Book a Week in 2013 - week twelve

[Rosie_0801]

 

Which Coursera course(s)?

She might be taking the "Know Thyself" course that a few of us from the Alternative Spirituality thread are also doing.

 

Of course, I don't know that for sure, but am assuming it is highly likely. :)

 

No, not that one. Rosie and I are very well acquainted :p

I'm doing one on Genetics and Evolution, which has been enjoyable even though some of it goes over my head and How Things Work. I thought Energy 101 might be the death of me until I began the Aboriginal World Views and Education course. I persevere with both because there are some interesting tidbits to learn in amongst the rest. In the past I have enjoyed World Music and Astrobiology. I got a bit enrol-happy and am now wondering if I'll have enough electricity this winter to be able to watch all the lectures!

[Onceuponatime]

No, not that one. Rosie and I are very well acquainted :p

I'm doing one on Genetics and Evolution, which has been enjoyable even though some of it goes over my head and How Things Work. I thought Energy 101 might be the death of me until I began the Aboriginal World Views and Education course. I persevere with both because there are some interesting tidbits to learn in amongst the rest. In the past I have enjoyed World Music and Astrobiology. I got a bit enrol-happy and am now wondering if I'll have enough electricity this winter to be able to watch all the lectures!

 

 

I am currently into navel gazing. :rolleyes: Maybe this will cure me.

 

I have a whole list of courses I want to take now, but I'm going to try to limit them to one at a time. I'm looking at Mathematical Philosophy, the Nordic Diet, The Future of Mankind, and Soul Beliefs and Consequences. I'm thrilled to have found out about the Coursera site.

[cathmom]

holy carp, Amy Ephron left a comment on my blog- I said I wasn't in love with either her or her sisters book and I mis-spelled her sisters name (hiding my head in embarassment!)!

 

That happened to me last year...I posted a so-so review and a few hours later the author replied.

[melmichigan]

 

 

 

No, not that one. Rosie and I are very well acquainted :p

I'm doing one on Genetics and Evolution, which has been enjoyable even though some of it goes over my head and How Things Work. I thought Energy 101 might be the death of me until I began the Aboriginal World Views and Education course. I persevere with both because there are some interesting tidbits to learn in amongst the rest. In the past I have enjoyed World Music and Astrobiology. I got a bit enrol-happy and am now wondering if I'll have enough electricity this winter to be able to watch all the lectures!

 

Genetics and Evolution was hard. I just started The Ancient Greeks.

 

[Rosie_0801]

I am currently into navel gazing. :rolleyes: Maybe this will cure me.

 

I have a whole list of courses I want to take now, but I'm going to try to limit them to one at a time. I'm looking at Mathematical Philosophy, the Nordic Diet, The Future of Mankind, and Soul Beliefs and Consequences. I'm thrilled to have found out about the Coursera site.

 

 

I was looking through the list last night and didn't see the Nordic diet. The Future of Mankind seemed too depressing so I'm leaving that one alone...

 

Genetics and Evolution was hard. I just started The Ancient Greeks.

 

I didn't do any of the work. I am not able to apply myself to that level of participation, so I am glad they are set up so the likes of me can still gain some benefit. :)

[eaglei]

Finished:

 

#13 - The Promise, by Chaim Potok. This is the sequel to The Chosen and I thoroughly enjoyed both books - didn't want either to end.

 

#14 - Resting in the Bosom of the Lamb, by Augusta Trobaugh. This was unusual. Published by Baker, it is Christian fiction with not a whole lot of blatant *Christian* in it. Its' overarching theme is family relationships, heritage, and family secrets. I found it to be slow-reading; however, I stuck with it because the author writes so beautifully, down-to-earth with real characters, and some of her thoughts simply and most unexpectedly reach out and grab you.

 

Currently reading:

 

#15 - Saint Maybe, by Anne Tyler. Needed a book; didn't know what; pulled a familiar author.

[ariasmommy]

Four more finished up over the past few days:

 

#15 A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters (audiobook) - Enjoyed the medieval Welsh setting and trying to figure out "who dunnit". My second British mystery for the 5/5/5 challenge.

 

#16 How the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill - Read this in honor of St. Patrick's Day and my hubby's Irish ancestry. :) I found it quite fascinating, and it inspired some further additions to my ever-growing to-read list.

 

#17 Desperate: Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breathe by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson - Some good encouragement for tired and overwhelmed moms (and I often find myself in that category!).

 

#18 Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery - Just finished reading this to dd. What can I say - a beautifully-written story. Of course, being Canadian-born, I may be a bit biased. ;) I identified with her dreamy idealism as a teen, and still do (but I didn't share her talkativeness or knack for getting into scrapes :D ).

[mlbuchina]

 

#18 Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery - Just finished reading this to dd. What can I say - a beautifully-written story. Of course, being Canadian-born, I may be a bit biased. ;) I identified with her dreamy idealism as a teen, and still do (but I didn't share her talkativeness or knack for getting into scrapes :D ).

