Book a Week in 2012 - week 37

[Robin M]

Good Morning, my lovelies! Today is the start of week 37 in our quest to read 52 books in 52 weeks. Welcome back to all our readers, welcome to all those just joining in and to all who are following our progress. Mr. Linky is all set up on the 52 books blog to link to your reviews.

 

52 Books Blog- Harper Collins publishing has established a new imprint called Bourbon Street Books highlighting mysteries, crime and thrillers. Looks like they are concentrating on british fiction. They will be reissuing Dorothy Sayer's Peter Wimsey's with Harriet Vane series including Strong Poison among others.

 

Speaking of mysteries, check out the article by Otto Penzler on Publisher Weekly: Why the best mysteries are written in English

 

 

Who decided to jump in and read Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude with me and Stacia? I will not fall into the slough of despond. You'll earn extra bonus points for persevering. *grin*

 

 

What are you reading this week?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to week 36

[Robin M]

I'm currently about a third of the way through One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It's strange, yet entertaining. That's about all I can say about it.

 

Reading Red by Kait Nolan on my nook while tread-milling and listening to the audiobook Born in Death by J.D. Robb.

 

Decided our read aloud for history is going to be Augustine Came to Kent.

[Just Robyn]

Lots of poetry this week:

 

67.) A Guide to Foktales in Fragile Dialects - by Catherynne M. Valente - Poems inspired by fairy tales and myths. Dark and decadent; rich and nauseating. I enjoyed it, but I was sometimes cringing as I read.

 

68.)The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the Hills by Charles Bukowski - IMO a lot of good poems in this book and a few really amazing ones. I found this poem particularly powerful.

 

down thru the marching

 

they came down thru the marching,

down thru St. Paul, St. Louis, Atlanta,

Memphis, New Orleans, they came

down thru the marching, thru

balloons and popcorn, past drugstores

and blondes and whirling cats,

they came down thru the marching

scaring the goats and the kids in

the fields, banging against the minds

of the sick in their hot beds, and

down in the cellar I got out the

colt. I ripped a hole in the screen

for better vision and when the legs

came walking by on top of my head,

I got a colonel, a major and 3 lieutenants

before the band stopped playing;

and now it's like a war, uniforms

everywhere, behind cars and brush,

and plang plang plang

my cellar is all fireworks, and I

fire back, the colt as hot as a

baked potato, I fire back and sing

sing, "Mine eyes have seen the glory

of the coming of the Lord; He is

tramping out he vintage..."

Edited September 9, 2012 by crstarlette

[Negin]

I just started Unbroken.

 

[Jane in NC]

Hello all and a special shout out to my friend Ladydusk who enjoys Susan Howatch's writing as much as I! I finished Penmarric (#42) and am glad that I hung in despite my annoyance with the first narrative voice in the novel. This retelling of Henry II and his sons (ending with a young King John) is set in Cornwall in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Howatch gives such insight into motivations of historic figures and their decisions. That said, I think I'll hold off on Cashelmara. I don't know if I can stomach Edward I (Longshanks) at the moment.

 

Moving on to the latest Donna Leon Commissario Guido Brunetti mystery, Beastly Things.

[Stacia]

Who decided to jump in and read Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude with me and Stacia? I will not fall into the slough of despond. You'll earn extra bonus points for persevering. *grin*

:lol:

 

I'm currently about a third of the way through One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It's strange, yet entertaining. That's about all I can say about it.

I'm at the halfway mark. I've decided just to not worry about who's who as much as just going with the flow of the story. I'm glad to finally be reading the seminal work of magical realism. Enjoying it so far & wishing I had a better handle on Columbian history so that I could better 'get' some of the allusions....

 

I found this poem particularly powerful.

 

down thru the marching

Wow, that conjures up so many images. I admire your perserverance in reading poetry. For 'down thru the marching' is there any context given?

 

I just started Unbroken.

So many good reviews on this one; I'll be waiting to hear what you think of it too, Negin.

 

--------------------------

My Goodreads Page

Completed the Europa Challenge Cappuccino Level (at least 6 Europa books: #s 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 19, & 21 on my list).

Completed Robin's Read a Russian Author in April Challenge (#24 & #26 on my list).

 

My rating system: 5 = Love; 4 = Pretty awesome; 3 = Decently good; 2 = Ok; 1 = Don't bother (I shouldn't have any 1s on my list as I would ditch them before finishing)...

 

2012 Books Read:

Books I read January-June 2012

37. Clutter Busting Your Life by Brooks Palmer (3 stars)

38. The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje (5 stars)

39. The Colors of Infamy by Albert Cossery (3 stars)

40. Osa and Martin: For the Love of Adventure by Kelly Enright (3 stars)

 

41. Hexed by Kevin Hearne (4 stars)

42. Soulless by Gail Carriger (3 stars)

43. The Hoarder in You by Dr. Robin Zasio (3 stars)

44. What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty (2 stars)

45. The Rook by Daniel O'Malley (4 stars)

46. The Nazi Séance by Arthur J. Magida (2 stars)

47. Phoenix Rising by Pip Ballentine & Tee Morris (3 stars)

48. Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi (5 stars)

49. Thud! by Terry Pratchett (4 stars)

50. Wide Open by Nicola Barker (3 stars)

Edited September 11, 2014 by Stacia

[Melinda in VT]

 

Who decided to jump in and read Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude with me and Stacia? I will not fall into the slough of despond. You'll earn extra bonus points for persevering. *grin*

 

 

This book is one that came with the house. I can hear it taunting me from the basement right now. The thing is, my only other experience with magical realism is Like Water for Chocolate, and it just didn't work for me.

