Book a Week in 2014 - BW5

[Laura Cook]

I'm reading but forget to post. I am loving these threads, my list of books to read just keeps growing and my reading horizons are expanding! At times I am left feeling rather ignorant after reading many of the posts. I just don't know how to discuss what I'm reading like some of you can. I don't know if it's a skill you've learned or what? I do love to read though! I learned to read in first grade and haven't ever stopped, reading is my main hobby.

 

Read:

1. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

2. How to Manage Your Money When You Don't Have Any by Erik Wecks

3. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

4. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

5. Ice Hunt by James Rollins

6. Light a Penny Candle by Maeve Binchey

 

In Progress:

1. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

 

Someone mentioned The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne a couple weeks back and I haven't read that book in years. I know I liked it because I own it, I just can't find it on my bookshelves! As soon as I do it is going into my pile. Thanks to the mention earlier, I just downloaded Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley for my next read.

 

Happy Reading!!

[Mom-ninja.]

Finished Germ, Genes & Civilizations and it was interesting. I will say that the author repeated himself too much though. I kept thinking, "Yeah, you mentioned that. Got it. Move on." However, still interesting when he wasn't repeating himself. 

[Stacia]

Well, reading more was wishful thinking.  I've been busy bundling up kids, stripping kids, throwing iced clothes in the dryer, rebundling kids to go back out in the snow, wash, rinse, repeat...  Not a whole lot of reading going on.  LOL  The girls have had a blast though.  My snowbunny stuck in the South has been a happy camper these past couple of days.

 

Your dd looks so happy! I love the mini snowman. I'm with your dd -- thrilled with the snow. I'll be sad today as much of it will be melting. (Do have to get out to try to recover dh's car as he left it in the next town & walked home 8 miles on Tuesday evening because of all the snow/ice chaos. There's a major hill over a river that we need to cross, though, & dh said it was a car graveyard as he walked by on Tuesday.)

 

Have you ever taken your snowbunny skiing? I bet she'd love that!

 

Interesting. I think it was banned in parts of South America for a while also. House of the Spirits is one of my all-time favorite books ever. 

 

:smilielol5: and me, with my motion sickness, that wouldn't go down too well  :lol: . 

 

Yeah, I have pretty severe motion sickness too. That gif looks like extreme torture to me.

 

BBC Radio 4 Extra is airing a dramatization of The Woman in White next week.  (Link.)  For those of you unfamiliar with their I-player service, I want to point that you cannot download the programs.  An episode airs daily and then can be accessed for a week via your computer.

 

I love the vision of Stacia in the treehouse.  Actually, can the BaWers meet there sometime? 

 

I took a walk on the ice yesterday using hiking poles for balance.  Just as I was leaving my street for the main drag, I witnessed a guy doing a perfect doughnut, a 360 degree turn instead of a 90.  Obviously the ice was not the only hazard.  Turning vehicles would not be able to stop for pedestrians.  I was treading carefully!  (Just heard from my husband who made it into work safely this morning.  Bridges are hazardous where I live!)

 

Ruth Ozeki's novel My Year of Meats is on my to-be-read list.  Food novels are one of my 5/5/5 challenges.

 

 

Sending SunnyDays and everyone else who is battling seasonal viruses good cheer!  Be well my reading friends!

 

I used the BBC player thing to listen to the H.P. Lovecraft novel last year. It was cool & a learning experience for me (as I just don't pay attention to audiobooks). I usually sat at my computer late at night, closed my eyes, & listened to the episode. I ended up really enjoying it.

 

May hang out in my treehouse again this afternoon. Any BaWers want to come over & join me? I suggest winter gear & an insulated mug with a warm drink! :cheers2:

 

We also have had to watch out for sliding cars when out walking. Haven't been out walking much, but I did worry a bit about dh when he was walking 8 miles home on Tuesday night, not because of the cold or the distance, but because of the possibility of a car hitting him. Same for dd (who started walking home from her high school in the afternoon because her bus didn't make it to the school). Everyone is fine, though!

 

I will be curious to hear about Ozeki's novel. I love A Tale for the Time Being, but don't feel a pull to read another of hers so soon. (You know, my usual reticence to read someone more often than every ten years or so. :lol: )

 

Yes, hope all the BaW families recover quickly! :grouphug:

 

A lot of random thoughts after reading through yesterdays posts:

 

Treehouses are THE best places to read books, especially if you do not want to be disturbed.

 

It is 1 degree outside my kitchen window, which is incredible for this part of the country. We just don't do this kind of weather. I have a lot more time to read, but really, this is ridiculous. I'm ready for a lot of warm sunshine myself. I want to open my windows!

 

I get book hangovers all the time. They make me wander around my house trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do next. I usually determine to avoid getting pulled into another for at least a day, all right at least half a day.

 

With 5 children, I think I spent half my life watching Sesame Street. Oscar really has a heart of gold, he just doesn't want anyone to know.

 

Treehouses are nice, I agree, but I hate mosquitoes. I'm a mosquito magnet. And being in a treehouse is the perfect place for mosquitos. Hence, I'm willing to sit in the treehouse in 20 degree weather with snow, but will not be out there in the summer. :tongue_smilie:

 

I'm a HUGE Sesame Street fan & have always thought that one of the most perfect jobs on the planet must surely be to write/create the content for Sesame Street episodes. I dislike tv but I never, never, never have minded watching Sesame Street. It's really just so nice, smart, & clever that I adore it (including Oscar with his gruff heart-of-gold). The Count is pretty nifty too. :thumbup1:

[shukriyya]

Interesting. I think it was banned in parts of South America for a while also. House of the Spirits is one of my all-time favorite books ever. 

 

:smilielol5: and me, with my motion sickness, that wouldn't go down too well  :lol: . 

 

I loved that book, too, when I read it. Was it you that said finally you and IA parted ways? That was how it was for me too. 

 

I was tucked in a warm bed with a book early last night and missed the party!

 

BBC Radio 4 Extra is airing a dramatization of The Woman in White next week.  (Link.)  For those of you unfamiliar with their I-player service, I want to point that you cannot download the programs.  An episode airs daily and then can be accessed for a week via your computer.

