Book a Week in 2013 - Week three

[dharmacat]

 

1. Confessions of a Prairie B!tch by Alison Arngrim - Hilarious book written by the actor who played Nellie Olsen on Little House on the Prairie.

 

 

 

Now *that* is a title! :lol:

[swimmermom3]

I am a Hemingway fan but this is not one of my favorites. That said,I love another of his fishing works, the short story in two parts, Big Two Hearted River. The weary soldier returns from war and finds himself again by trout fishing.

 

Hmmm..maybe I was too young when I read the Old Man and the Sea. I suspect I might feel differently about the book today. On my list it goes...

 

Jane, Hemingway is just...weird. I never know what to think of him. I first read The Sun Also Rises and In Our Time in college. My reaction was kind of a "Well, okay. Too much machismo for me." Then maybe ten years ago, someone recommended that I read A Moveable Feast. I vaguely remember the book, that I liked it and for some reason, "Beautiful!" comes to mind as a response. But I think I need to revisit the book because I don't usually put "beautiful" and "Hemingway" in the same sentence. Last year I read For Whom the Bell Tolls because my oldest son wanted to read it and then talk about it. Now he is reading A Farewell to Arms, so I will probably need to read it too.

 

After I finished Old Man and the Sea, I tried to read an essay by Italo Calvino about Hemingway. I understood about a third of it. :blushing:

 

Perhaps for me, Hemingway is like a sorbet - clears and cleans the palate in preparation for the wordier and more complex authors.

[jenangelcat]

I'm halfway through The Eyre Affair and I'm loving it. With names like Braxton Hicks and Jack Schitt, pet dodos and literature detectives how can one not?

[mumto2]

 

Next: Another library loan (Kindle version) came in, so it will be next. One False Move, by Harlen Coben, is the next book in the Myron Bolitar series I've been reading.

 

I enjoy this series too!

[Lady Florida.]

I describe All Quiet as one of my favorite books that I hated to read. It's so sad and yet such a compelling read. I loved it. I hated it. I want to make sure that all my children read it. I wish it was required reading for anyone with any political power.

 

I loved All Quiet. I haven't read it since high school when I had an English teacher who was passionate about the book. I believe that helped. I keep meaning to re-read it.

 

I loved All Quiet, but I will never never be a Hemingway fan. If I need to read a p.o'd inebriate, I prefer Faulkner. :lol:

 

 

LOL! I never thought of it that way, but I have to agree with you. :) I suspect I might like A Moveable Feast, but I won't go out of my way to read it. Maybe one day if I find myself with nothing to read (fat chance), I'll consider reading it.

[dharmacat]

Then maybe ten years ago, someone recommended that I read A Moveable Feast. I vaguely remember the book, that I liked it and for some reason, "Beautiful!" comes to mind as a response. But I think I need to revisit the book because I don't usually put "beautiful" and "Hemingway" in the same sentence.

 

A Moveable Feast resonated with me much more than his other works because it was not as "macho", as you put it. It was more relatable for a female.

[melmichigan]

melmichigan, on 13 January 2013 - 12:17 AM, said:

I'm in line for some drivel this next week, suggestions requested.

 

What specific drivel have you enjoyed in the past? We want to suggest the appropriate drivel for you. (One man's drivel is another man's ....)

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

This cut and past thing doesn't work well on my ipad.

 

My interest in historical fiction and regency novels is limited, so usually not what I'm looking for in drivel, just about anything else goes. I enjoy a quick (under 300 pages) easy read romance as much as anyone else. Free or low cost is also a plus, I read to much to pay for everything, I'm always scoping Kindle free for anything worthwhile and anything in the prime library, I haven't used January's choice yet. Suggest away. :)

[Stacia]

First library w/ no hardcover books set to open in TX later this year...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2262561/Will-libraries-look-like-day-The-worlds-public-library-books-open-Texas.html

[SJ.]

I am a Hemingway fan but this is not one of my favorites. That said,I love another of his fishing works, the short story in two parts, Big Two Hearted River. The weary soldier returns from war and finds himself again by trout fishing.

 

Hmmm..maybe I was too young when I read the Old Man and the Sea. I suspect I might feel differently about the book today. On my list it goes...

