Book a Week in 2012 - week 40

[Robin M]

Good Morning, dear hearts! Today is the start of week 40 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 - Banned Book Week: 30th anniversary of ALA's celebration of freedom to read. Bill Moyer and his wife are co-chairs this year. Check out his video discussing about banned books at www.bannedbooksweek.org. Links to ALA and classically challenged books on the blog.

 

October is scary reads month: time to get spooky. wahahahahahaha!

 

Did you hear about Life of Pi movie coming out on Nov 21st. Check out the trailer. Looks good.

 

What are you reading this week?

 

 

 

Link to week 39

Edited September 30, 2012 by Mytwoblessings

[Robin M]

I'm still in a non fiction mode: Reading and working through Writing Begins with the Breath by Laraine Herring and half way through Journeys on the Silk Road by Joyce Morgan and Conrad Walters.

[Paisley Hedgehog]

.

[Jane in NC]

I'm having trouble with your banned books link, Robin. Did you mean http://bannedbooksweek.org/?

 

A friend handed me what she called a great airplane book, Awakening by S.J. Bolton. It is a page turner. And if you just happen to have a fear of snakes, it might be the perfect October read. :D

 

[Stacia]

This week, I read about half of Lionel Asbo by Martin Amis, but ended up giving up. I liked the satire, but overall, I just wasn't being pulled into the story. Meh. Oh well....

 

Since I spent most of my time reading Lionel Asbo, I haven't made much progress on Dracula, but now I'm getting back to it. Stoker does do 'creepy' very well!

 

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

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 (3.5 stars)

50. Wide Open by Nicola Barker (3 stars)

 

51. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez (4 stars)

52. The Merciful Women by Federico Andahazi (3 stars)

53. The Vampyre by John William Polidori (3 stars)

54. Living in a Nutshell by Janet Lee (3 stars)

[Stacia]

52 Books Blog - Banned Book Week: 30th anniversary of ALA's celebration of freedom to read. Bill Moyer and his wife are co-chairs this year. Check out his video discussing about banned books at www.bannedbooks.org. Links to ALA and classically challenged books on the blog.

 

October is scary reads month: time to get spooky. wahahahahahaha!

 

Did you hear about Life of Pi movie coming out on Nov 21st. Check out the trailer. Looks good.

 

Thanks for the reminder about Banned Books week. Love it! I'm also very pleased to see that my dd's high school celebrates Banned Books week. I've requested a book to read for Banned Books week, so hopefully it will come in some time this week....

 

Loving the spooky reading too. Can't wait to see what everyone is reading!

 

I will not plan to see the Life of Pi movie. Though I can appreciate the beautiful writing & storytelling of Life of Pi, it ripped out a piece of my soul when I read that book. I'm sure there is no way I could make it through the movie. :tongue_smilie:

 

Love Banned Books week! I have a super cute chunky bracelet bought from the ALA several years ago that I will proudly wear all week. Thanks for the reminder, Robin. :)

 

Cool. I'm pulling out my banned books t-shirt to wear this week; my dd is probably going to borrow it to wear to school one day this week too.

 

A friend handed me what she called a great airplane book, Awakening by S.J. Bolton. It is a page turner. And if you just happen to have a fear of snakes, it might be the perfect October read. :D

 

<<Shudder>> Uh, no way could I tackle that book! If you can read it, I think you deserve this, Jane :D:

Edited September 30, 2012 by Stacia

[Robin M]

I'm having trouble with your banned books link, Robin. Did you mean http://bannedbooksweek.org/?

 

A friend handed me what she called a great airplane book, Awakening by S.J. Bolton. It is a page turner. And if you just happen to have a fear of snakes, it might be the perfect October read. :D

 

 

 

Yes, thank you. I fixed the link. Awakening looks deliciously creepy and good.

[Just Robyn]

This week I finished

 

70.) The Paideia Proposal by Mortimer Adler - For me, this was a thought provoking book. The book was very focused which for me was both good and bad. Staying focused on a narrow topic keeps the author from going on tangents, but it also means important, related things go unsaid. I didn't agree with everything he said, but it is nice to get some history of education.