 

I have this niggling feeling that Latin American authors and I don't mix, just like Russian authors and I don't seem to mix.

 

Except, you know, it's a book I really should read. :tongue_smilie: (Is there a covering-my-ears smilie?)

[Pink and Green Mom]

:lol:

 

 

 

 

:lol::lol: :lol:

[Mom-ninja.]

Finished Readicide. Eh, nothing new.

[Just Robyn]

Wow, that conjures up so many images. I admire your perserverance in reading poetry. For 'down thru the marching' is there any context given?

 

Thanks! I often admire your reading choices too.

 

After reading "down thru the marching" I did a quick Internet search and found next to nothing. There is one conversation about it here on Yahoo answers that I found interesting. The book was published in 1969. If anyone has any facts or opinions about this poem, I'd love to hear them!

 

And anybody interested in poetry, there is a Modern and Contemporary American Poetry course starting tomorrow on Coursera. And thanks to whoever mentioned that site in the last thread. I had never heard of it and I'm really excited to start this course tomorrow.

[eaglei]

This week I finished:

 

#48 - Redemption, by Karen Kingsbury with Gary Smalley. Typical Kingsbury. Not really any surprises.

 

#49 - The Brushstroke Legacy, by Lauraine Snelling. Typical Snelling. No surprises here, either.

 

Currently reading:

 

#50 - Jacob's Ladder, by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. Reads quickly. Descriptions well-done. Writing in dialect enhances the story and is not difficult to follow.

[Kelly1730]

Finished "Home Another Way" by Christa Parrish. Not your typical Christian fiction book, I enjoyed it.

[CAMom]

I just started Unbroken.

 

 

Loved that one!

 

I'm almost done with A Thousand Splendid Suns. What a story. It kills me to think that that might actually be a reality for some women.

[Stacia]

After reading "down thru the marching" I did a quick Internet search and found next to nothing. There is one conversation about it here on Yahoo answers that I found interesting. The book was published in 1969. If anyone has any facts or opinions about this poem, I'd love to hear them!

 

It's interesting to read the various theories. When I first read the poem, I kept thinking of a New Orleans Jazz Funeral band/procession & then a crazed person shooting at one of those.... Second, I wondered if it had anything to do with race relations and MLK, Jr.'s assassination. It's interesting to re-read it after reading the various theories in your link....

[dangermom]

I got a bunch of books finished this week. My big accomplishment is A Distant Mirror, Barbara Tuchman's history of the 14th century. The 14th century was not a lot of fun to live through. It's a dense book and I was very proud if I could manage 50 pages a day.

 

The Convert is the story of a young woman from New York who converted to radicalish Islam and moved to Pakistan--in 1962. Very interesting book, and hard to explain.

 

Behind the Beautiful Forevers is an amazing book all about a shantytown in Mumbai. You should read it.

 

What Makes Your Brain Happy and Why You Should Do the Opposite is about brain chemistry, and it's pretty good, but really the title is the best thing about it.

 

Now I'm on a Russia kick, reading a book about Krushchev's 1959 visit to the US and a book of Russian short stories.

[Stacia]

Behind the Beautiful Forevers is an amazing book all about a shantytown in Mumbai. You should read it.

 

I heard about this book earlier this year on the Bob Edwards radio show. It sounds both heart-rending & fascinating.

[Negin]

So many good reviews on this one; I'll be waiting to hear what you think of it too, Negin.

I will. So far, so good. :)

BTW, love your cartoon image - Seven Hundred Years of Solitude. :lol:

 

Like Water for Chocolate, and it just didn't work for me.

Melinda, I've only seen the movie - which I really loved.

 

I have this niggling feeling that Latin American authors and I don't mix, just like Russian authors and I don't seem to mix.

My favorite Latin American author is Isabel Allende. Love, love, love her books. My favorite is The House of the Spirits. Russian authors and I don't seem to mix either.

 

Loved that one!

I'm almost done with A Thousand Splendid Suns. What a story. It kills me to think that that might actually be a reality for some women.

Good to hear that you loved Unbroken also. I'm liking it a lot so far. Wish I had more time to read it.

Yes, A Thousand Splendid Suns is an incredible story. Very, very sad - but great story. I really love his writing style.

[Heather in Neverland]

This week...

 

Started Reading:

nothing new this week (I am still behind!!)

