AmandaVT Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 The lists quizzes are making me feel like an uncultured swine. I did score fair on the 100 Kids' book list. :lol: Me too! Got an 18 on the banned/challenged and 25 on bucket list. I've got work to do this year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molly Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Can someone tell me what AMDG means? I've got an idea but it doesn't seem to fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Last night I finished Gayle Forman's Just One Year which was a companion book to her Just One Day which I read a few months ago and mentioned here. "Before you find out how their story ends, remember how it began....When he opens his eyes, Willem doesn’t know where in the world he is—Prague or Dubrovnik or back in Amsterdam. All he knows is that he is once again alone, and that he needs to find a girl named Lulu. They shared one magical day in Paris, and something about that day—that girl—makes Willem wonder if they aren’t fated to be together. He travels all over the world, from Mexico to India, hoping to reconnect with her. But as months go by and Lulu remains elusive, Willem starts to question if the hand of fate is as strong as he’d thought. . . . The romantic, emotional companion to Just One Day, this is a story of the choices we make and the accidents that happen—and the happiness we can find when the two intersect." It was an enjoyable read, but it does leave the reader wondering what will happen with these two young people. Perhaps the author will write yet a third book actually detailing the character's relationship. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Can someone tell me what AMDG means? I've got an idea but it doesn't seem to fit. I believe it's Latin for "to the greater glory of God." Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 A fun post that some might enjoy reading ~ 13 Fantasy Novels That Are Good Despite Their Covers Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 A fun post that some might enjoy reading ~ 13 Fantasy Novels That Are Good Despite Their Covers Regards, Kareni Omgosh. The 'what you expect' parts are :smilielol5: . Thanks for the belly-laughs (& possible books for my to-read list), Kareni. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I'm really enjoying my late "Christmas Break!" We haven't started school back yet, it's freezing cold so I can't go anywhere, and I'm ignoring Mt. Laundry and the half-taken down Christmas tree. All this means I have time to read and spend more time on this thread than I ever have before :hurray: So today I finished book #2 Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans. This is the book that dh and dd13 have been chomping at the bit for me to read. They have been singing its praises for months. The beginning was a little slow, maybe because I was expecting something different like a fantasy futuristic book, but once it got going it really took off. Michael Vey is about a teenage boy with a special power and those who want to exploit it. Once the story line got going it kind of reminded me of a YA Michael Crichton book with a jolt of sci-fi. I liked the premise and the camaraderie the kids had. Though it clocked in at over 300 pages, it was a fast read. That was nice. Overall I would give it 4 stars as I thought it took a bit to get the story started. I highly recommend it! I will be reading The Silver Chair for my co-op class next week before starting book 2 in the Michael Vey series. 2. Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans 1. The Women of Christmas by Liz Curtis Higgs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 A fun post that some might enjoy reading ~ 13 Fantasy Novels That Are Good Despite Their Covers Regards, Kareni From the link: "4. The Great Hunt, by Robert JordanAlso, pretty much any of the books in this series, but The Great Hunt is particularly special. What you expect: The nerds at your junior high band camp throw a costume party. What you get: The nerds at your junior high band camp throw a costume party but it ends up being really fun. OK, not really. This is the second most-popular fantasy series of all time for a reason: It’s vast and epic and packed with adventure and mythology that will keep you engaged for thousands of pages. A million nerd points if you can read all 14 of these, though." I really laughed out loud! I guess I get a million nerd points :cool: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 A fun post that some might enjoy reading ~ 13 Fantasy Novels That Are Good Despite Their Covers Regards, Kareni I read a couple of them including The Riddle Master of Hed and no, the covers didn't do them justice. I'll have to look out for some of those, they sound intriguing. The same can be said for many a romantic suspense novel with the bare chested, chiseled ab male on the front which is generally quite misleading and distracting. And the novel is more action suspense with about 5 minutes of romance. Especially when your kiddo or husband is being overly curious why you are reading a book with a naked male on the front. Once reason I love books - no more having to explain the covers. :lol: Now here's something weird for you. I turned off the light to go to sleep a couple nights ago and noticed a light coming from my books on my nightstand. At first I thought light or the moon was shining through the drapes, nope..... :confused1: Then discovered Mr. Penembru's 24 hour book store jacket cover glows in the dark! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melmichigan Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Has anyone read the Order of the Sanguines series by James Rollins? I'm wondering about them but don't want to take a blind leap, my library doesn't carry them. I started the year out with a break, just fluff, some of them are free right now on Kindle. I have more James Rollins downloaded and The Columbus Affair by Steve Berry on library loan. There are also books releasing tomorrow by authors I follow, such as Black Arts (Jane Yellowrock) by Faith Hunter, After the Storm (A KGI Novel) by Maya Banks, and Forsaken: The World of the Nightwalkers by Jacquelyn Frank, so I'm not sure where I'll start. :lol: Week 1 Rebel (Renegades Book 2) by Sky Jordan The Wreck by Marie Force Dare You To by Katie McGarry (this was a teen pre-read for my DD) Lick by Kylie Scott On a Night Like This (The Callaways) by Barbara Freethy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hands-on-mama Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I am going to attempt to join in this year. I want to read The Wind Up Bird and will probably pick it up later is week. Until then, I'll start The Hobbit, continue Don Quixote, and maybe add in a Beth Moore book that I downloaded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 Has anyone read the Order of the Sanguines series by James Rollins? I'm wondering about them but don't want to take a blind leap, my library doesn't carry them. I have the first one and will be reading it soon. It is the first one in which he co-wrote with Rebecca Cantrell. I have one of hers on my shelf as well - The Night of Long Knives. They are both powerful writers singularly but have no idea what the outcome will be. I love Rollins so I'm hoping this isn't the beginning of a dumbing down of his books and numerous co-writes like Tom Clancy did. Once Tom Clancy stopping writing his book and just putting his name with other lesser know authors, they went downhill and I stopped reading his stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I'm really enjoying my late "Christmas Break!" We haven't started school back yet, it's freezing cold so I can't go anywhere, and I'm ignoring Mt. Laundry and the half-taken down Christmas tree. All this means I have time to read and spend more time on this thread than I ever have before :hurray: Yay for extra book-a-week thread time. I undecorated indoors yesterday, and put our tree in the bag this afternoon. The outdoor lights are still up, though we haven't been turning them on, and inside the house I have a bunch of bins that need to go back in the attic. We're getting there a little at a time. I didn't realize that public school doesn't start back until tomorrow. While we don't follow the ps schedule closely, I do try to give ds time off when his ps friends have off. Not so today. He was back to school, then this afternoon found out that ps is still off. "M didn't have to go to school today, why did I have to start back?" I do feel like he had a good start back to school though. I think he was actually ready to get something done (shocking really). Maybe he will finally finish reading Catcher in the Rye this week. I thought he might read some of it over break, but he didn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomOfOneFunOne Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Can someone tell me what AMDG means? I've got an idea but it doesn't seem to fit. AMDG Oh, I know what it means and would be happy to tell you! AMDG in the acronym for Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam. It is sometimes -- now, for instance -- placed at the beginning of documents and correspondence (among other reasons) as a reminder to oneself to only say those things which are . . . Nice. I thank you for asking b/c writing this out for you brings to mind a very recent post in which I could have given a review in kinder tones. Really, thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Well, Stacia, dh and I went to see Walter Mitty. You couldn't ask for a better date movie. We enjoyed it very much. Dh wasn't sure what to expect (He'd never heard of The Secret Life of Walter MItty)but was very pleased with how it turned out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 26 on the Canonical list and only 9 on the banned classics list. Fun. Let me check out other lists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Oh, dear. I've only read 2 on the banned & challenged classics. :leaving: Do I get kicked out? ;) :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I've read 11 of the banned books and 36 of the classics. The list I'm interested in is the philosophy one. I've read very little (2?) from there and would like to read more. Who are the most "readable" philosophers on the list? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 I've read 11 of the banned books and 36 of the classics. The list I'm interested in is the philosophy one. I've read very little (2?) from there and would like to read more. Who are the most "readable" philosophers on the list? Good question and I'm sure Eliana or Melissa (mental multivitamin) or some of the other well read ladies we have here will be able to answer that. I'm all ears because I feel the same way. The only ones I've read are a little bit of Socrates, Plato and Sartre. I could probably spend hours on the site just remembering all the books I've read and adding way, way, way too many to my wishlist. Oy-What did I start! Mumto2 - Great article on Murakami! Plenty there for rabbit trails - authors, books, artists “Hear the Wind Sing,†a slim, elliptical tale of a nameless 21-year-old narrator, his friend called the Rat and a four-fingered woman. Nothing much happens, but the Murakami voice is there from the start: a strange broth of ennui and exoticism. In just 130 pages, the book manages to reference a thorough cross-section of Western culture: “Lassie,†“The Mickey Mouse Club,†“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,†“California Girls,†Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto, the French director Roger Vadim, Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye, Elvis Presley, the cartoon bird Woodstock, Sam Peckinpah and Peter, Paul and Mary. That’s just a partial list, and the book contains (at least in its English translation) not a single reference to a work of Japanese art in any medium. " Instead, he formed his literary sensibilities as a teenager by obsessively reading Western novelists: the classic Europeans (Dostoyevsky, Stendhal, Dickens) but especially a cluster of 20th-century Americans whom he has read over and over throughout his life — Raymond Chandler, Truman Capote, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Richard Brautigan, Kurt Vonnegut." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 Oh, dear. I've only read 2 on the banned & challenged classics. :leaving: Do I get kicked out? ;) :D As if! Stick around, doll and those numbers will go up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I've read 11 of the banned books and 36 of the classics. The list I'm interested in is the philosophy one. I've read very little (2?) from there and would like to read more. Who are the most "readable" philosophers on the list? If you mean this list-- http://www.listchallenges.com/philosophical-books -- then dh (actual philosopher!) says they're all quite readable by nonspecialists. The most difficult would be the Aristotle, Plato, Anscombe, and Sartre; but also probably the ones most worth reading. Just get an edition with notes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Well, Stacia, dh and I went to see Walter Mitty. You couldn't ask for a better date movie. We enjoyed it very much. Dh wasn't sure what to expect (He'd never heard of The Secret Life of Walter MItty)but was very pleased with how it turned out. :hurray: So glad you both enjoyed it. Ds takes an outside jr. high writing class. For the upcoming session, the teacher mailed out info & they will be working on a character analysis. Guess who? Walter Mitty. Ds enjoyed the short story & the movie, so he's pretty psyched about it already. Win-win all the way around. I finished The Goldfinch tonight! 5 stars, totally 5 stars. Loved it, loved sinking into Tartt's gorgeous, layered prose; a special treat because I knew nothing about the storyline/arc ahead of time; I entered blindly & she blew me away with her vision. Her descriptions are so authentic, so real -- it's like I was existing in Theo's head... seeing, breathing, living his life & somehow, oddly, Tartt seemed to be in my head too, thinking thoughts I would think, noticing the same odd or mundane details, musing about the same things. I was completely transported into the story & yet felt like Tartt had always existed in some corner of my mind, waiting to stroll out & converse with me on thoughts I was already having, thoughts in tandem with her story, musings on a weird, harsh, confusing, wonderful, limited yet timeless world. Wonderful characters (really I adored Hobie, Theo, Boris & all the rest, flaws & all), fabulous story, gorgeous writing. Well worth the wait & highly, wonderfully recommended. -------------------------- My Goodreads Page My PaperbackSwap Page My rating system: 5 = Love; 4 = Pretty awesome; 3 = Good; 2 = Meh; 1 = Don't bother (I shouldn't have any 1s on my list as I would ditch them before finishing)... 2014 Books Read: 01. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (5 stars). Challenge: Continental – North America (USA). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I'm really enjoying my late "Christmas Break!" We haven't started school back yet, it's freezing cold so I can't go anywhere, and I'm ignoring Mt. Laundry and the half-taken down Christmas tree. All this means I have time to read and spend more time on this thread than I ever have before :hurray: LOL. Me too. We found out today that school is cancelled tomorrow (dd is in ps; ds takes a few classes through a co-op -- both cancelled tomorrow because of weather), so we goofed off & I got plenty of reading done (instead of doing all the school prep stuff I should have been doing). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Eaglei, thinking of you & your ds this week as he heads to the dr. for his appt. in a couple of days. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Either 17 or 18 on the banned classics since I can't remember specifically which other Faulkner books I read other than TSATF which I loved and sparked a Faulkner kick. 36 on the classics ; 59 on the english student challenge list. Only 4.5 on the philosopher's list. 4.5 because while I studied 'Being and Nothingness' I don't think I actually read it through. Voltaire's 'Candide' I remember slogging through, in french no less, during our 10th grade french lit class.As for my current reading, I got 200 pages into the book on Mary Magdalene and have put it aside *for the moment*. I'm not ready to abandon it completely but I felt like I was drowning in the heavy atmosphere of Mary's inner life which only gets more intense. The author's writing was a little on the obvious side too which compounded the problem. Feeling a little depressed about bailing out but I'm calling it an 'on the back burner' read. So I'm back to my cheery Isabel Dalhousie mystery which I'll likely finish up over the next couple of days. I've got 'Peace like a River' on my list. Anyone read this? Writing looks good, story doesn't look too intense.Also thinking of adding some Doris Lessing to my list. She just passed several weeks ago and I remember inhaling her 'Canopus in Argus' series when I was younger. I've not read much of her other fiction. I'm thinking of the Martha Quest books. Anyone have anything to share on those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I checked The Interestings out from the library last week and only got through about 10 pages and thought I do not want this to be my first book of the year. I promptly sent it back Same exact thing happened to me last week. I also returned it after about 10 or so pages. Love this and thought to share. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molly Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 AMDG Oh, I know what it means and would be happy to tell you! AMDG in the acronym for Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam. It is sometimes -- now, for instance -- placed at the beginning of documents and correspondence (among other reasons) as a reminder to oneself to only say those things which are . . . Nice. I thank you for asking b/c writing this out for you brings to mind a very recent post in which I could have given a review in kinder tones. Really, thank you. Thank you so very much, this now makes so much sense. I decided I didn't want to spend an entire year seeing it and not understanding why. I believe it's Latin for "to the greater glory of God." Regards, Kareni That is what I thought but I couldn't quite make sense of the reasoning behind it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I just finished Sandstorm the very first Sigma Force Novel by James Rollins. This series is Robin recommendation which Melmichigan has been busy reading also. It was quite interesting and action packed with the added bonus of being set in Oman for my countries challenge. Still have Outrageous Fortune, Wind Up Bird, and Curtsies & Conspiracies(prequel to Parasol Protectorate) in progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 With a nod to Stacia, I want to mention that today's Google Doodle features Zora Neale Hurston whose book Their Eyes Were Watching God appears on the frequently challenged or banned book list. On a related note, The Color Purple was recently challenged by a member of a county school board here in NC. Had the challenger read the book? No, but she read the Cliff Notes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElaineJ Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 . I've got 'Peace like a River' on my list. Anyone read this? Writing looks good, story doesn't look too intense. I read Peace Like a River many years ago. I really enjoyed it and have recommended it to others. The writing is good and the somewhat mystical storyline draws you in without being too intense. Elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Now that the book is closed, I cannot say that I feel thrilled or inspired by The Blithedale Romance. Nonetheless, I am glad that I read it for several reasons. The first is that griping about the book led Violet Crown to offer some interesting insights into Nathaniel Hawthorne that not only benefited this reader but others in our group. Secondly, Hawthorne introduced me to Charles Fourier. Heretofore, the