 

 

Growing up, I can remember wanting to be Anne, even down to the red hair. I still wish I had red hair. :) About the only thing I had in common with her, though, was a love of books and a good imagination.

[Lady Florida.]

I finished Darkest Fear, by Harlen Coben tonight. Ds was in a CPR-AED course required for his FLVS class. It was too far for me to go home, so I went to a nearby Starbucks and nursed a cup of coffee while I read.

 

I'm not going to put any books on hold at the library until I finish Anna Karenina. Every time one of my library holds comes in, I drop my other books so I can finish the library book before it's due back. If I don't have a library book checked out, I won't have to drop Tolstoy.

[Stacia]

holy carp, Amy Ephron left a comment on my blog- I said I wasn't in love with either her or her sisters book and I mis-spelled her sisters name (hiding my head in embarassment!)!

 

 

:eek: and then :grouphug: (and :lol: too)

[laughing lioness]

That happened to me last year...I posted a so-so review and a few hours later the author replied.

Cathmom- thanks for sharing this! I feel so much better- solidarity and all of that...

 

:eek: and then :grouphug: (and :lol: too)

Thanks! I was like :eek: and then I tolde ds 18 and dh and they were like :lol: and now I'm like :coolgleamA: . Amy Ephron read something I wrote!

[Excelsior! Academy]

Joining in! I'm not sure exactly what "counts", and I read mostly non-fiction and kids books, so.....

 

Upcoming Reads

 

French Kids Eat Anything

 

 

 

 

 

I have been wanting to read that. Please, give a review when you are finished. :)

 

 

Previously listed

1. Shanghai Girls *****

2. The Cat Who Saw Red **

3. The Power of a Praying Wife ****

4. The Circle Maker***

5. Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America**

6. A Change of Habit***

7. Eats, Shoots, and Leaves****

8. Feminine by Design**

 

Finished

9. Handmaid's Tale***

 

I am not sure what to say about this one. It was.....interesting. And a little creepy.

 

(still) In progress

Time Management for Christian Women

Odyssey

Don Quioxte

Les Miserables

[Stacia]

Plum Crazy, I keep wanting to ask -- is that your hair in your avatar?

 

I'm taking a slight mental break from Hopscotch & picked up some light reading this morning: How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu. This should be a very quick book, then back to Hopscotch....

[LostSurprise]

Finished Alice in Wonderland with the boys. I don't think they liked it that much, but at least I didn't have constant whines from the 10 year old about how bored his is and that he really doesn't like this book. Lord of the Rings gave him fits. Redwall made him bonkers. I think we only really got him back with Cheaper by the Dozen. Reminder to self: less weird and science fiction, more realistic and humorous.

[Stacia]

Finished Alice in Wonderland with the boys. I don't think they liked it that much, but at least I didn't have constant whines from the 10 year old about how bored his is and that he really doesn't like this book. Lord of the Rings gave him fits. Redwall made him bonkers. I think we only really got him back with Cheaper by the Dozen. Reminder to self: less weird and science fiction, more realistic and humorous.

 

 

Most of the hits w/ my kids were fantasy-based stories...

 

My kids' favorite read-aloud ever was (is) The Wee Free Men. Fantastic book! We all love it (& love Terry Pratchett & all of his writing anyway).

 

Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book is fun & you can watch/listen to him read the book here. FYI, I think the first chapter is a little bit scary for kids, but it's by far the scariest chapter (imo).

 

Have you tried any of Lloyd Alexander's books like Time Cat or The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen?

 

What about The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie? This is not necessarily a kids book, but it's fine for kids. I knew the humor in it would appeal greatly to my ds (who is 11yo -- almost 12) & he's burned through the first two books in the series in a couple of days & is eagerly awaiting the 3rd book from the library.... It is a super-fun series w/ a great heroine. Another one ds read recently that he enjoyed is Remarkable. (I didn't read it so I have no idea about it.)

[Stacia]

No I wish!

I found that picture on Pinterest and just loved the color.

Though I was inspired and tried one of the new Feria colors that a purple tint. So my hair is a more natural shade but in the sun you can see the purple.

 

 

I agree with you; I think it's a gorgeous photo... just luscious hair, you know?

 

I bet your hair looks lovely with the purple.

 

:thumbup1:

[Vida Winter]

I am just a couple of chapters from finishing The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, third of a series that began with The Shadow of the Wind. Now I need to go back and re-read The Shadow of the Wind to pull all the loose strings together. No sleep for me this week.

 

I recommend this series to seekers of the gothic novel; it has it all - danger, intrigue, romance - taking place in mysterious, crumbling, turn of the century Barcelona (actually the series spans generations). There is also a fair amount of humor here and there, and a theme of bookshops and love of books throughout, which makes me believe that it would appeal to many WTM'ers.

[Storm Bay]

Maybe you could copy this post to this week's thread? Link.

