Butter Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 I read Killing Hemingway by Arthur Byrne who does not exist but is actually a character created by Brian D. Meeks. It was okay. It's about a boy who is a genius (though evidence of that in the book is rather shaky) and ends up skipping 4 grades. He gets his masters in physics from MIT at 18 and then decides to get a PhD in literature where he spends the first semester getting drunk, trying to get laid, and hating on Hemingway. Sometimes it is very funny with witty dialogue, but most of the time I found myself just really disliking Teddy and how utterly obnoxious he is (and how unbelievable the witty dialogue is coming from him since it's a pretty huge change from how he had previously been). 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethel Mertz Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 I just finished my 52nd book! Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney. When I first started it, I got bogged down. However, the further I read the more fascinated I became with the story. Four stars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 I just finished my 52nd book! :hurray: Congratulations on reaching 52! 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 Amy, I thought of one more that Ds particularly liked. The Elf's Hat https://bookpage.com/reviews/1374-brigitte-weninger-rowe-elfs-hat#.WQU7IzkXYv4 Jane, Thanks for the beautiful photo. I never imagined venus flytraps growing wild in the US. I thought they were from South America for some reason. Just reserved it at the library! I finished The Woman on the Orient Express by Lindsay Jayne Ashford. I enjoyed it and believe I gave it more stars than any other book I have read as of late. There was the right amount of intrigue, romance, and adventure. I read this one as a combination ebook - audio book so I could listen to it while driving to the tennis courts and then read while waiting for my court time. Let me say I have developed a girl crush on the reader, Justine Eyre. She is by far the best narrator I have listened to. I did a quick search on her and she has over 300 books to her credit. That number is encouraging. Surely I can find something else she has narrated to listen to while I drive/walk/clean/procrastinate. I love how a good audiobook narrator can add a "star" to a book. I've started only listening to Agatha Christie books because there's something about Hugh Fraiser reading them that makes the stories and characters just sparkle. I looked through her list of books ... some interesting ones on there. I just added Windmills and War to my to -listen list. I'm currently re-reading my way through Anne Bishop's five volumes of the Others series. I see that the first book is on sale (NOT FREE) for $2.99 down from the normal $7.99 which I saw a couple of days ago. I recommend it. I think I'll splurge and send my daughter a copy as a welcome back to the world of work after a month off. Written In Red: A Novel of the Others by Anne Bishop At the recommendation of Sandy I gave this to my DD to read about a week ago. It sat on her bedside table until Friday. She's now on the third in the series. At 3, younger loved the Gossie & Gertie set and later 'read' them to herself over and over as she was figuring out how to read. Thought of it just yesterday when I saw the cutest little set of them at Costco with a picture across the spines -- how she would have loved that. I almost wanted to buy the set just in memory of her love of them. Didn't finish squat this week. Even my re-reads were bits and pieces rather than books. Well, I did finish Lois McMaster Bujold's latest Penric -- but that is really a short story anyway. Thank you! 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 I just finished my 52nd book! Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney. When I first started it, I got bogged down. However, the further I read the more fascinated I became with the story. Four stars. Congratulations! Also glad to know you enjoyed Lillian Boxfish. I have it on an Overdrive wishlist so eventually....... Just reserved it at the library! At the recommendation of Sandy I gave this to my DD to read about a week ago. It sat on her bedside table until Friday. She's now on the third in the series. We never owned The Elf's Hat. Our library owned two copies and we pretty much stored one at our house! Glad she is enjoying the series. Tell her my dd loves it! Speaking of dd she finished the CS Harris very quickly. I haven't started it yet.... 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 Congrats to Ethel on reaching 52! 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 I love how a good audiobook narrator can add a "star" to a book. I've started only listening to Agatha Christie books because there's something about Hugh Fraiser reading them that makes the stories and characters just sparkle. I should try one of these for car reading. I read many AC books in my teens/early twenties, and I've been thinking I need to have audio books going in the car for all the driving I do. I'm a non-linear reader (I cheat and read endings, near-the-end ings, etc) and that's not so good for mystery reading, so audio mysteries would probably be good for me. Thanks for the rec. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 I should try one of these for car reading. I read many AC books in my teens/early twenties, and I've been thinking I need to have audio books going in the car for all the driving I do. I'm a non-linear reader (I cheat and read endings, near-the-end ings, etc) and that's not so good for mystery reading, so audio mysteries would probably be good for me. Thanks for the rec. Sometimes when it gets close to the end I adjust the speed I'm listening to the book at and listen at double speed because I want to know what happens. :ph34r: 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 3 e-books on sale on amazon: Bird Box - horror, thriller, sci-fi, dystopia Stonewalled - politics Gorky Park - mystery, thriller, crime 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted May 2, 2017 Author Share Posted May 2, 2017 3 e-books on sale on amazon: Bird Box - horror, thriller, sci-fi, dystopia Stonewalled - politics Gorky Park - mystery, thriller, crime Sqeeee! I'm hooked on Bird Box and haven't read Gorky park in ages so got both. Thank you! 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Congrats, Ethel. Good luck with your adorable puppy, Erin. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Some currently free Kindle books ~ Unsouled (Cradle Book 1) by Will Wight Times New Romeo: A Neurotic Romance by Georgie Cooper (I like a witty title!) 72 Hours (The Devlin Group Book 1) by Shannon Stacey Wild Montana Skies (Montana Rescue Book #1) by Susan May Warren Regards, Kareni 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 (edited) I forgot to mention that as I was reading the Bellevue book I kept telling dh about this or that bit of information that I thought was worth talking about. He found my little snippets interesting enough that he wants to read the book too. Right now he's reading yet another WWII book, but is planning to read Bellevue next. Edited May 2, 2017 by Lady Florida. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 My husband is a fan of the national security blog, War on the Rocks. He forwarded an interesting post to me, a conversation with retired Admiral Jim Stavridis about his voracious reading habits, library organization and book recommendations. Both fun and fascinating. (You gotta love any guy who recorded the Harry Potter books for his daughters when he was deployed!) 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 My husband is a fan of the national security blog, War on the Rocks. He forwarded an interesting post to me, a conversation with retired Admiral Jim Stavridis about his voracious reading habits, library organization and book recommendations. Both fun and fascinating. (You gotta love any guy who recorded the Harry Potter books for his daughters when he was deployed!) Thanks for sharing that article. What a fascinating person. I love how diverse his reading list is. I think I would vote for him for President based on that interview. Also ... he could join BaW at least! 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 I lost a post I just typed up. Here's the short version. I abandoned two books, The Romanovs 1603-1918 and A Dirty Job. The former because it was gruesome (and non-fiction) which was giving me nightmares, and the latter because I found all the characters in the first 2 chapters to be stupid and annoying to me. I've started A Confederacy of Dunces. So far I am not liking it but I will give it a little longer. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 A one day only currently free Kindle classic ~ Maxims and Reflections by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe "Thoughts and ideas from the versatile and brilliant German writer and statesman.The German author of Faust takes a detour from his usual literary endeavors and offers snippets of his musings on life, literature, science, nature, politics, and the human condition. Essential for fans of Goethe’s works, it provides a unique insight into the mind of the last true Renaissance man." Regards, Kareni 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 My husband ... forwarded an interesting post to me, a conversation with retired Admiral Jim Stavridis about his voracious reading habits, library organization and book recommendations. ... That was indeed a fascinating article; thanks for sharing it, Jane. I've taken note of Ian McGuire's The North Water: A Novel which I think may interest my husband. Regards, Kareni 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strawberries Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Aw, the new puppy is adorable! I finished Hidden Figures this week, though it was several days overdue. It's not an especially long book, but I had trouble following it at times. Lots of names, lots of info, some hopping back and forth in time. I did enjoy learning about the history and it sent me down some rabbit trails, but overall I wish the book were a little better organized. Looking forward to seeing the movie now that I know the background. Currently I am reading The Daily Show: An Oral History and The Book Thief. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 (edited) . Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 My husband is a fan of the national security blog, War on the Rocks. He forwarded an interesting post to me, a conversation with retired Admiral Jim Stavridis about his voracious reading habits, library organization and book recommendations. Both fun and fascinating. (You gotta love any guy who recorded the Harry Potter books for his daughters when he was deployed!) Thank you for sharing that. It's not just the breadth of his reading that fascinates, it is the collector's mindset. Kareni, the North Water title piqued my interest, too. Not much reading to report here after a busy weekend. Finished a musical Sunday evening and am gearing up for a road trip. I started the first Janwillem Van De Wetering mystery, which was written in 1975. It's so recent yet so much has changed that I've had to reset my mental images to fit the time period. I'm also waiting to learn what my dh has picked for our road trip book. Will he go with the Truman bio or a history of Texas? 