 

I love the vision of Stacia in the treehouse.  Actually, can the BaWers meet there sometime? 

 

I took a walk on the ice yesterday using hiking poles for balance.  Just as I was leaving my street for the main drag, I witnessed a guy doing a perfect doughnut, a 360 degree turn instead of a 90.  Obviously the ice was not the only hazard.  Turning vehicles would not be able to stop for pedestrians.  I was treading carefully!  (Just heard from my husband who made it into work safely this morning.  Bridges are hazardous where I live!)

 

Ruth Ozeki's novel My Year of Meats is on my to-be-read list.  Food novels are one of my 5/5/5 challenges.

 

 

Sending SunnyDays and everyone else who is battling seasonal viruses good cheer!  Be well my reading friends!

 

Thank you for that BBC link and info. I may check in on that though like a pp my mind tends to wander during audio books. Of course that could have something to do with the fact that the audio books we listen to are dc's in the car to our various classes and lessons. They're ones that have been heard again and again and again so some mental perambulation is a necessary offshoot :lol:

 

Yes, to a BaW gathering in Stacia's treeehouse. Though perhaps minus the snow ;)

 

I have 'A Year of Meats' on my tbr list too :D

 

Stay safe and warm!

 

A lot of random thoughts after reading through yesterdays posts:

 

Treehouses are THE best places to read books, especially if you do not want to be disturbed.

 

I get book hangovers all the time. They make me wander around my house trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do next. I usually determine to avoid getting pulled into another for at least a day, all right at least half a day.

 

Yesterday I realized that I never include our homeschool read alouds in my yearly book count. It is kind of bittersweet because I am reading everything again for the last child. I use him as an excuse to keep reading juvenile literature.   We just finished reading King of the Wind and have started Ali and the Golden Eagle. All the books I give him to read to himself are for the last time.

 

A funny: dh is reading The Phantom Tollbooth for the first time. He couldn't stand listening to the boys quote from the book and not knowing what they were talking about. They also quote from Beatrix Potter's books. I love it.

 

This got sentimental, didn't it? I read through the very grown up posts here and realize I still have one foot firmly embedded in childhood. 

 

I still haven't begun my next book but I'm feeling ready to today. I haven't been including read-alouds or audio books either. King of the Wind is a lovely book, isn't it? Dominic by William Steig is a family fave here. Even dh stayed up one night reading it. We like to quote from Paddington and Winnie the Pooh here. Very useful things those bears say.

 

Phantom Tollbooth is also a well-loved book. The movie, too, is fun.

[Jane in NC]

 

 

Thank you for that BBC link and info. I may check in on that though like a pp my mind tends to wander during audio books. Of course that could have something to do with the fact that the audio books we listen to are dc's in the car to our various classes and lessons. They're ones that have been heard again and again and again so some mental perambulation is a necessary offshoot :lol:

 

Just a note:  BBC Radio 4 Extra is airing a dramatization of The Woman in White not a reading.  Will that keep your mind from wandering?

[Onceuponatime]

 

 

 

Treehouses are nice, I agree, but I hate mosquitoes. I'm a mosquito magnet. And being in a treehouse is the perfect place for mosquitos. Hence, I'm willing to sit in the treehouse in 20 degree weather with snow, but will not be out there in the summer. :tongue_smilie:

 

 

 

 

I am thankful mosquitos do not like my blood, maybe it's too rich for them. Of course, I could be sour or bitter, too. Nevertheless, summer is my favorite time to read outdoors. I no longer live in a place with a tree house, so I lay on the picnic table in the shade and pretend.

[shukriyya]

I'm feeling all :willy_nilly: this morning because there are so many wonderful posts to respond to but multi-quoting, cutting and pasting and scrolling aren't cutting it this morning. Can you all just come on over for coffee, tea and baked goods? :D

[JennW in SoCal]

Thanks for these awesome links, Jenn! Fascinating tidbits about Janacek's Second Quartet. TMI, indeed!

 

I guess I should have had the Sinfonietta playing when I was actually reading 1Q84 last year. Interestingly, I think it would have made the book feel a bit different as the music seems hyper (? -- maybe frenetic is a better word here?) vs. the book's more languid pace. Some of the more ethereal sections of the music would have slotted perfectly with the air chrysailis sections, I think.

 

ETA: I'm really not a music person (I do think I'm tone deaf), so I really feel like I can't describe music well. Listening to Janacek's Sinfonietta makes me feel like I've had too much caffeine.... (Not that it's good or bad, just that the music seems jittery to me/makes me feel edgy.)

 

 

 

If the Sinfonietta makes you jittery, avoid the 1st string quartet like the plague!  The Sinfonietta is actually quite lyric -- I love it.  I'd better finally get around to reading1Q84!

 

With 5 children, I think I spent half my life watching Sesame Street. Oscar really has a heart of gold, he just doesn't want anyone to know.

 

Yesterday I realized that I never include our homeschool read alouds in my yearly book count. It is kind of bittersweet because I am reading everything again for the last child. I use him as an excuse to keep reading juvenile literature.   We just finished reading King of the Wind and have started Ali and the Golden Eagle. All the books I give him to read to himself are for the last time. Sunday evening the two of us are having a Hobbit party, in honor of him finishing the Hobbit,  while dh and the older boys go to a superbowl party. Right now he is reading one of my all time favorites McGillicuddy McGotham by Leonard Wibberly.

 

A funny: dh is reading The Phantom Tollbooth for the first time. He couldn't stand listening to the boys quote from the book and not knowing what they were talking about. They also quote from Beatrix Potter's books. I love it.

 

The 14yo is following in his father's footsteps with his reading tastes. Last year he finished the Hornblower series and this week he started reading Master and Commander.

 

I read Wilkie Collins books about 10 years ago. My 1st  son (13 at the time) read them right after me. He used to follow me around watching what I read, so I was reading very well then, lol. We fought each other for the priveledge of reading each new Harry Potter book first. Then he got wise and figured out how to get separate copies.  When he hit 16 or so, I started following him around and watching what he read. I miss him.