 

Right now I'm reading A Room With a View for the first time ever (not too thrilled with it so far), a nonfiction, Lost Women of the Bible (love/hate relationship with this book), and am trying to slowly wade through a different Chabon since hating The Yiddish Policeman's Union. I'm planning to start listening to another Jeeves audio book as well.

 

If I had to pick a single novel to have for the rest of my life, it would be Middlemarch. The richness, depth, clarity, and compassion Eliot brings to her novels, paired with a... moral certainty isn't the right phrase at all, but I'm not finding the words I want.. amaze me. And her depictions of the way one person's minor choice or action can change the lives of others s/he hardly knows, the interconnectedness of humanity, the price of integrity & yet its pricelessness... I fell in love with this book when I was 15 or 16, and keep coming back to it over the years since.

 

 

Okay, I'm finally putting this on hold. I've never read this (either my parents didn't own it or I didn't notice it when I read a lot of literature, and then I never was interested when I read it later) but have been thinking about it.

 

â–  Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (Dai Sijie; 2002. 104 pages. Fiction.) While history, friendship, and the vagaries of first love contribute to the power of this slim work, books are the real story -- how they change us, grow our imaginations, and sometimes free us. Beautiful and highly recommended.

 

 

I'm also putting a hold on this.

[SilverFirefly]

Hopscotch Readalong - It's two books in one. Read as you would normally read a book or follow the trail and hopscotch around. How are you doing so far?

 

April readalong - still planning on 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami: We'll start April 7 which will give those reading Hopscotch time to finish and absorb before diving into this chunkster.

 

What are you reading this week?

 

I lost my multiquotes again along with the post I was writing... :glare:

 

Finished:

19 - Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 17-20: The Mystery of the Enchanted Dog by Mary Pope Osborne (***)

20 - Emily Climbs by L. M. Montgomery (Oh Canada; Continental; ***) - Enjoyed this second in the series much more than the first.

21 - Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 21-24: The Mystery of Morgan's Library by Mary Pope Osborne (***)

22 - Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 25-28: The Mystery of Morgan's Rhymes by Mary Pope Osborne (***)

23 - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (Book Club; Continental - USA; *****) - Could not put this book down. I'm still shocked by some of the characters and plot twists.

24 - Magic Tree House #29: Christmas in Camelot by Mary Pope Osborne (****)

 

Started:

Hopscotch by Julio Cortazar (Readalong; Chunky; Continental - Argentina) - Just got my copy ILL copy and I'm only a couple of chapters in. First impressions...I'm reading in the hopscotch order which is unique and interesting. And this book is definitely not a light and fluffy read.

 

Continuing:

The Burgess Bird Book for Children by Thornton Burgess (Continental - USA)

Global Health Disparities: Closing the Gap Through Good Governance by Enku Kebede-Francis

Textbook of International Health: Global Health in a Dynamic World by Anne-Emanuelle Birn (Chunky)

The One Year Devotions for Women: Becoming a Woman at Peace by Ann Spangler (Inspiration)

The One Year Chronological Bible NLT (Chunky; Inspiration)

 

2013 Reading Completed

01 - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (Continental - England; ****)

02 - Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll (Continental - England; ****)

03 - When Dad Hurts Mom: Helping Your Child Heal the Wounds of Witnessing Abuse by Lundy Bancroft (****)

04 - The Self-Esteem Workbook by Glenn R. Schiraldi (*)

05 - The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton (Continental - Australia; *****)

06 - Junie B. Jones Complete Collection (#1-24) by Barbara Park (Continental - USA; ****)

07 - Junie B., First Grader: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells! (P.S. So Does May.) (#25) by Barbara Park (Continental - USA; ****)

08 - Junie B., First Grader: Aloha-ha-ha! (#26) by Barbara Park (Continental - USA; ****)

09 - Junie B., First Grader: Dumb Bunny (#27) by Barbara Park (Continental - USA; ****)

10 - Junie B., First Grader: Turkeys We Have Loved and Eaten (and Other Thankful Stuff) (#28) by Barbara Park (Continental - USA; ****)

11 - Emily of New Moon by L. M. Montgomery (Oh Canada; Continental; ***)

12 - Dinosaurs: A Companion to Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House Research Guides #1) by Will Osborne (**)

13 - Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 1-4: The Mystery of the Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne (***)

14 - Peter Pan by J. M. Barre (Continental - England; ****)

15 - Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 5-8: The Mystery of the Magic Spell by Mary Pope Osborne (***)

16 - Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 9-12: The Mystery of the Ancient Riddles by Mary Pope Osborne (***)

17 - Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 13-16: The Mystery of the lost Stories by Mary Pope Osborne (***)

18 - Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (Book Club; Chunky; Continental - UK; **)

19 - Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 17-20: The Mystery of the Enchanted Dog by Mary Pope Osborne (***)

20 - Emily Climbs by L. M. Montgomery (Oh Canada; Continental; ***)

21 - Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 21-24: The Mystery of Morgan's Library by Mary Pope Osborne (***)

22 - Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 25-28: The Mystery of Morgan's Rhymes by Mary Pope Osborne (***)

23 - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (Book Club; Continental - USA; *****)

24 - Magic Tree House #29: Christmas in Camelot by Mary Pope Osborne (****)

 

Rating System:

***** it was amazing

**** really liked it

*** liked it

** it was okay

* didn't like it

[Robin M]

[Robin M]

holy carp, Amy Ephron left a comment on my blog- I said I wasn't in love with either her or her sisters book and I mis-spelled her sisters name (hiding my head in embarrassment!)!