 

71.) A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess - I really enjoyed this book. The Latin, Russian and rhyming slang mixture used to create the Nadsat register was great. I was interested to discover that Anthony Burgess was also a linguist. And Stacia - I didn't find the book disturbing. Yes, bad things happen, but when you read about them from such a playful narrator and in such a fun dialect, it takes the edge off. I guess I would say it's so surreal, you don't take it seriously - even if serious things are happening and serious points are being made. The book manages to make some serious points without weighing down the whole world. This is how it was for me, anyway.

 

For scary reading for October I have picked up a Lovecraft book from the library. I have never read any H. P. Lovecraft, so I thought this seemed like a good opportunity to finally get a taste of his writing. I also started reading The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to my kids - so far, not scary. I am curious to see how the second half of the story goes.

[Jane in NC]

 

<<Shudder>> Uh, no way could I tackle that book! If you can read it, I think you deserve this, Jane :D:

 

Thanks for the award. I did read the book and enjoyed it--but snakes don't bother me. Not in the house, mind you. Nor did I like the copperhead in my garage that prevented me from getting into my car one day. But reading about snakes and snake handling was quite interesting. Bolton is a fine writer so I may look at some of her other books, all of which seem to be in the thriller/suspense category. I'll keep y'all posted.

 

Guess I should add that I don't do ghosts or chain saw murderers. Give me snakes any day.

Edited September 30, 2012 by Jane in NC

[Mom-ninja.]

I also started reading The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to my kids - so far, not scary. I am curious to see how the second half of the story goes.

 

Good idea. I see it's on Gutenberg.

 

 

I finished a home food preservation book cause I'm gonna learn how do to it. :D

[Jane in NC]

Forgot to mention that I plan on reading Making Home, the new book on Sharon Astyk. The subtitle reads "Adapting Our Homes and Our Lives to Settle in Place". For those not familiar, Astyk writes about sustainability in her books and on her blog.

[aggieamy]

Thanks for the award. I did read the book and enjoyed it--but snakes don't bother me. Not in the house, mind you. Nor did I like the copperhead in my garage that prevented me from getting into my car one day. But reading about snakes and snake handling was quite interesting. Bolton is a fine writer so I may look at some of her other books, all of which seem to be in the thriller/suspense category. I'll keep y'all posted.

 

Guess I should add that I don't do ghosts or chain saw murderers. Give me snakes any day.

 

I think I'd rather a ghost in my house than a snake. Only if it was a friendly ghost though. :001_smile:

 

Somehow I got a bunch of reading done this weekend and finished three books! Yay.

 

Robin recomended Outlining Your Novel by KM Weiland and there was some interesting suggestions in there. I'm excited to try them out and am getting my outline for my NaNoWriMo novel started.

 

Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright - DD and I are both reading this at the same time. Sweet story.

 

Carry on, My Bowditch by Jean Lee Lantham - This is a fantastic book. DD and I both loved it. I highly recommend it.

 

 

In progress:

 

Time and Again by Jack Finney (recommended by DH)

White Stallion of Lipizza by Marguerite Henry (read aloud)

The First 20 Minutes: Surprising Science Reveals How We Can: Exercise Better, Train Smarter, Live Longer by Gretchen Reynolds

 

 

2012 finished books:

 

104. Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright (***)

103. Carry on, My Bowditch by Jean Lee Lantham - read aloud (*****)

102. Outlining Your Novel by KM Weiland (****)

101. Living in a Nutshell - Posh and Portable Decorating Ideas for Living in Small Spaces by Janet Lee (***)

100. Very Good, Jeeves by PD Wodehouse (*****)

99. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot (*****)

98. How to Get Your Child to Love Reading by Esme Codell (****)

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

[eaglei]

Slow week of reading for me . . .

 

I finished:

 

#54 - Back When We Were Grownups, by Anne Tyler. This started rather slowly, then suddenly something *clicked* with the protagonist and it moved along. Predictably, the story made me sad . . .

