TN Mama Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I finished Blackberry Winter last night. Third Sarah Jio book this year, third time I've gotten so into a book that I had to stay up until after midnight. I'm dragging... Â Up next: Falling Home by Karen White. I think this was also a recommendation from one of these book threads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I finished Daughters of Copper Woman by Anne Cameron. It's a lovely written version of oral histories of NW Coast tribes (of North America); the histories (herstories) have been kept & passed on through women in this matriarchal society. The tales range from origin stories to modern-day musings/retellings of the importance of keeping knowledge alive by sharing the wisdom. Enlightening, uplifting, & heartbreaking at the same time. It's like you are listening to someone speak, but through your eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinchick Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I'm reading Warm Bodies, by Isaac Marion, when I have the time to sit down and read words on paper. Â Â I reserved Warm Bodies at the library a couple of days ago, and I think I'll be able to pick it up tonight. I'm not typically into zombie books, but the great reviews persuaded me to give it a try. Â For what it's worth, I love Dickens, generally. However, A Tale of Two Cities is on my list of classics that, despite my best, repeated efforts, I simply cannot get into or read through. (Other titles, in case anyone cares, include The Three Musketeers and Moby Dick. Wuthering Heights languished on the list for years, until I finally pushed my way through the audiobook during one of my 13-hour solo drives to Virginia. Even a long drive and an audio version didn't work for Two Cities, though.) Â Glad it's not just me. I used to love Dickens in all my Victorian literature classes in college, and I (mis?)remember enjoying A Tale of Two Cities when I read it in school. However, I'm now more than four hours in and it's not really holding my attention. I'm almost "audio skimming" if that's possible. Today on the way to work I was in stop-and-go traffic and actually found myself nodding off as the audio just washed over me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I went on a massive Lisa Kleypas glom the past two days, courtesy of an excellent library-benefit used book sale. I've read three of the five Wallflowers books and four of the five Hathaways books. I'll pick up the missing ones at the library later today :D Â I am not a historical fiction reader but I enjoy her contemporary books so I thought I'd give them a try----for 25 cents each! Â Goodreads says I am at 49 books read for 2013 :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I'm on a little vacation, and was given a 'beach book'. The novel has some fun fake-cerebral talk of ancient Egypt, familiar images of NYC , descriptions of tunnels at the Natural History Museum etc. I also enjoyed being manipulated by cliches. "Sherman, already pale, went white as a ghost." Â Title is The Book of the Dead by Preston & Child, who have written several books together. I had never heard of these books, and apparently the book I was given was the last in a trilogy, although it was fine on it's own. lol I may have to read the others on my next beach break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Just finished, My Life Deleted, by former NFL and pilot Scott Bolzan and his wife Joan. He fell in an office bathroom and suffered retrograde amnesia. A fast read and fascinating for anyone interestedin traumatic brain injury. Back to Lavinia... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maus Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Completed: Whoops! I posted yesterday in last week's thread. Sorry. Not sure how I managed that, but probably in the process of copying my own previous post. Â Book #19 - "The Return of the Native" by Thomas Hardy. (WEM.) This is my third, so that finishes the WEM challenge, but I'll be continuing my own goal of working through the list. I really didn't care for this one, but now I can say I've read it. Â Book #18 - "The Careful Use of Compliments" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.) Book #17 - "The Right Attitude to Rain" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.) Book #16 - "Inspector Singh Investigates: A Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder" by Shamini Flint. (Singaporean author, Malaysian setting.) Book #15 - "Friends, Lovers, Chocolate" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.) Book #14 - "Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie" by Alan Bradley. (Canadian author, English setting.) Book #13 - "Portuguese Irregular Verbs" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/]Scottish author, German character, German/Swiss/Italian/Ireland/Indian settings.) Book #12 - "In Cold Pursuit" by Sarah Andrews. (Antarctica setting.) Book #11 - "Anna Karenina" by Leo Nikoleyevich Tolstoy. (Russian; or WEM challenge.) Book #10 - "The Sunday Philosophy Club" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.) Book #9 - "The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection" by Alexander McCall Smith. (]Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting) Book #8 - "The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting) Book #7 - "The Double Comfort Safari Club" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting) Book #6 - " Tea Time for the Traditionally Built" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting) Book #5 - "Crime and Punishment" by Fydor