 

 

Still reading:

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

Alone With God by John MacArthur

 

Completed:

31. Frankenstein

30. The Lotus and the Cross

29. Desiring God

28. Blood Feud: The Hatfields and the McCoys

27. Among the Gods

26. The Deadliest Monster

25. Faith of My Fathers

24. A Good American

23. They Say/I Say:The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing

22. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

21. Insurgent

20. Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints

19. The Strength of His Hands

18. The Meaning of Marriage

17. Funny in Farsi

16. The Constantine Codex

15. What the Dog Saw

14. What is the Mission of the Church?: Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission

13. Gods and Kings

12. A Skeleton in God's Closet

11. My Hands Came Away Red

10. The Omnivore's Dilemma

9. Dead Heat

8. Redeeming Love

7. Family Driven Faith: What it Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk with God

6. Organized Simplicity

5. Year of Wonders

4. The Holiness of God

3. The Paris Wife

2. The Peach Keeper

1. Relic

[Kelly1730]

I just started Unbroken.

 

 

 

This is on my list of To Be Read. With the help of this thread, it's quite the list:).

[NanceXToo]

I am currently reading Her Fearful Symmetry, by Audrey Niffenegger:

 

"When Elspeth Noblin dies of cancer, she leaves her London apartment to her twin nieces, Julia and Valentina. These two American girls never met their English aunt, only knew that their mother, too, was a twin, and Elspeth her sister. Julia and Valentina are semi-normal American teenagers--with seemingly little interest in college, finding jobs, or anything outside their cozy home in the suburbs of Chicago, and with an abnormally intense attachment to one another.

The girls move to Elspeth's flat, which borders Highgate Cemetery in London. They come to know the building's other residents. There is Martin, a brilliant and charming crossword puzzle setter suffering from crippling Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; Marjike, Martin's devoted but trapped wife; and Robert, Elspeth's elusive lover, a scholar of the cemetery. As the girls become embroiled in the fraying lives of their aunt's neighbors, they also discover that much is still alive in Highgate, including--perhaps--their aunt, who can't seem to leave her old apartment and life behind.

Niffenegger weaves a captivating story in Her Fearful Symmetry about love and identity, about secrets and sisterhood, and about the tenacity of life--even after death."

 

 

COMPLETE

 

1. Envy, by J.R. Ward (Fallen Angels series)

 

2. Kiss of the Highlander, by Karen Marie Moning (Highlander series)

 

3. The Ramayana, A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic, by R.K. Narayan (with my daughter for school reading)

 

4. Dark Highlander, by Karen Marie Moning (Highlander series)

 

5. The Immortal Highlander, by Karen Marie Moning (Highlander series)

 

6. Spell of the Highlander, by Karen Marie Moning (Highlander series)

 

7. 11/22/63, by Stephen King

 

8. The Traveler, by John Twelve Hawks (Fourth Realm Trilogy, Book 1)

 

9. Into the Dreaming, by Karen Marie Moning (Highlander series)

 

10. A Judgement In Stone, by Ruth Rendel

 

11. The Dark River, by John Twelve Hawks (Fourth Realm Trilogy, Book 2)

 

12. The Golden City, by John Twelve Hawks (Fourth Realm Trilogy, Book 3)

 

13. Forbidden Pleasure, by Lora Leigh

 

14. Relic, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

 

15. House Rules, by Jodi Picoult

 

16. Midwives, by Chris Bohjalian

 

17. Wind Through the Keyhole, by Stephen King

 

18. The High Flyer, by Susan Howatch.

 

19. Daughter of the Blood, by Anne Bishop (The Black Jewels Trilogy, Book 1)

 

20. Heir to the Shadows, by Anne Bishop (The Black Jewels Trilogy, Book 2)

 

21. The Host, by Stephenie Meyer

 

22. Queen of the Darkness, by Anne Bishop (The Black Jewels Trilogy, Book 3)

 

23. The Invisible Ring, by Anne Bishop (The Black Jewels series)

 

24. Fifty Shades of Grey, by E.L. James

 

25. Fifty Shades Darker, by E.L. James

 

26. Fifty Shades Freed, by E.L. James

 

27. Dreams Made Flesh, by Anne Bishop (The Black Jewels series)

 

28. Tangled Webs, by Anne Bishop (The Black Jewels series)

 

29. Goodnight Nobody, by Jennifer Weiner

 

30. Kiss the Dead, by Laurell K. Hamilton (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series)

 

31. The Shadow Queen, by Anne Bishop (The Black Jewels series)

 

32. The Read-Aloud Handbook, by Jim Trelease

 

33. Ahab's Wife, by Sena Jeter Naslund

 

34. Shalador's Queen, by Anne Bishop (The Black Jewels series)

 

35. Sebastian, by Anne Bishop (Ephemera, Book 1)

 

36. The Devil Wears Prada, by Lauren Weisberger

 

37. The Good Sister, by Drusilla Campbell

 

38. The Lost Boy, by David Pelzer

 

39. Little Children, by Tom Perotta

 

CURRENT

 

40. The Neverending Story, by Michael Ende, translated by Ralph Manheim, aloud to my son.

 

41. Smiles to Go, by Jerry Spinelli, aloud with my daughter.

 

42. Her Fearful Symmetry, by Audrey Niffenegger, to myself.

[Mom-ninja.]

I got a bunch of books finished this week. My big accomplishment is A Distant Mirror, Barbara Tuchman's history of the 14th century. The 14th century was not a lot of fun to live through. It's a dense book and I was very proud if I could manage 50 pages a day.

