Robin M Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Good Morning, dolls! Today is the start of week 18 in our quest to read 52 books in 52 weeks. Welcome back to all our readers, to all those who are just joining in and to all who are following our progress. Mr. Linky is all set up on the 52 Books blog to link to your reviews. The link is below in my signature. 52 Books Blog - Bookish news: Jessica Soffer of Publisher Weekly's Ten Best Book Endings. No she doesn't give it away but leaves you with the urge to read the books. Speaking of endings, my favorite group murder mystery writers blog - Murderati - is coming to an end. The contributing authors, including old members who moved on, have spent the month of April reminiscing and saying goodbye. Be sure to drop by and wish them well on their future endeavors. Now I need to find a new favorite group blog. Authors who share their birthdays today: Lois Duncan Harper Lee Alistair MacLean Terry Pratchett Ian Rankin Violet Winspear Which reminds me that I have Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird in my stacks which *gasp* I've never read. Now would be a perfect time, don't you think? Which classic have you had in your stacks forever but just haven't gotten around to reading it yet? What are you reading this week? Link to week 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 28, 2013 Author Share Posted April 28, 2013 Still waiting for my replacement copy of 1Q84. In the meantime finished listening to the Patricia Briggs Mercedes Thompson series, then read her newest book Frost Burned. On a urban fantasy kick still and working on Larissa Ione's Lords of Deliverance Series which is a fantasy / romance about the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse. This week finished #2 Immortal Rider, War's story and currently reading # 3 Lethal Rider which is Death's story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-M- Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Hi, Robin! Hello B a Wers! Long time, no see. Here's what I've finished since I last posted: ■Henry VIII (William Shakespeare (1613); Folger ed. 2007. 352 pages. Drama.) With the Misses. Henry VIII will run April 30 through June 16 at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, so we had planned to read the play in April ever since CST's 2012/2013 season was announced. But we pushed it a wee bit ahead on our planner when we received an invitation to attend a rehearsal held earlier this month. (I know, right? Squeeeeee!) Before the rehearsal, we were treated to a discussion hosted by Bob Mason and Chris Plevin, during which we learned how the incomparable Barbara Gaines distilled from the play three key relationships, eschewing pageantry for intimacy; how her vision is being interpreted by the production team; and even how CST productions, including this one, are cast. We then headed to the main theater. The actors had only just that afternoon moved from their initial rehearsal space to the stage and were reworking the blocking in Katherine of Aragon's (Ora Jones) divorce trial scene. After rehearsal concluded, director Gaines indulged participants in a Q&A. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. (Related aside: This month, we also attended an open rehearsal of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra led by Ricardo Muti. The program included a piano concerto featuring Maurizio Pollini. I know, I know, right? Again, squeeeee!) ■The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald; 1925/1980. 182 pages. Fiction.) With the Misses, in anticipation of the film. This was a reread for me, and I found the prose even more beautiful this go-'round. p. 36 Yet high over the city our line of yellow windows must have contributed their share of human secrecy to the casual watcher in the darkening streets, and I was him too, looking up and wondering. I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life. p. 58 Jordan Baker instinctively avoided clever, shrewd men, and now I saw that this was because she felt safer on a plane where any divergence from a code would be thought impossible. She was incurably dishonest. p. 59 "Suppose you meet somebody just as careless as yourself?" "I hope I never will," she answered. "I hate careless people. That's why I like you." p. 81 A phrase began to beat in my ears with a heady sort of exc itement: "There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy, and the tired." p. 97 It had gone beyond her, beyond everything. He had thrown himself into it with a creative passion, adding to it all the time, decking it out with every bright feather that drifted his way. No amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man will sore up in his ghostly heart. p. 131 Angry as I was, as we all were, I was tempted to laugh whenever he opened his mouth. The transition from libertine to prig was so complete. p. 165 At first I was surprised and confused; then, as he lay in his house and didn't move or breathe or speak, hour upon hour, it grew upon me that I was responsible, because no one else was interested -- interested, I mean, with that intense personal interest to which every one has some vague right at the end. ■Attachments (Rainbow Rowell; 2011. 336 pages. Fiction.) Light, sweet, well-written. More here. ■Reconstructing Amelia (Kimberly McCreight; 2013. 400 pages. Fiction.) A bona fide page-turner. Smart and entertaining. EW's review can be found here. ■The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers (Margaret George; 1998. 960 pages. Fiction.) This probably counts as my "chunkster" this year. Phew. It was a little... plodding, but I enjoy the subject and so stuck with it. ■Picasso and Chicago: 100 Years, 100 Works (Stephanie D'Alessandro; 2013. 112 pages. Non-fiction.) In anticipation of our trip to see the exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago. Related entry here. Also, some "lightweight" reading on the artist: ∙ And Picasso Painted Guernica (Alain Serres; 2013. 52 pages. Juvenile non-fiction.) ∙ Pablo Picasso (Artists in Their Time) (Kate Scarborough; 2002. 46 pages. Juvenile non-fiction.) ∙ Picasso: Soul on Fire (Rick Jacobson; 2011. 32 pages. Non-fiction.) Complete list of books read in 2013: ■Henry VIII (William Shakespeare (1613); Folger ed. 2007. 352 pages. Drama.) ■The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald; 1925/1980. 182 pages. Fiction.) * ■Attachments (Rainbow Rowell; 2011. 336 pages. Fiction.) ■Reconstructing Amelia (Kimberly McCreight; 2013. 400 pages. Fiction.) ■The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers (Margaret George; 1998. 960 pages. Fiction.) ■Picasso and Chicago: 100 Years, 100 Works (Stephanie D'Alessandro; 2013. 112 pages. Non-fiction.) ■Measure for Measure (William Shakespeare (1603); Folger ed. 2005. 288 pages. Drama.) ■Wave (Sonali Deraniyagala; 2013. 240 pages. Memoir.) ■The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: A Memoir of Life in Death (Jean-Dominique Bauby; 1998. 131 pages. Autobiography.) ■The Undead: Organ Harvesting, the Ice-Water Test, Beating-Heart Cadavers (Dick Teresi; 2012. 368 pages. Non-fiction.) ■Human .4 (Mike A. Lancaster; 2011. 240 pages. YA fiction.) ■Warm Bodies (Isaac Marion; 2011. 256 pages. Fiction.) ■The Underwater Welder (Jeff Lemire; 2012. 224 pages. Graphic fiction.) ■After Visiting Friends: A Son's Story (Michael Hainey; 2013. 320 pages. Non-fiction.) ■Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (Philip K. Dick; 1968. 256 pages. Fiction.) * ■Accelerated (Bronwen Hruska; 2012. 288 pages. Fiction.) ■The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger; 1951. 