Dostoevsky. (Russian; or WEM challenge.) Book #4 - "The Miracle of Speedy Motors" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting) Book #3 - "The Good Husband of Zebra Drive" by Alexander McCall Smith. (]Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting) Book #2 - "Blue Shoes and Happiness" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting) Book #1 - "In the Company of Cheerful Ladies" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I read a book about incense. It was very relaxing. Heheh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I'm now reading A High Wind in Jamaica by Richard Hughes. Â The book is reviewed in this article/story on NPR: A Delightfully Evil Tale Of Pirates And Children Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Finished The Enchanted Castle and I liked it okay. It was a childrenĂ¢â‚¬â„¢s book and I know I would have loved it if I had read it when I was ten so for the sake of rating it I pretended to be a magic adventure loving ten year old girl.  In Progress:  The Children of Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren (read aloud) The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien (audiobook) The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman Organizing from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern Getting Things Done by David Allen (reread)  2013 finished books:  14. The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit (****) 13. Clouds of Witness by Dorothy Sayers (****) 12. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (****) 11. ToliverĂ¢â‚¬â„¢s Secret by Esther Wood Brady (***) 10. Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin (**) 9. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (*****) 8. Cotillion by Georgette Heyer (*****) 7. The Little Sister by Raymond Chandler (**) 6. Justin Morgan Had a Horse by Marguerite Henry (****) 5. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (***) 4. The Unwritten by Mike Carey (****) 3. The Postmortal by Drew Magary (**) 2. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (*****) 1. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin (***)  Amy's Rating System:  ***** - Fantastic, couldn't put it down **** - Very good *** - Enjoyable but nothing special ** - Not recommended * - Horrible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013  In Progress:  The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien (audiobook) The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman   Who's the reader?  I haven't read Mrs. Pollifax in years. My mom used to read those to us when we drove down the road on vacations.  I'm not re-reading this year. I'm not re-reading. I'm not re-reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Finished Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. Still trying to sort out my thoughts on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I'm still really behind. :( the book I hope to start for this week is simplicity parenting. Â Â I've already told DH that I'm not watching tv in the evenings until caught up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Finished Cleaning House. Now working on the Reading Promise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted February 6, 2013 Author Share Posted February 6, 2013 Gave up on trying to read Oliver Twist since it seems the version downloaded for the nook wont change font size and my old eyes just can't deal with it. Decided to listen to it instead and like Simon Vance's voice so we'll see how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Finished Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. Still trying to sort out my thoughts on it. Â Loved it when I read it many years ago. Need to re-read it again someday. Â Do you plan to watch Apocalypse Now (modernized version of Heart of Darkness)? I love it as a different version of Heart of Darkness.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Â Who's the reader? Â I haven't read Mrs. Pollifax in years. My mom used to read those to us when we drove down the road on vacations. Â I'm not re-reading this year. I'm not re-reading. I'm not re-reading. Â Â Rob Ingles is reading The Hobbit to us. Love it! Â I wonder if you suggested Mrs. Pollifax to me. I know it was someone on here suggested it a million years ago when I was looking for a new cozy mysteries series to start. It's not very long so I should report back with my review in a few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UrbanSue Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Gave up on trying to read Oliver Twist since it seems the version downloaded for the nook wont change font size and my old eyes just can't deal with it. Decided to listen to it instead and like Simon Vance's voice so we'll see how it goes. Â Simon Vance is doing my David Copperfield. I like him quite a bit though I wish he had more than one "young woman" voice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Rob Ingles is reading The Hobbit to us. Love it! Â I wonder if you suggested Mrs. Pollifax to me. I know it was someone on here suggested it a million years ago when I was looking for a new cozy mysteries series to start. It's not very long so I should report back with my review in a few days. Â Â That's the Hobbit reader we listened to, too. He was great! Â I don't think I rec'd it here, but I certainly agree with the rec of Mrs. Poliifax. They're fun, a little escapist, and unexpected. Not fab literature by any means, but I enjoy them. Of course, they have happy associations for me ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Â That's the Hobbit reader we listened to, too. He was great! Â I don't think I rec'd it here, but I certainly agree with the rec of Mrs. Poliifax. They're fun, a little escapist, and unexpected. Not fab literature by any means, but I enjoy them. Of course, they have happy associations for me ... Â Â The Cat Who books are like that for me. I love them and have read each one a dozen times. The second I hear George Guidall on an audiobook I think of all the car trips my grandmother and I spent listening to the Cat Who books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I went on a massive Lisa Kleypas glom the past two days, courtesy of an excellent library-benefit used book sale.  