Book a Week in 2013 - week fifteen

[Jane in NC]

][/b]

 

This week I'm reading Love Life: for Every Married Couple, Hearts of Horses and The Swerve. My timer rang just as I lost my other reply, so sorry, no links and I can't go back and re-find the posts I wanted to reply specifically to.

 

 

Sending you a virtual cup of tea.

 

I read The Swerve a couple of weeks ago, giving it 3.5 stars out of 5. My husband is now reading it and is quite fascinated by the premise of the book.

 

The Swerve inspired me to open Lucretius. Open. That is about all I have done, I am afraid. I'll work my way through it--eventually. :blushing:

[aggieamy]

The Catholic Home: Celebrations and Traditions – Some good ideas. Easy to read. Not something for most people though … obviously.

 

Whom the Gods Love - Wow. Kate Ross can sure write. There's not a sentence in the book that doesn't move the story forward or add to the intrigue and then at the end she sums it all tidily up without one loose end left. Fantastic.

 

Warning – I’m going to start yelling and gesturing madly with my hands.

 

IF YOU LIKE MYSTERIES AND HAVEN’T READ THE JULIAN KESTREL BOOKS THEN GO RIGHT NOW TO THE LIBRARY AND GET THE FIRST ONE.

 

Whew. I feel better now. :)

 

In Progress:

 

The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (audiobook)

Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery (read aloud)

Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature –Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv

 

2013 finished books:

 

34. The Catholic Home: Celebrations and Traditions by Meredith Gould (***)

33. Whom the Gods Love by Kate Ross (*****)

32. The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino (***)

31. Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie (****)

30. A Broken Vessel by Kate Ross (****)

29. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (****)

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 (*****)

 

Amy's Rating System:

 

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

**** - Very good

*** - Enjoyable but nothing special

** - Not recommended

* - Horrible

[Just Robyn]

I've been trying to remember. It was awhile ago.

 

 

I have trouble remembering my sources, too. But if it magically pops in your head, I'm interested. :)

 

I finished reading 1984 last night. It was going along pretty well, and then I hit part 2 and had to read through pages and pages of the book with Winston. What a slog fest that was for me. I fell asleep several times over several days trying to read that. And then came part 3. I kept thinking, how is he going to get out of this/how is he going to be saved and the world put all back to rights again?? Yeah, well. That was a very scary read, and now I want to put electrical tape over my laptop's webcam so Big Brother can't watch me while I commit thoughtcrime here. *paranoid*!

 

I am looking forward to the read along of 1Q84. I have only gotten a few pages read, but it seems like it is going to be very interesting. Oh, does anyone else keep calling this book i-q 84? I can't stop calling it that, even though I know that is a 1 at the beginning. lol

 

 

I remember also being pretty bored with the section of 1984 in which you are reading the Book. And dh and I also want to say iq84 instead of 1q84.

[Robin M]

Whom the Gods Love - Wow. Kate Ross can sure write. There's not a sentence in the book that doesn't move the story forward or add to the intrigue and then at the end she sums it all tidily up without one loose end left. Fantastic.

 

Warning – I’m going to start yelling and gesturing madly with my hands.

 

IF YOU LIKE MYSTERIES AND HAVEN’T READ THE JULIAN KESTREL BOOKS THEN GO RIGHT NOW TO THE LIBRARY AND GET THE FIRST ONE.

 

Whew. I feel better now. :)

 

 

Yes ma'am. Actually checked out an excerpt on b&n and the first one Cut to the Quick looks interesting.

[Jane in NC]

Whom the Gods Love - Wow. Kate Ross can sure write. There's not a sentence in the book that doesn't move the story forward or add to the intrigue and then at the end she sums it all tidily up without one loose end left. Fantastic.

 

Warning – I’m going to start yelling and gesturing madly with my hands.

 

IF YOU LIKE MYSTERIES AND HAVEN’T READ THE JULIAN KESTREL BOOKS THEN GO RIGHT NOW TO THE LIBRARY AND GET THE FIRST ONE.