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 I have started The Plover, which came so highly recommended here. Quite liking it so far, but it's not a quick read, I think. The language requires savoring; it's not just to deliver the story. I find myself thinking what Michael Clay Thompson would be saying about the poetics. ;) Maybe it's a good thing I just read Saramago, because instead of being annoyed at the lack of quotation marks, I'm happy to see he uses a new paragraph as speakers change. :lol: I'm about to start Hidden Figures. I accidentally saw the movie first (dd's Robotics Club was showing it for free...) I'd heard some things were changed for the movie - do you think seeing it first will help me keep track of things or confuse me because the timeline's a bit different? Still getting through my other ebook of short stories. I think I'll read them a bit here and there rather than finishing before I start HF (also an Overdrive ebook; I usually try to keep those to one at a time because they expire). I need to figure out a way to finish Secondhand Time before it expires. I highly recommend this book as audio, but it's mean to loan me a 23 hour book for only 21 days. I've been managing an hour or so a day, but that leaves me two days short... 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 <snip> Jane has talked about Abdellatif Laâbi's book of poetry: Abdellatif Laâbi Finalist for Best Translated Book Awards 2017 Amy, maybe a source for picture books? Elsewhere Editions ETA: Mom-ninja, I read A Confederacy of Dunces eons ago. I felt 'meh' at best. (I think that's considered sacrilege in some circles, especially in the South.) Has anyone else read it? If so, what is your opinion? Talk about savoring...Abdellatif Laâbi is one to savor! I loved In Praise of Defeat! Great Aunt Jane will eventually order some Elsewhere Editions for the grandnephews. I just haven't gotten there yet. And about Confederacy of Dunces...I too read it eons ago and at the time adored it! In fact, I remember sitting on a park bench in Central Park in NYC reading the book and not being able to control my laughter. People were staring at me presumably because I appeared to be a lunatic in the park. I read this book though before I lived in the South. I wonderful if age and geography would now alter my opinion. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted May 2, 2017 Author Share Posted May 2, 2017 My husband is a fan of the national security blog, War on the Rocks. He forwarded an interesting post to me, a conversation with retired Admiral Jim Stavridis about his voracious reading habits, library organization and book recommendations. Both fun and fascinating. (You gotta love any guy who recorded the Harry Potter books for his daughters when he was deployed!) Thanks Jane for the link. I just ordered Leaders Bookshelf for hubby along with H.R.McMaster's Dereliction of Duty which my fil recommended. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 I will have to report back to my husband that the link he sent generated a few book sales. And a vote from Amy! 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 I finished Etched in Bone last night..just wondering if I beat Kareni. I think she just read the whole series in the time it took me to read the last book! Confederacy of Dunces was suggested summer reading on a list my university sent out before my freshman year--a list that encouraged students, staff, and the whole community to have a shared reading experience they could discuss in the fall. I hated it. I was 18, hated the protagonist, and just didn't quite get it. I'd probably do better with it now but have no desire to pick it up again! I don't think I ever did the summer reading again either. Agree with comments upthread on Hidden Figures being a little confusing and just slow going. I'm thinking it might be better to start with the movie or just watch the movie--the story arc is probably a little more coherent, but I bet they do fictionalize or augment the actual story a bit. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 ETA: Mom-ninja, I read A Confederacy of Dunces eons ago. I felt 'meh' at best. (I think that's considered sacrilege in some circles, especially in the South.) Has anyone else read it? If so, what is your opinion? I'll date myself by saying that I started A Confederacy of Dunces when it first came out (in 1980). It did absolutely nothing for me, and I was living in the South at the time (if one considers Florida the South). Perhaps my feelings would be different now. Regards, Kareni 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 I finished Etched in Bone last night..just wondering if I beat Kareni. I think she just read the whole series in the time it took me to read the last book! We tied! I finished Etched in Bone (A Novel of the Others) by Anne Bishop last night about midnight. I really enjoyed re-reading the entire series and am looking forward to the author's next book in this world. Here are some snippets about book six which take place in the same world but in a different location ~ Exclusive announcement: New Anne Bishop novel will return to The Others world in 2018 (Anne shares some hints!) Regards, Kareni 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 I just finished my 52nd book! Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney. When I first started it, I got bogged down. However, the further I read the more fascinated I became with the story. Four stars. Congratulations! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 I heard about THIS book on conservative radio which has me completely intrigued! Free Women, Free Men: Sex, Gender, Feminism by Camille Paglia Anyone here read it? 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 (edited) That was indeed a fascinating article; thanks for sharing it, Jane. I've taken note of Ian McGuire's The North Water: A Novel which I think may interest my husband. Regards, Kareni My dh read it, after I abandoned it. Then I made him tell me what happened. Let's just say abandoning it was the right move for me. I think dh was disappointed with it overall, but he's too stubborn to quit a book if he's not enjoying it. Now that I realize that, I have to be more careful about what I recommend to him! Edited May 3, 2017 by Chrysalis Academy 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Regarding Ian McGuire's The North Water: A Novel: My dh read it, after I abandoned it. Then I made him tell me what happened. Let's just say abandoning it was the right move fore me. I think dh was disappointed with it overall, but he's too stubborn to quit a book if he's not enjoying it. Now that I realize that, I have to be more careful about what I recommend to him! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Rose; I will take them into account. I don't often recommend books to my husband because our taste in books is so different (and because he has so little time to read). The Martian was a happy overlap for us; I also mentioned that he might enjoy Anne Bishop's the Others series. Time will tell. Regards, Kareni 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Currently free for Kindle readers ~ After a Fashion by Jen Turano (inspirational historical romance) A Noble Masquerade (Hawthorne House Book #1) by Kristi Ann Hunter (inspirational regency romance) Alternative Outcome by Peter Rowlands (sounds intriguing, mystery and suspense) Intertwine (House of Oak Book 1) by Nichole Van (time travel romance) Regards, Kareni 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 We tied! I finished Etched in Bone (A Novel of the Others) by Anne Bishop last night about midnight. I really enjoyed re-reading the entire series and am looking forward to the author's next book in this world. Here are some snippets about book six which take place in the same world but in a different location ~ Exclusive announcement: New Anne Bishop novel will return to The Others world in 2018 (Anne shares some hints!) Regards, Kareni Can't wait! :) I'm currently reading Fated https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11737387-fated?ac=1&from_search=true which is a book recently enjoyed by Kareni's Dd. I don't know what I think of it to be honest. It's a book that I keep setting down. It very like Dresden https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47212.Storm_Front?ac=1&from_search=true set in London so some may love it. I'm not a huge Dresden fan so..... 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Amy, all three of my kids, at the age of 2-7, absolutely loved the book Everyone Poops. Oh, how many times I read that book. We still quote the book at random, "A one hump camel has a one hump poop..." I'm ready to give up on my 3rd book in a row. I'm just not feeling it with A Confederacy of Dunces. I'm an hour in on the audio book and haven't found one thing funny. I have so many other books on my tr list. I don't often recommend books to my husband because our taste in books is so different (and because he has so little time to read). The Martian was a happy overlap for us; I also mentioned that he might enjoy Anne Bishop's the Others series. Time will tell. Regards, Kareni Dh and I also have very different tastes in books. We, too, both enjoyed The Martian. It's rare for us to like the same book. It's the same with movies and shows. We actually usually watch movies and TV shows separately. I don't know why he doesn't love Cary Grant as much as I do. Something is wrong with him. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Dh and I also have very different tastes in books. We, too, both enjoyed The Martian. It's rare for us to like the same book. It's the same with movies and shows. We actually usually watch movies and TV shows separately. I don't know why he doesn't love Cary Grant as much as I do. Something is wrong with him. My husband has the same problem......it's funny because ds usually enjoys my choices. I haven't made him watch much Cary Grant lately but when I watch an oldie it normally has intrigue so is good with him. The exception is Ds does not like Miss Marple at all. ;( 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 This afternoon I finished The Protector by Cooper West which I enjoyed but not as much as I liked the second book in the series which I read last week, Parker's Sanctuary: A Guardsmen Novel. I'll look forward to reading more in this series. (Adult content) Here's the blurb for The Protector: "Guardsmen are always matched in a bonded pair. The Protector can shift into a weredog, and the human partner is his Handler. They are incredibly rare and highly valued, but people also fear them for their mystical abilities. No Protector in living memory has outlived his Handler—until Alex Taylor.Now a widower, Alex lives a lonely half-life and faces day after day of grief with no hope for happiness in the future. When he unexpectedly bonds with the young and vibrant Handler Marcus Stephanek, Alex is angry and unwilling to leave the memory of his former Handler behind. He pushes Marcus away and tries to distance himself from their bond. But then a mysterious villain who has been secretly shadowing Alex for years sets his plan in motion. Alex and Marcus must learn to trust their bond and love each other, or risk not only their own lives but the lives of those closest to them." Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Dh and I also have very different tastes in books. We, too, both enjoyed The Martian. It's rare for us to like the same book. It's the same with movies and shows. We actually usually watch movies and TV shows separately. I don't know why he doesn't love Cary Grant as much as I do. Something is wrong with him. It is a challenge finding books for my dh and I to listen to on long drives. (He settled on the Truman bio for our upcoming trip.) He loved The Martian, has enjoyed Bill Bryson but only has stuck with bits and pieces of Simon Winchester or some of the memoirs I've recommended. And tv or movies is tough too -- he wants the dark, gritty stuff like Breaking Bad or Penny Dreadful while I'm happily watching little British mysteries. He does like Cary Grant, though...but can't see the charm in old Fred Astaire movies. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 (edited) One of the books I am reading is called With the Lapps in the High Mountains: A Woman among the Sami, 1907 - 1908. The author, Emilie Demant Hatt, was a Danish artist. With this book, she acted as an ethnographer and travelled with the Sami reindeer herdering families through the seasons. Her writing style is lovely, and she gives a great glimpse into the daily life of Sami people around the turn of the last century. According to Goodreads, the ebook is 204 pages but the Kindle edition is 192 pages so I am not sure if I can use my kindle read as my Female Adventure Bingo Square. I think the difference in page length may be due to photographs in the ebook missing on the kindle. Robin, if you read this I would appreciate a ruling :) Quotes: The Lapps are therefore sorry to hand over their children to the influence of strangers in the prescribed school year. Both parents and children experience it as a great injustice and sorrow because they have to part because the school demands it. The children lead such delightful lives that you can understand it's difficult to leave. (Most children had to go to boarding school, although there is some discussion in the footnotes about "nomad schools.") It's a pleasure to make your bed Saturday evening and lie down on all the foliage that smells of the forest and is cool to the touch. What does it matter that small green caterpillars crawl through the leaves? You'll have your Sunday feeling in the morning, in the bright, clean tent, when Sara wakes you with her friendly, Lihke bajas, juga gafe. "Get up and have some coffee." Edited May 3, 2017 by Penguin 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 A one day only currently free Kindle gothic horror classic ~ The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen "A gothic masterpiece set in Victorian England: “One of the best horror stories ever written. Perhaps the best in the English language†(Stephen King).When Mr. Clarke agrees to visit his friend Dr. Raymond, he is dubious about the proceedings he is to witness. In pursuit of what Raymond calls “transcendental science,†the doctor intends to make a small incision in a woman’s brain, allowing her to see past the world of the senses to a reality beyond imagining—a realm where, Raymond says, one can see the great god Pan. Though the experiment is an apparent failure, it will not be Clarke’s last brush with the sinister beyond. Years later, Clarke hears of a woman named Helen Vaughan, who is said to be at the root of many mysterious and tragic events. From London to the Americas and back, a string of suicides and disappearances lay in the wake of this evil seductress, whom Clarke believes is not entirely of this world. Upon publication in 1890, Arthur Machen’s The Great God Pan was deemed controversial for its depictions of paganism and sexual depravity. It has since been recognized as a masterwork of gothic horror." Regards, Kareni 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 I was up at midnight checking on the puppy and couldn't get back to sleep so I finished The Hogfather. This was a did-not-finish in one of my prior attempts to read Pratchett. Now that I've finished several books, I'd say this is one of my favorites. It's interesting to contrast my "What in the world?" attitude prior to my "I love this author!" feeling now. Definitely read Mort and Reaper Man first, but an excellent read. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 #59: Economics Through Everyday Life by Anthony Clark. You wouldn't think such a book would be fascinating, but it really was. It took a lot longer to read than it should have because I kept reading parts of it to my husband and stopping to discuss what I had read with him. It explains things on an easy to understand, non-economist, just regular person, level. It tries to be non-partisan and there are certainly chapters that will really anger conservatives and other chapters that will really anger liberals. It looks at the big picture of things like the 2007-08 collapse and why it happened, why it wasn't predicted, and so on. It also looks at things like Social Security and healthcare and why none of the ideas are perfect and why all the ideas have pluses and minuses. Also, a while ago I entered a contest an indie author I like was running. I forgot about it, but then yesterday I was notified that I won one of the audiobooks of a book I absolutely loved and literally could not put down (I started reading it one night about 9 and finished at 5 in the morning - that pretty much never happens to me). So now my husband and oldest son can listen to it :) And, my little 10yo reader took the National Mythology Exam for the first time this year and yesterday he got his silver medal. He only missed one question! 