Book a Week 2015: BW41 alfred hitchcock

[Robin M]

Happy Sunday dear hearts:  We are on week 41  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 - Alfred Hitchcock:  Ominous October would not be complete without our master of suspense - Alfred Hitchcock.

I love Alfred Hitchcock movies.  They are so entertaining and creep you out at the same time. The first time I ever watched "The Birds," I ended up in the hallway, peeking around the corner.  I think I was nine at the time.  Silly, I know, however, it began my love affair with scary movies.  Not the blood and guts gory type, but the psychological thriller types.  Ones that leave it to your imagination, the murderous action just off screen.  Heart pounding, hand clenching, break out in cold sweat, jump in your seat, make you squeal stories. Speaking of squealing, my dad is the nervous sort and can't sit still during intense scenes.  He'd leave, come back.  Now I know where I got it from.   :lol:  

Did you know some of Hitchcock's movies came from books:

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
Lifeboat was an unpublished short story by John Steinbeck
Rear Window was based on Cornell Wolrich's 1942 short story  It Had To Be Murder
Psycho from a 1959 novel by Robert Bloch
Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith
Suspicion was based on Before the Fact by Francis Iles
39 Steps taken from the novel by John Buchan 
Vertigo written by Boileau-Narcejac


Check out his  biography by Michael Wood which is available to kinder unlimited readers for free.  As well as the Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine at The Mystery Place and Goodreads list of Alfred Hitchcock anthologies, plus Popular Dark Gothic Hickcockian novels.

 

“There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.â€

― Alfred Hitchcock

 

 

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History of The Medieval World

Chapter 49:  Charlemagne pp 371 - 379

Chapter 50:  the An Lushan Rebellion  pp 380 - 386

 

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What are you reading this week?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to week 40

 

[Robin M]

Carrying over Rose's question

SPOILER WARNING:   If you haven't read Brave New World yet and you are planning to, you might want to skip this post - I am hoping that now that a cadre of people have read it, we might be able to talk about the end?  I am kind of at a loss as to how to interpret it.  So if you have thoughts to share, read on!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So here is a part of BNW we haven't discussed: what did you guys make of the whole John Savage character, and the ending?  I have to confess to being a little lost at the end.  Clearly, Huxley's view of "unimproved" society isn't any better than his view of the Brave New World - the Reservation is a very grim place.  John's struggles in trying to fit in to the BNW are understandable. His desire to go to the islands is too.  Even his decision to isolate himself is totally understandable. But then the weird self-flagellation thing and the culminating orgy of death?  I confess that I was also struggling to figure out what message we were meant to take from that whole resolution.  Huxley definitely doesn't subscribe to the Noble Savage POV, which I find refreshing, but I don't really know what to do with the whole ending sequence.  Does anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Robin M]

Currently reading Nalini Singh's Shield of Winter, #13 in her Psy Changeling series.    

[Chrysalis Academy]

Carrying over Rose's question

 

Thanks, Robin! I guess it was silly to post it at the end of last week's thread.

[Butter]

I'm reading Scorch Trials by James Dashner.  Honestly, if my daughter wasn't begging me no way would I finish this series.  It's just not that well written.

[Negin]

I love Alfred Hitchcock movies. 

Robin, thank you for all the info and links. I love Hitchcock movies and am going to look all those links up. :)

 

I just finished Nomad - 5 Stars - Yet another author that I wish I knew personally! This book is an excellent sequel to her first book, “Infidelâ€. Everyone should read both of them, and, mind you, this is coming from me. Honestly, I’m rarely pushy with books, or at least I try not to be! The older I get, the less I seem to tell people what to do. Her two books are an exception. Kathleen, thank you for recommending these to me. 

 

A quote that I loved and wish to share:

 

“The veil deliberately marks women as private and restricted property, nonpersons. The veil sets women apart from men and apart from the world; it restrains them, confines them, grooms them for docility. A mind can be cramped just as a body may be, and a Muslim veil blinkers both your vision and your destiny. It is the mark of a kind of apartheid, not the domination of a race but of a sex.â€

 

And one of my all-time favorites:

"The trap of resentment. It is probably the worst mental prison in the world. It is the inability to let go of anger and the perceived or real injustices we suffer. Some people let one or two, or maybe ten unpleasant experiences poison the rest of their lives. They let their anger ferment and rot their personality. They end up seeing themselves as victims of their parents, teachers, their peers and preachers."

I have a few other favorite quotes, but I'll spare you all. Again, recommended reading for all! I hope that she will continue writing and contributing. 

 

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.

[Negin]

I'm reading Scorch Trials by James Dashner.  Honestly, if my daughter wasn't begging me no way would I finish this series.  It's just not that well written.