 

Whew. I feel better now. :)

Marching orders received. I see that one of her novels is available at my library.

 

I just finished my second five star ( :001_tt1: :001_tt1: :001_tt1: :001_tt1: :001_tt1: ) book of the year, Dorothy Dunnett's Niccolo Rising. Dunnett is best known for her six volume Lymond series and her eight volume House of Niccolo series. These are magnificent works of historic fiction encompassing complex non-fictional backgrounds. Lymond is one of the most charismatic fictional characters ever created. The Niccolo books were written after the Lymond series but are set in time before the Lymond books. The two series share certain historical families (Medici, Strozzi) and a scope covering 15th and 16th century politics, religion, business and captivating characters.

 

I have read the Lymond books but only one of the Niccolo's. A decade has passed since reading Niccolo Rising. I am so glad that I chose to reread this before moving forward with the other volumes which I intend to finish by the end of the year. Wow--the last 200 pages are such a page turner! Fabulous book!

 

Next up? Several non-fiction books are on my table but I really need a novel as well. I was thinking of grabbing a short Susan Howatch off the dusty stack. It is one of her early Gothic works which I know won't be as satisfying as her later chunksters, but Howatch is still a fine writer.

[BigMamaBird]

I was going to try reading Heart of Darkness and then Things Fall Apart but the inter library sent me a collection of essays written celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the publication of Things fall Apart rather than the actual novel so that's a bummer. I picked up an Agatha Christie book just some fun reading, I love some Ms. Christie!

 

1 - All the King's Men – Robert Penn Warren

2 - A Stranger in a Strange Land – Robert Heinlein

3 - A Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood

4 - Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger

5 - Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury

6 - The Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck

7 – Murder on the Orient Express – Agatha Christie

8 – The Illustrated Man – Ray Bradbury

9 – The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald

10 – The Hiding Place – Corrie Ten Boom

11 – The Square Foot Garden – Mel Bartholomew

12 - Catch-22- Joseph Heller

13 - Heart of Darkness- Joseph Conrad

14 - Partners in Crime - Agatha Christie

[JennW in SoCal]

This week I'm reading Love Life: for Every Married Couple, Hearts of Horses and The Swerve.

 

I read this as being a long title of a single book. I thought, hmmm, what an interesting title with horse hearts and a swerve -- is it a satirical look at marriage? It's close to dinner time -- misreading must be a sign of low blood sugar! :tongue_smilie:

 

Whom the Gods Love - Wow. Kate Ross can sure write. There's not a sentence in the book that doesn't move the story forward or add to the intrigue and then at the end she sums it all tidily up without one loose end left. Fantastic.

 

Warning – I’m going to start yelling and gesturing madly with my hands.

 

IF YOU LIKE MYSTERIES AND HAVEN’T READ THE JULIAN KESTREL BOOKS THEN GO RIGHT NOW TO THE LIBRARY AND GET THE FIRST ONE.

 

and

 

I just finished my second five star ( :001_tt1: :001_tt1: :001_tt1: :001_tt1: :001_tt1: ) book of the year, Dorothy Dunnett's Niccolo Rising.

 

I clearly blew it this afternoon by heading to the library before checking in with the thread today. Both of these look like the kind of reading I'm in the mood for! Adding them to my list for next time.

[Shawneinfl]

We read that for my ladies book club last year and all loved it. Kate Morton was in town and we got to meet her and get our books signed.

 

 

I've been looking for an amazing book - thanks for the suggestion.

[Mom-ninja.]

I cried and cried when I read The Book Thief. My friend, a guy, admitted to crying like a baby when I told him to read it.

[mumto2]

 

I ordered the first one. None of my libraries have it. :( Have you read Sebastian St.Cyr books by C.S. Harris? These sound simular. I read the first in that series a couple of weeks ago. Really enjoyed it.

 

 

 

Whom the Gods Love - Wow. Kate Ross can sure write. There's not a sentence in the book that doesn't move the story forward or add to the intrigue and then at the end she sums it all tidily up without one loose end left. Fantastic.