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Yesterday I finished listening to The Virgin in the Ice (Brother Cadfael), and started listening to Keep Moving by Dick Van Dyke. It's okay. "Keep your body and mind active as you age" isn't exactly new information. It's part memoir, part how to stay healthy as you age, and part old man rambling. Still, it's Dick Van Dyke, so it's a good listen. I had a little bit of trouble at first with his voice. I don't know if it's age or loose dentures, but his voice sounds marble-y. I did get used to it after a few chapters and the book moves along quickly with his narration. I have to admit I'm - not really glad but maybe feeling like I have company - to read that several of you found Hidden Figures to be a bit of a slog at times. It was worth reading for the historical aspect, but wasn't very well written imo. Though the movie took liberties, I liked it better than the book. I do think if you're going to see the movie you should either read the book or at least look up the differences between the two. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Also, a while ago I entered a contest an indie author I like was running. I forgot about it, but then yesterday I was notified that I won one of the audiobooks of a book I absolutely loved and literally could not put down (I started reading it one night about 9 and finished at 5 in the morning - that pretty much never happens to me). The burning question of the day: What is the book? And, my little 10yo reader took the National Mythology Exam for the first time this year and yesterday he got his silver medal. He only missed one question! Good for him! Regards, Kareni 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Two enjoyable posts from the Tor.com site ~ How to Do Karate in a Victorian Dress by Marie Brennan "When Mary Robinette Kowal and I were on tour together, she asked me to record something for a charity fundraiser: a video of me performing a karate kata in the Victorian dress I wore for our tour events. Being an author, of course I said yes. Because it immediately made me wonder—what would that be like? How well could I do karate in that dress? What sorts of difficulties would I run into? And how could I make use of this experience in a story someday? I had some suspicions, but without putting them to the test, I couldn’t be sure. Mary and I were on the way to our next event when she made the request, so after we arrived and got into costume, I decided I would take a moment to walk through a simple kata as a preliminary test...." AND The One Book That Inspired Me Before I Knew I Wanted to Write by Martha Wells "One of my absolute favorite books when I was a kid in the 70s was Star Gate by Andre Norton, published in 1958. I found it first in the junior high school library, then managed to buy a used paperback copy — probably secretly; my father didn’t believe in letting me buy books I’d already read, even when they were only $1.00 or so. Even as a kid I was careful with books no matter how many times I read them, and it’s on my shelf today. It’s one of those books that I didn’t realize was deeply encoded in my writing DNA until I went back and looked at it recently. It’s not like I ever forgot about the book, but it and the others like it were so deep under my skin I forgot there was a time before I read them. They formed my understanding of what SF/F should be. I read Tolkien and other epic fantasies, but Andre Norton got to me first, and planted seeds that eventually grew into mountain-trees...." Regards, Kareni 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 The burning question of the day: What is the book? LOL It's Emerge by Heather Sunseri. It's the first book of a very, very, very good dystopian trilogy. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Amy, all three of my kids, at the age of 2-7, absolutely loved the book Everyone Poops. Oh, how many times I read that book. We still quote the book at random, "A one hump camel has a one hump poop..." I second this!!!!! And we also randomly quote the one hump poop quote🤣 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 (edited) Oops double post! Edited May 3, 2017 by Angel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Oops double post! Or was that a "two hump" post? Yeah, Everyone Poops was a hit in the this house too. I have told this story before: The great sci fi artist Paul Lehr came to our house for dinner when The Boy was toilet training. Everyone Poops was a fixture in the bathroom at that time. Paul excused himself from dinner to use the facilities and was gone for almost an embarrassingly long period. He emerged from the bathroom and confessed that he had been studying the illustrations in Everyone Poops. On our theme of the week, here is one of Paul's book covers for a Stanislaw Lem novel: 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 My husband has the same problem......it's funny because ds usually enjoys my choices. I haven't made him watch much Cary Grant lately but when I watch an oldie it normally has intrigue so is good with him. The exception is Ds does not like Miss Marple at all. ;( Cary Grant makes me swoon. I think if I met him in life I'd faint. Well, considering that he is dead so meeting him would definitely make anyone faint, but I mean that if he and I had been from the same era and we'd met....I'd faint from giddy attraction. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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