Book a Week in 2013 - week nineteen

[melmichigan]

I wish I could make the photo smaller, and maybe I'll delete it later, but I had a minor crisis yesterday. That's In the Time of the Butterflies I was reading. It slipped out of my hand, and hit the corner of a bench. The screen shows no outward damage, so it obviously broke something internal. It's frozen on that screen. I can't go to the home screen or even turn it off.

 

Luckily I have a Kindle Fire, and the Kindle app on my phone, so I was able to finish the book. Dh and ds also have Kindles. That's why I called it a minor crisis. Still, this one was mine, and I had all my collections organized the way I like them. This Kindle is 3 years old (it's the original Keyboard model), so no warranty. I do however, have a refurbished Kindle Paperwhite on the way. I wanted a Paperwhite eventually, but I didn't think "eventually" would come so soon.

 

Did you charge it completely and do the factory reset? It might work, it might not. I had to replace mine for something similar, it sucks when you have everything the way you want it because the new one doesn't transfer. On another note, I have a replacement from amazon, but it's never been quite right, I'm not sure what the deal is with their replacements, but reviews on that end aren't always good. You might be better off with a new one on your own dime. ;) Let us know how you like the Paperwhite.

[Kareni]

I read and enjoyed the contemporary romance Wrecked by Shiloh Walker.

 

"In the nineties, Abigale Applegate and Zach Barnes were the most beloved sitcom child stars in the world. Then they grew up and left Hollywood behind...

 

Whatever happened to Abigale Applegate?

 

She's been wondering the same thing."

 

Early In Wrecked, the hero gives his best friend Abigale the book Wreck This Journal, and it has a sizeable impact in the story.

 

"For anyone who's ever had trouble starting, keeping, or finishing a journal or sketchbook comes this expanded edition of Wreck This Journal, an illustrated book that features a subversive collection of prompts, asking readers to muster up their best mistake and mess-making abilities and to fill the pages of the book (or destroy them). Through a series of creatively and quirkily illustrated prompts, acclaimed artist Keri Smith encourages journalers to engage in "destructive" acts--poking holes through pages, adding photos and defacing them, painting pages with coffee, coloring outside the lines, and more--in order to experience the true creative process. With Smith's unique sensibility, readers are introduced to a new way of art and journal making, discovering novel ways to escape the fear of the blank page and fully engage in the creative process."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[JennW in SoCal]

:lol:

Aaaah, Faulkner! I've not seen his name mentioned in these threads. His writing reminds me of the uncle at the family reunion who has just a few too many then starts rambling away about old times. (yes, I'm from the South; born & bred)

 

Perhaps the Southern connection is why we find so many books in common. I'm once removed from being a Southerner as my mom left Mississippi after college and never looked back. But I loved visiting my "people" down south, loved the food, the lazy conversations in rocking chairs on the porch after Sunday dinner, and am so very fond of a good Southern story. I'm going to have to try Faulkner again thanks to you and Stacia. The only Faulkner I ever read was back in high school and it was very odd and disturbing short story involving necrophilia.

 

But in the meantime, this is what I'm reading...

 

Finished:

The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner. (audio book) It is the perfect combination of fun travel narrative and thought provoking commentary. Never too deep, never too fluffy but just lots of fun. I now want to visit Reykjavik and am certain I'll never visit Moldova.

 

Just about finished:

Bitch in a Bonnet by Robert Rodi (e-book) Another grand combo of fun and thought. I found his Bitch in a Bonnet blog where he is currently, though only infrequently, posting about Emma.

 

In progress:

The Map That Changed the World by Simon Winchester. (A real book from my bookshelves. gasp! )

 

The clock is ticking on my library loan:

Thatched Roof by Beverly Nichols. Thanks to all the glowing recommendations here I went searching for her books in my large metropolitan library system and didn't find much. But this one is a wonderfully old book, with the old pocket on the inside cover for the check out slip. The library rules are printed on that pocket -- fines were 2 cents a day for each overdue book, which was crossed out and corrected to 5 cents a day!! It is a 1913 copyright. The book has that old, nostalgic font that reminds me of library books and school books from childhood. Just holding it in my hands is a visceral pleasure -- a pleasure never to be had from an e-reader.