 

Currently reading an old author who is new to me:

 

#55 - Leafy Rivers, by Jessamyn West. Have barely started this so no real opinion yet. However, some of the description and turn-of-phrase has been a joy to read.

[dangermom]

Argh, I had 70% of a post written and my kid disappeared it.

This week I finished some things and got ready for scary reading in October! And also, I'm in charge of Banned Books Week at work, so I've been doing a lot with that--which leaves little time for actually reading any of them, since they're all on display...

 

Amira reminded me of the existence of the Griffin and Sabine trilogy, and I read them all at one sitting with a bar of orange chocolate. Mmmm.

 

I read Days of Obligation, a collection of essays from the 90s about Mexico and California.

 

The Angel's Game is dang Gothic, in 1920s Barcelona, where everyone's lives are unremittingly tragic. A young writer makes a deal with a publisher, but it's more Faustian than he'd realized.

 

And I read Labyrinths by Borges and loved it!

 

It's been a very Spanish week.

[-M-]

Currently reading The Playdate (Millar). I had planned to finish several books this weekend, but we headed downtown to see Equivocation (fantastic!) yesterday, and today I've biked, been to the archery range and back, and finished the planning required for the next two weeks -- but not done one whit of "free reading." Let's see what the evening holds, shall we? *smile*

 

Here's the month in review:

 

 

Number of books read in September: 8

Number of books read in 2012: 100

 

 

 

Complete list

here.

 

 

 

Our literature studies were the subject of a recent M-mv post, so this wrap-up may seem a little thin.

 

■ Hamlet (William Shakespeare) Play. With the Misses. Related entries from the M-mv archives here, here, and here.

 

■ UnWholly (Neal Shusterman) YA fiction. A capable sequel to the disturbing Unwind.

 

■ Animal Farm (George Orwell) Fiction. With the Misses, who remembered hearing Mr. M-mv and I discussing this family book club selection with our son about eight years ago and arrived at the table with much to say about this "fairy story."

 

■ Hamlet: Poem Unlimited (Harold Bloom) Non-fiction. Reread to complement Hamlet studies.

 

■ Are You Liberal? Conservative? Or Confused? (Richard J. Maybury) Non-fiction. With the Misses.

 

■ Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (Tom Stoppard) Play. With the Misses. My chapbook entry from the last time I studied this play can be found here.

 

■ Waiting for Godot (Samuel Beckett) Play. With the Misses. My chapbook entry from the last time I studied this play can be found here.

 

■ No Exit (Jean-Paul Sartre) Play. With the Misses. My chapbook entry from the last time I studied this play can be found here. Speaking of the last time, neither then nor when I read the play in high school was there a film version readily available. What a wonder, then, to find it online this go-'round. This 1964 gem was directed by Harold Pinter, who also stars as Joseph Garcin. (Do you also find the music that introduces each of the characters via their death inordinately disturbing? *shudder*)

[shanvan]

I am Jealous of Dangermom b/c she is reading The Italian and I wish I didn't remember it well so I could justify reading it again!

 

We finished Pride & Prejudice (our read a-loud) yesterday. Ds put 3 more Jane Austen titles on his Kindle. I don't know where he thinks he'll find the time to read them! :tongue_smilie:

 

I will finish The Hidden Hand tonight at bedtime. Who knows what I'll read after that? I'll have to pick up something b/c I absolutely cannot fall asleep after completing a book. I should have finished it earlier today and picked out a new book for tonight.

 

I'm considering starting Frankenstein soon.

 

Recent Reads:

Pride & Prejudice

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

At Large and At Small: Familiar Essays by Anne Fadiman

[dangermom]

I am Jealous of Dangermom b/c she is reading The Italian and I wish I didn't remember it well so I could justify reading it again!

 

 

I just started it. Too fun!

 

You could join us for a James story a day...;)

[Violet Crown]

Finished Book XIX of City of God. Only III to go!

 

Not so much progress on Dead Souls, having misplaced it. Maybe I need to muck out the minivan.

