Robin M Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 Clear your noses, ladies  The science of what makes old books smell like old books  Smell of books  Pew Internet   Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 If you enjoy John Waters, it's worth 4-5 minutes of your time to watch this interview w/ him about collecting books. Â I wanna be his house guest! Â Â That was a fun interview. Â Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Here's hoping I'll continue to find reading opportunities because we just accepted the placement of a 3 month old foster son today. Small babies aren't always conducive to reading. ;) We'll see if he gets to stay, he has a relative who just expressed interest after he was placed here. If you're a praying person, please do pray for him because his story is heartbreaking.  Bless your beautiful heart, NoseinABook, for being loving arms for these little ones :001_wub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Stacia, I hope you are starting to feel a bit better. Â Phoenix, Thank you! :) Â We are home. Only went half way up Snowdon. Very sunny and very hot. Decided to try again later this year. We did go to several nearby National Trust Properties and gardens. Lovely flowers. Shukriyya--decided my peach coloured floxglove is special. Saw every other colour that I know of. Must take good care of it. ;) Also took a very quick visit to Anglesey--no William and Kate. ;( Â Finished Monument Men!!!!! I knew I could! Â Â Yes, I would love to visit Scotland. Also, love the dialects. Growing up, I had an extremely strong Welsh accent. Whenever we visit, I have a hard time keeping a straight face :lol:. I grew up near here - Rhossili Bay in Swansea, Wales - Â Â Enjoy! We went there once MANY years ago - almost 40 years ago! Beautiful coastline! We have never been to Swansea but feel like we know it well. Back when we did our UK license all the practice simulation driving was done in Swansea. We are both a bit terrified to drive there. I am actually a bit serious. Sheep seemed to jump out in front of our cars pretty regular. FYI a portion of the exam here is identifying driving hazards and the speed in which you spot them. That was the hardest bit, we both got 100 on the written and about 80 on the hazards. Everything needed to be spotted on 10 one minute tapes with multiple hazards. Two sheep got me in less than a minute. On my way out of I told the nice test man, the appropriate thing would be to slow down on that road, which was not an option. Â Â The one picture of me in one, is very dark. I really need to scan it and fix it. Â This is perfect - since it was most likely taken in the early '70s. Mine was exactly like these. Then a year later, we moved back to Iran (before all the horrible rubbish going on there) and the international school we went to had a day where we all wore international costumes. My sister and I wore these, rather than our Persian costumes, since my mom thought it would be different and cute. Everyone kept asking us, in all seriousness, if we were dressed as witches :lol:. Â On the subject of Welsh National dress. I had already seen your post when dd stopped to look at a photo retrospective on our way back to the car after Snowdon. She said something along the lines of why ???? all the witch costumes with the flat hats Lol. I told her about yours. We would both love to see the picture if you manage to restore it. Then we turned the corner and there stood a man in a kilt -- very out of place but it was very warm. We were bug eyed to say the least! Â Stacia, praying that you feel better soon! Â I told myself I'd focus on Written In My Own Heart's Blood because the story is good. Then I'm like, "Just the prologue and one chapter of The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks..." Perhaps not the greatest choice but it definitely has sucked me in! Â Here's hoping I'll continue to find reading opportunities because we just accepted the placement of a 3 month old foster son today. Small babies aren't always conducive to reading. ;) We'll see if he gets to stay, he has a relative who just expressed interest after he was placed here. If you're a praying person, please do pray for him because his story is heartbreaking. Already said a prayer for him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Ds & I love Terry Pratchett. Ds read & enjoyed Dodger earlier this year, but it had to go back to the library before I had time to read it. Thanks for the reminder -- I need to check it out again.   This book has a more wicked sense of humor than the Amazing Maurice. It makes me wonder if YA readers would get some of the references. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 This book has a more wicked sense of humor than the Amazing Maurice. It makes me wonder if YA readers would get some of the references.  I'm sure there are some references he's missed, but he's pretty up on sarcastic, ironic humor.  Dd (who is older than him), otoh, isn't really into that style of humor & I think lots of it would zoom right past her.  Of course, even when I read Pratchett, I'm sure there's plenty I'm missing too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Just got a notification from Goodreads that Nick Harkaway has released a new book.  I LOVED Angelmaker.  To be honest not sure about Tigerman.  The description from the Guardian was a doubtful one for me.  