 

This got sentimental, didn't it? I read through the very grown up posts here and realize I still have one foot firmly embedded in childhood. 

 

You go ahead and get sloppy sentimental over read alouds and books shared with the kids.  The sharing of books is perhaps the best part of homeschooling, and something each of us on the BaW thread cherishes with our own kids.  The sharing of books hasn't ended yet with my youngest even though he is on the other side of the country in college.  We still love to trade titles and talk books.  

 

I'm reading but forget to post. I am loving these threads, my list of books to read just keeps growing and my reading horizons are expanding! At times I am left feeling rather ignorant after reading many of the posts. I just don't know how to discuss what I'm reading like some of you can. I don't know if it's a skill you've learned or what? I do love to read though! I learned to read in first grade and haven't ever stopped, reading is my main hobby.

 

 

I feel ignorant too, reading these threads, and, like you, envy how some ladies post eloquent and thoughtful reviews seemingly with ease.  I used to write book reviews on my (now defunct) blog,  but try to at least articulate my thoughts about each book here on this thread.    

 

I am thankful mosquitos do not like my blood, maybe it's too rich for them. Of course, I could be sour or bitter, too. Nevertheless, summer is my favorite time to read outdoors. I no longer live in a place with a tree house, so I lay on the picnic table in the shade and pretend.

 

This must be why I am feeling so guilty in carving out reading time this month.  It isn't cold and wintry so I don't have the excuse of wanting to stay cozy and warm with a book.  It has actually been warm enough to read outside, but for heaven's sake it is January and it just feels so very wrong to be sitting outside and reading a book.  That is a summer activity!!  So much angst.

[shukriyya]

I'm reading but forget to post. I am loving these threads, my list of books to read just keeps growing and my reading horizons are expanding! At times I am left feeling rather ignorant after reading many of the posts. I just don't know how to discuss what I'm reading like some of you can. I don't know if it's a skill you've learned or what? I do love to read though! I learned to read in first grade and haven't ever stopped, reading is my main hobby.

 

A love of reading is all that's required. I enjoy everyone's posts from the prosaic and amusing to the quietly wise. Robin's created such a nice vibe here that I think I can say with confidence that everyone is welcome at this table :D

 

If the Sinfonietta makes you jittery, avoid the 1st string quartet like the plague!  The Sinfonietta is actually quite lyric -- I love it.  I'd better finally get around to reading1Q84!

 

 

You go ahead and get sloppy sentimental over read alouds and books shared with the kids.  The sharing of books is perhaps the best part of homeschooling, and something each of us on the BaW thread cherishes with our own kids.  The sharing of books hasn't ended yet with my youngest even though he is on the other side of the country in college.  We still love to trade titles and talk books.  

 

 

I feel ignorant too, reading these threads, and, like you, envy how some ladies post eloquent and thoughtful reviews seemingly with ease.  I used to write book reviews on my (now defunct) blog,  but try to at least articulate my thoughts about each book here on this thread.    

 

 

This must be why I am feeling so guilty in carving out reading time this month.  It isn't cold and wintry so I don't have the excuse of wanting to stay cozy and warm with a book.  It has actually been warm enough to read outside, but for heaven's sake it is January and it just feels so very wrong to be sitting outside and reading a book.  That is a summer activity!!  So much angst.

 

Ahem, I see not a shred of ignorance here. Quite the contrary!

[Kareni]

Do you know that I just realized in the past week or so that it is DownTON Abbey instead of DownTOWN Abbey?

 

 

The first time I saw Downton Abbey posted on the board I thought someone had made a spelling error.  You're in good company, Stacia!

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Last night I finished the contemporary romance Temptation Bay (A Windfall Island Novel) by Anna Sullivan.  I enjoyed it.

 

"Maggie Solomon has always been one of Windfall Island's favorite daughters. A beautiful, passionate charter pilot who loves this remote Maine island, Maggie has never cared much for outsiders-until her latest passenger arouses the curiosity of the town . . . and something hot and irresistible in Maggie. With his long, lean looks and razor-sharp wit, the man is temptation itself.

Cop-turned-PI Dexter Keegan is on a covert mission to solve the case that will make his career: uncovering the identity of the Stanhope heir, kidnapped nearly a century ago. No one on this fiercely protective island can know what he's doing, not even the spirited, blue-eyed beauty who infuriates-and excites-Dex. As the desire between them ignites, Maggie becomes the key to the case . . . and the target of an unknown enemy. Now Dex will do anything to protect the woman he's come to love-even risk his own life."

 

The book is the first of a series, but it stands alone quite well.  The mystery of the identity of the Stanhope heir will clearly be what ties the series together.  I'll certainly read more as further books are released.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Guest]

Agh! School is not letting me savor these posts as much as I'd like! What great discussion.

 

I finished The Historian this morning at 6am. (I woke up and read it, I did not read through the night, lol.) I'm sorry, but I'm beginning to feel like Stacia in that I am a dissenter when it comes to literature! I am not in love with Susanna Kearsley or Sarah Addison Allen, as many of you are, and I was not impressed with The Historian, either!!! (Ducking!) It definitely felt like I was slogging through it. I did have some thoughts, though, as to why. First of all, I am not familiar (and maybe not super interested) in that time period. I was working on Stephen Lawhead's Byzantium for a long time before I finally gave up on it. I probably would have given up The Historian, too, except I had told you all I was reading it, lol. Secondly, I've never read Dracula. (I know!!!) I guess I'm just not that into vampires. (I have nothing against them, they just aren't a huge interest to me.) I honestly do think I probably would have enjoyed it more if I were more versed in medieval, Eastern European history.

 

I did stay up to finish Winter Garden last night... I loved it. I could feel my heart breaking at several points through the pages, and especially with the reveals toward the end. I'm not sure I've ever finished a Kristin Hannah book without crying at least a little. :)
 

 

Yay!!!! Well after everybody hated Russian Winter, I was nervous about so highly recommending this - I'm so glad you loved it.