288 pages. Fiction.) * ■Flowers for Algernon (Daniel Keyes; 1966. 324 pages. Fiction.) * ■Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (Jamie Ford; 2009. 301 pages. Fiction.) ■Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (Dai Sijie; 2002. 104 pages. Fiction.) ■Revival, Vol. 1 (Tim Seeley; 2012. 128 pages. Graphic fiction.) ■Saga, Vol. 1 (Brian K. Vaughan; 2012. 160 pages. Graphic fiction.) ■La Bohème: Black Dog Opera Library (2005. 144 pages. Libretto, history, and commentary.) ■The 13 Clocks (James Thurber (1950); 2008. 136 pages. Fiction.) ■Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness (Susannah Cahalan; 2012. 288 pages. Non-fiction.) ■Julius Caesar (William Shakespeare (1599); Folger ed. 2003. 288 pages. Drama.) * ■Don't Turn Around (Michelle Gagnon; 2012. 320 pages. Fiction.) ■Fatal Friends, Deadly Neighbors (Ann Rule; 2012. 544 pages. Non-fiction.) ■Daddy Love (Joyce Carol Oates; 2013. 240 pages. Fiction.) ■Life after Death (Damien Echols; 2012. 416 pages. Non-fiction.) * Denotes rereads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 So what happens when a guy born to hippie parents marries a girl born to country club Republicans--both of whom are rebelling against their family ethos? Add to it that the guy has studied journalism under Michael Pollan. The result is the book I am reading now: I am still in the section on birth and am fascinated by the historical look at midwifery. Good sense of humor. Last week Robin mentioned Madame Bovary. This is a reread for me--just a few chapters in at this point. Anyone else reading Flaubert? I am reading the Geoffrey Wall translation (Penguin). Also, I realized that I had better finish the basic Archaeology text that my son assigned to me about a year ago. Not there yet but a few more chapters have been read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 52 Books Blog - Bookish news: Jessica Soffer of Publisher Weekly's Ten Best Book Endings. No she doesn't give it away but leaves you with the urge to read the books. I enjoyed the piece above, Robin. In browsing the site, I found this other piece which others might like to read. How Becoming a Librarian Saved Me Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 This weekend I read and enjoyed Whiskey Beach by Nora Roberts which is a romantic suspense novel. There is a mystery component to the story, and I confess that I did not figure out who-done-it. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 I finished Murakami's 1Q84 this week. I rate it as my first 5-star read of 2013. I'm now working on The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas and Sacré Bleu by Christopher Moore. -------------------------- My Goodreads Page My PaperbackSwap Page Working on Robin's Dusty &/or Chunky Book Challenge. Working on Robin's Continental Challenge. Working on LostSurprise's Dewey Decimal Challenge. Complete Dewey Decimal Classification List here. My rating system: 5 = Love; 4 = Pretty awesome; 3 = Decently good; 2 = Ok; 1 = Don't bother (I shouldn't have any 1s on my list as I would ditch them before finishing)... 2013 Books Read: 01. Women of the Klondike by Frances Backhouse (3 stars). Challenges: Dusty; Continental – North America (Canada); Dewey Decimal – 900s. 02. Equator by Miguel Sousa Tavares (3 stars). Challenges: Dusty; Continental – Europe (Portugal) & Africa (São Tomé and PrÃncipe). 03. UFOs, JFK, & Elvis by Richard Belzer (2 stars). Challenge: Dewey Decimal – 000s. 04. The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett (4 stars). Challenge: Continental – North America (USA). 05. The Twelve Rooms of the Nile by Enid Shomer (3.5 stars). Challenge: Continental – Africa (Egypt). 06. The Hard Way by Lee Child (2 stars). 07. The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy (3 stars). 08. Daughters of Copper Woman by Anne Cameron (3.5 stars). Challenge: Continental – North America (Canada). 09. A High Wind in Jamaica by Richard Hughes (3.5 stars). 10. The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye by A.S. Byatt (4 stars). 11. Our Lady of Alice Bhatti by Mohammed Hanif (4 stars). Challenge: Continental – Asia (Pakistan). 12. Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr (4 stars). Challenge: Dewey Decimal – 600s. 13. The Stockholm Octavo by Karen Engelmann (4 stars). Challenge: Continental – Europe (Sweden). 14. A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif (4 stars). Challenge: Continental – Asia (Pakistan). 15. Speaking from Among the Bones by Alan Bradley (4 stars). 16. Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell (2.5 stars). Challenge: Dewey Decimal – 900s. 17. Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote (4 stars). Challenge: Continental – North America (USA). 18. Hopscotch by Julio Cortázar (3 stars). Challenges: Dusty & Chunky; Continental – South America (Argentina). 19. The Tenth Circle by Mempo Giardinelli (3 stars). Challenge: Continental – South America (Argentina). 20. Nick & Jake by Jonathan Richards and Tad Richards (3.5 stars). Challenge: Dusty. 21. A Funny Dirty Little War by Osvaldo Soriano (3 stars). Challenge: Continental – South America (Argentina). 22. Winter Quarters by Osvaldo Soriano (4 stars). Challenge: Continental – South America (Argentina). 23. The Fifty Year Sword by Mark Z. Danielewski (3.5 stars). 24. Wheat Belly by William Davis M.D. (2.5 stars). Challenge: Dewey Decimal – 600s. 25. Secret Societies by Kelly Knauer (2 stars). Challenge: Dewey Decimal – 300s. 26. The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig (2.5 stars). 27. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami (5 stars). Challenges: Dusty & Chunky; Continental – Asia (Japan). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Which reminds me that I have Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird in my stacks which *gasp* I've never read. Now would be a perfect time, don't you think? Which classic have you had in your stacks forever but just haven't gotten around to reading it yet? I've got Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man on my bookshelf glaring at me and One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest. I am half way through the third book of 1Q84 - so about 150 pages to go. I read another Victorian murder graphic non-fiction book - The Mystery of Mary Rogers - and this one was as good as the first. And today I finished Civil War Poetry and Prose by Walt Whitman - an interesting collection of poetry, diary entries and letters written about and around the time of the Civil War. Of note, he mentioned a pile of feet and hands outside the first hospital where he volunteered and he referred to people as his darlings and gossips. Books read this year: *dusty book 37. Civil War Poetry and Prose – Walt Whitman 36. The Mystery of Mary Rogers – Rick Geary 35. X’ed Out – Charles Burns 34. The Case of Madeleine Smith – Rick Geary 33. Plot and Structure – James Scott Bell 32. Robinson Crusoe – Daniel Defoe 31. Little Brother – Cory Doctorow 30. Hopscotch – Julio Cortázar 29. The Martian Chronicles - Ray Bradbury 28. The Summer of the Black Widows – Sherman Alexie 27. A Midsummer Night’s Dream – William Shakespeare 26. Herland – Charlotte Perkins Gilman 25. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Other Poems – Samuel Taylor Coleridge* 24. The Country of the Blind and Other Science-Fiction Stories – H. G. Wells 23. The Island of Dr. Moreau - H. G. Wells 22. Leaves of Grass (1855 edition) - Walt Whitman* 21. Poems and Poetics - Edgar Allen Poe 20. The Invisible Man - H. G. Wells 19. Young Goodman Brown and Other Short Stories - Nathaniel Hawthorn 18. Like Water for Chocolate - Laura Esquivel* 17. The Gold-Bug and Other Tales - Edgar Allan Poe 16. Poetics - Aristotle 15. Frankenstein - Mary Shelley 14. Etiquette and Espionage - Gail Carriger 13. Principia Discordia - Malaclypse the Younger* 12. The Power of Half - Kevin and Hannah Salwen 11. The Story of the Stone - Barry Hughart* 10. The Reading Promise - Alice Ozma 9. Factotum - Charles Bukowski* 8. Dracula - Bram Stoker* 7. Nine Princes in Amber - Roger Zelazny 6. The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin 5. Jennifer Government - Max Barry 4. Apocrypha - Catherynne M. Valente* 3. Funniest Verses of Ogden Nash* 2. The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood 1. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Oh Ye Jigs and Juleps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 And yesterday was Mary Wollstonecraft's birthday - writer of A Vindication of the Rights of Women, married to William Godwin, and Mary Shelley's mom! Almost done with Plato's Republic. For fiction reading, I'm on Balzac's The Unknown Masterpiece, published by NYRB with its companion story Gambara in a new translation. I've been very pleased with the NYRB republications, particularly their children's books. Speaking of which, Middle Girl read and loved The Bear's Famous Invasion of Sicily (though not the NYRB reprint but the one with the reader's companion by Lemony Snicket). This is not a book for every child (read the Amazon reviews first), and I wouldn't suggest it for the younger set. Snicket's reader's companion is a pitch-perfect parody of the wretched comprehension guides that turn so many good children's books into plodding exercises. Middle Girl was delighted by both Buzzati and Snicket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 52 Books Blog - Bookish news: Jessica Soffer of Publisher Weekly's Ten Best Book Endings. No she doesn't give it away but leaves you with the urge to read the books. ... Which classic have you had in your stacks forever but just haven't gotten around to reading it yet? Always fun to read links like that. Thanks, Robin. (I've read three of the books on her list, tried & quit one of the others.) Hmmm. There are plenty of classics I haven't read. â– The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald; 1925/1980. 182 pages. Fiction.) With the Misses, in anticipation of the film. This was a reread for me, and I found the prose even more beautiful this go-'round. I totally agree. Love the quotes you selected too. And today I finished Civil War Poetry and Prose by Walt Whitman I need to read Whitman. And yesterday was Mary Wollstonecraft's birthday - writer of A Vindication of the Rights of Women, married to William Godwin, and Mary Shelley's mom! Almost done with Plato's Republic. For fiction reading, I'm on Balzac's The Unknown Masterpiece, published by NYRB with its companion story Gambara in a new translation. I've been very pleased with the NYRB republications, particularly their children's books. I found it interesting to learn about Wollstonecraft back when I read Frankenstein the first time, along w/ a bio of Mary Shelley. I agree about NYRB books. They're lovely little editions. Haven't seen any of their children's books in person -- need to do that.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 I read Broken Glass Park and really loved it at first, but then it fizzled out - 2 Stars. MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars Fantastic - couldn't put it down 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay - nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish - waste of my money and time. Few books usually make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they're that bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglei Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Oh Ye Jigs and Juleps. I read this YEARS ago! Did you find it as funny as I remember it?! If I recall correctly, it was written by a very young girl and contained her thoughts on various aspects of her life and life in general, written in the honest fashion that only the innocent can get away with - and leave you rolling on the floor laughing with its sheer, unadulterated truth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murmer Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Finished: Charlie Bone and the Red King by Jenny Nimmo Currently Working On: Downstairs: Marriage and Family Relations by BYU Upstairs: Time Capsule by Lurlene McDaniel Kindle: Forgotten: Seventeen and Homeless by Melody Carlson IPhone: A Flower Blooms in Charlotte by Milam McGraw Propst Sweet Boy Read Aloud: The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh and the World of Christopher Robin by A. A. Milne Angel Girl Read Aloud: The Wind In The Willows WTM: Don Quixote IPad: The Purple Land by W. H. Hudson (South America) Total Finished in 2013: 40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlbuchina Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 Not a lot of reading again this week. Especially with dealing with a broke down vehicle for three days. :glare: We were able to finish On the Banks of Plum Creek, and have started listening to Pippi Longstocking while we wait for the next Little House book to become available from the library. I have been listening to Call of the Wild while doing house work. I remember reading it as a kid and loving it. That, and White Fang. I'm still reading at 1Q84. I'm in the middle of the book. I find myself wanting to know how it ends, but not wanting to wade through all those words to get there. Anybody know of an abridged edition I could read? LOL I picked up this absolutely silly book at the store today called Romeo and Juliet and Vampires. I want to see what the writer did to the play. "You are deluded, Romeo. Vampires do not have the capability to love. They are heartless."The Capulets and the Montagues have some deep and essential differences. Blood differences. Of course, the Capulets can escape their vampire fate, and the Montagues can try not to kill their undead enemies. But at the end of the day, their blood feud is unstoppable. So it's really quite a problem when Juliet, a vampire-to-be, and Romeo, the human who should be hunting her, fall desperately in love. What they don't realize is how deadly their love will turn out to be—or what it will mean for their afterlives. . . . This riotous twist on the ultimate tale of forbidden romance is simply to die for. The Round Up: 27. On the Banks of Plum Creek 26. Hiroshima 25. Farmer Boy 24. 1984 23. This Book is Full of Spiders 22. Little House on the Prairie 21. Evolutionism and Creationism 20. John Dies at the End 19. Much Ado About Nothing 18. Little House in the Big Woods 17. Hooked 16. Anne of the Island 15. Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen 14. Anne of Avonlea 13. Anne of Green Gables 12. The Invention of Hugo Cabret 11. The Swiss Family Robinson 10. Little Women 9. How We Get Fat 8. The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye 7. Outlander 6. The New Atkins for a New You 5. A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows 4. Liberty and Tyranny 3. Corelli's Mandolin 2. The Neverending Story 1. The Hobbit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tullia Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 Finished Shirley, Jane Eyre, and The Professor last week, and hope to start Wuthering Heights tomorrow. Meanwhile, Cryptonomicon is tempting me, but I want to finish with the Brontës before moving on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 I thought I posted last night and somehow ended up with a post about 1Q84 on the pet rats with fleas thread. I have no idea what kind of symbolism that is. Have no idea how it happened. Lol I enjoyed 1Q84 overall. While I found the ending to be far more satisfying then I ever expected it to be I would happily read number 4 if it should become a book. I also became a bit attached to Ushikawa and at some point would like to read some of the other Murakami books he appears in. Currently reading Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde for dd. She learned a whole bunch of new swear words during the first and she wants me to make sure there is nothing worse waiting for her in this one. Our family and friends just don't swear enough apparently, she didn't know several common ones. Definately a statement on home ed. ;) Plus we get to discuss them after. Also reading the first of the Black Knight series on my kindle. Thank you to everyone who has given it a good review here. Just a plain old good read is needed after 1Q84. Still processing! As to the classics that I haven't read......well the list is huge. I gave myself the challenge of 5 by CS Lewis this year, which will take care of the Screwtape Letters and the Perelandra Chronicles. Also trying to read along with the dc's lit courses which will add in things like the Counte of Monte Cristo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 I had a ball doing the Dewey Read A Thon Saturday with my girls and some friends. Voodoo Wave by Mark Kriedle, Babylon's Ark, The Incredible Wartime Rescue of the Baghdad Zoo. by Lawrence Anthony, I Suck at Girls, Justin Halpern and got half way through Fowl Weather, Bob Tarte and now I'm reading Clockwork Princess, Cassandra Clare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 I finished Seven Years in Tibet last week - it revived lots of good memories of the couple of weeks I spent there in 1986. I'm working on The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox for one of my book groups. So far it's okay - it reads like one of those novels where the author became really interested in a piece of history and wrote a novel to illustrate it. I need to get that done by Friday, then I can go back to An Honourable Man. I'm still reading The 100 year old Man Who Climbed Out of the window.... It's a feel-good novel - I don't think I'm the best audience for it. I need a bit of sharpness or wit or danger in my novels. Or just really absorbing writing. 1: Mr Briggs' Hat 2: Busman's Honeymoon (re-read) - Dorothy Sayers 3: Notwithstanding (re-read for book group) - Louis de Bernieres 4: Bad Pharma - Ben Goldacre 5: The Pages - Murray Bail 6: Great Tales From English History. 7: Unnatural Causes - PD James (re-read) 8: Behind the Scenes at the Museum - Kate Atkinson (re-read) 9: Jack Maggs - Peter Carey 10: Why - Everyday Answers to Scientific Questions - Joel Levy 11: Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh 12: Mad World: Evelyn Waugh and the Secrets of Brideshead - Paula Byrne 13: Evelina - Frances Burney 14: To The Lighthouse - Virginia Woolf 15: Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe 16: Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey - Carnarvon 17: Seven Years in Tibet - Heinrich Harrer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 I finished The Wind up Bird Chronicle last night. Loved it. Definitely a 5 star. The book was surreal, yet earth-bound at the same time, dealing with difficult topics in such a new way. I am getting used to books having so many loose ends, but there are a few I would have liked tied up. Ushikawa is in interesting character. I don't think you can have a quick summary of the ending of a Murakami book, especially 1Q84. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 I didn't read much this week. I usually read a while before falling asleep, but, thanks to allergies, I've just been worn out and can barely get a chapter in before I'm out. So I'm still reading The Secret Garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 I'm struggling with my audio book. I keep falling asleep and then having to back up and find my place again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 Currently reading Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde for dd. She learned a whole bunch of new swear words during the first and she wants me to make sure there is nothing worse waiting for her in this one. Our family and friends just don't swear enough apparently, she didn't know several common ones. Definately a statement on home ed. ;) Plus we get to discuss them after. Ah, I remember that stage where I knew more (at least in the swear word department) than my daughter. Just wait until she goes to college, then the shoe will be on the other foot! Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 I read A Body in Berkeley Square over the weekend. I'm picking up Don Quixote again. Still listening to The Three Musketeers, and Audible says I have half an hour left so I'm sure I'll finish it today. I started reading Othello, but didn't get far. I've read that plays should be read in one sitting if possible, but it just isn't possible. It will take me a few sittings to finish it. Which classic have you had in your stacks forever but just haven't gotten around to reading it yet? â– The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald; 1925/1980. 182 pages. Fiction.) With the Misses, in anticipation of the film. This was a reread for me, and I found the prose even more beautiful this go-'round. While The Great Gatsby isn't in my stack, it's one I've never read but have always wanted to try again. I've been thinking about it lately, especially when I see trailers for the film. I tried to read it many years ago and couldn't. I also couldn't get through the Robert Redford movie version. I'm still reading at 1Q84. I'm in the middle of the book. I find myself wanting to know how it ends, but not wanting to wade through all those words to get there. Anybody know of an abridged edition I could read? LOL That's exactly how I felt. I did finish it though, and wasn't sorry. I'm struggling with my audio book. I keep falling asleep and then having to back up and find my place again. This is why I can only listen to audio books in the car or while I'm doing something mindless like housework. If I try to just sit and listen, I either fall asleep or my mind wanders while the narrator's voice fades to the background. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 I thought I posted last night and somehow ended up with a post about 1Q84 on the pet rats with fleas thread. I have no idea what kind of symbolism that is. Have no idea how it happened. Lol I enjoyed 1Q84 overall. While I found the ending to be far more satisfying then I ever expected it to be I would happily read number 4 if it should become a book. I also became a bit attached to Ushikawa and at some point would like to read some of the other Murakami books he appears in. :lol: Somehow, it seems very Murakamiesque that your book post would have ended up in the pet rats thread. In case anyone hasn't finished 1Q84, you may want to skip reading my comments (spoilers ahead)... I've been pondering my thoughts about this book. And, ultimately, the word I keep coming back to in relation to this book is... basket. The construction of the story is woven like a basket. Murakami starts with various separate pieces, then starts weaving them together. As the story circles around & around, the weaving gets tighter, pulling all the pieces closer together while rotating again & again. (I realize that some have gotten bogged down in the repetition of the story, but I found it fascinating to watch his construction, to watch him carefully take one tiny design, include it somewhere else later, and continue sprinkling it through so that the final product produces a beautiful, cohesive design.) The finished product is an epic, yet simple story, well-constructed. It is an impressive work created by a master craftsman. A universal story that, like baskets that have been used in most societies from ancient times to present day, can appeal across cultural divides, across time divides. Functional, useful, and beautiful at the same time. Universal themes such as love, ethics, religion, reality, and many more are woven into the story -- topics that would have been as appropriate a thousand years ago as they are today to people both far & wide. A design that is recognizable across cultures, yet has unique components that showcase Murakami's style & heritage too. And even though this story is like a modern-day basket, it pays homage to the ones before it, referencing some of the great works produced by artists, authors, and others from past times. A reflection of both old & new (& perhaps what is yet to come?). And this book made me sure to look at the moon, more than once. And how can I not love a book that reminds me to be awed by the beauty of the moon? Our universal, shared moon... common to every person on the planet. This is the third Murakami work I've read & I'd definitely rate it as the most mainstream of the ones I've read, yet it's not necessarily the one I'd recommend starting with if you've never read Murakami. Perhaps you can get a deeper appreciation for his skill if you're already a fan of his work. Otherwise, it might be to easy to dismiss 1Q84 as simple or basic, when in reality it may look simple, but is really a masterpiece created by a world-class artist. Ironically, I was a bit surprised by the (happy) ending. Because, even though I saw the story being crafted through hundreds of pages, I was still unsure if Aomame & Tengo were heading toward happiness or not.... Did fate lead them there or was it their free-will? Once I saw where Aomame's & Tengo's stories ended in this book, I have to believe they will overcome any adversities they meet & enjoy a happy future together. They have already weathered the adverse, the strange, the mundane to get to the end, or beginning, of their story together. Time is a circle, watched over by the moon. And, yes, I will miss Ushikawa too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 Ohhhh. A Great Gatsby trailer that I hadn't seen yet.... So looking forward to this movie! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuQhprtLJ3k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zillymom Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 :lol: Somehow, it seems very Murakamiesque that your book post would have ended up in the pet rats thread. LOL!! I thought the same thing! I loved reading your thoughts on 1Q84. Well said! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 I have finished reading Dead Sea Cipher by Elizabeth Peters. It is a archaeology/spy/adventure book written in the 70's. I was surprised because it seems to coincide with some more modern stuff about questions in Bible literature and archaeology. I guess this stuff has been around for a while, I just wasn't aware of it. I also just read Rolling Stone by Patricia Wentworth, the first non- Miss Silver book by her that I have read. I recently found a whole collection of Patricia Wentworth books for 10 cents each at a library book sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinchick Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 I've sat out of this thread for the past couple of weeks due to vacation and then catching up with life. I thought I'd read a ton while we were away, but I was deluding myself. Keeping up with a toddler and satisfying DD's endless desire to go to the pool took all my time. Finished this Week Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - This was a great thriller. I kind of anticipated the twist, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story or writing at all. An interesting take on the dynamics of failed marriage and unfulfilled expectations, this is the tale of a wife gone missing and subsequent investigation of her husband as the prime suspect. While I found the ending to be a bit weak, I would still highly recommend this book . Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright (Read Aloud) - Another great read aloud from Ms. Enright. This is the sweet story of a young girl living on a Wisconsin farm who enjoys a number of different adventures over the course of a summer. Won the 1939 Newbery Medal. Enright's books make for great reading aloud: there are rich vocabulary, wholesome content, and likable characters, plus each chapter is generally a self-contained story that makes it easy to pick up where you left off if you skip a couple of days or take a break for poetry or whatever. The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs (Audio) - I know that many others on this thread have already read and discussed, so I won't say much. I thought it was interesting, and I enjoyed the exposure to some parts of the Bible that I wasn't familiar with, as well as to the traditions of some more conservative Jewish communities. Finished this Year 34. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn 33. Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright (Read Aloud) 32. The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs (Audio) 31. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (Audio) 30. Waiting: The True Confessions of a Waitress by Debra Ginsberg 29. The Good House by Ann Leary 28. The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid (audio; Continents Challenge: Asia) 27. A Spiderweb for Two by Elizabeth Enright (Read Aloud) 26. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain (Audio) 25. Wheat Belly by William Davis (gave up wheat 3/11/13; 8.5 pounds lost to date) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 I did the Readathon last Saturday and managed to finish The Magician King. That pretty much wiped me out for the weekend. This week I've started one of the books that Jenn mentioned in last week's thread, The Map That Changed the World (Simon Winchester). It has started off really well with a nice blend of human drama plus layman science (with only a few digs at religion ;)). On tap this week: Cat Among the Pigeons (Agatha Christie), two DCI Banks police procedural mysteries, and Fatal Vision. Fatal Vision was an impuse grab from the library shelf. For anyone who doesn't recognize the title, FV was a HUGE true crime book in the 80's that spawned a t.v. mini-series and got its author, Joe McGinniss, in a spot of bother when he was sued after its publication by the convicted killer. There's got to be a lesson in that somewhere. I'm starting my first DCI Banks novel today. I love mysteries and all the talk here made me want to know what it was all about. Ohhhh. A Great Gatsby trailer that I hadn't seen yet.... So looking forward to this movie! That looks awesome! And so right with the theme of the book. Finished - Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie. I listened to it as an audiobook and it isn’t one of her best stories. If you’re like me and love everything that she does then it should be read but if you aren’t an rabidly obsessed Agatha Christie fan then I suggest reading one of her masterpieces. If you’re looking for a suggestion please feel free to ask and I will spend a good hour telling you all about my favorites and why they are my favorites. J Gave up on Fablehaven by Brandon Mull. Ick. I wanted to beat the main characters soundly and they were the most likeable characters in the book. In Progress: Gallows View by Peter Robinson Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery (read aloud) Eiger Dreams by Jon Krakauer Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams (audiobook) 2013 finished books: 37. Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie (***) 36. The Devil in Music by Kate Ross (**) 35. The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (****) 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 (****) Amy's Rating System: ***** - Fantastic, couldn't put it down **** - Very good *** - Enjoyable but nothing special ** - Not recommended * - Horrible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Even though the cover art for The End of Mr. Y is completely adorable, imo, I'm abandoning the book (after 182 pages).... You know, I love metafiction, modernist books, mind-bending topics, surrealism, etc..., so I thought this might be a fun book. It's not. The characters are messed up & that's just not fun or interesting to read about page after page. I'm 182 pages in & finding it much too morose, dark, & depressing for my liking (stuff like self-mutilation, suicide thoughts, unhealthy/abusive/controlling sexual relationships, etc...). Really? The concept of the book was so cool, but the story just completely tanked because of the characters. Bleh. Must stop now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 I'm still reading The 100 year old Man Who Climbed Out of the window.... It's a feel-good novel - I don't think I'm the best audience for it. I need a bit of sharpness or wit or danger in my novels. Or just really absorbing writing. This is on my to-read list, but your comments are making me think that it may get a position of lower-priority for my future reading..... Hmmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 I recently finished Born to Darkness by Suzanne Brockmann. I'd read a number of her books years ago but had fallen out of the habit. I'd classify this book as a paranormal romantic suspense novel. The paranormal aspect is not vampires and werewolves but rather individuals with telepathic and telekinetic skills. "In the near future, as America endures its second Great Depression, former Navy SEAL Shane Laughlin finds work as a test subject at the Obermeyer Institute, only to be plunged into a strange world where mild-mannered scientists can kick his highly skilled ass. These “Greater-Thans†undergo rigorous training to master unique abilities—including telekinesis, super strength, and reversal of the aging process—by accessing untapped regions of the brain. But for the rich and reckless, there’s a quick, seductive alternative: Destiny, a highly addictive designer drug that can make anyone a Greater-Than—for a lethal price. Michelle “Mac†Mackenzie is determined to end the scourge of Destiny. As one of OI’s crack operatives, she’s learned to wield her powers responsibly. But she’s knocked for a loop when she meets the new test subject: Shane, the same smoldering stranger who just rocked her world in a one-night stand. Mac’s got reasons to keep her distance from him—and reasons that are just as strong to want him close. She’s used to risking her life, but now, in the midst of the ultimate war on drugs, she must face sacrificing her heart." I enjoyed the book. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 This is on my to-read list, but your comments are making me think that it may get a position of lower-priority for my future reading..... Hmmmm. I'd describe it (so far) as a mildly amusing road caper. To be honest, I've laid it aside and am reading a detective novel as my bedtime book. I might come back to it.... Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglei Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Another slow-reading week for me . . . Finished: #24 - Walking Across Egypt, by Clyde Edgerton. My third Kindle book, borrowed through the library's program; and, my second book by this author. Thoroughly enjoyed it! Rather heartwarming without being gushy. The dialogue moves the story and is spot-on. Humorous in a quiet way, and down-to-earth. My only *complaint* with this book is that it ended too soon! I'll definitely be checking out more of this author! #25 - Kathleen, by Francine Rivers. For the last couple of weeks, I have been saying that I'm in the midst of three books. Well, two of those books are yet ongoing: New Passages, by Gail Sheehy How to Interpret Dreams and Visions, by Perry Stone I seem to pick these up at odd moments so the reading isn't progressing with any great rapidity - which is NOT an indictment against the books! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 I recently finished Born to Darkness by Suzanne Brockmann. I'd read a number of her books years ago but had fallen out of the habit. I used to really enjoy her books. Maybe I will start reading them again. This one sounds interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 :lol: Somehow, it seems very Murakamiesque that your book post would have ended up in the pet rats thread. In case anyone hasn't finished 1Q84, you may want to skip reading my comments (spoilers ahead)... I've been pondering my thoughts about this book. And, ultimately, the word I keep coming back to in relation to this book is... basket. The construction of the story is woven like a basket. Murakami starts with various separate pieces, then starts weaving them together. As the story circles around & around, the weaving gets tighter, pulling all the pieces closer together while rotating again & again. (I realize that some have gotten bogged down in the repetition of the story, but I found it fascinating to watch his construction, to watch him carefully take one tiny design, include it somewhere else later, and continue sprinkling it through so that the final product produces a beautiful, cohesive design.) The finished product is an epic, yet simple story, well-constructed. It is an impressive work created by a master craftsman. A universal story that, like baskets that have been used in most societies from ancient times to present day, can appeal across cultural divides, across time divides. Functional, useful, and beautiful at the same time. Universal themes such as love, ethics, religion, reality, and many more are woven into the story -- topics that would have been as appropriate a thousand years ago as they are today to people both far & wide. A design that is recognizable across cultures, yet has unique components that showcase Murakami's style & heritage too. And even though this story is like a modern-day basket, it pays homage to the ones before it, referencing some of the great works produced by artists, authors, and others from past times. A reflection of both old & new (& perhaps what is yet to come?). And this book made me sure to look at the moon, more than once. And how can I not love a book that reminds me to be awed by the beauty of the moon? Our universal, shared moon... common to every person on the planet. This is the third Murakami work I've read & I'd definitely rate it as the most mainstream of the ones I've read, yet it's not necessarily the one I'd recommend starting with if you've never read Murakami. Perhaps you can get a deeper appreciation for his skill if you're already a fan of his work. Otherwise, it