 

 

 

 

Congrats to you. I gave up on that book.

[VeganCupcake]

I finished Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks last night. I really liked it--until the end. I'm still mad about the ending this morning. Blah. I told my DH that my book jumped the shark.

 

Started listening to Middlesex based on the reviews here. The audio book reader seems to have an abundance of saliva, which I find a bit distracting. :lol:

 

And I'm still reading Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader and learning so much more about North Korea.

Edited September 11, 2012 by VeganCupcake
missed a grammatical edit earlier!

[Lady Florida.]

I didn't get a lot of reading time last week, so I'm still reading the same three books.

 

I'm about halfway through The God Delusion, and need to finish it since it's a library loan and due back soon. Our library doesn't allow renewals for ebooks. It's quite dry in some parts and fascinating in others.

 

I'm about 1/4 of the way through Anna Karenina. While I was enjoying before, I found it easy to put down. Now it's finally starting to get more interesting, and I've had to make myself stop reading and get some things done.

 

Still not far into Jane Eyre, but that's okay. Our book club meeting isn't until October 1st, and since I have read it before I'm not worried about trying to finish it before the meeting. That said, if I get done with The God Delusion, I'll have more time to devote to this.

 

 

My Goodreads list for 2012

 

Books read in 2012 - in no particular order because I didn't join goodreads until a few months ago, and hadn't kept track of when I read each one. I probably forgot some and will add to the list as I remember them.

37. Midnight in Austenland, Shannon Hale

36. To Kill a Mockingbird (re-read it because I assigned it to ds and wanted it to be fresh in my mind).

35. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer

34. The Poet and the Murderer, Simon Worrall

33. Nearly Departed in Deadwood, Ann Charles

32. Swan Song, Lee Hanson (not the famous one of the same title, but a mystery set in the Orlando area)

31. The Broken Token, Chris Nickson

30. The Count of Monte Cristo

29. I'd Listen To My Parents If They'd Just Shut Up: What to Say and Not to Say When Parenting Teens, Anthony E. Wolf

28. Gone, Michael Grant

27. Murder in Mykonos, Jeffrey Siger

26. The Hanover Square Affair, Ashley Gardner

25. Murder Behind the Scenes: A Victorian Mystery, Isabella Macready

24. Uneasy Spirits: A Victorian San Francisco Mystery, Louisa Locke

23. Murder in a Mill Town, P.B. Ryan

22. The Sign of the Four (Sherlock Holmes)

21. Accomplished in Murder, Dara England

20. Maids of Misfortune, Louisa Locke

19. The Butterfly Forest, Tom Lowe

18. Chasing China: A Daughter's Quest for Truth, Kay Bratt

17. Immortal in Death, J.D. Robb

16. Rapture in Death, J.D. Robb

15. The Well Educated Mind, SWB

14. Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living, Tsh Oxenreider

13. Castle Cay, Lee Hanson

12. The Cater Street Hangman, Anne Perry

11. Callander Square, Anne Perry

10. Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague, Geraldine Brooks

9. Cold Cruel Winter, Chris Nickson

8. Watching Jeopardy, Norm Foster

7. To the Grave: A Genealogical Mystery, Steve Robinson

6. Florida Heat, Rainy Kirkland

5. A Regimental Murder, Ashley Gardner

4. The One Minute Organizer, Donna Smallin

3. In the Blood, Steve Robinson

2. The Hangman's Daughter, Oliver Potzsch

1. Etsy 101 Sell Your Crafts on Etsy, Steve Weber

[dangermom]

I heard about this book earlier this year on the Bob Edwards radio show. It sounds both heart-rending & fascinating.

 

Yep, that's about right.

[Mom-ninja.]

It's quite dry in some parts and fascinating in others.

 

 

I remember when I read it. There were a lot of "yes" moments for me.

[Melinda in VT]

I finished Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks last night. I really liked it--until the end. I'm still mad about the ending this morning. Blah. I told my DH that my book was jumped the shark.

 

:lol: I read that book last month. I didn't hate the ending, but it did strike me as a little odd. It reminded me of Brooks's other book I read this year, People of the Book.

[aggieamy]

Work has been so busy that I've really slowed down on my reading. My personal goal is 150 so I'm going to have to kick it up a notch to reach that now. Of course, I can't complain because work allows me to buy necessities such as books.

 

Still plugging away with James Herriot. A few chapters a night and I'll be done in a month.

 

Finished Harris and Me. The ending had me crying and I want to know what happened next.