I am not a historical fiction reader but I enjoy her contemporary books so I thought I'd give them a try-   It's funny; I went about her books in the opposite direction starting with her historical romances and then moving on to her contemporaries. I've enjoyed them all.   I read a book about incense. It was very relaxing. Heheh   Well, at least the book didn't make you incensed.  Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Â Loved it when I read it many years ago. Need to re-read it again someday. Â Do you plan to watch Apocalypse Now (modernized version of Heart of Darkness)? I love it as a different version of Heart of Darkness.... Â Â Wow! I had no idea. Thanks for letting me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanne Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Completed:  Whale Done How To Love Properously The Gnostic Gospels The Craving Brain The 8th Habit  Working on:  The Pursuit of Perfect Wuthering Heights Anatomy of the Spirit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeganCupcake Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I started listening to Teacher Man by Frank McCourt. I am really enjoying it. I read Angela's Ashes and 'Tis years ago, but I think I was too young to really appreciate them, so I may need to reread. I *never* reread, so this is really something. :) Â I'm also reading The Panic Virus by Seth Mnookin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Finished Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. Still trying to sort out my thoughts on it. Â Loved it when I read it many years ago. Need to re-read it again someday. Â Do you plan to watch Apocalypse Now (modernized version of Heart of Darkness)? I love it as a different version of Heart of Darkness.... Â And then follow it up with Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe for an alternate perspective. Â (We did all of the above with my son as part of his modern literature studies in 12th grade.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Finally finished my fourth book: Old Man and the Sea. I have Last Child in the Woods now on the Kindle from the library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I finished Daughters of Copper Woman by Anne Cameron. It's a lovely written version of oral histories of NW Coast tribes (of North America); the histories (herstories) have been kept & passed on through women in this matriarchal society. The tales range from origin stories to modern-day musings/retellings of the importance of keeping knowledge alive by sharing the wisdom. Enlightening, uplifting, & heartbreaking at the same time. It's like you are listening to someone speak, but through your eyes. Â This sounds great! I'm sticking it on my to-read list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 If anyone knows of a twelve step program for people that love organization books, please let me know. :) I'm cutting myself off. No more organization books in 2013.  Getting Things Done by David Allen is a re-read for me and I enjoyed it even more the second time around. This isn't a book on how to organize your closets but on how to organize your tasks and projects. A lot of the information is geared towards people that are in upper management of large firms but all his advice can be scaled to my level of business and home. I like how he incorporates a lot of his ideas for organizing at work also into home projects. I've implemented a number of his suggestions and feel that they are extremely helpful. The author is a heavy on lists. At one point he mentions something like "I like looking at all my lists because it makes me happy." I paraphrased but that was his meaning. I know David, it makes me happy to look at all my lists too. And rewriting my lists on Friday in a nice ball point pen also makes me happy.  I recommend this book to everyone that likes lists.  Organizing from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern was recommended here on the organization beast of a thread we had going awhile back. The first half was the usual information on overcoming your obstacles about holding onto too much stuff. Nothing earthshattering or new there. The second half of the book was more in depth ideas on how to declutter different rooms or aspects of your life. This was the best part of the book and I enjoyed how the author included things that I havenĂ¢â‚¬â„¢t seen in organization books before like packing for a trip. She also did a fantastic job about making the book applicable for everyone by talking about the different between organizing a cubicle vs a home office vs a desk in your bedroom to take care of household things. I thought that was well done.  There was also a quote in the book that I had to roll my eyes at and made me wonder what level of experience the author had with what she was writing. Â Ă¢â‚¬Å“If you are working and caring full-time for your children, aging parents, or someone else, take a hard look at all those home chores to see if any are superfluous (do you really have to scrub the floors everyday?).