[Lady Florida.]

Did you charge it completely and do the factory reset? It might work, it might not. I had to replace mine for something similar, it sucks when you have everything the way you want it because the new one doesn't transfer. On another note, I have a replacement from amazon, but it's never been quite right, I'm not sure what the deal is with their replacements, but reviews on that end aren't always good. You might be better off with a new one on your own dime. ;) Let us know how you like the Paperwhite.

 

It was already almost fully charged, and it won't do the reset. It's completely frozen - I hold the button like you're supposed to for the reset and nothing happens. This one was actually a replacement. When the Kindle Keyboard (then called the Kindle 3) first came out in graphite, there was a problem with the letters on the keys fading. They sent me a replacement and it's been great. I've even dropped it a few times and it still worked. This time it was just a freak thing. It must have hit in such a way as to damage the inside. I'm hoping I'll like the Paperwhite. The only think I think I'll miss is physical page turn buttons. Ds has the Touch though, and he doesn't mind having to turn the pages on the screen. I'm kind of getting used to it by reading on my Fire. I prefer not to read on a backlit screen, but right now that's all I've got unless I want to steal dh's or ds'.

[mumto2]

Sorry about your kindle.:( I love my kindle keyboard but am curious about the paperwhite myself. You need to give us a review/comparison. I have the pageturning fear myself. Whenever I fall asleep with my fire I end up on a different page!

 

Thanks for the picture, it ended up as a teaching tool. I keep telling my kids that kindles are not indestructible, hopefully they are starting to believe me.

 

 

 

 

It was already almost fully charged, and it won't do the reset. It's completely frozen - I hold the button like you're supposed to for the reset and nothing happens. This one was actually a replacement. When the Kindle Keyboard (then called the Kindle 3) first came out in graphite, there was a problem with the letters on the keys fading. They sent me a replacement and it's been great. I've even dropped it a few times and it still worked. This time it was just a freak thing. It must have hit in such a way as to damage the inside. I'm hoping I'll like the Paperwhite. The only think I think I'll miss is physical page turn buttons. Ds has the Touch though, and he doesn't mind having to turn the pages on the screen. I'm kind of getting used to it by reading on my Fire. I prefer not to read on a backlit screen, but right now that's all I've got unless I want to steal dh's or ds'.

 

[mlbuchina]

Thanks to someone posting about the free Kindle ebook plus free Audible downloads, I was able to get Moll Flanders. I just love Alex Kingston as Moll in the 1996 Masterpiece Theater production. I've never read the book, and am so excited to listen to one of my favorite narrators, Davina Porter, read it to me. :)

[melmichigan]

How did I miss that Lynn Viehl's new book came out today? I just finished Nightbred, so I'm diving right into the next one, Nightbound: Lords of the Darkyn.

 

[VeganCupcake]

Thanks to someone posting about the free Kindle ebook plus free Audible downloads, I was able to get Moll Flanders. I just love Alex Kingston as Moll in the 1996 Masterpiece Theater production. I've never read the book, and am so excited to listen to one of my favorite narrators, Davina Porter, read it to me. :)

 

I have that one from Audible and I'm trying to decide if I should listen to it next. I need a classic fix. You may have convinced me. :)

[Negin]

How to Interpret Dreams and Visions, by Perry Stone

Looks interesting. Like most people, I don't always remember my dreams, however.

 

If so, The Iron Will of Shoeshine Cats

Looks good. :)

 

Currently listening to Lolita, read by Jeremy Irons. I'm finding it quite disturbing.

I've never read it, but loathe the entire concept, so I'm quite certain that I never will. However, I do love Jeremy Irons's voice. :)

 

Finished:

The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner. (audio book) It is the perfect combination of fun travel narrative and thought provoking commentary. Never too deep, never too fluffy but just lots of fun. I now want to visit Reykjavik and am certain I'll never visit Moldova.

Loved this so much. Wish I lived in Iceland, or, somewhere like that.