 

 

Yesterday I realized that I never include our homeschool read alouds in my yearly book count. It is kind of bittersweet because I am reading everything again for the last child. I use him as an excuse to keep reading juvenile literature.   We just finished reading King of the Wind and have started Ali and the Golden Eagle. All the books I give him to read to himself are for the last time. Sunday evening the two of us are having a Hobbit party, in honor of him finishing the Hobbit,  while dh and the older boys go to a superbowl party. Right now he is reading one of my all time favorites McGillicuddy McGotham by Leonard Wibberly.

 

 

I am just starting to include our homeschool read alouds in my count this year. They are getting a little longer, plus we are talking about them more, so I felt like they count. :)

 

Next up, I plan to start the Steve Jobs biography, and I think I'm going to pull down Winter Garden and read that first. I also borrowed Katherine Boo's Behind the Beautiful Forevers. I don't remember what it is about, it sounded interesting when I downloaded it, though. I'll check back in...

 

Okay, I'd love to sit and chat for awhile, but I have a little girl doodling on the whiteboard waiting for me to start school with her. :)

 

[Angel]

 

:smilielol5: and me, with my motion sickness, that wouldn't go down too well  :lol: . 

 

Oh my goodness!  I was thinking the EXACT same thing!  In fact just watching that car makes me queasy  :eek:

 

 

I was able to get an advanced copy of Lost Lake, and I can say that I don't think you will be disappointed.  I don't think it is her best (I love The Girl Who Chased the Moon), but after what she's gone through, it is a very strong comeback.  I hope you enjoy it!

 

Can you explain the bolded?  The author?  I've read Garden Spells and The Girl Who Chased the Moon and The Girl Who Chased the Moon was my favorite!  Not to mention having one of the prettiest covers! The Sugar Queen is on my tbr pile for next month.  

[Angel]

I am thankful mosquitos do not like my blood, maybe it's too rich for them. Of course, I could be sour or bitter, too. Nevertheless, summer is my favorite time to read outdoors. I no longer live in a place with a tree house, so I lay on the picnic table in the shade and pretend.

 

Summer is my favorite time to read outdoors too!!  Though I sit in the sun and soak up the vitamin D.  I feel SO much healthier in the summer after getting my daily dose of sunshine!  Unfortunately, I think I may be inheriting my dad's rosacea so I'm trying to figure a good way to cover my face (it doesn't like sunscreen either).  

[Paisley Hedgehog]

.

 

[SunnyDays]

Can you explain the bolded? The author? I've read Garden Spells and The Girl Who Chased the Moon and The Girl Who Chased the Moon was my favorite! Not to mention having one of the prettiest covers! The Sugar Queen is on my tbr pile for next month.

Sarah went through a battle with cancer, but it sounds like she's now doing well. Here's a link to her news page, scroll down to the October 2012 and October 2011 posts for backstory.

 

http://sarahaddisonallen.com/news.html

[mlbuchina]

Oh my goodness! I was thinking the EXACT same thing! In fact just watching that car makes me queasy :eek:

 

 

Can you explain the bolded? The author? I've read Garden Spells and The Girl Who Chased the Moon and The Girl Who Chased the Moon was my favorite! Not to mention having one of the prettiest covers! The Sugar Queen is on my tbr pile for next month.

Yes, of course. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in early 2011. She has been cancer free for a year(?) now, and Lost Lake was the book she had started before the diagnosis.

 

ETA: SunnyDays beat me to it. :)

[SunnyDays]

Thanks for all the well wishes! It's a balmy 38 degrees here today, LOL, so I've actually cracked open the door for some fresh air. It can't hurt.

 

The Phantom Tollbooth is one I've never read, believe it or not. I do have it on my kindle (honestly, what don't I have on my Kindle at this point?) so it's on my list for the year.

 

And I would love to come sit in Stacia's treehouse. All we need for summer is a bit of mosquito netting or screening. And mimosas! ;)

[Stacia]

Thanks for all the well wishes! It's a balmy 38 degrees here today, LOL, so I've actually cracked open the door for some fresh air. It can't hurt.

 

The Phantom Tollbooth is one I've never read, believe it or not. I do have it on my kindle (honestly, what don't I have on my Kindle at this point?) so it's on my list for the year.

 

And I would love to come sit in Stacia's treehouse. All we need for summer is a bit of mosquito netting or screening. And mimosas! ;)

 

Come on over. Angel, you can even soak up some Vitamin D as it's very sunny here today!

 

LOL about opening the door. I have our windows cracked, just to get some fresh air in. I think it's about 35 degrees here.

 

Just got back from taking dh to get his car. No real problems on the roads, but still some patches of ice & quite a few abandoned cars along the sides of the roads. (At least dh had been able to park in a lot, so his wasn't out in a roadway.) Ds was thrilled because Starbucks was open so I ran in & got us a couple of coffees on my way back. Heading out to the treehouse in a minute w/ my coffee & a book....

[Forget-Me-Not]

Thanks for all the well wishes! It's a balmy 38 degrees here today, LOL, so I've actually cracked open the door for some fresh air. It can't hurt.

The Phantom Tollbooth is one I've never read, believe it or not. I do have it on my kindle (honestly, what don't I have on my Kindle at this point?) so it's on my list for the year.

And I would love to come sit in Stacia's treehouse. All we need for summer is a bit of mosquito netting or screening. And mimosas! ;)

We listened to "The Phantom Tollbooth" on audiobook. David Hyde Pierce does a fabulous job with it :)

[Stacia]

I finished The Historian this morning at 6am. (I woke up and read it, I did not read through the night, lol.) I'm sorry, but I'm beginning to feel like Stacia in that I am a dissenter when it comes to literature! I am not in love with Susanna Kearsley or Sarah Addison Allen, as many of you are, and I was not impressed with The Historian, either!!! (Ducking!) It definitely felt like I was slogging through it. I did have some thoughts, though, as to why. First of all, I am not familiar (and maybe not super interested) in that time period. I was working on Stephen Lawhead's Byzantium for a long time before I finally gave up on it. I probably would have given up The Historian, too, except I had told you all I was reading it, lol. Secondly, I've never read Dracula. (I know!!!) I guess I'm just not that into vampires. (I have nothing against them, they just aren't a huge interest to me.) I honestly do think I probably would have enjoyed it more if I were more versed in medieval, Eastern European history.