The Scotsman ( in honour of VC )shows  http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/books/book-review-tigerman-by-nick-harkaway-1-3414430 more potential.  Hoping someone will go first.  ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Just got a notification from Goodreads that Nick Harkaway has released a new book.  I LOVED Angelmaker.  To be honest not sure about Tigerman.  The description from the Guardian was a doubtful one for me.  The Scotsman ( in honour of VC )shows  http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/books/book-review-tigerman-by-nick-harkaway-1-3414430 more potential.  Hoping someone will go first.  ;)  Don't want to read too much about it ahead of time, but I'd love to read it because I loved Angelmaker a lot too!  Looks like a late July release date here in the states.... Hmmm. Birthday is coming up so this may be on my list! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 All the talk about birds had me looking for photos of the ones we have saved from the cats.  This is from 2010 from when we saved a hummingbird from Gracie. After it got over being stunned, flew off. We've been up close and personal with blue jays and mockingbirds as well. They come back to visit occasionally, hanging out and bugging the cats.   2 thoughts -  Your son is adorable!  He'd probably be embarrassed to be called that at his age now but still ... what a cutie.  He and your avatar have the same hair style.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Don't want to read too much about it ahead of time, but I'd love to read it because I loved Angelmaker a lot too! Â Looks like a late July release date here in the states.... Hmmm. Birthday is coming up so this may be on my list! I saw your post yesterday? about not reading info beforehand. Â For me I generally don't remember beyond a sort of vague this "sounded really good" or a " out of my comfort zone " but......... Â So sometimes I read extensively and sometimes if I like the cover and a very basic description it makes the pile. Â I may go hunting for it. Â Did you read his first one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 I also tend to skip any sort of introductions or prefaces put in books (& will usually read them afterward).  After I read books, I enjoy going & reading some summaries & opinions of them.  What about all of you, my BaW friends???  I usually skip any intro's and prefaces as well!  I don't want to know what someone else thought about it.  I want to make my own conclusions.  I don't usually read summaries or opinions after reading a book.  I don't want anyone to spoil my vision of the book.  I sometimes have a hard time with that here 'cause I'm like don't mess with my favorite books. :rofl:  Hope you are feeling better soon!  I took time off today to sit outside and read ALL day.  Finally getting into my book, The Lost Sisterhood.  I think it's going to be good.  Juliet will be hard to top, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014  We would both love to see the picture if you manage to restore it.   I'll try to find it and work on it. Your trip to Snowdon makes me all nostalgic and rather envious. We went there once and the weather was not very pleasant at all.  Will do.    (Haha -- like I'm going to remember stuff for 2016!!! Not!)  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 I'll try to find it and work on it. Your trip to Snowdon makes me all nostalgic and rather envious. We went there once and the weather was not very pleasant at all.   According to the sign at the first refreshment spot it rains 6 months out of the year so your odds were good for rain.  We are supposed to go back at the end of summer with another family.  Today was a little bit of a private test for me -- definately need two poles for the way down, lots of loose shale.  Totally doable but I wll pay later.  My knees and ankles are a bit tender now.  I told dh (now that I have seen)  that if the weather is questionable I would rather sit and drink a lot of tea while I read a good book at the base than ride up on the train.  It appears very slow and smoky,  tea and books are lovely.  :)  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 So these sunny pictures of Wales--that's not how I picture it! I've always thought it would be more like Oregon--overcast or rainy. Definitely gray. But then Oregon is usually sunny in summer, so maybe Wales is too. And maybe everyone rushes out with a camera when the sun is out. We don't all rush out with cameras, but we do pretty much all rush out when the weather is nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Oooh ... this is my 10,000th post. Time flies .....  I just finished My New American Life: A Novel by Francine Prose for my next book group meeting. (Though the copy I read had the cover shown here.)  "Lula, a twenty-six-year-old Albanian woman living surreptitiously in New York City on an expiring tourist visa, hopes to make a better life for herself in America. When she lands a job as caretaker to Zeke, a rebellious high school senior in suburban New Jersey, it seems that the security, comfort, and happiness of the American dream may finally be within reach. Her new boss, Mister Stanley, an idealistic college professor turned Wall Street executive, assumes that Lula is a destitute refugee of the Balkan wars. He enlists his childhood friend Don Settebello, a hotshot lawyer who prides himself on defending political underdogs, to straighten out Lula's legal situation. In true American fashion, everyone gets what he wants and feels good about it.  