 

I remember disliking the Old Man and the Sea in high school. I read it last year and loved it, I agree with the prior poster who called it "achingly beautiful." Definitely go for a reread and let us know what you think!

[zillymom]

I finished reading Ray Bradbury's S is for Space, and started The Paris Wife last night.

Loved the Bradbury, I think I've finally found sci-fi I enjoy reading! :)

[swimmermom3]

How about Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything: Special Illustrated Edition

 

or Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! (Adventures of a Curious Character)?

 

 

 

 

My sympathies to you and the cats.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

My cats and I thank you and since you recommended the Mr. Feynman book, I believe you may have already met my son. :D

 

That book has his name written all over it and it's on its way here thanks to Amazon. Perfect, Kareni. Just perfect.

[PollyOR]

Arggh - Behind already. Currently reading "Alas, Babylon."

 

This is one of the few books that I've read more than once. I'm not sure what the draw is but I know I'll read it again.

[Trillian]

I finished The Aeneid (#4). I had read it before, but I'm listening to TGC lectures this time. I still have some lectures to go; I'm enjoying them.

[Just Robyn]

Abandoned: Do You? - A poetry collection that seems as though it was written by a high school student who thinks she's being profound. Are there any good 21st century poets?

 

A couple books I have read sections of that seem interesting:

 

The Alphabet by Ron Silliman

 

Here is a recording of the first section.

 

Eunoia by Christian Bok

 

Sherman Alexie, mentioned by AggieAmy, was talked about on a series of lectures on Walt Whitman I listened to. He and Yusef Komunyakaa were both given as examples of current poets inspired by Whitman. I think Rita Dove is one of the poets listed in WEM, right? Some (all?) of these people published stuff before the 21st century, but also have books published more recently.

 

Dog Ear by Erica Baum is interesting - another one I've only seen part of.

 

Here is an excerpt of that.

[swimmermom3]

I am really curious about Borges. Could a fan try to describe what his writing and content are like? I need an excuse to tick off the grumpy circulation librarian who thinks our family checks out an excessive number of books. One more might just push her over the edge. ;)

 

I don't have enough experience with his writing to give you an accurate description, but I do have a link for the full text of "The Garden of the Forking Path."

 

Go ahead, give him a test read. :D

[VeganCupcake]

Oh no. That's next on my reading list. Did you like The Happiness Project?

 

I was kind of disappointed in it, too. I felt about the same about both of them. :) So if you liked The Happiness Project, maybe you'll also like Happier at Home!

[Mom-ninja.]

Could someone please send me a child to read to, preferably one that likes Rosemary Sutcliff, Susan Cooper, or Lloyd Alexander? Sailor Dude says he misses being read to, but choosing a book that pleases him is akin to getting a root canal. I could throw in a science lab or two. Can you tell that I miss homeschooling, even high schoolers. The cats do too.

 

I'll loan you my 4 yr old for a bit. I'll even send along all his favorite books: Everyone Poops, ABC Dinosaur, The Grouchy Ladybug, and Go Dog Go.

 

 

 

I would welcome any suggestions on just how to carve out reading time in a busy household.

 

I listen to an audio book while getting my youngest to sleep. Then I read (usually) on the couch while dh watches TV, and I continue to read in bed for a bit as well. I also have been known to escape to the bathroom with a book and not come out.

[Just Robyn]

First library w/ no hardcover books set to open in TX later this year...

http://www.dailymail...open-Texas.html

 

So long as they never stop printing physical books, I love this!

[SunnyDays]

First library w/ no hardcover books set to open in TX later this year...

http://www.dailymail...open-Texas.html

 

I read about this earlier today... I think it's the wave of the future. I hope physical books never go away completely, but I'm embracing e-books and e-readers more than I ever thought I would.

 

Today I read (yes, start to finish) Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. Wow. I think there's a profound message in this book. There were things I liked more than others, but it was really thought provoking, and I think I'll be processing it for a while.

 

Starting my re-read of The Handmaid's Tale next.

[Angel]

I'll loan you my 4 yr old for a bit. I'll even send along all his favorite books: Everyone Poops, ... and Go Dog Go.

 

 

 

Oh. My. Goodness. We loved Everyone Poops!! "A one hump camel makes a one hump poop. A two hump camel makes a two hump poop. Just kidding." :lol:

 

Go Dog, Go was another favorite. "Do you like my hat? :hat: I do NOT like your hat! Good-bye! Good-bye!"