Ok, woman, in relation to The Historian, I just have to say...

 

...

 

:lol: (Of course, as far as supernatural creatures go, I'm partial to vampires. Maybe it's because I have extremely sharp canine teeth AND because I can't stand garlic.)

 

As soon as we scrap, though, we can dust off, shake hands, & I'll hop over & join your side on the Sarah Addison Allen rumble. Do you think this tactic:

 

...

 

will rile the Sara Addison Allen fans enough? ;)

 

Haven't ever read Susanna Kearsley so I don't know which way I'd hop on that one. Maybe I could just referee for that one!

 

...

 

:p

Yay!!!! Well after everybody hated Russian Winter,

Aw. I didn't hate it. It was fine. It just didn't light any sparks, kwim?

[Guest]

Stacia, you're the best. That is all.

 

 

Sarah went through a battle with cancer, but it sounds like she's now doing well. Here's a link to her news page, scroll down to the October 2012 and October 2011 posts for backstory.

http://sarahaddisonallen.com/news.html

 

I was not aware of any of this. I realize that you all know this, but my reading preferences have nothing to do with her as a person, and I am glad to hear that she is doing so well. I am still going to try out The Girl Who Chased the Moon.  This will be the third book of hers I've read, so third time and all that. :)

[6packofun]

 

I finished rereading The Passage and so glad I did, since didn't remember most of it.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and like Cronin's writing. The story kept me enthralled and I fell in like with the characters.   Will take a break, haven't decided with which book yet, before diving into The Twelve. 

 

I felt like way too much time passed for me between my reading of The Passage and The Twelve and so my experience of the latter suffered a bit.  I'm going to have to reread both in succession.  Wasn't overly wowed by The Twelve, though. 

[shukriyya]

( Do have to get out to try to recover dh's car as he left it in the next town & walked home 8 miles on Tuesday evening because of all the snow/ice chaos. There's a major hill over a river that we need to cross, though, & dh said it was a car graveyard as he walked by on Tuesday.)

 

I had to reread this the first time I saw it. Eight miles??!!! My visual.......

 

 

[Onceuponatime]

I also thought the Russian Winter was ok. I liked it enough to finish it.

 

I don't usually read vampire books, however, I loved the Historian and will probably read it again.

 

I can't speak about Sarah Addison Allen, but she has been on my to read list for a while. So are too many of the other authors mentioned in this week's thread.

[Jane in NC]

Evelyn Waugh's Scoop is a journalistic satire that remains humorous seventy five years after its publication in 1938.  At the same time, it depressed the heck out of me.  Scoop is based on Waugh's brief experience as a war correspondent in Absynnia.  I had to think about that for a minute though.  Abyssinia is now Ethiopia and the little war Waugh witnessed was Mussolini's takeover of this African nation.  So there you have it:  Waugh's satire of journalists as lemmings running off to see what some government official wants them to see takes place as the drums of war are starting to beat.  Did I feel a certain background tension because I am sitting here in the future knowing that the Anschluss occurs the same year this book was published and that Poland will fall one year later?  Add in the industrialists who are less interested in the subjects of war than their own profits and you have one reader wondering what, if anything, has changed in 75 years.

 

Waugh is witty.  I love Brideshead Revisited and will read another of his works some day.  Don't get me wrong:  Scoop is very funny.  You don't have to read it and think about impending war.  Really. 

[mlbuchina]

I'm still trying to finish up The Lunatic. I'm 70% in, and this half of the book doesn't seem to move as fast, or be as funny. Did the book lag in the middle for you, Stacia?

[Robin M]

I'm reading but forget to post. I am loving these threads, my list of books to read just keeps growing and my reading horizons are expanding! At times I am left feeling rather ignorant after reading many of the posts. I just don't know how to discuss what I'm reading like some of you can. I don't know if it's a skill you've learned or what? I do love to read though! I learned to read in first grade and haven't ever stopped, reading is my main hobby.

 

Please don't feel ignorant.  Back when we started Book a Week, what - 6 years ago, the posts were more lists than conversations.  Speaking for myself,  I have learned so much from every single person who has participated over the years.  And I've seen a lot of growth in the conversations, bonds forming.  I think it's the comfort factor too.

 

 

May hang out in my treehouse again this afternoon. Any BaWers want to come over & join me? I suggest winter gear & an insulated mug with a warm drink! :cheers2:

I'm imagining something like this

 

 

 

 

I'm feeling all :willy_nilly: this morning because there are so many wonderful posts to respond to but multi-quoting, cutting and pasting and scrolling aren't cutting it this morning. Can you all just come on over for coffee, tea and baked goods? :D

Me too! 

I feel ignorant too, reading these threads, and, like you, envy how some ladies post eloquent and thoughtful reviews seemingly with ease.  I used to write book reviews on my (now defunct) blog,  but try to at least articulate my thoughts about each book here on this thread.    

 

It comes with a lot of practice and I've learned not to compare myself to some or I wouldn't say a thing.  That's my introvert side talking.  I try not to be intimidated when the eloquence is flowing and I can hardly put into words, my thoughts and feelings about a story.  Some folks look at things deeply and with intensity.  I tend to be a surface reader.  Reading only to escape.  I'm trying to change that.   Every day I learn something new from our BAWer's.  

 

A love of reading is all that's required. I enjoy everyone's posts from the prosaic and amusing to the quietly wise. Robin's created such a nice vibe here that I think I can say with confidence that everyone is welcome at this table :D

 

 

Ahem, I see not a shred of ignorance here. Quite the contrary!

Thank you and yes - everyone is welcome at this table.