 

Warning – I’m going to start yelling and gesturing madly with my hands.

 

IF YOU LIKE MYSTERIES AND HAVEN’T READ THE JULIAN KESTREL BOOKS THEN GO RIGHT NOW TO THE LIBRARY AND GET THE FIRST ONE.

 

Whew. I feel better now. :)

 

In Progress:

 

The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (audiobook)

Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery (read aloud)

Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature –Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv

 

2013 finished books:

 

34. The Catholic Home: Celebrations and Traditions by Meredith Gould (***)

33. Whom the Gods Love by Kate Ross (*****)

32. The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino (***)

31. Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie (****)

30. A Broken Vessel by Kate Ross (****)

29. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (****)

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 (*****)

 

Amy's Rating System:

 

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

**** - Very good

*** - Enjoyable but nothing special

** - Not recommended

* - Horrible

 

[mumto2]

I already cheated on 1q84. One of my e library books was going to disappear today so I read it.

 

62) The Geek Girl and the Scandalous Earl by Gina Lamm

 

Time travel light romance. Fun quick read but the main character spoke in 4 letter words. All that swearing was not attractive and very unnecessary!

[Tullia]

I've finished The Brontës: Wild Genius on the Moors. The author's evaluation of Elizabeth Gaskell's biography of Charlotte seems to be the unifying principle. While I won't go so far as to say the family biography debunks everything we thought we knew about the family, this review from the L.A. Times does give a nice overview. I've rounded out my e-reader collection of the sisters' works via Project Gutenberg, but wouldn't you know it...one of today's Kindle deals is Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon! :unsure:

[Hoot]

Today I finished St. Lucy's School for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell. I have no recollection of requesting it from the library, but it came and I decided to read it anyway. It was definitely not my cup of tea. While open-ended stories can be intriguing at times, I'm not the biggest fan and a whole book of them was tedious and frustrating. Not only that, I didn't feel like any of the characters really had a personal voice.

 

Next up, Russian Tortoises in Captivity by Jerry D. Fife.

 

 

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

17. Iguanas for Dummies by Melissa Kaplan

18. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

19. Zoo by James Patterson

20. St. Lucy's School for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell

[aggieamy]

I ordered the first one. None of my libraries have it. :( Have you read Sebastian St.Cyr books by C.S. Harris? These sound simular. I read the first in that series a couple of weeks ago. Really enjoyed it.

 

I have not. I'll add him to my to-read list STAT. Thank you.

[Robin M]

Intriguing bit of news: Chilean poet Neruda's Body exhumed in Murder Probe

 

Something fun: Cornelia Funke Partners with Mirada to create MirrorWorld App

 

And Great Gatsby narrated by Jake Gyllenhaal

[Hoot]

Finished Russian Tortoises in Captivity by Jerry D. Fife. Good book, though not as long or detailed as I would have liked.

 

Next up, 8th Confession by James Patterson.

 

 

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

17. Iguanas for Dummies by Melissa Kaplan

18. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

19. Zoo by James Patterson

20. St. Lucy's School for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell

21. Russian Tortoises in Captivity by Jerry D. Fife

[Kareni]

I read a couple of books during the time I could not access the boards.

 

The Chocolate Thief by Laura Florand

 

 

"I adored this story of an heir to an American chocolate empire...who sets off for Paris determined to lure a French chocolatier into teaching her the secrets of artisan chocolate. Nothing will stop her! I loved this story: Paris, chocolate, and romance, all in one hilarious package." Eloisa James, The Barnes & Noble Review

 

What she said!

 

Next of Kin (Rebel Ridge Novels) by Sharon Sala

 

"Beth Venable has seen too much. Witness to a major mob hit, she's placed in protective custody until the trial. But after her third safe house is riddled with bullets, she goes off-grid to save herself. What the FBI can't do, her kinfolk will.

 

The beautiful but forbidding Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky welcome Beth back, dirt roads and rustic shacks a world apart from L.A. But her homecoming—even her blissful reunion with strong, silent Ryal Walker—is made bittersweet by the fight she's brought to the clan's doorstep. Hidden in a remote cabin with the man she's always wanted, Beth begins to dream of a new life: her old one. But after so long, with such dangers stalking her…impossible.

