Robin M Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Happy Sunday dear hearts: We are on week 40 in our quest to read 52 books. Welcome back to our regulars, anyone just joining in, and to all who follow our progress. Mr. Linky is all set up on the 52 books blog to link to your reviews. The link is in my signature. 52 Books Blog - Ominous October: Welcome to Ominous October and our reading spooktacular where we read all things chilling and thrilling, What do you think of when you hear the word horror? My idea of horror lends itself to psychological thrillers, spine tinging, fingernail nibbling, keep you awake reading till all hours of the night, type of stories. I remember years ago reading a science fiction story and someone else curious about the book, classified it as horror. I was taken aback and left me wondering what's the difference and asking how can you say that? There isn't any blood and guts. The official definition is: an overwhelming and painful feeling caused by something frightfully shocking, terrifying, or revolting; a shuddering fear. The Horror Writer's association says horror really can't be defined and the genre lost its way back in the 80's with Stephen King's Carrie and all who jumped on the bandwagon and followed his style. Now the genre has come full circle. As the horror boom of the eighties turned into the drought of the nineties, horror went underground. In order to save itself, it became a chameleon, masquerading as other genres, hiding itself in other styles. And therein lay its salvation. Horror has once again become primarily about emotion. It is once again writing that delves deep inside and forces us to confront who we are, to examine what we are afraid of, and to wonder what lies ahead down the road of life. That leaves quite an open field of books and authors to explore. Our author flavors of the month are Anne Rice and Kurt Vonnegut. Rice is one of those authors I've always said I'd get around to reading some day. She took a 5 year break from supernatural science fiction and returned back in 2012 with her Wolf Gift Chronicles. Her newest release, Beauty's Kingdom continues her 1980's Sleeping Beauty series. Vonnegut is one who defies definition when it come to genre. Besides writing, he is also a graphic artists and samples of his art work may be found on his website. The book he's most well known for is Slaughterhouse Five which was actually banned in 2011 from the libraries in a Missouri school district. Free copies of the book were given out to district students (if they asked) through the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library. Our spooktacular wouldn't be complete without reading one of the classics. We've read Frankenstein, Dracula, and Something Wicked This Way Comes. If you haven't read any of them yet, now is your chance. Put away your expectations, because you just may be surprised when they don't turn out how you suspect they will. This year decided it was time to give a little book love to The Strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Also on my nightstand are Henry James' The Turn of the Screw and Arthur Conan Doyle's Lost World as well as two more contemporary novels, Horrostor by Grady Hendrix and Night Film by Marish Pessl. We'll see how far I get. *grin* Join me in reading all things spooktacular this month! **************************************************************** History of the Medieval World Chapter 48 - The Abbasids pp 363 - 370 ***************************************************************** What are you reading this week? Link to week 39 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted October 4, 2015 Author Share Posted October 4, 2015 Good morning, darlings. Sorry to be so late. I slept in after our lovely lightning storm last night. I'm currently reading J.D.Robb's latest in her In Death series - Devoted to Death. Excellent as always. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 I can't handle most horror. Stephen King terrifies the crap out of me. I can handle classics usually (Dracula, Frankenstein). I've watched exactly one horror movie in my life and I'm still a bit traumatized by it. I know my limits, and they aren't very far :lol: I'm reading a travelogue about a couple of British siblings and an Australian girl traveling around Australia for a couple or three years. It's full of the author's wonderful dry, sarcastic, British sense of humor. It's a fun read. 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Oops. Sorry. Posted in last week's thread after the new one was up. I was replying to idnib about the Everest movie.... It's interesting you should say that because I think the people who worked on the events of this movie don't agree with Krakauer on his version of events and the success of "his version" has definitely caused some rifts in the Everest climbing community. Ah, ok. See, I knew nothing about the movie or its background before seeing it. I guess that, compared to the book, some of the stuff that happened was sketchy. There was a problem w/ oxygen tanks that the book talked about pretty extensively -- I think ones that were empty were supposed to be full. I can't remember the reasons of the problems -- a mix-up, someone took the wrong tanks, or used the oxygen in the meantime, or what, but that section in the movie is pretty brief. Also, quite a few bad/confused decisions are made. You see them being made in the movie too, but the book goes much more into detail about how oxygen deprivation fogs thinking, etc..., so you can see how so many bad pieces led to a terrible whole. The movie shows this but, again, I'm not sure the average movie-goer is going to realize that some of the strange statements or decisions made by the climbers were probably due to oxygen deprivation to the brain. Krakauer's book did address some of the hostility & competitiveness between some of the climbing groups, that fact that there were tons of people on the mountain at that time, etc.... The movie did show similar things, problems that cropped up (miscommunication between groups, some groups not wanting to work together, different climbing styles, too many people trying to summit on the same day which led to lines/delays, etc...), so in that respect I felt like they were fairly aligned. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Just finished Slaughterhouse-Five. It was my third time reading it. Still love it. Think my book club meeting will be down to bare bones today -- maybe only 2 of us -- because others are sick. Looking forward to hearing what the other member thought of it, though. Will get back to Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino for the final piece of my Marco Polo reading. After that, I plan to jump into plenty of October/spooky reading. Various ones on my list, not sure how many I'll get to or if I'll get distracted by other books, but some that I hope to get to are: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by RLS Hyde by Daniel Levine Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey The Museum at Purgatory by Nick Bantock Vampires: From Vlad Drakul to the Vampire Lestat by Anna Szigethy & Anne Graves 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Hi, in answer to a question in the last thread: We are in rural Virginia. The biggest problem we have had, besides boys being stuck in the house, is inconvenience from high tides. We ride a ferry to get across a river for work, schooling, and shopping. The super high tides have made ferry service sporadic, shutting down at times. It could be worse. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Repost: Sorry you have such a bad weather! We had a lovely sunny autumny sunday, perfect for a 7miles walk through the bosses and aboard the canals. I finished Emile from Rousseau last night.(in Dutch) I'm glad I have read it, but I think I don't I will have dd read it for French Literature (in French)... 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Yay! The new thread is up! I was hoping to get to post before heading out this afternoon. The length of this thread can be daunting by Sunday evening! I'm reading a travelogue about a couple of British siblings and an Australian girl traveling around Australia for a couple or three years. It's full of the author's wonderful dry, sarcastic, British sense of humor. It's a fun read. And the title of this travelogue? Sounds right up my alley! I was feeling the onset of a reading funk after last week's unsatisfying books. I decided it was time to break out of my genre box and look for another unusual memoir, something completely different but satisfying and life affirming like The Shepherd's Life. I think I found it! Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan. He is a noted journalist who writes for the New Yorker, but he is also at heart a surfer dude. It's a splendid combination as he writes with both clarity and poetry about surf and reefs and the breaks and the people who ride the waves. I'm just in the first chapter, but am looking forward to traveling the world with him through the remainder of the book. Sending good, dry thoughts your way, Jane and Onceuponatime... 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Sending good thoughts to all who are battling weather and illness. Last night I read Jennifer Ashley's The Scandalous Mackenzies. This is a collection of two historical romance novellas that relate to her Mackenzie siblings series. I enjoyed it. A couple of days ago, I reread the first book in that series and enjoyed it again. It's one of my favorite historical romances ~ The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley. Regards, Kareni 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Hello everybody on this super soaked Sunday. I think I'll skip the Spooktacular stuff. Supernatural horror is definitely not my cup of tea although I did read a couple of Anne Rice vampire books back in grad school when I needed an escape to something Entirely Different. As I recall I read two but had no desire to read any more. Although The Turn of the Screw might be a fun reread... Vonnegut was a favorite writer when I was an undergrad. As noted in previous threads, it has been ages since I have read his books. Stacia will give me a nudge one of these days. (Cat's Cradle has been living in the dusty stacks for a while.) My reading plan for the week includes finishing Nancy Bond's Another Shore. After that? I don't know. This weather stuff is a major distraction. I keep looking at updated radar images or staring at the small lake that had formed in the front yard. And I believe that I have frogged (undone) more than moved forward on my knitting project. Definitely distracted. We have a pleasant lull at the moment as the line of intensive doors that dropped a significant amount of rain drifted north. I am grateful for all small blessings. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 I am reading Angela Thirkell,s The Duke,s Daughter. Nan 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 What do you think of when you hear the word horror? My idea of horror lends itself to psychological thrillers, spine tinging, fingernail nibbling, keep you awake reading till all hours of the night, type of stories. The official definition is: an overwhelming and painful feeling caused by something frightfully shocking, terrifying, or revolting; a shuddering fear. The Horror Writer's association says horror really can't be defined and the genre lost its way back in the 80's with Stephen King's Carrie and all who jumped on the bandwagon and followed his style. Now the genre has come full circle. What are you reading this week? Good afternoon! We are all energized today thanks to the weather. Last night the temperature plummeted to the sixties (okay, officially 69 but it counts). It's 75 degrees today and we aren't expected to break 80. On top of that, the humidity is only 67%. This is known as a beautiful fall day in Florida. We'll be back to 90 by next weekend so we have to take advantage of the "cool" weather while we can. I took the opportunity for a nice long walk this morning. Robin, my idea of horror fits with yours and with the official definition, and is what I find really scary. I'm not scared of clowns with chainsaws or whatever or evil supernatural beings who wreak havoc on teenage campers, or even cars that come to life and attack people. ;) I also tend to agree that Stephen King was instrumental in changing the genre for many years. If it's really getting back to its roots, I'm glad to see that. The only Anne Rice I ever read was The Mummy, and while I liked it more than I expected to it didn't inspire me to read more of her books. I did see the movie Interview With the Vampire years ago, but again wasn't interested in reading any of the books. I wasn't impressed by the movie either, which was surrounded by a good deal of hype at the time. I've never read Vonnegut but the BAW crowd has me nearly convinced I should at least read Slaughterhouse Five. I started the first Inspector Montalbano book last night and am already hooked. I started wondering if the towns and villages are real so I looked them up. I found that while they're fictional, you can book a tour of the areas he based them on. Also, there is apparently a tv series based on the books, and you can book tours of the set. I love that reading in the digital age means interesting information is always at your fingertips. Currently reading: The Shape of Water, Inspector Montalbano #1 as mentioned above. Wives and Daughters - I'm finally making real progress with this one. Call the Midwife: Farewell to the East End War and Peace - Pevear translation. Just started yesterday and expect it will take me to the end of the year to finish. I don't want to rush it. Some time this week I'll start The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I'm not listening to anything currently. I got bored with Moll Flanders very close to the end and put it aside for now. I've been listening to Amazon Prime music instead. Jane and anyone else in the flooding/flooded areas, please know that you're in my thoughts. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-M- Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Hello, BaWers! I reached my goal of 104 books read in 2015 late last month and surpassed it this week. Here are some stats: 43 fiction titles (does not include graphic works) Standouts include: ■Fates and Furies (Lauren Groff; 2015. 400 pages. Fiction.)■Compulsion (Meyer Levin; 1956 (2015 reissue). 480 pages. Fiction.) ■Afterwards (Rosamond Lupton; 2013. 415 pages. Fiction.) ■My Wish List (Gregoire Delacourt; 2014. 176 pages. Fiction.) ■Passing (Nella Larsen; 1929 (2003). 160 pages. Fiction.) ■The Expendable Man (Dorothy B. Hughes; 1963 (2012). 264 pages. Fiction.) ■Private Peaceful (Michael Morpurgo; 2003. 202 pages. Fiction.) ■The Water Knife (Paolo Bacigalupi; 2015. 384 pages. Fiction.) ■The Subprimes (Karl Taro Greenfeld; 2015. 320 pages. Fiction.) ■All My Puny Sorrows (Miriam Toews; 2014. 330 pages. Fiction.) ■Afterparty (Daryl Gregory; 2014. 304 pages. Fiction.) 28 non-fiction titles (does not include graphic works) Standouts include: ■Will Not Attend: Lively Stories of Detachment and Isolation (Adam Resnick; 2014. 272 pages. Non-fiction.) ■Somewhere Towards the End: A Memoir (Diane Athill; 2009. 192 pages. Non-fiction.) ■The Psychopath Test (Jon Ronson; 2011. 288 pages. Non-fiction.) ■So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed (Jon Ronson; 2015. 304 pages. Non-fiction.) ■The Unspeakable: And Other Subjects of Discussion (Meghan Daum; 2014. 256 pages. Non-fiction.) 7 plays Standouts include: ■A View from the Bridge (Arthur Miller; 1968. Drama.) ■The Price (Arthur Miller; 1968. Drama.) ■Anne Boleyn (Howard Brenton; 2011. Drama.) ■The Little Foxes (Lillian Hellman; 1947. Drama.) 28 graphic works, one of which was non-fiction Standouts include: ■The Divine (Boaz Lavie and Asaf Hanuka; 2015. 160 pages. Graphic Fiction.) ■Letter 44, Vol. 1: Escape Velocity (Charles Soule; 2015. 144 pages. Graphic Fiction.) ■The Bunker, Vol. 2 (Joshua Hale Fialkov; 2015. 136 pages. Graphic Fiction.) ■The Bunker, Vol. 1 (Joshua Hale Fialkov; 2014. 128 pages. Graphic Fiction.) That's 106 books to date, then. I'll post the complete list -- a reverse chronology of my reading year, to date -- below. In the remaining three months, I'm hoping to make amends to a number of well appreciated but recklessly abandoned books. I'm generally an unapologetically promiscuous reader -- loving one book but dashing off to another's promising pages before appropriately ending the first relationship. I'm looking at the titles left in my wake, however, and I've decided it's time to bring these partially read titles some closure. Heh, heh, heh. So that's how I will spend my reading time for the remainder of this year. The complete list, as of October 4: ■Fates and Furies (Lauren Groff; 2015. 400 pages. Fiction.)■Compulsion (Meyer Levin; 1956 (2015 reissue). 480 pages. Fiction.)■The Admissions (Meg Mitchell Moore; 2015. 320 pages. Fiction.)■Fit and Fabulous in 15 Minutes (Teresa Tapp; 2006. 288 pages. Non-fiction.)■No Sweat: How the Simple Science of Motivation Can Bring You a Lifetime of Fitness (Michelle Segar; 2015. 272 pages. Non-fiction.)■How to Teach Adults: Plan Your Class, Teach Your Students, Change the World (Dan Spalding; 2014. 256 pages. Non-fiction.)■The ESL Teacher’s Survival Guide (Larry Ferlazzo and Katie Hull Sypnieski; 2012. 336 pages. Non-fiction.)■Teaching Adult ESL: A Practical Introduction (Betsy Parrish; 2004. 317 pages. Non-fiction.)■The Divine (Boaz Lavie and Asaf Hanuka; 2015. 160 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■ApocalyptiGirl: An Aria for the End Times (Andrew MacLean; 2015. 88 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■We Only Know So Much (Elizabeth Crane; 2012. 280 pages. Fiction.)■Incident at Vichy (Arthur Miller; 1968. Drama.)■A View from the Bridge (Arthur Miller; 1968. Drama.)■Low, Vol. 1: The Delirium of Hope (Rick Remender; 2015. 144 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■The Price (Arthur Miller; 1968. Drama.)■Marjorie Prime (Jordan Harrison; 2013. Drama.)■The One and Only Ivan (Katherine Applegate; 2012. 336 pages. Fiction.)■Delirium (Lauren Oliver; 2011. 480 pages. Fiction.)■Luckiest Girl Alive (Jessica Knoll; 2015. 352 pages. Fiction.)■Saga, Vol. 5 (Brian K. Vaughan; 2015. 152 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■The Walking Dead, Vol. 24: Life and Death (Robert Kirkman; 2015. 136 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■Sex Criminals, Vol. 2: Two Worlds, One Cop (Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky; 2015. 128 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■Sex Criminals, Vol. 1: One Weird Trick (Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky; 2014. 128 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■Black Chalk (Christopher J. Yates; 2015. 352 pages. Fiction.)■Cymbeline (William Shakespeare (1611?); Folger ed. 2003. 384 pages. Drama.)■How to Be a Good Wife (Emma Chapman; 2013. 288 pages. Fiction.)■You Should Have Known (Jean Hanff Korelitz; 2014. 448 pages. Fiction.)■Wytches, Vol. 1 (Scott Snyder; 2015. 144 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■The 17-Day Diet (Mike Moreno; 2013. 368 pages. Non-fiction.)■Will Not Attend: Lively Stories of Detachment and Isolation (Adam Resnick; 2014. 272 pages. Non-fiction.)■Afterwards (Rosamond Lupton; 2013. 415 pages. Fiction.)■Me Before You (Jojo Moyes; 2012. 384 pages. Fiction.)■Eat to Live: The Amazing Nutrient-Rich Program for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss (Joel Fuhrman; 2011. 400 pages. Non-fiction.)■The Never List (Koethi Zan; 2013. 320 pages. Fiction.)■My Wish List (Gregoire Delacourt; 2014. 176 pages. Fiction.)■Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll; 1865 (2008). 176 pages. Fiction.)■The Death Class: A True Story About Life (Erika Hiyasaki; 2014. 288 pages. Non-fiction.)■Primates of Park Avenue: A Memoir (Wednesday Martin; 2015. 256 pages. Non-fiction.)■Letter 44, Vol. 1: Escape Velocity (Charles Soule; 2015. 144 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■The Witch of Hebron: A World Made by Hand Novel (James Howard Kunstler; 2010. 336 pages. Fiction.)■Moon Tiger (Penelope Lively; 1987. 208 pages. Fiction.) *■They’re Not Like Us, Vol. 1: Black Holes for the Young (Eric Stephenson; 2014. 144 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■Postal, Vol. 1 (Matt Hawkins; 2015. 128 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■The Walking Dead, Vol. 23: Whispers into Screams (Robert Kirkman; 2015. 136 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■The House of Paper (Carlos Maria Dominguez; 2005. 