 

71.) A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess - I really enjoyed this book. The Latin, Russian and rhyming slang mixture used to create the Nadsat register was great. I was interested to discover that Anthony Burgess was also a linguist. And Stacia - I didn't find the book disturbing. Yes, bad things happen, but when you read about them from such a playful narrator and in such a fun dialect, it takes the edge off. I guess I would say it's so surreal, you don't take it seriously - even if serious things are happening and serious points are being made. The book manages to make some serious points without weighing down the whole world. This is how it was for me, anyway.

Now, droogie, did you read the American version with the last chapter removed, or the UK version with the more upbeat final chapter? I was so surprised when I read the missing last chapter - I think it was published in Rolling Stone when I was in college, but I could be misremembering.

 

 

And I read Labyrinths by Borges and loved it!

 

Love me some Borges! "The Library of Babel" makes a good readaloud at the right age. It's amazing what kids can get out of that story - it really opens up the imagination.

[Negin]

Just started The Thirteenth Tale. I hope I like it and can stick with it. I have a really hard time focusing and enjoying books lately. :confused:

 

 

Some of you have given me great recommendations :grouphug:. Thank you. I've added them to my never-ending wish list. I have several books on my bedside table and lots and lots on my Kindle. So I won't buy any new ones for a while. Once I give most of them a try and hopefully get through them ;), I'll start buying more once again.

[Lizzie in Ma]

Reading through the Dr. Who novels from the new series. On Book 5.

[Heather in Neverland]

This week...

 

Started Reading:

The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

 

 

Still reading:

Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose

Alone With God by John MacArthur

 

Completed:

32. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

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

[Just Robyn]

Now, droogie, did you read the American version with the last chapter removed, or the UK version with the more upbeat final chapter? I was so surprised when I read the missing last chapter - I think it was published in Rolling Stone when I was in college, but I could be misremembering.

 

Actually, I read an American version with the more upbeat last chapter, a foreword by the author explaining the removal of the last chapter in the American version and the movie, and a short afterword by the publisher talking about their decision to put the last chapter back in. Makes me wonder how many 20 chapter copies are still out there.

 

Someone from my reading group says she read it for a class in college and the eccentric teacher said something along the lines of, "Where's the 21st chapter? We're living in it!"

 

Reading through the Dr. Who novels from the new series. On Book 5.

 

Are those good then? I've thought about reading some Doctor Who books. I just felt like they could be fun, or they could be *really* awful, and I didn't want to take a chance.

Edited October 1, 2012 by crstarlette

[Lady Florida.]

Finished: The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived The Great American Dust Bowl

 

Started: Our Husband, Stephanie Bond. Humorous romantic mystery. Perfect for reading at night when I can't really concentrate but feel the need to read something.

 

Still Reading (with an online group): Don Quixote

 

I will probably finish Our Husband in the next day or so, and plan to start reading Dracula.

 

 

Books read in 2012 - in no particular order.

41. The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived The Great American Dust Bowl, Timothy Egan

40. Defending Jacob, William Landay

39. Scorpion House, Maria Hudgins

38. The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins

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

[Mom-ninja.]

 

We finished Pride & Prejudice (our read a-loud) yesterday. Ds put 3 more Jane Austen titles on his Kindle. I don't know where he thinks he'll find the time to read them! :tongue_smilie:

 

That is great. I can only hope my ds is the same some day. :)

[Jane in NC]

 

71.) A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess - I really enjoyed this book. The Latin, Russian and rhyming slang mixture used to create the Nadsat register was great. I was interested to discover that Anthony Burgess was also a linguist. And Stacia - I didn't find the book disturbing. Yes, bad things happen, but when you read about them from such a playful narrator and in such a fun dialect, it takes the edge off. I guess I would say it's so surreal, you don't take it seriously - even if serious things are happening and serious points are being made. The book manages to make some serious points without weighing down the whole world. This is how it was for me, anyway.

 

 

 

The NPR program On Point is discussing this book today.

 

I could never read the book after seeing the movie. Shudder.