 

I let my blog die last year.  I found that as much as I love reading, I wholly dislike writing about reading.  I can always manage a few sentences  -- a perfect fit for the BaW thread -- but not an entire book report like you really need for a blog entry.  I also found that I was usually much more verbose about books that I didn't like than those that I did, so I ended up being one of those snarky,  smug, negative reviewers, iykwim.  I hated that.  Even when I dislike a particular work or genre or offering, I love everything about books, and libraries, and reading, and authors, so being a book blogger wasn't my cuppa.  Now I just stick to sharing my views here :)

I gave up doing reviews on my blog as well but thinking of being like Melissa (mental multivitamin) and doing a monthly this is what I read with a couple thoughts about each.  Understand completely about the negative reviews. Not always easy to find something good about a book you hate. 

 

I felt like way too much time passed for me between my reading of The Passage and The Twelve and so my experience of the latter suffered a bit.  I'm going to have to reread both in succession.  Wasn't overly wowed by The Twelve, though. 

Oh definitely.  I tried glancing through The Passage when I decided to read The Twelve and that just didn't work.  Too much forgotten and like you said too much time between.  Wasn't wowed?  Uh oh.  Sticking my fingers in my ears and singing lalalalala.

 

Time for me to get back to work.

[Stacia]

...

[prairiegirl]

I've been reading, but I've turned to fluff! 

Past couple of weeks: 

 

Erynn Mangum - Maya Davis series (3 books)

Jen Lancaster - Bitter is the New Black

 

(not fluff) Diana Gabaldon - Dragonfly in Amber

 

I think there have been other books too - have to double check my kindle history! :-)

I have been reading more fluff this year as well.  But it has been good fluff so I am okay with it.

 

I don't think I mentioned this one last week.

 

While we were watching downton abbey

 

It's a low quality book that makes very occasional references to the show.

I read that, too.  Yes, it was fluff but it was still an okay read.

 

 

To bzymam23,  I have always  just listed my books and left it at that but I realized that the thread was changing;  there were relationships being formed.  So I decided this year that I was going to put more into my posts and was going to converse with everyone else.   This is hard for me to do but I have enjoyed myself so far.

 

I forgot to multiquote Negins post but:  There is a movie about The Elegance of a Hedgehog (my question mark key does not work but that was a question.)  Wahoo!  I absolutely loved this book!

[Laura Cook]

Please don't feel ignorant. Back when we started Book a Week, what - 6 years ago, the posts were more lists than conversations. Speaking for myself, I have learned so much from every single person who has participated over the years. And I've seen a lot of growth in the conversations, bonds forming. I think it's the comfort factor too.

 

 

I'm imagining something like this

 

 

 

Me too!

It comes with a lot of practice and I've learned not to compare myself to some or I wouldn't say a thing. That's my introvert side talking. I try not to be intimidated when the eloquence is flowing and I can hardly put into words, my thoughts and feelings about a story. Some folks look at things deeply and with intensity. I tend to be a surface reader. Reading only to escape. I'm trying to change that. Every day I learn something new from our BAWer's.

 

Thank you and yes - everyone is welcome at this table.

I am definitely an introvert! I've been a member of these boards since 2009, well before my oldest was in preschool, and I don't think I've even got 100 posts, which goes to show that I read a lot but don't respond.

 

That is a wonderful tree house! My kids would love that. Heck, I'd love that!

 

I am mostly a surface reader as well. Books have always been my escape. Every once in awhile I will read a book that just grabs me by the heart and I will re read and think about it for weeks before it leaves me.

[shukriyya]

Okay, because I've got a 'trudging through the snow' visual still going on--residue from my Canadian girlhood being called forth with all the snow talk perhaps--more variations on the 'snow trudging' visual...

 

 

 

Or this...

 

 

 

And my personal fave...

 

 

 

And to keep this bookish and (somewhat?) relevant I'm reminded, too, of Kurelek's wonderful book, 'A Prairie Boy's Winter' which sat on our coffee table for years to be picked up and looked at regularly, allowing us to turn that cold prairie winter over and over in our hands and hearts.

 

[Kareni]

I'm just past the half way point of a book that I'm enjoying quite a bit.  It's a book of essays entitled The Three-Legged Woman and Other Excursions in Teaching.  The author is Robert Klose.

 

 

"Since 1986, Robert Klose has taught biology at a "small, impoverished, careworn" college in central Maine. Located on a former military base, the school became first the South Campus of the University of Maine, or SCUM, and later, Penobscot Valley Community College, then Bangor Community College, and most recently University College of Bangor. Despite its improved nomenclature, University College of Bangor remains an open-admissions environment at which "one never knows what's going to come in over the transom." Klose's nontraditional students have included, in addition to single parents and veterans, the homeless, the abused, ex-cons, and even a murderer (who was otherwise "a very nice person").

Chronicling his experiences teaching these diverse students, Klose describes with equal doses of care and wry wit those who are profoundly unfit for college, their often inadequate command of the lingua franca, and the alacrity with which they seize upon the paranormal (the three-legged woman) while expressing skepticism about mainstream science. He reflects on the decline of reading for enjoyment and the folly of regarding email as a praiseworthy substitute for expository writing. He details what works in the classroom, identifies what has failed, and relates stories of the absurd, the sublime, and the unanticipated, such as one student's outburst following a discussion of evolution: "For what you have taught today you shall be damned to everlasting fires of hell!"

Tempering thoughtfulness with a light touch and plenty of humor, these essays prove that teaching, an "imperfect occupation," remains a "special profession.""

 

 

The look inside feature on Amazon gives a nice sample of the author's writing.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Onceuponatime]

Not quite a tree house, but my idea of a lovely outdoor place to read that I saved on pinterest:

[mumto2]

I have wonderful memories of doing read alouds to the dc's in their "treehouse" when they were little. It was actually a covered top of the slide on their play structure but we loved it.

 

I tried a new cozy series by Carola Dunn who is a pretty prolific author of Daisy Dalrymple series. The first one called "Manna from Hades" was quite good. I was surprised at how much different this series feels. The setting is a small village in Cornwall in the sixties. If you like cozy mysteries this one was pretty good with a good atmosphere. I am not sure if it was the book or a real life visit to that area 25 years ago but the scenery while reading was lovely. It also felt more grown up then her Daisy books, which are fun but remind me of an older Nancy Drew.

