I finished reading Pollyanna to dd last night and started on the sequel.

 

:)

Rosie

Edited June 8, 2012 by Rosie_0801

[VeganCupcake]

Yes.

One of the things that doesn't agree with me is the whole minimal fruit thing, but it's okay to load up on stuff like ham and bacon. :confused: I totally disagree with that. It goes against everything I believe in. I like ham and bacon just fine, but if anyone tries to tell me that they're healthier than fruit, etc. ... well, I just won't participate in that dialogue.

When I first read this book, I really loved it. But now, a few months later, some of the points he raises really doesn't agree with me. I'm more into all things in moderation. Even doing that is not always easy, however. :lol:

 

 

I've heard about this. Is it very depressing? I can't handle too depressing.

 

I have a thing about green vegetables like your thing about fruit--is there anyone who can live without greens? :lol:

 

Factory Girls isn't too depressing--no more than Nothing to Envy was, for sure. The audio book is a little annoying because the reader keeps mispronouncing some of the Chinese provincial names and other terms. If she says "An-hoo" one more time when she means Anhui, I'm going to scream.

[Stacia]

For those who read The Great Gatsby &/or are looking forward to the movie coming out at Christmas, here's a neat article talking about getting the clothing for the movie authentically correct.

[Storm Bay]

Yes.

One of the things that doesn't agree with me is the whole minimal fruit thing, but it's okay to load up on stuff like ham and bacon. :confused: I totally disagree with that. It goes against everything I believe in. I like ham and bacon just fine, but if anyone tries to tell me that they're healthier than fruit, etc. ... well, I just won't participate in that dialogue.

When I first read this book, I really loved it. But now, a few months later, some of the points he raises really doesn't agree with me. I'm more into all things in moderation. Even doing that is not always easy, however. :lol:

 

 

.

 

This is a good point. Back in time the wealthy in Europe who didn't eat a lot of veggies, etc, had a lot of gout and other health related issues. There are so many diet things to consider. How about this whole acid/alkaline thing? Your supposed to eat 60-80% of alkaline forming foods. Blood pH that is too acidic reduces absorption of minerals and can make you more prone to Osteoporosis. Meat, fish & fat are acid producers in your system (oranges are the opposite). To confuse you even more, a few foods are found on opposite lists in different sources (I found one that included a list of these foods).

 

Honestly, I don't think it's as simple as anything. We're all different, with different backgrounds, genetics, and a significant percentage of the population has one or more dietary related problems (eg allergies, sensitivities, mal-absorption, genetic issues that mean you need low protein diets or other restrictions, etc, etc.) After years of reading about so many things I am convinced that there isn't any general diet that everyone needs to follow.

 

 

I've got end-of-school-year-brain-fried-summer-is-here going on. Therefore, I've decided to put aside The Dancing Wu Li Masters right now. I've read over 200 pages in it, yet I keep ignoring it at this point. :lol: So, back to the library it goes.

 

Any reading recommendations for my fried brain??? :001_smile:

 

Some y/a reading? That's often what I go for when my brain is fried, if I can find something my dd's have that I might like.

[Mom-ninja.]

I'm so excited for the Gatsby movie.

[Negin]

In this weather? Trust me, if airfares were a non-issue, I'd be heading for the Caribbean right now!

Wish you were here. :grouphug:

 

I have a thing about green vegetables like your thing about fruit--is there anyone who can live without greens? :lol:

Yes, me too. :)

 

Factory Girls isn't too depressing--no more than Nothing to Envy was, for sure.

Thank you. May add it to my wish list. I loved the author's very engaging writing style in Nothing to Envy. I seldom find a non-fiction book, particularly of a depressing nature, that I like so much.

 

If she says "An-hoo" one more time when she means Anhui, I'm going to scream.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

For those who read The Great Gatsby &/or are looking forward to the movie coming out at Christmas, here's a neat article talking about getting the clothing for the movie authentically correct.

Stacia, that Leonardo is really quite something :D.

 

This is a good point. Back in time the wealthy in Europe who didn't eat a lot of veggies, etc, had a lot of gout and other health related issues. There are so many diet things to consider. How about this whole acid/alkaline thing? Your supposed to eat 60-80% of alkaline forming foods. Blood pH that is too acidic reduces absorption of minerals and can make you more prone to Osteoporosis. Meat, fish & fat are acid producers in your system (oranges are the opposite). To confuse you even more, a few foods are found on opposite lists in different sources (I found one that included a list of these foods).

Karin, I couldn't agree with you more. My parents, in their 70s and 80s, have eaten lots of fruits and veggies all their lives, but especially fruits. They're so healthy for their age.

I agree also on the whole pH thing. I believe in that far more than what Taubes says, not that I'm being very good these days, but I am starting to try a bit more once again. And yes, I have read about the whole pH thing and osteoporosis as well as a whole host of other health issues.

Also agreeing on the confusion about the inconsistency in the foods list.

 

We're all different

After years of reading about so many things I am convinced that there isn't any general diet that everyone needs to follow.

Yes. So true.

[luvnlattes]

No diets for me for now. I'm having fun baking and cooking and just enjoying life. I really don't care for now. :tongue_smilie:

 

Sounds wonderful :D !

 

Honestly, I don't think it's as simple as anything. We're all different, with different backgrounds, genetics, and a significant percentage of the population has one or more dietary related problems (eg allergies, sensitivities, mal-absorption, genetic issues that mean you need low protein diets or other restrictions, etc, etc.) After years of reading about so many things I am convinced that there isn't any general diet that everyone needs to follow.

 

I'm leaning more and more toward this line of thought as well, especially after reading through the nutrition section of the textbook we're going to use for my son's Food and Nutrition course next year. I felt like it was giving me an objective look at proteins and carbs and why each were necessary for the body. I started to think the "diet" books out there are trying to sell their way as the right way when maybe it's just moderation in certain things and knowledge of what different foods do for our body.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I finished Sarah's Key this week and started The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani. Goodreads informs me that I am now 7 books behind on my 52 book challenge! :tongue_smilie:

[Robin M]

 

Link to week 24 - please continue conversation in new thread