might be to easy to dismiss 1Q84 as simple or basic, when in reality it may look simple, but is really a masterpiece created by a world-class artist. Ironically, I was a bit surprised by the (happy) ending. Because, even though I saw the story being crafted through hundreds of pages, I was still unsure if Aomame & Tengo were heading toward happiness or not.... Did fate lead them there or was it their free-will? Once I saw where Aomame's & Tengo's stories ended in this book, I have to believe they will overcome any adversities they meet & enjoy a happy future together. They have already weathered the adverse, the strange, the mundane to get to the end, or beginning, of their story together. Time is a circle, watched over by the moon. And, yes, I will miss Ushikawa too. Excellent review! My thought about Ushikawa was that he had a rough year, since Wind-up Bird takes place in 1984 too. :D 1Q84 was the first book I read by Murakami, and I still loved it, but I do think you can appreciate it more if you've read some of his other works. I may have to reread it someday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverFirefly Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Finished: Since my last post I've finished seveal books and hit the 52 book mark! (though my list includes a lot more read alouds than books for fun). I didn't enjoy The Burgess Bird Book for Children by Thornton Burgess as much as I thought I would (and neither did DS) given its popularity on this board. I read Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman for my book club and found it to be a very insightful regarding life inside a minimum security women's prison and the challenges these women faced by the women. I FINALLY finished Hopscotch by Julio Cortazar. I thought the structure of the book was very original but I can't say that I liked the book. Truthfully, I just didn't get it. I finished reading aloud the Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne and enjoyed the books, especially the later books which are more complex. This weekend I participated in Dewey's 24 Hour Read-A-Thon (which was a blast) and finished Serenity: Those Left Behind and Serenity: Better Days by Joss Whedon (graphic novels) and 1984 by George Orwell (in preparation for 1Q84). For the Judge A Book By Its Cover mini challenge I chose The White Forest by Adam McOmber. I thought the book was a historical fiction set in the Victorian period in which something significant happens to a woman that involves a forest. I was sort of right, but the book was much darker, more gothic, and bizarre than I could have predicted. Started: Now that I have finally cleared the deck, I started 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. I'm not far enough in to have an opinion on the book but I'm hoping to like it. I've also started Charlotte's Web by E.B. White as a read aloud. 2013 Reading Completed 01 - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (Dusty; Continental - England; ****) 02 - Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll (Dusty; 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 (Dusty; 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 (****) 25 -Magic Tree House #30: Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve by Mary Pope Osborne (***) 26 -Magic Tree House #31: Summer of the Sea Serpent by Mary Pope Osborne (***) 27 -Magic Tree House #32: Winter of the Ice Wizard by Mary Pope Osborne (****) 28 -Magic Tree House #33: Carnival at Candlelight by Mary Pope Osborne (****) 29 - Magic Tree House #34: Season of the Sandstorms by Mary Pope Osborne (***) 30 -Magic Tree House #35: Night of the New Magicians by Mary Pope Osborne (***) 31 -Textbook of International Health: Global Health in a Dynamic World by Anne-Emanuelle Birn (Chunky; ***) 32 -Magic Tree House #36: Blizzard of the Blue Moon by Mary Pope Osborne (****) 33 -Global Health Disparities: Closing the Gap Through Good Governance by Enku Kebede-Francis (***) 34 -Magic Tree House #37: Dragon of the Red Dawn by Mary Pope Osborne (****) 35 -Magic Tree House #38: Monday with a Mad Genius by Mary Pope Osborne (***) 36 -Magic Tree House #39: Dark Day in the Deep Sea by Mary Pope Osborne (****) 37 -The Burgess Bird Book for Children by Thornton Burgess (Continental - USA; **) 38 - Magic Tree House #40: Eve of the Emperor Penguin by Mary Pope Osborne (****) 39 - Magic Tree House #41: Moonlight on the Magic Flute by Mary Pope Osborne (****) 40 - Magic Tree House #42: A Good Night for Ghosts by Mary Pope Osborne (***) 41 - Magic Tree House #43: Leprechaun in Late Winter by Mary Pope Osborne (***) 42 - Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman (Book Club; Continental - USA; ****) 43 - Magic Tree House #44: A Ghost Tale for Christmas Time by Mary Pope Osborne (****) 44 - Magic Tree House #45: A Crazy Day with Cobras by Mary Pope Osborne (***) 45 - Hopscotch by Julio Cortazar (Readalong; Chunky; Continental - Argentina; **) 46 - Magic Tree House #46: Dogs in the Dead of Night by Mary Pope Osborne (***) 47 - Magic Tree House #47: Abe Lincoln at Last! by Mary Pope Osborne (***) 48 - Magic Tree House #48: A Perfect Time for Pandas by Mary Pope Osborne (****) 49 - Serenity: Those Left Behind by Joss Whedon (Continental - USA; ***) 50 - 1984 by George Orwell (Continental - England; ****) 51 - Serenity: Better Days by Joss Whedon (Continental - USA; ***) 52 - The White Forest by Adam McOmber (Judge a Book By Its Cover; Continental - USA; ***) Rating System: ***** it was amazing **** really liked it *** liked it ** it was okay * didn't like it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 After my post about having trouble getting into The Great Gatsby, I decided to try the audio book. Sometimes I can listen to the audio book even when I can't get interested in the print book. I was right on this one. I've been listening, and only have about 1-1/2 hours left. I do think you miss some of the prose when listening, at least I do. Seeing something in print is different than hearing it. Still, it might be the only way I'll ever finish it. I also started Freshwater Road, historical fiction about a civil rights worker during Freedom Summer. It was written by the actress Denise Nicholas, who apparently was a civil rights activist herself that year. I picked it up as a Kindle freebie in January, though it's no longer free. Book Description Publication Date: August 26, 2005 The critically acclaimed debut novel from pioneering actress and writer Denise Nicholas tells the story of one young woman’s coming of age via the political and social upheavals of the civil rights movement. Nineteen-year-old Celeste Tyree leaves Ann Arbor to go to Pineyville, Mississippi, in the summer of 1964 to help found a voter registration project as part of Freedom Summer. As the summer unfolds, she confronts not only the political realities of race and poverty in this tiny town, but also deep truths about her family and herself. Drawing on Nicholas’ own involvement in the movement, Freshwater Road was hailed by Newsday as “Perhaps the best work of fiction ever done about the civil rights movement.†Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 finished Serenity: Those Left Behind and Serenity: Better Days by Joss Whedon (graphic novels) These are great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 I finished 67) Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde. No new swear words for Dd.lol I am quite caught up in the story line so moving on to the Well of Lost Plots. Also finished 68)Hell on Wheels by Julie Ann Walker. Thank you for recommending it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melmichigan Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 I didn't post last week so I'm including the book list for both. This last week I started with a free book and ended up reading the series. Now I'm lost in the Virgin River series by Robin Carr. We will see if I have enough interest to get through all twenty books, I'm currently in book six. :) Week 16 88. Uncovering the Corettis by Carol Marinell. 89. Falling into You by Jasinda Wilder. 90. Rule by Jay Crownover. 91. Lone Wolf (Shifters Unbound) by Jennifer Ashley. 92. Cowboy with a Cause by Carla Cassidy. 93. IfYou Stay by Courtney Cole. Week 17 94. Dark Wolf Rising by Rhyannon Byrd. 95. Last Wolf Standing by Rhyannon Byrd. 96. Last Wolf Hunting by RhyannonByrd. 97. Last Wolf Watching by Rhyannon Byrd. 98. The Greek Rule (The Greek Series) by Aleka Nakis. 99. Virgin River (A Virgin River Novel) by Robyn Carr. 100. Shelter Mountain (A Virgin River Novel) by Robyn Carr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted May 2, 2013 Author Share Posted May 2, 2013 I didn't post last week so I'm including the book list for both. This last week I started with a free book and ended up reading the series. Now I'm lost in the Virgin River series by Robin Carr. We will see if I have enough interest to get through all twenty books, I'm currently in book six. :) Once I read Virgin River, I was hooked as well and read the whole series. Robin Carr is one of the few contemporary romance authors I read. I'm picky. Glad you are enjoying them. Finally received my replacement copy of 1Q84 and looking forward to finishing the story. Right now I'm reading Charlaine Harris's #12 Deadlocked in the Sookie series in anticipation of the last book will be out next week and no I don't want to hear how it ended. Heard all about the idjit who posted the ending online. Not fair to all sookie fans and Charlaine Harris who handled it with class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Philosophy and The Hunger Games: A Critique of Pure Treason There's a co-op literature class that's going to be studying The Hunger Games series in the fall. I don't know if this would fit in a literature class, but I'm going to send a link to the mom who's running it in case she thinks it would. Currently listening to The Great Gatsby narrated by Alexander Scourby. The one I'm listening to is narrated by Jake Gyllenhaal. At first I thought his narration was a bit dry, but the more I listen, the more I like the style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Yikes!! I'm really late to checking in! This week I read Ringword by Larry Niven. My New Years Resolution this year was to read the best of 20th Century Literature. Together with your typical Top 25 list I also looked up the Top Sci Fi/Fantasy books of the century and Ringworld was very high on the list. I can understand why it was on the list, it's an amazing concept and the scope of time and space in the book is mind boggling. The actual story line itself and the characters just didn't grab me and force me to turn pages late into the night though. Overall it was a good book. My library didn't carry it and it sounded so neat that I went out an bought it. So maybe its one of those books that needs a further, deeper reading after a while. It is a great story to ponder, I just wasn't super invested in the actual story line I was given. The guy at the bookstore was a hoot though. He was your sterotypical overweight, mid-40's geek and his was BEYOND tickled when I asked him where this book was!! "No one ever wants these great old books anymore!!" You could sense that he was tired of hunting down YA Vampire Porn for giggly teens. 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 15 - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams 16 -O, Pioneers!- Willa Cather 17 - Miss Marple - The Complete Short Story Collection - Agatha Christie 18 - Ringworld - Larry Niven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Do you think ds13 would like Ringworld? He loves Hitchhikers which I noticed you have read recently. Our library does have it :) which makes it easy. This is more a question of do I have to read it myself first because of the content? The description sounds pretty mild. This is not my favorite genre but I will pre read it for him if you think it is too mature. Thanks for any advice. Yikes!! I'm really late to checking in! This week I read Ringword by Larry Niven. My New Years Resolution this year was to read the best of 20th Century Literature. Together with your typical Top 25 list I also looked up the Top Sci Fi/Fantasy books of the century and Ringworld was very high on the list. I can understand why it was on the list, it's an amazing concept and the scope of time and space in the book is mind boggling. The actual story line itself and the characters just didn't grab me and force me to turn pages late into the night though. Overall it was a good book. My library didn't carry it and it sounded so neat that I went out an bought it. So maybe its one of those books that needs a further, deeper reading after a while. It is a great story to ponder, I just wasn't super invested in the actual story line I was given. The guy at the bookstore was a hoot though. He was your sterotypical overweight, mid-40's geek and his was BEYOND tickled when I asked him where this book was!! "No one ever wants these great old books anymore!!" You could sense that he was tired of hunting down YA Vampire Porn for giggly teens. 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 15 - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams 16 -O, Pioneers!- Willa Cather 17 - Miss Marple - The Complete Short Story Collection - Agatha Christie 18 - Ringworld - Larry Niven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Do you think ds13 would like Ringworld? He loves Hitchhikers which I noticed you have read recently. Our library does have it :) which makes it easy. This is more a question of do I have to read it myself first because of the content? The description sounds pretty mild. This is not my favorite genre but I will pre read it for him if you think it is too mature. Thanks for any advice. It's not clever and funny like Hitchhikers but it is interesting. They are stranded on the Ringworld and are trying to get off. They explore but there isn't too much "adventure," they have too many techy gadgets to be able to say they're ever in real peril. There's mystery about where their mission is going to start with, how the Ringworld got there, how to escape. But the whole structure of their spaceships, their transports, and the Ringworld itself is very interesting. There is a bit of sex in it, nothing super graphic, but they do say what's about to happen, a bit of the foreplay (no genitals or breasts involved) and then waking up afterward, so you may want to preread if that's an issue for your family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 I really enjoyed the HG philosophy book. I want the Harry Potter philosophy book. This week I read Ringword by Larry Niven. I looked up "Ringworm" at first. :lol: I put it on my list. Ringworld not Ringworm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 I might go through the entire Blackwell series along with the other Pop Culture and Philosophy books. They all look soooo good. There is a chance to vote for Firefly and Philosophy! :D Thanks for the links. I think I'll find a book for my dad for Father's Day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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