[Storm Bay]

Well, I finished my 48th book, which I think I mentioned last week, Winter of the World. While Ken Follet might not be everyone's cup of tea (I suspect his primary target audience is men, but can't say this for sure) and there are some violent scenes in there (Nazi's, Red Army--it's set in & on both sides of WW II), I liked it better than the first one all the way through.

 

If you like long novels, novels about war that have only a limited number of battle scenes but that include the political & social climates & events of the time & the lives of people living at the time (mainly fiction, but a few real people), and series that involve families through several generations, you might like this. There are some war scenes in The main families in it come from Russia, Germany, Wales/England & the US. I like it better than Pillars of the Earth, which I did like for the most part at the time I read it when it was new (I couldn't even read all of its sequel, World without End, though, and I'm not sure how much of it is my age or other factors, but I got really tired of certain things in it).

[LostSurprise]

 

And I read Labyrinths by Borges and loved it!

 

I need to read this! I have it on my nightstand pile but I won't let myself open it up because I have too many going right now.

[Stacia]

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess - I really enjoyed this book. The Latin, Russian and rhyming slang mixture used to create the Nadsat register was great. I was interested to discover that Anthony Burgess was also a linguist. And Stacia - I didn't find the book disturbing. Yes, bad things happen, but when you read about them from such a playful narrator and in such a fun dialect, it takes the edge off. I guess I would say it's so surreal, you don't take it seriously - even if serious things are happening and serious points are being made. The book manages to make some serious points without weighing down the whole world. This is how it was for me, anyway.

 

Thanks for the review & info. I think I'm going to have to check it out.

 

I finished a home food preservation book cause I'm gonna learn how do to it. :D

 

I need to learn how to do that too. Need to see if my library has this one!

 

I think I'd rather a ghost in my house than a snake. Only if it was a friendly ghost though. :001_smile:

 

I think I'm w/ you, Amy.

 

It's been a very Spanish week.

 

Sounds like a fabulous reading week!

 

Now, droogie, did you read the American version with the last chapter removed, or the UK version with the more upbeat final chapter? I was so surprised when I read the missing last chapter - I think it was published in Rolling Stone when I was in college, but I could be misremembering.

 

Love me some Borges! "The Library of Babel" makes a good readaloud at the right age. It's amazing what kids can get out of that story - it really opens up the imagination.

 

Ohhh, good to know about A Clockwork Orange. And, thanks for the tip of Borges for kids.

 

Just started The Thirteenth Tale. I hope I like it and can stick with it.

 

Negin, I hope this is the book that gets you out of your book funk! (I enjoyed that book when I read it a few years ago.)

 

Started Reading:

The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

 

A perfectly-written novella, imo. I absolutely loved it when I read it last year.

 

The NPR program On Point is discussing this book today.

 

I could never read the book after seeing the movie. Shudder.

 

Hmmmm. See, this is why I may be scared to try the book. :tongue_smilie: Will have to listen to today's program....

[NanceXToo]

Just Finished:

 

The Casual Vacancy, by J.K. Rowling: When Barry Fairbrother dies unexpectedly in his early forties, the little town of Pagford is left in shock. Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…. Pagford is not what it first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the town’s council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations? Blackly comic, thought-provoking and constantly surprising, The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults.

Currently Reading:

Belladonna, by Anne Bishop: Mystifying forces of light and dark continue to rend Ephemera, a shattered world of extraordinary, interconnected landscapes that can be altered by strong emotions, in Bishop's challenging sequel to Sebastian (2006). The Eater of the World spreads its corrupting darkness, and Glorianna Belladonna, disdained and declared rogue for her powers that blend both the Light and the Dark, is the only one who can halt its evil influence. Caitlin Marie, a friendless young sorceress with dark blood, also faces great danger, while her brother, Michael the Magician, is drawn through many perils to Glorianna's side by dreams of a dark-haired lover. Even as their love is kindled, the key Michael brings to cage the Eater of the World may doom Glorianna and take her away from him. Readers encountering Ephemera for the first time may be confused by the complicated, fantastical world, but fans of the preceding installment will revel in Bishop's imaginative powers.