 

Right there with you. I referred to an author as she not knowing he was a he. He posted a comment to let me know. But he started following me after that.

 

But the 'love' and 'thank you' notes I've gotten from other authors have more than made up for it. I'm sure she'll be intrigued by your blog and quietly follow you for a while.

 

Joining in! I'm not sure exactly what "counts", and I read mostly non-fiction and kids books, so.....

 

Can somebody explain what the challenges are? :)

 

Welcome - glad you decided to join in.

 

Lots of things count. The only caveat I have for kids books which is posted on the 52 books blog is - if it is a child whose reading it and involved in the challenge, then that's okay. If an adult is doing read aloud with kids, the book should be geared for the 9 - 12 age group and above and over 100 pages. If adult reading for own enjoyment, then a good rule of thumb to go by "is there some complexity to the story or is it too simple?" If it's too simple, then doesn't count.

 

Hop on over to the 52 Books blog where all the mini challenges are listed in the link bar. Besides the ones Jane mentioned, also have an ongoing Well Educated Mind which carries over from year to year. Also a C.S. Lewis read and assorted mini challenges.

 

I finished my 'normal' order reading of Hopscotch.

 

Initially, I really didn't like the book very much. I didn't like the characters very much either, especially in the "From the Other Side" (Paris) section. I enjoyed the "From This Side" (Argentina) section a little, but not much, more. However, chapters 50-56 (the ending chapters of the normal order) completely captivated me. Loved those chapters. Perhaps they put me in a mind to be more open to the previous chapters.

 

I'm now starting the hopscotch order & can already see so much more in this book... enjoying it so much more on this go-around, probably because of my knowledge of the 'linear' storyline & because I see so much more in the references & symbolism now that I'm tackling the different version.

 

 

I sort of wish I started off in the normal reading order instead of the Hopscotch order because the extra chapters just threw me off most of the time. It will definitely be a book i revisit at a later time. Once is enough for me right now. Keep going - more power to you!

 

 

 

 

I'll be the first to admit I read too fast and this sometimes makes me miss things. Or make a wrong supposition. There was once an Agatha Christie novel I read that I thought the narrator said at the beginner that he was the murderer. So I read it with this in mind. So you can imagine my surprise when it turned out to be someone else. I turned back to the beginning and sure enough I have read one sentence wrong. There are books which are so intense you read quickly because you want to know what is going to happen, but then when you finish, wish it hadn't ended. This was me with Touch of a Demon. I decided to immediately reread it, but more slowly. Just finished and thoroughly enjoyed. Yes, I had missed a few nuances so it turned out to be beneficial. But it made me realize I need to slow down with everything I read and savor and absorb. So as we head into spring I am vowing to slow down. Wish me luck.

 

 

 

Speaking of Spring - Sandra of Musings of a Book Addict is hosting The Spring Reading Thing (taking over for Katrina of Callapidder Days since life has gotten too hectic)

[LostSurprise]

 

Most of the hits w/ my kids were fantasy-based stories...

 

He is a weird one. Everyone else loved those books. He's my very literal, in-the-now kid.

 

We're wearing him down though. He's getting into a series about a boy who time travels to meet famous sports figures. That's sort of fantasy-ish.

 

I have so many shelves of kids books that the boys will never read. I'm not worried about what comes next.

[joannqn]

I totally spaced posting on Sunday. I was so excited, too, because I finished several books this week. I never finish several books in a week. So....

 

#7 Take a Risk by Ben Carson -- I'm in awe of this man's story. I read about people like this and always wish I had what it takes (persistence and perseverance and confidence and etc) to be successful.

 

#8 All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque -- My first time reading it. I was a bit surprised by the adult content. Guess I'm too used to reading YA. But I found it interesting and enjoyed it.

 

#9 The Help by Kathryn Stockett -- Loved it. I really enjoy it when an author writes in such a way that you can hear dialect Much better than the movie.

 

#10 Son by Lois Lowry -- I thought The Giver series was odd, but it made me think too. I found this conclusion to be interesting, especially since it covers some of the events of the previous books from a different viewpoint.

 

 

Oh, and a highlight from the week...I took my 13 and 11 year old kids to meet Veronica Roth, author of the Divergent series. She was part of a YA author panelist panel and book signing event at a library about 40 minutes away. DS11 was picked for the last question. He stood and said, "My question is directed at Roth specifically. What is the title of your third book?" LOL. She said she had never been referred to as Roth before, and she is not allowed to give away the title yet. DD13 bought a book for the signing and did the whole star-struck freak out when it was her turn. She, along with the other authors, seemed very nice and down to earth.