I had the exact same experience. Read it a while back only because my daughter begged me to. No way would I have ever picked it for myself. You have my full sympathies.  :lol:

[mellifera33]

I haven't posted in forever, and I am behind. I've read 32 books. Can I catch up? Probably not. :)

 

I did finally read the Harry Potter series. Before I had kids, I completely blew off the whole idea of HP. When I worked in a bookstore, I was one of the only employees who preferred to skip the big release parties. Now my ds has been begging for HP as a read-aloud, so I read the whole series. And I'm kind of obsessed. I was expecting twaddle. I was pleasantly surprised. :)

[Angel]

SPOILER WARNING:   If you haven't read Brave New World yet and you are planning to, you might want to skip this post - I am hoping that now that a cadre of people have read it, we might be able to talk about the end?  I am kind of at a loss as to how to interpret it.  So if you have thoughts to share, read on!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So here is a part of BNW we haven't discussed: what did you guys make of the whole John Savage character, and the ending?  I have to confess to being a little lost at the end.  Clearly, Huxley's view of "unimproved" society isn't any better than his view of the Brave New World - the Reservation is a very grim place.  John's struggles in trying to fit in to the BNW are understandable. His desire to go to the islands is too.  Even his decision to isolate himself is totally understandable. But then the weird self-flagellation thing and the culminating orgy of death?  I confess that I was also struggling to figure out what message we were meant to take from that whole resolution.  Huxley definitely doesn't subscribe to the Noble Savage POV, which I find refreshing, but I don't really know what to do with the whole ending sequence.  Does anyone have any thoughts?

:iagree:   I am still puzzling over why he wasn't allowed to go to the island  :confused:  I have no idea what the whole ending was about.  In fact, I can't even come up with a guess.  Silly me thought that they might go somewhere with the Lenina/John storyline.  I truly felt the ending didn't fit in with the rest of the book.  He could have stopped at least two other places and been better off.

[Angel]

I'm reading Scorch Trials by James Dashner.  Honestly, if my daughter wasn't begging me no way would I finish this series.  It's just not that well written.

:lol:   Exactly my thoughts!  Though I admit to wondering what it was all about, and wanting to know the end.  I found myself worried that Aly thought this was such a great series.  :eek:  The next book is better.  The Scorch Trials movie was horrendous.  Like someone else said...a zombie movie only loosely based on the actual book.  Bleh!

[idnib]

I finished The Vicar of Wakefield. The first third was a fun and interesting view into Victorian society and strata. The second third was a soap opera.  The last third took me a long time to finish, let's just put it that way. I think the book provided some interesting insights but the overall plot was, how shall I put this...oh yes...nuts.

 

I'm still working on House of Leaves and A String in the Harp.

 

Back then in my urban college neighborhood lead pain was an issue.  Lead paint was in the houses of the poor who often rented.  Echoing across the decades is a common line from the time period, i.e.  "There will always be poor people" as though this justified poisoning the children of the less affluent.  How different was this from the nutrient deprivation which we find so revolting from our easy chairs today?

 

In a poor part of Oakland a large grant for an urban farm was lost a few years ago after the soil was tested and found to contain too much lead and arsenic. It's a real issue and Oakland-based urban farms will talk to buyers about what they do to remediate lead. On the other hand, they are loosening up restrictions and allowing people to sell their own produce from their houses as part of a way to relieve the food desert issue and provide some opportunities for entrepreneurship. I'm not sure what's going on with the lead in those situations.

 

Ds & I just saw The Martian today too. It was a lot of fun. Not sure about reading the book after the fact. (We both read it beforehand.) I think you'd be fine not reading it unless you have a particular interest in Mars/space/astronaut being McGyver.... Maybe save it for some time later when you're wanting a pool/beach type read. It's quick & fun, perfect for lighter reading.

 

I agree about Sicario. I loved it, even with the intensity & horror of the topic. I keep thinking about it, feeling that surely it will garner a few Oscar nominations (probably cinematography, script, actor for Benecio del Toro, & music/score too). The music is just haunting & perfect for it. Definitely want to see it again on the big screen while it's out. It's one of the few (or only?) movies I've seen so far this year that has really blown me away.

 

Thanks for the info about The Martian. I think I'll wait in the queue and if I get my chance I'll just do a quick read then.

 

I'm also going back to see Sicario. I went alone but I'll go back with DH.

 

This line hit me hard, chilled me. It makes you realize the true scope of the problem. (This is said in reference to a cartel head.): "Every day, across that border, people are killed with his blessing. To find him would be like... discovering a vaccine."

 

I did read No Country for Old Men earlier this year & it has a lot of the same scenery, a lot of the same intensity, & does deal with the drug cartels & what they spawn. That's the only book I can think of. I never saw the movie of No Country for Old Men because I thought it would be too scary, but I found the book excellent, if tense/harrowing. It's one of the best books I've read this year. When watching Sicario, I told my dh that the cinematography reminded me of No Country for Old Men (even though I never saw the movie). I just felt like I was seeing the same scenery as in McCormac's book.