 

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

 

40. Her Fearful Symmetry, by Audrey Niffenegger

 

41. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy

 

42. Impact, by Douglas Preston

 

43. House of Stairs, by William Sleator

 

44. The War After Armageddon, by Ralph Peters

 

45. The Casual Vacancy, by J.K. Rowling

 

CURRENT

 

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

 

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

 

48. Belladonna, by Anne Bishop (Ephemera, Book 2), to myself

[aggieamy]

Just Finished:

 

The Casual Vacancy, by J.K. Rowling: When Barry Fairbrother dies unexpectedly in his early forties, the little town of Pagford is left in shock. Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…. Pagford is not what it first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the town’s council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations? Blackly comic, thought-provoking and constantly surprising, The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults.

 

 

What did you think? C'mon we want a review! :001_smile:

[Just Robyn]

The NPR program On Point is discussing this book today.

 

I could never read the book after seeing the movie. Shudder.

 

Thanks for sharing this! I turned it on and tried to listen, but then too many things were going on, and I only half-listened. It's archived though, so maybe I'll listen again.

[Negin]

Well, I finished my 48th book, which I think I mentioned last week, Winter of the World.

Karin, I like most of Ken Follett's books. I assume that this is the sequel to Fall of Giants. I'll read it when it arrives to this part of the world. :)

 

Negin, I hope this is the book that gets you out of your book funk! (I enjoyed that book when I read it a few years ago.)

Thanks, Stacia. I hope so also. Getting a bit tired of this book funk. :lol:

[NanceXToo]

What did you think? C'mon we want a review! :001_smile:

 

I really liked it. I thought it was well written, that she did a good job tying all the characters together, giving them depth and their own stories, it was basically just a character story when it comes down to it- giving each one of these people their own story and voice, and some of them were funny, and some of them were gritty, and some of them were very sad and honestly hard to read, but the book really did hold my interest, I found it worth reading. Quite a few "adult" bits, but I never mind that lol.

[LNC]

I really liked it. I thought it was well written, that she did a good job tying all the characters together, giving them depth and their own stories, it was basically just a character story when it comes down to it- giving each one of these people their own story and voice, and some of them were funny, and some of them were gritty, and some of them were very sad and honestly hard to read, but the book really did hold my interest, I found it worth reading. Quite a few "adult" bits, but I never mind that lol.

 

I'm only on page 30 but wow - I am not liking it. I'm not reading reviews online until I'm done. It seems to be like reading the world of the Dursleys without any of the warmth, suspense, and love of HP. It is a total bummer to read. Btw, I hate cuss words in books....

Edited October 2, 2012 by LNC

[Paisley Hedgehog]

. 

 

[Kareni]

I'm only on page 30 but wow - I am not liking it. I'm not reading reviews online until I'm done. It seems to be like reading the world of the Dursleys without any of the warmth, suspense, and love of HP. It is a total bummer to read. Btw, I hate cuss words in books....

 

I made it to page 20 of The Casual Vacancy before putting it aside as I did not find the story gripping. It will take some persuading before I'm likely to pick it up again.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[NanceXToo]

I'm only on page 30 but wow - I am not liking it. I'm not reading reviews online until I'm done. It seems to be like reading the world of the Dursleys without any of the warmth, suspense, and love of HP. It is a total bummer to read. Btw, I hate cuss words in books....

 

No, there's not a lot of warmth and love at all. I really hated some of these characters, and felt really sad for some of these characters, and found some of them really pathetic. It was like watching Jerry Springer, or hearing your neighbors shouting at each other when they've had too much to drink, or a little reality tv all rolled into one, where you're glad you aren't them, and you really probably shouldn't be entertained by it, but you are anyway. Well, I am. :P (And not all of it- like I said before, some of it truly was hard for me to read, especially with drug issues in my family and some of the things that happened really did turn my stomach, but I still am glad I read her book).