But things take a more sinister turn when Lula's Albanian "brothers" show up in a brand-new black Lexus SUV. Hoodie, Leather Jacket, and the Cute One remind her that all Albanians are family, but what they ask of her is no small favor. Lula's new American life suddenly becomes more complicated as she struggles to find her footing as a stranger in a strange new land. Is it possible that her new American life is not so different from her old Albanian one?  Set in the aftermath of 9/11, My New American Life offers a vivid, darkly humorous, bitingly real portrait of a particular moment in history, when a nation's dreams and ideals gave way to a culture of cynicism, lies, and fear. Beneath its high comic surface, the novel is a more serious consideration of immigration, of what it was like to live through the Bush-Cheney years, and of what it means to be an American."  As always, I'm grateful to be in a book group since it pushes me to read outside my usual zone (that would be The Fluff Zone) and, odds are, I would have put this book down unfinished were I not in the group. It was a curious story, and I suspect that much of the satire has been lost on me. That said, this is not a book I'll be pushing others to read.  Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I finished Brainstorm. I read it aloud to my new teen. I think the book was good but too long. He could have cut out at least 100 or so pages. He repeated himself a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 According to the sign at the first refreshment spot it rains 6 months out of the year so your odds were good for rain.  We are supposed to go back at the end of summer with another family.  Today was a little bit of a private test for me -- definately need two poles for the way down, lots of loose shale.  Totally doable but I wll pay later.  My knees and ankles are a bit tender now.  I told dh (now that I have seen)  that if the weather is questionable I would rather sit and drink a lot of tea while I read a good book at the base than ride up on the train.  It appears very slow and smoky,  tea and books are lovely.  :)  Sounds like a fun challenge! I received hiking polls for Valentine's Day this year.  All of the non-profits and advisory boards on which I serve have tasks for me to do this week. I'm squeezing in some reading though.  Hopping Jane   Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 ... I received hiking polls for Valentine's Day this year.   Hiking polls, eh? (I'd sooner take one of those than an actual hike!)  Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Hiking polls, eh? (I'd sooner take one of those than an actual hike!) Â Regards, Kareni And I cannot blame autocorrect. Sigh. That should read "hiking poles"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014  I received hiking polls for Valentine's Day this year.    Hiking polls, eh? (I'd sooner take one of those than an actual hike!)   And I cannot blame autocorrect. Sigh. That should read "hiking poles"!   Good grief - I did not catch the polls/poles thing at all!  Apparently I need to go eat some dinner, raise the blood sugar level a bit and see if my brain re-engages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I would rather sit and drink a lot of tea while I read a good book at the base than ride up on the train.  It appears very slow and smoky,  tea and books are lovely.  :) Yes, tea and books sound perfect. We rode the train up back then. I was only 8 and my mom was on crutches that summer.  So these sunny pictures of Wales--that's not how I picture it! I've always thought it would be more like Oregon--overcast or rainy. Definitely gray. But then Oregon is usually sunny in summer, so maybe Wales is too. And maybe everyone rushes out with a camera when the sun is out. We don't all rush out with cameras, but we do pretty much all rush out when the weather is nice! Ali, trust me. Those sunny days in Wales are quite the exception. I lived in Portland during my college years. The weather is similar. The only difference is that you're pretty much guaranteed to have a lovely (although sometimes a bit late), summer in Oregon. In Wales, there are no such guarantees. There were lovely summers in Wales, but again, you can seldom plan ahead. That applies to most of the U.K. I think. Wales just has lots and lots of rain.