What's Everyone Reading, Part II

[LeslieR]

I finished The Mermaid Chair last night. It took a long time for me to get into and then it got a little hard to believe+I wanted to know the "mystery" part of the book and then it wrapped up in too neat of a little package for me. blah. The Secret Life Of Bees was waaaay better.

Now I have A Girl Becomes A Comma Like That from the library and the new Nicholas Sparks book, The Choice which I bought. Not sure what I'll read next. Our next book club selection is Water For Elephants which I know many have said is very good. I'm torn because it sounds stupid and not anything I'd ever be interested in, but so many can't be wrong, right? lol I requested it from the library, so I'm like #28 or something ridiculous like that. I may have to break down and buy a used copy just out of curiosity.

[Dizzy]

I take back what I said about Baby Proof. It was fun for awhile (I finished it last night) but it felt really pointless. I just don't think I am much of a "chick lit" person. It was arguably my first real chick-lit read and I learned through reading it that I need something more well-constructed and a little deeper.
So, I need to browse our bookshelves and find something I haven't read, or take a trip to the bookstore today.

[lbs27]

I just finished Something Borrowed and Something Blue. I really liked them both (finished each in 3-4 days). I think I like the former a little bit better. I was just coming in to see if anyone had read Baby Proof and ironically, the last post is about it! Sadly, I do enjoy reading chick lit (makes the morning workout on the stationary bike more enjoyable and helps me relax before bed b/c it's mindless), so I'm hoping I'll like this one as much as the other two. I thought it was the same characters, but I just read an excerpt online and realized it's not. Oh well. Anyone else read it?

[Dizzy]

lbs27: I hope you don't let what I wrote about it affect your decision to read it! It actually was a fun read for awhile, but in the end I just craved something a little deeper...maybe a little more clever. But, I think you'll like it. I mean, I finished the book, so it couldn't have been that bad, right? ;)

[lawyerlee]

I just finished Something Borrowed and Something Blue. I really liked them both (finished each in 3-4 days). I think I like the former a little bit better. I was just coming in to see if anyone had read Baby Proof and ironically, the last post is about it! Sadly, I do enjoy reading chick lit (makes the morning workout on the stationary bike more enjoyable and helps me relax before bed b/c it's mindless), so I'm hoping I'll like this one as much as the other two. I thought it was the same characters, but I just read an excerpt online and realized it's not. Oh well. Anyone else read it?
I liked Baby Proof, but it was my least favorite of her three books. I adored Something Blue and didn't feel the same way about Baby Proof. But it was definitely worth reading. :)

[Dizzy]

I started The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde last night. So far it's very clever and funny! I haven't read his Thursday Next series, but I've heard great things about both the Nursery Crime and the Thursday Next series.

[mgrace]

I just finished Julie and Julia. I didn't love it like I thought I would. I wish that I could still access the blog and read that.

[Dizzy]

mgrace: I'm bummed to hear a negative review for Julie & Julia. Maybe I'll take it off my list (granted, my list is very long, so it's no biggie to take one off) What didn't you love about it? What was it missing?

[lawyerlee]

I started reading Voyager by Diana Gabaldon (the third Outlander novel) this week. I'm about 200 pages in and absolutely loving it. :)

[Dizzy]

I keep hearing so many great things about the Outlander Series! Ack! So much out there to read...

[LeslieR]

Love the Outlander books! The first and second were my fave. I skipped a lot of Voyager and The Fiery Cross. I never thought I would like those books, but I was totally sucked in. Dizzy, you should give Outlander a try! I do warn you that it is super long. All of them are, actually. Totally worth the time, though!

[Dizzy]

LeslieR: I just might give the series a try! I don't think I've ever heard a negative comment about it. I'm just so reluctant to start a series because I feel obligated to read the next one...and there's so much out there to read I don't like to get stuck in one series, ya know?
But, then again, I did just start the Nursery Crime Series by Jasper Fforde, so I'm eating my own words. :)

Speaking of The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde, I'm getting a big kick out of it! The book is very well written and incredibly clever. One of the characters/witnesses that the detective interviews is Prometheus...hah!

Has anyone else read Fforde's books?

[MsPeachy]

Speaking of Diana Gabaldon, I'm reading her latest Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade. It's alright and I'm enjoying it but it feels like a regular historical novel and not the amazing, story of Outlander.

[nawsgirl]

Has anyone else read Fforde's books?

Yes, I have read both "The Big Over Easy" and "The Fourth Bear"- REALLY funny! :) I am hoping to get to his other series eventually, too.

I finished The Last Summer (of you and me) and my (negative) opinion of it did not change. The characters (to me) did not act like real people would, and everything was way too melodramatic.

Now listening to The Tale of Desperaux by Kate DiCamillo, and it is really cute. Very short though, as it is for kids. Next up is Kabul Beauty School.

[Ohana]

lawyerlee I just started Voyager as well! It's interesting to see Jamie and Claire's storyline separate for now, but I'm loving it.

I finished The Kite Runner yesterday, and it was just an amazing story. Today, I start The Nanny Diaries.

[Dizzy]

The Nanny Diaries is such a fun read! Let us know what you think!

[LeslieR]

I started Water For Elephants last night and I can't believe how much I'm already into it!

[kwsu44]

I started Water For Elephants last night and I can't believe how much I'm already into it!

I chose Water for Elephants for my book club this month based on suggestions from this thread ... I just finished this the other night, I think you'll really like it!

[am_81]

I started Water For Elephants last night and I can't believe how much I'm already into it!

I started reading it Sunday afternoon and I only have 20 pages left (maybe 4-5 hours total reading time?) . . . I'm kinda trying not to pick it up right now because I'm not ready for it to end. I'm reading it for an (online) book club and I'm hoping the others race through it just as fast, because I dont want to wait 3 more weeks to discuss it.

[kd 9.21.02]

For all my fellow fans of The Kite Runner...

NY Times: ‘The Kite Runner’ Is Delayed to Protect Child Stars (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/04/movies/04kite.html?th&emc=th)

[Dizzy]

I started Water For Elephants last night and I can't believe how much I'm already into it!

That was an excellent read! Please let us know what you think of it as you finish.

I'm very excited today!! My husband and I got tickets to see David Sedaris this Sunday evening. I LOVE his books! And "The Santaland Diaries" is one of my favorite Christmas-time performances :)

[Katy]

One of the suggestions we got for CC Blog topics was some detailed book reviews (more than the line or two we all tend to write here). If anyone is interested in writing up any book reviews, drop us a line (blog@constantchatter.com).

[Myra]

I bought Broken (brief summary: child of famous policy wonk cum journalist becomes a crack addict) by William Cope Moyers, son of Bill Moyers, and am already regretting the 9 bucks. :rolleyes: I work in criminal justice, so I usually find the "descent into addiction" stories interesting, but this guy is just not offering anything worth reading. In just the first few chapters, he states that the worst event in his childhood was seeing disappointed fans (who were expecting his famous father) at a stopover he had during a flight at age 8 or so. Seriously? I had worse things happen today and I have a very pleasant life. Fortunately, I also bought Eat Pray Love, which I'm loving, AND there's a new Douglas Coupland book out-- YAY! He's my favorite :D

[Katy]

FYI - Elizabeth Gilbert will be on Oprah today (Friday) talking about the "phenomena" (huh?) behind Eat, Love, Pray.

[kwsu44]

FYI - Elizabeth Gilbert will be on Oprah today (Friday) talking about the "phenomena" (huh?) behind Eat, Love, Pray.

I liked it, but didn't love it. I liked the eat part the best, the pray part the least and love was so-so.

[lawyerlee]

I loved (should say still love) Eat, Pray, Love so so much. I swear I picked up this book at the very moment that I needed its message and was just open enough to it that it is changing my life. For real. I have felt everything she describes in the book, and it has been invaluable to me to see someone come through those trials and emerge as her true self. I'm even considering going on a shorter spiritual retreat to give myself some time and space to just be with myself and see what comes. Liz is totally my hero right now. :)

[TracieB]

I loved (should say still love) Eat, Pray, Love so so much. I swear I picked up this book at the very moment that I needed its message and was just open enough to it that it is changing my life. For real. I have felt everything she describes in the book, and it has been invaluable to me to see someone come through those trials and emerge as her true self. I'm even considering going on a shorter spiritual retreat to give myself some time and space to just be with myself and see what comes. Liz is totally my hero right now. :)

Totally agree with this!

[Ummm]

I liked it, but didn't love it. I liked the eat part the best, the pray part the least and love was so-so.

i feel the same way.

[Katy]

Lawyerlee and Tracie, Borders.com has a "book club" video with EG (http://www.bordersmedia.com/shows/bookclub/gilbert.asp) where she talks about her experiences. I only saw the first part so far (since I didn't realize that all the videos were for that one author), but it was quite fascinating. I still haven't seen Friday's Oprah, but it's on the DVR waiting.

[TracieB]

Interesting! Thanks for the info... I'll check it out.

[Dizzy]

Lawyerlee: I think it's great that Gilbert's book spoke to you so much. I haven't read it yet, but part of the reason I love books SO much is how they can speak to us and resonate with us in very deep ways. I've read a couple of books over the years that have changed my life. I hope you do go on that spiritual retreat!

I saw David Sedaris tonight and he is incredible in person! He did a bunch of readings and fielded some questions and it was AWESOME. He's so unassuming, so down-to-earth, and so genuine...i love how he tells things as they are, with his own wry, satirical twist. I laughed so hard my stomach hurt AND I cried!
He recommends a book every tour he does, and this tour he's recommending The Easter Parade by Richard Yates, in case anyone is interested.

[GroceryStoreWine]

I'm reading, "The Year Without, Made in China"

It's about a family trying to go an entire year without buying any products made in China. Should be an interesting read.

[Dizzy]

BumbleB: What did you think of The Eyre Affair? I'm almost done with The Big Over Easy (also by Fforde) and I find him to be so enjoyably odd and curiously silly!

GroceryStoreWine: I have heard great things about that book; please stop in and let us know what you think as you get into it.

Stephen Colbert's book comes out tomorrow!! Woot!

[meganth]

Has anyone else read Fforde's books?

Fforde is my favorite author!! There's nobody else out there who has quite that same style. Trust me, i've been trying to find someone else like him!

[Dizzy]

meganth: Thanks for the feedback!! I've been wondering what others think about him, and you're right, he has a very unique style that I've not found anywhere else. Which series did you prefer?

[meganth]

They're technically a series within a series, and i don't think i could pick a favorite!

On my quest to find quirky writers, i've found Christopher Moore. I enjoyed A Dirty Job and right now i'm reading Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal.

[Dizzy]

Ahhh, gotcha! I didn't realize it's a series within a series. Should I have started with a different book?

LOVE Christopher Moore! A.J. Jacobs also has a new book out which looks hysterical. And Steve Martin is a very fun writer.

[meganth]

The characters of the Nursery Crimes series are introduced in either the second or third Thursday Next book. It doesn't really matter though which series you read first.

[LeslieR]

I finished Water For Elephants the other night. What a great book! I never would have picked it up if not for my book club and the recs here.

Last night I started A Girl Becomes A Comma Like That. So far, so good.

[lbs27]

In the last three weeks, I've read Something Borrowed, Something Blue and Baby Proof. I've loved all 3! I can't put my finger on what it is that I like about her writing style, but I just can't put them down and I'm dying to know what happens next. I was so happy to see that she has another book due out in 2008! Phew!

[Dizzy]

I finished The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde last night and really really liked it! I will probably hold off reading the next in the series because I bought a book over the weekend that I am sooo excited about reading! It's The Children's Hospital (http://www.amazon.com/Childrens-Hospital-Chris-Adrian/dp/0802143334/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-6899472-0028667?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192037697&sr=1-1) by Chris Adrian.

A couple reviews:
To read Chris Adrian is to take part in the exciting process of watching a talented and original writer gain mastery of his powerful gifts. - Myla Goldberg, New York Times Book Review

One of the most revelatory novels in recent memory... Cleverly conceived and executed brilliantly. - San Francisco Chronicle

This novel is a singular event: Massive, recondite, often electrifying. - Bookforum

I'm so excited! I hope it lives up to expectation. :)

[shopaholic]

just finished Shopaholic & Baby

[BumbleB]

[QUOTE=Dizzy;1530398]BumbleB: What did you think of The Eyre Affair? I'm almost done with The Big Over Easy (also by Fforde) and I find him to be so enjoyably odd and curiously silly!

I really liked it. Definitely different, but enjoyable - he has a fabulous imagination. I have to admit, I'm easily pleased though. It takes a lot for me to NOT like a book. ;)

[mgrace]

Right now, I'm just trying to get through my magazine pile. ;) I just requested Confessions of a Slacker Mom from Paperback Swap.

[Dizzy]

BumbleB: You are so right about his imagination! No way could I come up with the kinds of things he did. Being easily pleased is not a bad thing - it just means you'll have a LOT of books to read!

Can I pose a question for all the mystery readers out there? I work part-time at a bookstore and my boss asked me to facilitate a Mystery Book Club :eek: Mystery is one of those genres that I just have never read. Can you ladies give me a few recommendations for a good mystery book? My boss would prefer it be something new(ish).

Thanks in advance!

[BumbleB]

Dizzy- A new mystery/thriller book I don't really know anything about other than what I've read online: In The Woods - Tana French.

Not sure if that fits the bill, but I've seen it pop up in my search for new books. I don't read much mystery - but thought that looked interesting.

[melnv]

I just finished The Stuff of Thought by Steven Pinker. It was great, interesting theories. Reminds me of Jared Diamond, not in topic, but in the way he writes for the lay person.

I'm about half way through The Hours. Sometimes the writing style is a little over the top for me, but I like it enough to finish.

[Dizzy]

melnv: What of Jared Diamond's have you read...and would recommend? I tried reading Guns, Germs, and Steel a few weeks ago and just couldn't get into it. Maybe I'm not smart enough for him :)

The Hours is one of my favorite books of all time. I hope you start to enjoy it more!

BumbleB: Thank you for the suggestion! I'll definitely look into it.

