Kareni Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 This Book Riot piece is about summer assigned reading for incoming college freshmen. (There's been a lot of hubbub in the news recently about a Duke student taking offence at the the assigned reading for incoming students; it doesn't address that.) The Sweet, Sweet Idealism of Common Reading for Freshmen ETA: the nearby university has selected Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven as its common reading book. Regards, Kareni 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 :glare: I lost a post! So I guess I'll just sum up... Been crazy busy planning Aly's Freshman year, my co-op classes, and pre-school for Skye's little charge. That plus a sinus infection has left no time for reading, really. I'm hoping that I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Currently reading To Kill a Mockingbird and still rereading Harry Potter 5. My IRL Book Club picks a "challenge" for the month (much like Robin does here) and we read within the challenge. That way we don't all have to read the same book. We discuss the books we have read when we get together. I have a feeling I would be very poor at reading a book someone else chose :lol: We spent most of the day at a Colonial Fair which was so much fun (thought it is extremely hot here). Skye made her own costume and dressed the part :) 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 My IRL Book Club picks a "challenge" for the month (much like Robin does here) and we read within the challenge. That way we don't all have to read the same book. We discuss the books we have read when we get together. This sounds like a neat idea. I'd love to hear what some of your group's past challenges have been. Hope you feel better soon. Regards, Kareni 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 Good to see you back Nan! :seeya: I finished two more books this week: Raven Black, Ann Cleeves first book in the Shetland Island series. I enjoyed it, and already put the second one on hold. I think I found a new mystery/police series. Initially it seems like the author only intended to write four books, because it was called the Shetland Island Quartet. There are six now plus a collection of short stories, and hopefully she'll continue writing more. Call the Midwife: Shadows of the Workhouse, # 2 in the series by Jennifer Worth. Loved it as much as the first one. I'm going to wait a bit before reading the last one, but only because I have several other books I want to finish first. Both of the above books were recommended by BaWers. I really should start writing down who recommends what books so I can thank them. :) Goodreads tells me I'm 6 books ahead of schedule in my goal of 60 books, but that doesn't mean much to me. It still bugs me that the only reading goal you can set there is a number. I know I can make shelves but I like seeing the goal and my status on my GR home page. I'm not big on listing books, but have to admit that the year I made lists of specific books to read, and in categories, I mostly met my goals. So...last night I made a list of books I want to read for the remainder of 2015. I have biographies/memoirs, some general non-fiction, classic fiction, and current literary fiction. I left room for my fluffy mysteries and IRL book club books. I also gave myself enough wiggle room in case I hear of a book I just have to read right now. Speaking of book club, September is my turn to choose a book. I've been wanting to choose a classic for some time, but always end up changing my mind. The classics I'm interested in are often long and not all members have a lot of reading time. Plus there's usually only 4 weeks between one meeting and the next, and the next book never gets announced until after each meeting. I decided on A Room With a View. It's definitely short enough even for the busy members. It's fairly light-hearted but still will give us plenty to discuss. I haven't started it yet, but I have until the end of the month to read it and it doesn't look like it will take long to get through. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 My IRL Book Club picks a "challenge" for the month (much like Robin does here) and we read within the challenge. That way we don't all have to read the same book. We discuss the books we have read when we get together. That sounds cool. I think sometimes some of our members would rather be reading other books, and find reading the book club choice to be a chore. I might suggest this to our fearless leader. Even if we do it once or twice a year it could be interesting. And who knows? Some of us might add to our TBR lists that way. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 This sounds like a neat idea. I'd love to hear what some of your group's past challenges have been. Hope you feel better soon. Regards, Kareni Some of the past challenges have been what Robin has had going on here at the BaW. Most come from the 2015 Reading Challenge that my friend found online this year. So May was "read a play." June was our "read a classic romance" month because it was light and fluffy for the start of summer. July was "read a favorite book from your childhood" month because one of our members was heading to Alaska for the birth of a grandchild and would be reading to the other grandchildren. August was "read a book you were supposed to read in school but didn't" month to celebrate going back to school. September is "read a banned book" month (nodding here to Stacia :D ). That sounds cool. I think sometimes some of our members would rather be reading other books, and find reading the book club choice to be a chore. I might suggest this to our fearless leader. Even if we do it once or twice a year it could be interesting. And who knows? Some of us might add to our TBR lists that way. This is exactly what we do! We usually have a notebook to write down books that the others have loved. It's also nice to have friends who say, "I loved that book but Ang you wouldn't like it!" Or, "You have to read this!" Book club was mostly my idea so I get a lot of say ;) I'm also the one who doesn't have the broadest reading mind (Shocked aren't you :lol: ) so picking it by challenges makes it so I don't have to read some horribly sad or out of my box book :lol: Actually it's worked out really great. If one of us doesn't get to a challenge, we still have stuff to discuss because at least we've read other things. So everyone can participate all the time. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 Good to see you back Nan! :seeya: I finished two more books this week: Raven Black, Ann Cleeves first book in the Shetland Island series. I enjoyed it, and already put the second one on hold. I think I found a new mystery/police series. Initially it seems like the author only intended to write four books, because it was called the Shetland Island Quartet. There are six now plus a collection of short stories, and hopefully she'll continue writing more. Call the Midwife: Shadows of the Workhouse, # 2 in the series by Jennifer Worth. Loved it as much as the first one. I'm going to wait a bit before reading the last one, but only because I have several other books I want to finish first. Both of the above books were recommended by BaWers. I really should start writing down who recommends what books so I can thank them. :) Goodreads tells me I'm 6 books ahead of schedule in my goal of 60 books, but that doesn't mean much to me. It still bugs me that the only reading goal you can set there is a number. I know I can make shelves but I like seeing the goal and my status on my GR home page. I'm not big on listing books, but have to admit that the year I made lists of specific books to read, and in categories, I mostly met my goals. So...last night I made a list of books I want to read for the remainder of 2015. I have biographies/memoirs, some general non-fiction, classic fiction, and current literary fiction. I left room for my fluffy mysteries and IRL book club books. I also gave myself enough wiggle room in case I hear of a book I just have to read right now. Speaking of book club, September is my turn to choose a book. I've been wanting to choose a classic for some time, but always end up changing my mind. The classics I'm interested in are often long and not all members have a lot of reading time. Plus there's usually only 4 weeks between one meeting and the next, and the next book never gets announced until after each meeting. I decided on A Room With a View. It's definitely short enough even for the busy members. It's fairly light-hearted but still will give us plenty to discuss. I haven't started it yet, but I have until the end of the month to read it and it doesn't look like it will take long to get through. I feel as though I am a latecomer to the BBC/PBS series Shetland. I have enjoyed the two episodes that I have seen but have not looked at the library for Ann Cleeves' books. I wanted to give a nod of approval to A Room with a View. As I read the author's Indian memoir, The Hill of Devi, I am reminded how Forster is acutely aware of the world around him and not a slave to convention. What a writer! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 I feel as though I am a latecomer to the BBC/PBS series Shetland. I have enjoyed the two episodes that I have seen but have not looked at the library for Ann Cleeves' books. I wanted to give a nod of approval to A Room with a View. As I read the author's Indian memoir, The Hill of Devi, I am reminded how Forster is acutely aware of the world around him and not a slave to convention. What a writer! I haven't been able to watch the series, but I have watched Vera, another series based on her books. We don't have cable or satellite so we don't get BBC America, and PBS only makes shows available on Roku for a certain amount of time. We get most of our British shows from Acorn TV but I haven't seen Shetland there. Thanks for the nod to my book choice. I feel good knowing it's been Jane-approved. :) 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 I haven't been able to watch the series, but I have watched Vera, another series based on her books. We don't have cable or satellite so we don't get BBC America, and PBS only makes shows available on Roku for a certain amount of time. We get most of our British shows from Acorn TV but I haven't seen Shetland there. Thanks for the nod to my book choice. I feel good knowing it's been Jane-approved. :) No cable or satellite here either. Our PBS station is airing Shetland but since I was in the family cottage without television for a while, I was only made aware of the series a couple of weeks ago when my sister in law mentioned it. She says she watches it for the scenery! Truly gorgeous. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 I'm so glad you liked Raven Black, Kathy!! I got hooked first on the Shetland tv series, and found myself rewatching it for the scenery and to listen to the accents again. It took rewatching for the accents to finally settle in my ear and become understandable! The scenery is beautiful on its own, but also I think the cinematography is extra nice. The book series is of course different from the PBS series -- this is a case where I'm glad I enjoyed the tv series first so that I wouldn't be annoyed with all the changes! I haven't been able to enjoy a couple of tv versions of favorite series due to all the changes. I've only read 2 of the Shetland books so far as I keep having to wait for them to become available through Overdrive or through regular holds. Audible has them, read by someone with a proper accent, but I hate using my credits for a mystery as I tend not to re-listen to them! I've enjoyed the Vera series, too, on PBS, but haven't tried those books yet (also can't find them on the library shelves here). 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen. Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 I'm still doing the name challenge. For letter H of my name I read "Herodotus and the Road to History." Another good little book by Jeanne Bendick. My 9yo read the first half of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll. :) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 I'm still doing the name challenge. For letter H of my name I read "Herodotus and the Road to History." Are you going in order? If so, I've forgotten what you did for K. Looking for ideas here for K titled books as I've done A, E, N, and I. Regards, Kareni 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 Hi all Been reading a bit, knitting a bit...have a few "current reads" that I am reading and enjoying.... 35. The Sheltering Sky 36. Proof Finding Freedom Through the Intoxicating Joy of Irresistible Grace 37. Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica 38. Crooked Little LIes by Barbara Taylor Sissel 39. Lies My Teacher Told Me by James Loewen Also just finished A Life in Stitches, which is great as I am really into my knitting now. Well-written and enjoyable. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 Hi all Been reading a bit, knitting a bit...have a few "current reads" that I am reading and enjoying.... 35. The Sheltering Sky 36. Proof Finding Freedom Through the Intoxicating Joy of Irresistible Grace 37. Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica 38. Crooked Little LIes by Barbara Taylor Sissel 39. Lies My Teacher Told Me by James Loewen Also just finished A Life in Stitches, which is great as I am really into my knitting now. Well-written and enjoyable. We have The Sheltering Sky lying around here somewhere. Looking forward to your review. Wasn't there a Police song about it? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 I'm so glad you liked Raven Black, Kathy!! I've only read 2 of the Shetland books so far as I keep having to wait for them to become available through Overdrive or through regular holds. They seem to be popular. All of the titles have a hold period at my library too - both ebooks and physical books. They don't have any audio versions. I wonder if they've always been popular or if the tv series has caused the demand. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted September 6, 2015 Author Share Posted September 6, 2015 Link to week 36 - please continue conversation in new thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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