[Jane in NC]

Hello everyone! I had abandoned my stack of library books for some airplane books. Admittedly, I did not spend a lot of time reading while in the Midwest--too many other things going on. But I am happy to have spent some time with my aging father. My newly retired brother in law asked me to give him bread baking lessons while I was there. That was fun!

 

I am keeping my head above water numerically, having finished #20 for the year, A Ghost in the Machine by Caroline Graham. I like the Inspector Barnaby mysteries. Some of you may have seen the dramatizations of these, a series called Midsomer Murders produced by ITV in Britain. There are loads of them with only the first ones being based on Graham's plot lines. Even then, the adaptations are loose so you can watch one of the dramatizations and then find a much richer story in the book--as was the case in A Ghost in the Machine.

 

A friend passed along another airplane book which I have yet to finish, The Bucholic Plague by Josh Kilmer-Purcell (subtitled How Two Manhattanites Became Gentlemen Farmers).

 

The nightstand overfloweth.

[Kareni]

A friend passed along another airplane book which I have yet to finish, The Bucholic Plague by Josh Kilmer-Purcell (subtitled How Two Manhattanites Became Gentlemen Farmers).

 

Cute title!

 

I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed your time with family.

 

Back in week 10, I posted about When Wanderers Cease to Roam: A Traveler's Journal of Staying Put by Vivian Swift which I enjoyed very much. I asked my library to purchase this book by the same author -- Le Road Trip: A Traveler's Journal of Love and France.

 

"Le Road Trip tells the story of one idyllic French honeymoon trip, but it is also a witty handbook of tips and advice on how to thrive as a traveler, a captivating visual record with hundreds of watercolor illustrations, and a chronicle depicting the incomparable charms of being footloose in France. Armchair travelers, die-hard vagabonds, art journalists, and red wine drinkers will all find something to savor in this story."

 

This is a fun book for browsing and reading. It would be of interest to those who journal, those who enjoy illustrated journals, and Francophiles.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Paisley Hedgehog]

.

[Storm Bay]

Wow, can it really be two weeks since I've been here? Yikes!

 

I've finished a few books and will post one review. I'll also try to get here more often because I missed so many posts and am about to leave so can't read them all :( . I don't recall the last one I mentioned, so here are the last 6.

 

 

39. Agenda 21 Glenn Beck and Harriet Parke

40. Beauty: a Retelling of Beauty and the Beast (5/5/5)

41. Big Trouble by Dave Barry 2 stars

42. The Sea of Monsters Rick Riordan (5/5/5) 1 star

43. The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt

44. Stormy Weather Paulette Jiles 3.5 stars

45. Divergent Veronica Roth 4 stars

 

 

 

The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt

★★★★

 

This is both a history of the discovery of Lucretius' poem "The Nature of Things" and a biography of Poggio Braccioline, the man who first found it hidden in a monastery in the early 15th century. It belongs, I suppose, under the history of ideas as well. During this time a number of humanists were actively searching for classical writings which had been all but lost save for old copies of copies that had been copied by monks as parchment and/or vellum aged. Lucretius preserved the teachings of Epicurus in the from of a brilliant poem

 

The title is a play on words from a swerve, which comes straight from that school of classical humanism, and if you don't already know it, you'll have to read it to find out just what that means. I'm not sure if the title means that this one discovery is how the world became modern (which is the face value of it, and in that case is presumptuous and incorrect) or if it was the entire search which certainly is touched on here. I give it a 4 because it was well written and kept me interested, but I didn't love it enough to give it a 5, and certainly if it were dependent on me agreeing with some of the author's biases, etc, it would receive a lower rating.

 

If you are interested in the history of ideas, the history of humanism or European history of this time in general, then this is worth reading.

[aggieamy]

Wow, can it really be two weeks since I've been here? Yikes!

 

 

Welcome back Friend!

 

 

Finished – A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony. This was a reread for me and while I loved it as a middle schooler I thought my feminist tendencies would be highly offended while reading it as an adult. As I expected there were a few parts that made me roll my eyes and think that Piers Anthony would never be allowed near my teenage daughter but I still enjoyed the story. The magic was clever, the puns were easy to ignore, and the plot was a lot of fun.