 

Yes, that line was chilling. It was also the "just shut up and do this" line for me. 

 

Yes, it was has the same feel as No Country for Old Men. (I read the book and saw the movie.) There's that same relentlessness and hopelessness, mixed with the vast landscapes of West Texas. 

[Angel]

And one of my all-time favorites:

"The trap of resentment. It is probably the worst mental prison in the world. It is the inability to let go of anger and the perceived or real injustices we suffer. Some people let one or two, or maybe ten unpleasant experiences poison the rest of their lives. They let their anger ferment and rot their personality. They end up seeing themselves as victims of their parents, teachers, their peers and preachers."

 

 

Wow!  That is an amazing description of resentment and bitterness!  And so true.  Thanks for sharing.

 

 

I did finally read the Harry Potter series. Before I had kids, I completely blew off the whole idea of HP. When I worked in a bookstore, I was one of the only employees who preferred to skip the big release parties. Now my ds has been begging for HP as a read-aloud, so I read the whole series. And I'm kind of obsessed. I was expecting twaddle. I was pleasantly surprised. :)

We were late comers to the Harry Potter world as well.  And we are still obsessed.   ;)

[Violet Crown]

Near the end of Piers Plowman. These are more theological chapters, and very uncomfortable for post-Reformation reading. The narrator condemns ecclesial (as well as social) corruption and the use as well as the abuse of Indulgences, and makes what has often been interpreted as a prophecy of the Reformation. But he condemns the developing theology which emphasizes predestination and salvation by faith alone--which was working its way through the Church well before Luther and Calvin--strongly emphasizing salvation by good works done in charity; as well, he has a strong Marianism, and emphasizes Purgatory. The result was the near-disappearance of Piers Plowman from literary history (Wikipedia tells me it was a notable omission from William Caxton's publications), as both Catholic and proto-Protestant oxen are thoroughly gored.

 

Also well into The Wings of the Dove. Full of Jamesian goodness. The American in England; the Englishman in America; the conversations that reveal so very, very much in so few words; the character whose fundamental immorality is made plain by the tasteless offensiveness of her heavy rosewood and marble furniture.

[idnib]

the character whose fundamental immorailty is made plain by the tasteless offensiveness of her heavy rosewood and marble furniture.

 

The horrors!

 

:D

[Kareni]

Here's a currently free book for Kindle readers.

 

Lost in Mist and Shadow: A Between the Worlds Novel by Morgan Daimler

 

"Occult bookstore owner Allie McCarthy is having a difficult time getting over the lingering effects of helping the police catch a serial killer. Beset at work by curious tourists who aren't spending money and at home by panic attacks, all Allie wants is to put the events of the previous month behind her so that her life in the Bordertown of Ashwood can return to normal. But it's going to take more than some sage and four thieves vinegar to clear out the nasty energy that seems to be hanging around.
Things may not be as neatly tied up as Allie, the police, and the Elven Guard think they are, even with the serial killer dead...."

 

***

 

I have to admit to wondering how one utilizes a (currently free) Kindle coloring book ....  (Ahh, I see from the reviews that one can print these out.)

 

Mandala Adult Coloring Book: 60 Intri...   by Omar Johnson

 

***

 

Also currently free to Kindle readers: By Baroness Orczy, the author of The Scarlet Pimpernel ~  Lady Molly of Scotland Yard

 

 

"...series of 12 stories featuring one of literature’s first female detectives. Molly Robertson-Kirk a.k.a. Lady Molly shares the same mental prowess as C. Auguste Dupin and Sherlock Holmes but brings a woman’s wit to the table making for a formidable crime buster. Join her as she solves the crimes that plague the hills and highlands of Inverness, Scotland."

 

***

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Violet Crown]

The horrors!

Yes, this is a constant in James' fiction. The moment you see that early Victorian mahogany sofa, you know you're in the presence of a Bad Person.

[Jane in NC]

What a coincidence that Robin mentions Hitchcock!  His early film Secret Agent is based on two Somerset Maugham stories from the book I am currently reading, Asheden, or the British Agent.

 

My favorite Hitchcock film is Vertigo.  I had no idea that it was based on a novel.

 

Where has 2015 gone?  I feel that I have stalled on HoMW and the Golden Legend but I would like to finish them off by year's end.  Currently at Chapter 60 in HoMW and am on vignette 118 of 182 in The Golden Legend.

 

Medieval logic continues to boggle the mind.  There is no doubt on miracles however outrageous but questions are raised on whether certain saints lived under the leadership of Pope X or Pope Y. I can appreciate that written records are probably few and far between so de Voragine's efforts to get it right should probably be admired.  But questioning the historical record often takes our writer on some convoluted paths.

 

I am also intrigued by what saints seem to be winning the popularity contests in the middle ages.  Some, like Dominic, stayed on the radar.  But Laurence?  VC--did he too go out of favor?  It seems I would have remembered a saint who after being grilled on hot coals called out "You have me well done on one side, turn me over and eat!"

[Kareni]

I finished a couple of books yesterday ~

 

It's In His Heart (A Red River Valley Novel)  by Shelly Alexander.  This was a pleasant read; it's a contemporary romance.

 

"She has a secret. He has a scandal. And they both have an attraction they can’t deny.

 

Ella Dennings is furious. Soaking wet, muddy, and furious. All she wants is to enjoy a quiet summer retreat in her Red River Valley cabin. Maybe she can finish healing after the death of her husband, Bradley. Maybe she can even finish writing that third book in her anonymously written bestselling series. But when she arrives at the cabin in a raging rainstorm, who does she find holed up there but Cooper Wells, Bradley’s sexy best friend—a man capable of seducing women within seconds—and a man Ella has never liked.

 

Coop’s got his own baggage. He’s engulfed in a nasty legal battle, and after selling his home to cover his legal fees, he’s got nowhere to go but the cabin. He and Ella will just have to coexist under one roof...but is their heated animosity boiling over into attraction? And when Ella’s racy new book rocks the sleepy town, will her secret identity spell scandal for both of them?"

 

 

I also re-read a historical romance that I enjoyed revisiting ~  More than a Mistress by Mary Balogh

 

"In this captivating novel, Mary Balogh, the premier writer of Regency romance, invites you into a world of scandal and seduction, of glittering high society and intrigue, as an arrogant duke does the unthinkable—he falls in love with his mistress.
 
She races onto the green, desperate to stop a duel. In the melée, Jocelyn Dudley, Duke of Tresham, is shot. To his astonishment, Tresham finds himself hiring the servant as his nurse. Jane Ingleby is far too bold for her own good. Her blue eyes are the sort a man could drown in—were it not for her impudence. She questions his every move, breaches his secrets, touches his soul. When he offers to set her up in his London town house, love is the last thing on his mind.

Jane tries to pretend it’s strictly business, an arrangement she’s been forced to accept in order to conceal a dangerous secret. Surely there is nothing more perilous than being the lover of such a man. Yet as she gets past his devilish façade and sees the noble heart within, she knows the greatest jeopardy of all, a passion that drives her to risk everything on one perfect month with the improper gentleman who thinks that love is for fools."

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

[Violet Crown]

St Lawrence (San Lorenzo) is crazy popular in my part of the country, so I don't have a good answer. I used to host a St. Lawrence Day barbecue (his feast being conveniently in August) for our St. Vincent de Paul Society, back when I had fewer children and more volunteer time.

[Angel]

I was not well enough to head out to church today, though Aly ventured out, so I finished my Warren Wiersbe study on Ruth and Esther.  Be Committed was an excellent study of these two books of the Bible as well as an intimate look into the lives of these extraordinary women of faith.  I ended up writing all over this book (something I rarely do) because there was so many wonderful quotes.  There was a wealth of real life application here.  I didn’t always agree with Wiersbe, especially about Ahasureus and Vashti, but that’s to be expected.  One of the reasons I do so very little reading of Bible study books is because they are written by fallible, sinful man, and I have seen so many people base their truths on a book written by man than on the Bible itself.  One of the thoughts that Wiersbe had that profoundly moved me was about Naomi and Ruth and Orpah.  His thought was that in her bitterness Naomi missed an opportunity to provide not only Ruth with the opportunity to know her God, but Orpah as well.  She told both women to go back to their people and their gods when she should have heeded Orpah’s entreaty to come with her to her people and her God.  It’s a thought that has stayed with me for the many months I’ve been doing this study.  I found much to edify and inspire in this study.  

 

And that puts me at #40.  I have about 100 pages left in A Beautiful Blue Death, which I may finish today.  I've been resting a lot so I'm not sure.  

[Just Robyn]

Well, I am still reading all the same stuff I was reading last week - nothing finished, nothing newly begun. I guess I'll share with you a poem from The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Prose Poetry. Here's one by Kathleen McGookey.

 

October Again,

 

and the maple's leaves turn fire-red, starting with a single branch. My garden's tangled with mildewed vines. No frost yet. My wristwatch ticks. You never meant to hurt me by dying. The neighbor's dog, mistakenly let out of the house, vanishes. My son learns the alphabet, the sounds the letters make. Ducks fall from the sky, bleeding, same as every year. The tall grasses, swaying in the window by the door, catch my eye and make me think someone has come. When I answer my son, Yes, everyone dies, he replies, Not us. 

[Chrysalis Academy]

Current reads:

 

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, which I'm coming a bit late to, but really enjoying. I was going to have Shannon read it, it fits nicely with planned discussion of medical ethics later in the year, but I think she'd find the descriptions of Henrietta's cancer and treatment very upsetting. So I'm not sure if I'll have her read it. But it's my favorite kind of science journalism - where the writer really knows his/her stuff and inserts themselves appropriately into the story - it's a story that is as much about the investigation itself as it is about the findings.

 

Ender in Exile - continuing pre-reads of the books in this series. I realized about halfway through that I have read this one before, although I had forgotten about it. It will be great for Shannon, it continues to explore the ethical issues about the destruction of the buggers without going into heavily adult & heavy themes the way Speaker for the Dead does.  She is enjoying the Shadow series.

 

The Book of Chameleons - still enjoying this quirky postmodern book

 

Loosed Upon the World: The Saga Anthology of Climate Fiction - not enjoying, but appreciating this short story collection. These books are way more immediate than most dystopias, and hence more depressing.

 

Books completed in October:

149. The Year of the Turtle: A Natural History - David Carroll

148. Slaughterhouse-Five - Kurt Vonnegut

147. The Time Machine - HG Wells

146. The Story of my Teeth - Valeria Luiselli

145. Roadside Picnic - A & B Strugatsky

144. A Handful of Dust - Evelyn Waugh

143. Fairy Tales for Computers

 

[Jane in NC]

I finished The Vicar of Wakefield. The first third was a fun and interesting view into Victorian society and strata. The second third was a soap opera.  The last third took me a long time to finish, let's just put it that way. I think the book provided some interesting insights but the overall plot was, how shall I put this...oh yes...nuts.

 

I'm still working on House of Leaves and A String in the Harp.

 

 

In a poor part of Oakland a large grant for an urban farm was lost a few years ago after the soil was tested and found to contain too much lead and arsenic. It's a real issue and Oakland-based urban farms will talk to buyers about what they do to remediate lead. On the other hand, they are loosening up restrictions and allowing people to sell their own produce from their houses as part of a way to relieve the food desert issue and provide some opportunities for entrepreneurship. I'm not sure what's going on with the lead in those situations.

 

Small correction.  The Vicar of Wakefield predates the Victorians--maybe Georgian?  I have not read the novel but Goldsmith wrote one of my favorite silly plays, She Stoops to Conquer.  That dates back to the 1770s.

 

I suspect that Oakland's Bryant Terry, the Inspired Vegan, has written about the lead issue.  I had the privilege of attending a cooking demonstration that Terry did a few years ago.  He is a neat guy.

 

Also well into The Wings of the Dove. Full of Jamesian goodness. The American in England; the Englishman in America; the conversations that reveal so very, very much in so few words; the character whose fundamental immorality is made plain by the tasteless offensiveness of her heavy rosewood and marble furniture.

 

One of these days I may be sufficiently grown up to appreciate James. 

 

Note to Northern friends:  Twenty five or thirty Great Blue Herons flew overhead today as we were crossing the salt marsh.  The migration is underway!  Time to test your furnaces if you have not already.

[Jane in NC]

 

Also currently free to Kindle readers: By Baroness Orczy, the author of The Scarlet Pimpernel ~  Lady Molly of Scotland Yard

 

 

"...series of 12 stories featuring one of literature’s first female detectives. Molly Robertson-Kirk a.k.a. Lady Molly shares the same mental prowess as C. Auguste Dupin and Sherlock Holmes but brings a woman’s wit to the table making for a formidable crime buster. Join her as she solves the crimes that plague the hills and highlands of Inverness, Scotland."

 

***

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

 

Thanks for the link.  My husband downloaded the book.

 

St Lawrence (San Lorenzo) is crazy popular in my part of the country, so I don't have a good answer. I used to host a St. Lawrence Day barbecue (his feast being conveniently in August) for our St. Vincent de Paul Society, back when I had fewer children and more volunteer time.

:lol:  I should have known that the patron saint of barbecue would be popular in your part of the world!

[Shawneinfl]

Finished three books this week:

 

Working Stiff (audio)

The Bullet (audio)and

Wreckage (kindle unlimited)

[mumto2]

I had a hold on overdrive become available yesterday for my next Edilean book by Jude Deveraux. I have been reading the series every since. Yes, that means I have checked out another one, twice! I really love these books, they are fluffy but have just the right mixture of a bit of everything (history, romance, and intrigue). There is a continuing storyline but a couple could be missedhttps://www.goodreads.com/series/46173-edilean.

 

BTW, I love Hitchcock. I had no idea how many of the moves came from books.

[Kareni]

Finished three books this week:

 

...

Wreckage (kindle unlimited)

 

Ah, I read that recently.  What did you think of the book?  Were you kept guessing through much of the book as I was, or did you figure out the big secret earlier in the piece?

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Chrysalis Academy]

I love Hitchcock too, but my favorite of his, North by Northwest, wasn't based on a book, it was written as a screenplay.  I didn't realize he had done the film of Rebecca. I've never seen that, I will have to check it out!

[Chrysalis Academy]

:iagree:   I am still puzzling over why he wasn't allowed to go to the island  :confused:  I have no idea what the whole ending was about.  In fact, I can't even come up with a guess.  Silly me thought that they might go somewhere with the Lenina/John storyline.  I truly felt the ending didn't fit in with the rest of the book.  He could have stopped at least two other places and been better off.

 

I felt like the ending just banished all hope.  I got his criticisms of consumer society and pleasure being the only guiding principle.  And the discussions between John Savage and Mustapha Mond were really interesting, although a trifle philosophical.  But if he was trying to make some big point about the incompatibility of happiness/pleasure and Truth, why was John Savage so miserable and guilt ridden? Is it that there is no Truth to be found? Or that he found it and found it to be incompatible with happiness?  I just didn't grok how the profound guilt over any kind of pleasure was any kind of a meaningful contrast to the mindless pursuit of pleasure.  John Savage seemed to me to be portraying a profound religious guilt, but I don't think we were supposed to see his lack of coping as any more desirable than the soma-medicated "coping" of the other characters.

 

Or was John Savage the other extreme, and the Middle Way was exemplified by Helmholtz and Bernard and the others who were banished to the islands?  Maybe that was it and I'm passing over the most important part by focusing on John Savage.

[Shawneinfl]

Ah, I read that recently.  What did you think of the book?  Were you kept guessing through much of the book as I was, or did you figure out the big secret earlier in the piece?

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

I really liked it. I thought I had it all figured out but then there were a few twists that I was not expecting. I liked the way she slowly unveiled the plot with the shift from present day to flash backs. I thought it would be an excellent beach read.

 

[Kareni]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Wreckage, Shawne.

 

 

 I thought it would be an excellent beach read.

 

I agree, but it's definitely not a good airplane book!

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Stacia]

I am also somewhat confused by the ending of BNW. I did forsee the very ending, knew where the story would head.... Wish I hadn't returned my library copy of the book so that I could go back & look. Wondering if he did self-punishment as a way to remind himself that he was human (not that others were robots, but I think he perceived them as something robot-like), that he felt things, that the world has good AND bad, not an exclusive society of one or the other?

 

Idnib, I ended up seeing Sicario again last night. My dd was meeting a friend at the theater (to see Pan) & since I was driving her there anyway, I decided to go in & see Sicario again. It's just... wow. Harsh. A gut punch. And a brain punch. There's a lot there, imo. Definitely head & shoulders above many other movies that come out.

 

And, then I ended up seeing The Martian again today, lol. Dh hadn't gone yesterday (when ds & I went) & my in-laws wanted to see it too, so we all went today.

 

So, no real reading happening for this weekend because I've spent a good chunk of time at the movie theater. Planning to work on Hyde this week.

[Shawneinfl]

I'm curious about Sicario. I don't know if I could handle it or not. I did watch Breaking Bad and 24 - often between my fingers. Would it be much worse than that?

[Ali in OR]

Nothing finished this week, but working on two:

 

How to Raise an Adult--mostly I keep reading more and more ways we've messed up! Our kids' activities rule our lives, they don't have regular chores, we do too much for them, etc. etc. So it can be a bit uncomfortable reading at times. But there are other chapters where we're doing okay I guess. Hope to get this one done in the next couple of days.

 

On the treadmill I'm reading Horrorstor and enjoying it. Not my usual genre, but a good October read and the Ikea parody keeps it on the lighter side for me. I've only been in an Ikea once, 25 years ago, but I still find it amusing.

 

On Hitchcock: We all enjoyed listening to Rebecca this summer and then watched the movie. I didn't even know it was Hitchcock until we were getting ready to watch it but did identify a few things I thought were Hitchcockian. 

[Stacia]

I'm curious about Sicario. I don't know if I could handle it or not. I did watch Breaking Bad and 24 - often between my fingers. Would it be much worse than that?

 

Maybe idnib can answer this one? I've never seen Breaking Bad or 24. (I rarely watch tv.)

[Violet Crown]

Dh just rented Rebecca. It's like he's reading my book thread....

[Mom-ninja.]

I am skipping a good portion of this thread and last week's thread as I am in the middle of reading BNW. Don't want spoilers. 

 

We're also listening to The Giver on audio. I love that book. I also really love Number the Stars.  

[Angel]

I also finished today A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch.  I picked this book up, at the dollar store of all places, because I liked the look of the cover.  Set in Victorian England the book is a cozy mystery.  The main character, Mr. Lenox, was a likeable amateur detective, and the supporting cast was just as enjoyable.  At times I thought the author gave a little much detail to non-essential parts of the story, but I’ll admit that that may be just my lack of attention being sick.  The author led me on a merry chase, though, with the who-done-it.  I was all turned around.  It was A SATIFSYING MYSTERY.