 

 

In progress:

 

All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot

Very Good, Jeeves by PD Wodehouse (ladies book club)

Carry on, My Bowditch by Jean Lee Lantham (read aloud)

 

2012 finished books:

 

97. Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen (***)

96. The Cat Who Played Brahms by Lillian Jackson Braun (****)

95. Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman (**)

94. Surviving Hitler by Andrea Warren (****)

93. The Lady in the Lake by Raymond Chandler (***)

92. Playful Learning by Mariah Bruehl (***)

91. The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern by Lillian Jackson Braun - audiobook (****)

90. The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie (***)

89. Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman - YA (****)

88. The Mirror Cracked Side to Side by Agatha Christie (***)

87. The Princess Bride by William Goldman (*****)

86. Crocodiles on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters (***)

86. The Tattooed Potato and Other Clues by Ellen Raskin - YA (***)

84. Supermarket by Satoshi Azuchi (**)

83. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto (*****)

82. Stein on Writing by Sol Stein (****)

81. Order from Chaos by Liz Davenport (**)

 

Books 41 - 80

Books 1 - 40

 

Amy's Rating System:

 

***** - Fantastic, couldn't put it down

**** - Very good

*** - Enjoyable but nothing special

** - Not recommended

* - Horrible

[ladydusk]

Hello all and a special shout out to my friend Ladydusk who enjoys Susan Howatch's writing as much as I! I finished Penmarric (#42) and am glad that I hung in despite my annoyance with the first narrative voice in the novel. This retelling of Henry II and his sons (ending with a young King John) is set in Cornwall in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Howatch gives such insight into motivations of historic figures and their decisions. That said, I think I'll hold off on Cashelmara. I don't know if I can stomach Edward I (Longshanks) at the moment.

 

Hey, Jane. I was listening to Jim Weiss' Robin Hood today and thinking about Richard/John and Phillip/Jean Yves. Fascinating stuff.

 

Edward I isn't long featured in Cashelmara - only one section that isn't very long, but Edward II is. Way, way too much. [shudder] Edward I is shown as very cosmopolitan, erudite, arrogant, and vicious (particularly with his son). But Edward II is a fool who's folly causes him to be wicked, malevolent, and violent.

 

I might actually recommend forgetting Cashelmara is in the catalog. (although the politics of England and Ireland is such a parallel for the story's plot. The political situation is fascinating.)

[VeganCupcake]

:lol: I read that book last month. I didn't hate the ending, but it did strike me as a little odd. It reminded me of Brooks's other book I read this year, People of the Book.

 

I read People of the Book a couple of months ago, too. I didn't think it jumped the shark--but now that you mention it, maybe it jumped the guppy. :lol: There were some parts of People of the Book that I really liked, but I didn't like the modern story framework as much.

[Stacia]

There were some parts of People of the Book that I really liked, but I didn't like the modern story framework as much.

 

I totally agree. I loved the historical sections of the book, but didn't care for the chapters w/ the modern story setting. To me, it detracted from the impact of the book's journey. Still, I thought it was a great book (that could have been better). :tongue_smilie:

[Melinda in VT]

I read People of the Book a couple of months ago, too. I didn't think it jumped the shark--but now that you mention it, maybe it jumped the guppy. :lol: There were some parts of People of the Book that I really liked, but I didn't like the modern story framework as much.

 

I agree with you about the frame. I rarely like frames.

 

When I said that the ending to Year of Wonders reminded me of People of the Book, what I meant was that where the character ended up reminded me of one of the settings in People of the Book. It was like Brooks had that setting on her mind and it popped into a book where it didn't feel like it really belonged.

[Lady Florida.]

I finished Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks last night. I really liked it--until the end. I'm still mad about the ending this morning. Blah. I told my DH that my book jumped the shark.

 

 

 

I read that this summer. While I didn't dislike the ending, I thought it was kind of strange. It seems I'm in the minority though. If you read reviews you see that a lot of people disliked the ending.

 

I remember when I read it. There were a lot of "yes" moments for me.

 

I'm having quite a few of those. :D

[Robin M]

I finished "One Hundred Years of Solitude." Shaking my head trying to find a way to explain it. Weird, perplexing, strange relationships and the ending...anticlimactic.

[Robin M]

There are a bunch of free classics available in audiobook on Amazon and audible. If you don't have an audible account, well worth signing up for it. I use it all the time. If you don't have a kindle just buy it with download to kindle pc and then you have the option to get audiobook through audible.

 

I already downloaded The Moonstone to listen to.

[ariasmommy]

#41 Paradise Lost by John Milton - I listened to the audio version narrated by Simon Vance, who does a superb job.

 

#42 Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen :001_wub:

[shanvan]

I just found out what these threads are all about! How did I not know this was going on? I hope I'm not being presumptuous just joining in.

Besides teacher's editions, currently I am reading ....

The Lives of the Muses: Nine Women and the Artists They Inspired by Francine Prose

It's interesting and I've been talking with Dh a lot lately about the role of women in the lives of artists. I hate to say it, but so often the art becomes the mistress, whether it be written or visual art.

 

At Large and At Small: Familiar Essays by Anne Fadiman which I love, love, love. Her sense of humor is brilliant. I've read parts out loud b/c my family was desperate to know what was making me laugh out loud. I'm even thinking of using some of the essays as models for personal essay writing. They are so genuine and interesting.

 

and our read-aloud: Pride & Prejudice, which we are all enjoying.

 

I wish I could remember other books I've read this year. Maybe if I keep up with these threads I can come up with a list. I've got some ideas from all the other lists I see.

[Stacia]

I finished "One Hundred Years of Solitude." Shaking my head trying to find a way to explain it. Weird, perplexing, strange relationships and the ending...anticlimactic.

 

Ok, you're way ahead of me. Just passed the halfway mark.