 

Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut – Read for book club. It was a fun discussion on how much we disliked it.

 

The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease – I love this book. I’ve read it through at least six times now.

 

In Progress:

 

Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery (read aloud)

Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams (audiobook)

A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh

 

2013 finished books:

 

40. A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony (****)

39. Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut (*)

38. The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease (*****)

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

[mlbuchina]

Sigh...I can't keep up. There's a new Ender's Game trailer.

Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley :)

I guess that will be my next one. I've been meaning to get to it.

 

I read Ender's Game when I was a kid, and I can remember wishing they would make it into a movie. I'm really glad that they waited till now, as I think the technology might live up to the book. We'll see. :) I need to reread it, though, because I don't remember very much about it. All I know is that I loved it! LOL

[Hoot]

Finished 12th of Never by James Patterson this morning. I'm glad to finally be done with this series and move on to something else. No idea what's next.

 

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

22. Leopard Geckos for Dummies by Liz Palika

23. The 8th Confession by James Patterson

24. Leopard Geckos: Caring for Your New Pet by Casey Watkins

25. The Ultimate Guide to Leopard Geckos by Phoenix Hayes Simmons

26. 9th Judgement by James Patterson

27. 10th Anniversary by James Patterson

28. 11th Hour by James Patterson

29. 12th of Never by James Patterson

[Robin M]

Just finished reading the last book Dead Ever After in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. Thoroughly enjoyed it - lots of action and going from the frying pan into the fire. And the person Sookie ended up with was just the right one. Won't spoil it for those who haven't read yet. Moving on to Joe Hill and his supernatural thriller N0S4A2. 30 pages in and can see it's going to be one of those unputdownable stories.

[Robin M]

Finished – A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony. This was a reread for me and while I loved it as a middle schooler I thought my feminist tendencies would be highly offended while reading it as an adult. As I expected there were a few parts that made me roll my eyes and think that Piers Anthony would never be allowed near my teenage daughter but I still enjoyed the story. The magic was clever, the puns were easy to ignore, and the plot was a lot of fun.

 

I read every one of the xanth books back in the 80's. Enjoyed them then. Reread the first book in his incarnations of immortality On a Pale Horse recently and didn't remember one bit of it. Which means I'll probably reread the rest of the series at some point since have them all. I'm in a reread mood.

[aggieamy]

I read every one of the xanth books back in the 80's. Enjoyed them then. Reread the first book in his incarnations of immortality On a Pale Horse recently and didn't remember one bit of it. Which means I'll probably reread the rest of the series at some point since have them all. I'm in a reread mood.

 

I made it through about ten of the Xanth books before they became a little too pun-y for me and I love the Incarnations series. Except for the God book ... that was a little strange. Piers Anthony might be a weird duck but he sure can come up with some clever and interesting stories.

[Kareni]

 

The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease – I love this book. I’ve read it through at least six times now.

 

It's a favorite of mine, too. And a gift I like to give to new parents.

 

Today I read The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom for my sister's book club which I'll get to attend while visiting. It was definitely a quick read.

 

"From the author who's inspired millions worldwide with books like Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven comes his most imaginative novel yet, The Time Keeper--a compelling fable about the first man on earth to count the hours.

 

The man who became Father Time.

 

In Mitch Albom's newest work of fiction, the inventor of the world's first clock is punished for trying to measure God's greatest gift. He is banished to a cave for centuries and forced to listen to the voices of all who come after him seeking more days, more years. Eventually, with his soul nearly broken, Father Time is granted his freedom, along with a magical hourglass and a mission: a chance to redeem himself by teaching two earthly people the true meaning of time.

 

He returns to our world--now dominated by the hour-counting he so innocently began--and commences a journey with two unlikely partners: one a teenage girl who is about to give up on life, the other a wealthy old businessman who wants to live forever. To save himself, he must save them both. And stop the world to do so.

 

Told in Albom's signature spare, evocative prose, this remarkably original tale will inspire readers everywhere to reconsider their own notions of time, how they spend it and how precious it truly is."

