What's Everyone Reading?

[meatpie]

Reading "Mornings on Horseback" by David McCullough. Really interesting.

Review
John Leonard The New York Times "We have no better social historian."

Book Description

Mornings on Horseback is the brilliant biography of the young Theodore Roosevelt. Hailed as "a masterpiece" (John A. Gable, Newsday), it is the winner of the Los Angeles Times 1981 Book Prize for Biography and the National Book Award for Biography. Written by David McCullough, the author of Truman, this is the story of a remarkable little boy, seriously handicapped by recurrent and almost fatal asthma attacks, and his struggle to manhood: an amazing metamorphosis seen in the context of the very uncommon household in which he was raised.

The father is the first Theodore Roosevelt, a figure of unbounded energy, enormously attractive and selfless, a god in the eyes of his small, frail namesake. The mother, Mittie Bulloch Roosevelt, is a Southerner and a celebrated beauty, but also considerably more, which the book makes clear as never before. There are sisters Anna and Corinne, brother Elliott (who becomes the father of Eleanor Roosevelt), and the lovely, tragic Alice Lee, TR's first love. All are brought to life to make "a beautifully told story, filled with fresh detail", wrote The New York Times Book Review.

A book to be read on many levels, it is at once an enthralling story, a brilliant social history and a work of important scholarship which does away with several old myths and breaks entirely new ground. It is a book about life intensely lived, about family love and loyalty, about grief and courage, about "blessed" mornings on horseback beneath the wide blue skies of the Badlands.

[EmilyZA]

I just finished The Kite Runner and LOVED it. I agree with the previous posters, just stick with it-- it's a great book.

I started Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper this morning.

[msnicolea]

I just started I Have Chosen to Stay and Fight by Margaret Cho--I think she's hilarious!

[nawsgirl]

I recently finished The Broker and The Summons both by John Grisham. They were both OK- now that I've read a few of his books I see how alike they are so need to move on to other things!

Almost finished with The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamant. It's about the 1800s era inhabitants of a small area near Gloucester, MA- fiction based on real people, I believe. It interests me since my mom lives in that area, but it's one of those books that doesn't really have a specific story or plot, it just follows the characters over the years. These people were considered real outcasts- many of the women were thought of as witches, they were extremely poor, and a pack of wild dogs roamed the area, hence the name Dogtown.

Also reading Two for the Dough by Janet Evanovich, which I am really enjoying. Gotta love Grandma Mazur :D

[pocket]

Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress.

ooh - what's that? it sounds like something i would like.

I've been rereading His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. For anyone who hasn't read it - it's great. it would also make a good gift for a boy or a girl who really liked the harry potter series. but not if they are religious christians.

[tippy]

I really cant get into A Million Little Pieces....Im not sure why because everyone I know raves about it. Im going to try to keep going...but Im only in the very beginning as it is!

I know what you mean...I had a bit of a difficult time at the beginning, mostly b/c of his style of writing. But it does get better as you go! :)

[APCullip22]

I just started Bride Needs Groom by Wendy Markham. It was all I could find at walmart last night, so far it's a quick, light read :)

[jbenny75]

I'm still on Goodnight, Nobody by Jennifer Weiner and I'm also in the middle of the Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Alum. Both are great, I just haven't had time to read much lately. The last book I finished was The Divide by Nicholas Evans. That was a great book. Next up: Light On Snow by Anita Shreve.

[keska]

I just the The Corset Diaries by Katie MacAlister and Can You Keep a Secret by Sophie Kinsella. Now, I'm reading Men in Kilts by Katie MacAlister. She makes me laugh.

[MsPeachy]

I just the The Corset Diaries by Katie MacAlister and Can You Keep a Secret by Sophie Kinsella. Now, I'm reading Men in Kilts by Katie MacAlister. She makes me laugh.Oh I love Katie MacAlister! Not many writers can make me LOL while I'm reading but she definitely does. Check out Improper English too - it's not quite as hilarious as Men in Kilts but it's still funny! :)

[keska]

MsPeachy -- Thanks, I'll try it. I'm reading her book, A Girl's Guide to Vampires, right now. It's cute.

[Coccinelle]

I'm reading Gone with the Wind for the second time. I read it in high school, so I wanted to give it another go since it's been a few years ;)

[Sol]

Just finished "Catfish and Mandala":

http://www.cnn.com/books/news/9910/15/catfish.mandala/catfishcov.jpg

Sol.

[looch]

I just finished "The Myth of the Welfare Queen" by David Zucchino. Fascinating read.
I am trying to finish up Margaret George's "Mary Queen of Scots and the Isles" and will begin something by Robin Maxwell after that.

ETA: Ladybug, I will be stealing your sig line for "currently reading." clever!

[JamBray]

I'm currently reading "The Iron Lance" by Stephen Lawhead, and it's pretty good. It's the first in a trilogy, so I'm looking forward to how the story continues.

[daphne]

Just finished The Kite Runner and am just starting Back When We Were Grownups

I LOVED TKR! I thought it was fabulous.