[MaineBelle]

Dizzy - I just read two mysteries that I enjoyed... The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, and The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl

[Dizzy]

Ooooh, thank you MaineBelle!

[am_81]

Just wanted to point out that (IMO anyway) The Thirteenth Tale isnt *strictly* mystery. Amazon.com actually categorizes it as Literary/Contemporary Fiction. Dont get me wrong, its one of my fave books that I've read this year, but I wanted to point that out in case the club members are more traditional mystery-readers (a la Sue Grafton, Dennis Lehane, etc).

Speaking of, I've read all but maybe one of Dennis Lehane's (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/102-1996095-4934553?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=dennis+lehane) books and thought all were excellent. Mystic River (was made into a movie a couple years back) is good, but I think my fave is Shutter Island. I got sucked into it pretty quickly and I totally didnt see the twist at the end coming.

[Dizzy]

am_81: Thank you for your perspective on The Thirteenth Tale. I'll probably print out all the recommendations and propose them to my manager and let her decide. It's her bookstore, after all, and she has the final say! I'm just glad to be able to bring good options to her since I know very little about the mystery genre.

I looooved Mystic River, but that's the only of his books I've read. I'm sure many have read it because it was a movie (that's the only reason I read it), but I'll put Shutter Island on my list. Thanks!

[BumbleB]

The Thirteenth Tale is my next read as soon as I'm finished with Ines of My Soul by Isabel Allende. I'm having a hard time getting into that one - but haven't had as much time for reading the past month or so.

I recently finished The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig. Great story about a widower and his three sons in early 1900's Montana.

[jellybeany]

I'm on the second book in Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series. :o

[am_81]

Still thinking about mysteries . . . what about something by Patricia Highsmith (author of The Talented Mr. Ripley)?

[Dizzy]

am_81: Thanks for continuing to brainstorm with me. I couldn't find anything by Highsmith any more recent than 2005. Were you able to? Perhaps I'm just not searching deeply enough... I like that idea, especially since she's a pretty well-known author.

I'm about 1/6 of the way through The Children's Hospital by Chris Adrian. It's a long book! I've discovered that the book is a modern-day Noah's ark story and themes such as sin, faith, the apocalypse, and grace abound. Not a typical book for me to read, but the writing is sooo phenomenal that I can't stop.

I also picked up The Year of Living Biblically (http://www.amazon.com/Year-Living-Biblically-Literally-Possible/dp/0743291476/ref=sr_1_7/105-7322631-6218025?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192333298&sr=1-7) by A.J. Jacobs the other day. It's by the author of The Know-It-All (http://www.amazon.com/Know-All-Humble-Become-Smartest/dp/0743250621/ref=sr_1_2/105-7322631-6218025?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192333365&sr=1-2), in which Jacobs sets out to read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica and become "the smartest person in the world." In The Year of Living Biblically he sets out to follow the Bible as literally as he possibly can...including wearing all white, growing out his beard, and always telling the truth! I can't wait to read it. :)

But I think I'll be reading my current selection for awhile...

[am_81]

am_81: Thanks for continuing to brainstorm with me. I couldn't find anything by Highsmith any more recent than 2005. Were you able to? Perhaps I'm just not searching deeply enough... I like that idea, especially since she's a pretty well-known author.

No problem . . . I'm trying to hold off on starting my next read (Paint it Black by Janet Field, author of White Oleander) till later this week, because I have a very long plane trip ahead of me. And the next best thing to reading a book is talking about them.

Anyway, the reason why you cant find anything recent by Patricia Highsmith is because she passed away in 1995 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Highsmith). ;) According to that link, only one novel was published post-humously, so anything within the last 10 years or so must be a re-print.

[melnv]

Dizzy- I liked Collapse by J. Diamond. I thought Guns, Germs and Steel was okay, but a little dry.

Now I'm reading The Year Of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. I've read it before, but I have a different perpective this time. One of my friends passed away from brain cancer last year and her husband has spent much of his time in our household since then. I cry everytime I recognize a reaction in Didion that I've seen in my friend.

[Dizzy]

Anyway, the reason why you cant find anything recent by Patricia Highsmith is because she passed away in 1995 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Highsmith). ;) According to that link, only one novel was published post-humously, so anything within the last 10 years or so must be a re-print.

Doh! Boy, do I feel sheepish! Thank you for the info, tho! I really liked White Oleander...didn't it also become a movie? Well, please let me know what you think of Paint it Black.

For fans of Alice Sebold, author of The Lovely Bones & Lucky, her new book is due out tomorrow! It's called The Almost Moon (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780316677462&itm=2) and sounds really good. I heard somewhere that someone is making a movie out of The Lovely Bones...? I guess I could wiki it for more info, but that to me would be waaaay too dark of a movie to watch. Yikes! I *am* excited about The Time Traveler's Wife as a movie...Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana play the leads.

BumbleB: How are you enjoying Isabel Allende? She's one of my favorite authors; The House of the Spirits (IMO) is a classic! Have you started The Thirteenth Tale yet? It's selling like crazy at the bookstore.

jellybeany: Are you enjoying the Shopaholic series? I've never read it, but I recommend it at the bookstore all the time, based on everyone here loving it so much!

MaineBelle: What's next on your list to read?

[Dizzy]

melnv: I didn't see your post earlier! So sorry! Thank you for the recommendation. I, too, thought Guns, Germs, and Steel was super dry and I felt reeeeally dumb putting it down. It got so many great reviews and I just wasn't feeling it. I hate when that happens...

I'm so sorry about your friend. I hope you can find some solace and peace.

[lawyerlee]

I think my fave is Shutter Island. I got sucked into it pretty quickly and I totally didnt see the twist at the end coming.
Same here! Wasn't that fabulous?! Definitely a must read for mystery lovers. :)

[TracieB]

Right now, I'm reading Devil in the White City. So far it's been great! I have to make myself stop reading and go to sleep at night!

[kwsu44]

Right now, I'm reading Devil in the White City. So far it's been great! I have to make myself stop reading and go to sleep at night!

I loved this book!!!

[Dizzy]

TracieB: That's one of my favorite books EVER. You'll also love Isaac's Storm and Thunderstruck if you like his writing. Tho, I think Devil in the White City is his best.

Okay, I don't know how I missed this, but apparently "they're" making a movie of The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillippa Gregory. Natalie Portman plays Queen Anne, Scarlet Johanson plays Mary Boleyn and Eric Bana is Henry VIII. I am sooo excited about this!

What is the What by Dave Eggers is out in paperback. That book changed my life, so if anyone is looking for something new, I highly recommend it.

[mpc863]

for all of those who loved "eat, pray, love" i met the daughter of the Brazilian woman in Bali this weekend! She is a friend of a friend. It was totally random but I was so excited as I really loved that week.

[Dizzy]

mpc: That is sooo cool!

[BumbleB]

Right now, I'm reading Devil in the White City. So far it's been great! I have to make myself stop reading and go to sleep at night!

This is probably my pick for the top 1-2 books I've read this year. Loved it!

[katmg]

I just couldn't get in the rhythm of The Devil in the White City. So strange since I think books on serial killers are interesting, and I like historical novels and I love Architecture (I am an interior designer). Somehow all that stuff being in the same book and it still didn't make me love it. I think the pacing of the book was weird for me.

[Dizzy]

Katmg: How interesting! I love hearing other people's perspectives on books I loved, especially when they're different :) Larson does have a very distinct tone and pace that is evident in all his books. Are there any True Crime books you can recommend? I do enjoy that genre but haven't read many...

[Dizzy]

In case anyone is interested, the New York Times Bestsellers:

Bestselling Paperback Fiction:

1. LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA, by Gabriel Garc�*a Márquez
2. WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, by Sara Gruen
3. THE KITE RUNNER, by Khaled Hosseini
4. MIDDLESEX, by Jeffrey Eugenides
5. THE MEMORY KEEPER’S DAUGHTER, by Kim Edwards

Bestselling Paperback Non-Fiction:

1. EAT, PRAY, LOVE, by Elizabeth Gilbert
2. INTO THE WILD, by Jon Krakauer
3. 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN, by Don Piper with Cecil Murphey
4. THE GLASS CASTLE, by Jeannette Walls
5. THREE CUPS OF TEA, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

Bestselling Hardcover Fiction:

1. PLAYING FOR PIZZA, by John Grisham
2. THE CHOICE, by Nicholas Sparks
3. DARK OF THE MOON, by John Sandford
4. A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, by Khaled Hosseini
5. YOU’VE BEEN WARNED, by James Patterson and Howard Roughan

Bestselling Hardcover Non-Fiction:

1. MY GRANDFATHER’S SON, by Clarence Thomas
2. THE AGE OF TURBULENCE, by Alan Greenspan
3. IF DEMOCRATS HAD ANY BRAINS, THEY’D BE REPUBLICANS, by Ann Coulter
4. THE NINE, by Jeffrey Toobin
5. LOUDER THAN WORDS, by Jenny McCarthy

[katmg]

Katmg: How interesting! I love hearing other people's perspectives on books I loved, especially when they're different :) Larson does have a very distinct tone and pace that is evident in all his books. Are there any True Crime books you can recommend? I do enjoy that genre but haven't read many...

Hmmm...I can't think of any True Crime books that I've read recently. It's not a genre I read a lot. I picked up Devil based off of it getting such wonderful reviews and a 20% off sticker at Target. :p It's not that I hated it, it just took me a long time to plod through.

[MsPeachy]

I think the pacing of the book was weird for me. This may be part of the reason I didn't care for Thunderstruck which was overall a giant disappointment for me.

I'm currently reading The Alphabet Sisters (http://www.amazon.com/Alphabet-Sisters-Novel-Monica-Mcinerney/dp/034547953X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-3766172-6619339?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192562976&sr=8-1) by Monica Mcinerney . I'm enjoying it so far.

[Kimberland30]

I just finished reading CROSS by James Patterson. I read it in one evening (yeah, I was up all night). Great book!

[sheartm7]

http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/19310000/19316060.JPG

[Dizzy]

Picked up Alice Sebold's new book, The Almost Moon (http://www.amazon.com/Almost-Moon-Novel-Alice-Sebold/dp/0316677469/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-5868838-5657465?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192631422&sr=1-1), and Tom Perrotta's new book, The Abstinence Teacher (http://www.amazon.com/Abstinence-Teacher-Tom-Perrotta/dp/0312358334/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-5868838-5657465?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192631377&sr=1-1), yesterday.

I'm sure it will be awhile before I get around to reading them, but I just had to get them. I love both those authors.

Has anyone read Ann Patchett's new book yet, Run? I can't decide if I should go ahead and buy in hardcover or wait for paperback :)

[LeslieR]

Dizzy, thanks for posting about Almost Moon. I read about it in a mag and forgot to add it to my list at the library. Off to do that now!

[Dizzy]

LeslieR: You're welcome! You can get new releases at the library? No way! How cool! I get such a huge discount on books (as an employee) that I just go ahead and buy. I'd never buy so many hardcovers if it weren't for that - it'd be "paperback city" for me ;)

[LeslieR]

oh yeah! They get new books every week. I just go in and add the books to my list and request them when I want to read them. If my town library doesn't have it, it will come from another library. It's awesome!

[nawsgirl]

Dizzy, I work at a library and you can usually get new releases there within a few weeks (the only exception I can think of is Harry Potter- we got hundreds of copies on the day it came out). The company that does it loans out lots of copies of new releases to libraries, then after a few months we send back what we don't want (our adult librarian usually keeps a copy or two of each title). The other day I unpacked Dick Francis' new book, and yesterday it was the Anna Nicole Smith book (Blonde Ambition?).

I am listening to The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs- it's good, it just seems real, like what is going on could really happen, while still being interesting. It's about a woman who owns a knitting shop in NYC- she is a single mom to a biracial daughter, and the father has just come back after being away for 12 years and now wants to get to know his daughter. In the shop a bunch of the regular customers have started getting together to knit on Friday nights and they are each going through their own challenges.

Reading The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie. It's my first Hercule Poirot, and I'm liking it. I have no idea how it will end, which is a good thing! Coming up next is Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult and Second Chance (audiobook) by Jane Green.

[Dizzy]

Nawsgirl & LeslieR: What a great resource! It's been so long since I've frequented a library (um, senior project, maybe? ;) ) that I just didn't realize they've gotten with the times, so-to-speak. I'll probably check out the local library's website and see about getting a card.

Nawsgirl: Sounds like a good read! I love when a book sucks you in and makes you feel like the characters could really exist and their stories could actually happen.

I am considering joining this service, called BookSwim (http://www.bookswim.com/index.php). It's like Netflix, but for books. I'm thinking it might be good for the books I want to read, but don't necessarily feel I need to own. I used to sell them back to Half Price Books but there aren't any where I live now :(

[jellybeany]

jellybeany: Are you enjoying the Shopaholic series? I've never read it, but I recommend it at the bookstore all the time, based on everyone here loving it so much!

I am enjoying it. I'm on the fourth book right now. Its definitely not heavy reading though ;)

[Katy]

Nawsgirl & LeslieR: What a great resource! It's been so long since I've frequented a library (um, senior project, maybe? ;) ) that I just didn't realize they've gotten with the times, so-to-speak. I'll probably check out the local library's website and see about getting a card.I read most of my books now through the library. Once they got to the point that you could make online requests I fell in love!! We get new releases as well, though I've yet to see anything show up on it's release date - it's typically a week or so later. But that's fine for me, I figure if I'm really in *that* much of a hurry to read it NOW, that I can just go buy it.

[Dizzy]

I am enjoying it. I'm on the fourth book right now. Its definitely not heavy reading though ;)

Hey, a good light read is so nice sometimes! There's nothing wrong with that :) I actually really like stuff like that as long as it's well-written. So many times the two do not go hand in hand.

Katy: Thanks for the tip! I generally don't need to read a book right away, either. And if I do I'll just buy it immediately. (Stephen Colbert's book, for example!) I'm bummed that my public library doesn't seem to have an online request feature, so I'll probably just go in one of these days and check out their policies.

