spinoff Harry Potter: What are you reading- admitting twaddle?

[lighthouseacademy]

In the thread on Harry Potter, there was a question about adults not admitting twaddle on their shelf. I am curious about this. Chime in please.

These are the 2 quotes that got this started

Michelle T said

I for one don't care if a book is on every classic book list there is, if it's a boring, dated read. Putting on my flame resistant suit here, because truthfully, I think a lot of the whole twaddle vs non-twaddle, "my second grader reads only the classics", no-series-books-will-enter-my-home-and-pollute-my-child's-pure-brain nonsense is really just elitist snobbery.

 

I always get a chuckle out of the frequent "what are you reading?" threads here, because I notice that nobody ever admits that they are reading some bosom-heaving romance novel, or trashy best seller. Everyone claims to be reading Moby Dick, or some similar, high brow novel. But I can't believe that out of the hundreds on the board, nobody is reading Heaving Bosoms of Lust, or some such book!

and laylamcb said

Here's a promise: I for one will NEVER, ever claim to be reading Moby Dick. You can take that one to the bank. ;) And I just finished re-reading Outlander--that's right: I just RE-read it. And I'm nearly 40 and have read all of the Harry Potter books--twice. :001_smile: Life's too short to read nothing but Hemingway. (OK, IMHO, life's too short to read ANY Hemingway, but that's another thread entirely.)

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

I couldn't agree more on the part about Hemingway and Moby Dick...

 

I will say that if you ask me what I am reading, I will give you a laundry lists of books. None are heavy romance though. I am working very hard to try to read more substance because as a child I read almost nothing but baby sitter's club quality garbage. I do throw in an occasional quality fluff book here and there though. For now, my shelf contains Gone with the Wind, O Pioneers!, The Power of Positive Parenting, Hold on to Your Kids, The Undercover Economist, some book about gardening, some cookbooks, and some herbals.

[Sarah CB]

Every once in a while I need a "light" book. In fact, this year I gave myself permission to just read for fun and escape and spent about 2 months reading Stephen King and Dean Koontz and John Grisham. I'm downloaded a Dean Koontz novel to listen to during our four hour (each way) drive this week - I have War and Peace on my iPod as well, but I really felt I needed something that had more fun and less thinking for the drive.

 

John Grisham is one of my favourite authors. I remember when I was on bed rest in the hospital with one of the kids and I really just needed something light and escapey to read. I sent dh out for a John Grisham and he came back with The Painted House - it was not light or escapey and was (in my opinion) pretty solid lit. I was sorely disappointed at the time, but it's one of my favourite books now.

[Bee]

I've been very slowly working my way through it over the past year.I keep putting it away and coming back to it later.I'm reading lots of adult twaddle though.Lots of fitness magazines and a few books of same subject.I have a backpack full of children's and tweens fantasy and historical fiction for me to read.I have a Dean Koontz book in there too.I'm slowly reading through Nancy Farmer's Sea of Trolls right now.I did read Beowulf not too long ago though.Usually I much prefer to read fantasy,science fiction and historical novels in my spare time.Reading that sort of thing is my "down time".Once in a while I'll choose something heavier if the mood strikes me.

[Melinda in VT]

Well, I'm currently reading Les Miserables and two religion/spirituality/theology books . . .

 

but I preordered Breaking Dawn from Amazon and it should arrive early next week. :D I'm trying to convince myself not to start reading it until Friday (when DH leaves for nine days and my kids will all be out-of-state for the weekend with my ILs), but 30% of me is lobbying hard for dropping all real-life responsibilities once UPS comes.

 

You can't get more twaddly than teen vampire romance.

[abbeyej]

Well, I already admitted on the other thread... Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander 2) and rereading Meyer's books while waiting for Breaking Dawn. ;)

[elegantlion]

DS and I bonding over our new read-aloud, "Stormbreaker" by Horowitz. I have the entire Alex Rider series and we plan to read-aloud them all. It's kind of junior James Bond, and ds loves that type of stuff. They are not badly written. After listening to Teaching the Classics I have been analyzing them in my own mind.

 

I reading them more to have quality time with ds, than quality literature time.

[Perry]

I'm reading the Twilight series, although I don't find it nearly as entertaining as my dd does. My favorite twaddle are mysteries. I devour anything written by Jonathan Kellerman, John Sandford, Patricia Cornwell (but she's gone way downhill), and Elizabeth George.