 

(Can you tell we read these a. lot.)

[Kareni]

My interest in historical fiction and regency novels is limited, so usually not what I'm looking for in drivel, just about anything else goes. I enjoy a quick (under 300 pages) easy read romance as much as anyone else. Free or low cost is also a plus, I read too much to pay for everything, I'm always scoping Kindle free for anything worthwhile and anything in the prime library, I haven't used January's choice yet. Suggest away. :)

 

A Lot Like Love by Julie James was a fun contemporary romance (304 pages).

 

Rachel Gibson's romances are also fun.

 

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen is free for Kindle Prime members; I wouldn't call it drivel (others might).

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Angel]

Amy, where are you?! I finished it this morning! :hurray:

 

My 1st book of the year, The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (Book 1 of The Wheel of Time series). At 702 pages it qualifies as my chunkster, although every one will qualify...hmmm, is there a name for a book if it's over 1,000 pages? It has been long enough since I have read the whole series (four years maybe) that I was really able to appreciate just how much of the story Jordan had set in motion just in this first book. Wow! I was getting so excited every time I noticed something that was foreshadowing future books. Some I had noticed before but others I don't remember catching in the 10 or so times I have read this first book. (I'm being vague because Robin and Amy haven't read them all yet). I plan to start the 2nd book tonight. I know what is going to happen but I'm anxiously awaiting visiting it all over again.

 

1. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan ****

 

(I'm borrowing whomever's rating system this is because it fits me and I like the word "rubbish" :laugh: )

 

 

5 Stars - Fantastic, couldn't put it down

4 Stars - Really Good

3 Stars - Enjoyable

2 Stars - Just Okay – nothing to write home about

1 Star - Rubbish – waste of my money and time

[Robin M]

<p>

Well, at the end of week 1 Robin got me started on the Elemental Assassin Series by Jennifer Estep. So of course I had to finish the current books available during week 2.

 

So glad you liked the series.

 

Last night I started The Lady is a Vamp: An Argeneau Novel by Lynsay Sands as part of the Doing the Continental Challenge-Oh Canada! The theme of immortals created in ancient Atlantis from advanced nanotechnology is a different one for vampires. Each book is the story of one vampire finding their lifemate, so you have vampires and romance together in one book. Besides being a Canadian author, many of the characters and locations in this series are Canadian. I have followed this series from the get go, this is book 17.

 

Sounds interesting - will have to check her out. Larisso Ione has an interesting paranormal series based on the 4 horsemen of the Apocalypse as the leading men. I read #1, then downloaded the rest to read because I wanted to see how it played out

 

 

 

Richard Preston. From the back of the book:

Scary part? It's NON-fiction.

 

 

Sounds good. I'll have to check it out. I just finished reading a story of that type which was fiction by Brett Battles and quite good.

 

I'll post my update later this week, but I wanted to share this website I found tonight. If you like series books but are never sure of the order, try this.

http://www.orderofbooks.com/ It's not complete - I didn't find one of the series I read - but it's still pretty good.

I've found that sometimes even author websites don't list books in order, or when they do, you have to hunt to find the page. Usually the author website is trying to promote the most recent books.

 

 

Neat website - added it to my favorites.

 

I have been poking along. Finally finished Switch. Nothing earth shattering but a good way to organize how things/people change.

Just read The 5 Love languages for Children for a MoPS group talk I'm giving Friday- egads that book irritated me. I'm not sure why but it just seems so petty, pedantic and self assured. (harsh or what?!) Where did he come up with these 5 "love languages" anyway? I've got to get excited about it all before Friday!

 

Uh oh! I have this on my list to read, but I already know my kid's love language. Gifts and lots of them. :)

 

 

This week I think I'm going to read Wicked, but I might read back to back classic with The Portrait of Dorian Grey, because it's a short one and it might help me catch up.

 

 

Looking forward to what you think about Wicked. I wanted to like it because lots said so many good things about it. Unfortunately, it was too dark and morbid for me. I finished it, but won't read any more of his stuff.

 

Hi, I'm joining a little late. Hopefully I'll follow through with my goal to read at least 40 books this year. If I make it to 52, I'll be thrilled.