 

**spoiler alert***

 

I do have to say, I really enjoyed the chapter that's right at the halfway mark, where the train comes to town & the reaction of the villagers to the cinema. :lol: I don't know -- just loved the irony that all these magical, weird things happen routinely, but the 'magic' of movies (i.e., actor dies in one movie, appears in a different movie the next night) totally upset, incensed, and wigged out the people of Macondo to the point that they rioted & tore up the seats of the theater.

[Maus]

Completed:

Book #49 - "Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift. First time I've read the full story. I've had a child's abridgment since I was about 10, and knew the Lilliputian story, but not the other lands he visited. I think the social commentary/satire is more apparent in the other "lands."

 

Book #48 - "No Regrets: How Homeschooling Earned me a Master's Degree at Age Sixteen" by Alexandra Swann.

Book #47 - "What to Read When" by Pam Allyn.

Book #46 - "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Salt Lake City" by Greg Witt.

Book #45 - "Freeing Your Child From Anxiety" by Tamar Chansky.

Book #44 - "A Nation Rising" by Kenneth C. Davis.

Book #43 - "The Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan.

Book #42 - "The School for the Insanely Gifted" by Dan Elish.

Book #41 - "The Eye of the Sun - Part One of Blackwood: Legends of the Forest" by Les Moyes.

Book #40 - "The Fallacy Detective" by Nathaniel Bluedorn and Hans Bluedorn.

Book #39 - "Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes. Translated by John Ormsby.

Book #38 - "Organizing Solutions for People with Attention Deficit Disorder" by Susan C. Pinsky.

Book #37 - "Growing Up: A Classic American Childhood" by Marilyn vos Savant.

Book #36 -"A Young People's History of the United States" by Howard Zinn.

Book #35 - "Organizing the Disorganized Child: Simple Strategies to Succeed in School" by Martin L. Kutscher & Marcella Moran.

Book #34 - "Turn Right at Machu Picchu" by Mark Adams.

Book #33 - "The Lightening Thief" by Rick Riordan.

Book #32 - "Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, And the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero" by Michael Hingson.

Book #31 - "America's Hidden History" by Kenneth C. Davis.

Book #30 - "The Diamond of Darkhold†by Jeanne DuPrau.

Book #29 - "The People of Sparks†by Jeanne DuPrau.

Book #28 - "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins.

Book #27 - "Well-Educated Mind" by Susan Wise Bauer.

Book #26 - "The Prophet of Yonwood" by Jeanne Duprau.

Book #25 - "City of Ember" by Jeanne Duprau.

Book #24 - "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch.

Book #23 - "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson.

Book #22 - "Deconstructing Penguins" by Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone.

Book #21 - "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli.

Book #20 - "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins.

Book #19 - "Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.

Book #18 - "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer.

Book #17 - "Frozen Assets: Cook for a Day, Eat for a Month" by Deborah Taylor-Hough.

Book #16 - "Miserly Moms: Living Well on Less in a Tough Economy" by Jonni McCoy.

Book #15 - "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D.

Book #14 - "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" by Susan Cain.

Book #13 - "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett.

Book #12 - "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D.

Book #11 - "Extraordinary, Ordinary People" by Condoleezza Rice.

Book #10 - "The Pig in the Pantry" by Rose Godfrey.

Book #9 - "The Virgin in the Ice" by Ellis Peters.

Book #8 - "The Leper of St. Giles" by Ellis Peters.

Book #7 - "St. Peter's Fair" by Ellis Peters.

Book #6 - "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" by Amy Chua.

Book #5 - "Monk's Hood" by Ellis Peters.

Book #4 - "Flash and Bones" by Kathy Reichs.

Book #3 - "Spider Bones" by Kathy Reichs.

Book #2 - "One Corpse Too Many" by Ellis Peters.

Book #1 - "A Morbid Taste for Bones" by Ellis Peters.

[Negin]

#42 Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen :001_wub:

This is one of my all-time favorite classics. :)

[Rosie_0801]

I've been reading a beginners tarot book and a whole bunch of gardening books! Yay for Spring and Yay for gardening books!

 

I was reading 'The Bush Tucker Man' today and came across this fun fact: the Burdekin plums which grow in Northern Australia have virtually the same nutritional value as human breastmilk. Weird huh?

 

 

I've also got a reading challenge to propose:

 

If anyone wants to read "Picnic at Hanging Rock" by Joan Lindsay, I will go and picnic at Hanging Rock and send you a postcard. :)

 

Providing:

a) They still sell postcards

b) I don't have 1400 people signing up. 1400 x post card x international stamp = Rosie needing to take several picnics over the course of a year. :001_huh: Writer's cramp, kwim? :tongue_smilie:

 

Anyone interested?

 

:)

Rosie

[ladydusk]

I finally finished Moonwalking with Einstein. It's about the memory, how to memorize. I enjoyed it quite a lot.