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 About Dodger: I am quite tickled because I'm pretty sure I can see where this is headed. Maybe a spoiler:            The book is really The Education of Dodger, or The Transformation of Dodger. We learn that he has a name that he is embarrassed to admit. We see him learning how to move out of his lowly social sphere into more acceptable society. We see his determination to go somewhere and be somebody. We see minute glimpses of people with whom he will one day interact. It's all blatantly subtle, so I'm convinced his name will be revealed at the end and we will see him become someone quite famous. I think I know who that will be, but I will be patient and wait till the end. I'm enjoying the thought processes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I woke up this morning wondering if our Jane was going to post a hiking poll :lol: 'The Firebrand' is an intriguing story though I'm finding Bradley's writing to be somewhat uneven. The kindle format is a bit peculiar, too. At any rate I'm wandering slowly along with it. Our heroine, Kassandra, is currently living with the Amazon tribe, a matriarchal group of horsewomen skilled in battle and worshippers of Gaia as well as various other female Goddesses. We have just met Paris through Kassandra's vision of her twin. In the non-fiction realm I'm struggling with the denseness of 'Promises, Promises'. Long chunks of text unbroken by paragraphs or pauses...we'll see how long I'm able to put up with that. The author has yet to pull me in which is disappointing as I had high hopes for this material. Negin, nice avatar :D Stacia, are you feeling better this morning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Uh oh. It's BOGO week at audible.com. I already have too many books lined up to listen to, including Night Circus. Don't know if I can resist just a small peek. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiegirl Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I wanted to reply to some posts last night but we started having a lightning storm so I thought it would be best to close up shop before I posted. And now I don't have time to go find the posts that I wanted to reply to so I will just go by memory.  Stacia, I am sorry that you are still not feeling better. Go slow today. Be kind to yourself and if you have interest, read, read, read. :grouphug: to you, my friend.  About choosing books, I do usually choose a book based on what I have read about it online. So going in, I have a vague idea about what it is going to be about. I don't like going into a book blind. That's like free-fall.  Onceuponatime, I bought Dodger for my dd's 15th birthday  this past weekend. Your post reminded me that I forgot to give it to her. :laugh:  So thanks for the reminder.  It has been raining since yesterday. We live out in no-man's land on gravel road. When it rains for long periods of time, the roads are like soup and traveling is not advised. Also, I had a nasty confrontation with an extended family member yesterday so I am going to stay home today and nurse my bruises with reading and watching the first season of Orphan Black. The only chocolate I have in the house is M&Ms. This will suffice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I also tend to skip any sort of introductions or prefaces put in books (& will usually read them afterward).  After I read books, I enjoy going & reading some summaries & opinions of them.  What about all of you, my BaW friends???  Ever since I picked up The Well Educated Mind and she suggested skipping intros and prefaces - I believe ones not written by the author - I have done that. (It was like a weight off my shoulders!) I admit to reading too many reviews of books before reading them and it definitely colors my opinions. I need to stop.  Here's hoping I'll continue to find reading opportunities because we just accepted the placement of a 3 month old foster son today. Small babies aren't always conducive to reading. ;) We'll see if he gets to stay, he has a relative who just expressed interest after he was placed here. If you're a praying person, please do pray for him because his story is heartbreaking.  Oh, definitely praying for him, and you guys, too. :grouphug:  Uh oh. It's BOGO week at audible.com. I already have too many books lined up to listen to, including Night Circus. Don't know if I can resist just a small peek. :)  I've never done audible before - is it a download like a song and you can listen on an iPod?   I read Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea the other night, and I started Longitude last night. I only got a few pages in, but that one looks fascinating! I've only read through Book 2 of The Odyssey, I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep up with the Coursera course I signed up for. Yesterday was furniture-moving-around day (I tend to be a bit obsessive about moving my furniture around, which my dh loves :tongue_smilie: ) and today is dreaded dusting day. And mopping. I need a fairy to come and clean while I sit with my feet propped up with a good book! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Julia, :grouphug:Â to you. Â Monica, your comment about moving furniture made me :lol:Â & think of Bill Cosby. Dh & ds went to see him in Vegas & then dh was watching some of his comedy on tv this past weekend. I sat down to watch a bit & one of his stories involved his wife moving furniture around. Lol. Â I think/hope I feel slightly, slightly better today. Have got to run some errands today, plus drop ds at a birthday party. This is the start/ramp-up to a busy next 7 or 8 days (various family birthdays coming up & other obligations). Â Last night, I again stayed up too late to finish The Wandering Falcon by Jamil Ahmad. I'm glad I read it as it's insight to a thought process & way of life that is so foreign to me. But, wow, just the brutality & harshness of the life of the nomads/clans/tribes in the border areas between Pakistan/Afghanistan/Iran. Ugh. I am glad I am a woman & really glad I am a woman that was *not* born into that life. (I would not want to be a man in that life