[HRAAB]

Sometimes my brain just needs downtime. Pure lighthearted enjoyment. Nothing that requires me to work very hard. And so I've been re-reading the entire Amelia Peabody series this summer. Probably my 4th time through. Agatha Christie is the same. I can pick one up at night, relax, sort of go on auto pilot. Of course, I've read them more than once. One of the nice things about aging is forgetting exactly who did what so it's almost like new. :lol:

 

I've also read two Susan Vreeland novels, The Luncheon of the Boating Party and The Passion of Artemisia although I don't count those as twaddle.

 

Now for the big confession - I enjoy Peter Mayle's novels. Those I do consider twaddle, but for a time I can pretend I'm a beautiful, slender 30 something living in France drinking good wine with romance waiting around the corner.

 

When school starts, I'll get serious again.

 

Janet

[nakitty]

I don't strictly read classics.....however, I don't read twaddle either....if twaddle means Harlequins and the ilk....I read a couple of those long ago...and they just don't do anything for me....

[LaMere Academy]

Chick lit is twaddle to me, but sometimes it's a nice break...well, ok, it's probably what I mostly read with some classics tossed in here and there.

 

I'm reading The Boleyn Inheritance, after finishing The Other Boleyn Girl. It's twaddle, but I'm enjoying them.

[Mekanamom]

I love to read books that entertain me. I often need some mind candy to wind down at the end of the day.

 

I guess some would call those books twaddle. I only call books twaddle when they are so bad they're not even entertaining. ;)

 

Romance generally isn't my thing- but count in me with the ladies reading Twilight, lol.

 

I like the Great Books too. :) But certainly, I balance them out with a good helping of mind candy.

[EKS]

Let's see...

 

Currently:

 

Outlander (I'm assuming that this is "twaddle")

Dark Ages America

The History of the Ancient World

The Dumbest Generation

Summerizing, Paraphrasing, and Retelling

Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog

 

On deck:

 

Gilgamesh

Farenheit 451

 

I also like Michael Crichton, Faye Kellerman, Anita Shreve, Robin Cook, Tony Hillerman, Jonathan Kellerman, Edward Abbey, Madeleine L'Engle, Jean Auel, Chaim Potok, and any others like them that I forgot!

 

I'm also quite happy to let my kids read Magic Tree House and Harry Potter.

[LNC]

I've tried to read "light" fiction - I've almost given up though. I try so many titles people love and I don't stick with them. I think my attention span is squat for narratives. I read a lot of non-fiction and I still love children's lit. For example, I love books by L.M. Montgomery and I can read those over and over again. I would love to read and absorbing and light novel if I can find something!

[Amy in Orlando]

Summer is for twaddle! I call them "beach books" but I look forward to reading my stack of goofy books. My son's friend gave me the Twilight books. I read the first one - I thought the writing was terrible - but I'm interested to finish the series just to see what happens LOL. My cousin just send me a book call Drunk, Divorced & Covered in Cat Hair - It's sitting here staring at me. I'll probably read it over the weekend.

[OnTheBrink]

I just finished Nora Roberts' "Tribute" and Debbie Macomber's "Twenty Wishes." Nora is my mind candy. I didn't really enjoy "Twendy Wishes." The writing seemed choppy and the plot was predictable. I kept thinking, "I can write better than this!" and that's not saying much.

 

I don't enjoy "Heaving Breaths of Lust" types of books, but I do enjoy some light reading.

[Book Crazy]

A couple of months ago I finished the last Poirot novel. I read my way through the entire Poirot series from The Mysterious Affair at Styles to Curtain.

 

I then read through the Inspector Morse novels.

 

This past week I finished Jane Eyre and North and South.

 

I started Mill on the Floss this morning.

[Trivium Academy]

I always truthfully put what I am reading, the sad fact is that since beginning homeschooling I haven't indulged in many twaddle reads for myself. I did just finish the 4 books of Terri Blackstock Restoration series, all have the word Light in the their title. I read all 4 in 4 days, I'm only on chapter 2 of the John James Audubon biography I'm reading only because I've been distracted by reading cookbooks.

 

I did read all the Mary Poppins books last year after I read The Iliad by Homer/Fagles. Before homeschooling I read plenty of twaddle. PLENTY, say about 300-400 books in a year just pure twaddle. I outread many of my favorite authors and then there were some authors that once your read 1 book of theirs, you had read every book they would ever write.

 

I'm thoroughly enjoying reading with my children, I get most of my pleasure reading while I read with them at this point. I'm not trying to be elitist or snobbish in our selections, I truly only want to read worthwhile books with/to them. I've stopped books that were highly recommended on multiple lists because they bored us to tears. Understood Betsy, that one my dd can read on her own. Too narrative for my tastes for a read aloud, whew!