 

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

5. Evening in the Palace of Reason by James R Gaines (spectacular)

6. The Cat of Bubastes by GA Henty (Audio from Librivox)

7. The Last Battle by C S Lewis (Audiobook)

8. A Praying Life by Paul E Miller

9. Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students by Christine Fonesca

10. Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody (fantastic read aloud)

11. The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare

12. The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis

13. How to Write a Sentence by Stanley Fish

14. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

15. The Rich Are Different by Susan Howatch

16. The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer

17. Sylvester by Georgette Heyer

18. Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher (great read aloud)

19. Sins of the Fathers by Susan Howatch (wow!)

20. Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls (very good)

21. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (favorite)

22. The Toll Gate by Georgette Heyer

23. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (audio book)

24. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (audio book)

25. Penmarric by Susan Howatch

26. Cashelmara by Susan Howatch

27. The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer

28. Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings

29. Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings

30. Magician's Gambit by David Eddings

31. Castle of Wizadry by David Eddings

32. Enchanter's End Game by David Eddings

33. Persuasion by Jane Austen

34. Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber (phenomenal)

35. A Circle of Quiet by Madeleine L'Engle

36. My Man, Jeeves by PG Wodehouse

37. Right Ho, Jeeves by PG Wodehouse

38. The Summer of the Great-Grandmother by Madeleine L'Engle

39. Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer

[Stacia]

.

Edited September 11, 2014 by Stacia

[Lady Florida.]

I had an email from my library waiting for me this morning, telling me the audiobook version of Gone Girl is ready for download. I hope I can get through it. Audiobooks are difficult for me because I tend to get distracted while trying to listen. It's the only way for me to 'read' this book though without either buying it (not an option) or waiting a very long time for either the ebook or physical book from the library.

 

Completed:

Book #49 - "Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift. First time I've read the full story. I've had a child's abridgment since I was about 10, and knew the Lilliputian story, but not the other lands he visited. I think the social commentary/satire is more apparent in the other "lands."

 

 

I've only ever read/heard the children's version too, and have been meaning to read the full version. I have it on my Kindle and will get to it eventually. Maybe it will be one of my books for Book a Week in 2013. :001_smile:

Edited September 12, 2012 by floridamom
corrected a typo

[LostSurprise]

Slowing down a bit. I'm taking a class so I don't know how much time I'll have.

 

93. All the Presidents' Pastries: 25 years in the White House by Chef Roland Mesnier~memoir, pastry, White House. I checked this out because someone recommended his pastry book to me and this was easier to find. I liked the first half (before he worked at the White House) better. The descriptions of fancy pastry dishes for heads of state needed photos for it to be interesting. Mesnier worked for Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, and W. and was nice about all of them. I enjoyed his sense of ambition as he moved around Europe to learn new things. Favorite recipes of presidents are in here but I haven't tried any yet.

 

*Top 10

**Best of the Year

 

92. Wasp Factory by Iain Banks~fiction, horror, psychopath, coming of age.

91. True Grit by Charles Portis~western, coming of age, humor/irony. **

90. The Penderwicks of Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall~children's fiction, sisters, adventure.

89. Crossing by Jan Yoors~memoir, WWII, Resistance, Gypsies/Rom.

86. Swedish Cakes and Cookies, Melody Favish, translator~cooking, baking, Swedish/Scandinavian.

85. Doc by Mary Doria Russell~historical fiction, American plains, Doc Holliday.

82. Landscaping with Native Plants of Minnesota by Lynn Steiner~gardening, native plants. *

81. The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa~mathematics, friendship, family, baseball.

79. Half Broke Horses by Jeannette ~memoir, biography, southwest

78. The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder~science fiction, alternate history, Richard Burton, steampunk.

68. The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall~children's fiction, sisters, adventure. *

61. The Poisoner's Handbook by Deborah Blum~non-fiction, forensic science, chemistry, New York, Prohibition. *

59. The Green Mile by Stephen King~supernatural, prison, 1930s. *

51. North by Northanger by Carrie Bebis~Jane Austen, mystery

50. The Essential Garden Design Workbook by Rosemary Alexander~non-fiction, gardening, landscape design.

47. The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi~memoir, Italy, criminal case, serial killer. *

41. Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris~fiction, France, WWII, food. *

36. Superfudge by Judy Blume~fiction, classic children's book.

28. Divergent by Veronica Roth~youth fiction, dystopian.

23. Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood by Oliver Sacks~non-fiction, memoir, history of chemistry.

18. A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell~fiction, WWII **

11. Case Histories by Kate Atkinson~mystery

7. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman~non-fiction/medical

2. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton~Fiction

1. The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt~Fiction

Working on:

Blood Meridian (McCarthy) ~I will finish this, I will.

The Zookeeper's Wife (Ackerman)

Delta Wedding (Welty)

The Gypsies (Yoor)

Moonwalking with Einstein (misplaced)

[Lady Florida.]

I have a dilemma that I hope you all can help me solve. I was going to post a thread on the General board, but decided to go straight to the "readers". :D What do you do when you have too many books going at one time? I've always read more than one book at a time, but never more than one of serious literature. Here's what's going on -

 

The God Delusion - This is a library e-book and since I'm 75% done, I will finish it.

 

Anna Karenina - I always have to read fiction, even when I'm reading non-fiction. I don't know why I chose this book at this time, but I did. I'm about 1/3 of the way through.

 

Jane Eyre - I started Anna Karenina before my book club chose this book. Since I have read it more than once, I can drop it and still enjoy the meeting.