 

But love can distill life down to its essence: an elixir of pure hope, nerve—and the will to survive."

 

I'd previously read and enjoyed the second in this series. I enjoyed this romantic suspense novel, too.

 

I read about half of Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality by Jacob Tomsky before putting it aside. I was raised in the hotel industry and was hoping for something other than what this book offered.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

I just came across an essay by Jo Walton that other readers might enjoy. The comments are meaty, too.

 

Fantasy, Reading, and Escapism by Jo Walton

 

Regards,

Kareni

[MelAR05]

Last week I read The Handmaid's Tale and up to Part II of 1984. Not sure it was the best to read both of those in the same week. Everything is beginning to look like a conspiracy! :) This week I am reading 1Q84.

 

In Process:

 

The Pilgrim’s Progress

1984

 

 

Completed:

 

15.) The Handmaid’s Tale

14.) How to Eat a Cupcake

13.) Rome Sweet Rome

12.) Don Quixote

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.]

Kareni, The Chocolate Thief looks fun. I put it on my list.

[JennW in SoCal]

I too got lots of reading done yesterday, partly because of the boards being down, but mostly because the weather was gorgeous and I didn't want to leave my spot in the back yard. And I had another DCI Banks mystery in my hands!

 

I finished my Victorian Chunkster, Dickens' Our Mutual Friend. Victorian Chunksters is a subset of chunkster category, but this one is actually not so different from modern fantasy chunksters. There was a huge cast of characters, and the chapters would alternate between their different stories much the way George RR Martin does in his Song of Ice and Fire series. At the outset it seemed none of the characters was at all related, but as the novel progressed their relationships became more intertwined. Unlike some of these modern epic fantasies, Our Mutual Friend wraps up after 900 pages (ish? I have an e-book version) so I don't have to wade through more chunksters to get some resolution -- or wait for the author to hurry up and write the next book.

 

Anyway, I love this book. I love the social commentary on greed and on the empty morality of certain social circles that still rings true today. I love the characters, really the exaggerated caricatures that he uses to slyly illustrate his commentary. I love the more real characters and was moved by one of plight of one of the women -- I was outraged at how helpless women used to be, how they were used by the men in their families. And as always, the names of the characters defined them so perfectly -- Veneering, for instance is a very shallow character. It is a very rich and satisfying read. I started on the audio but just past the half way point switched to print so I could get through it faster. The narrator on the audio book is so wonderful that I know this will be something I listen to again and again.

 

I've also finished:

 

Evening in the Palace of Reason -- thanks to all who recommended it!

Indivisible by Four -- excellent memoir by the first violinist of the Guarneri Quartet

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray -- because I needed some fluff. It was a quick and fluffy read, but I won't search for the sequels.

Close to Home by Peter Robinson

[Stacia]

I just finished (#14 for me) The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. And I'm totally kicking myself for waiting so long to read it. A truly wonderful book.

 

 

This has long been on my to-read list.

 

I'm sure it will be insightful and humorous, but I'm shying away from it for fear of being too easily grossed out!

 

 

I agree (re: Mary Roach's new book). Jane in NC, I will wait for your review; please be sure to rate the grossness level as part of your review. ;) :tongue_smilie:

 

That was a very scary read, and now I want to put electrical tape over my laptop's webcam so Big Brother can't watch me while I commit thoughtcrime here. *paranoid*!

 

 

I really want to re-read this. I originally meant to do so before starting 1Q84, but obviously that didn't happen.

 

Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages by Guy Deutscher: Someone on the boards recommended this, perhaps a year or two ago, and I've been wanting to read it ever since. It is fascinating, and doesn't go handwaving beyond solid data. I want to drop everything else and study language acquisition, or, perhaps, cultural anthropology... or perhaps just vision...

 

 

Thanks for the review. This has been on my to-read list for a couple of years now. Sounds like I really need to get around to reading it!