 

I have to admit to being ultra aware of hussling to catch the bus on time after finishing the book! It was an intriguing read but not something I'd be likely to reread.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[VeganCupcake]

I finished listening to Little Princes by Conor Grennan. It's about displaced and trafficked children in Nepal and efforts to help them. It was unexpectedly good--I chose it on a whim. It was fairly simply written, but did address complicated questions.

[Paisley Hedgehog]

.

[luvnlattes]

I finished listening to Little Princes by Conor Grennan. It's about displaced and trafficked children in Nepal and efforts to help them. It was unexpectedly good--I chose it on a whim. It was fairly simply written, but did address complicated questions.

 

I loved this book!

[Storm Bay]

Last night I finished Shanghai Girls and give it 4 stars. Well written, although it was rife with tragedy, albeit historically accurate. I do plan to read the sequel because I cheated and read the ending.

 

 

I finished Triple - 2 Stars. Liked it a lot at first, but then it dragged on. Since then I've tried at least 4 books and they've all failed my 10% Rule. None of them appeal to me.

 

 

 

 

 

It's been so long, I don't remember that book. Have you read any Ken Follett that you like? I've liked some of his books significantly better than others.

Having been ill, plus studying three subjects online. I've decided not to task my brain cells and have been indulging in books that are relatively light. I've recently read Wildfire at Midnight by Mary Stewart.

I used read a lot of her when I was in high school, and liked her Arthur series at the time.

I also managed to find time to read all of Cryptonomicon. So what if the kitchen floor didn't get mopped this week? Anathem is still my favorite, but I enjoyed this one because the characters seem plausible; several remind me of people I know IRL. ;)

 

Did you read and like Reamde? That's the only one of his I've read.

Pippi! That is one I hadn't thought of that my DD will love. She's in a Little House phase right now and just named our newest chickens Laura and Mary. :lol:

 

 

That is a fun book. However, I think I avoided having my middle dd take it as she is a risk taker. I also had to hide the delightful book Eloise at the Plaza for some years because my sil gave it to her and wrote that Eloise reminded her of my dd (me too, actually) and my dd started to live up to the suggestion.

I'm old enough to remember a time when Les Miserables was not a musical, and I remember thinking that when I first heard about the musical. I had already read the book years before in high school, and I thought, "Who would think this book would make a good musical?".

 

Have you ever seen the musical? They have to leave out quite a bit, and they soften both Eponine and Mario; Mario, who is oblivious to Eponine's feelings in the book is much more compassionate in the musical.

[Storm Bay]

Wow, when I posted that last post I had to put in a code due to new security. I wonder what triggered it? Could it have been the image?

 

ETA Perhaps it was because I forgot how to post an image and did it wrong at first.

[Vida Winter]

Just finished listening to Edward Rutherfurd's New York: The Novel on audio. The story follows generations of a family of Dutch settlers through present day. At 35+ hours of listening you realize how ambitious a task it was to write this book. I give it four stars -- it didn't keep me on the edge of my seat, but it was a good story (although long) and I need a break to let my mind clear for a while before I pick up another book, although I probably need to start a new audiobook as I build a chicken coop today. The characters in New York will be rolling around in my head for some time.

 

During the past two weeks I also read a short book on kindle, Easy Ways to Teach Kids Hard Things: The fun way to teach your kids important life principles, by The Bookworm. Refreshing and short; more of a pamphlet than a book. Bookworm is a blogger. I'm also reading Delight Directed Learning: Guide Your Homeschooler Toward Passionate Learning by Matt and Lee Binz (Lee is the Homescholar that is often mentioned on WTM and has been a mentor to me at times). Lee's advice (in general, with all her material) is spot on and extremely useful.

[melmichigan]

Wow, when I posted that last post I had to put in a code due to new security. I wonder what triggered it? Could it have been the image?

 

ETA Perhaps it was because I forgot how to post an image and did it wrong at first.

 

I get this if I try to edit a post that contains links.

[Mom-ninja.]

I finished Science Matters last night. I will admit the quantum physics stuff threw me for a loop.

[Lady Florida.]