Bought a few books for my husband today: The New Kings of Non-Fiction (http://www.amazon.com/New-Kings-Nonfiction-Ira-Glass/dp/1594482675/ref=pd_bbs_1/105-7322631-6218025?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192764059&sr=1-1), edited by Ira Glass and Options: The Secret Life of Steve Jobs, a Parody (http://www.amazon.com/Options-Secret-Life-Steve-Parody/dp/0306815842/ref=sr_1_1/105-7322631-6218025?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192764149&sr=1-1) by Fake Steve Jobs. They were on his goodreads "to-read" list, so I thought I'd surprise him :)

[lawyerlee]

I am totally dependent on our library's online request system. They don't have a huge number of books, but they usually have what I'm looking for and have been willing to buy every title I've suggested they purchase. I probably wouldn't take advantage of the library very often at all if it wasn't so convenient.

I've been reading (don't laugh) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I'm finally getting started on the series! Obviously it's awesome. :)

[Dizzy]

Lawyerlee: An online request system would be sooo nice...maybe I can just call my library. It beats going all the way down there *just* to make a request. And, I know you probably hear this all the time, but...you're just now reading Harry Potter!?!?! :)

Welcome to the other side! What took you so long? (okay, I admit that question sounds rhetorical and maybe even a little snarky, but I'm actually very curious why you waited this long ;))

I'm still working on The Children's Hospital by Chris Adrian. WOW! Definitely not a light read. There's soooo much going on in this book. It's a publication of McSweeney's (http://www.mcsweeneys.net/), which if you don't read their literary magazine, well, you should! :D

[sublime311]

Has anyone else read Come Back: A Mother and Daughter's Journey Through Hell and Back by Claire and Mia Fontaine? I'm halfway through and am having a really hard time putting it down.

It's a difficult true story about a daughter's struggle with incest, drugs, self-mutilation, and general self-destruction and her mother's struggle to bring her teenager back.

[Dizzy]

Sublime: Wow. That sounds intense. I'm sad to say I haven't even heard of it. Is it new? It sounds absolutely captivating and heartbreaking.

[mgrace]

I just finished Confessions of a Slacker Mom. It was a cute, light read.

[Dizzy]

mgrace: What a fun title! What's next for you?

[BumbleB]

I just finished Ines of My Soul by Isabelle Allende. This is the first book of hers I've read. Her descriptions of the harsh landscapes, the untamed beauty and the violence of wars between settlers and natives were incredible. I've always dreamed of traveling to Chile - and it was interesting to learn more of their history and culture through this novel.


Publishers Weekly
Only months after the inauguration of Chile's first female president, Allende recounts in her usual sweeping style the grand tale of Do a Ines Suarez (1507- 1580), arguably the country's founding mother. Writing in the year of her death, Ines tells of her modest girlhood in Spain and traveling to the New World as a young wife to find her missing husband, Juan. Upon learning of Juan's humiliating death in battle, Ines determines to stay in the fledgling colony of Peru, where she falls fervently in love with Don Pedro de Valdivia, loyal field marshal of Francisco Pizarro. The two lovers aim to found a new society based on Christian and egalitarian principles that Valdivia later finds hard to reconcile with his personal desire for glory. Ines proves herself not only a capable helpmate and a worthy cofounder of a nation, but also a ferocious fighter who both captivates and frightens her fellow settlers. Basing the tale on documented events of her heroine's life, Allende crafts a swift, thrilling epic, packed with fierce battles and passionate romance.

I'm now reading The Thirteenth Tale - 2 chapters in and this is a true Book Lovers book! :)

[lawyerlee]

Lawyerlee: And, I know you probably hear this all the time, but...you're just now reading Harry Potter!?!?! :)

Welcome to the other side! What took you so long? (okay, I admit that question sounds rhetorical and maybe even a little snarky, but I'm actually very curious why you waited this long ;))
It funny, but I guess I just never thought it seemed that wonderful. I made the mistake of basing my opinion of the books on not liking the first two movies, too. So when I loved the third, fourth and fifth movies and then talked with a friend about how much more there is in the books, I was sold.

I finished Sorcerer's Stone today and moved on to Chamber of Secrets. I'm glad I'm finally part of the club. :)

[Ummm]

i'm reading "the handsomest man in cuba".

[imagirliegirl]

I'm reading Stephen Colbert's book. It's hilarious.

[Dizzy]

It funny, but I guess I just never thought it seemed that wonderful. I made the mistake of basing my opinion of the books on not liking the first two movies, too. So when I loved the third, fourth and fifth movies and then talked with a friend about how much more there is in the books, I was sold.

I finished Sorcerer's Stone today and moved on to Chamber of Secrets. I'm glad I'm finally part of the club. :)

Welcome to the club! I have to admit, I waited awhile before starting the series, as well. Partly because I too thought it didn't seem that wonderful. Oh, how wrong was I!! And the movies really don't do justice to the books...especially those first two. They've gotten better, tho. Didn't the director change or something?

Which book are you on now? I'm assuming you probably read all weekend and are almost done, right? ;)

[Dizzy]

BumbleB: Great mini-review of Allende! She's such an influential author. If you liked her, I'd recommend House of the Spirits and/or Daughter of Fortune. How's The Thirteenth Tale?

Ummm: How's your book? I love a good memoir!

imagirliegirl: His book made me laugh out loud! I love how smart his humor is.

I'm *almost* done with The Children's Hospital. I have, like, two chapters left and I keep getting interrupted. It's driving me CRAZY!

[imagirliegirl]

imagirliegirl: His book made me laugh out loud! I love how smart his humor is.


It's great! I swear I laugh on every page. I LOVE how the whole book is written to make fun of how stupid books are. It's pretty brilliant.

[Ummm]

Ummm: How's your book? I love a good memoir!



i've just started, but so far so good :)

[whos that girl]

The Meaning Of Wife (http://www.amazon.com/Meaning-Wife-Provocative-Marriage-Twenty-first/dp/0312425007/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-6308527-0594030?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193106585&sr=8-1) (which I think I was reading a while ago, but Id set it down for a while.)
Consider The Lobster (http://www.amazon.com/Consider-Lobster-David-Foster-Wallace/dp/0316013323/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-6308527-0594030?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193106629&sr=1-1)
My Horizontal Life: A Collection Of One-Night Stands (http://www.amazon.com/My-Horizontal-Life-Collection-One-Night/dp/1582346186/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-6308527-0594030?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193106669&sr=1-1) (Freaking funny. Highly recommended)

[GlamaGal]

I just finished The Lovely Bones and over the weekend I read Nineteen Minutes. I think I need something more uplifting after those two. Good books, couldn't put them down, just sad.

However, I picked up The Killing Jar. Anyone read this? Doesn't sound uplifting so I'm looking for some ideas on what to read after this...

[TracieB]

I finished Stephen Colbert's book over the weekend (fast read). Expectedly hilarious!

Finished Devil in the White City. What a book! I can't imagine the hours the author put into researching everything. The way he told the story was so captivating. Highly recommended.

I'm trying to get into The Road but it's slow going. It's different than any book I've ever read; maybe that's why I'm having problems.

[mgrace]

mgrace: What a fun title! What's next for you?
I'm waiting for Having It and Eating It from Paperback Swap. I might start Animal, Vegetable, Miracle in the meantime.

[Dizzy]

imagirliegirl: Yeah, I kept stopping and saying to my husband, "oh, man, listen to this, this is so funny". After awhile he got really annoyed and told me that he'll read it himself eventually. :)

Ummm: Glad you're enjoying it so far!

Who's that girl: Are you reading all three at once?? How do you do that? I can't concentrate on more than one book at a time. ;)

GlamaGal: I haven't read Nineteen minutes, but The Lovely Bones is suuuuuper depressing. It's a GREAT book, don't get me wrong, but I totally know what you mean about not being uplifting. I haven't read the Killing Jar, but let us know how it is. I thought A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius was uplifting, though still very heartbreaking (hehe) in parts. Ella Minnow Pea is a LOT of fun, as is The Curious Incident of the Dog in tne Night-time, if you want something less depressing.

TracieB: LOVED Colbert's book! I'm glad you liked Devil in the White City! One of my faves! Ya know, it's funny, I also tried The Road and couldn't get into it. I keep telling myself to give it another chance but there's so much out there to read... Please drop back in and let me know if it gets "better." (i put "better" in quotes because obviously it's a great book; I just didn't care for the style right off the bat)

mgrace: I love Kingsolver's writing and have heard great things about that book!

[BumbleB]

TracieB- in general, The Road reads a bit slow. I felt it was intentionally written that way and it really makes you take in the horror and despair of their situation. It was very different from any book I had ever read and I have no desire to read it again - it was tough and gave me nightmares (of course I read it in the middle of our fire season - so the imagery of the book did not help). That being said, I'm glad that I read it and I do think it is SO deserving of the accolades it's recieved.

The Thirteenth Tale is great so far, it's a cozy up by the fireplace kind of book. And includes the perfect amount of Victorian-style mystery.

[am_81]

I'm now reading The Thirteenth Tale - 2 chapters in and this is a true Book Lovers book! :)

I think thats a very apt description of the book. I think amazon.com calls it a "love letter to reading."

I just got back from a long weekend trip to San Diego . . . . which meant plenty of reading time on planes and in the airport (total of 16 hours on planes!!). In addition to a a bazillion magazines (had to get my fix while I could buy them "cheap," rather than the $10/piece I pay here), I read both Paint It Black (http://www.amazon.com/Paint-Black-Novel-Janet-Fitch/dp/0316067148/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-3395789-0370318?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193240291&sr=1-1) by Janet Fitch and The Namesake (http://www.amazon.com/Namesake-Novel-Jhumpa-Lahiri/dp/0618485228/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-3395789-0370318?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193240343&sr=1-2) by Jhumpa Lahiri. Both were excellent! I was anxious to finally see something out of Janet Fitch since White Oleander and it definitely didnt disappoint.

Oh, and I guess I'll out myself as someone who has never even had an inkling of desire to pick up a Harry Potter. I think my BFF and I are the only ones left on the planet who can claim that. I'm sure a couple years from now I'll read them and wonder what I was thinking by not picking them up sooner, but until then, I have plenty of other books to keep me occupied. :)

[Dizzy]

BumbleB: I figured The Road was highly regarded for a reason, so I'm determined to pick it back up at some point. Just because I don't enjoy a book doesn't mean it's not a great book and not worth reading. Normally I'd just move onto something else, but The Road is one of those books, it seems, that everyone should read. (IMO)

Am_81: I've not read anything else by Fitch; I'm glad you liked it! I thought The Namesake was very well written, but I was hoping for more of a pay-off. The writing was incredible, and her story-telling is one of the best...I just wanted...more... I can't really explain it.

You haven't read Harry Potter yet?!?!?! What?!?! :eek: I do hope you pick them up one of these days. They don't disappoint!

[Dizzy]

I finished The Children's Hospital by Chris Adrian last night. Finally! This book is not for the casual reader :) It's the kind of book I would imagine someone reading for a thesis in literature or something. It's INTENSE. I loved all the imagery and metaphors and biblical references. Verrrrrry interesting.

I got my new issue of Bookmarks Magazine yesterday and thought I'd mention a few they gave four stars to:

Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam
Away by Amy Bloom (this got 4 1/2 stars)
First Among Sequels: A Thursday Next Novel by Jasper Fford
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
The Rest of Her Life by Laura Moriarty
Run by Ann Patchett
The Septembers of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer

[apoppy]

I'm reading First Among Sequels: A Thursday Next Novel by Jasper Fford and I really like it. Fford is such an enjoyable author.

[am_81]

Am_81: I've not read anything else by Fitch; I'm glad you liked it! I thought The Namesake was very well written, but I was hoping for more of a pay-off. The writing was incredible, and her story-telling is one of the best...I just wanted...more... I can't really explain it.

You haven't read Harry Potter yet?!?!?! What?!?! :eek: I do hope you pick them up one of these days. They don't disappoint!

I agree with you on The Namesake . . . I think the writing was what I fell in love with the most. And I definitely understand the "wanting more" thing. I did too, but I still felt like it ended well. Somewhat unsatisfying, but it seemed appropriate.

Forgot to mention in my other post, that I hit up a Borders while I was in SD and picked up a few new titles:


Eat, Pray, Love (http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Pray-Love-Everything-Indonesia/dp/0143038419/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-9185324-3114240?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193251962&sr=1-1) by Elizabeth Gilbert -- I picked this one up despite the mixed reviews mainly because it was on the "buy one, get one half off" table and just started it this morning. I'm already leaning towards the "eh, it just okay" camp because of what one of my fave bloggers wrote about it last week, but I'm trying hard to keep an open mind.

A Long Way Down (http://www.amazon.com/Long-Way-Down-Nick-Hornby/dp/1594481938/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-9185324-3114240?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193252422&sr=1-1) by Nick Hornby

World Wihtout End (http://www.amazon.com/World-Without-End-Ken-Follett/dp/0525950079/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-9185324-3114240?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193252470&sr=1-1) by Ken Follett -- This is the "sequel" to one of my fave books I've read this year (Pillars of the Earth). It just came out a few weeks ago and I had to buy it . . . depsite the fact that its a *massive* hardback. I'm saving it for our T-giving travels; we'll be spending a lot of time in airports again and will gladly carry that 9 pound (yup, I weighed it) brick around.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Collection (http://www.amazon.com/Scary-Stories-Boxed-Alvin-Schwartz/dp/006440465X/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-9185324-3114240?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193252636&sr=1-1) by Alvin Schwartz -- A total nosalgia purchase. :p I loved the Scary Stories when I was in elementary school and when I saw it on the bargain table, I couldnt resist. DH thinks I'm crazy, but oh well.

[BumbleB]

BumbleB: I figured The Road was highly regarded for a reason, so I'm determined to pick it back up at some point. Just because I don't enjoy a book doesn't mean it's not a great book and not worth reading. Normally I'd just move onto something else, but The Road is one of those books, it seems, that everyone should read. (IMO)


Oh, I totally agree. Trust me, there were a couple times I just wanted to move on too. I'm just saying in the end it was worth it, but I honestly would never read it again...and I re-read a LOT of books. ;)

am_81- Pillars of the Earth was one of my top reads this year as well. I picked up World Without End and will be starting it over Thanksgiving too - it sure could take awhile...9 pounds and about 1200 pages! Can't wait!!!