only Fourier I knew was Joseph and his very useful Fourier Transform: Maybe you need to be a math/science geek to be amused by this... Anyway, reading more about Charles Fourier, I discovered that Italo Calvino wrote about this French philosopher. Calvino is among my favorite authors and one that many of you read last year (If on a winter's night a traveler). Interesting article from the July 2013 New Republic here. If anything, The Blithedale Romance nudges me to read Rousseau which is something that I have been intending to do for years. But before I tackle such a heady proposition, I am returning to my old friend John le Carre--but not one of his Cold War novels. In recent years he has turned his attention to Africa. While I have not read The Constant Gardener, I found the film starring Ralph Fiennes to be quite good. Off to face Congolese politics in The Mission Song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 As for my current reading, I got 200 pages into the book on Mary Magdalene and have put it aside *for the moment*. I'm not ready to abandon it completely but I felt like I was drowning in the heavy atmosphere of Mary's inner life which only gets more intense. The author's writing was a little on the obvious side too which compounded the problem. Feeling a little depressed about bailing out but I'm calling it an 'on the back burner' read. So I'm back to my cheery Isabel Dalhousie mystery which I'll likely finish up over the next couple of days. I've got 'Peace like a River' on my list. Anyone read this? Writing looks good, story doesn't look too intense. I read it, maybe a decade ago? Excellent writing. Good story. I found the vocabulary and syntax of the children a little unbelievable, but definitely worth reading. As I recall, there is some intensity, I posted about it on my blog in 2003. Fair warning spoilers. I really liked it, though, and want to re-read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 This week I finished Americanah, by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Over the last few weeks I'd also read her Half a Yellow Sun and The Thing Around Your Neck (short stories). She writes beautifully. Americanah is mostly set in the US and spends a good bit of time exploring race issues here, particularly the differences between African-Americans' versus that of other blacks' experiences. I also read The Cutting Season by Attica Locke -- murder story set in Louisiana, also exploring race issues. The story moved along and its resolution wasn't what I was expecting, but the writing was a bit uneven. Sometimes it seemed as if the author couldn't quite decide how far into the protagonist's head she wanted to go in. I was nearly done with my audio re-read of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, when I somehow misplaced the CDs. Hope to find them soon (sigh). I'm just starting Jews and Words by Amos Oz and his daughter Fania for a local IRL book group; it's non-fiction, exploring why Jews read so much :laugh: . Stacia, I loved Cat's Table (pretty much anything by Ondaatje). Here's my favorite quote (I converted his text into verse, typed it up and put it over my desk): There is a story, always ahead of you.Barely existing.Only gradually do you attach yourself to itand feed it.You discover the carapace that will contain and test your character.You find in this way the pathof your life. How lovely is that?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 If you mean this list-- http://www.listchallenges.com/philosophical-books -- then dh (actual philosopher!) says they're all quite readable by nonspecialists. The most difficult would be the Aristotle, Plato, Anscombe, and Sartre; but also probably the ones most worth reading. Just get an edition with notes. This is the list I was referring to. http://www.listchallenges.com/famous-philosophers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 This is the list I was referring to. http://www.listchallenges.com/famous-philosophers Oh, sorry. Dh's comments: It's hard to know what to make of a list of just philosophers. Many of them would be very hard to understand if you just leapt in and started reading the primary texts. Something like Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophy might be a good introduction first. (He's also dubious about the composition of the list, finding it impressive that for a list of eighty great philosophers the compiler could come up with only three women, and Anscombe wasn't one of them.