[Heather in Neverland]

Started Reading:

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures by Anne Fadiman (American Author, DD class 600)

 

Still Reading:

The Conviction to Lead: 25 Principles for Leadership that Matters by Albert Mohler (American author, DD class 300)

The God Who is There: Finding Your Place in God's Story by D.A. Carson (Canadian author, DD class 200)

 

Finished:

10. A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul Miller (American author, DD class 200)

9. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick (American author, DD class 300)

8. Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald (American author, DD class 100)

7. The Bungalow by Sarah Jio (American author, DD class 800)

6. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen (American author, DD class 800)

5. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (American author, DD class 800)

4. The Next Story: Life and Faith After the Digital Explosion by Tim Challies (Canadian author, DD class 600)

3. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton (Australian author, DD class 800)

2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (English author, DD class 800)

1. The Dark Monk: A Hangman's Daughter Tale by Oliver Potzsch (German author, DD class 800)

 

[Lady Florida.]

Plum Crazy, I keep wanting to ask -- is that your hair in your avatar?

 

No I wish!

I found that picture on Pinterest and just loved the color.

 

I agree with you; I think it's a gorgeous photo... just luscious hair, you know?

 

 

There's a woman in my town who has hair very similar to your avatar photo. We must grocery shop at the same time because I often see her at Publix. Anyway, in case neither of you has seen something like that IRL, it's just as pretty in person as it looks in a photo.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

I am usually skeptical of the happiness genre because the books often leave me irritated as opposed to happier, but the subtitle of this one grabbed my attention. (I'm glad it did because I enjoyed the book.)

 

The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World

written by former NPR correspondent Eric Weiner

 

My favorite reviews:

 

Vanity Fair--

"Weiner, equal parts philosopher, travel guide, and self-help expert--and wholly hilarious--has written a book you can delight in.

 

Denver Post--

"There is an endearing quality to his hardheadedness; his is flirty and provocative and keeps reeling you back in."

 

 

My favorite quote from the book is one by Tim LeBon:

 

"Part of positive psychology is about being positive, but sometimes laughter and clowns are not appropriate. Some people don't want to be happy, and that's okay. They want meaningful lives, and those are not always the same as happy lives."

[MelAR05]

I finished Project-Based Homeschooling and plan on rereading it this summer when I have more time to implement some of the ideas. I really think my oldest would benefit from this type of learning. I am continuing to read Don Quixote and hoping to finish this week.

 

In Process:

Don Quixote

 

Completed:

12.) Project-Based Homeschooling

11.) Simplicity Parenting

10.) The Well-Educated Mind

9.) Gone Girl

8.) Last Child in the Woods

7.) East of Eden

6.) The $100 Start Up

5.) A Christmas Carol

4.) Dracula

3.) The Night Circus

2.) Switch

1.) Getting Things Done

[Mom-ninja.]

:lurk5: and reading

[Giraffe]

I forgot to post my progress last week! This is two weeks’ worth.

 

Dreamers, Discovers, & Dynamos was ok – DD is definitely a Dreamer (so is DH). It was just another part of my education freak out/bender.

 

The Mislabeled Child was interesting, but I don’t know that I’m ready for it, honestly. I think it was too much to digest this early in the process of figuring out what is up with Little Miss. Once we’re further along the evaluation path I think it will be more useful.

 

My brain was so full that I took a break with The Kill Artist, first in the Gabriel Allon series. All fluff, all fun. I’ll probably keep reading this series whenever I need a mental break.

 

STILL in process:

 

The Histories by Herodotus – I’m on Book 6 and determined to finish it this week. I can’t take much more of this. At least the war is starting.

 

The Iliad: No progress this week. Soon.

 

Finished:

11. The Kill Artist (Gabriel Allon), Silva (Just Because) ***

10. Dreamers, Discovers, & Dynamos, Palladino (Education freakout) ****

9. The Mislabeled Child, Eide (Education freak out) ***

8. The Survival Guide for Parents of Gifted Kids, Walker (Education freak out) ***

7. The Paris Wife, Mclain (Library Spree) *****

6. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, Chua (Library Spree) ***

5. Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, Heath (Library Spree) ****

4. Book Was There: Reading in Electronic Times, Piper (Library Spree) ***

3. Alias Grace, Atwood (Library Spree, Canadian) ***

2. The Song of Achilles, Miller (Library Spree) ****

1. The Handmaid's Tale, Atwood (Canadian/Continental, TBR/Dusty) ****

 

In Process:

The Iliad, Homer

The Histories, Herodotus

 

Aggie Amy's Rating System(which I’ve adopted):

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

**** - Very good

*** - Enjoyable but nothing special

** - Not recommended

* - Horrible

[Hoot]

Today I finished Kisses From Katie by Katie Davis. It was a good story, but the writing is rather juvenile. I also felt like she was trying too hard at times to be convincing that everything was all God's plan and she was totally okay with it, like maybe she was trying just as hard to convince HERSELF as her readers. Very repetitive writing and not a lot of depth, in my opinion. It seems like she glosses over all of the hard stuff with an, "it's God's plan and that's good enough for me" attitude.

 

Completed So Far

 

1. Best Friends by Samantha Glen

2. Wesley the Owl by Stacey O'Brien

3. The Gift of Pets: Stories Only a Vet Could Tell by Bruce Coston

4. Nim Chimpsky: The Chimp Who Would Be Human by Elizabeth Hess

5. Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams & Mark Carwardine

6. Confessions of a Prairie Bitch by Alison Arngrim

7. Beowulf by Seamus Heaney

8. The Odyssey by Homer (Fagles translation)

9. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

10. The Year of Learning Dangerously: Adventures in Homeschooling by Quinn Cummings

11. Neither Here Nor There by Bill Bryson

12. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

13. Tales of an African Vet by Dr. Roy Aronson

14. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

15. The Romanovs: The Final Chapter by Robert K. Massie

16. Kisses From Katie by Katie Katie Davis

[Excelsior! Academy]

 

#10 Son by Lois Lowry -- I thought The Giver series was odd, but it made me think too. I found this conclusion to be interesting, especially since it covers some of the events of the previous books from a different viewpoint.

 

 

I read this last year. I agree with your analysis.

 

I got the point of the book, but didn't think it was as well written as I expected it to be. I think of Lowery much differently after reading several of her books than when I had just read The Giver.

[Mothersweets]

Thanks for the rec, Lisa (laughing lioness) - looks interesting, I'll look for it at the library next time we go!

 

Kathy (floridamom), that's what I did - best 99 cents I've spent in a while!

[VeganCupcake]

I am usually skeptical of the happiness genre because the books often leave me irritated as opposed to happier, but the subtitle of this one grabbed my attention. (I'm glad it did because I enjoyed the book.)

 

The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World

written by former NPR correspondent Eric Weiner

 

I have heard of this one before, but never read it! I'm going to put it on my TBR list.

 

I finished I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced. It was a bit of a shallow treatment of a terrible problem (child brides), but think it a fairly good introduction to the topic and to Yemen. Book club is next week at my house, so now I need to prepare to host.

[Stacia]

Wow. The boards sure are wonky today.

 

I am just a couple of chapters from finishing The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, third of a series that began with The Shadow of the Wind. Now I need to go back and re-read The Shadow of the Wind to pull all the loose strings together. No sleep for me this week.

 

I recommend this series to seekers of the gothic novel; it has it all - danger, intrigue, romance - taking place in mysterious, crumbling, turn of the century Barcelona (actually the series spans generations). There is also a fair amount of humor here and there, and a theme of bookshops and love of books throughout, which makes me believe that it would appeal to many WTM'ers.

 

 

:iagree: I've read only the 1st & 3rd books, though....

 

He stood and said, "My question is directed at Roth specifically. What is the title of your third book?" LOL. She said she had never been referred to as Roth before

 

 

:lol:

 

There's a woman in my town who has hair very similar to your avatar photo. We must grocery shop at the same time because I often see her at Publix. Anyway, in case neither of you has seen something like that IRL, it's just as pretty in person as it looks in a photo.

 

 

Plum Crazy, you should do it!!! :hurray:

 

I am usually skeptical of the happiness genre because the books often leave me irritated as opposed to happier, but the subtitle of this one grabbed my attention. (I'm glad it did because I enjoyed the book.)

 

The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World

written by former NPR correspondent Eric Weiner

 

 

I enjoyed that book too. (I think the first half of the book was much stronger/better than the second half. Felt like he kind of lost his writing steam after Moldova....) And, I'd definitely love to visit Iceland & Bhutan.

 

I may need to take a reading detour this week. Forgot my book club is coming up in a few days & I still need to read Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote. It will be a re-read for me, but I read it so many years ago, I don't remember much about it.

[Robin M]

Yes, the boards are wonky and went down in the middle of me writing a post. Thought I had clicked off and into another site by mistake and was kicking myself until realized it wasn't me. :svengo:

 

Happy Spring! Barnes and Nobles 101 Nook Books under $2.99 has some great offerings this time including Ireland by Frank Delaney, Ahab's Wife by Sara Jeter Naslund ( for those who missed it last year), Horns by Joe Hill, and Barbara Kingsolver's Prodigal Summer to name a few.

 

Amazon's Kindle books for $3.99 or less has some great deals as well.

 

And:

 

On Heaven and Earth: Pope Francis on Faith, Family and the Church in the 21st Century, which was first published in Spanish in 2010, is being translated into English and will be released in the United States and Canada on May 7. :hurray:

[mumto2]

Just finished #49 Ghostwalk by Rebecca Stott. It was interesting but so many storylines intertwining I am still sorting out what really happened beyond the obvious. It was simply a good book,not a great or must read. It was one of my dusty's from my best friend. Obviously chosen because of our proximity to Woolsthorpe Manor, Isaac Newton's childhood home. One of the themes was Newton's connections with alchemy and what those connections meant to his future success. The main character was a woman ghostwriting a novel about Newton's life started by her mysteriously dead mentor. Much more going on including animal rights and supernatural activities. A very hard book to describe.