Ă¢â‚¬  Right, people are just spending too much time scrubbing the floors. People I know in these situations (and when I was in one myself) were doing fantastic to get a warm dinner on the table most nights. No one was prioritizing scrubbing the floors each day.  In Progress:  The Children of Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren (read aloud) The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien (audiobook) The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman Five Children and It by E. Nesbit (Ladies book club) Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (Ladies book club)  2013 finished books:  16. Organizing from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern (***) 15. Getting Things Done by David Allen (****) 14. The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit (****) 13. Clouds of Witness by Dorothy Sayers (****) 12. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (****) 11. ToliverĂ¢â‚¬â„¢s Secret by Esther Wood Brady (***) 10. Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin (**) 9. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (*****) 8. Cotillion by Georgette Heyer (*****) 7. The Little Sister by Raymond Chandler (**) 6. Justin Morgan Had a Horse by Marguerite Henry (****) 5. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (***) 4. The Unwritten by Mike Carey (****) 3. The Postmortal by Drew Magary (**) 2. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (*****) 1. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin (***)  Amy's Rating System:  ***** - Fantastic, couldn't put it down **** - Very good *** - Enjoyable but nothing special ** - Not recommended * - Horrible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I had the boys in the car on the 35 minute drive to and from the dentist this evening. Hobbes asked to put on a CD, and we all ended up laughing at PG Wodehouse. It took me back to our home education days when we used to drive long distances to book group, chess club, etc. Â Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 And then follow it up with Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe for an alternate perspective. Â Â I've requested the audio from the library. Thank you. Â Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 And then follow it up with Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe for an alternate perspective. Â (We did all of the above with my son as part of his modern literature studies in 12th grade.) Â Â Thanks, Jane. I had briefly come across Achebe's name while surfing the web. I hope to be able to read his essay "An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness' ". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 And then follow it up with Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe for an alternate perspective. Â Ah. Neat. Will have to look into it.... Â This sounds great! I'm sticking it on my to-read list. Â Â Crstarlette, I was thinking Daughters of Copper Woman might be a book you'd enjoy.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted February 7, 2013 Author Share Posted February 7, 2013 And then follow it up with Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe for an alternate perspective. Â (We did all of the above with my son as part of his modern literature studies in 12th grade.) Â Wow. Having compared Heart of Darkness to Apocalypse Now, will have to check out Things Fall Apart. Looks quite interesting. Added to my wishlist. Thanks. Â Â I finished the novella Comedy in a Minor Key by Hans Keilson which had no comedy in it whatsoever that I could see as it was a dark little tale about a dutch couple in Belgium who hide a Jewish man in their house during the war. Â I also completed my first non fiction read for inspiration challenge: Echoing Silence: Thomas Merton and the Vocation of Writing edited by Robert Inchausti. It was comprised of essays from many of his books and interesting to see his thoughts over the years about writing and all the authors he corresponded with. Â Then I went on to read a fluffy paranormal Kitty Goes to Washington (#2 kitty norville series) by Carrie Vaughn. Â Moving on to Pope Benedict's Jesus Of Nazareth: Holy Week from the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection for inspiration challenge and Lenten read. Â Think I'll read # 3 in the Kitty Norville series - Kitty Takes a Holiday (original titles aren't they) before diving into Robert Jordan's The Dragon Reborn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 ... Kitty Goes to Washington (#2 kitty norville series) by Carrie Vaughn. Â ... Â Think I'll read # 3 in the Kitty Norville series - Kitty Takes a Holiday (original titles aren't they) Â Original, indeed! (Hopefully they won't publish Kitty Does Dallas ....) Â Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 Came across a great interviewwith Nicholas Sparks and a blogging buddy of mine. His book Safe Haven is being made into a movie. Be sure to check it out. Â Â And I biffed this morning in not bringing this up. Happy Birthday to Charles Dicken, plus Laura Ingalls Wilder. Â I started listening to Oliver Twist on the way to work today. Good so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I'm now reading A High Wind in Jamaica by Richard Hughes.  