[GlamaGal]

I finished The Killing Jar by Nicola Monaghan last night. It was pretty good, considering I couldn't put it down and even had to read it in the tub. I wonder if the author will write more...

Dizzy- thanks for the great reading suggestions!

[TracieB]

Dizzy and BumbleB - Thanks for weighing in. I started reading it again last night and could only read a few pages before falling asleep :o. At that pace, maybe I'll finish it before 2008. Ha!

[Dizzy]

am81: I'm so glad you know what I'm talking about regarding The Namesake! I can't imagine her ending the story any other way, really, it just left me wanting more. I'm curious how the movie will play out. I've heard that Interpreter of Maladies is an even better accomplishment, so hopefully I can find time to read that someday.
Yay for buying more books!! It's sooo much fun! I've also heard mixed reviews of Eat, Pray, Love. It seems people who LOVED it really needed that kind of book at the time, which is great. But, I'm not sure it would speak to me in the same way. I'd love to hear your opinion when you finish. Nick Hornby is so much fun to read! World Without End is one of our bestsellers at the bookstore; I guess his first book was a huge hit!

BumbleB: Kudos to you for getting through The Road! It is SO hard for me to soldier on through a book that I'm not feeling, but I know I *should* in this case. I always find it funny when an ending makes the whole book worth it, but it's so true isn't it? A book can start out GREAT but end poorly and I'll put it on my "eh" list. But if it's slow and has a great ending, I'll end up loving it! World Without End is 9 lbs?? No wonder my arms hurt after shelving it the other night... :)

GlamaGal: The tub is the best place to read!! Get some bath salts, some earl grey tea and a bath pillow, and it's undisturbed reading until the water gets cold. ;) And you're welcome for the suggestions! I didn't know whether people cared or not, so thank you!

TracieB: Still working on it? :) That's how I was with Angela's Ashes. I could only read a few pages at a time before zonking out, but in the end it was worth it. Maybe that will be the case with The Road!

[Dizzy]

I picked up a few books yesterday that I'm REALLY excited about.

I got The Siege of Salt Cove by Anthony Weller. It came out in 2004 and I had been DYING to read it then, but completely forgot about it. It "came back to me" the other day and I just had to get it. According to the Amazon description, "it's a contemporary farce about a town that dares to rebel against its own government, and to fight back when attacked." I love a farce onstage, so I'm sure I'll love a literary farce.

Also picked up Surviving Justice: America's Wrongfully Convicted and Exonerated edited by Lola Vollen and Dave Eggers (published by McSweeney's). Dave Eggers is my absolute favorite author and I usually try to buy as much as I can from McSweeney's. This book is exactly what it sounds like - stories of innocent people wrongly condemned.

[lawyerlee]

I might start Animal, Vegetable, Miracle in the meantime.
I really enjoyed it. Their commitment to their project was so inspiring to me. :)

[MsPeachy]

In the spirit of the season and inspired by the "Scary Movies" thread, I'm reading 'salem's Lot by Stephen King. :)

[Dizzy]

Books coming out next week: (notice the new Michael Chabon!!!)

Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon
You: Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Extending Your Warranty by Michael F. Roizen
American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic by Joseph J. Ellis
Gentlemen of the Road: A Tale of Adventure by Michael Chabon
Protect and Defend by Vince Flynn
The Quiet Girl by Peter Hoeg
Christmas with Paula Deen: Recipes and Stories from My Favorite Holiday by Paula Deen
Ronnie Wood: The Autobiography by Ronnie Wood
The Heir by Barbara Taylor Bradford
The Race by Richard North Patterson
Before Your Dog Can Eat Your Homework, First You Have to Do It: Life Lessons from a Wise Old Dog to a Young Boy by John O'Hurley
Mister B. Gone by Clive Barker
Everlasting by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
Our Dumb World: The Onion's Atlas of the Planet Earth, 73rd Edition by The Onion
Steve & Me by Terri Irwin
Amazing Grace by Danielle Steel
No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach by Anthony Bourdain
Bunny Williams' Point of View: Three Decades of Decorating Chic and Comfortable Houses by Bunny Williams

[Katy]

I just started Courtney Thorne-Smith's book, Outside In (http://www.amazon.com/Outside-Novel-Courtney-Thorne-Smith/dp/0767927494). So far it's a pretty good read, nothing heavy, very chick-lit.

[LeslieR]

OT, but I just found out they're making My Sister's Keeper into a movie! I'm probably the last person on earth to find this out, I realize, but I'm still excited nonetheless.

I just read another dud book: A Girl Becomes A Comma Like That. I think I need to stop getting my book recommendations from People, Entertainment Weekly, and the like. I've been on a bad streak here for a while now and I'm pretty sure all of the books I've read were books I read reviews on in magazines.:rolleyes:

I have Size 12 Is Not Fat and A Thousand Splendid Suns waiting for pick up at the library. At least I know I'll like one of these.;)

[Dizzy]

Currently reading The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs. I'm having so much fun reading it! I love his writing style and the whole idea is so fascinating. I do feel bad for his wife who had to put up with him for a year while he wrote the book :)

[bookworm]

Oh, and I guess I'll out myself as someone who has never even had an inkling of desire to pick up a Harry Potter. I think my BFF and I are the only ones left on the planet who can claim that. I'm sure a couple years from now I'll read them and wonder what I was thinking by not picking them up sooner, but until then, I have plenty of other books to keep me occupied. :)

I can't remember if I've posted this before, but about 5-6 years ago (how has it been that long??...but I was in graduate school, so it must have been) I was in the same boat. My cousin gave me Book 1 for Christmas (um, thanks?), and it was maybe a year later, in the middle of a snowstorm, when I had nothing else to read, that I picked it up. Yeah, I was hooked. I'm not saying that your experience will be the same, but mine was a pretty quick conversion :).

I am not reading anything good...some Nora Roberts series about vampires (dreadful), and some historical romance novels. I have the sequel to Sister of My Heart in my pile, but I'm hesitating b/c I've heard it's not that good and I loved the first one.

[mili04]

I just finished a few that I really enjoyed. My reading these days has to be light, page-turners. I only get to read while nursing DS to sleep so it has to move quickly for me to get through a book before it needs to go back to the library.
Anyway, here are some I recommend:

Sammy's House by Kristin Gore
Letters from Point Clear: a novel by Dennis McFarland
Outside In by Courtney Thorne-Smith

On whether or not Harry Potter is worth the time to read with so much else out there: it SO is. A few years a go, I was baby-sitting a 10 year old girl who couldn't stop talking about HP. When I told her I hadn't read them, she offerd to loan me book 1. So I felt obligated to borrow and read it. To my surprise, I absolutely loved it and kept up with the series since then.

[Anna Low]

Currently, I'm re-reading an old favorite The Winds of War by Herman Wouk. Just got done with David Golder by Irene Neimerovsky. Next up is A Death in Venice, by Thomas Mann, but I still have more than half of the Winds left!

[hub1176]

I just finished Empire Falls by Richard Russo still not sure how I feel about it, although I did have a nightmare last night.....

[Dizzy]

mgrace: Did you start Animal, Vegetable, Miracle? What do you think?

MsPeachy: How's King's book? Are you normally a Stephen King fan, or is it just for the season?

Katy: Her book has intrigued me daily as it sits on a very prominent display at work. I am curious how she is as a writer. Has she written before? Or is this her first?

LeslieR: No more duds for you! Haven't you learned to only read books recommended by your fellow CCers? ;) Have you picked up A Thousand Splendid Suns yet? I hear nothing but rave reviews.

bookworm: That's how it was with me, too! I didn't have anything else to read so I "settled" for Harry Potter. Boy, what a surprise when I ended up hooked immediately! Have you picked up the book you weren't sure about? Or did you move on to something good?

mili: I see you recommended Courtney Thorne-Smith's book. Interesting! What did you like about it?

Anna Low: How's your book?

hub1176: I wasn't a fan of Empire Falls. I know it's critically acclaimed, but it just wasn't for me.

[Dizzy]

TracieB: I almost forgot to ask how The Road is going! Have you finished it yet?

I'm still reading The Year of Living Biblically. It's cracking me up! I highly recommend it for anybody who is a fan of clever, personable non-fiction. It's very "memoir-esque" but instead of being about his life, per se, it's about this year-long journey of living biblically. Very fun!

[Ohana]

I just started reading World Without End by Ken Follett. It's sort of a sequel to Pillars of the Earth, which is one of my all time favorite books. I'm only a couple of hundred pages into it so far, but I love it. I don't usually buy books on hardback, but I'm glad I did for this one.

[katmg]

Just started Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett based on the recommendations from people on here. So far I'm really enjoying it.

I picked up a Xmas present for my dad that I'm hoping he'll let me borrow from him when he's done reading it. :p It is a non-fiction book called Guns, Germs and Steel. It is about how those three things influenced civilizations and the history of the world. I may have to go ahead and wrap it up for him so I'm not tempted to start peeking!

[Katy]

Katy: Her book has intrigued me daily as it sits on a very prominent display at work. I am curious how she is as a writer. Has she written before? Or is this her first?

mili: I see you recommended Courtney Thorne-Smith's book. Interesting! What did you like about it?
Dizzy - It's actually surprisingly good. I mean it's chicklit and it's LA chicklit about an actress, but really, she's done quite well with it. It's a quick read. I'm to the point now that I didn't want to put it down last night. Eventually at 2:30 I forced myself to close it and to finally go to sleep. I'm just waiting for the hubby to go to work now so I can start reading it again :D I'll probably finish it up tonight or tomorrow (which is great because I have a different book to read on the plane and really don't feel like lugging around two books).

[Dizzy]

Katy: Thanks for your thoughts! I don't mind chick-lit books; they can be really fun...but they have to be well-written. Sounds like hers is. Anything that you have to force yourself to put down must be good! What book are you taking with you on the plane?

katmg: I hope you have better luck with Guns, Germs, and Steel than I did! :) I found it to be very dry and difficult to get into. Perhaps I'm just not smart enough for him, but it is a verrry dry read. I had to put it down. Please let me know what you think about it if you start to read!

[katmg]

Dizzy - Yeah, I did think it looked somewhat dry but it'll probably be one that I read concurrently with some sort of fiction. I find that helps me get through some of the drier non-fiction books.

[Katy]

Dizzy - I'm taking Crazy Aunt Purl's Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair (http://www.crazyauntpurl.com/) (it was advertised here a week or so ago). She's a funny as hell blogger and seems like an all around cool chick. She cracked me up at her signing. Since it's only an hour flight I figured it would be perfect reading material.

[BumbleB]

Just finished The Thirteenth Tale last night - it was wonderful! Such great writing, such an interesting story with many connections to past literature. So different from anything I've read recently, I really loved it. :)

Since I read it way faster than I was expecting to, I may be reading one or two more books before starting World Without End - which I want to be reading around Thanksgiving so I have it with me for our 7 hour car ride.

So next I'm going for either The Book of Lost Things (Connolly) or The Secret River (Grenville). Both of which I'm excited to read.

***I'm also currently re-reading the Anne of Green Gable Series. I'm on Anne's House of Dreams right now. I love Anne! ;)

[Dizzy]

BumbleB: Thanks for your comments on The Thirteenth Tale. I'll have to pick that one up eventually. Can I just come out and say you HAVE to read The Book of Lost Things?!?! It is one of my all time favorite books. I read it in two days. I literally couldn't put it down and stayed up most of the night before my husband rolled over and told me to put it down and go to bed! I can't recommend it highly enough. I hope you like it, too!

[Dizzy]

Katy: Thanks for the link. I read a few of her blog entries, and she's a hoot! I love that style of honest memoir writing - nothing to hide, no pretenses, just "here i am". Reminds me of Sedaris in a way.

[TracieB]

Dizzy - Still working on it! I did read about 30 pages last night, though, so it's going better!!

[nawsgirl]

Katy, I am SO jealous that you got to go see Crazy Aunt Purl, I love her!

I'm about to finish Second Chance by Jane Green- a terrorist attack kills a member of an old circle of friends and his death brings them all back together. It's rather predictable, but in a comfortable way if that makes sense. I will reserve final judgment until I see how it ends!

I've also started Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult and can tell that I am going to be upset by it... but I am having trouble putting it down at night! It's about a high school shooting- how the shooter became so angry mixed with the aftermath. Seems like it will be about bullying and cliques and I'm sensing there will be a very dramatic trial :)

[whos that girl]

Julie & Romeo by Jeanne Ray.

Julie & Romeo was a cute story about a middle-aged modern-day Romeo & Juliet love-story. The couple\'s families own competing flower shops and have hated each other for as long as either of them can remember, but nobody seems to know. Even the couples grown children oppose the blossoming relationship. It\'s a cute story and worth a read.

[pixielou]

whos that girl I read Julie and Romeo a while ago. It was cute. For some reason I actually picked up the sequel - Julie and Romeo Get Lucky - which was not quite as cute as the original. I really enjoyed Eat Cake by the same author.

I've been reading a lot of Nicholas Sparks lately. And I'm reading The Cat Who. . . series.

~pixie

[amberfiddles]

i can't wait to get 13th tale, i have it on the waiting list at the library.

i just finished reading 'the witches' by roald dahl :P i'm reading (and re-reading) a lot of juvenile fiction to get ready for an internship...

[MsPeachy]

MsPeachy: How's King's book? Are you normally a Stephen King fan, or is it just for the season? It's quite scary. In a way, rereading older King reminds you of just how good of a horror novelist he is. And yes, I'm quite a fan. I own almost all his books, over 3/4 of which are in hardback. And I'm looking forward to the new movie, The Mist, based on his short story. :)

[tealynn]

What is Book of Lost Things about? I just looked at it on amazon but they didn't give a description.