[Stacia]

 

Obviously, death, love, betrayal, and war are common plot themes in literature. ;) FYI, this is last year's Booker list, not this year's....

 

(Saw this in an article titled Information is beautiful!)

[aggieamy]

Jane in NC - I have to ask. What is in your signature? I'm horrible at things like that so it looks like coffee mug -> old fashioned pop pull tab -> donut. I know that can't be right. :tongue_smilie: I'm also horrible at guessing personalized license plates.

 

Just started The Thirteenth Tale. I hope I like it and can stick with it. I have a really hard time focusing and enjoying books lately.

 

I was like that earlier this year. Hope you get through it. It's almost a readers depression where there's nothing that grabs you and nothing you want to pick up and read. It'll pass though!

 

Time and Again by Jack Finney - DH recommended this to me and it was excellent. I think it's billed as one of the first time travel novels of this type. Fun to read and great descriptions.

 

The First 20 Minutes: Surprising Science Reveals How We Can: Exercise Better, Train Smarter, Live Longer by Gretchen Reynolds - Boring. Informative, kinda, but mostly boring.

 

In progress:

 

White Stallion of Lipizza by Marguerite Henry (read aloud)

Beauty by Robin McKinley

Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

 

 

2012 finished books:

 

106. Time and Again by Jack Finney (****)

 

105. The First 20 Minutes: Surprising Science Reveals How We Can: Exercise Better, Train Smarter, Live Longer by Gretchen Reynolds (**)

104. Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright (***)

103. Carry on, My Bowditch by Jean Lee Lantham - read aloud (*****)

102. Outlining Your Novel by KM Weiland (****)

101. Living in a Nutshell - Posh and Portable Decorating Ideas for Living in Small Spaces by Janet Lee (***)

100. Very Good, Jeeves by PD Wodehouse (*****)

99. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot (*****)

98. How to Get Your Child to Love Reading by Esme Codell (****)

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

[VeganCupcake]

I just finished What I Talk about When I Talk about Running by Haruki Murakami and I really enjoyed it.

 

I'm about to start listening to China Road by Rob Gifford.

[Jane in NC]

Jane in NC - I have to ask. What is in your signature? I'm horrible at things like that so it looks like coffee mug -> old fashioned pop pull tab -> donut. I know that can't be right. :tongue_smilie: I'm also horrible at guessing personalized license plates.

 

I have been waiting for someone to ask. ;)

 

(Bear with me. My mind makes some strange leaps.)

 

Apparently there was some sort of cupcake war on the general board which led me to think of the poor, lowly doughnut. And doughnuts lead to the mathematical structure known as a torus. And, topologically speaking, a doughnut and a coffee cup are equivalent structures. The graph is the classic mathematical transformation of a coffee cup into a doughnut--note that each has one "hole". Not the empty space of the cup which is pushed back into the clay, so to speak, but the hole in the handle.

 

So my new signature is a mathematical pun on the cupcake silliness that occurred here.

 

Hope that makes some sense.

[Jane in NC]

 

Obviously, death, love, betrayal, and war are common plot themes in literature. ;) FYI, this is last year's Booker list, not this year's....

 

(Saw this in an article titled Information is beautiful!)

Wow, wow, wow!!! Just forwarded the Daily Mail link to my husband and son. The presentation (and misrepresentation) of data in graphics is a hot topic in our household. Thank you!

[Paisley Hedgehog]

. 

 

[ladydusk]

I finished A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken. I'm not sure why I've been reading all these memoirs this year, a genre I've never really read, but I've enjoyed them. I liked this one, too.

 

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

40. Never Gone by Laurel Garver

41. The Secret of Contentment by William B Barcley

42. A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken

[Mom-ninja.]

I finished Eifelheimon audio. Eh, not what I was expecting at all. Plus, the narrator's accent when speaking German drove me nuts. I honestly many times didn't know what the heck he was supposed to be saying. I wanted to quit the audio and read the hardcopy so I could actually understand the German (quite a bit of it) but I couldn't find it at the library and I didn't want to buy the book. So I suffered through.