103 pages. Fiction.)■The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Robert Louis Stevenson; 1884 (2012). 144 pages. Fiction.)■The Bunker, Vol. 2 (Joshua Hale Fialkov; 2015. 136 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■Day Four (Sarah Lotz (2015). 352 pages. Fiction.)■The Bunker, Vol. 1 (Joshua Hale Fialkov; 2014. 128 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■Passing (Nella Larsen; 1929 (2003). 160 pages. Fiction.)■Only Ever Yours (Louise O’Neill; 2014. 400 pages. Fiction.)■The Expendable Man (Dorothy B. Hughes; 1963 (2012). 264 pages. Fiction.)■Mind of Winter (Laura Kasischke; 2014. 288 pages. Fiction.)■The Inner Circle (Brad Meltzer; 2011. 464 pages. Fiction.)■Half Bad (Sally Green; 2014. 416 pages. Fiction.)■Private Peaceful (Michael Morpurgo; 2003. 202 pages. Fiction.)■Somewhere Towards the End: A Memoir (Diane Athill; 2009. 192 pages. Non-fiction.)■Parenting Out of Control: Anxious Parents in Uncertain Times (Margaret Nelson; 2010. 276 pages. Non-fiction.)■The Water Knife (Paolo Bacigalupi; 2015. 384 pages. Fiction.)■Silent Alarm (Jennifer Banash; 2015. 336 pages. Fiction.)■Anne Boleyn (Howard Brenton; 2011. Drama.)■The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere (Pico Iyer; 2014. 96 pages. Non-fiction.)■The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing (Marie Kondo; 2014. 224 pages. Non-fiction.)■The Psychopath Test (Jon Ronson; 2011. 288 pages. Non-fiction.)■The Subprimes (Karl Taro Greenfeld; 2015. 320 pages. Fiction.)■So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed (Jon Ronson; 2015. 304 pages. Non-fiction.)■Shooting Arrows: Archery for Adult Beginners (Steve Ruis; 2012. 124 pages. Non-fiction.)■Beginner’s Guide to Traditional Archery (Brian J. Sorrells; 2004. 122 pages. Non-fiction.) *■The Little Foxes (Lillian Hellman; 1947. Drama.)■Jean Luc Mylayne (Terrie Sultan, and more; 2007. 140 pages. Non-fiction.)■Lazarus, Vol. 3: Conclave (Greg Rucka; 2015. 144 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■Joe the Barbarian (Grant Morrison; 2011. 224 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■All My Puny Sorrows (Miriam Toews; 2014. 330 pages. Fiction.)■Container Gardening for the Midwest (William Aldrich; 2008. 208 pages. Non-fiction.)■How to Win at College: Surprising Secrets for Success from the Country’s Top Students (Cal Newport; 2005. 193 pages. Non-fiction.)■Read This! (Hans Weyandt; 2012 200 pages. Non-fiction.)■Outcast (Robert Kirkman; 2015. 152 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■Birthright, Vol. 1: Homecoming (Joshua Williamson; 2015. 128 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■Spread, Vol. 1: No Hope (Justin Jordan; 2015. 160 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■The Woods, Vol. 1 (James Tynion; 2014. 96 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■Odd Thomas (Dean Koontz; 2003. 480 pages. Fiction.)■My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece (Annabel Pitcher; 2015. 224 pages. Fiction.)■The Descent (Tim Johnston; 2015. 384 pages. Fiction.)■The Stranger (Harlan Corben; 2015. 400 pages. Fiction.)■Morning Glories, Vol. 5: For a Better Future (Nick Spencer; 2013. 136 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■Morning Glories, Vol. 4: Truants (Nick Spencer; 2013. 216 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■Morning Glories, Vol. 3: P.E. (Nick Spencer; 2012. 240 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■Morning Glories, Vol. 2: All Will Be Free (Nick Spencer; 2011. 168 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■Morning Glories, Vol. 1: For a Better Future (Nick Spencer; 2011. 192 pages. Graphic Fiction.)■The Girl on the Train (Paula Hawkins; 2015. 336 pages. Fiction.)■Afterparty (Daryl Gregory; 2014. 304 pages. Fiction.)■Howards End Is on the Landing: A Year of Reading from Home (Susan Hill; 2009. 240 pages. Non-fiction.)■Undivided (Neal Shusterman; 2014. 384 pages. Fiction.)■Can’t We Talk about Something More Pleasant?: A Memoir (Roz Chast; 2014. 240 pages. Graphic memoir.)■The Party, After You Left (Roz Chast; 2014. 96 pages. Graphic collection.)■The Days of Abandonment (Elena Ferrante; 2005. 188 pages. Fiction.)■Naked Statistics: Stripping the Dread from the Data (Charles Wheelan; 2013. 302 pages. Non-fiction.)■The Storm in the Barn (Matt Phelan; 2009. 208 pages. Graphic fiction.)■Kayak Morning: Reflections on Love, Grief, and Small Boats (Roger Rosenblatt; 2012. 160 pages. Non-fiction.)■Reading as Therapy: What Contemporary Fiction Does for Middle-Class Americans (Timothy Aubry; 2011. 268 pages. Non-fiction.)■Dept. of Speculation (Jenny Offill; 2014. 192 pages. Fiction.)■The Paying Guests (Sarah Waters; 2014. 576 pages. Fiction.)■Vodou (Mauro Peressini and Rachel Beauvoir-Dominique; 2013. 108 pages. Non-fiction.)■The Unspeakable: And Other Subjects of Discussion (Meghan Daum; 2014. 256 pages. Non-fiction.)■The Shining Girls (Lauren Beukes; 2013. 400 pages. Fiction.)■Abroad (Katie Crouch; 2014. 304 pages. Fiction.) * Denotes a reread 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 We arrived home late this afternoon and my washing machine has been going every since! We visited Paris and basically did a quick tour of the main attractions. As much as my boys could handle. :lol: Also paid a visit to the mouse (Mickey that is). We went on a great day. Beautiful weather and our longest line was 25 minutes (Peter Pan which is my favourite). Glad to be home, driving in Paris suburbs is stressful and dh is exhausted. I pulled over and made him drive when we got close. As far as reading goes I don't seem to be enjoying my Anita Blake series reread. I think I am quitting at this point. I read Magic Bites, the first Kate Daniels, by Ilona Andrews. It was good. My first spooky read is done! :) I also read Chase Me by Tess Baily. The first in her Broke and Beautiful series. It was good. They meet when the main character is working doing singing telegrams. Adolt content. Working on Horrorstor. So far it is good. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Finished Ransom Rigg's third and final of the Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children series, Library of Souls. It was fine-a good wrap-up, but I still found it a little tiring. And it bothered me that the leads would let evil incarnate take over the world, cooperate with it even, if it meant their friends wouldn't die. It feels like a lack of a moral compass on the part of the author to me, though he might disagree and just say fealty to friends is the highest level of good. Doesn't sit well with me. Now reading How to Raise an Adult, a book I put on hold back in summer when Rose mentioned it. I think it is good, that it applies to me, and it mentions schools I know well, but I really don't want to be reading non-fiction right now. But it's a 14-day book and took awhile to get to me, so I will (there might be some skimming/skipping going on though). The curse of being a library cheapskate--you read according to the availability timetable. I'm hopping on the Horrorstor bandwagon, but I have to finish or at least get further into How to Raise an Adult first. Actually Horrorstor looks like a good candidate for the treadmill--thinnish paperback, large print. I hope to also get to Frankenstein this month. I was considering reading that with my 12 yo who needs a good book with lots of analysis available for an Advanced Academic Writing assignment, but I think now I'm leaning toward Fahrenheit 451 for that. But I think I still want to read Frankenstein again for me anyway (it's been maybe 25 years). 