I'm compiling some books to take to a friend who's going to be off her feet for about a month.

If she weren't in so much pain, I'd be jealous. I can never find time to read.

I just came in on this last page so if I'm an idiot and there's a descrip somewhere, let me know. Thx.

[BumbleB]

The Book of Lost THings - Here's A Synopsis, from Barnes and Noble. It wasn't posted before.


High in his attic bedroom, twelve-year-old David mourns the death of his mother. He is angry and alone, with only the books on his shelf for company. But those books have begun to whisper to him in the darkness, and as he takes refuge in his imagination, he finds that reality and fantasy have begun to meld. While his family falls apart around him, David is violently propelled into a land that is a strange reflection of his own world, populated by heroes and monsters, and ruled over by a faded king who keeps his secrets in a mysterious book... The Book of Lost Things.
An imaginative tribute to the journey we must all make through the loss of innocence into adulthood, John Connolly's latest novel is a book for every adult who can recall the moment when childhood began to fade, and for every adult about to face that moment. The Book of Lost Things is a story of hope for all who have lost, and for all who have yet to lose. It is an exhilarating tale that reminds us of the enduring power of stories in our lives.

[Dizzy]

TracieB: I'm glad to hear The Road gets better. I'll read it one of these days! What are you reading after this?

Nawsgirl: It totally makes sense that a predictable ending can be comfortable. I feel that way about a lot of movies & books. What can I say, I don't like it when everybody dies at the end :) Oh, and I've heard Nineteen Minutes is a downer at times, but very good.

whos that girl: Sounds like a cute read! What's next for you?

amberfiddles: Oh, my, you've reminded me of my youthful obsession with Roald Dahl. I read absolutely everything of his in elementary school. I think he's where my love affair with reading started!

mspeachy: Okay, I admit I haven't read much Stephen King! But, I don't like a lot of gore and violence...is he more of a suspenseful writer, tho, than a bloody one?

tealynn: The Book of Lost Things by John Connelly is some of the most fun I've had reading a book in a looooong time. It's very reminiscent of Chronicles of Narnia...so if your friend liked those books, she'll love The Book of Lost Things. Here is the description:


New York Times bestselling author John Connolly's unique imagination takes readers through the end of innocence into adulthood and beyond in this dark and triumphantly creative novel of grief and loss, loyalty and love, and the redemptive power of stories.


Oh, wait, I see BumbleB just posted the description! I'll delete most of it and leave just a brief endorsement!

[tealynn]

Thanks Bumble and Dizzy, it sounds really good. I love Chronicles.

Any fluffy reading recs? Like, hopped up on percocet, probably will need to reread most of it once she heals from her surgery?

[Dizzy]

I found The Other Boleyn Girl to be a great, easy read. I've also heard a lot of people on these boards rave about the Shopaholic series. I haven't read them myself, so maybe someone else can pipe in. I also sped through The Know-It-All by A.J. Jacobs. I'm currently reading his 2nd book and it's great, too. Oh, also anything by Steve Martin is fun & fluffy. I especially enjoyed The Pleasure of My Company and Shopgirl.

[tealynn]

Dizzy, those sound like great suggestions. I'm going to have to hit Borders on the way home. Thanks!

I picked up The Tender Bar today at lunch since it was on sale. Anyone read it?

[nawsgirl]

pixielou, ITA that the second Julie & Romeo book was nowhere near as good as the first...

The Book of Lost Things sounds good... off to check the library's web site...

[Dizzy]

Tealynn: I haven't read The Tender Bar, but I love a good memoir. I believe the author is a Pulitzer Prize winner? So it must be very well written!

[TracieB]

Finished The Road last night. What a hauntingly good book. Seriously. It took me awhile to really get into it, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. I start on page 31 last night and read through the whole thing last night. I have a ton of questions, though, but without giving away anything, I can't really elaborate. It left me thinking....

Now I'm onto Water for Elephants.

[TracieB]

Any fluffy reading recs? Like, hopped up on percocet, probably will need to reread most of it once she heals from her surgery?

I finished P.S., I love you last week and I thought it was pretty good. They are making a movie out of it (which I have no idea how it will turn out because they cast Hilary Swank as the main character, but in the book, she's an Irish girl). It's kinda a sad/uplifting book, though. I cried a lot while reading it.

[whos that girl]

I read Julie and Romeo a while ago. It was cute. For some reason I actually picked up the sequel - Julie and Romeo Get Lucky - which was not quite as cute as the original. I really enjoyed Eat Cake by the same author.
Cute really is the best way to describe it. I keep seeing the sequel, but havent gotten to pick it up. I guess I just cant see how the story could continue and still work. I dont even think Ive seen Eat Cake, but Ill keep an eye out for it!

[Katy]

I finished P.S., I love you last week and I thought it was pretty good. They are making a movie out of it (which I have no idea how it will turn out because they cast Hilary Swank as the main character, but in the book, she's an Irish girl). It's kinda a sad/uplifting book, though. I cried a lot while reading it.I loved this book!! I cried over and over again while I was reading it, but I also laughed a lot. Definitely a good read (unless you've recently lost someone important in your life).

[tealynn]

P.S. I love you that sounds really good. I love a good cry.

Is it wrong that I want to keep all the books I'm getting for my friend?

So far I have...

The Tender Bar
The Memory Keepers Daughter
Good In Bed

and I think I'll add P.S. I Love You

Plus, I got her the Jane Austen collection of DVDs.

That should keep her busy for a while.

Thanks for the suggestions!

[Dizzy]

TracieB: Woohoo on finishing The Road! You gave it a great endorsement so I am DEFINITELY putting it back on my list. Goodness, my list keeps getting longer and longer.... I loved Water for Elephants. It's so creative. I love interesting time periods and settings; they add so much to the story.

Tealynn: Those should definitely keep her busy for awhile! Altho, it's surprising how quickly one can read when they've got little else to do :) You're a really great friend for bringing books to her!

[BumbleB]

TracieB - I was thinking of starting a separate discussion thread for The Road. I'd love to chat a little about it too. That is the perfect way to describe it, "Hauntingly Good." Like I said, I had nightmares after reading it, yet it still managed to touch my heart.

[Anna Low]

Thanks for asking Dizzy. I'm enjoying it so far and hope to get it all finished this weekend.

[Dizzy]

Anna Low: You're welcome! Post a review when you're done so we all know whether or not to add it to our reading lists :)

I finished The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs. I really love this author. He's only written two books, but he also writes for Esquire and I always find his articles to be well-written and funny. At any rate, this is a fascinating read for anybody who considers themselves religious or who is curious about religion. As the title suggests, he spends a year following every law in the Bible...starting with the Old Testament and moving on to the New Testament. He considers himself an "agnostic Jew", so it's not a preachy book or anything like that. It's just a candid memoir and assessment of what he did, what he found, and how his year changed him. I still liked The Know-It-All better, but I think I always prefer the first book I read by any author.

[TracieB]

BumbleB - I would love to be a part of a thread that talks about the book. I wonder if he'll do a follow-up? Oh yeah, I was sobbing at the end of it, but still freaked out, too.

[Ummm]

i'd just finished he Handsomest Man in Cuba: An Escapade (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0762743905/ref=wl_it_dp/105-7945376-6854021?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2LALZTY3BWV7B&colid=1PE1QQS8G9NEQ). it's a fast interesting read (i just didn't have time to read is faster). i admire her courage to ride on her bike alone in cuba for 3 months, frugal style. it has very good reviews on amazon, tho i wish there's just a little bit more. not sure what exactly is missing. just something.

her website is not very well organized but fun to read http://www.galfromdownunder.com

now i'm reading Come Back: A Mother and Daughter's Journey Through Hell and Back (http://www.amazon.com/Come-Back-Daughters-Journey-Through/dp/0060859717/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-4952823-3647237?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193972345&sr=1-1), i wonder how it'd compare to Loss of Innocence (http://apps.facebook.com/ireadit/view/myReads.php?&start=11&end=10&refuid=510520028&src=&auri=&sort=&refuid=510520028&uid=510520028&status=read), which i'd already read.

both books are about a young teenager getting into drugs, how the parents didn't suspect it at all, and how they fight to get their kids better (i have no kids but enjoying reading true stories like so).

[mgrace]

Cute really is the best way to describe it. I keep seeing the sequel, but havent gotten to pick it up. I guess I just cant see how the story could continue and still work. I dont even think Ive seen Eat Cake, but Ill keep an eye out for it!
I read Eat Cake quite a while ago and I liked it.

[Ummm]

finished Come Back: A Mother and Daughter's Journey Through Hell and Back, easy to read, touching, and reflective.

[Dizzy]

Currently reading The Abstinence Teacher, Tom Perrotta's new book. I loved Little Childen (tho didn't care for the movie) and this one is just as good. I really enjoy Perrotta's slices of suburban life...it's always so "Wisteria Lane".

[am_81]

I finally finished Eat, Pray, Love (Elizabeth Gilbert) over the weekend and I'm not exactly sure how to form an opinion on it. In some ways I really liked the book, especially the descriptions of other cultures and her intereactions with the people there/other ex-pats. But in other ways I was just "eh" on it (specifically the author herself). I thought the premise of the book was a fantastic one . . . so maybe a narrator that I couldve at least partially identified with wouldve pushed it from just "good" to "great" for me?

I dont know. I think that this is one of those books that you have to be at the right place in your life to appreciate in the way the author meant it. And since I havent had that moment yet, and maybe wont ever have it, it didnt speak to me the way it has with others.

Next up is A Long Way Down (http://www.amazon.com/Long-Way-Down-Nick-Hornby/dp/1594481938/ref=pd_bbs_2/103-0407024-5195838?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194279450&sr=1-2) by Nick Hornby. I've heard it isnt one of his best, but since I've enjoyed everything I read by him already, I think it'll be enjoyable.

[Dizzy]

am_81: I really agree with you that Eat, Pray, Love probably speaks to a person who is in the 'right' place. I haven't read it for that reason; I feel it probably won't speak to me. Not that I'm above it or anything like that, I just don't feel any desire to read about someone's spiritual/eye-opening/post-divorce/what-have-you journey. I'm just not *there*.

And A Long Way Down was truly disappointing to me. I hope you like it better than I did! :) If you're a fan of Hornby in general, you'll probably still enjoy it!

[Dizzy]

How's everyone's books? Are there any books coming out you're excited about? Paolo Coehlo's Book of Quotations comes out today, I think.

I'm almost done with The Abstinence Teacher. I'm pretty sure I'll end up not liking it as much as Little Children. I really should learn to stop expecting as good a book as the first one by any given author. I usually end up disappointed!

[sheartm7]

The Pillars of the Earth
by Ken Follett

http://a1055.g.akamai.net/f/1055/1401/5h/images.barnesandnoble.com/images/13770000/13779588.JPG

A spellbinding epic set in twelfth-century England, The Pillars of the Earth tells the story of Philip, prior of Kingsbridge, a devout and resourceful monk driven to build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has known...of Tom, the mason who becomes his architect-a man divided in his soul...of the beautiful, elusive Lady Aliena, haunted by a secret shame...and of a struggle between good and evil that will turn church against state, and brother against brother.

It's awesome so far.

[katmg]

Just finished Pillars of the Earth and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'll probably read the sequel to it eventually. Maybe I'll ask for that for Christmas. :)

[SiValleySteph]

Oh I love Pillars of the Earth! I must have read it at least 15 years ago for the first time. :D I didn't realize there was a sequal. Must put it on the Christmas list and check out Pillars of the Earth for a reread!

I just finished Look Me in the Eye: My life with Aspergers by John Robison, brother of Augusten Burroughs of Running with Scissors. It's for my book club. Not something I would have read otherwise. I had to slog through it.

[JoyfulGirl]

Delurking to ask if the sequel to Pillars of the Earth just came out recently? I saw a special about the author on tv and "just knew" I would remember the name of the book, but of course I can't. It looks like the same book.

Thank you!

JoyfulGirl
:D

[am_81]

Delurking to ask if the sequel to Pillars of the Earth just came out recently? I saw a special about the author on tv and "just knew" I would remember the name of the book, but of course I can't. It looks like the same book.

Thank you!

JoyfulGirl
:D

It just came out at the beginning of October (so only available in hardback) and is called World Without End ("http://www.amazon.com/World-Without-End-Ken-Follett/dp/0525950079/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-9185324-3114240?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194381472&sr=1-1).

I'm trying sooooo hard to resist starting it until our T-giving travels, but seeing it everyday on my bookshelf is making it hard. Maybe I should go ahead and pack it in my suitcase now so I dont have to look at it anymore.

[JoyfulGirl]

Thanks, am_81, that is the book!

JoyfulGirl
:D

[Dizzy]

SiValleySteph: I've been eyeing that book (Look Me in the Eye) for awhile...what didn't you like about it? Is it not worth picking up?

Wow! Pillars of the Earth is a popular read! What did everybody love about it?

[Ohana]

Delurking to ask if the sequel to Pillars of the Earth just came out recently? I saw a special about the author on tv and "just knew" I would remember the name of the book, but of course I can't. It looks like the same book.

Thank you!

JoyfulGirl
:D

Yes, it came out recently. It's not really a sequel, though. It takes place in Kingsbridge about 200 years after the cathedral was built. You'll meet the descendents of Tom Builder, and Aliena and Jack. Even if you never read Pillars, though, you'll totally get the story line.



Wow! Pillars of the Earth is a popular read! What did everybody love about it?

I just loved that it was a great story with lots of interesting characters. Ken Follett is one of my favorite authors, and I just loved how this story came together.

[SiValleySteph]

Dizzy, Look Me in the Eye was just sort of boring. Like a listing of events in this guys life. No real point. The Aspergers angle seemed sort of pointless, too. I mean, he did some neat things, it didn't seem to hinder him really, so it was a little annoying that he kept talking about it all the time. I was just IM'ing about it with a fellow book club member and we just felt it was sort of boring and pointless.

[Purple]

Pillars of the Earth is one of my favourite books. It is Ken Follett's best. I found it moving, gripping and the depth of the characters is outstanding. I first read it in my teens and have re-read it several times and it continues to move me. The period, storyline and characters just draw you in for the entire novel.