I started the year reading Pride and Prejudice, one of my all time favorite novels, and I'm also reading Zen to None.

 

 

Welcome the the challenge. Happy reading!

 

If you do end up reading Wicked, I'd love to hear your thoughts. I listened to about 4 hours on audiobook and gave it up. Too dark for me and a slow mover. Wondering if I should have stuck it out.

 

 

No - it got worse imho. Can't imagine trying to listen to the story. Reading it was bad enough.

 

How can a small book about fishing written with the vocabulary of a fifth grader be achingly beautiful?

Why has it taken me nearly half a century to decide to read Old Man and the Sea?

 

I read Old Man and the Sea for the first time a couple years ago for one of my literature classes and had lots of fun dissecting it. Amazing novella and yes it did make me want to read more of his works.

 

First library w/ no hardcover books set to open in TX later this year...

http://www.dailymail...open-Texas.html

 

 

Interesting. Sounds like a great idea. But all I could think of was the problem we have here. Too many homeless hanging out at the library to use the computers.

 

 

Amy, where are you?! I finished it this morning! :hurray:

My 1st book of the year, The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (Book 1 of The Wheel of Time series). At 702 pages it qualifies as my chunkster, although every one will qualify...hmmm, is there a name for a book if it's over 1,000 pages? It has been long enough since I have read the whole series (four years maybe) that I was really able to appreciate just how much of the story Jordan had set in motion just in this first book. Wow! I was getting so excited every time I noticed something that was foreshadowing future books. Some I had noticed before but others I don't remember catching in the 10 or so times I have read this first book. (I'm being vague because Robin and Amy haven't read them all yet). I plan to start the 2nd book tonight. I know what is going to happen but I'm anxiously awaiting visiting it all over again.

1. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan ****

 

 

Woohoo! I'll probably be getting to #3 The Dragon Reborn in a week or so.

 

 

 

I just finished Beth Revis debut ya novel Across the Universe (dusty book) and enjoyed it. This makes # 6

 

1. The Rossetti Letter - Christi Phillips (Venice, Italy - 438)

2. Neuromancer- William Gibson (Cyberspace - 288 eb)

3. Around the World with Auntie Mame - Patrick Dennis (multi - 317)

4. No #1 Ladies Detective Agency - Alexander McCall Smith (Africa - 235 eb)

5. Sick - Brett Battles (California - 296 eb)

6. Across the Universe - Beth Revis (Space -398)

[Stacia]

Is there a website where we can look up the dewey decimal number of any book? I've got some books on my shelves that I'd like to read for the dewey decimal challenge, but they're not in my library, so I'm not sure what their classification numbers would be....

 

Thanks!

[Kareni]

Is there a website where we can look up the dewey decimal number of any book?

 

I used the Advanced Search feature on WorldCat to find libraries which carry the book. I then click on the link for one of those libraries to see where they shelve it; this only works for libraries using the Dewey Decimal system.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[SJ.]

Is there a website where we can look up the dewey decimal number of any book? I've got some books on my shelves that I'd like to read for the dewey decimal challenge, but they're not in my library, so I'm not sure what their classification numbers would be....

 

Thanks!

 

Check the copyright pAge, sometimes you can find it there.

[Kareni]

If you do end up reading Wicked, I'd love to hear your thoughts. I listened to about 4 hours on audiobook and gave it up. Too dark for me and a slow mover. Wondering if I should have stuck it out.

 

 

I read Wicked some years ago. It contains a lot of politics and since I'm fairly apolitical, that aspect of the novel did not appeal to me. This was one case where the musical, in my opinion, was better than the book.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Negin]

Now *that* is a title!

I LOVED this book. Yes, the title is certainly catchy. :lol: The cover always makes me smile. :)

I almost included the image, but deleted it in case I may possibly offend others.

[Laura Corin]

I am really curious about Borges. Could a fan try to describe what his writing and content are like? I need an excuse to tick off the grumpy circulation librarian who thinks our family checks out an excessive number of books. One more might just push her over the edge. ;)

 

His stories are deeply concerned with patterns. He is often describing a maze of some kind - a library, a garden, a complex society - but the stories are in themselves mazes through which you are guided. Fascinating, entrancing.