 

Just chiming in...

[DB in NJ]

I despise romance novels. The closest thing I get to a romance novel would be 1 Corinthians 13. Even the Song of Solomon turns me off a bit ;)

 

I'm currently reading Harry Potter 3, Sole Sisters, The Smart Runner's Handbook, and Runner's World's Complete Book of Women's Running (the last 4 are about, um, running). :D

 

Confession time: I love the Jane Austen movies, but I can't get through the books. YAWN.

 

:leaving:

[keptwoman]

Chick lit is twaddle to me, but sometimes it's a nice break...well, ok, it's probably what I mostly read with some classics tossed in here and there.

 

LOL Chick lit is twaddle to me too. Some chick lit I just can't tolerate, like the Shopaholic series, they are appalling!! But I read plenty of other chick lit.

 

At the moment I just can't do the heavy stuff, I haven't read anything highbrow for months. I'm working my way through everything Georgette Heyer has ever written. I love her books and I don't care how twaddly they are. At the end of a long day when I curl up in bed with a book, I want to be entertained so that I can ponder pleasant stories as I go to sleep.

 

If I can't get a new GH out of the library I generally re-read one of my favourite authors, John Irving, Mary Wesley and Jane Austen. I suppose JA is highbrow, but she's dayum funny too.

[iquilt]

My favorite thing to do is to re-read an Agatha Christie :) I just finished Murder on the Orient Express (for the 3rd time at least) and next I have a Fannie Flagg novel waiting for me.

[mcconnellboys]

Well, I don't think I can admit to things I'm not reading. Not necessarily that I wouldn't love to have time to read every sort of book there is, but since I'm so limited, I try to read first those things that I think are more important and when I get onto a sort of study topic, I try to stick to it.

 

I've read three short books lately that were easy reads. Those are The Reason for God (Keller); Christ the Lord on the Road to Cana (Anne Rice); and 90 Minutes in Heaven. Will those suffice, LOL?

[Parrothead]

I always admit what I'm reading. Unless it is non-fiction dealing with school or homeschooling I've always got my nose in a mass-marketed book. During July I re-read all the Nora Roberts books. Even though I own almost all of them I ran out the beginning of the week. So now I'm re-reading my Julia Quinn, Jayne Ann Krentz and Amanda Quick books. Right now I'm reading Falling Awake by Krentz.

[Plaid Dad]

I can't stomach most contemporary fiction for adults - I'm depressive enough on my own, thankyouverymuch - but I do like kids' books for escape reading. The most recent novel I read was The Game by Diana Wynne Jones, and my dd has been trying to get me to read The Penderwicks "because Mr. Penderwick speaks Latin." :)

[LauraGB]

I love Odd Thomas. Just finished the newest, Odd Hours, a couple weeks ago. Does Koontz count?

[JFSinIL]

I just finished rereading two by Tim Parks - Italian Neighbors and An Italian Education. Parks is a Brit. living and working in Italy, outside Verona, and writes about daily Italian life.

Kinda twaddle.

 

I am also waiting for Breaking Dawn (whenever my dd lets me have a turn with it - she will be buying it at midnight!).

[nukeswife]

 

Confession time: I love the Jane Austen movies, but I can't get through the books. YAWN.

 

:leaving:

 

 

I feel the same way. I bought P&P and S&S and can't even get through the first few chapters without saying to myself "I can't read this"

 

I'm currently reading Watership Down because of the thread here a while ago. I, like another poster to that thread, always thought it was about some boat so never read it. I'm not very far into it, but I'm also reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets for the 4th time. I'm trying to get through to the end of HP and the Half Blood Prince before the movie comes out in Nov.

 

I recently finished reading Marley and Me for the second time because I needed a book that would give me a good laugh and a good cry, this book does both.

 

Do I consider any of these books twaddle, nope, because I think twaddle is different to every person, to me I don't really see anything as twaddle because it's all getting me or my kids to read instead of spending all our time with video games and tv!

[Michelle T]

by Jeffrey Brantley. Highly recommended by the psychologist I'm seeing for anxiety. Not exactly twaddle, but I don't read a lot of fiction.

 

Alas, I cannot say that I'm reading Heaving Bosoms of Lust, although I wish I was! LOL!

 

Oh, and I'm also reading the current issue of Birds & Blooms magazine.