 

I doing a read-a-long for Murakami's Wind up Bird Chronicle. I'm almost done part or book 1 of the novel. I love his writing. This book is fasinating. The protagonist is so full of himself, but still, I'm loving the book.

 

 

Haven't read this one of his. However, for my next book club meeting, I'm getting to select the book that will be read & I'm thinking of using this one.

 

Or, anyone, if you have any cool suggestions for me, please let me know. My book club often tends to stick w/ classics or historical fiction & I want to push everyone out of those boundaries, so let me know if you think of anything that would be a great book club read.

 

Haven't had much reading time this week. I am about 170 pages in to 1Q84; really enjoying it so far. Plus, I've still got the Pink Carnation book on the back burner -- need to finish that one.... Also, I picked up Secret Societies: Inside History's Most Mysterious Organizations when we visited the National Cathedral earlier this week. I'm about halfway through that one.

[Stacia]

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - I know that most people have read this already, so won't go into it too much. I was just amazed, though, at how fresh and creative this book was to me. I enjoyed it very much.

 

 

:thumbup1:

 

For 2011's 52 in 52, I read Charles C. Mann's 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus, all about how things were in the Americas before the arrival of the Europeans. It was pretty dense material, but I loved it. This year I am reading the follow-up, 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created. From the book jacket:

 

 

I have 1491 sitting on my shelf to read. 1493 also sounds interesting....

 

Just finished The Book Thief and just bawled. :crying:

 

 

I remember just bawling for about the last 30 minutes of the book when I was reading it.

 

Intriguing bit of news: Chilean poet Neruda's Body exhumed in Murder Probe

 

 

Interesting. I will be curious to see the results of the testing. If anyone happens to see a mention of this in the future (it says it will take months for the results), please post here.

 

I finished my Victorian Chunkster, Dickens' Our Mutual Friend. Victorian Chunksters is a subset of chunkster category, but this one is actually not so different from modern fantasy chunksters. There was a huge cast of characters, and the chapters would alternate between their different stories much the way George RR Martin does in his Song of Ice and Fire series. At the outset it seemed none of the characters was at all related, but as the novel progressed their relationships became more intertwined. Unlike some of these modern epic fantasies, Our Mutual Friend wraps up after 900 pages (ish? I have an e-book version) so I don't have to wade through more chunksters to get some resolution -- or wait for the author to hurry up and write the next book.

 

 

On a slightly related note... have you ever read The Quincunx? I've seen it recommended on Goodreads more than once & was wondering if anyone here has read it...???

[JennW in SoCal]

On a slightly related note... have you ever read The Quincunx? I've seen it recommended on Goodreads more than once & was wondering if anyone here has read it...???

 

 

Wow -- that looks really intriguing and it is sitting on the shelves at 2 nearby libraries, just waiting for me to check it out. I'm not ready to get sucked into another 700+ page book, yet. It does sound like it is worth the investment of time...

[Heather in Neverland]

I finished Unbroken this week and I am still reeling from it. What an amazing story.

[Jane in NC]

On a slightly related note... have you ever read The Quincunx? I've seen it recommended on Goodreads more than once & was wondering if anyone here has read it...???

Dare I admit that this has been in my dusty bedside books for years? The friend who gave it to me loved it.

 

Alrighty now. Maybe I need my fellow readers to tell me to get off the Internet and do more reading!!!

[Stacia]

.

[zillymom]

Recently finished an ARC of a middle grade book called Twerp.

I'm halfway through 1Q84 (got a head start on it last month) and am also reading The Longing (fictional stories about immigrants looking for freedom and opportunity in America in the early 1900's).

[VeganCupcake]

I gave up on The Cost of Discipleship. Maybe I will pick it up another time. I just couldn't get into it.

 

On the go: 1Q84 and I am really enjoying it.

Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes, on audio book. I just started--I love books about food and nutrition. :coolgleamA:

[Stacia]

Finished Secret Societies tonight (mainly so my sis can read it/take it with her). It was mediocre at best. It's a very, very condensed version of various 'secret' societies w/ special emphasis on groups covered in various Dan Brown books. I enjoyed seeing some of the photos, but it was more of magazine-blurb type writing rather than anything in-depth. (Guess I should have suspected that w/ it being a Time publication, huh?) Most groups were ones I already knew at least a little about, so this book provided very little new info for me. Coverage of the groups was also quite uneven; some groups had pages while others had half a page or less. I really couldn't discern what or why some groups were included while others were not. Some of the writing was fairly impartial, while other parts had personal comments interjected by the writers. It might be ok if you're looking for a very broad listing of groups like this as a starting point which would lead you to more research; unfortunately, there is no bibliography. Overall, though, it's very uneven and too general to be of great interest, imo.

[Lady Florida.]

Last week I read The Handmaid's Tale and up to Part II of 1984. Not sure it was the best to read both of those in the same week. Everything is beginning to look like a conspiracy! :)

 

Yes. reading both of those at once is a sure way to become paranoid. :lol:

 

This week I am reading 1Q84.

 

 

 

Okay people, is anyone else having trouble getting into 1Q84? I'm trying, and I haven't given up yet, but so far it hasn't grabbed me.

[Violet Crown]

Finished (right before the board attack) -

 

7. Christopher Isherwood, Mr Norris Changes Trains.

A 1935 novel about two Englishmen getting by among the politics, intrigue, and decadence of pre-Hitler Berlin.

 

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

 

Poor Arthur! I have seldom known anybody with such weak nerves. At times, I began to believe he must be suffering from a mild form of persecution mania. I can see him now as he used to sit waiting for me in the most secluded corner of our favorite restaurant, bored, abstracted, uneasy; his hands folded with studied nonchalance in his lap, his head held at an awkward angle, as though he expected, at any moment, to be startled by a very loud bang. I can hear him at the telephone, speaking cautiously, as close as possible to the mouthpiece and barely raising his voice above a whisper.

'Hullo. Yes, it's me. So you've seen that party? Good. Now when can we meet? Let's say at the usual time, at the house of the person who is interested. And please ask that other one to be there, too. No, no. Herr D. It's particularly important. Good-bye.'

I laughed. 'One would think, to hear you, that you were an arch-conspirator.'

'A very arch conspirator,' Arthur giggled.

 

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

 

I got started on vol.2 of Newman, but was challenged by Great Girl to read Stevenson's Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (when she discovered I only knew the plot from the Bugs Bunny parody), and by dh to read Plato's Republic, because he just feels I ought. So those may get in first. At any rate, I've poked my nose back into the 20th century and am done for now.

 

Was there a post at some point listing the various challenges? I've lost track.

[mlbuchina]

 

Okay people, is anyone else having trouble getting into 1Q84? I'm trying, and I haven't given up yet, but so far it hasn't grabbed me.

 

You are not alone. I just keep thinking, "What do these tangents have to do with the story? Can I get an editor around here?" I've made it to page 98, but I keep finding other things to do besides read. Like the dishes.

[Angel]

A new thrift store opened up near our house last month. Dd and I wandered in and were blown away by the rows and rows of books!! We've popped in twice for short amount of times and still haven't made it through them all. I've already come home with Pride & Prescience and Austenland and The Sugar Queen all look brand new! Also a Patricia Wrede fairy tale book (we loved her Enchanted Forest Chronicles so here's hoping she good in other areas as well). The first time I found another Horrible Histories book for dd on the Kings and Queens! They even have a small vintage section with The Bobbsey Twins books! :001_tt1:

 

I'm still reading book 5 of The Wheel of Time. Dd is getting ready to read From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler so I make take a day to read that and refresh my memory. Somebody here mentioned The Westing Game and dd just finished it. She loved it! So glad I pay attention to what everyone is reading.

[Stacia]

You are not alone. I just keep thinking, "What do these tangents have to do with the story? Can I get an editor around here?" I've made it to page 98, but I keep finding other things to do besides read. Like the dishes.