 

Laura

[Laura Corin]

Spam reported

 

L

[Laura Cook]

Last week I had planned to read Pride and Prejudice but couldn't seem to get started, so I switched to The Handmaid's Tale instead. I have read it before but it always leaves me feeling a bit disturbed. The way society gets restructured makes me uncomfortable but how Offred's daughter is taken from her really upsets me. I always end up crying. DH suggests that perhaps I get a little too involved in my books! I tell him that's the only way I can read!

 

I also finished How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk. I liked it and think I may start a separate thread to talk about it with anyone else who has read it.

 

This week I am reading On the Beach by Nevil Shute, I read this in high school and liked it so much that my English teacher gave me her copy. I recently ran across it and decided to reread. Also have managed to start Pride and Prejudice. I reread it every couple of years and this is the firat time ever that I had a hard time getting going.

[slug hollow]

 

 

I am really curious about Borges. Could a fan try to describe what his writing and content are like? I need an excuse to tick off the grumpy circulation librarian who thinks our family checks out an excessive number of books. One more might just push her over the edge. ;)

 

 

I liked the summary from Laura.

It seems well past my writing skills to sum up Jorge Luis Borges, but I will offer up some impressions in the hope of tempting you to read him.

I laughed at the apt ness of you checking out his books in the cause of deviling your librarian, for Borges is at heart The Librarian, though not of a type that would ever be frustrated with genuine patrons of libraries, the readers.

His stories are wrapped (rapt) around the characters so that the tone is matter of fact, but the depth of each experience makes you utter the "yes." Of having felt that same thing. Only a handful have lived with Hyperthymesia, but reading Funes the Memorious touches the intensity of those vivid, living, breathing memories we all have, the ones you feel could swallow you and transport you back into the moment if only you knew the proper command.

Borges' world brings a friend who understands the interconnectedness of all things. He sees the pattern I am certain I could see if I could take one more step back in my view of the word.

I think you can find the text of Funes the Memorious online as well.

 

Also, to the Hemingway readers, I have to throw in a recommendation for my favorite, A Clean Well Lighted Place.

 

[UrbanSue]

 

A Moveable Feast resonated with me much more than his other works because it was not as "macho", as you put it. It was more relatable for a female.

 

My grandparents gave me Hemingway's complete works in high school. I have no idea why as they aren't really readers, and I had no interest in Hemingway at the time. A Moveable Feast is the only one I've ever read. I've tried others with no success.

[Just Kate]

Last week I had planned to read Pride and Prejudice but couldn't seem to get started, so I switched to The Handmaid's Tale instead. I have read it before but it always leaves me feeling a bit disturbed. The way society gets restructured makes me uncomfortable but how Offred's daughter is taken from her really upsets me. I always end up crying. DH suggests that perhaps I get a little too involved in my books! I tell him that's the only way I can read!

 

I also finished How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk. I liked it and think I may start a separate thread to talk about it with anyone else who has read it.

 

This week I am reading On the Beach by Nevil Shute, I read this in high school and liked it so much that my English teacher gave me her copy. I recently ran across it and decided to reread. Also have managed to start Pride and Prejudice. I reread it every couple of years and this is the firat time ever that I had a hard time getting going.

 

 

 

Thank you for this recommendation! I just purchased this book on iBooks to read on my new mini iPad (love it!). It has been a while since I've read parenting books, and now that my ds has hit the *tween* years (isn't that what they call them?), I think I need to start reading again. After I finish it, maybe I will look you up and we can discuss. :D

[Paisley Hedgehog]

.

[Mom-ninja.]

blech, nm.

[Remudamom]

Week 3- I'm reading The Mists of Avalon. I read it in high school and wondered if I would like it as well as I did then. I do! The characters are in the back of my mind all day. It's the King Arthur story told from the pov of the women in his life. Mother, sister, aunt, wife. Very interesting and lots of focus on pagan vs Christianity. For me the theology is all wrong, but it's still a riveting read.

[laughing lioness]

Finished The Power of Less by Leo Babatau- he's the Zen to Done, Zen Habits guy. Bascially a distillation of GTD with a zen twist. Nothing much new but the distill to the essentials thing is really resonating with me right now. I want to get rid of everything and move along...