either.) Women are really commodities for the most part, to be bought, sold, or given away by the men. Contrasting that with the Pakistani book Broken Verses (which I read earlier this year) -- Broken Verses shows more modern life in Pakistan, in the cities, with a more Western-based thought pattern interwoven vs. the harsh terrain/life/reality of the tribal groups w/in the same country. Such a huge dichotomy. Even though The Wandering Falcon is fiction, it was written by a guy who worked in the border areas for (I think) around 40 years, so many of his tales seem quite realistic. Something that should probably be recommended reading for every politician & military strategist out there who wants to understand the area.... Harsh. Brutal. Those are the two words that keep popping up in my head after finishing this book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Last night I read the graphic novel Cairo by G. Willow Wilson and M.K. Perker  "A stolen hookah, a spiritual underworld and a genie on the run change the lives of five strangers forever in this modern fable set on the streets of the Middle East's largest metropolis. This magical-realism thriller interweaves the fates of a drug runner, a down-on-his-luck journalist, an American expatriate, a young activist and an Israeli soldier as they race through bustling present-day Cairo to find an artifact of unimaginable power, one protected by a dignified jinn and sought by a wrathful gangster-magician. But the vastness of Africa's legendary City of Victory extends into a spiritual realm - the Undernile - and even darker powers lurk there...Don't miss the incredible graphic novel Publishers Weekly called "lush and energetic...a beautiful book," and The Los Angeles Times Book Review praised as "lyrically beautiful.""  It was an intriguing read; however, I suspect my relative ignorance about events in the Middle East kept me from appreciating the story as much as I might have. Nonetheless, I'm happy to have read it.   I'm soon off to bake brownies for tomorrow night's book group. Books and chocolate -- a winning combination!  Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Last night I read the graphic novel Cairo by G. Willow Wilson and M.K. Perker  "A stolen hookah, a spiritual underworld and a genie on the run change the lives of five strangers forever in this modern fable set on the streets of the Middle East's largest metropolis. This magical-realism thriller interweaves the fates of a drug runner, a down-on-his-luck journalist, an American expatriate, a young activist and an Israeli soldier as they race through bustling present-day Cairo to find an artifact of unimaginable power, one protected by a dignified jinn and sought by a wrathful gangster-magician. But the vastness of Africa's legendary City of Victory extends into a spiritual realm - the Undernile - and even darker powers lurk there...Don't miss the incredible graphic novel Publishers Weekly called "lush and energetic...a beautiful book," and The Los Angeles Times Book Review praised as "lyrically beautiful.""   Though I don't think I've ever read a graphic novel this looks intriguing. As does its author. A quick google took me to her website where I read this engaging article on a certain facet of the ongoing western post-colonial discourse. Our library doesn't have the book above and I'm not sure I want to buy something in a format that may not appeal but I do appreciate your bringing this to the table, Kareni.  On another note, someone here linked a steampunk novel that looked intriguing. Was it you, Phoenix? I recall being interested in it as we'll be traveling a bit this summer and I'd like some light reading material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 On another note, someone here linked a steampunk novel that looked intriguing. Was it you, Phoenix? I recall being interested in it as we'll be traveling a bit this summer and I'd like some light reading material. Â Yes, Monica did mention Heart of Iron by Ekaterina Sedia. (I know which one it is because it's on my library list of books to be picked up. Lol.) Â Kareni, the book you mentioned does seem interesting. I looked at it & realized that the author was the one who wrote Alif the Unseen. (I tried to read Alif a year or two ago, but didn't like the story/writing style.) Wonder how the writing style of the one you read compares w/ her earlier book? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted June 18, 2014 Author Share Posted June 18, 2014 A little late regarding Bloomsday however just came across this: Frank Delaney Ulysses project 0 deconstructing the story line by line in a 5 minute podcast. He started in 2010 and is now on chapter 5.  Kafka on Books and What Reading does for the Human Soul - "A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us. That is my belief."  He couldn't have been a happy man. If all one reads is dark and depressing, they'd be a complete puddle on the floor. At least I would be.  