 

 

I saw that someone on Goodreads said that it is better to read 1Q84 if you are already a Murakami fan and have already read at least a few of his other books. Don't know if that is true or not.... (Fyi, I have read 2 of his books and am enjoying this one. I'm about 200 pages in and am seeing the tangents getting woven closer together.)

[mlbuchina]

 

 

I saw that someone on Goodreads said that it is better to read 1Q84 if you are already a Murakami fan and have already read at least a few of his other books. Don't know if that is true or not.... (Fyi, I have read 2 of his books and am enjoying this one. I'm about 200 pages in and am seeing the tangents getting woven closer together.)

 

 

I was wondering if this was just his style, or if they have a point. Hearing they start to come together gives me a little hope. :)

[Mystie]

I hope it's not too late to hop in. I wanted to join from the beginning, and have been reading, but have been pretty inconsistent with the amount and with keeping up with groups right now, since I have a baby who isn't sleeping great. And there's that whole homeschooling thing getting in the way of my reading time. :)

 

I read Switch in January, after the recommendation on the big gtd thread last year. I just posted a review of it: Switch: How to Change When Change is Hard

 

Right now I'm reading too many books at once:

 

Experiment in Criticism, C.S. Lewis

Every Good Endeavor, Tim Keller

History of the Ancient World, SWB

Lectures on Calvinism, Kuyper

Getting Results the Agile Way, J.D. Meier

 

and I'm trying to decide on my next education/homeschool read to prep myself for next year....

 

I've read 11 books so far in 2013.

[mumto2]

 

 

I was wondering if this was just his style, or if they have a point. Hearing they start to come together gives me a little hope. :)

 

 

I am around page 200 also and I think it might be starting to come together a bit. I am happily reading now but finding it rather slow going. I have had to google names to keep a couple straight.

[Lady Florida.]

I saw that someone on Goodreads said that it is better to read 1Q84 if you are already a Murakami fan and have already read at least a few of his other books. Don't know if that is true or not.... (Fyi, I have read 2 of his books and am enjoying this one. I'm about 200 pages in and am seeing the tangents getting woven closer together.)

 

 

I think I read those reviews, or maybe some similar ones on Amazon. I've never heard of Murakami before, so I didn't know if this was his usual style. I'm also not crazy about magical realism (this book qualifies, right?) so I hope that doesn't affect my opinion of the story.

 

Hearing they start to come together gives me a little hope.

 

 

I'm about as far into it as you are, and after reading Stacia's post I have hope too. As I said, I'm not giving up. Maybe it will get better soon. (if there was a fingers crossed smilie I'd insert it here)

[Robin M]

Finally dove into 1Q84 - Characters are intriguing, just a bit strange. Totally got the giggles as read Aomame's thoughts about the guy

 

 

"Look mister, I don't care what you think, you are bald. If the census had a 'bald' category, you'd be in it. If you go to heaven, you're going to bald heaven. If you go to hell, you're going to bald hell. Have you got that straight? Then stop looking away from the truth. Let's go now. I'm taking you straight to bald heaven, nonstop" pg 61

 

 

 

 

 

In regards to comments about two different story lines - I'm so used to reading books with several different story lines going on (Grisham, Clancy, Martin for example) so it didn't strike me as odd. They will merge at some point. Just let the story unfold without expectation and let the writer draw you in and surprise you.

 

I'm enjoying it so far.

[Robin M]

I hope it's not too late to hop in. I wanted to join from the beginning, and have been reading, but have been pretty inconsistent with the amount and with keeping up with groups right now, since I have a baby who isn't sleeping great. And there's that whole homeschooling thing getting in the way of my reading time. :)

 

I read Switch in January, after the recommendation on the big gtd thread last year. I just posted a review of it: Switch: How to Change When Change is Hard

 

Right now I'm reading too many books at once:

 

Experiment in Criticism, C.S. Lewis

Every Good Endeavor, Tim Keller

History of the Ancient World, SWB

Lectures on Calvinism, Kuyper

Getting Results the Agile Way, J.D. Meier

 

and I'm trying to decide on my next education/homeschool read to prep myself for next year....

 

I've read 11 books so far in 2013.