 

I have finished a new to me author and book that many of you may have already read, "A Man Lay Dead" by Ngaio Marsh. It was a good mystery and a quick read at 180 pages. I am honestly not sure what more to say about it. From reviews on this board, but not BaW, I had expected it to be an Agatha Christie and it wasn't fleshed out enough imo. It was the first of the series so they may improve. Someday I will read sme more of them but no real rush.

[shukriyya]

I tried a new cozy series by Carola Dunn who is a pretty prolific author of Daisy Dalrymple series. The first one called "Manna from Hades" was quite good. I was surprised at how much different this series feels. The setting is a small village in Cornwall in the sixties. If you like cozy mysteries this one was pretty good with a good atmosphere. I am not sure if it was the book or a real life visit to that area 25 years ago but the scenery while reading was lovely. It also felt more grown up then her Daisy books, which are fun but remind me of an older Nancy Drew.

 

 

Well, hey now, I paid a visit to a couple of small Cornish villages 25 years ago too :D Where did you go? I was in Tavistock and Clovelly.

[JennW in SoCal]

I fussed too soon about not having any reading weather around here.  It stayed cloudy all day with temperatures chilly enough for socks, and some actual wet stuff fell from the sky.  Can't call it rain as it barely would meet even the definition of mist, but it was sufficiently grey and wet that I happily have sat on my couch all afternoon to finish a Peter Diamond mystery, Diamond Solitaire.

 

 

[mumto2]

Shukriyya--I took dh on a tour of King Arthur mythology as part of our first anniversary. We did Bodmin Moor (which they drive accross in the book) and Tintagel? Castle which had a really tiny barely one car road in order to get there. Fabulous views but dh almost had a nervous breakdown ;) and refuses to take me back. I had a couple burial sites etc. We had fun but dh wasn't ready to drive in that part of the country yet -- he learned in the US. In reality we may very well go next summer, the dc's really want to see the Arthur sites and we have friends who live very near.

 

Have you ever watched "Doc Martin"? It is one of my favorites and is set in that area -- north coast Cornwall.

[Stacia]

And I've seen a lot of growth in the conversations, bonds forming.

:iagree: That's why I love it here!

To bzymam23, I have always just listed my books and left it at that but I realized that the thread was changing; there were relationships being formed. So I decided this year that I was going to put more into my posts and was going to converse with everyone else. This is hard for me to do but I have enjoyed myself so far.

I am definitely an introvert! I've been a member of these boards since 2009, well before my oldest was in preschool, and I don't think I've even got 100 posts, which goes to show that I read a lot but don't respond.

 

I'm glad both of you (as well as others that are newer around here) are piping up & joining in. :grouphug: It's worth the leap!

 

 

:lol:

 

(BTW, I'm a strong introvert as well. I use that meaning as one where I need to be alone to recharge my batteries. I enjoy talking with/being around others, but definitely need my quiet time to recharge.)

 

 

 

 

And to keep this bookish and (somewhat?) relevant I'm reminded, too, of Kurelek's wonderful book, 'A Prairie Boy's Winter' which sat on our coffee table for years to be picked up and looked at regularly, allowing us to turn that cold prairie winter over and over in our hands and hearts.

Ohhh. That does look like it would have lovely illustrations!

 

P.S. With all the fighting talk here lately <ahem, I know it was me :blushing: >, but I'm thinking we should do read-alongs of West Side Story and The Outsiders, form book gangs, & take sides. Whadda ya think? Maybe the Sesame Street gang vs. the Superhero dance off gang?

[shukriyya]

Shukriyya--I took dh on a tour of King Arthur mythology as part of our first anniversary. We did Bodmin Moor (which they drive accross in the book) and Tintagel? Castle which had a really tiny barely one car road in order to get there. Fabulous views but dh almost had a nervous breakdown ;) and refuses to take me back. I had a couple burial sites etc. We had fun but dh wasn't ready to drive in that part of the country yet -- he learned in the US. In reality we may very well go next summer, the dc's really want to see the Arthur sites and we have friends who live very near.

 

Have you ever watched "Doc Martin"? It is one of my favorites and is set in that area -- north coast Cornwall.

Oh what a lovely first anniversary thing to embark upon. My visit is coming back to me in hazy bits and pieces. We were there to track down my grandfather's (who was born there) roots so I'm almost sure there were some graveyard visits too. I do remember a trek across some moors because I can remembering feeling the ponies of the Celts so very close to the surface of things. And did we go to Tintagel Abbey? I recall loving it there.

 

Yes, both my dh and myself watched and thoroughly enjoyed Doc Martin.

[mlbuchina]

Shukriyya--I took dh on a tour of King Arthur mythology as part of our first anniversary. We did Bodmin Moor (which they drive accross in the book) and Tintagel? Castle which had a really tiny barely one car road in order to get there. Fabulous views but dh almost had a nervous breakdown ;) and refuses to take me back. I had a couple burial sites etc. We had fun but dh wasn't ready to drive in that part of the country yet -- he learned in the US. In reality we may very well go next summer, the dc's really want to see the Arthur sites and we have friends who live very near.

 

Have you ever watched "Doc Martin"? It is one of my favorites and is set in that area -- north coast Cornwall.

 

The tour sounds lovely.  Very adventurous.  I wish we could travel.

 

Doc Martin   :001_wub:   I love the setting, too.

[JadeOrchidSong]

Reading Happy Potter 5 now.

[melmichigan]

 

Oh I love you! I missed that Fury of the Demon was available.  Well, I know what I'm reading next now.  :)   And you are welcome. I love that series.  Go back and read the Devil Colony, first.  Carr's 2nd book in the series, The Newcomer, not as good imho.

 

 

Thanks for the heads up!  I'll request The Newcomer from the library.