 

I also finished #50 Guilt by Jonathan Kellerman. It was the best Alex Delaware book in the past couple of years. Although I was left wondering if they got the right man in the end. If anyone else reads it I will be curious. One innocent just did not seem innocent to me.

 

We ended up not flying home tonight. Dh has work here Friday so an extra week in the warmth for all of us.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

I enjoyed that book too. (I think the first half of the book was much stronger/better than the second half. Felt like he kind of lost his writing steam after Moldova....) And, I'd definitely love to visit Iceland & Bhutan.

I wonder if his losing steam was related to his Moldova visit? ;) A couple parts of the second half related to other books I'm reading and/or current events in my life, so that helped carry those chapters for me, I think. I remember feeling a bit bolstered when I started reading those parts.

 

I agree about Iceland and Bhutan!

 

I have heard of this one before, but never read it! I'm going to put it on my TBR list.

 

I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts after you read it. :)

 

I'm still reading The One World Schoolhouse. Hope to finish it soon so we can compare notes. ;)

[Storm Bay]

I finished A Room With a View by EM Forster yesterday, and was disappointed with it. I found some of the characters rather insipid and none of them very deeply developed. Somehow whatever has made this a classic has eluded me. As for it being on the 1001 Books To Read Before You Die list, if I were writing that list it would be quite different :). For me this book gets one star.

 

I'm still listening to Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves and am reading a cozy mystery that apparently is a lot less funny than the second one in the series, called Murder With Peacocks.

[Negin]

I am usually skeptical of the happiness genre because the books often leave me irritated as opposed to happier, but the subtitle of this one grabbed my attention. (I'm glad it did because I enjoyed the book.)

The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World

written by former NPR correspondent Eric Weiner

I love this book so much. :)

[Paisley Hedgehog]

.

[trinchick]

I finally finished a book! # 20 for the year, A Storm of Swords (George RR Martin, Book 3 Song of Fire and Ice series). It clocked in at 1128 pages, and is my third book for the Chunkster Challenge. This was a re-read for me, and I had forgotten how many major characters were killed off! :blink: For those of you watching Game of Thrones Season 3, you are in for quite an adventure.

 

 

 

I am on pins and needles waiting for season 3 to start, and now you're making it worse! Only one more week...

 

Also, I read they kill off even more characters on the show than they do in the book. I hope it's none of my favorites!

[mumto2]

I couldn't sleep last night so I ended up finishing my South American continental challenge. It was good for me in the sense that it is not my typical choice at all.

 

51) Aleph by Paulo Coelho -- Brazilian Born

 

It was a book about the author's own self journey. At the same time he travels extensively including the trans Siberian railroad, something we have talked about doing. It was reasonably good but quite different. The whole book hinges on this statement

 

"I am the Aleph, the point at which everything is in the same point at the same time."

 

This book is he attempts to reconcil his past lives with he current life. Correct some past misdeeds as he recognises others he has known before. I also ended up back in the Spainish Inquisition again. I said I wanted to learn more! ;)

[Jane in NC]

I couldn't sleep last night so I ended up finishing my South American continental challenge. It was good for me in the sense that it is not my typical choice at all.

 

51) Aleph by Paulo Coelho -- Brazilian Born

 

It was a book about the author's own self journey. At the same time he travels extensively including the trans Siberian railroad, something we have talked about doing. It was reasonably good but quite different. The whole book hinges on this statement

 

"I am the Aleph, the point at which everything is in the same point at the same time."

 

This book is he attempts to reconcil his past lives with he current life. Correct some past misdeeds as he recognises others he has known before. I also ended up back in the Spainish Inquisition again. I said I wanted to learn more! ;)

 

I too have always wanted to travel on the Siberian railway. But this is fiction, right? The whole past life thing makes it wonder if the book is my speed, but the Siberian railway may pull me in.

[Stacia]

51) Aleph by Paulo Coelho -- Brazilian Born

 

It was a book about the author's own self journey. At the same time he travels extensively including the trans Siberian railroad, something we have talked about doing. It was reasonably good but quite different. The whole book hinges on this statement

 

"I am the Aleph, the point at which everything is in the same point at the same time."

 

This book is he attempts to reconcil his past lives with he current life. Correct some past misdeeds as he recognises others he has known before. I also ended up back in the Spainish Inquisition again. I said I wanted to learn more! ;)

 

I too have always wanted to travel on the Siberian railway. But this is fiction, right? The whole past life thing makes it wonder if the book is my speed, but the Siberian railway may pull me in.