My Kindle Paperwhite came yesterday, and for those of you who asked, I can tell I'm going to love it! I like how I can change the lighting yet it's not backlit. The touch screen doesn't bother me, though I'm still getting used to it. I sometimes go forward or backwards a page when I don't mean to. There's a learning curve, but not much of one for me.

 

I used it to finish The Iron Will of Shoeshine Cats. Thank you, Stacia! I loved it! It's a quick read.

 

 

I like the Inspector Barnaby mysteries. Some of you may have seen the dramatizations of these, a series called Midsomer Murders produced by ITV in Britain. There are loads of them with only the first ones being based on Graham's plot lines. Even then, the adaptations are loose so you can watch one of the dramatizations and then find a much richer story in the book--as was the case in A Ghost in the Machine.

 

 

 

I've been meaning to read these. Dh and I just finished the available seasons on Netflix. I checked Amazon for last season and the current one, but they're $7.99 per episode! We'll wait. :) In the meantime, I can comfort myself with the books, and get to know the characters better.

 

Have you ever seen the musical? They have to leave out quite a bit, and they soften both Eponine and Mario; Mario, who is oblivious to Eponine's feelings in the book is much more compassionate in the musical.

 

 

I saw it in London in 1986, and loved it! I didn't expect to, because as I said, I couldn't imagine it as a musical. Loved the movie too. I know a lot of people didn't, but I did. I think they had to soften some things. The book is just too depressing to be a musical otherwise.

[Jane in NC]

Hey Book-a-weekers, since this is pretty much the only thread I post in anymore I wanted to say "Bye!" to y'all for a while. I am putting the finishing touches on our school year and plan to take a hiatus from the boards. I will probably be back in a few weeks, hopefully with a whole stack of completed books to report on.

 

:grouphug: :seeya:

 

We'll miss your posts. Best of luck with those finishing touches to what I hope was a successful school year.

 

Jane

[Lady Florida.]

Hey Book-a-weekers, since this is pretty much the only thread I post in anymore I wanted to say "Bye!" to y'all for a while. I am putting the finishing touches on our school year and plan to take a hiatus from the boards. I will probably be back in a few weeks, hopefully with a whole stack of completed books to report on.

 

:grouphug: :seeya:

 

Good luck! Do take time for yourself and read for pleasure. :)

[JennW in SoCal]

Hey Book-a-weekers, since this is pretty much the only thread I post in anymore I wanted to say "Bye!" to y'all for a while. I am putting the finishing touches on our school year and plan to take a hiatus from the boards. I will probably be back in a few weeks, hopefully with a whole stack of completed books to report on.

 

:grouphug: :seeya:

 

As long as it is only for a while. Hurry back! :seeya:

[ladydusk]

Having been ill, plus studying three subjects online. I've decided not to task my brain cells and have been indulging in books that are relatively light. I've recently read Wildfire at Midnight by Mary Stewart and Daphne by J. Picardie. I'm currently reading The Pigeon Pie Mystery.

 

I love Mary Stewart. Another of those Brit gothic romance writers from the sixties. I like Wildfire but maybe The Moonspinners - set in Crete is my favorite. I see there's a book Ive not read free for Kindle. Downloading that today :)

 

ETA: Oops ... This Rough Magic set in Corfu is the one I meant. And looks like the Kindle book is the wrong Mary Stewart. I did like Moonspinners too :-)

[Robin M]

Hey Book-a-weekers, since this is pretty much the only thread I post in anymore I wanted to say "Bye!" to y'all for a while. I am putting the finishing touches on our school year and plan to take a hiatus from the boards. I will probably be back in a few weeks, hopefully with a whole stack of completed books to report on.

 

:grouphug: :seeya:

Enjoy your break and see you when you get back!

[Tullia]

Did you read and like Reamde? That's the only one of his I've read

 

 

Not yet; it's on my list after Snow Crash. :D I'd read Anathem and The Diamond Age before Cryptonomicon.

[mumto2]

 

 

I love Mary Stewart. Another of those Brit gothic romance writers from the sixties. I like Wildfire but maybe The Moonspinners - set in Crete is my favorite. I see there's a book Ive not read free for Kindle. Downloading that today :)

 

ETA: Oops ... This Rough Magic set in Corfu is the one I meant. And looks like the Kindle book is the wrong Mary Stewart. I did like Moonspinners too :-)

 

I am currently reading Moonspinners, only 50 or so pages in. Enjoying it so far. It was the first book I remember reading from the adult section at the library way back when. Amazed at how well I remember it compared to some of the other rereads I have been doing.

 

Finished The Well of Lost plots by Jasper Fforde this morming. Not as good as the others imo but fun. I found the reference to a book that can only be read three times then never opened again very disturbing. It was a technology that would create the ultimate reading experience! Sad and possible. It goes with my current kindle book Bellwether, where the main character checks classics out of the library so they won't be discarded!

[Negin]

It's been so long, I don't remember that book. Have you read any Ken Follett that you like? I've liked some of his books significantly better than others.

I've loved quite a bit of his stuff - around 50% of his stuff I've probably really enjoyed and the others haven't been that great at all.

[Rosie_0801]

I finished The Art of Fermentation and am waiting for an opportunity to try making vegan cheese out of bulgar wheat. It sounds enticingly icky so my inner kitchen witch simply must try it.

[Onceuponatime]

. It goes with my current kindle book Bellwether, where the main character checks classics out of the library so they won't be discarded!

 

 

I loved Bellwether! It has so much truth. :D

[Kareni]

I finished The Art of Fermentation and am waiting for an opportunity to try making vegan cheese out of bulgar wheat. It sounds enticingly icky so my inner kitchen witch simply must try it.

 

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

... all for vegan cheese?

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Maus]

Completed:

Book #38 - "The Red Badge of Courage" by Stephen Crane. (WEM) Can't say I liked it, but it was compelling.

Book #37 - "Recovery Charles" by Jason F. Wright. Someone gave me this for Christmas, and it looked like a quick read. I like his column in the paper. Good underlying message of learning to accept that people can change.

 

Book #36 - "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain. (WEM)

Book #35 - "Maphead" by Ken Jennings.

Book #34 - "Portrait of a Lady" by Henry James. (WEM)

Book #33 - "Earthly Deligihts" by Kerry Greenwood. (Australian author, Australian setting.)

Book #32 - "The Year of Learning Dangerously" by Quinn Cummings.

Book #31 - "The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)

Book #30 - "The Forgotten Affairs of Youth" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)

Book #29 - "The Charming Quirks of Others" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)

Book #28 - "I am Half-Sice of Shadows" by Alan Bradley. (Canadian author, English setting.)

Book #27 - ""Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs" by Ken Jennings.

Book #26 - "Because I Said So!: The Truth Behind the Myths, Tales & Warnings Every Generation Passes Down to Its Kids" by Ken Jennings.

Book #25 - "A Red Herring Without Mustard" by Alan Bradley. (Canadian author, English setting.)

Book #24 - "The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing" by Tarquin Hall. (British author, Indian setting.)

Book #23 - "The Lost Art of Gratitude" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)

Book #22 - "The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag" by Alan Bradley. (Canadian author, English setting.)

Book #21 - "Academic Homeschooling: How to Give Your Child an Amazing Education and Survive" by Tracy Chatters.

Book #20 - "The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)

Book #19 - "The Return of the Native" by Thomas Hardy. (WEM.)

Book #18 - "The Careful Use of Compliments" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)

Book #17 - "The Right Attitude to Rain" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)

Book #16 - "Inspector Singh Investigates: A Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder" by Shamini Flint. (Singaporean author, Malaysian setting.)

Book #15 - "Friends, Lovers, Chocolate" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)

Book #14 - "Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie" by Alan Bradley. (Canadian author, English setting.)

Book #13 - "Portuguese Irregular Verbs" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/]Scottish author, German character, German/Swiss/Italian/Ireland/Indian settings.)

Book #12 - "In Cold Pursuit" by Sarah Andrews. (Antarctica setting.)

Book #11 - "Anna Karenina" by Leo Nikoleyevich Tolstoy. (Russian; or WEM challenge.)

Book #10 - "The Sunday Philosophy Club" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, Scottish setting.)

Book #9 - "The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection" by Alexander McCall Smith. (]Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)

Book #8 - "The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)

Book #7 - "The Double Comfort Safari Club" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)

Book #6 - " Tea Time for the Traditionally Built" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)

Book #5 - "Crime and Punishment" by Fydor Dostoevsky. (Russian; or WEM challenge.)

Book #4 - "The Miracle of Speedy Motors" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)

Book #3 - "The Good Husband of Zebra Drive" by Alexander McCall Smith. (]Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)

Book #2 - "Blue Shoes and Happiness" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)

Book #1 - "In the Company of Cheerful Ladies" by Alexander McCall Smith. (Zimbabwe born/Scottish author, African setting)

[Rosie_0801]

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

... all for vegan cheese?

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

No fire! You mix bulgar and water, cover it and stir daily for a week or two, add flavourings, leave it on the bench and stir it a bit more, then form it into balls and drown in olive oil. Doesn't that sound fun? !!

[Kareni]

No fire! You mix bulgar and water, cover it and stir daily for a week or two, add flavourings, leave it on the bench and stir it a bit more, then form it into balls and drown in olive oil. Doesn't that sound fun? !!

 

 

Well, if there's no fire involved, then of course it must be fun! If you end up making it, I'll be interested to hear your impressions. Happy stirring!

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Stacia]

Perhaps the Southern connection is why we find so many books in common. I'm once removed from being a Southerner as my mom left Mississippi after college and never looked back. But I loved visiting my "people" down south, loved the food, the lazy conversations in rocking chairs on the porch after Sunday dinner, and am so very fond of a good Southern story. I'm going to have to try Faulkner again thanks to you and Stacia.

 

:thumbup1:

 

I was able to get Moll Flanders

 

That's one on my to-read list....

 

Hey Book-a-weekers, since this is pretty much the only thread I post in anymore I wanted to say "Bye!" to y'all for a while. I am putting the finishing touches on our school year and plan to take a hiatus from the boards. I will probably be back in a few weeks, hopefully with a whole stack of completed books to report on.

 

I will miss you! In the meantime, enjoy your planning & downtime. Wishing you many happy days of reading & I'll be looking forward to your return.

 

I used it to finish The Iron Will of Shoeshine Cats. Thank you, Stacia! I loved it! It's a quick read.

 

Yay. So glad it was a hit!

 

On a separate, book- & story-related note....

 

Dh & I went to see the movie Pain & Gain today. (The trailer makes it look kind-of like a funny/action movie; even though there are some funny parts, it's a deadly serious movie with some horrific -- as in, I can't watch this because it's so gross -- parts. But, it was really nice to see Ed Harris in a movie again. Love seeing him.) Though parts of it were pretty gruesome, I was intrigued by the fact that it is billed as a true story. I certainly don't remember ever hearing about it (mid- to late-1990s), but maybe I would have heard about it had I lived in Miami. After I got home, I had to follow the rabbit-trail to see about the real story behind the movie. Turns out, it is based on a series of three articles that a reporter wrote for a Miami paper. If you like true-crime type stories, you may want to read the original articles. (Caveat: There are some gruesome details in the story, especially later in the article, as two people ended up killed & disposed of in a very violent manner.) The articles are fairly long, so it's almost like reading a true-crime novella. In case you are interested in the movie vs. reality side of it, Slate has an article that outlines the differences between the two. And, it looks like there is a book (by the victim who survived) that was apparently published at the beginning of this year. Wowzers. What a case. :eek:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEQ8jyvmYtw

[VeganCupcake]

I'm about halfway through Moll Flanders. My my, it is so racy for 1722! :lol:

[Mom-ninja.]

Oh, I saw the trailer for that movie and want to see it. Mostly because of Wahlberg. Thanks for your review. I cannot handle gory or gruesome at all. At all. Shudder. I guess I'll have to skip the movie. Maybe I can just skip to all the yummy shots of Wahlberg when it's on dvd.

[Robin M]

Link to week 20 - please continue conversation in new thread