[Dizzy]

SiValleySteph: Thank you for that explanation of why you didn't care for it. It sounds like it's not all it's cracked up to be! I mean, the premise is awesome and sounds like it'd be fascinating, but I guess it just didn't live up to that expectation. I appreciate your thoughts on it...you probably kept me from wasting a few days reading it :)

StarJune: What a convincing review! Thanks for taking the time to post that. I love a book with well-thought-out characters. Even if a plot is interesting, I often feel jipped if the characters aren't well established. I want a book that makes me care what will happen next to the protagonist(s).

Me: I finished The Abstinence Teacher last night and it was just okay for me. It's not anything I would suggest somebody run out now and go read. It wasn't bad and it wasn't poorly written...just disappointing. I think I'm comparing it too much to Little Children, which was a masterpiece (I felt). Perrotta's most current book is rushed, a little disjointed and not completely solid. I almost feel like he was given an advance and HAD to produce a book quickly. This morning I picked up Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policemen's Union and am VERY excited about it.

[BumbleB]

It just came out at the beginning of October (so only available in hardback) and is called World Without End ("http://www.amazon.com/World-Without-End-Ken-Follett/dp/0525950079/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-9185324-3114240?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194381472&sr=1-1).

I'm trying sooooo hard to resist starting it until our T-giving travels, but seeing it everyday on my bookshelf is making it hard. Maybe I should go ahead and pack it in my suitcase now so I dont have to look at it anymore.


am_81 - I'm having such a hard time too, I really want to save it for Thanksgiving travel as well, but it is hard to hold off on it. I've kind of hidden it in the corner of my bookshelf in the hopes that I won't think about it too much.


I too, have to say that Pillars of the Earth was one of the most fabulous books I've ever read. I love the characters, the time period, the details of the church building process, all of it is just incredibly detailed and wonderful. And it even has a villain so awful I was truly horrified at times.

If you love historical fiction - it is one book that MUST be on your list.

[Purple]

Has anyone read Pillars of the Earth and the new book? Just wondering how it compares. I fully don't expect it to be as good but I know that I will still love it. Of my 3 favourite authors (including Follett) it just seems that they have one book that FAR outshines the rest.

Other two are:

Daphne Du Maurier~ Rebecca
Anne-Marie MacDonald~ Fall on Your Knees

I am really big on depth of characters and all three have them. I talked about Frances from Fall on Your Knees for weeks with the friend who recommended the book to me... trying to figure out why she did certain things and what her true intentions were. You felt so connected and as if you knew her.

Daphne has written several books, Anne-Marie has written only 2 books (Fall on Your Knees being the first) but several screenplays and Follett has written many too, but each have their one masterpiece. Yes, I have read all their other works! I guess you are only allowed one genius writing creation per lifetime. :p

[Ohana]

I'm only a few hundred pages into the new Follett, but I for one think this book will be as good as the first. Yes, many of the characters are very similar to those in Pillars of the Earth (Caris reminds me a lot of Aliena, Merthin is like Jack, his brother is a teensy bit like Alfred, Godwin is a teensy bit like Phillip), but it's a great story so far. I look forward to bedtime every night so I can get my reading in.

[TracieB]

I'm on a roll with good books lately. I finished Water for Elephants last night. Wonderful book! The development of the characters, the vivid storytelling... everything was really, really great. I'm making my husband read it next! The only thing I wasn't prepared for was when he talks about the cruelty to the animals. It made me kinda sad because I'm a huge animal lover/ASPCA contributor. But, that was central to the story and it all wrapped up wonderfully.

I can truly see this book being made into a movie - although I'm sure the book will be better!

[Dizzy]

TracieB: Water for Elephants was definitely a surprise for me, too! I didn't expect to be as good as it was. You've been on a roll lately with good books! What's next for you?

I just stumbled upon this website: What Should I Read Next? (http://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/books/search) I've been playing around on it all morning and I LOVE it!

Still reading The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon. It's every bit as great as I expected.

[BumbleB]

Dizzy - that site looks great, I'm checking it out right now.

I would love to see Water for Elephants as a movie - it would be fantastic!


I'm currently reading The Secret River by Kate Grenville

From the Publisher:

The Orange Prize-winning author Kate Grenville recalls her family's history in an astounding novel about the pioneers of New South Wales. Already a best seller in Australia, The Secret River is the story of Grenville's ancestors, who wrested a new life from the alien terrain of Australia and its native people. London, 1806. William Thornhill, a Thames bargeman, is deported to the New South Wales colony in what would become Australia. In this new world of convicts and charlatans, Thornhill tries to pull his family into a position of power and comfort. When he rounds a bend in the Hawkesbury River and sees a gentle slope of land, he becomes determined to make the place his own. But, as uninhabited as the island appears, Australia is full of native people, and they do not take kindly to Thornhill's theft of their home.

The Secret River is the tale of Thornhill's deep love for his small corner of the new world, and his slow realization that if he wants to settle there, he must ally himself with the most despicable of the white settlers, and to keep his family safe, he must permit terrifying cruelty to come to innocent people.

It is VERY good so far.

[GlamaGal]

I read The Road Friday. I couldn't put it down. I made dinner and kept reading it!! For me, it was everything I would do for my child if in the same situation. I'm starting his All The Pretty Horses tonight and then I am moving on to some more positive books!

[whos that girl]

Ma. he sold me for a few cigarettes (http://www.amazon.com/Ma-He-Sold-Few-Cigarettes/dp/1845962796)

Im about 3/4 of the way in and Im going to finish it tonight.
Its a little hard to read as shes written it as she spoke and I guess, thought, as a child and there is a lot of Irish slang and such in it. Once you get used to that, the horror grips you as you read what was daily life for this girl.

At one point, drenched in tears, I threw the book onto my bookcase and glared at it from time to time during the day, as if it were an evil, living thing. It took several hours for me to pick it up and start reading again, I just wanted to find this little girl and bath her and cuddle her. It made my heart literally ache, and Ive never felt anything like it.

If I had to compare it to something, it would be Angelas Ashes. Its like a more violent, less funny female version. Frank had it bloody easy compared to Martha!

This is the first time in my life Ive been reading biographies, and sometimes it disturbs me because fiction is all well and good, its like watching Poltergeist and laughing. But when its real ... its too real.

[nawsgirl]

I finished Second Chance by Jane Green a little while ago- it was OK. Thankfully the ending was not as cliched as I was afraid it might be. The characters didn't necessarily get what they thought they wanted, but were overall satisfied with their situations.

I'm reading Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, and it feels like one of those "moment of truth" movies on Lifetime. She keeps moving around in time, and even though she says if its "Ten Days Later" or "One Year Earlier", it seems like the character's ages and school grades keep changing. At one point she refers to a conversation 2 characters had five years ago in 6th grade, but then says they are now in 9th grade- huh? I'm curious to see how things go, but I think Picoult kind of gave a lot away with her dedication at the beginning- she says it's for all the kids out there who are different or teased, so I can't imagine she'll let anything bad happen to the character who is teased and bullied.

I've been listening to Twilight by Stephenie Meyer- it's about a girl who moves from Phoenix to Forks, WA and starts hanging around with this too-perfect-to-be-true boy who turns out to be a vampire. It's dangerous to hang around him because part of him wants to kill her for her blood, but she's fallen in love with him and can't stay away. It's the first in a series. I like the story, but it feels like the author wrote it to impress an English teacher with her SAT-level vocab. It's a YA book, so I'm hoping she is just trying to encourage teens to use big words :) I was promised that it is not bloody or gory or violent, and so far that has been the case.

[hub1176]

I just finished Keeper of the House by Rebecca T. Godwin. I could not put this book down. Loved it.
On the flip side I had to read The Deep End of The Ocean for a book club. While I didn't want to gouge out my eyes at the end, I had to force myself to read it. I'm hoping it's not my reaction the fact it was an Oprah selection, as I've been wanting to read Love In The Time Of Cholera for years and just haven't gotten around to it.

[Dizzy]

I'm hoping it's not my reaction the fact it was an Oprah selection, as I've been wanting to read Love In The Time Of Cholera for years and just haven't gotten around to it.

Love in the Time of Cholera is a beautiful book. Oprah actually got one right this time!

[GlamaGal]

nawsgirl- I found myself rereading things in Nineteen Minutes too trying to match it up. It's a good read!!

Is All the Pretty Horses going to be really depressing like The Road? I can't bring myself to start it yet...I read the cover and it sounds a little heartbreaking.

[Purple]

Ohana- Thanks for the tip about Follett's new book. I have ordered it from the library and am excited to read it. If it is as you say I will definitely buy it.

[HunBun]

nawsgirl, I loooove the Twilight series! It's so indulgent... definitely a way to get in touch with your inner teen. :D I've never liked vampires, but I like Stephenie Meyer's version. Totally addictive.

I'm reading The Golden Dream of Carlo Chuchio, by Lloyd Alexander. This was his last book, as he passed away earlier this year. He was always one of my favorite children's authors, so I snatched this one off the shelf as soon as I saw it.

[Dizzy]

I think lots of people will be picking up Pillars of the Earth based on this thread! For those of you who are, it's now in Mass Market Paperback for 7.99. Can't go wrong with a cheap book that's actually good :) Correct me if I'm wrong Follett fans, but it seems his new book is not a sequel...it's just his 2nd book? I just want to clear that up for myself!

For all of you Picoult fans out there, what is THE definitive Picoult book? I want to put one of her works on my "to read" list, but I just want to pick one. Should I read Nineteen Minutes, The Pact, My Sister's Keeper, something else altogether?

Thanks in advance!

And thank you to those who recommended The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood. I finally picked it up (haven't gotten around to it yet) but she was another of whom I wanted to read the "definitive" book.

[Purple]

Dizzy- It is not a sequel but carries on some of the storyline details of Pillars. And it is not his second book... he has written 20+ books but these two are the only ones of this genre and Pillars of the Earth happens to be his bestseller.

Several of his other books are surrounding WWII and are significantly different.

Here is a quote from his website:

"Ever since The Pillars of the Earth was published in 1989, readers have been asking me to write a sequel. The book is so popular that I've been nervous about trying to repeat its success. But at last I screwed up my courage, and wrote World Without End.

I couldn't write another book about building a cathedral, because that would be the same book. And I couldn't write another story about the same characters, because by the end of 'Pillars' they are all very old or dead. 'World Without End' takes place in the same town, Kingsbridge, and features the descendants of the 'Pillars' characters two centuries later.

The cathedral and the priory are again at the centre of a web of love and hate, greed and pride, ambition and revenge. But at the heart of the story is the greatest natural disaster ever to strike the human race: the plague known as the Black Death, which killed something like half the population of Europe in the fourteenth century. The people of the Middle Ages battled this lethal pestilence and survived and, in doing so, laid the foundations of modern medicine."
(will delete if I shouldn't put the whole quote in)

And here (http://www.ken-follett.com/home/index.html) is a link to the site.

[Dizzy]

StarJune: Thank you for the clarification! Isn't it funny how an author can be so prolific and yet still be way off our radar? I am ashamed to admit I have NO knowledge of any of Follett's other works.

I am very intrigued by World Without End; its plot actually grabs my attention more than Pillars, but I don't want to read something "out of order". I can see how it's not really a sequel (thank-you StarJune!) but I feel I might be missing out if I read World Without End first.

[Purple]

Yeah, I would read Pillars first. One because I think that it will be better ;), and also so you can get a good background on the new one. I am impressed that Ken Follett acknowledged his hesitation in attempting to write a subsequent book. It is a hard act to follow.

[ausi2b]

Dizzy - I think the most acclaimed Picoult book is My Sister's Keeper. I've read most of her books, and although this book was very controversial in this thread, I think it is the one story that has stuck with me.

[Ohana]

Dizzy The Follett books, I believe, were designed so you could World Without End first without missing much. They do refer to characters from Pillars of the Earth from time to time, though, and World has the descendents of the Pillars characters, so I'd read them in order.

That said, I am loving World Without End. Yeah, it seems like many of the characters and storylines are recycled, but it's still a fantastic read.

If you've not read any of Follett's others, I would recommend Whiteout, Night Over Water, and Lie Down With Lions. All are excellent!

[Dizzy]

Thanks StarJune and Ohana for weighing in on my what-to-read-first conundrum! I think I'll go ahead and read Pillars first. I mean, it's only $7.99 !

ausi2b: Thank you for offering your opinion on Picoult!

Are there any other Picoult fans who concur?

FYI, I wanted to let everyone know about the selection I FINALLY made for Mystery Book Club at my bookstore. There were many great suggestions offered up in this thread that I will most likely eventually get to, but my manager ultimately left it up to me. (she was going to pick herself, but I guess decided she didn't have time for it :rolleyes:)

Anyhoo, I picked Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story by Leonie Swann.

http://www.goodreads.com/images/books/77/463/779463-m-1178281786.jpg
From the inside flap:

A witty philosophical murder mystery with a charming twist: the crack detectives are sheep determined to discover who killed their beloved shepherd.

It seemed like a fun read (not too gross or gory, I hope) and something interesting enough to hopefully catch people's eye and get them to attend! Unfortunately, because the mgr delayed in choosing and then turned it over to me, we missed November, and I just don't see people attending a new book club in December :(

[mgrace]

I just finished Having It and Eating It (http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=61-9781573229906-0). It was a quick read.

[Rosebud]

I've been MIA from this thread for a while. Now that I'm not so sick anymore and picking up a book doesn't make me nauseous, I'm really trying to get back into the swing of things.