[laughing lioness]

Head's up, Well Trained Bloggers. I had the wits scared out of me by a post I read last night about a blogger successfully sued for using a copyrighted image on her blog. When she was contacted by the owner about removing the image, she did so promptly but was still taken to court (and lost).

 

I wrote about it in this post. I am still not sure about the legality of posting/reposting cover art from books. What's the difference between copying or linking the image from Goodreads vs copying/linking from Random House? What about those folks who imbed Amazon images with the "See Inside" feature -- that's cover art plus pages and pages of copyrighted text? Is everyone emailing photogs and publishers for permission to reproduce and I am just that clueless? I guess even copying and posting images here at WTM could get you into trouble if you p.o.'d the wrong person.

 

Scary. I do not want to be sued for being an idiot. AggieAmy, can I get you on retainer?

 

Holy mackeral. I've read that authors WANT you to use their cover art/promo thier books.

[Elinor Everywhere]

I'm halfway through The Eyre Affair and I'm loving it. With names like Braxton Hicks and Jack Schitt, pet dodos and literature detectives how can one not?

 

LOVE Jasper Fforde!

[Elinor Everywhere]

I just finished Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.

 

I LOVED it. It's the true story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic track runner, who was shot down in WWII, survived a 2000-mile raft odyssey only to be picked up by the Japanese and held in POW camps. Very well written, and was a page-turner - I read the book in 2 days because I couldn't put it down. Luckily my homeschooling child was sick so we didn't have to school. :D

[4kidlets4me]

I finished Money Secrets of the Amish. Nothing earth shattering same old advice, don't go into debt, by used, reduce, reuse, recycle etc.

[Robin M]

Head's up, Well Trained Bloggers. I had the wits scared out of me by a post I read last night about a blogger successfully sued for using a copyrighted image on her blog. When she was contacted by the owner about removing the image, she did so promptly but was still taken to court (and lost).

 

I wrote about it in this post. I am still not sure about the legality of posting/reposting cover art from books. What's the difference between copying or linking the image from Goodreads vs copying/linking from Random House? What about those folks who imbed Amazon images with the "See Inside" feature -- that's cover art plus pages and pages of copyrighted text? Is everyone emailing photogs and publishers for permission to reproduce and I am just that clueless? I guess even copying and posting images here at WTM could get you into trouble if you p.o.'d the wrong person.

 

Scary. I do not want to be sued for being an idiot. AggieAmy, can I get you on retainer?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the Original Post by Roni Loren who is the author who was sued. Personally I think there was something else involved which created the problem. All the authors and publishers I have worked with and currently work with do not have a problem with me or any other bloggers showing pictures of their books or linking to their books. I think the problem may lie with independent authors who show artwork in progress on their sites and someone decides to share it on their blog without identifying where it is coming from or saying 'courtesy of such and such'. Any image on an author's website and publishers website is pretty much public domain as far as I'm concerned. I think this is going the same route as the FTC thing a couple years back when bloggers had to have a disclaimer they weren't receiving any compensation for their reviews. Big deal and then they backed down. So take the warnings with a grain of salt and just be aware of what images you are copying and just make sure it isn't a private image you are borrowing. All the images I used for 52 books widgets come from microsoft publisher clip art or other public domain sites so no worries about those. Most bloggers don't mind sharing their own personal images or widgets and most put their name on it so you know where it coming from.

[Outdoorsy Type]

I started out this year by beginning A Wrinkle In Time, but half way through I went to see Les Misables at the movies and decided to start that instead. The version I chose was free for kindle and is unabridged and about 1000 pages long. Two weeks later I'm at 52%. I find myself reading with Wikipedia open to answer all my questions. It's been a slow process, but I have enjoyed it.

 

It is frustrating to me to not to get that "book a week" done, but I'm telling myself I will catch up and still get 52 done by next year.

 

So for me I have only " in process" books

 

1. A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle

2. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

 

Maybe by week Four I will have them finished. I hope.