 

Hi Mystie. Welcome, glad you decided to jump in.

[VeganCupcake]

I am 27% :lol: (thank you, Kindle) into 1Q84 and I am enjoying it, though the magical realism kind of hit me in the face last night and I'm still trying to recover. :)

 

I've only read one other Murakami, but it was nonfiction (What I Talk About When I Talk About Running).

[melmichigan]

Yesterday I finished the Kitty Norville series to date. How could Rick leave?!? (I don't feel bad saying that knowing the book preview for the next one mentions a new master of the city so I've known it was coming for two books now, but still.)

 

I'm finishing up the Ghost Ops book recommended a little bit ago before delving into 1Q84 for the weekend. I haven't read any other Murakami books so I'm hoping it will go well.

[ariasmommy]

I hope it's not too late to hop in. I wanted to join from the beginning, and have been reading, but have been pretty inconsistent with the amount and with keeping up with groups right now, since I have a baby who isn't sleeping great. And there's that whole homeschooling thing getting in the way of my reading time. :)

 

Good to see you here, Mystie. I sympatize very much with the baby not sleeping. 3 of my first 4 did not sleep through the night until they were a year or more. #5 is due in June and I'm already so tired... :(

 

Right now I'm reading too many books at once:

 

Me too! I just keep finding books that I want to read right NOW! :D

 

 

I finished Unbroken this week and I am still reeling from it. What an amazing story.

 

 

:iagree: I read this about six weeks ago, and it will definitely be in my top ten for the year.

I finished another very challenging, but very good book yesterday: The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield (thanks to ladydusk's and Mystie's positive reviews). And I finshed reading The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling to the kids today.

[Mystie]

 

I finished another very challenging, but very good book yesterday: The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield (thanks to ladydusk's and Mystie's positive reviews). And I finshed reading The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling to the kids today.

 

Hi! Yes, wasn't that an amazing book?? Lots to think about...

[Pawz4me]

I finished Unbroken this week and I am still reeling from it. What an amazing story.

 

 

That's been on my list for a long time. I really need to bump it up higher.

[ladydusk]

 

 

 

:iagree: I read this about six weeks ago, and it will definitely be in my top ten for the year.

I finished another very challenging, but very good book yesterday: The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield (thanks to ladydusk's and Mystie's positive reviews). And I finshed reading The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling to the kids today.

 

Oh! I didnt know you had picked up Butterfield! Such a good book. Glad you read and enjoyed it.

 

We enjoyed The Jungle Book. It's one we hope to revisit. I bought Unbroken for my dad. He loved it and gave it back to me ...I'm a little afraid of it. Too many books ATM too.

[zillymom]

I saw that someone on Goodreads said that it is better to read 1Q84 if you are already a Murakami fan and have already read at least a few of his other books. Don't know if that is true or not.... (Fyi, I have read 2 of his books and am enjoying this one. I'm about 200 pages in and am seeing the tangents getting woven closer together.)

 

 

I have said this to a few friends, actually. I'm a huge Murakami fan, but I agree that 1Q84 might not be the best one to start with if you've never read his work before. Unless you're really into surrealism and magical realism already. ;)

 

The short stories in the collection "The Elephant Vanishes" are a good starting point. It's my favorite collection (the story "TV People" is what got me hooked on his stuff). The novel "Norwegian Wood" too, although it's completely different (more of a coming-of-age story, and reflective of the feelings among young people in Japan just after the post-student movement).

[MelAR05]

I'm half way in to 1Q84 and heard Murakami had an obsession but enough with the bOOks and TeA already!

[mlbuchina]

I'm half way in to 1Q84 and heard Murakami had an obsession but enough with the bOOks and TeA already!

 

 

As I was reading more in it today, I realized one of the things I find so jarring about his style is the matter-of-fact way he has of talking about these things. It seems very clinical to me after having read countless romance novels. Every time it comes up, it is so shocking to my senses that it pulls me right out of the story. LOL

 

"Magical realism" keeps being used to describe this book. I've never heard the terms. Could someone give me more examples?