Michelle T

[Michelle T]

LOL Chick lit is twaddle to me too. Some chick lit I just can't tolerate, like the Shopaholic series, they are appalling!! But I read plenty of other chick lit.

 

At the moment I just can't do the heavy stuff, I haven't read anything highbrow for months. I'm working my way through everything Georgette Heyer has ever written. I love her books and I don't care how twaddly they are. At the end of a long day when I curl up in bed with a book, I want to be entertained so that I can ponder pleasant stories as I go to sleep.

 

If I can't get a new GH out of the library I generally re-read one of my favourite authors, John Irving, Mary Wesley and Jane Austen. I suppose JA is highbrow, but she's dayum funny too.

 

But the book Can You Keep A Secret? by Sophie Kinsella was very enjoyable. I actually LOL'ed several times while reading.

Michelle t

[cathmom]

I will very proudly admit to reading Harlequin Romances - mostly the series Harlequin Presents. I have been reading them since I was 12 and many times I have defended them to people. Not only do I read them, but I have a collection of my favorite authors. I have learned a lot of vocabulary and geography from them. One of the best Christmas presents I ever received was a road atlas of the British Isles so I could look up where the romances I read take place! When I was a teenager, romances were the ONLY place that I got the message of "waiting for marriage." Most of the romances I read support my values of marriage and family.

[nmoira]

I don't read much twaddle because I as a rule I can't. It drives me crazy; however, I don't define any book I enjoy as twaddle. Call it a self-serving definition if you like... I don't care.

 

My favourite lighter reading from the past few years is Kage Baker, especially her Company series (starts with In the Garden of Iden). I recommend her books to anyone who will listen (I loved Vanity Fair, but have recommended it to exactly zero people), and I even maintain a complete lending library of her works. Brother Cadfael is good light reading as well. There's enough historical detail and good characterization that I can get past its formulaic nature. And I love Wodehouse. And Connie Willis, Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett... the list goes on.

[RoughCollie]

I recently finished reading Stranger in Paradise (Robert B. Parker) and Fearless Fourteen (Janet Evanovich), Bungalow 2 (Danielle Steel) and 3 books by Lilian Harry (Corner House Girls).

 

I'm in the middle of reading Key Lime Pie Murder (Joanna Fluke), The Fourth Protocol (Frederick Forsyth), and From Dead to Worse (Charlaine Harris). I'm also reading Leeway Cottage (Beth Gutcheon), but I probably won't finish it because I'm not enjoying it very much, although I liked many books she has written.

 

Still in my stack: Dead Time (Stephen White), Compulsion (Jonathan Kellerman), 7th Heaven (James Patterson),The Secret Between Us (Barbara Delinsky), Dies the Fire (S. M. Stirling) and Nothing but the Truth (John Lescroart).

 

If these are twaddle, then I really, really enjoy reading twaddle. I read very fast, so I can get through one of these books in about 2 hours. I highly recommend all of them except Leeway Cottage.

 

RC

[keptwoman]

But the book Can You Keep A Secret? by Sophie Kinsella was very enjoyable. I actually LOL'ed several times while reading.

Michelle t

Yes, funny thing is I read and enjoyed one of her other ones and that's why I picked up a shopoholic book. I think that the Shopoholic books just have that lack of respect for the environment due to the rampant consumerism that most irks me. Of course give me rampant consumerism set in the late 1700s with Georgette Heyer and I'm all a goggle :lol:

[laylamcb]

The most recent novel I read was The Game by Diana Wynne Jones, and my dd has been trying to get me to read The Penderwicks "because Mr. Penderwick speaks Latin." :)

 

We LOVE The Penderwicks here! :001_smile:

 

Now, I must say that Outlander, while perhaps not a classic, is IMHO a step above "Heaving Bosoms of Lust." There's time travel! History! Adventure! Kilts!

 

OK, so it's classic twaddlish chick lit. But it doesn't have any bodice ripping on the front cover! That's something, right?

 

I'm currently reading The Great Tradition, The Hobbit (which I'm plugging away at even though it's just not workin' for me...), The Dumbest Generation, Math Power, a travel guide to Poland, Latin Book One, and the current issues of Cooking Light and SHAPE. Really. Those are all truly what I'm reading right now. Usually when I need a mental break I reach for Wodehouse, Sayers, or Conan Doyle, in that order. But if and when I need a little romantic Highland time travel, so be it. ;)

[Mrs. Readsalot]

It is good summer twaddle. With all the working out I am doing it have been a nice distraction.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Well, I stay try to away from bosom heaving and trashy, but that doesn't mean everything I read is classic.