 

 

Hmmm. The Coelho book sounds relatively interesting. I'm somewhat hesitant to pick it up because I read his book The Alchemist a few years ago & really didn't like it -- it just rubbed me the wrong way, esp. given it's popularity as such a 'spiritual' book (or however it is seen among his fans). It was way too hokey (& overrated), imo. As far as Aleph, the past life thing wouldn't put me off & I agree that the Siberian railway makes it sound intriguing.... Mumto2, would you say Aleph has a 'hokey' factor? If so, to what degree? ;) :lol: (I need to know before I decide whether to add it to my to-read list or not....)

[mumto2]

Aleph is compared in some reviews I read as being very close to the Alchemist, which I have not read. Honestly don't plan to. I will read his boo The Zahir at some point. That was what I was hunting for and ended up with Aleph. I didn't think it was terribly hokey, I did mamage the bulk of it in one sitting and I really wanted it to put me to sleep!

 

The Siberian railroad was interesting. The author did take it and I think the past life experiences are his as well. Very odd also appeared to be Catholic but consulted Buddists etc. Honestly not enough railroad to put up with the rest of it. The main thing I will remember is a suitcase of powerbars-fish for breakfast. It is also a very long trip with fewer stops then I envisioned. Would still like to go!

[Rosie_0801]

I love Coehlo's books, though I agree The Alchemist is a bit, what was the word used? Hokey? It was the first of his books I read, when I was a teen, so I liked it. It reads like a fairy tale to me now, but I enjoy his others. Haven't read Aleph though. Many of his books are a bit teen lit flavoured to me.

[Robin M]

Since you all are talking about Coehlo, he has a new book coming out April 2 called Manuscript Found in Accra which his publicist asked if I would like to review. Heck yeah! So the book is in the mail as we speak. There is a book trailer which the publicist translated and is available

.

 

Plus here's a sample clip of the audiobook version which is narrated by Jeremy Irons

[aggieamy]

I finished A Room With a View by EM Forster yesterday, and was disappointed with it. I found some of the characters rather insipid and none of them very deeply developed. Somehow whatever has made this a classic has eluded me. As for it being on the 1001 Books To Read Before You Die list, if I were writing that list it would be quite different :). For me this book gets one star.

 

I'm still listening to Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves and am reading a cozy mystery that apparently is a lot less funny than the second one in the series, called Murder With Peacocks.

 

 

Is the funny one Murder with Peacocks or is that the less funny one? I love cozy mysteries and funny books (I *heart* Bertie Wooster!) so I want to add the one you recommend to my to-read list.

 

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry – I read this aloud to DD and she enjoyed it. I read it years ago as a kid and thought it was better than reading it as an adult. It was a great to start a discussion on the Holocaust with her though.

 

Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie – I listened to this as an audiobook and thought it fantastic. There was one “voice†that got on my nerves but otherwise it was splendid.

 

In Progress:

 

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (book club)

The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino

A Broken Vessel by Kate Ross

Rome Sweet Home by Scott Hahn

Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery (read aloud)

 

2013 finished books:

 

28. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (****)

27. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie (****)

26. The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman (**)

25. Mrs. McGinty’s Dead by Agatha Christie (****)

24. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (***)

23. EntreLeadership by Dave Ramsey (***)

22. The Children of Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren (*****)

21. The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien (*****)

20. Down the Mysterly River by Bill Willingham (***)

19. Five Children and It by E. Nesbit (***)

18. Asleep by Banana Yoshimoto (****)

17. The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman (****)

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. Toliver’s Secret by Esther Wood Brady (***)

 

Amy's Rating System:

 

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

**** - Very good

*** - Enjoyable but nothing special

** - Not recommended

* - Horrible

[JennW in SoCal]

Since you all are talking about Coehlo, he has a new book coming out April 2 called Manuscript Found in Accrawhich his publicist asked if I would like to review. Heck yeah! So the book is in the mail as we speak. There is a book trailer which the publicist translated and is available

.

 

Plus here's a sample clip of the audiobookversion which is narrated by Jeremy Irons

 

 

oooooohhhhh, an audiobook read by Jeremy Irons! Sounds like I need to add it to my audible wish list...

 

Have y'all read Paul Theroux's books? He has been on the Siberian Express a couple of times, most recently on Ghost Train to the Eastern Star, which is a retracing of the travels he took for his first travel book, The Great Railway Bazaar. Both are evocative journeys on wonderful trains through exotic countries, and while some people find Theroux to be too much of a misanthrope, I find his descriptions to be spot on. Granted, I wouldn't want to share a train compartment with him then find myself described on the pages of one of his books... Anyway, the Railway Bazaar is fascinating because he travels through Iran on train and into Pakistan on the Khyber pass, neither of which you can do now. The later book takes you to Indian call centers and abandoned Gulags off the Trans-Siberian line.

[Angel]

Just popping in to say I'm still reading. Obviously, I don't have the time to read that I used to because it is taking me a while to get through my books. I'm still working on the 4th book in the Wheel of Time, The Shadow Rising. This book is a favorite! I'm about 3/4 through it.