On a happier note, Happy Birthday to Chris Van Allsburg who wrote Polar Express and Jumanji. Fun books and ever more fun movies to watch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Yes, Monica did mention Heart of Iron by Ekaterina Sedia. (I know which one it is because it's on my library list of books to be picked up. Lol.) Â Thanks, Stacia, that's the one. And thanks, Monica, for sharing it earlier in the thread. Â Â Kareni, the book you mentioned does seem interesting. I looked at it & realized that the author was the one who wrote Alif the Unseen. (I tried to read Alif a year or two ago, but didn't like the story/writing style.) Wonder how the writing style of the one you read compares w/ her earlier book? Â I noticed Alif the Unseen, too, and thought it looked compelling. Alas, she is not in our library database so a request and wait is in order. Â As to your question awhile back about pre-reading reviews and synopses...yes, I do it a lot. I want to get a sense of what the material is as there are certain themes I'm not currently up for and I like to see how favorably it was received both by critics and readers. The cover is often the first thing that draws me in but if the writing doesn't resonate no amount of beautiful coverart is going to compel me to read it. Generally I can tell within a few pages whether the writing appeals but I have to say that thanks to this group I've stayed with several books to the finish where in the past I might have abandoned them. Â And just because I want some beauty and magic to experience today... Â Â Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Finished:    It was okay. Liked the chemistry. Found Flavia manipulative and lacking empathy. Was distracted when non-Brit terms were used. Probably won't read more.    Is the first of a series someone linked to last week (I think free Tor stories which were honored by Hugo awards or something?). It was very geeky (math, physics, computers...I couldn't really keep up but after awhile I just relaxed and decided not to figure out what was real and what was made up). It had a sense of humor like the movie Office Space. It was very much a horror novel, in a world where math and computers are intimately linked with occult magic and the cthulu mythos. I enjoyed the blatant geek love, but it was too much horror for me. Paranoia I can enjoy, this was just too physically violent for me.   I read The Makioka Sisters by Tanizaki a year or two ago and loved it. I loved the relationships. I loved the way he used detail to slowly build the theme. I received this one in a book trade and wasn't sure I would enjoy it. It takes a subject that was probably fresh in 1929 when Tanizaki wrote the novel--the slow dissolution of a marriage--and adds his own quasi-autobiographical spin.  I loved it. I didn't fall in love with the characters. The plot wasn't whizz-bang. It was the way he used details. The characters would go to a bunraku puppet show. The themes of old Japan vs. new Japan were explored with subtle humor. The way Tanizaki brings out the narrator's character and his admiration for doll-like women (with no difficult ideas or opinions). How he revels in his practicality (allows his wife to take a lover, knows it's his fault, still allows her to be blamed for the situation by others) but in reality he serves his own comfort in all things. He wants the old. He wants the new. He doesn't want things to change and bother everyone too much. He doesn't want to feel guilty about ignoring his wife for the last several years. His need to have it all, be the pleasant all things to all people, completely immobilized and pacified him. It was the mastery of the small connections of character, theme, place which made me love this book despite what could have been a very cliche subject and frustrating main character.    Working on:   Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Because I tend to read a number of older books, I may glance at a synopsis to see if had previously read the title. This is especially true if the author is prolific--someone like Angela Thirkell whose titles are often similar.  I may be more serendipity driven with newer books. Some titles just jump off the shelf at me.  There are some readers here whose tastes are similar to mine. I may take a second look at books they recommend--or add them to my library list for later perusal.  Sorry gals, but some of you read things that I don't comprehend--like paranormal stuff. Is this a personality thing or are there times in life when certain genres are fun? Some things--like horror--I just don't touch.  My book stacks are frightening at the moment. I have had a rare headache today so I haven't read at all. (The headache can be explained. I rarely get angry and when I do I inevitably get a headache. We have a bit of a neighbor problem at the moment. Note to self: anger is just not worth it!)  Anyone give good shoulder massages? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Onceuponatime, I realized this morning that Dodger was not one my ds read. He's read just the Discworld books. I was thinking of a different Pratchett book that came out fairly recently. Â LostSurprise, I want to hear your review of The Stench of Honolulu! I saw that on the Flavorwire list of funny books & the cover & title seemed appealing. (I actually just requested it from my library but, as Jane says, my book stacks are frightening!) The Japanese books sound great -- so glad you mentioned them. Â Hope your headache goes away soon, Jane! :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014  My book stacks are frightening at the moment. I have had a rare headache today so I haven't read at all. (The headache can be explained. I rarely get angry and when I do I inevitably get a headache. We have a bit of a neighbor problem at the moment. Note to self: anger is just not worth it!)  