However, I do like to read things that don't make me feel like I've wasted my time.

 

I just finished Ender's Game which I found very disturbing and am trying to reconcile it with what I know/feel about humanity. Is life really a game which those in power are tryng to force us to play as though it is real? What if I don't want to play by the rules? What if I refuse to play at all? I haven't decided if I will read the rest of the series.

 

Right now I'm reading The End of Oil. It's more interesting than I thought it would be. Lots of history there.

[Snickerdoodle]

I'm not reading at all at the moment. How is that?

 

We are fixing to move and my nights are busy preparing for that.

 

I was trying to get my hands on A Thousand Splendid Suns before moving, but I'm not sure if the library here will have it in time...

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

I can't stomach most contemporary fiction for adults - I'm depressive enough on my own, thankyouverymuch

 

:iagree:

 

Thank YOU very much for saying exactly what I feel. That's also why I don't read Russian lit. any more. I hate feeling like life is so meaningless, so why don't I just kill myself and get it over with. :tongue_smilie:

[SFP]

I can't stomach most contemporary fiction for adults - I'm depressive enough on my own, thankyouverymuch

 

 

I may very well be misreading you here, Drew, but are you suggesting that classic works of literature are not as depressing to read as comtemporary works?

 

Edited to add: obviously cross-posted with Virginia Dawn. I was going to bring up Russian lit if Drew said classics weren't nearly as depressing as contemporary stuff.

[Lizzie in Ma]

I just re-read David Eddings Belgariad and Mallorean, sobbed my way through the Seeress Of Kell and now I am done with it for another 5 years or so. I miss them if I go too much longer than that.

 

I am now deciding whether to embark with my beloved Amelia Peabody to Egypt or to brave the depths with Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt. I am on vacation here!!

 

My dd 12 and I pick out or find books for her together. She is just as apt to pick up Indian Captive as she is the Sister's Grimm.

[3lilreds in NC]

I just finished another Janet Evanovich from the library (in about a day, LOL). And I checked out some more Thursday Next books and Tim LaHaye's Babylon Rising series.

 

I LOVE HARRY POTTER. So there. I have read them all multiple times - I re-read the series in preparation for each new book. I also have them on audio and dh ordered Book 7 for our upcoming trip so I'm trying to re-listen to them, although I just started yesterday and I doubt I will have time to get through all 6 before next Saturday.

 

Two of my favorite authors are Stephen Lawhead and Terry Brooks. Juliet Marillier is another one I like - although I've learned that I really like her Sevenwaters trilogy and the rest are just weird.

 

I am not a lover of "classic" literature. I find a lot of it boring. I tried very hard to read Anna Karenina, and thought it was a thoroughly terrible book. I understand the symbolism and all that stuff, but it was basically a book about shallow people making exceptionally poor choices. Even the ones who made better choices were irritating. When I read a book, I like to get into the story and live with the characters. When they are stupid, I can't enjoy the book.

 

I have also learned that I do much better with audiobooks. I could not slog my way through reading LOTR to save my life, but the audiobooks are fantastic! I love listening to them. I'm thinking I might be able to get through more books I "should" read that way.

[laylamcb]

Thursday Next books

 

Y'know, everything about these books told me I'd love them. I HATED the one and only one that I read. I was so shocked--they seemed so up my alley. I really wanted to love them. Seems like most of my novel reading over the past couple of years has been a vain attempt to find something I've loved as much as the books of Iain Pears, Susanna Clarke, and Arturo Perez-Reverte. I keep trying... :001_smile:

[Tree House Academy]

I am reading Year 4 of the Harry Potter Series right now. Before that, I read the Lord of the Rings Series and my dh read a Stephen King novel. :)

 

That said, I was an English major in college and I have read enough of the classics to last a lifetime. Honestly, I have no desire to read those now and it is mostly because I had to read so much in school. I didn't have time for "twaddle" which, in my opinion, just means books that are FUN to read. LOL And let me also say that if I was the kind to read a Harlequin novel, I would absolutely confess.

[clane]

I'm reading The Boleyn Inheritance, after finishing The Other Boleyn Girl. It's twaddle, but I'm enjoying them.

 

I went back and read The Queen's Fool as well. I started The Virgin's Lover, but a friend lent me her Stephanie Meyer books. She knew I would get sucked in and we are going to the release party tonight for Breaking Dawn. I am not dressing up though; as a 35 yr old mother of three, I know my limits, LOL.