[marbel]

I'm reading but forget to post. I am loving these threads, my list of books to read just keeps growing and my reading horizons are expanding! At times I am left feeling rather ignorant after reading many of the posts. I just don't know how to discuss what I'm reading like some of you can. I don't know if it's a skill you've learned or what? I do love to read though! I learned to read in first grade and haven't ever stopped, reading is my main hobby.

 

<snip>

 

Oh, don't say that because then I have to feel ignorant too.  I am new to this thread and it's true, it can be a bit overwhelming, but just jump on in.   I am a very shallow reader and can't catch symbolism if it throws itself at my feet.  But I like to read and talk about books.  I'm pretty sure that's all that matters here, eh? 

 

Look, this is a truly equalizing place on this forum.  Here we are just readers chatting about books.  It doesn't matter if you are a rigorous classical mom with accelerated kids who homeschools 6 hours a day 5 days a week, and I am a slacker eclectic mom of average to challenged kids who is taking tomorrow morning "off" so my daughter can photograph the frozen Schuylkill River before it thaws in the afternoon.  I know it's frozen because we took the afternoon off today to go to the art museum which is next to the river. 

 

Now to come back to books:

 

What are some good art fiction books?   You know, like The Girl with the Pearl Earring?   What was the name of that novel about Renoir I started and quit two or three years and now want to find again?   Is The Last Van Gogh worth reading?  The cover looks a bit too romance-y for me but you know what they say about books and covers...

[Kareni]

I finished Robert Klose's The Three-Legged Woman and Other Excursions in Teaching which I mentioned earlier today.  I enjoyed it very much.  I see that my library has another of his books ~ Adopting Alyosha: A Single Man Finds a Son in Russia ~ which I'll look forward to reading at some point.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Stacia]

I finished Milan Kundera's The Joke. It always takes me a little while to process books before I can decide how I truly feel about them. The words that pop into mind right now are sad, ironic, bittersweet. The regrets of life & looking back, the loss of culture through time. There is also a feel emanating from the book coming from a Communist-era society, the pressures of needing to fit in (vs. standing out), an overall melancholy (amidst the dark, ironic humor) that permeates some eastern European works of that time period (Cold War era).

 

In a way it seems fitting to have read this novel in the winter as it has a cool, somewhat detached tone to it.

 

I enjoyed the descriptions of traditional/old Czech weddings, 'Ride of the Kings' ceremonies, and Czech/Moravian cimbalom bands. The folkloric traditions in the book sound beautiful & wonderful (even if they are tinged with regret in the novel).

 

Not sure what I'd rate it. Though the overall tone was bleak & distant, I'd probably still rate the book a 4 for masterful & evocative writing (esp. since this was Kundera's first novel). Well worth the read!

[Kareni]

What are some good art fiction books?   You know, like The Girl with the Pearl Earring?   What was the name of that novel about Renoir I started and quit two or three years and now want to find again?   Is The Last Van Gogh worth reading? 

 

Here's a blog post:   Ten great fiction books about artists

 

Here's a list from GoodReads: Fiction Books Involving Art

 

and another much longer (four pages) list: Art & Artists in Fiction

 

Regards,

Kareni

[shukriyya]

Oh, don't say that because then I have to feel ignorant too.  I am new to this thread and it's true, it can be a bit overwhelming, but just jump on in.   I am a very shallow reader and can't catch symbolism if it throws itself at my feet.  But I like to read and talk about books.  I'm pretty sure that's all that matters here, eh? 

 

Look, this is a truly equalizing place on this forum.  Here we are just readers chatting about books.  It doesn't matter if you are a rigorous classical mom with accelerated kids who homeschools 6 hours a day 5 days a week, and I am a slacker eclectic mom of average to challenged kids who is taking tomorrow morning "off" so my daughter can photograph the frozen Schuylkill River before it thaws in the afternoon.  I know it's frozen because we took the afternoon off today to go to the art museum which is next to the river. 

 

Now to come back to books:

 

What are some good art fiction books?   You know, like The Girl with the Pearl Earring?   What was the name of that novel about Renoir I started and quit two or three years and now want to find again?   Is The Last Van Gogh worth reading?  The cover looks a bit too romance-y for me but you know what they say about books and covers...

 

Well, I just like everything about this post :D

 

Listen, what is ignorance but a lack of imagination. And from all the wonderful posts here I'd say imagination is in abundant and beautiful flow. It feels like this to me when I visit this thread...

 

 

 

And this...

 

 

 

[Guest]

Oh, don't say that because then I have to feel ignorant too.  I am new to this thread and it's true, it can be a bit overwhelming, but just jump on in.   I am a very shallow reader and can't catch symbolism if it throws itself at my feet.  But I like to read and talk about books.  I'm pretty sure that's all that matters here, eh? 

 

Look, this is a truly equalizing place on this forum.  Here we are just readers chatting about books.  It doesn't matter if you are a rigorous classical mom with accelerated kids who homeschools 6 hours a day 5 days a week, and I am a slacker eclectic mom of average to challenged kids who is taking tomorrow morning "off" so my daughter can photograph the frozen Schuylkill River before it thaws in the afternoon.  I know it's frozen because we took the afternoon off today to go to the art museum which is next to the river. 

 

 

What a GREAT post! I am one of the ignorant, too! I have felt very accepted here, and I agree that this is a very equalizing place on an otherwise somewhat competitive forum. I was terrible at literary analysis in high school. Well, let me elaborate. *I* thought I was great at literary analysis and enjoyed it immensely, only to be told repeatedly that I was wrong. I love to come here and read and soak in, without people trying to get me to talk and then berating me when I'm "wrong". I truly enjoy this thread every week. (And I really like when people "like" my posts, which people seem pretty liberal about doing here - makes me feel important, lol.)

[Stacia]

A couple of other art-related novels are Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch & (for lighter fare) Phoebe and the Ghost of Chagall by Jill Koenigsdorf.

 

Just my two cents on the whole posting opinions, analysis, etc.... Jump in! I personally love reading everyone's posts, love hearing what people loved or hated, rabbit trails they've visited, cool thoughts & musings, & pretty much all of it. On this thread, it's all good (imo). :coolgleamA: