Robin M Posted November 12, 2015 Author Share Posted November 12, 2015 Lots of great ideas, ladies and will probably use them all at some point during the year. Bingo definitely, but I'm hearing don't make it too armchair travel heavy. Which is fine since thinking will do armchair travel east and west of the p.m and north and south of the equator, each during one quarter of the year. Nautical theme with a readalong of Moby Dick, and an alternative for those who already read it, plus other seafaring books such as Master and Commander series. Who is still reading History of the Medieval World? Will you be done by the end of the year or have you been following my chapter schedule. There are 25 chapters left so I can speed it up to 3 chapters a week so we'll be ready to start History of the Renaissance World come January. TTFN 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 Lots of great ideas, ladies and will probably use them all at some point during the year. Bingo definitely, but I'm hearing don't make it too armchair travel heavy. Which is fine since thinking will do armchair travel east and west of the p.m and north and south of the equator, each during one quarter of the year. Nautical theme with a readalong of Moby Dick, and an alternative for those who already read it, plus other seafaring books such as Master and Commander series. Who is still reading History of the Medieval World? Will you be done by the end of the year or have you been following my chapter schedule. There are 25 chapters left so I can speed it up to 3 chapters a week so we'll be ready to start History of the Renaissance World come January. TTFN I'm following your schedule, Robin, so yes, if you tell me to read 3 chapters a week I will! I would like to finish it this year and start HotRW in January! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I'd seen favorable mention of this book so was happy when the library copy arrived amongst my holds. It was well worth browsing ~ Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day by Leanne Brown "A perfect and irresistible idea: A cookbook filled with delicious, healthful recipes created for everyone on a tight budget.While studying food policy as a master’s candidate at NYU, Leanne Brown asked a simple yet critical question: How well can a person eat on the $4 a day given by SNAP, the U.S. government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program informally known as food stamps? The answer is surprisingly well: Broiled Tilapia with Lime, Spicy Pulled Pork, Green Chile and Cheddar Quesadillas, Vegetable Jambalaya, Beet and Chickpea Salad—even desserts like Coconut Chocolate Cookies and Peach Coffee Cake. In addition to creating nutritious recipes that maximize every ingredient and use economical cooking methods, Ms. Brown gives tips on shopping; on creating pantry basics; on mastering certain staples—pizza dough, flour tortillas—and saucy extras that make everything taste better, like spice oil and tzatziki; and how to make fundamentally smart, healthful food choices.The idea for Good and Cheap is already proving itself. The author launched a Kickstarter campaign to self-publish and fund the buy one/give one model. Hundreds of thousands of viewers watched her video and donated $145,000, and national media are paying attention. Even high-profile chefs and food writers have taken note—like Mark Bittman, who retweeted the link to the campaign; Francis Lam, who called it “Terrific!â€; and Michael Pollan, who cited it as a “cool kickstarter.†In the same way that TOMS turned inexpensive, stylish shoes into a larger do-good movement, Good and Cheap is poised to become a cookbook that every food lover with a conscience will embrace." Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Who is still reading History of the Medieval World? Will you be done by the end of the year or have you been following my chapter schedule. There are 25 chapters left so I can speed it up to 3 chapters a week so we'll be ready to start History of the Renaissance World come January. Oh man. I'm still going, but I'm certainly not following your schedule. Some time soon I'm going to have to commit to some serious binge reading. I'm sure this is good for me. :001_unsure: I've ordered the Ren book. I'm totally psyched. :001_unsure: 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Just finished Cormac McCarthy's No Country For Old Men. Honestly, I'm quite sure I would not have made it past the first few pages but for the compelling reviews from this group. So glad I did. Wow. Thanks again for moving me out of my literary comfort zone. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tress Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Who is still reading History of the Medieval World? Will you be done by the end of the year or have you been following my chapter schedule. There are 25 chapters left so I can speed it up to 3 chapters a week so we'll be ready to start History of the Renaissance World come January. I'm still reading HoMW. I'm slightly ahead of your schedule, because I don't want to rush at the end of the year. I'll finish on time and am looking forward to the Renaissance World, it's already on my shelf. :thumbup: 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I've never wanted to read The Road because (a) post-apocalypse books aren't really a category I enjoy and (b) the tear-jerking properties I imagine it has since it is a father/son duo eking out an existence in said world. I'm a pretty big sap & will cry for so many things in books (& movies). Still, I think you should give No Country for Old Men a try. There are a couple of places where you might feel a tear welling up, but I would imagine The Road is much, much more tear-inducing. I don't think you will find No Country for Old Men as emotional of a read. (Of course I say all that having never read The Road, so you can feel free to completely ignore me or mock me or :rolleyes: at me or whatever. Lol.) Time and again I resolve to read Cormac McCarthy and I chicken out every time. I read The Road for an old book club and it almost killed me. I cried for days and days. Ok, see, I am actually tearing up just thinking about as I type. And I say that knowing that The Road could be seen as sentimental (horrifying, but sentimental) but I would argue that McCarthy has the street cred to deal with that. But, if I can't handle that one.....It wasn't the violence in The Road that got to me, it was the love. There was such a powerful feeling of love, of desire to protect at all costs, it just triggers so much in me. As I sit here wiping my eyes, lol. :rolleyes: AndI know where it comes from, I know the story of how he was inspired to write the book, and that just made it worse for me, tbh. So anyway, I am afraid that McCarthy is just too powerful for me to deal with on an emotional level. OTOH, I feel like a big baby about this and maybe I need to power through. He is one of the major writers of his generation and I should really be more familiar with his work. I have also not read The Road, but I didn't find No Country for Old Men tear inducing at all. (And I cry easily) It was harrowing and depressing and grim, but there wasn't anything like the love I'm hearing you describe in The Road (now I am wondering if I should try The Road someday when I've recovered from NCfOM... ) The Goblin Emperor -- I really enjoyed this even though I got a bit lost in the names Tongues of Serpents (Temeraire #7 ) -- still like this series but not loving it -- why do I feel lately like so many series top out in the first book? Re: Goblin Emperor: I loved that book! re: Temeraire series: I was amused by the first and made it to somewhere in the third or fourth, but once I realize I don't really care about, I stop reading... I think some authors just can't write enough to make their world/characters/stories interesting once they're done setting things up/introducing us. (Or they are trying to fulfill a contract long after they've run out of fresh story...) Wow, Eliana. I've got to echo idnib here & say I'm so surprised you tried & made it through this one. It is absolutely one of my favorites this year (or any year, I think), but it's pretty harsh & brutal. So incredibly well-told, but not for everyone either.... I totally agree w/ your assessment of powerful, compelling, disturbing, & depressing. And that McCarthy is a stunningly skilled writer. It's your fault, love. Well, that I started. ...the not putting it down is McCarthy's fault. I found his writing so compelling that I would have had to ask my husband to pry the book from my hands and hide it from me to stop reading. I'm not sure *why*. I'm not sure how I made it through the gruesome scene at the police station in the beginning or why I didn't run quickly away... I wish I could erase the violence from my memory, but that wasn't the traumatic part, not even close. The grimness of the world and the bleak, hopeless view of humanity were devastating. ...but they inspired me to pick up a nonfiction book I've been meaning to read since it made the Best of 2013 lists: The Beast: Riding the Rails and Dodging Narcos on the Migrant Trail. It focuses mostly on the Mexican side, but it gave me a glimpse of what it is to live with (among other things) cartels... but even with the personal stories and tragedies, and even given these were real people, not fictional ones, it was a much more hopeful view of the world... It also made me more aware of issues I think we should all pay attention to. This is one of my favorites (more for the writing and main theme than the actual plot) but I am truly surprised you gave it a go. It's such a bleak and spare and restless book and I think it leaves a mark on sensitive people. What theme do you see that you love? ...I perceived a 'the world is declining into nightmare and we are powerless to stop it' message. ...an implication that the psychopath wasn't a random occurrence, but was part of what we, humanity, have become/are becoming. I disagree intensely with that viewpoint, but I can see there are parts of the world where one could come to believe that... and that is such a depressing truth. I finished Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein this week. I think anyone who liked her Code Name Verity would like this also. Though it deals with life in Ravensbruck, it focuses on female friendship and community building while not glossing over the horrors of concentration camps. You know the protagonist comes out alive early on in the book, as she recounts the whole ordeal from Paris afterward. I like this approach as I don't stress out while reading it, wondering if she'll survive. Good book. I think Wein does a fabulous job being truthful while also keeping the focus on areas that lend themselves to a more hopeful view. She does, imho, cheat in this book to achieve survival for our narrator. I can almost give it a pass because there were crazy things that came together for other survivors, but fiction can get away with a narrower range of implausibility than real life... but I was also glad she did it. ...and I love that this book, like CNV, has friendship and loyalty and courage and its heart, in more ways than one. I don't adore it the way I do CNV, but I think it is fabulous - and I loved the use of poetry too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 So, since I had put it on hold, I read 'The Life Intended' by Kristin Harmel. I liked her husband much more when he was dead. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Read Katharine Hepburn Rebel Chic yesterday. Gorgeous photos. Gorgeous. Also learned little tidbits about her such as her mother was an early founder of Planned Parenthood and sought the right for women to obtain birth control. She was also a suffragette. That explains a bit about Katharine's feminism. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoseInABook Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I'm totally not up to date on the HoMW readings and I'm not thinking I'm going to catch up. *shame* There's just too much right now so it'll hang out on my shelf. ;) Finished Finding Zoe and was kind of disgusted by the unethical bullying of the bio father who wanted to raise the baby. Yes, she eventually wound up in a good place after bouncing around homes because the baby is deaf but it was just anger inducing. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 So, since I had put it on hold, I read 'The Life Intended' by Kristin Harmel. I liked her husband much more when he was dead. Thanks for the morning chuckle, Rosie. But, yes, the dead husband was likeable. Admittedly, if I'm remembering correctly, we really didn't get to know him well when he was alive. Regards, Kareni 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 It's your fault, love. Well, that I started. ...the not putting it down is McCarthy's fault. I found his writing so compelling that I would have had to ask my husband to pry the book from my hands and hide it from me to stop reading. I'm not sure *why*. I'm not sure how I made it through the gruesome scene at the police station in the beginning or why I didn't run quickly away... His writing *is* riveting. I keep looking back at the books I've read this year. I've read some good books. Some interesting books. Some great books. Some entertaining books. But this is the *one* book that has seared itself in me. I wish I could erase the violence from my memory, but that wasn't the traumatic part, not even close. The grimness of the world and the bleak, hopeless view of humanity were devastating. I have to say that I think it is a reflection of real lives in some places, including places taken over by the cartels. It's a pretty brutal world. I think that's why the movie Sicario also seared itself into me. (And for anyone who has been riveted by No Country for Old Men, I beg you to see Sicario too.) A couple of quotes from the movie Sicario come to mind that reflect a similar grimness. (I'm paraphrasing from what I remember...) Nothing will make sense to your American ears. But in the end, you will understand. You will not survive here. This is now the land of the wolves. And you are not a wolf. ...but they inspired me to pick up a nonfiction book I've been meaning to read since it made the Best of 2013 lists: The Beast: Riding the Rails and Dodging Narcos on the Migrant Trail. It focuses mostly on the Mexican side, but it gave me a glimpse of what it is to live with (among other things) cartels... but even with the personal stories and tragedies, and even given these were real people, not fictional ones, it was a much more hopeful view of the world... It also made me more aware of issues I think we should all pay attention to. Ah, I remember hearing about this book. Thanks for mentioning it. I'm going to add it to my list of cartel-related reading. I perceived a 'the world is declining into nightmare and we are powerless to stop it' message. ...an implication that the psychopath wasn't a random occurrence, but was part of what we, humanity, have become/are becoming. I disagree intensely with that viewpoint, but I can see there are parts of the world where one could come to believe that... and that is such a depressing truth. Maybe I'm more of a cynic about humankind, but I do think there is some depressing truth to what the book & movie show about humanity (or lack thereof). Callous is not even the word. But maybe we need authors & movie makers who remind of us these things so we still have a chance to recover & redeem our humanity (the good parts) before it reaches the point of no return. Again. Sicario. Go see it. (Well, maybe not you, Eliana. It may be too intense for your liking.) All this makes me want to read the book & see the movie again. (And, as much as I love the book No Country for Old Men and the movie Sicario -- and think they complement each other perfectly -- I'm not sure I want to see the movie version of No Country for Old Men, even though it was so critically-acclaimed & won 4 Oscars. Has anyone here seen it? Should I watch it?) 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 ...but they inspired me to pick up a nonfiction book I've been meaning to read since it made the Best of 2013 lists: The Beast: Riding the Rails and Dodging Narcos on the Migrant Trail. It focuses mostly on the Mexican side, but it gave me a glimpse of what it is to live with (among other things) cartels... but even with the personal stories and tragedies, and even given these were real people, not fictional ones, it was a much more hopeful view of the world... It also made me more aware of issues I think we should all pay attention to. ... What theme do you see that you love? ...I perceived a 'the world is declining into nightmare and we are powerless to stop it' message. ...an implication that the psychopath wasn't a random occurrence, but was part of what we, humanity, have become/are becoming. I disagree intensely with that viewpoint, but I can see there are parts of the world where one could come to believe that... and that is such a depressing truth. There's not really a theme that I love in that they're all depressing. I meant it more obliquely, that the book is one of my favorites more for the writing and the theme than the actual plot. In other words, if someone asked me to tell them what the book was about and I recounted the plot only, that wouldn't capture what I love about it. That said, I agree that 'the world is declining into a nightmare and we are powerless to stop it' is the main theme. But the themes which touch my heart are more about the individual finding himself in a world he doesn't recognize and realizing his time is over. His confession at the end of the book is part of that, I think. (Part of it is personal; I have a family member who went though something similar when he gave up his long career after things changed around him and he couldn't keep up. His vast stores of knowledge were basically de-commissioned from the world because he was struggling with things like PowerPoint.) Oh dear, I keep writing and then deleting my thoughts on the matter because they don't adequately capture what I want to say. I need better vocabulary to capture a mix of sadness, poignancy, and bewilderment experienced when one feels capable of still performing some good in the world but is being left behind by forces beyond his control. Something about the brash confidence of the young to grasp the world and then the realization of the old that while they are in the world, they no longer recognize it. And spending your life in a small town and understanding and caring about your citizens, only to be invaded by an evil you didn't know existed, in the sunset of your life. So, the title. :o I shouldn't start on themes re: the drug wars and the militaristic state of modern policing. So, since I had put it on hold, I read 'The Life Intended' by Kristin Harmel. I liked her husband much more when he was dead. :lol: 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Just finished Cormac McCarthy's No Country For Old Men. Honestly, I'm quite sure I would not have made it past the first few pages but for the compelling reviews from this group. So glad I did. Wow. Thanks again for moving me out of my literary comfort zone. Glad to hear it worked for you! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 (And, as much as I love the book No Country for Old Men and the movie Sicario -- and think they complement each other perfectly -- I'm not sure I want to see the movie version of No Country for Old Men, even though it was so critically-acclaimed & won 4 Oscars. Has anyone here seen it? Should I watch it?) I read the book, watched the movie, and then re-read the book. I like the movie quite a bit and agree with the awards it won. I know this will sounds strange, but the movie actually has some parts in it that are a bit comedic, but it works. Some of the giggling is intentional, but other times I realized I was just so uncomfortable I didn't know what to do but smile. Bardem's performance is amazing, as Jones's sheriff. Tommy Lee Jones was born and raised in West Texas and I remember an interview in which he talked about bringing that background to the role, understanding what made the sheriff tick. The movie is graphically violent, not any more than the book, but seeing is different than reading. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I finished Tell No One. I enjoyed it until the last page when Coban added a very unnecessary plot twist that unraveled the whole book for me. Kind of like a photo bomb. Oh well. I read this two years ago. Don't remember it at all, but I'm sure that I agreed with you. I gave it 3 stars at the time. One of my friends on Good Reads read and she also gave it 3 stars specifically because of the stupid ending. I agree with both of these sentiments! Re: The Marian & Why Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant Love your new avatar pic, btw :) You are so kind. Thank you. :) Nice to know that I'm not the only one with regards to The Martian. Glad that you loved the Can't We Talk book. I adore that one, despite the depressing subject matter. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I think I have a book problem. I have 370 books in my to read folder on my Kindle now. And I keep checking out Kindle or paper books from the library on the recommendation of friends. Is there a word for a book hoarding enabler? ETA: It appears that there's a word for a book hoarder ~ tsundoku. (But that's for a book hoarder who doesn't read his or her books.) I hoard, but I also read. Though at this point, I may not have enough time to read those I've already hoarded. At least the Kindle hoard doesn't take up much physical space. Regards, Kareni I have the same dilemma also, but this is one dilemma that I love. I have so many books to read (real books and Kindle), I'm not sure that I'll live long enough to finish them all. :lol: And then I keep adding more. Read Katharine Hepburn Rebel Chic yesterday. Gorgeous photos. Gorgeous. Also learned little tidbits about her such as her mother was an early founder of Planned Parenthood and sought the right for women to obtain birth control. She was also a suffragette. That explains a bit about Katharine's feminism. Lovely. I worked in a hospital in NYC during my grad school years. She would often visit there for her check-ups, etc. I never got to see her, but my colleagues did. I wish I had! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I am travelling in dream space and outer space. Not exactly east of the prime meridian lol, but at least travelling. I read Cherryh,s Heavy Time and her Hellburner, and as if those weren,t enough crude and rude, followed it up by Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen. None of these are suitable for the easily offended. I could do without the swears, but the first two are lightweight easy absorbing escape that I can drop into fast. Magic Pen is an adult version of Harold and the Purple Crayon. Adult several senses. It deals with questions of commercialism, reality, and whether authors are responsible for their creations. I,ve been reading books rather than this thread. I hope everybody here is ok. Nan 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 For all my romance reading book a week friends, here's an article from today's LA Times about a male model who has graced over 400 covers of romance books! Too Hawt to Handle On the reading front here, I really enjoyed the recent Elizabeth George mystery, Banquet of Consequences. It felt like the good old days of her mysteries, with everything centered around Lynley, Havers and the Met, with great character studies of the various suspects. I'm getting a kick out of the audio version of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. With Sherman Alexie himself reading it, it almost comes across as a series of stand up comedy sketches, but that doesn't diminish the writing in any way. It is vivid, delightful and funny. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I read the book, watched the movie, and then re-read the book. I like the movie quite a bit and agree with the awards it won. I know this will sounds strange, but the movie actually has some parts in it that are a bit comedic, but it works. Some of the giggling is intentional, but other times I realized I was just so uncomfortable I didn't know what to do but smile. Bardem's performance is amazing, as Jones's sheriff. Tommy Lee Jones was born and raised in West Texas and I remember an interview in which he talked about bringing that background to the role, understanding what made the sheriff tick. The movie is graphically violent, not any more than the book, but seeing is different than reading. I think the Coen brothers excel at making the uncomfortable or horrible funny for some reason. (A scene from Fargo comes to mind here....) Maybe I will watch the movie, then. I love Tommy Lee Jones & Javier Bardem, plus I usually like Coen brothers movies. And, I know I loved the book. (One of the Oscars the movie won was for Best Adapted Screenplay.) In other news.... Heather, thanks for the mention of The Wave. Ds's lit teacher gave them a huge list of YA books to choose from (& my ds really, really tends to dislike YA books) as an easy/fun assignment. He really didn't want to read any of the ones on her list; in the meantime, I mentioned The Wave to him & he thought it sounded interesting. So, he asked permission to read it instead for the assignment & she agreed. He finished it today when he had some downtime. He really is glad he read it & he agrees with you that the whole concept is really disturbing. Earlier this week, the Scotiabank Giller Prize (for excellence in Canadian fiction) was announced: André Alexis for Fifteen Dogs. — I wonder, said Hermes, what it would be like if animals had human intelligence. — I'll wager a year's servitude, answered Apollo, that animals – any animal you like – would be even more unhappy than humans are, if they were given human intelligence. And so it begins: a bet between the gods Hermes and Apollo leads them to grant human consciousness and language to a group of dogs overnighting at a Toronto vetÂerinary clinic. Suddenly capable of more complex thought, the pack is torn between those who resist the new ways of thinking, preferring the old 'dog' ways, and those who embrace the change. The gods watch from above as the dogs venture into their newly unfamiliar world, as they become divided among themselves, as each struggles with new thoughts and feelings. Wily Benjy moves from home to home, Prince becomes a poet, and Majnoun forges a relationship with a kind couple that stops even the Fates in their tracks. André Alexis's contemporary take on the apologue offers an utterly compelling and affecting look at the beauty and perils of human consciousness. By turns meditative and devastating, charming and strange, Fifteen Dogs shows you can teach an old genre new tricks. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyBC Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 On the reading front here, I really enjoyed the recent Elizabeth George mystery, Banquet of Consequences. It felt like the good old days of her mysteries, with everything centered around Lynley, Havers and the Met, with great character studies of the various suspects. I'm getting a kick out of the audio version of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. With Sherman Alexie himself reading it, it almost comes across as a series of stand up comedy sketches, but that doesn't diminish the writing in any way. It is vivid, delightful and funny. Yay, can't wait for my library copy of the new Elizabeth George mystery to arrive, though it might be awhile. My library has The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian as a book club set, so I've just ordered it. Everyone has been so busy, I think this will be perfect for our next title. Thanks for the recommendation! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted November 13, 2015 Author Share Posted November 13, 2015 I'm following your schedule, Robin, so yes, if you tell me to read 3 chapters a week I will! I would like to finish it this year and start HotRW in January! Oh man. I'm still going, but I'm certainly not following your schedule. Some time soon I'm going to have to commit to some serious binge reading. I'm sure this is good for me. :001_unsure: I've ordered the Ren book. I'm totally psyched. :001_unsure: I'm still reading HoMW. I'm slightly ahead of your schedule, because I don't want to rush at the end of the year. I'll finish on time and am looking forward to the Renaissance World, it's already on my shelf. :thumbup: I'm totally not up to date on the HoMW readings and I'm not thinking I'm going to catch up. *shame* There's just too much right now so it'll hang out on my shelf. ;) Finished Finding Zoe and was kind of disgusted by the unethical bullying of the bio father who wanted to raise the baby. Yes, she eventually wound up in a good place after bouncing around homes because the baby is deaf but it was just anger inducing. I messed up somewhere with the timing and scheduled only one chapter a week for quite a bit of the read, Even with doing 3 chapters a week, won't finish until the 2nd week in January. HotRW has 94 chapters so if do two a week, will take 47 weeks. So we should be good starting the first week in February. It will give you all a couple weeks leeway for finishing Medieval world. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 I will finish HoMW by 12am on Jan 1st, dammit! 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 Well, I did a very unusual thing this week: I read In Cold Blood straight through. I didn't pick up another book all week. I didn't have a ton of reading time what with leaky roofs and other natural disasters, but every minute I spent reading that book. And when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. Being haunted by it, really. First off, it was different from what I expected, after watching the movie Capote, which was really focused on the author's angst while writing the book. I thought the book would be more personal, would include him as a character, almost. It didn't and I think that was a huge strength. It was so well written, yet so "reportorial." Its style was somewhat distancing, yet its content and all the direct quotes and personal reminiscence pulled you right in, into a very uncomfortable place. This book stabbed right at the heart of free will, nature vs nurture, and the nature of the self. It makes your assumptions, and then question them again. Perry was the ultimate failure of nurture poster boy. Was he responsible for his actions? Was he schizophrenic? Was he schizophrenic, yet responsible? And then there is Dick, who had a great childhood and upbringing - was he just a bad seed? Oh, but he had a head injury. Does that change the personality? Does it make someone less responsible for their choices? And what about the death penalty? Deterrence? Retribution? Do we reap what we sow in a society of violence? Just some of the thoughts keeping me awake at night. . . 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 Well, I did a very unusual thing this week: I read In Cold Blood straight through. I didn't pick up another book all week. I didn't have a ton of reading time what with leaky roofs and other natural disasters, but every minute I spent reading that book. And when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. Being haunted by it, really. First off, it was different from what I expected, after watching the movie Capote, which was really focused on the author's angst while writing the book. I thought the book would be more personal, would include him as a character, almost. It didn't and I think that was a huge strength. It was so well written, yet so "reportorial." Its style was somewhat distancing, yet its content and all the direct quotes and personal reminiscence pulled you right in, into a very uncomfortable place. This book stabbed right at the heart of free will, nature vs nurture, and the nature of the self. It makes your assumptions, and then question them again. Perry was the ultimate failure of nurture poster boy. Was he responsible for his actions? Was he schizophrenic? Was he schizophrenic, yet responsible? And then there is Dick, who had a great childhood and upbringing - was he just a bad seed? Oh, but he had a head injury. Does that change the personality? Does it make someone less responsible for their choices? And what about the death penalty? Deterrence? Retribution? Do we reap what we sow in a society of violence? Just some of the thoughts keeping me awake at night. . . I may have to pick this up & read it again. We have a copy sitting here because dd had to read it last year in her English class. Plus, I love Truman Capote's writing. It has been years since I have read this one. I think it's quite fascinating that this book was one of the first of a new genre -- a sort of 'true crime' told in a story-like manner. :grouphug: :grouphug: for all the craziness you've had to deal with this week. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 ... 'the world is declining into a nightmare and we are powerless to stop it' is the main theme. I read your comment after reading of the horrors happening in Paris. Nightmare is the right word. Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 For those who enjoy graphic novels, I see that Brian K. Vaughan's Saga is currently free to Kindle readers. I suspect this is a short time offer. I've never read a graphic novel on the Kindle. If you have done so, how was it? Regards, Kareni 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 It is the last book I need to finish my special category book challenge for the year (author with the same initials as me). :hurray: I'm still about 13 books away from finishing. I'm beginning to doubt I will :glare: I started two books published the year I was born and gave up on both. Picked up the third last night (Michael Crichton's The Terminal Man - Crichton usually doesn't disappoint but ugh the language). Here's a fun board book series ~ Cozy Classics Regards, Kareni Skye has already begun collecting the Cozy Classics, lol. She is also planning on buying her friend who just had a baby one ;) This evening my husband and I watched the documentary Dear Mr. Watterson; I guess you could say this is book related as it pertains to the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip. We both enjoyed it. So, how many of you read (past or present tense) Calvin and Hobbes? Do/did your child(ren) read it, too? We did. And we introduced the books to our daughter as soon as she could read. She's a fan now, too. Regards, Kareni We are huge Calvin and Hobbes fans here, too. Dh introduced me to them when we married and our girls have read them over and over. Dh loves Spaceman Spiff. I love the snowman ones! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 I'm finally getting around to reviewing the two books I've read in the last two weeks. My reading time has gone down a bit. I'm helping out a young woman at church who wants to homeschool her kids but hasn't really been able to keep up (due with the 5th one any day). Her oldest is 7 and I'm working with him a few days a week. Fun stuff and I'm enjoying it, but it has taken up some of my extra time. Anyways, I'm going to post separately because the first one got kind of long as I wanted to include an excerpt. I finally got my turn at the newest Michael Vey book, Michael Vey: Storm of Lightning by Richard Paul Evans. I’m realizing that I’m in a critical slump. Michael Vey is a great YA series. It’s clean, adventurous and age appropriate for a true YA audience. I am truly hooked on the actual story line, and this book left us with a major cliffhanger (or hangcliffer as one of my little ones in church would say :lol: ). That said, as with other YA books I’ve read this year, I find the dialogue between the teenage characters just a little trite. Like I said, I think I’m just being overly critical, but I truly get annoyed with the stating of “he’s my boyfriend†or “my girlfriend so and so.†Really. We’ve read five books. We know the characters so please stop repeating it. Overall, I enjoyed the furthering of the story line and can’t wait to find out just who The Voice really is. Despite my complaints, A GREAT YA SERIES. Quote spoken by the bad guy who wants to take over the world, well, actually an excerpt that I couldn’t get out of my head as I felt that it pertains to what is happening in our own country today, and possibly stood out more because of all the dystopian novels I’ve read this year: “How do I make them hate each other?†“You begin by teaching them that they have been wronged by one another – that they are victims of a grave injustice-and encourage them to embrace their victimhood.†“What if they haven’t been wronged?†“Everyone has been wronged…Everyone. And if you can’t find a potent enough current injustice, then borrow someone else’s.†… “Unfortunately, the … people are of the same race and culture, as cultural disparity is the easiest way to divide a nation. But divisions in humanity can always be found. Turn men against women and women against men. Divide the young from the old, the rich from the poor, the educated from the uneducated, the religious from the nonreligious, the privileged from the under-privileged. Teach them to shame others and to use shame as a tool to their own ends. Make the ridiculous ideal of ‘equality’ their rallying cry. Let them get so caught up in their supposed moral superiority that they’d rather see all men grovel in poverty than rise in differing levels of prosperity. Do not let them see that there has never been nor ever will be true equality, in property or rights. Equality is not the nature of the world or even the universe. Even if you could guarantee everyone the same wealth, humans would reject the idea. They would simply find a different standard to create castes, as there will always be differences in intelligence, physical strength, and beauty…In dividing the young from the old, do not teach the youths the error of their elders’ ways, as they may see through…propaganda. Instead, mock their elders. Mocking requires neither proof nor truth, as it feeds the fool’s ego.†“The second rule is to keep the people distracted from the weightier and more complex matters of liberty and justice. Keep them obsessed by their amusements-just as the Roman emperor Commodus gave the Roman people games to distract them from his poor leadership. A championship soccer team may do more to ease a public’s suffering than a dozen social programs. If your subjects can name a movie star’s dog but not the president of their country, you have no need to fear.†… “You will learn…that human nature is a game. Learn to control the few, and you will someday control the masses…Give them hate. Give them games.†8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 I finished The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis this week. Aly was reading this for a Worldview class at co-op so I joined in. She was done long before me! It is definitely one of my two least favorite Narnia books, which is truly strange because it has one of my favorite chapters of all the Narnia books. Small rant here…I truly don’t understand the push to read the Narnia books in chronological order. They were republished in 1996 with new covers and the “new†chronological order. That’s less than 20 years ago. They were being read in the published order for double that time. I have no problem with people reading through them chronologically, but I believe that EVERYONE should enter Narnia through the wardrobe with Lucy. That is how the magic begins. I get so sick of young teens telling me that it would be so confusing starting Narnia with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and that it’s better to begin with The Magician’s Nephew. Um, kids for over 40 years found it not confusing at all. Frustrating! Ok, rant over, well, kind of. The Magician’s Nephew is not magical at the beginning, and you have to get into Narnia before the real magic begins. NOT a great introduction if you ask me. It still amazes me, however, how Lewis can write a wonderful, simple children’s story but have so much depth as well. NOT MY FAVORITE NARNIA, START WITH THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE INSTEAD! Quotes: “For what you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing: it also depends on what sort of person you are.†“Things like Do not Steal were, I think, hammered into boys’ heads a good deal harder in those days than they are now.†I guess I'm feeling opinionated today! I'm feeling the need for everyone to stand back and just throw chocolate...dark chocolate preferably :001_tt2: As I said, I'm working on The Terminal Man for my book club this week. I have also started Sense & Sensibility and am still trying to get through Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix! Funny side note - Skye finished Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on Thursday with the two little girls she nannies. The older one cried for over an hour at the end of the book. I guess while the older one was crying the younger one was saying "Stop it! We need to keep reading!" :D 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted November 14, 2015 Author Share Posted November 14, 2015 I'm heading out the door to celebrate BIL's 60th bday. Will be overnight, so I'll either be posting Sunday's new thread early tonight if have time or really late tomorrow afternoon. Meanwhile, just keep posting on this thread until then. TTFN! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 Angel, that quote about how to teach people to hate is way too apt. Ug. (Quote won,t work for me. Sorry.) i agree with you about entering Narnia with Lucy through the wardrobe. And I adore Calvin and Hobbs. I like the ones where Hobbs expresses his opinion best. So people, are you Calvin or Hobbs when you read the comic? Nan 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 Out of likes as I sit in an airport waiting for one last plane. Girls, I have been on a grand adventure which you will hear about (with photos) next week. Now to get caught up on the book conversation. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 Jane! We missed you this week! Can't wait to hear about your grand adventures! Nan, interesting question. I think sometimes I'm Calvin & sometimes I'm Hobbes. (It would probably be better to be Hobbes, I think, but truthfully, I'm definitely Calvin-ish at times. :lol: ) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen. Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 We read together "Mathematicians are People, Too..." Vol. 1 and 2. :) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted November 15, 2015 Author Share Posted November 15, 2015 Link to week 46 - please continue conversation in new thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaughingCat Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 Today I read The Wave by Todd Strasser. That was quite a disturbing book. It's the fictionalized story of an experiment done in a Palo Alto high school in 1969. When faced with the question of why did people follow the Nazis and why didn't the other Germans stop them, the teacher started an experiment that got out of control. He started a movement he called The Wave complete with a salute and slogans. Within a week the students who were part of The Wave clearly thought of themselves as better than the other students and intimidated the others and refused to allow them to do things with them. The school newspaper dedicated an issue to the negatives about The Wave and Wave members decided the editor of the paper had to be "taken care of." Two students were beaten up. The editor of the paper lost her boyfriend and her best friend because of her refusal to maintain her membership in The Wave. After a week it was clear the experiment needed to be ended immediately, but the teacher really wanted the students to learn from the experience. He called a pep rally just for Wave members where they would see a broadcast from the national leader of The Wave movement. He told them The Wave had been started in high schools across the country and the National Wave Youth Movement was about the start. When it was time to put the image of the leader up, he put up a video of Adolf Hitler. The kids were shocked and dismayed as they learned the truth. No one spoke about what happened for three years. I am sure to this day they all know exactly how Hitler did what he did and why others didn't stop him. Fascinating book, really. Ok, I'm way late on this -- but this reminds me of Jane Elliot's brown vs. blue eye experiment -- with 3rd graders! Here' s the link to the Frontline program on it. It was gob-smacking when I first watched it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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