[Lady Florida.]

Just started The Thirteenth Tale. I hope I like it and can stick with it. I have a really hard time focusing and enjoying books lately. :confused:

 

 

 

I read it several years ago for book club and enjoyed it.

 

 

The NPR program On Point is discussing this book today.

 

I could never read the book after seeing the movie. Shudder.

 

I was in the car listening to the discussion, but I got home before the show ended. :) I might find it online and finish listening.

 

I saw the movie when I was 16 and found it very confusing. I never tried watching it as an adult because I just wasn't interested. The On Point discussion made me consider reading the book though. Maybe one day.

 

Just Finished:

 

The Casual Vacancy, by J.K. Rowling:

I'm only on page 30 but wow - I am not liking it. I'm not reading reviews online until I'm done.

 

And so the reviews are mixed! :lol: This echos what I am seeing on other sites as well.

 

I thought I'd be more excited, but I'm kind of ... eh, whatever. I am in no rush to get to it and certainly don't want to pay $17.99 for the ebook ($17.99! for an EBOOK! about POLITICS! :svengo:). The library wait list is already 180+ days. Holy. Moly.

 

Looks like some time in 2013 for me. :D

 

I did read the reviews, and they made me not really want to read the book. I probably shouldn't have read them, and just tried the book anyway. I will not pay that much for it either. My library doesn't have the ebook, and the waiting list for the hardcover would have me at 121 in line (we have 3 week checkout periods and no renewal if someone has a hold on the book). The large print version puts me at #48, so I placed a hold on that one. It will still be next year before I get it.

[Angel]

Hey Gals!

 

I haven't posted in a couple weeks. Dental work has got me down :glare: My mom came to help out last week, and we spent time watching Downton Abbey and Jane Austen movies while I recovered from a root canal, so not much reading. I have another dental appointment tomorrow but I'm hoping this one won't be as bad.

 

Anyhoo, I finished I Am Half-Sick of Shadows last night by Alan Bradley. I adore Flavia! This book was my favorite so far. I enjoy the mystery. I enjoy Flavia. I enjoy how clean the series is. However, I have not enjoyed that the family doesn't "bond." I liked seeing just a touch of that in this book. Hopefully, the next one will continue with that theme.

 

I have no idea what number that takes me to but I know I'm behind.

 

I don't know where I am headed next. Maybe Dr. Jekell and Mr. Hyde for the Scary Reads month. I have been on a Regency era and Mystery kick for the last 6 months or so. I have another Georgette Heyer book awaiting me and I got a new Regency book from the library today. Dd17 wants me to read The Goose Girl, but I'm not in the mood yet. I'd also like to finish The Mallorean series by David Eddings. And then there is Robert Jordan's new book coming out in January, and I always like to reread the others (and that's a lot of books!!!).....

 

So many books, so little time :lol:

[Pink and Green Mom]

Hi Ladies,

I just finished #50 - Everything Changes, by Jonathan Tropper. I liked it better than How to Talk to a Widower but not nearly as much as This Is Where I Leave You. Yet I have every other book he's written on hold at the library in hopes of finding another great one.

 

I have no idea what I'll read next. I have several out from the library, and many that I bought from Goodwill. Maybe I'll read Helter Skelter for scary book month.

[laughing lioness]

Reading Susan Howatch's The Rich are Different. DAWN sent it to me :001_smile: (total Hive bibliophile :001_wub:- Thank-you!)

On page 27 so far and loving it.

Edited October 4, 2012 by laughing lioness

[Stacia]

I don't know where I am headed next. Maybe Dr. Jekell and Mr. Hyde for the Scary Reads month.

 

:grouphug: about your dental work. No fun! I really enjoyed that Flavia book too (the whole series, really). Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde is an excellent read, imo. I totally loved it & think it's a perfectly-written novella.

 

Maybe I'll read Helter Skelter for scary book month.

 

Yikes. :scared: I tried that book many years ago & made it only a few pages in before I was too scared to continue (esp. because I knew it was a true story). <<<shudder>>>