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 LOL. Me too. We found out today that school is cancelled tomorrow (dd is in ps; ds takes a few classes through a co-op -- both cancelled tomorrow because of weather), so we goofed off & I got plenty of reading done (instead of doing all the school prep stuff I should have been doing). Love it! This is from the extras right? Where they were racing through the forest? We watched some Harry Potter yesterday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Oh, sorry. Dh's comments: It's hard to know what to make of a list of just philosophers. Many of them would be very hard to understand if you just leapt in and started reading the primary texts. Something like Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophy might be a good introduction first. (He's also dubious about the composition of the list, finding it impressive that for a list of eighty great philosophers the compiler could come up with only three women, and Anscombe wasn't one of them.) Thanks. These lists are daunting. It's hard to know where to start. I've read Sophie's World, and a smattering of Plato on Socrates, Augustine, Decartes, and Voltaire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 A quote from Snow Falling on Cedars: "Other people spoke fondly and knowingly of books they had read decades before. He sometimes wondered what had become of those books he'd read many years earlier-- if they were still somewhere inside him. James Fenimore Cooper, Sir Walter Scott, Dickens, William Dean Howells. He didn't think any of them were still there. He couldn't remember them, anyway." This has happened to me. It makes me feel old sometimes to see lists of books that I read once and not be able to remember more than the basic storyline, if that. I read a great many modern classics in my teens and twenties, but I don't remember half of them. I read The House of Seven Gables, but I couldn't tell you what it is about. I don't remember some of the DuMaurier books I read, and I collected them at the time. The ones I do remember, I've usually read more than once. But I've no desire to go back and read everything I've forgotten all over again. It's a little sad, like someone you met once long ago has passed away, and you can't recall anything about them but their face. This keeps coming back to me. I finished Don't Look Now, and I didn't care for it. If I recall correctly, I like du Maurier's novels better than her short stories. Although, maybe I would like even her novels less now than I did in my late teens/early twenties when I adored them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welovetoread Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 If anyone is looking for a 12th century book for this month, there is one free today. I am not familiar with it, but the reviews are decent. http://www.amazon.com/Good-Knight-Gareth-Medieval-Mystery-ebook/dp/B005OLTU8I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Yesterday, I finished Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts. It was so good for me to read about finding joy through thankfulness. I am so glad I read it. I also re-read Deconstructing Penguins, as I'm getting ready to join up with some other moms for a reading group for our kids. Right now, I'm working on Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard and also reading Clash of Kings when I walk on the treadmill. Love reading everyone's posts - you're making me want to retry Murakami!!! 2014 Deconstructing Penguins by Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 This keeps coming back to me. I finished Don't Look Now, and I didn't care for it. If I recall correctly, I like du Maurier's novels better than her short stories. Although, maybe I would like even her novels less now than I did in my late teens/early twenties when I adored them. I adored them too. It is harder for me to read them now because of the psychological tension, which was why I liked them in the first place. Now that I am much older, I want to slap some of the characters and say, "Snap out of it. You don't have to be under someone else's spell if you don't want to." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Now here's something weird for you. I turned off the light to go to sleep a couple nights ago and noticed a light coming from my books on my nightstand. At first I thought light or the moon was shining through the drapes, nope..... :confused1: Then discovered Mr. Penembru's 24 hour book store jacket cover glows in the dark! One of my dc's books has this special effect too. And just an FYI for those with kids who love to read it's part of a series called 'Adventurers Wanted' and has been described as LOTR for the slightly younger crowd though the books are long, 400 or so pages. Anyway dc has read LOTR and says while it's not in the same league as LOTR it's still a good series and well worth reading. The glow-in-the-dark book in question is book three, 'Albrek's Tomb'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendy not in HI Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 A fun post that some might enjoy reading ~ 13 Fantasy Novels That Are Good Despite Their Covers Regards, Kareni That cracks me up! One day at the library, we checked out a few picture books for the little ones, a couple of chapter books for the olders, and I picked up a book from Orson Scott Card's Alvin Maker series, I think Alvin Journeyman. The librarian was going through the books, and gave me a raised eyebrow and said "oooo, and one for YOU!" I hadn't noticed, but the cover had a picture of a man without a shirt, lots of muscles... So embarrassing! And it's not