[melmichigan]

I finished Devoted in Death (In Death #41) by J D Robb.  I still love Eve and Roarke.

 

 

[Kareni]

Dh just rented Rebecca.

 

tsk, tsk.  Doesn't he know that there are laws against that kind of behavior in most places?!

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Robin M]

The Oath of Literary Allegiance -- Love it!  I think we should write our own.   :coolgleamA:    For those who don't click outside the forum, here you go

 

 

What if, in order to become a citizen of the great nation of literature, you had to take an Oath of Allegiance — just like when you want to gain citizenship to, say, the United States? I think an Oath of Literary Allegiance would look a little something like this:

 

I hereby declare, on oath, that

 

I absolutely and entirely

 

renounce and abjure

 

all allegiance and fidelity

 

to any television program, movie franchise, video game, or website

 

of which I have heretofore been a fan or fanatic

 

that I will support and defend

 

the libraries and indie bookstores of the world

 

against all enemies, Amazon or otherwise

 

that I will read in my spare time and sometimes when I should be working

 

that I will bear anger against those who write in library books or fail to pay their fines

 

that I will perform critical analysis and petitioning against those who seek to ban books

 

that I will perform works of generous-hearted criticism when called upon by the internet

 

and that I take this obligation freely

 

without any mental reservation

 

or purpose of evasion.

 

So help me, Toni Morrison. 

 

 

 

 

[Chrysalis Academy]

I am skipping a good portion of this thread and last week's thread as I am in the middle of reading BNW. Don't want spoilers. 

 

 

 

I'm looking forward to hearing what you think of it!

[Chrysalis Academy]

I finished Ender in Exile. That's #150, so I've reached my goal for the year! Not that I'll stop reading or anything . . . 

[Robin M]

I haven't posted in forever, and I am behind. I've read 32 books. Can I catch up? Probably not. :)

 

I did finally read the Harry Potter series. Before I had kids, I completely blew off the whole idea of HP. When I worked in a bookstore, I was one of the only employees who preferred to skip the big release parties. Now my ds has been begging for HP as a read-aloud, so I read the whole series. And I'm kind of obsessed. I was expecting twaddle. I was pleasantly surprised. :)

Hey, you've read 32 books, that's quite an accomplishment.  I think you are doing great!

 

I was not well enough to head out to church today, though Aly ventured out, so I finished my Warren Wiersbe study on Ruth and Esther.  Be Committed was an excellent study of these two books of the Bible as well as an intimate look into the lives of these extraordinary women of faith.  I ended up writing all over this book (something I rarely do) because there was so many wonderful quotes.  There was a wealth of real life application here.  I didn’t always agree with Wiersbe, especially about Ahasureus and Vashti, but that’s to be expected.  One of the reasons I do so very little reading of Bible study books is because they are written by fallible, sinful man, and I have seen so many people base their truths on a book written by man than on the Bible itself.  One of the thoughts that Wiersbe had that profoundly moved me was about Naomi and Ruth and Orpah.  His thought was that in her bitterness Naomi missed an opportunity to provide not only Ruth with the opportunity to know her God, but Orpah as well.  She told both women to go back to their people and their gods when she should have heeded Orpah’s entreaty to come with her to her people and her God.  It’s a thought that has stayed with me for the many months I’ve been doing this study.  I found much to edify and inspire in this study.  

 

And that puts me at #40.  I have about 100 pages left in A Beautiful Blue Death, which I may finish today.  I've been resting a lot so I'm not sure.  

Sounds quite interesting and I've added to my book want list.  Love inspiring books! 

 

Well, I am still reading all the same stuff I was reading last week - nothing finished, nothing newly begun. I guess I'll share with you a poem from The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Prose Poetry. Here's one by Kathleen McGookey.

 

October Again,

 

and the maple's leaves turn fire-red, starting with a single branch. My garden's tangled with mildewed vines. No frost yet. My wristwatch ticks. You never meant to hurt me by dying. The neighbor's dog, mistakenly let out of the house, vanishes. My son learns the alphabet, the sounds the letters make. Ducks fall from the sky, bleeding, same as every year. The tall grasses, swaying in the window by the door, catch my eye and make me think someone has come. When I answer my son, Yes, everyone dies, he replies, Not us. 

Beautiful.  Now it makes want to read the poetry book.  Plate is full with the non fiction, sticking my fingers in my ears and singing lalalala. Or maybe that should be covering my eyes.  :lol:

 

 

I finished Devoted in Death (In Death #41) by J D Robb.  I still love Eve and Roarke.

Yes, I finished as well.  Love, love, love her stories.  So well done.  