Anyone give good shoulder massages?    Okay, I'll be over with tea and chocolate or wine and a washed rind cheese depending on your need.    Shoulder massages are nice but foot massages are divine. I'll give you one of those. We can talk books and birds and whatever else takes our fancy. I may bring my knitting but with your weather I'll likely be disinclined to associate with wool :grouphug:  Prairiegirl, you're welcome to join us as it sounds like you've had some interpersonal unpleasantness, too. Actually any of the BaWers who need some TLC feel free to join right in :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014  Kareni, the book you mentioned does seem interesting. I looked at it & realized that the author was the one who wrote Alif the Unseen. (I tried to read Alif a year or two ago, but didn't like the story/writing style.) Wonder how the writing style of the one you read compares w/ her earlier book?  I haven't read Alif the Unseen, but it does sound interesting. One major difference I suspect is that the Alif book is a novel (some 400 odd pages) while Cairo is a far, far shorter graphic novel.  Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Â Thanks, Stacia, that's the one. And thanks, Monica, for sharing it earlier in the thread. Â Â I hope you guys like it. So often steampunk books are sooo outside our realm, but I think I enjoyed this one because it was like steampunk with a historical twist. I believe I read somewhere it was considered YA, so don't expect too much. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melmichigan Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I have decided to give up on The History of the Ancient World for now.  I'm having a hard time keeping up with my two coursera classes.  I tried taking one last year to prep for Ancient history and I just couldn't take the monotone of the instructor, so this year I'm trying Greek and Roman Mythology.  I enjoy listening to Peter Struck, but it's an intense course that should prepare me well for TOG Y1 Rhetoric this coming fall.  It covers most of the literature my DD will be doing.  It's hard when it's overlapping for a few weeks with The Bible's Prehistory, Purpose and Political Future, which is ramping up as we hit the half way mark this week.  I did manage to read Dead Spots (A Scarlett Bernard Novel) by Melissa Olsen, and of course my scheduled reading of Shield of Winter (A Psy/Changeling Novel) by Nalini Singh. I think it would be hard to top Heart of Obsidian, but this one was a good read.  I enjoyed Vasic's story and I wonder where things could go next.   I'm finally getting around to the second book of Marie Force's Green Mountain series since that just came in at the library, and I have started A Touch of Midnight by Lara Adrian, the Midnight Breed Prequel novella.  Is this also book 1 in other series?  I couldn't quite understand what amazon was getting at with the label, nor have I found the time to look into it myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I hope you guys like it. So often steampunk books are sooo outside our realm, but I think I enjoyed this one because it was like steampunk with a historical twist. I believe I read somewhere it was considered YA, so don't expect too much. ;) Â Well, I've only read one steampunk novel and I gather that it wasn't the norm for that genre. There were no werewolves or vampires and nothing paranormal. Charles Darwin's son was Prime Minister but apart from that and a re-ordering of the parliamentary system it read as an historical novel set in Victorian London. The heroine was brainy with a penchant for steam-powered devices. Â Oh, I'm coming!!!! Â Â You're in, girl! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Oh the cuppa looks great--as does the glass of wine--but it is the company that would be most welcome.  Received a delightful email from The Boy today. He went to Alhambra and promptly told me to put the place on my bucket list because of the tessellations.      Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Stunning tile work, Jane! The intricacy... Â All the European talk has me envisioning a BaW trip to Wales, Spain, France and England. I meant to ask, in light of Negin posting the beautiful pic of the Welsh beach and the amusing national dress pics, whether anyone has read The Mabinogion. It is on a tentative tbr list along with other fairy/folk tales and myths that I won't likely get to this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Well, I've only read one steampunk novel and I gather that it wasn't the norm for that genre. There were no werewolves or vampires and nothing paranormal. Charles Darwin's son was Prime Minister but apart from that and a re-ordering of the parliamentary system it read as an historical novel set in Victorian London. The heroine was brainy with a penchant for steam-powered devices. Â Â Â Paranormal creatures are not standard elements of steampunk. There are some paranormal novels with steampunk elements (or steampunk novels with paranormal elements) but it's not a necessity. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 'The Firebrand' is an intriguing story though I'm finding Bradley's writing to be somewhat uneven. The kindle format is a bit peculiar, too. At any rate I'm wandering slowly along with it. Our heroine, Kassandra, is currently living with the Amazon tribe, a matriarchal group of horsewomen skilled in battle and worshippers of Gaia as well as various other female Goddesses. We have just met Paris through Kassandra's vision of her twin. Â Â I've been hearing this mentioned but never really took interest until you posted this little blurb! Â The current book I'm reading, The Lost Sisterhood, is about the Amazons. Â I'm currently engrossed in their journey from North Africa to Troy. Â And loving every minute of it. Â I also somehow missed that The Firebrand was by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Â I loved The Mists of Avalon in high school but haven't read it in years. Â I may have to delve into this book when I'm done with The Lost Sisterhood. Â Of course, maybe I should wait a bit. I don't know how the stories will "go together." Â Â Yesterday was furniture-moving-around day (I tend to be a bit obsessive about moving my furniture around, which my dh loves :tongue_smilie: ) and today is dreaded dusting day. And mopping. I need a fairy to come and clean while I sit with my feet propped up with a good book! Â When she is done with your house, please send her my way! Â Â And I got my first postcard! Â Thanks, Monica! Â I have yet to send any out as the girls and I are stuck home without a car these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Stunning tile work, Jane! The intricacy...  All the European talk has me envisioning a BaW trip to Wales, Spain, France and England. I meant to ask, in light of Negin posting the beautiful pic of the Welsh beach and the amusing national dress pics, whether anyone has read The Mabinogion. It is on a tentative tbr list along with other fairy/folk tales and myths that I won't likely get to this year.  The Evangeline Walton Mabinogion tetraology were among my favorite books as a high school student. When my son was a high school student, he and my husband read the Gwyn Jones and Thomas Jones Everyman version.   Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Have started Jenn's recommendation of Strange Bodies by Marcel Theroux. Have been immediately sucked in, especially when it begins with, "Whatever this is, it started when Nicky Slopen came back from the dead." Â Because it's a relatively new book, it has a shorter lending time than usual. Plus, it smells somewhat of cigarettes. Both things, along with the intriguing storyline, will probably pull me through this book pretty quickly. Â Jane, love the Alhambra mention. It was on my bucket list from when I was a teen & it was even more amazing & breathtaking than I had anticipated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Â I've never done audible before - is it a download like a song and you can listen on an iPod? Â Â I read Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea the other night, and I started Longitude last night. I only got a few pages in, but that one looks fascinating! I've only read through Book 2 of The Odyssey, I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep up with the Coursera course I signed up for. Yesterday was furniture-moving-around day (I tend to be a bit obsessive about moving my furniture around, which my dh loves :tongue_smilie: ) and today is dreaded dusting day. And mopping. I need a fairy to come and clean while I sit with my feet propped up with a good book! Â Yes, you can listen on your phone, your ipod or your kindle if it's a fire. Â Â I read Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea the other night, and I started Longitude last night. I only got a few pages in, but that one looks fascinating! I've only read through Book 2 of The Odyssey, I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep up with the Coursera course I signed up for. Yesterday was furniture-moving-around day (I tend to be a bit obsessive about moving my furniture around, which my dh loves :tongue_smilie: ) and today is dreaded dusting day. And mopping. I need a fairy to come and clean while I sit with my feet propped up with a good book! Â I think I mentioned last week that I picked up Longitude when it was a kindle daily deal. How are you liking it? And yesterday was furniture-moving-around day for me, too. In fact it's furniture-moving-around week as ds is at a music day camp all week :D However mopping and dusting here don't match up with your trajectory :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Yes, you can listen on your phone, your ipod or your kindle if it's a fire. Â Â I think I mentioned last week that I picked up Longitude when it was a kindle daily deal. How are you liking it? And yesterday was furniture-moving-around day for me, too. In fact it's furniture-moving-around week as ds is at a music day camp all week :D However mopping and dusting here don't match up with your trajectory :tongue_smilie: Â I do have a Fire, I'll have to pry it back from my kids, though. I got a Paperwhite when they discovered Minecraft. I only got a few pages into Longitude last night, I started it and then dh turned off the TV and it was bedtime. It appears to be fascinating, though. I can't wait to dive a bit more into it tonight. I loved all the early discussion of latitude and longitude. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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