even a romance, either! Just a bad cover on a good fantasy novel... I am a little nervous about joining in the 52 Books thread - I love to read, but I have a hard time keeping track and sticking with challenges... Here's what I've been reading so far: In progress: Hobbit (read aloud) Unbroken The Book Thief Finished: Rapture by Lauren Kate. My dd15 has read this YA series and just loved it. She suddenly started reading this year, after a few years of not reading much of anything. She is reading and wanting to talk about the books she has read and really wanted me to read this series with her (she may have been abducted by aliens, she also willingly did chores this weekend...) I generally enjoy YA fiction, but maybe I'm just not in to angels... I give it 3 stars - not terrible, readable, glad to be finished. Next she says I must read Legend.. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. My sister gave me this for Christmas. I really enjoyed it. It had a few things going for it that I knew I would love: WW2. England. Airplanes. Strong girl lead. A book about a book. I give it 5 stars. It was really well written and a great story. I am looking forward to her book Rose Under Fire. 2014 2. Rapture, Lauren Kate 1. Code Name Verity, Elizabeth Wein Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I adored them too. It is harder for me to read them now because of the psychological tension, which was why I liked them in the first place. Now that I am much older, I want to slap some of the characters and say, "Snap out of it. You don't have to be under someone else's spell if you don't want to." Yes. Also, some situations similar to those in the books have happened to family and friends in the intervening years, so the enjoyment of reading about them is just not there anymore. Reality is much harsher and more complex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 My review for The Magician's Book: A Skeptic's Adventures in Narnia is up on my blog. I'm back to work today so less time to read :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 Happy tuesday and happy birthday to Zora Neale Hurston Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 My review for The Magician's Book: A Skeptic's Adventures in Narnia is up on my blog. I just spent way TOO much time browsing your blog reading reviews of books. Thank you (?!). Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I just spent way TOO much time browsing your blog reading reviews of books. Thank you (?!). Regards, Kareni You're welcome :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welovetoread Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I am a little nervous about joining in the 52 Books thread - I love to read, but I have a hard time keeping track and sticking with challenges... Here's what I've been reading so far: In progress: Hobbit (read aloud) Unbroken The Book Thief Finished: Rapture by Lauren Kate. My dd15 has read this YA series and just loved it. She suddenly started reading this year, after a few years of not reading much of anything. She is reading and wanting to talk about the books she has read and really wanted me to read this series with her (she may have been abducted by aliens, she also willingly did chores this weekend...) I generally enjoy YA fiction, but maybe I'm just not in to angels... I give it 3 stars - not terrible, readable, glad to be finished. Next she says I must read Legend.. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. My sister gave me this for Christmas. I really enjoyed it. It had a few things going for it that I knew I would love: WW2. England. Airplanes. Strong girl lead. A book about a book. I give it 5 stars. It was really well written and a great story. I am looking forward to her book Rose Under Fire. No need to be nervous. I had a start, break and re start last year. Its all good. I have a 16 year old that isn't a reader that is reading now. She got hooked on Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles. She is eagerly awaiting the release of the 3rd book. Its basically fairytales gone Sci Fi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Elliot Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I just finished: 1. The Second Coming by Walker Percy My, oh my, that was the most abrupt ending I've ever experienced. I'll have to think about the ending more after I get over the flu. I did like the book, I think. It was strange, but I liked it. That was my first Walker Percy. Is anyone here a fan of his? Could you recommend a second book by him? I'm not sure what I'll start now. I have a few ideas, but I'll need a day or so to get over that ending (and the flu) before I make a decision about what's next. ETA: I reread the ending several times, thought about it, and then read it aloud to dh. I get it now. (Poor dh, I inflict all my narrations on him, and he thought this was one strange book.) I think I understand why Percy ended it that way, and I like the book better for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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