The book is reviewed in this article/story on NPR: A Delightfully Evil Tale Of Pirates And Children  I love Hughes. If you can find In Hazard, it's very good, too. And he wrote a collection of children's stories called The Spider's Palace which I heartily recommend; it's full of odd little stories that adults find strange and disturbing and children find delightful. It's been one of my girls' favorite books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Listening to Life of Pi on audio this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I'm now reading A High Wind in Jamaica by Richard Hughes.  The book is reviewed in this article/story on NPR: A Delightfully Evil Tale Of Pirates And Children  Thanks for putting this on my radar. I love Hughes. If you can find In Hazard, it's very good, too. And he wrote a collection of children's stories called The Spider's Palace which I heartily recommend; it's full of odd little stories that adults find strange and disturbing and children find delightful. It's been one of my girls' favorite books.  What? A 20th century novelist that Violet Crown likes? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4kidlets4me Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 It's taken me 2 weeks but I finally finished The Night Circus. I loved it and really want to read it again.  Completed so far:  The Handmaids Tale-Margaret Atwood We Were the KennedyĂ¢â‚¬â„¢s- Monica Wood The Corrections- Jonathan Franzen The Round House- Louise Money Secrets of the Amish Stretch- Neal Pollack Prodigal Summer- Barbara Kingsolver Sharp Objects- Gillian Flynn The Night Circus- Erin Morgenstern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 My library is doing a February thing with having a date with a book. They had a number of books wrapped up in pink paper with the genre on them. I chose literary fiction (the other choices at that time being primarily romance & mystery) and, voila, got a Canadian book by an author from my dad's list.  However, I have started a personal 2 book challenge where I'm reading both The God Delusion and The Dawkins' Delusion? at the same time. Since I took apart the whole selfish gene theory in university for a methology paper (Philosophy class all Women's Studies minors had to take & we had to combine our other area with methodology & how it related to women, so sociobiology was the closest I could find to biology at that time), I'm not shocked that so far the Dawkins book is rife with baseless assumptions & lack of logic (mixed in with some facts & pithy quotes) so far, but I haven't read enough of the other to know if it's the same. Nothing like reading 2 controversial books with opposing viewpoints for some intellectual stimulation.  They are a series of videos, done as video blogs, of Pride and Prejudice redone in a modern version. They are fun. I'm enjoying how they are staying true to the characters and changing things to fit into the year 2012. I love Mr. Collins! It's fun for Austen fans.  Site if interested  Thanks. I've given this some thought, and since the plot of Pride & Prejudice is nothing great I'm going to be strong and stay away from more screen time. I'll have to keep reminding myself of this, of course, as it sounds interesting, and I'm going to attempt to talk myself out of it right now. Being an Austin purist with this book, I might not like it, anyway. I just thought of a great post P&P story for the Wickhams, but I'm never going to write it as I don't care for Austin spin-offs as a rule. I'm not going to watch, I'm not going to watch...  Came across a great interviewwith Nicholas Sparks and a blogging buddy of mine. His book Safe Haven is being made into a movie. Be sure to check it out.   And I biffed this morning in not bringing this up. Happy Birthday to Charles Dicken, plus Laura Ingalls Wilder.  I started listening to Oliver Twist on the way to work today. Good so far!  I'm going to be trying Nicholas Sparks for a different challenge. do you like him? You may have said & I forgot, of course. I've avoided him as my understand is that he writes romance, but am going to give it a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 Â That's the Hobbit reader we listened to, too. He was great! Â I don't think I rec'd it here, but I certainly agree with the rec of Mrs. Poliifax. They're fun, a little escapist, and unexpected. Not fab literature by any means, but I enjoy them. Of course, they have happy associations for me ... Â Â Â Â A belated Happy Birthday, Dawn. Hope you had an awesome day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 I'm going to be trying Nicholas Sparks for a different challenge. do you like him? You may have said & I forgot, of course. I've avoided him as my understand is that he writes romance, but am going to give it a try. Â Â I haven't read anything by him yet, but Candace's interview sold me so putting Safe Haven on my wishlist for later. He does write about romance but according to the interview all stories contain a second element besides love. Love and danger is supposedly what Safe Haven is about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Finished: 10. Changeless by Gail Carriger~steampunk, vampires, werewolves, Victoriana. Came from the library early. I didn't like this one as much as the first, although there were a few really droll lines. Mostly I thought the main character was a terrible talker. Really, she can't keep a secret and she's a part of too many secret things to be trusted by anyone. Oh, and the villain was so obvious I wanted to shake her most of the time. Still, Carriger did a great job furthering her world and having it make sense. Decent twist going in to the next book. Â 9. The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman~fiction, families, Australia, miscarriage. This seemed like a first novel. There was a lot I liked about it. It seemed like something I would write...sorta relational and maybe a little long in places where it didn't need to be but which fleshed out the emotion and lives of the people. It covers a lightkeeper and his wife off the western coast of Australia. There were quite a few beautiful sections and I felt like she was realistic when it came to the reactions of all the characters in regards to miscarriages, mix-ups, war, bereavement. The only thing I didn't think she explained well was why Isabel, one of the main characters changed her mind at the end. Considering all she'd done (or hadn't done) up to that point I doubted the outcome. Well done literary novel covering WWI through 1950. (Continental Challenge: Australia) Â Top Ten * Best of the Year ** 8. Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card~fantasy, alternative early America, witchcraft/magic. 7. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson~satire, American dream, drug trip. (Dewey Decimal Challenge, 000s) 6. Soulless by Gail Carriger~steampunk, vampires, werewolves, Victoriana. 5. Away by Jane Urquhart~Ireland, Canada, emigration, magical realism, family saga. (Continental Challenge: North America/Canada) * 4. Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim~autobiography, Germany pre-WWI, gardening, women's roles* 3. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer~fiction, WWII, letters, humor 2. The Little Book by Seldon Edwards~fiction, Vienna, time travel 1. Mad Mary Lamb by Susan Tyler Hitchcock~biography, 19th century, women's roles, mental illness (Finally Finished challenge) Â Â Working: The Great Human Diasporas (DDC challenge, 500s) The House by the Sea (Sarton) Little Heathens (Kalish) Way Station (Simak) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulainTx Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I finished Miss Buncle Married, (20) Bring Up The Bodies (21), Drop Dead Healthy, (22) and Paper Roses (23). Â Started The 8 Minute Organizer. Â Paula Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Â What? A 20th century novelist that Violet Crown likes? ;) Shhhhhh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Â Â Â A belated Happy Birthday, Dawn. Hope you had an awesome day! Â Thanks, Robin! It was a fun day :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 I love Hughes. If you can find In Hazard, it's very good, too. And he wrote a collection of children's stories called The Spider's Palace which I heartily recommend; it's full of odd little stories that adults find strange and disturbing and children find delightful. It's been one of my girls' favorite books.  Ah, thanks. Looks like my library carries In Hazard, so I'll have to check it out.... Thanks for putting this on my radar.  What? A 20th century novelist that Violet Crown likes? http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/wink.gif  http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/thumbup1.gif and http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/lol.gif Jane, I came across this book through the NYRB Classics website. I've found some good, if lesser-known, books there.... http://www.nybooks.c...rints/classics/  A belated Happy Birthday, Dawn. Hope you had an awesome day!  from me too, Dawn! Shhhhhh. http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/biggrin.gif Mum's the word.... http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/wink.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Â Â from me too, Dawn! Â Â Â Thanks, Stacia. Cute turtle :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanvan Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Haven't read any posts yet. Just wanted to get mine down before I go back and see what everyone else is reading. This week I finished reading: Â The House of Happy Endings by Leslie Garis - Her memoir of what it was like growing up in a family of writers. Her Grandfather wrote the Uncle Wiggily stories and her Grandmother wrote the Bobbsey Twins books (and they saw almost none of the profits). Her father was a short story and play writer, also wrote some for TV. Leslie's memoir was fascinating. I just had to keep reading, but it was also heartbreaking. Makes you think long and hard about the unknown (to fans anyway) price of success--or the pursuit of it and what it can do to a family. Maybe it's good to be an average Joe enjoying your family and a few modest successes mixed with failures after all. I am finding myself being much kinder to all of my family members after reading this book. Â When Homeschooling Gets Tough by Diana Johnson - Again, reading through my homeschooling books to see what to get rid of. I'm still deciding if I'll keep this. There are a few sections that speak to me and I may need to read just as a reminder, but I don't feel a definite need to keep. I especially needed to reread her advice about not comparing and keeping your homeschool about what your family (or child) specializes in, not trying to live out someone else's plan. Of course, I know all that, but sometimes I need to hear someone else say it. Â So far this year I've read: 1. Survivor's Guide to Homeschooling 2. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton 3. Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick - Favorite read so far. 4. To Marry an English Lord 5. A Step Further by Joni Eareckson Tada 6. Call the Midwife - Jennifer Worth's memoir-- even more interesting than the series. 7. Life On the Edge - Dr. James Dobson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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