I'm currently reading The History of Love: A Novel by Nicola Krauss. It's really interesting so far and I love her writing style. From Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/History-Love-Novel-Nicole-Krauss/dp/0393328627/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-0038243-7527602?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194980518&sr=8-1):


The History of Love spans of period of over 60 years and takes readers from Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe to present day Brighton Beach. At the center of each main character's psyche is the issue of loneliness, and the need to fill a void left empty by lost love. Leo Gursky is a retired locksmith who immigrates to New York after escaping SS officers in his native Poland, only to spend the last stage of his life terrified that no one will notice when he dies. ("I try to make a point of being seen. Sometimes when I'm out, I'll buy a juice even though I'm not thirsty.") Fourteen-year-old Alma Singer vacillates between wanting to memorialize her dead father and finding a way to lift her mother's veil of depression. At the same time, she's trying to save her brother Bird, who is convinced he may be the Messiah, from becoming a 10-year-old social pariah. As the connection between Leo and Alma is slowly unmasked, the desperation, along with the potential for salvation, of this unique pair is also revealed.

The poetry of her prose, along with an uncanny ability to embody two completely original characters, is what makes Krauss an expert at her craft. But in the end, it's the absolute belief in the uninteruption of love that makes this novel a pleasure, and a wonder to behold.

[Purple]

I was very disappointed with My Sister's Keeper. I felt that the ending was a let down... I preferred Vanishing Acts. Jodi Picoult is not one of my favourite authors or writing style/plot line.

[Dizzy]

Rosebud: The History of Love is one of the most stunning books I've ever read. Krauss has a way with words and phrases that literally makes your heart skip. I am so glad I read that book; I can't imagine NOT having read it, if that makes any sense. It just affected me. I'm reeeally glad someone else can understand!

StarJune: Thank you for the comments! Do you mind describing what about Picoult's style you don't care for? I'm very curious, especially since I do intend on reading at least one of her works.

[Ohana]

I didn't care for Jodi Piccoult, either. I read My Sister's Keeper and got confused, because the storyline kept jumping back and forth between which character was telling the story, as well as jumping around in time. I was disappointed, because her books seem to get such rave reviews, but I won't bother reading another.

[katmg]

I'll also jump on the bandwagon and say that Picoult is overrated. I enjoyed reading her book Plain Truth. (It was also made into a "made for tv movie" on lifetime.) But I read several others and I just got annoyed with them. I think her books are very formulaic - she tries to have a "gotcha" kind of twist in each one and a hot topic rather than focusing on a great plot or character development or something. I think that is true of a lot of authors that become very famous for one genre of writing - James Patterson, Michael Crichton, John Grisham, etc. I have read lots of all of those authors and after awhile they're just too predictable. For me, Picoult became REALLY predicatable after reading only one or two of her books. I would say that I enjoyed the first book of hers that I read, so I would just try to get one of better reviewed ones and read that first! :)

[Purple]

Everyone else really summed it up. I find her writing to be very amateurish. The characters were not developed and it seemed that she was trying too hard. Plus, it was a bit boring. The storyline and plot doesn't grab you. I had to actually go back to look up the details since they were so insignificant. Also, I like to learn as I am reading, especially with a "drama" novel.

[TracieB]

Dizzy - Agree with ausi2b on My Sister's Keeper. It's the first Picoult book I read and thought it was very captivating.

I finished The Manny last night. Ha! I was looking for something light and easy to read and I got it! I thought it was good, and definitely different than any regular chick-lit book I've read before. There was actual substance to it and I enjoyed that.

[hub1176]

My next book club selection is Water For Elephants Did I see that someone had read this?
And after reading this thread I'm picking up Pillars of the Earth It's going to be my turn to pick the book soon and I'm hoping to find a good one.
I'm in agreement with those who are not fans of Jodi Picoult. I read Salem Falls years ago and thought it was so predictable.

[TracieB]

hub1176 - I just finished Water for Elephants and there's a thread on it here. It's a great book - perfect for a book club!!

[nawsgirl]

re: Jodi Picoult, I thought Plain Truth was OK. I really did not like Perfect Match and would not recommend it at all...

I too am tempted to request Pillars of the Earth although it is something like 32 CDs on audiobook, so I think I may have to wait until my current backlog is clear :o Good thing I am exempt from library fines (since I work there)!

[Purple]

Good thing I am exempt from library fines (since I work there)!

How nice is that to be surrounded by books everyday! And no fines!!! :)

[Dizzy]

I'm bummed to hear so many less-than-stellar reviews of Picoult. But I really do appreciate the input from everyone. I'm still going to *try* to read one of her works; I just feel I should know what a Picoult book is like and be able to discuss her. But now I won't feel so bad if I end up putting it down before the end! :)

hub1176: Water for Elephants is a great book! It actually started out a little slow for me, but it's more than worth it. AND it's a great book club selection - lots of stuff to talk about!

The Yiddish Policemen's Union just had a CRAZY twist. I totally didn't see it coming! I'm loving this book.

[amberfiddles]

i just finished 19 minutes by picoult and didn't love it. the ending was lackluster and i just couldn't get into the whole thing.

a book i finished last week that i just loved was the friday night knitting club. fun because i knit, but the characters were developed so well and i'm a sucker for a story about friendships among women.

i found a new mystery series that i luff---the molly murphy series by rhys bowen. murphy's law is the first in the series and it had me hooked... here is the excerpt from bn:

From the creator of the much-loved Constable Evan Evans mysteries comes a colorful new series set in turn-of-the-century New York City. When spirited redhead Molly Murphy was growing up a peasant on the coast of Ireland she always imagined there was something more in store for her. She couldn't have known how right she was until the day she became a murderer, albeit in self-defense. Under drastic circumstances, Molly is forced to strike out into a new world. With the police right behind her, Molly's only chance at escape is a false identity and a steamship that will take her far, far away: to America.

With the sweepingskyline of 19th century New York and the gritty, pulsating underworld of recently arrived immigrants forming a vivid backdrop, Rhys Bowen transports readers back in time to America's not-so-distant past. The first entry in the Molly Murphy series is a fascinating look at our immigrant history as well as an intensely absorbing page-turner.

on the recs from this thread i also read shutter island over the wkd. very fast read and i really enjoyed his style. tried to pick up something else by lehane at the lib but everything was ck'd out... maybe next time!

reading for kidlets/school:

-bridge to terabithia---still makes me boohoo.
-mc higgins the great---easy to see why it won the newberry. i like how the author didn't just make it about black/white issues, it was also have/have not issues, family etc.
-field guide to high school---made me laugh out loud! if you know any 8th grade girls, buy them this book.

[am_81]

It looks like even Oprah (http://www.oprah.com/obc_classic/featbook/pote/obc_featbook_pote_main.jhtml) is getting on the Ken Follett bandwagon. I'm just glad I read it before she had the masses clamoring (sp?) for it; I have an irrational aversion to all things Oprah and would not be able to stand that 'O' on the cover.

As for me, I finished A Long Way Down (Nick Hornby) over the weekend. I was very "eh" on it. Two of the four characters bugged the crap out of me (Maureen and Jes) and their whole gang thing just seemed a little too far-fetched. I really do like Hornby though, so I couldnt not finish it.

I started Suite Francaise (Irene Nemirovsky) on Sunday and am already halfway through. [For those that havent heard of it, the book is broken out into two parts and was originally the beginnings of a five-part novel. Unfortunately, the author was taken prisoners by the Nazis before she could finish the novel and it was published posthumously.] I enjoyed the first portion ("Storm in June"), but I did have some issues with the tone of some of the characters (or maybe the author herself?). I also skipped ahead to the back and read all the correspondence regarding her and her husband's capture . . . it is heartbreaking reading all the letters her husband was sending off, trying to locate his wife. I'm saving her diary entries until after I read the second part ("Dolce") because it contains her notes for the full novel.

[BumbleB]

I too, hate the 'O' on book covers. Ack!

I'm glad I've already bought it and will be reading it next week.

I'm almost through The Secret River - which truly is a fabulous look at the colonialization of Australia and the exhile and history of convicts sent there. Parts of it remind me of Heart of Darkness, it also has a similar feel to The Poisonwood Bible. A very interesting and engrossing read.


I had to order The Book of Lost Things because I couldn't find it in anywhere here. So hopefully after I get back from Thanksgiving that one will be here waiting for me.

[Dizzy]

I just read about Oprah getting on the Pillars bandwagon, as well. I hope my managers realize it and order accordingly (i work at a bookstore PT) because the last couple of "Oprah" books we didn't have enough of and it was sooo embarrassing to constantly say "we're sold out." I do recommend people buy the Mass Market while you can. Publishers have been known to pull mass markets and even trade paperbacks when a book gets popular so they can make more $$.

am_81: I agree that A Long Way Down was disappointing, but Hornby is still a very fun author. I've heard great things about Suite Francaise. Bookmarks magazine gave it 4 1/2 stars! Would you consider it a fairly quick read? Just curious because I'm not sure I want to dive into another intense novel after the one I'm currently reading.

BumbleB: I've not heard anything about The Secret River; it sounds very interesting! Bummer that you couldn't find The Book of Lost Things anywhere. Do you mean at the library, or in general?

[am_81]

am_81: I agree that A Long Way Down was disappointing, but Hornby is still a very fun author. I've heard great things about Suite Francaise. Bookmarks magazine gave it 4 1/2 stars! Would you consider it a fairly quick read? Just curious because I'm not sure I want to dive into another intense novel after the one I'm currently reading.

I can only speak to the first story, but I thought it was a fairly quick read. DH took me to spa on Sunday for our anniversary and I read almost all of it in the 3 hours we were lounging around. It does take place during WWII (right before the Nazis take over part of France), but it doesnt get into the concentration camps and stuff that normally makes war novels "heavy."

I actually started this one because its my next online book club pick. But, I also knew I could read it fast enough and be done before T-giving. Finals madness starts in just two weeks, so I wanted to read "one last book" before I start cramming.

[Dizzy]

....I read almost all of it in the 3 hours we were lounging around.

That's definitely a quick read! Or maybe you're just a really fast reader :) Thanks for the tip. I'll pick it up eventually!

I finished The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon last night. It definitely picked up the 2nd half of the book. I'll admit the first half was a little slow and at times dry. He wrote it in a "film noir" style, so, as you can imagine, it made for a somewhat slow, almost drowsy pace at first.

But it REALLY picked up and had some CRAZY twists and turns in the 2nd half. I'm amazed at how he tied everything together and that even the smallest mention of a clue early in the book ended up being a big deal later...just genius.

I saw an interview with him where he said he had a 600 page 1st draft written in a different tense & voice and threw the whole thing away!! He switched to 3rd person present and re-constructed the entire book.

Anyhoo, today I picked up Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance (http://www.amazon.com/Better-Surgeons-Performance-Atul-Gawande/dp/0805082115/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195158586&sr=1-2) by Atul Gawande. I needed some non-fiction for a change!

[am_81]

That's definitely a quick read! Or maybe you're just a really fast reader :) Thanks for the tip. I'll pick it up eventually!

Well, the first story was only approx 200 pages . . . I *am* normally a fast reader though. (Some of that 3 hours was spent eating lunch and hanging out in a jacuzzi, so it wasnt like I was reading for 3 hours straight. :) )

[Dizzy]

am_81: Yup, you're definitely a fast reader! I hope you enjoy your "last read" before finals cramming. Do you have a book picked out as a reward for after finals?

BumbleB: How was the ending of The Secret River? Did The Book of Lost Things come in yet?

amberfiddles: Thanks for the tip on the new mystery series! I'll have to bring that up at Mystery Book Club (if anyone attends...) What grade to you teach?

StarJune & nawsgirl: How are your books? Are there any new ones out there that have grabbed your attention?

[BumbleB]

Dizzy- Finished The Secret River last night. I don't remember where I first heard about that one, but I'm glad I did - it was so well written and a very interesting story. The New York Public Library has it on a list of 25 Books to Remember from 2006.


The Book of Lost Things probably won't make it here before I leave for Thanksgiving. I was not able to find it in any bookstore and our little library here does not have it. If I had the time before Thanksgiving I could go into town to the bigger library and get it there - but it's a 45 minute drive and I don't think I'm going to make it there until about a week after we get back from T-giving - so that's why I ordered it.

In the meantime I think I'm going to read Stones From the River by Ursula Hegi and then start World Without End over Thanksgiving.

[Dizzy]

BumbleB: Oh, wow, The Secret River is on a list of 25 Books to Remember from 2006? That's awesome! I'll have to look into it. I'm a sucker for books that are finalists for awards, or end up on "the best of" lists, etc, etc.

Speaking of awards, Denis Johnson's Tree of Smoke won the National Book Award for fiction.

The other nominees:
Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris (I've heard this compared to The Office and/or Office Space)
Fieldwork by Mischa Berlinski
Like You'd Understand, Anyway by Jim Shepard
Varieties of Disturbance by Lydia Davis

[Purple]

Dizzy~ I have not been reading much fiction lately- mostly non. Being on this thread has encouraged me to go back and read some of my favourites again. I'll start Rebecca this weekend, read Pillars again before I get the new one; I picked up Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels today. It has rave reviews... I'll let you know how it is as I am reading through.

I'm trying to read more Canadian authors. Does anyone have any recommendations? I tried Jump by ??? but I had to put it down so many times. I *never* stop a book once I have started it, so it was pretty bad. Maybe I will go back to it.

[LaughAtlantis]

I just finished Anybody Out There? by Marian Keyes, which was wonderful. Very unexpected. Not a light frothy chick lit, but a good easy read with solid characters and great emotion.

[Ummm]

just finished innocent as sin by elizabeth lowell. it's so-so. i have read other books of hers that i liked better (her books are like murder/mystery/romance - you know, you always know the male and female leads will get together while solving the crime).

also finished shutter island - i like it a lot so thanks to whoever recommended it! it's not something i'd normally pick up (an author unknown, the front cover wasn't very attractive, and not set in contemporary time which i usually prefer - granted the story line wasn't set that long ago...). but very clearly done.

reading stiff. actually started reading it quite a while back but changed books.

[Dizzy]

Ummm: I thought Stiff was really fascinating, but I wouldn't recommend Spook, which I think she wrote after that. Just fyi!

I finished Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance by Gawande tonight. WOW! It was utterly fascinating. I'm very intrigued my medicine, anyway, but I think it has the kind of fascinating stories that would appeal to many.

I picked up Pillars of the Earth today and even though I won't get to it for awhile, I had to buy it because it was the last mass market paperback in stock. The trade paperbacks are pouring into the bookstores and they're $24.95!