[Amy in NH]

I am currently reading:

 

two local newspapers,

Time Magazine,

just finished Wuthering Heights,

just started A Thomas Jefferson Education,

selections from Garth Nix book of short stories (chosen by my son),

Artisan Breads in 5 Minutes (which I am hoping to bake today!),

and lots of research off the internet: Angora Goats, Merino Sheep, and what to do about Cucumber Beetles

[H.S. Burrow]

I just finished Nora Roberts' "Tribute" and Debbie Macomber's "Twenty Wishes." Nora is my mind candy. I didn't really enjoy "Twendy Wishes." The writing seemed choppy and the plot was predictable. I kept thinking, "I can write better than this!" and that's not saying much.

 

I don't enjoy "Heaving Breaths of Lust" types of books, but I do enjoy some light reading.

 

Nora Roberts is my favorite mind candy...just finished Tribute and have her next one on pre-order. Susan Mallery and Christine Feehan are also good mind candy. I'm currently reading Christine Feehan's Turbulent Sea.

I have also read the Harry Potter series 4 times. The Twilight series is next on my list - DD loves them and Breaking Dawn is due to arrive Monday.

Also due to arrive Monday is Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe.

[3lilreds in NC]

Y'know, everything about these books told me I'd love them. I HATED the one and only one that I read. I was so shocked--they seemed so up my alley. I really wanted to love them. Seems like most of my novel reading over the past couple of years has been a vain attempt to find something I've loved as much as the books of Iain Pears, Susanna Clarke, and Arturo Perez-Reverte. I keep trying... :001_smile:

 

You know, I loved the first one I read, so I checked out a couple more. However, I've had a hard time getting into the one I'm reading now and have read a couple other books in the meantime, LOL! I may just return the Thursday Next ones. I don't have time to read everything I checked out before we leave anyway. :D

[dangermom]

I just finished "Left to Tell," about the Rwandan genocide. Very sad, but also inspiring--the author has the same message as Corrie ten Boom.

 

I also have a big pile of mysteries right now, which are my brain candy. I requested every Margery Allingham book I couldn't remember reading from the library.

 

And my library finally bought the other volumes of the Tomorrow War series (they had 1 and 4 out of 7 :001_rolleyes:), so I'm reading #2 now. I don't know if it's twaddle--it's an Australian YA series and pretty good, IMO, though not Great Literature.

 

Oh, and I started this neat book called "King, Kaiser, Tsar" about the 3 royal cousins who ruled so much of the world before 1914, and how their personal relationships affected everything.

 

 

I've posted my theories about twaddle for children before. IMO light series reading is the grammar stage of reading for young kids. They like the security (no surprises, you know what you're going to get) and repetition while they hone their reading skills. So I've let my daughter read all the Pony Pals she wants to read--I just plain disagree about the value of twaddle. Soon enough she has moved on to other, more difficult books. She's currently enjoying Joan Aiken's Wolves Chronicles, which are about as un-twaddly as you can get and rather difficult, so I feel good about what we've done.

[Guest Katia]

It's summer so of course Janet Evanovich's new Stephanie Plum release is out and I am happily reading the twaddle.

 

I love what most people call 'twaddle' but when I read it, it is most definitely an enjoyable book, NOT twaddle.

[clwcain]

I honestly don't read anything I'd consider twaddle. I don't have the patience for it. I don't enjoy it. And I have too much good stuff to read.

 

So many books, so little time...*sigh*

[Janet in Toronto]

I just discovered Lionel Shriver and have simply **inhaled** "We Need to Talk about Kevin", "A Perfectly Good Family", and "The Post-Birthday <something or other>". I am reading them as fast as the library can get them to me. Her writing simply does me in....it's like I'm inhabiting a completely different family's life for a few days.

 

While I wait for more, I just finished the Barbara Walters autobiography "Audition" (fabulous!) and am now trying to get in to "I am Charlotte Simmons" by Tom Wolfe. I also have the first novel by Jesse Kellerman (son of Faye and Jonathon, both of whose books I have gobbled up in the past.) on my stack. It's called "Sunstroke". Today, I picked up a novel called "The Defilers" by Deborah Gyapong that was recently recommended by a Canadian Catholic blogger (have no idea who anymore!)

 

My main book issue these days is that whenever I read about a good book, I put a hold on it at the library and then have only 3 weeks to read it once I get to the top of the list and pick it up. This becomes a problem if I have 3 (or 5) other books, also with a deadline.