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 I read: I Feel Bad About My Neck - 4 Stars - I love Nora Ephron and wish that she was still alive so that I could continue to enjoy her witty and funny style of writing. Funny is something that I seem to crave these days. This is only her second book that I’ve read. It’s a quick read and a particularly enjoyable one. Every parent should read her chapter “Parent in Three Stagesâ€. I desperately needed that! and Not Without My Daughter - 5 Stars - I’d like to first point out that I was born in Iran, in case you didn’t know already. I spent the first six years of my life there. We visited frequently until shortly after all the troubles started. I’ve never been back and I can’t possibly imagine doing so. I’d rather keep the sweet memories that I had and not tarnish them with negative ones that I so often hear about. When the movie, “Not Without My Daughter†came out back in 1991, I remember hearing that many of my fellow countrymen boycotted it. They resented the fact that Iranians were portrayed negatively. My cousin was one of them and he and I got into a bit of a heated discussion about this. My point, and one that I still adhere to, was that this was Betty Mahmoody’s experience and she should feel free to share it. Personally, I thought that the movie was wonderful and it brought out all sorts of emotions in me. Mind you, I only saw the movie that one time and it was enough. My memory is now a bit jaded, but I’m quite sure that the book is far better and can do more justice, as is usually the case. I wasn’t even sure if I should bother reading this, but then I found a used copy at our monthly book swap and decided to read it after all. I’m delighted that I did. It was compelling and I could hardly put it down, except when it got to be too painful at times and I needed an emotional break. I would like to mention that I have never met any Iranians that are anything like Betty’s former in-laws, but doesn’t mean that they’re not out there. The family was a crazy one to say the least: extreme, fanatical, superstitious, and never mind disgusting with their hygiene (but let’s not go there!). Her husband was an absolute tyrant and her life had become a living hell. Not all Iranians were shown in a negative light. There were some incredible kind-hearted individuals also, those who helped and befriended Betty in whatever way they could. Those parts made me cry. I think it’s quite short-sighted for anyone to delude themselves into thinking that she portrays all Iranians as bad people. She most certainly does not. She didn’t even portray Islam in a negatively. Yes, she has a problem with extremism and fanaticism and which reasonable-minded person wouldn’t? But the reader soon sees that it’s not Islam that she has a problem with, more so the way it was enforced in that oppressive regime. Betty’s courage and bravery are to be admired and left me full of awe. I simply cannot imagine having that sort of strength. I’ve known friends and family members who’ve escaped the country much the same way that she did. None of them were escaping a brutal husband. Most did not have a young child to worry about. Finally, every single one of them spoke Farsi. The ones that I have known escaped due to religious or political persecution. I’m not trying to minimize their struggles, just saying that hers was quite unique and had its challenges also. All in all, this book was an incredible read. I’m really looking forward to reading the sequel. I like Betty so much, that I wish I knew her personally. I just saw on amazon that her daughter, Mahtob, has a book coming out soon. MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars Fantastic, couldn't put it down 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 I also read Chase Me by Tess Baily. The first in her Broke and Beautiful series. It was good. They meet when the main character is working doing singing telegrams. Yes, that bunny scene was pretty amusing. Adolt content. Once again a typo that says so much! Regards, Kareni 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 And the title of this travelogue? Sounds right up my alley! I had to look it up lol Kamikaze Kangaroos by Tony Slater http://www.amazon.com/Kamikaze-Kangaroos-Around-Australia-Idiot-ebook/dp/B00IF8QFRG/ (Note: There is language and sex - but it's not graphically described, it just happens.) 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 The Horror Writer's association says horror really can't be defined and the genre lost its way back in the 80's with Stephen King's Carrie and all who jumped on the bandwagon and followed his style. Now the genre has come full circle. I enjoyed this link, Robin. Thank you. Last week I read Horrorstor. It felt like a nice, easy break from everything else I needed to do, so I ate it up. I thought the characterization could have been stronger, and I thought he took Murphy's Law too far in his attempt to use it to create suspense, but I enjoyed the premise, was drawn into the story enough and liked the store catalogue gimmick. I am continuing with Metaphors We Live By and The Making of a Story, and I started The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Prose Poetry and The Lost Tribe of Coney Island. I hope to finish the last on quickly enough to read Carrie this month too, but so far I've just barely started it. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Just checked the totals from the National Weather Service. So far we have received ten inches of rain from this current system. And it has not stopped raining. Sigh. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 So today is my birthday and I had a wonderful weekend with my family. College girl was home to visit and Saturday morning I had to take my son to a chess tournament. I had forgotten that they were supposed to bring their own chess clock so I went on a quick search for one nearby. Barnes and Noble was right down the road so that was my destination. Well no luck on the chess clock but I did get to spend two hours alone wandering around the store, sipping Salted Caramel Mocha and browsing happily from section to section. I did purchase a Zentangle set for myself and lots of great stuff from the half price section - Happy Birthday to Me - :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: 19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Happy birthday Shawne! Sounds like you had a great day. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I never realized just how much I think of my Kindle as a regular old paper book until yesterday. I've got bronchitis so I'm coughing a lot and apparently one of those coughs caused some spit splatters to land on my Kindle. I didn't notice for a couple minutes and as I wiped it off, I thought, "Weird. I haven't coughed for several pages. I wonder how spit got on it several pages later?" And then I burst out laughing because it's a KINDLE so the screen is still the same no matter how many pages later I am. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Betty’s courage and bravery are to be admired and left me full of awe. I simply cannot imagine having that sort of strength. Negin, I read this book years ago and felt exactly the same - in a kick-in-the-gut sort of way. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyBC Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Friday and Saturday I had the early stages of a cold, a good excuse to sit on the couch for a portion of the day with a blanket and The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon (McCall Smith) and The Silkworm (Galbraith). Fun time is over, now back to Middlemarch (Eliot). 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Happy Birthday, Shawne! 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Last week I read Horrorstor. It felt like a nice, easy break from everything else I needed to do, so I ate it up. I thought the characterization could have been stronger, and I thought he took Murphy's Law too far in his attempt to use it to create suspense, but I enjoyed the premise, was drawn into the story enough and liked the store catalogue gimmick. I just started this yesterday! It's light and clever enough so far. Plus I live near Cleveland so I can put it in the book category of "from my hometown". LOL Before that, I read Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller. It's about a girl who is taken by her father to live in the wilderness after he tells her that the rest of the world is gone/dead. He's part of a loose group of survivalist types before this. She is gone 8 or 9 years, I believe, before she is out in the woods alone and sees a pair of boots that do not belong to her father... 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Oops. Sorry. Posted in last week's thread after the new one was up. I was replying to idnib about the Everest movie.... Ah, ok. See, I knew nothing about the movie or its background before seeing it. If you're interested, here is a brief article and here is a longer one. Also, if you want to read a book with a different point of view, Boukreev wrote his own book as a sort of rebuttal before he died in an avalanche at Annapurna in 1997. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 This week I am reading Hamlet (both Lamb and Hinds versions) to the kids, wrapping up The Vicar of Wakefield, moving ahead with House of Leaves as my spooky read, and reading Bond's A String in the Harp. The latter was discussed in the previous thread so I looked into it, bought it for the kids, and promptly began reading it myself. Hopefully I'll get to finish it before they notice. ;) 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 We went to friends' 3-year olds birthday party, it ended up being quite a reunion of old friends. At one point, though, I looked around and realized it was a party full of women my age and older, all of whom had kids under 4. I looked over at my 9 and 13 year olds and thought, thank goodness I'm not doing the baby thing now! It was tiring just to watch them all. Anyway, so I haven't read yet this weekend, but am hoping to get a little time in tonight! I'm reading Roadside Picnic by the Strugatsky brothers. It's not really supernatural-creepy, it's more alien-encounter creepy. I definitely plan to read Slaughterhouse-Five in the very near future, it's on my bedside stack, along with The Story of My Teeth and the Chameleon book, and a bunch of Philip K Dick that I want to get to, so I might not go any spookier than that. I read all of the Anne Rice novels that were out at the time I was in college - so the first 3 or 4 vampire books and the Mayfair Witch book, along with a couple of her others (Cry to Heaven and the Feast of All Saints.) I adored the books in college, and got from it one of my guiding life philosophies of my 20s - "None of us changes over time. We only become more fully what we are." I don't know that I still agree with that, but it did steer me out of some bad relationships, and for that I'm grateful. But, I don't know, I think I've moved on - I tried to read the new Vampire book this winter, Prince Lestat, and it didn't grab me, I ended up abandoning it. Books read in October: 144. A Handful of Dust - Evelyn Waugh 143. Fairy Tales for Computers - Leslie George Katz, ed. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I finished Kamikaze Kangaroos. 4/5 stars. It was quite funny. Some of the things the author does are insane. It's neat, though, how they traveled Australia and then New Zealand and saw the sights and what not and in between, they'd stay in one place and work for a while to earn money to afford to keep eating. It must've been a truly fun time. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 ... I did get to spend two hours alone wandering around the store, sipping Salted Caramel Mocha and browsing happily from section to section. I did purchase a Zentangle set for myself and lots of great stuff from the half price section - Happy Birthday to Me - :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Happy birthday!!! Sounds like a fun excursion ~ Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Happy birthday, Shawne! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I never realized just how much I think of my Kindle as a regular old paper book until yesterday. I've got bronchitis so I'm coughing a lot and apparently one of those coughs caused some spit splatters to land on my Kindle. I didn't notice for a couple minutes and as I wiped it off, I thought, "Weird. I haven't coughed for several pages. I wonder how spit got on it several pages later?" And then I burst out laughing because it's a KINDLE so the screen is still the same no matter how many pages later I am. :lol: :lol: :lol: I'm sorry you have bronchitis and hope you know that's not what I'm laughing at. I could totally see myself doing something like that. My Kindle is a regular book to me to. Whichever book I'm reading at the time. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I read a lot (all?) of the Anne Rice vampire & witch books back when I was in my 20s. At the time, I enjoyed them (though I much preferred the vampire ones over the Mayfair witches). Not sure if they'd really appeal to me these days. Book club friend liked Slaughterhouse-Five. Another pal (who was a sick one, running to the drugstore to get medicine, stopped in since we were next door at the Starbucks) has just started it. Both said they knew it was a famous anti-war book & were totally thrown for a loop when they found out about time travel & aliens in it. :lol: Overall, they had very positive comments for the book & found the list of the reasons why it was banned/challenged quite extreme. I think they will probably also plan to read another book by Vonnegut someday. Hey, Jane, giving you a nudge toward reading Vonnegut.... ETA: My sister & folks she knows are doing ok so far w/ the rain in the Charleston area. Looks like they have gotten 24 inches (!!) of rain there over three days. Jane, hope this system doesn't stay parked over you too. I know Charleston is not out of the woods yet because there are more storm bands, plus delayed flooding after stuff like this moves out. The mess around Columbia is horrible too. Five major interstates shut down -- some of which I travel on routinely going to/from Charleston. Scary stuff. :grouphug: & stay high & dry for those in the flooding/danger areas. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Happy Birthday, Shawne!!! I have never read either of the Everest books or seen the new movie but I recently read the new novella by Kathy Reichshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25708561-bones-on-iceBones on Ice. This book might be a good quick read to go with the movie experience because it explains much of the physical effects of climbing Everest in detail and also the typical behaviour. I don't think it even mentioned this famous climb, just recommending it because it might be an easy way to gain perspective before veiwing the movie. From reading Idnib's links that might be helpful to understand the movie and the guide's actions. I also really liked the novella, which didn't have as much continuing storyline as most of her Brennan books. Fascinating stuff. It was mainly just this case....local girls body recovered years after death from Everest thanks to an avalanche. Brennan did tons of research in the book in order to properly autopsy the body and evaluate the story's of the girl's companions on her deadly climb. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Dh is back today at last. :) I've finished Rebecca and now want to rewatch the movie because I think I liked the Hitchcock better than the du Maurier. Still making steady progress through Piers Plowman. And began Poe's Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, having found it mentioned in two very different books--Borges' Book of Imaginary beings, and James' The Golden Bowl--after first learning about it here on the book thread--and dh having mentioned he's been reading Jules Verne's An Antarctic Mystery, Or The Sphinx of the Ice Fields, a sequel to Poe's Pym. The universe was conspiring to get me to read it. So Henry James has been back-burnered for a while. So many posts to catch up on.... 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Happy (late) birthday, Shawne! Commiserations to those undergong the wet windy weather. I remember rain. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I finished reading Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins to the boys last night. Before I even finished it my 7 year old asked me if we could read the next book in the series next. I'll call that a win! 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 We watched Ender's Game, the movie, last night to compare it to the book. I must say, I watched it with great trepidation, because I love the book and worried they'd miss the whole point & ruin it in the movie. The movie did make changes, certainly, particularly in consolidating events and adding some spectacular visual effects, but they did an excellent job focusing on the book's themes. We really enjoyed it. Shannon is busy reading the Ender's Shadow series although I've vetoed Speaker for the Dead for now. ETA: Vetoed - Oh, the irony, on a post that mentions Banned Books! What I mean is, I have respectfully suggested that the book has adult/mature situations and themes, and that she will enjoy it and get more out of it if she waits to read it till she's older. Also, I confessed that I found it very disturbing (though extremely powerful and thought provoking) and don't feel like re-reading it right now. She agreed to wait. I finished Roadside Picnic last night. It was written in 1971 by Russian authors, the Strugatsky brothers; made into a movie by Tarkovsky in 1979 (Stalker); and somewhat recently re-released in English translation in its unexpurgated form. Interesting in relation to Banned Books, there was an afterward by the author where he describes going through the Soviet censorship process, and oddly, the book wasn't suppressed for ideological reasons, but heavily edited by censors because it was considered vulgar and smutty and violent, a bad influence on the Soviet youth. I thought it was a great book, although very dark, but I appreciate it particularly because I'm in the middle of a themed reading about alien encounter, and this was the most unique take I've read on the subject so far. The premise: what if aliens visited earth, but without even noticing or attempting to communicate with humans? What if they stopped off, had a picnic, and left a bunch of trash along the side of the road, and then moved on, without any other contact? Their artifacts - their trash? - is of an inexplicable, powerful, and sometime dangerous technology. But they are profoundly disinterested in even trying to communicate with humans. Did they even notice us? This book looks at the effect of this humiliating fact along with the effect of the artifacts themselves on a small town somewhere in North America (Canada maybe) near this alien Roadside Picnic zone. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I finished Roadside Picnic last night. It was written in 1971 by Russian brothers, the Strugatsky brothers, made into a movie by Tarkovsky in 1979 (Stalker) and somewhat recently re-released in English translation in its unexpurgated form. Interesting in relation to Banned Books, there was an afterward by the author where he describes going through the Soviet censorship process, and oddly, the book wasn't suppressed for ideological reasons, but because it was considered vulgar and smutty and violent, a poor influence on the Soviet youth. I thought it was a great book, although very dark, but I appreciate it particularly because I'm in the middle of a themed reading about alien encounter, and this was the most unique take on the subject so far. The premise: what if aliens visited earth, but without even noticing or attempting to communicate with humans? What if they stopped off, had a picnic, and left a bunch of trash along the side of the road, and then moved on, without any other contact? Their artifacts - their trash? - is of an inexplicable, powerful, and sometime dangerous technology. But they are profoundly disinterested in even trying to communicate with humans. Did they even notice us? This book looks at the effect of this humiliating fact along with the effect of the artifacts themselves on a small town somewhere in North America (Canada maybe) near this alien Roadside Picnic zone. I wouldn't consider sci-fi a favorite genre of mine, but this sounds interesting. I read a book by the Strugatsky brothers earlier this year, The Dead Mountaineer's Inn, a kind of mash-up between mystery & sci-fi. And a cool, odd fact (from the Melville House publishing website)... The asteroid 3054 Strugatskia, discovered in 1977, is named after the brothers. I guess that's appropriate for some sci-fi writers. Violet Crown, glad to hear you're reading Pym! :) 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I wouldn't consider sci-fi a favorite genre of mine, but this sounds interesting. I read a book by the Strugatsky brothers earlier this year, The Dead Mountaineer's Inn, a kind of mash-up between mystery & sci-fi. And a cool, odd fact (from the Melville House publishing website)... I guess that's appropriate for some sci-fi writers. Violet Crown, glad to hear you're reading Pym! :) Yes, apparently that is one part of the original trilogy/anthology they wrote, along with Space Mowgli and Roadside Picnic, called Unintended Meetings. He wrote that he cringes when he sees original copies of it, it was so heavily censored & expurgated. It's definitely not your typical sci fi fare, Stacia. I think you might enjoy it. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Last night I finished Laura Griffin's romantic suspense novel Shadow Fall (Tracers Series Book 9). While it's ninth in a series, it could stand alone. I enjoyed it. "Special Agent Tara Rushing arrives at a grisly murder scene and quickly discovers she’s got a serial killer on her hands. The killer is meticulous, making sure to wipe up even the smallest traces of evidence…but the Delphi Center experts are on the case.The local sheriff has a suspect all picked out—ex-Marine and current security expert Liam Wolfe. Despite all her digging, Tara knows very little about Liam when she shows up at his sprawling Texas compound, which serves as headquarters for Wolfe Security, and she’s surprised by her intense physical reaction to him.As she and Liam grow closer, Tara finds herself depending on his skills and expertise to help her track a killer. But when another body turns up, Tara must decide if she can trust the man who’s quickly stealing her heart." Regards, Kareni 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Oh my! Good Omens is hilarious! I started laughing at the foreword and every page holds at least a snicker. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Oh my! Good Omens is hilarious! I started laughing at the foreword and every page holds at least a snicker. I did not want to read that book when someone chose it for book club a while back. It's just not my style, I protested. But she reads my choices that aren't her style, so I sucked it up. And I loved it from the start! Snickered nearly all the way through it. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I finished Roadside Picnic last night. It was written in 1971 by Russian authors, the Strugatsky brothers; made into a movie by Tarkovsky in 1979 (Stalker); and somewhat recently re-released in English translation in its unexpurgated form. Interesting in relation to Banned Books, there was an afterward by the author where he describes going through the Soviet censorship process, and oddly, the book wasn't suppressed for ideological reasons, but heavily edited by censors because it was considered vulgar and smutty and violent, a bad influence on the Soviet youth. I thought it was a great book, although very dark, but I appreciate it particularly because I'm in the middle of a themed reading about alien encounter, and this was the most unique take I've read on the subject so far. The premise: what if aliens visited earth, but without even noticing or attempting to communicate with humans? What if they stopped off, had a picnic, and left a bunch of trash along the side of the road, and then moved on, without any other contact? Their artifacts - their trash? - is of an inexplicable, powerful, and sometime dangerous technology. But they are profoundly disinterested in even trying to communicate with humans. Did they even notice us? This book looks at the effect of this humiliating fact along with the effect of the artifacts themselves on a small town somewhere in North America (Canada maybe) near this alien Roadside Picnic zone. Dh has seen the movie but didn't know about the book. He's just picked it up from the campus library. Thanks for the recommendation! 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Oh my! Good Omens is hilarious! I started laughing at the foreword and every page holds at least a snicker. I did not want to read that book when someone chose it for book club a while back. It's just not my style, I protested. But she reads my choices that aren't her style, so I sucked it up. And I loved it from the start! Snickered nearly all the way through it. Since both of you like it I might give it a try but I want to make sure it is a stand alone first. According to Goodreads it appears to be. Am I right? 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Since both of you like it I might give it a try but I want to make sure it is a stand alone first. According to Goodreads it appears to be. Am I right? Yes, Good Omens is a stand alone. Enjoy! 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Love Good Omens! Glad to hear it is bringing joy (& snickers) to others! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Yes, Good Omens is a stand alone. Enjoy! Thanks :) Dd has decided she would like to read it too, so it is now on the family kindle account. Dd and I are also going to read the Sue Grafton's together in order. In order is important to her too. :lol: I read A is for Alibi today. Really good and I remembered none of the case. I wonder what letter I will get to before I start remembering the book's plot? There are huge wait lists on my overdrive for some of her books. I am experimenting with hold suspensions etc to make these become available in a timely fashion and in order. Right now I am playing with hold lists and suspensions on all the books through G while waiting for B. Yes, my hold list is full with all of them but can't think of another way via the library and I am curious if I can make it work. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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