 

Gone Girl - I had the audiobook, e-book, and physical book on hold at the library hoping I'd get one sooner rather than later. The audiobook is now available for me to check out.

 

Don Quixote - My online classics Kindle book club will start this next week. We're reading and watching these lectures. He is a Yale professor and one of the foremost experts on Don Quixote. I really don't want to skip this.

 

I think I should do the following.

 

• Finish The God Delusion
  
• Drop Jane Eyre and Gone Girl. The waiting list for the audiobook version of Gone Girl isn't long, so I can probably put it on hold another time and still not have much of a wait.
  
• Continue with Anna Karenina and Don Quixote.
  

 

 

Do you think one can read Anna Karenina and Don Quixote at the same time and be able to fully appreciate both?

[LostSurprise]

I often read several books (4-9) at the same time, sometimes even classics, but I probably wouldn't try to read those two simultaneously.

 

Last time I read Anna Karenina I was reading a few other classics at the same time. I'm afraid I didn't get much out of it.

[VeganCupcake]

I've been reading a beginners tarot book and a whole bunch of gardening books! Yay for Spring and Yay for gardening books!

 

I was reading 'The Bush Tucker Man' today and came across this fun fact: the Burdekin plums which grow in Northern Australia have virtually the same nutritional value as human breastmilk. Weird huh?

 

 

I've also got a reading challenge to propose:

 

If anyone wants to read "Picnic at Hanging Rock" by Joan Lindsay, I will go and picnic at Hanging Rock and send you a postcard. :)

 

Providing:

a) They still sell postcards

b) I don't have 1400 people signing up. 1400 x post card x international stamp = Rosie needing to take several picnics over the course of a year. :001_huh: Writer's cramp, kwim? :tongue_smilie:

 

Anyone interested?

 

:)

Rosie

 

I'm in! I love a fun challenge!

[Mom-ninja.]

Do you think one can read Anna Karenina and Don Quixote at the same time and be able to fully appreciate both?

 

I would drop Anna for now and pick her up later.

[Stacia]

I would drop Anna for now and pick her up later.

 

:iagree:

[Robin M]

I just found out what these threads are all about! How did I not know this was going on? I hope I'm not being presumptuous just joining in.

 

Glad you found us. Jump right in.

 

Ok, you're way ahead of me. Just passed the halfway mark.

 

**spoiler alert***

 

I do have to say, I really enjoyed the chapter that's right at the halfway mark, where the train comes to town & the reaction of the villagers to the cinema. :lol: I don't know -- just loved the irony that all these magical, weird things happen routinely, but the 'magic' of movies (i.e., actor dies in one movie, appears in a different movie the next night) totally upset, incensed, and wigged out the people of Macondo to the point that they rioted & tore up the seats of the theater.

 

I know. The weirdest things that were common to the rest of the world tripped them up.

 

also got a reading challenge to propose:

 

If anyone wants to read "Picnic at Hanging Rock" by Joan Lindsay, I will go and picnic at Hanging Rock and send you a postcard. :)

 

Anyone interested?

 

:)

Rosie

 

I'm in. Will listen to audio book version since have credit with audible

 

I had an email from my library waiting for me this morning, telling me the audiobook version of Gone Girl is ready for download. I hope I can get through it. Audiobooks are difficult for me because I tend to get distracted while trying to listen. It's the only way for me to 'read' this book though without either buying it (not an option) or waiting a very long time for either the ebook or physical book from the library.

 

The trick to not getting distracted is doing something benign. Drawing, cleaning, gardening. I've started listening when go to bed and surprisingly calms my brain down and helps me sleep.

 

I have a dilemma that I hope you all can help me solve. I was going to post a thread on the General board, but decided to go straight to the "readers". :D What do you do when you have too many books going at one time? I've always read more than one book at a time, but never more than one of serious literature. Here's what's going on -

 

The God Delusion - This is a library e-book and since I'm 75% done, I will finish it.

 

Anna Karenina - I always have to read fiction, even when I'm reading non-fiction. I don't know why I chose this book at this time, but I did. I'm about 1/3 of the way through.

 

Jane Eyre - I started Anna Karenina before my book club chose this book. Since I have read it more than once, I can drop it and still enjoy the meeting.

 

Gone Girl - I had the audiobook, e-book, and physical book on hold at the library hoping I'd get one sooner rather than later. The audiobook is now available for me to check out.

 

Don Quixote - My online classics Kindle book club will start this next week. We're reading and watching these lectures. He is a Yale professor and one of the foremost experts on Don Quixote. I really don't want to skip this.

 

I think I should do the following.

• Finish The God Delusion
  
• Drop Jane Eyre and Gone Girl. The waiting list for the audiobook version of Gone Girl isn't long, so I can probably put it on hold another time and still not have much of a wait.
  
• Continue with Anna Karenina and Don Quixote.
  

 

Do you think one can read Anna Karenina and Don Quixote at the same time and be able to fully appreciate both?

 

Lord of mercy, my brain would explode. Two classics, especially those two is simply too much. I would drop Anna and get back to it when done with Don Quixote.

 

I would drop Anna for now and pick her up later.

 

 

:iagree: Great minds think alike.