[Robin M]

More books to add to your stacks

 

Kindle daily deal

 

Barnes and Noble nook $2.99 and below - some gems among the thorns

 

New Sci Fi / Fantasy from Del Rey Spectra imprint

 

 

Debut mystery authors:

 

 

Connie Archer - A SPOONFUL OF MURDER (cozy)

Tace Baker - SPEAKING OF MURDER (murder)

Leslie Ann Budewitz - DEATH AL DENTE (legal)

Kay Kendall - DESOLATION ROW (historical)

Melissa MacGregor - THE CURIOUS STEAMBOX AFFAIR (steampunk)

Jennifer Moss - TOWN RED (police procedural)

[windmillmarie]

I am intimidated and yet inspired by how organized some of you are! Maybe I need to dust off one of the blogs I made when I wanted to save my screenname and actually use it for this project. I would love to get to the end of a year and have a record of things I've accomplished.

 

My son is nagging me to read The Lightning Thief and I have been holding off because I dislike that style of writing. He wants to talk about it with me though so I might be picking that up next week.

 

I will flat out admit that I have read nothing this week other than a non-fic book called Are Your Prescriptions Killing You? which has a ridiculous title and spent quite a long time on a Betty Crocker Indian Food cookbook that was in the new release section. I am really in the mood for fiction now.

[tammyw]

After reading Unbroken last week and loving it more than I ever expected, I decided to spend this year reading historical non-fiction. Today I finished Nothing to Envy : Ordinary Lives in North Korea. It was amazing. I have a new and better understanding of the hell of North Korea. It's really heartbreaking.

 

I'm really enjoying reading again! I'm so glad I decided to accept this challenge for myself. Next up I'll probably read Seabiscuit, as it just arrived from Amazon. I've got such a huge list of "want to read" books, that I'm certain I won't run out of anything for this entire year!

 

Oh, and I have a new obsession - scouring Goodreads.com for all the amazing titles - especially anything with a rating of 4 or higher. I used to love Amazon for that, but this is so much better! I love their Lists associated with each book.

[VeganCupcake]

I finished listening to How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran. Definitely not rated PG. I don't normally read or listen to anything with that much cursing in it, but I did actually find it pretty interesting and thought-provoking.

[Elinor Everywhere]

After reading Unbroken last week and loving it more than I ever expected, I decided to spend this year reading historical non-fiction. Today I finished Nothing to Envy : Ordinary Lives in North Korea. It was amazing. I have a new and better understanding of the hell of North Korea. It's really heartbreaking.

 

I'm really enjoying reading again! I'm so glad I decided to accept this challenge for myself. Next up I'll probably read Seabiscuit, as it just arrived from Amazon. I've got such a huge list of "want to read" books, that I'm certain I won't run out of anything for this entire year!

 

Oh, and I have a new obsession - scouring Goodreads.com for all the amazing titles - especially anything with a rating of 4 or higher. I used to love Amazon for that, but this is so much better! I love their Lists associated with each book.

 

 

I just finished Unbroken yesterday, and I loved it! Raced through it to the detriment of all the other things I was supposed to be doing. :-)

 

If you don't mind another book about North Korea, I really liked Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden. This one kept me thinking about it for weeks afterwards. Here's the Amazon blurb:

In Escape from Camp 14, acclaimed journalist Blaine Harden tells the story of Shin Dong-hyuk and through the lens of Shin's life unlocks the secrets of the world's most repressive totalitarian state. Shin knew nothing of civilized existence-he saw his mother as a competitor for food, guards raised him to be a snitch, and he witnessed the execution of his own family. Through Harden's harrowing narrative of Shin's life and remarkable escape, he offers an unequaled inside account of one of the world's darkest nations and a riveting tale of endurance, courage, and survival.

 

Another one you might like is From Ghetto to Death Camp: A Memoir of Privilege and Luck by Timothy Braatz & Anatol Chari. It tells the story of a Polish Jewish man in WWII who became a ghetto policeman. Interesting - he doesn't sugar-coat his role in keeping himself alive. I didn't like it as much as the one above, probably because he wasn't the world's most likable guy, but who can I say I wouldn't have done the same?

[Lady Florida.]

 

My son is nagging me to read The Lightning Thief and I have been holding off because I dislike that style of writing. He wants to talk about it with me though so I might be picking that up next week.

 

 

 

 

I read that because my son asked me to, and I ended up enjoying it. He read the entire series and wanted me to do the same. I tried. I really tried. I couldn't get into any of the others though. Thankfully he's now outgrown that series now so he won't be bugging me about it.