I also bought The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe vs. Wade by Ann Fessler. (whew, that was a long title!)

Not sure when I'll get to either of those. My store has a borrowing policy that allows us to "check out" 1 hardcover at a time for up to 2 weeks, so I'm always torn between reading a book I've purchased vs. checking one out while it's still in hardcover...

[kwsu44]

It looks like even Oprah (http://www.oprah.com/obc_classic/featbook/pote/obc_featbook_pote_main.jhtml) is getting on the Ken Follett bandwagon. I'm just glad I read it before she had the masses clamoring (sp?) for it; I have an irrational aversion to all things Oprah and would not be able to stand that 'O' on the cover.

Me Too!!!!!

[mili04]

I just recently read a couple of good ones:

Operating Instructions: A journal of my son's first year by Anne Lamott.
Very funny. A must read for any new mom.

Crisis, pursued by disaster, followed closely by catastrophe: A memoir of life on the run by Mike O'Conner.
I don't read a lot of non-fiction, but this one intrigued me. Journalist Mike O'Conner recounts a childhood of countless moves, sometimes leaving everything behind in the middle of the night, and later, his search to find out what made his parents so afraid.

Last night I started Songs without words by Ann Packer. Very good so far.

[Ummm]

dizzy - thanks for the headsup about spook - what don't you like about it?

thanks for the recommendation for Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance, i work in healtcare (allied health) so should be interesting to read.

[Dizzy]

Ummm: My .02....Stiff was an intriguing topic; maybe something Mary Roach had been interested in and naturally decided to write a book about. Which was great! But with Spook I felt like she wasn't nearly as invested in her topic and was trying to recreate the success of Stiff. It felt very forced and was extremely redundant.

And if you're in health-care I think you'll really appreciate Better. I read it in two days, it was soooo captivating.

[Dizzy]

mili04: Did you read The Dive From Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer? If so, I'd love to know how you think Songs Without Words compares.

am_81 & kwsu44: I completely agree with you on not liking the big "O" on books. I also don't like the movie covers...I want the "original" book cover that was painstakingly decided upon by agent, publisher, editor, and author. There's a reason a cover is the way it is!

[Ummm]

finished stiff. interesting read. even tho i'm chinese, i was still amazed/disgusted with some of the 'medicine' mentioned...

trying to decide what to read next - borrowed a bunch of books from the lib (fiction and non). depends on my mood!

[am_81]

am_81 & kwsu44: I completely agree with you on not liking the big "O" on books. I also don't like the movie covers...I want the "original" book cover that was painstakingly decided upon by agent, publisher, editor, and author. There's a reason a cover is the way it is!

I dont do movie covers either; they irritate the crap out of me. I do have a few laying around though, normally books I've picked up off the clearance shelves at Half Price Books (who can resist books for only $1?). Also a set of Stepphen King paperbacks that my mom gave me a couple years ago . . . it was one of those Sams Club/Costco boxset specials or something.

Anyway . . . . finished Suite Francaise yesterday. I definitely liked the second story ("Dolce") better than the first ("Storm in June"). One thing that was really hard for me to swallow was how Nemirovsky portrayed the richer, upper class people (in both stories). There was not a single sympathetic rich character . . . . I dont know if thats really what she though of the upper class, but it kind of turned me off that not even one of them was "good." I also thought how it was sort of strange how favorably she portrayed the German soldiers . . . . they were just men (like their frenchmen), doing their jobs, taking orders. It seemed awfully understanding of her, unlike most WWII books I've read. I actually really liked the two mentioned the most frequently in "Dolce" and was rooting for one of them in the end. I wish she wouldve been able to finish the stories. According to her notes included in the back of the book, I think I wouldve liked the stories a lot more had there been some conclusion.

I'm taking a break from books until Thursday. I knoww if I start reading World Without End now, I wont be able to put it down. (Un)Fortunately, I have a research paper due at the end of the week and finals to start studying for to distract me for the next few days.

[amberfiddles]

dizzy i'm going to be a school lib media specialist. i'm not sure what grade yet so i try to pick up new books/award winners throughout the k-12 span so i can stay on top of things.

i'm like am_81 in that the end of the term is upon me soon and i have projects to finish up so reading for fun gets the backburner :P

i need to line up some light reading for december...any good suggestions?

[Dizzy]

am_81 & amberfiddles: Good luck on your finals! I am impressed you guys have time to read anything other than school-related books at all. I didn't read anything unrelated to my major for all of undergrad!

I picked up Why Beautiful People Have More Daughters by Alan S. Miller & Satoshi Kanazawa. It's about evolutionary psychology and why we do the things we do...human nature, basically. I was still in the mood for non-fiction, apparently! I'm loving it. Very fascinating read.

[am_81]

am_81 & amberfiddles: Good luck on your finals! I am impressed you guys have time to read anything other than school-related books at all. I didn't read anything unrelated to my major for all of undergrad!

Well, to be fair, I'm only taking 3 "real" classes this semester and one of them is ridiculously easy for me (almost identical to a class I took about 9 years ago). My schedule is staggered too, so 3 days a week I only have two classes, but spend 4+ hours at school. I do a fair amount of reading during that downtime. ;) We'll see how next semester goes though . . . 5 classes with only one "easy" one. And I'm not convinced that it'll be as easy for me as my advisor thinks.

[kwsu44]

I like how I can peel the Oprah stickers off of the books now (whereas before they used to be a design on the cover itself).

I just finished The Road ... it was so very, very sad.

[Ummm]

reading the namesake by jhumpa lahiri. have read about 100 pages in one day (would've read more if i don't have work to do after my day job).

[Dizzy]

amberfiddles: It's awesome that you try to keep up with so much in the K-12 span of books. I'm sure there are some fun reads out there in that age-range. Are you still looking for something light & fun for December? I am constantly recommending Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn. It's really fun and clever at the same time. I love anything by Steve Martin or Christopher Moore for a light read. I also recently read one of the Nursery Crime books by Jasper Fforde and it was soooo cute! HTH!

am_81: You sound like me...always with a book in hand just in case you get a free moment to read it! ;) I hope next semester is easy on you so you can keep reading books and telling me about them :)

kwsu44: I didn't even realize the "O" stickers could be pulled off. That's a welcome change! What are you reading now?

Ummm: I love Lahiri's writing; she really develops her characters. I keep meaning to pick up Interpreter of Maladies as I've heard it's even better than The Namesake.

I finished Why Beautiful People Have More Daughters and am now reading Vaccinated: One Man's Quest to Defeat the World's Deadliest Diseases by Paul A. Offit, M.D.

It's about Maurice Hilleman's life and work. He is the man who created the vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, pneumococcus, meningococcus, and Hib. It's incredibly interesting...I'm still on a non-fiction kick, apparently :p

[HunBun]

amberfiddles - for light reading, I can always count on Meg Cabot. :D Other light reads I've enjoyed recently include Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie, by David Lubar, and Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature, by Robin Brande (both are YA books). Have you read the Percy Jackson series yet? Since you're keeping up with the K-12, I highly recommend this series... I haven't met a kid who didn't like it.

As for what I'm reading, I just finished Life as We Knew It, by Susan Beth Pfeffer. Written in journal format, it recounts the events that take place after an asteroid knocks the moon out of its orbit. Tsunamis, volcanoes, and famine are widespread, but life continues for teenaged Miranda and her family. It's a great read.

[kwsu44]

kwsu44: I didn't even realize the "O" stickers could be pulled off. That's a welcome change! What are you reading now?

Right now I am reading Bitter is the New Black: Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass,Or, Why You Should Never Carry A Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office by Jen Lancaster.

It's for my book club ... apparently the women in my book club say the story reminds me of them ... I'm offended, I never went to unemployment with a Prada bag ... just a Fendi one! LOL!

These are on a pile on my bedroom floor waiting to be read:

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet (sans Oprah sticker)

Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys, and the Battle for America's Soul by Karen Abbott

Thunderstruck by Erik Larson

I'm behind in my reading ... usually I can read 3-5 books a month, but since I'm in grad school, I can only do 1 a month. But, grad school is almost over .. YAY!

[TracieB]

I'm on the lookout for some great reads. I have a lot of travel coming up that requires 23 hours or so on a plane, so need something to help me keep my sanity!

Anyone read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See?

[Ummm]

TracieB - i haven't read snow flower, but have read other books by lisa see (a chinese woman detective with an american boyfriend in china) eg dragon bones, flower net. quite interesting and easy read if you like mystery/murder.

amberfiddles - when i was in school i like reading paul jennings (australian author, his stuff is funny and in australia they made it into a TV series as well which i loved watching). i also liked christopher pike and RL Stine but i don't know if they are books a school would choose for its students even tho they are teen authors.

[am_81]

am_81:[/B] You sound like me...always with a book in hand just in case you get a free moment to read it! ;) I hope next semester is easy on you so you can keep reading books and telling me about them :)

That is definitely me. I had a doc appt today and had nothing to read while waiting. The horror!! I ended up flipping through and old Lucky magazine in the waiting room, but had nothing to read once I was in the exam room. I resorted to picking up random brochures ("Smoking & Pregnancy," anyone?) to occupy myself. I was nervous as it was and need something to distract me desperately.


I'm on the lookout for some great reads. I have a lot of travel coming up that requires 23 hours or so on a plane, so need something to help me keep my sanity!

Anyone read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See?
I read See's book a couple months ago. I definitely recommend it. I thought her writing was well developed, as were the characters. In the end, I really cared for both Lily and her laotong. As a disclaimer, I am partial to books set in that time period though.

Woo!!! Tomorrow I finally get to start World Without End!!! I still need to pick out my back-up books . . . either Bonfire of the Vanities (Tom Wolffe) or The Crimson Petal and The White (Michael Faber). I know one book is not enough to last me the entire weekend.

[Ummm]

Finished the namesake - the characters were quite well developed, and i understand what the characters went through (i'm not india but i am a migrant tho not born here). tho i am not quite sure about the ending - was hoping for more?!

almost finished running with scissors, very interesting. it's a memoir but stranger than fiction. some of it was quite disturbing but it really drew you in to find out what happened... tho at the same time i kept asking myself, is it for real?

[katmg]

Anyone read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See?

I read it a month ago or so and loved it. I think my review of it is a few pages back. The lady at the used bookstore said that a lot of book clubs are reading it.

[mili04]

Anyone read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See?I read this when it was first released and loved it!

Dizzy, I believe you asked me if I read The Dive From Clausen's Pier. I have not read it. When the book came out, I was working with a guy who is quadriplegic from a diving accident. The book just sounds like it would be too close to home for me to read. I enjoyed Songs Without Words, but it looks like the reviews on Amazon aren't as good as The Dive.

Right now I am reading Open House by Elizabeth Berg. I picked it up at our library book sale for just $1! I really like the books I've read of Berg's so I'm sure I will like this one as well.

After all the good reviews here for The Pillars of the Earth, I've been wanting to read it. I am so pissed it is Oprah's new book. Mainly at myself though, for not putting it on my library reserve list sooner. I think I'm just going to buy it rather than waiting.

[TracieB]

Thanks for the comments, ladies. It's being shipped here right now!

[pixielou]

Right now I am reading Open House by Elizabeth Berg. I picked it up at our library book sale for just $1! I really like the books I've read of Berg's so I'm sure I will like this one as well.

What other Elizabeth Berg books have you read? I read Open House about a year ago, and wasn't too impressed. I think I was really turned off when the lead character conveniently had a miscarriage to do away with her unwanted pregnancy. As someone who has dealt with RPL, things like this really p i s s me off. But seeing your comment (as well as other comments you have made about books) makes me wonder if I should give her another try.

Right now I'm finishing up Friends, Lovers and Chocolate by Alexander McCall Smith. It's #2 in the Sunday Philosophy Club series. I'm still debating whether I should pick up #3.

Next up is Composing a Life by Mary Catherine Bateson - for my book club. Then The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears by Dinaw Mengestu.

[lawyerlee]

Thanks for the comments, ladies. It's being shipped here right now!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. :)

Recently I read:

Take the Cannoli: Tales from the New World by Sarah Vowell
I didn't enjoy this collection of essays as much as I did her book Assassination Vacation, but it was quite good. She always cracks me up, and I can certainly relate to her stories about growing up in middle America when you lean more liberal than conservative. I especially enjoyed the story about when Ira Glass (host of This American Life) taught her to drive. Freaking hilarious!

Gluten-Free Girl: How I Found the Food that Loves Me Back ... And How You Can Too by Shauna James Ahern
This is a really awesome book. Even if you're never going to need to know about gluten free living, this book will speak to your inner foodie. Total food porn.

A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor
I love that her work is so simple on the surface, but that it gives you so much to think about long after you've but her stories down. Highly recommended. :)

The Commitment by Dan Savage
I love Savage, but I thought he was off base on some of his assertions about commitment. Still, I loved all of the parts that were about his relationship and family. I didn't find it difficult to examine his views, consider why I disagreed and move on.

Currently I'm reading No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July (Anyone else read it? I'm dying to discuss!) and A Thousand Names for Joy: Living in Harmony with the Way Things Are by Byron Katie & Stephen Mitchell.

[hub1176]

Okay, to the person who suggested The Pillars Of The Eath, you should have warned me that it is more addicting than crack. I could not put this book down, much to the dismay of my two young children, who probably would have starved had their dad not been home for Thanksgiving break:p
It was a great book.
Still waiting for Water for Elephants to come in to the library, but since I need it for next months book club I may break down and buy it. In the meanwhile I'm reading Love In The Time Of Cholera. I tried to read Richard Russo's new book The Bridge Of Sighs, but could not get in to it. I had read Empire Falls and was not crazy about it - I think his characters annoy me. In any event someone had said his new work was better, but same ole' story.

[Ohana]

I finished World Without End last night! It was amazing. I could not put it down. I still think Pillars is my favorite book, but this is also a fantastic story with great characters (and even better villains). I still feel some of the characters/storylines were recycled from Pillars, but it's a great book nonetheless.