[Kareni]

Currently free for Kindle readers ~  a fantasy featuring Russian folklore:

 

Cry of the Firebird (The Firebird Fairytales Book 1) by Amy Kuivalainen

 

"The beasts, in particular, help this story to move beyond the genre's many clichés, and their complexity extends well beyond typical fantasy creatures. Fantasy fans will likely enjoy Anya's adventures, which feature novel supernatural elements in a modern setting." - Kirkus Reviews 

After her grandfather's gruesome murder, Anya is visited by a Death God, who tells her that for centuries her family has protected the gates to Skazki, the land of Russian fairy tales. Forced unwillingly into a deadly battle, the only person Anya can trust is the mysterious Yvan, a Skazki Prince who is forced to share his body with a powerful firebird.

 

***

 

and a historical romance ~

 

Hint of Desire (The Desire Series Book 1) by Lavinia Kent

 

"An Enigmatic Duke . . .

Arthur Alexander DeWolf, the eighth Duke of Westlake, lacks for nothing in life . . . except a woman who will stir his blood for longer than one night. Until fate steps in on his morning ride and he stumbles across Lily St. Aubin, Countess of Worthington.

A Desperate Young Woman . . .

It is on the worst day of her life that Lily meets the imperious duke. Helpless and unable to resist, she has no choice but to trust that this dangerously handsome man will protect her and newborn son. But, as trust begins to grow between them, danger lurks ever closer . . . danger that could destroy Lily. And their newfound love."

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

[NoseInABook]

Read Kim Harrison's Pale Demon today. I'm starting Perfect Blood also by Kim Harrison as well as Stephen King's The Stand. We'll see how those go for October spooky reads. :)

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

[Loesje22000]

I switched from French Literature to German Literature last week.

It is nice to have an other sense of culture in my readings.

I finished 2, a novelle and a YA book, both in Dutch (dd will have to read them in German)

The first is Chess Story from Zweig 

a nice story about how passion can result to crazyness

The second is 'The Bridge' from Gregor.

About 7 teenage boy who get the order to defend a bridge, while defending they die one by one, but in between you read about their youth and how they joined the army.

It is set in WWII, Nazi Germany, but the story is so universal that it could be placed everywhere, where war is.

 

Meanwhile I'm reading 'a knock on the door' a dutch piece of literature written by Ina Boudier Bakker.

An name many people know because many streets are named after her.

But I don't know anybody IRL who has read a book from her...

[Kareni]

Reposting this as the coupon expires today ~

 

Those of you who shop at Barnes and Noble might be interested in this shareable coupon (so, share with your spouse, children, and friends) that is good for 20% off one item (some exclusions).  It is good through Monday the 12th.

 

http://www.barnesand...00018330&st=EML

 

***

 

Last night I finished Jennifer Ashley's historical romance The Stolen Mackenzie Bride which I enjoyed.  I generally avoid romances set in Scotland during the Jacobite rebellion; I think I read too many years ago with that setting.  I read this because the story told is of an ancestor of the Victorian era Mackenzies some of whose stories number amongst my favorites.

 

"1745, Scotland: The youngest son of the scandalous Mackenzie family, Malcolm is considered too wild to tame…until he meets a woman who is too unattainable to resist.

Lady Mary Lennox is English, her father highly loyal to the king, and promised to another Englishman. But despite it being forbidden to speak to Malcolm, Lady Mary is fascinated by the Scotsman, and stolen moments together lead to a passion greater than she’d ever dreamed of finding.

When fighting breaks out between the Highlanders and the King's army, their plans to elope are thwarted, and it will take all of Malcolm’s daring as a Scottish warrior to survive the battle and steal a wife out from under the noses of the English."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Butter]

I finished The Scorch Trials this morning.  It was okay.  I hate, hate, hate how for like 20 pages it was constantly "If you'd be quiet, I'll tell you why this is happening" and "Stop interrupting and I'll tell you" and, honestly, not everything was explained at all.  The word choices the author makes puzzle me sometimes.  They are distracting.  The writing level is not typical of a young adult book.  The Underland Chronicles, aimed at younger kids, has better writing and word choices for goodness sake!

 

So next I'll read the first Magnus Chase book (Rick Riordan).  Then I'll go back for the third Maze Runner book.

 

This has been a frustrating reading week because I've had bronchitis teetering on the edge of pneumonia (getting better now) and then I ended up with a grade 3 uterine prolapse and my bladder is also prolapsed so I'm facing surgery (hysterectomy and transobturator tape bladder repair) next month and in a fair bit of discomfort and sometimes pain now so I haven't been able to really focus on reading.  Well, maybe I could have focuses better if it was something better than The Scorch Trials that I was reading.  I don't know.

 

All I can say is maybe while waiting for the surgery since I can't be on my feet too much and then recovering from surgery I'll have lots of time to read.  I have 373 books in my to read file right now.

[Kareni]

Sending good thoughts your way, Heather, for no pain, a successful surgery, and good health.

 

Regards,

Kareni