[LittleFredPunkinHead]

I'm reading "McSweeney's Mammoth Treasury of Thrilling Tales" and listening to "Crocodile on the Sandbank" by Elizabeth Peters. Both lightweight but entertaining.

[vancouvergirl]

The Man Who Ate Everything. essays by the acclaimed food critic, Jeffrey Steingarten.

[MsRo]

I'm still trying to get through Middlesex. I wish I had more than 30 minutes a day (or less!) to devote to it. http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/2.gif

[katmg]

Just finished up Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner. I thought it was pretty good. Definitely better than average chick-lit.

[Vorian's_Leronica]

The Road to Dune and man its a hard read.
i can't get into it, not after reading the whole Dune series. Its so very different from what was finally published, but i will finish reading it.

[TMat13]

I just finished Bookends by Jane Green and I enjoyed it. I have read a couple of her books now and I like her style.

[APCullip22]

I just started In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner.

[EmilyZA]

I just finished My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult...
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0743454537.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
I REALLY liked this book. I was a little nervous about reading it b/c of the mixed reviews of it in this thread!

I just started Bel Canto this morning (by Ann Patchett.)
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0060934417.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Has anyone here read it?

[popculturejunkie]

I just finished Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld. It was an entertaining read about boarding school life and the teenaged mind.

[nawsgirl]

I just started Bel Canto this morning (by Ann Patchett.)
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0060934417.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Has anyone here read it?

EmilyZA, I read this book a couple of years ago and really liked it. I know some others on here have said they thought the ending was quite abrupt, and now that I think about it I would say I agree, but overall a good read, IMO. Very interesting to see how the relationships between hostages and 'terrorists' evolve over time....

I just finished listening to The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, and plan to start Julie and Romeo Get Lucky by Jeanne Ray. I'm also about to finish reading Two for the Dough by Janet Evanovich, and then will probably move on to Three to Get Deadly. Bees was a very good audiobook- I thought the narrator was perfect, so would highly recommend it.

[looch]

I am knee deep in nonfiction right now as I am attempting to write a term paper.
I have:
Glass Ceilings and Bottomless Pits by Randy Albelda and Chris Tilly
Teen Mothers and the Revolving Door of Welfare by Katherine Harris
American Dream by Jason DeParle
Welfare: Opposing Viewpoints Edited by David Bender
Myth of the Welfare Queen by David Zucchino

[msnicolea]

I adored Bel Canto--one of my favorite books of the last few years. I'll wait until you finish it to say more!

I just finished Myth of the Welfare Queen (I'm such a nerd--I read these types of books a lotand am not in school--I've got no excuse!)--a very interesting read!!!!

[Sarah6690]

I just finished To Have and to Hold by Jane Green I just started Black Rose by Nora Roberts. It's the second one in one of her trilogies. It's pretty good, but I haven't gotten very far yet.

[framboise]

I read Bel Canto a few years ago too & really enjoyed it. I agree that the ending was pretty abrupt but that was my only "complaint". I hope you are enjoying it!

[LittleFredPunkinHead]

I'm listening to "The Lincoln Lawyer" by Michael Connelly on audiobook. It's pretty good so far.

[EmilyZA]

EmilyZA, I read this book a couple of years ago and really liked it. I know some others on here have said they thought the ending was quite abrupt, and now that I think about it I would say I agree, but overall a good read, IMO. Very interesting to see how the relationships between hostages and 'terrorists' evolve over time....

I just finished listening to The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, and plan to start Julie and Romeo Get Lucky by Jeanne Ray. I'm also about to finish reading Two for the Dough by Janet Evanovich, and then will probably move on to Three to Get Deadly. Bees was a very good audiobook- I thought the narrator was perfect, so would highly recommend it.

Thanks for your comment on Bel Canto. I'm not too far into it yet but looking forward to it.

I also wanted to ask you about Julie and Romeo Get Lucky. I read Julie and Romeo because the book actually takes place in my hometown-- so I was psyched to find out that there was a second book! I just added it to my Wishlist. Let me know how it turns out!

[nawsgirl]

I also wanted to ask you about Julie and Romeo Get Lucky. I read Julie and Romeo because the book actually takes place in my hometown-- so I was psyched to find out that there was a second book! I just added it to my Wishlist. Let me know how it turns out!

I know, I was so surprised when she started talking about Somerville since I am from that area too and went to Tufts :D I listened to Julie and Romeo on audiobook but got annoyed with the author (who was also the narrator) cause she kept pronoucing Canobie Lake wrong! So far J & R Get Lucky has been really repetitive (i.e. saying over and over again how her daughter and family live with her and what that means for her love life, etc.) so I'm hoping it gets better soon. So far I am not so impressed, but will come back with an update when I've finished it.

[Rosebud]

I'm reading Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld.

For some reason I thought it was a chick lit kind of thing.... but it's not at all. It's very good! I'm so impressed with Sittenfeld's writing style and her ability to make you recall all those painful and awkward moments of adolescence. So, even though I haven't finished it yet, I'd definitely recommend this book.

ETA: Finished the book. It was great!!

[ginastorm]

I'm reading In Her Shoes and Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner. Both are very good so far.

I'm also reading Red Lily by Nora Roberts. It's the third in her Garden trilogy.

[MSH]

I'm reading In Her Shoes and Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner. Both are very good so far.

I'm also reading Red Lily by Nora Roberts. It's the third in her Garden trilogy.

I enjoyed both Good In Bed and In Her Shoes. I am currently reading Little Earthquakes by the same author.

[mgrace]

I think I've started about 4 different books, but have only read a chapter or 2in most of them. That's what happens when all my library holds come in at once. :p So, I've started Class Action, A Thousand Days in Venice, Festivus: the Holiday for the Rest of Us and Something Blue.

[nawsgirl]

I just finished listening to Julie and Romeo Get Lucky by Jeanne Ray. Honestly, I was disappointed. Julie's granddaughter could compete for the most annoying child in recent fiction award (although I've been dealing with super bratty kids all week at work so I might be biased), the storyline seemed completely ridiculous, and I felt as though it had been written in a hurry to ride on the coattails of whatever success Julie and Romeo had.

Now I'm listening to Life of Pi- seems good so far although I am probably only about 30 pages in...

[Sarah6690]

I just finished Good in Bed. I started the Narnia Series last night. I read a couple of them when I was younger and wanted to re-read them. Hopefully they are as good as I remember.

[MsPeachy]

I just picked up a new paperback, "Blood Memory" by Greg Iles on Sunday and I'm already 150 pages in. It's a crime/murder mystery with a pretty flawed main character and some secret family stuff going on too. I'm totally sucked in already. :)

[Rose]

I just started How to be Lost by Amanda Eyre Ward. I am only two chapters in but I am enjoying it so far.

[bookworm]

I cleaned off my bookshelf at my parents' house, and was delighted and embarrassed to realize I used to read a lot more good books than I do now.

So I started re-reading 1984. Next up is Candide.

But I also am reading the literary equivalent of macaroni & cheese, Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher. It is such comfort reading for me.

[pocket]

First of all, I can't think of Candide without thinking of a yeastie beastie. But second of all.....

But I also am reading the literary equivalent of macaroni & cheese, Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher. It is such comfort reading for me.

:o

Pilcher is my secret shame! I've read every single thing she has ever written.

[bookworm]

Ok, eeew on the yeast business. Show some respect for Voltaire, dammit! :)

And you aren't alone--I've read all of Rosamunde Pilcher, and I got half of them from my grandmother!

[lnicole35]

I have a few good book recommendations if I may:
Beach Music by Pat Conroy
The Swan House (don't know the author offhand)
My Sister's Keeper (was wonderful)
East of Eden by John Steinbeck

I could go on and on but just wanted to drop off some favorites for anyone checking this site lately!
:D

[vancouvergirl]

But I also am reading the literary equivalent of macaroni & cheese, Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher. It is such comfort reading for me.

perfectly said! i'm reading it too!

[mgrace]

Just finished Something Blue by Emily Giffin. I liked it--it was the follow up to Something Borrowed.

[msnicolea]

I've never read any Rosamunde Pilcher--any recs re: which to start with?

[bookworm]

Msnicolea, I'd start with either The Shell Seekers or Coming Home. They are 2 of her 4 longer books (The one that has "winter" in the title is not nearly as good as the others...the other long one is called September, but that should be read after The Shell Seekers.), and then she has a bunch of much shorter novels. They are nice stories, but not as rich as the long ones.

[msnicolea]

OK--I looked at the books on my library's webpage and the Pilcher books look like something from Nora Roberts or other romance writers. Is that what they are like?

[bookworm]

They aren't quite that indulgent (I do read Nora Roberts, but I generally hate myself even while reading), but they are "Nana fiction." Pilcher writes well, and she develops wonderful characters. They are books that go well with tea.

[am_81]

I'm halfway through Le Divorce by Diane Johnson. For some reason, I was expecting it to be completely fluffy chicklit. While its definitely not anything super-serious, and I'm not exactly sure where the storyline is going, I am enjoying it so far.

[pocket]

I totally relate to hating myself while reading an author! For me it's Jane Green. I have sworn I will not read another one of her books. I like them, but they are all exactly the same book. Tonight I am picking up book 2 of the fionavar tapestry by guy gavriel kay, recommended by keska. I finished book 1 on the way to work this morning,and had to call every bookstore within a 10 block radius to find the rest of the series. That's 10 different stores, BTW. then tomorrow, the Anne of GG series that I bought on ebay will arrive. I plan to reread them all over the weekend, from anne of green gables to rilla of ingleside.

[bookworm]

I totally relate to hating myself while reading an author! For me it's Jane Green.

This is sacrilege! :) Well, not entirely...loved Bookends and Mr. Maybe, hated Jemima J and To Have and to Hold, and generally enjoyed the others.

But this:
the Anne of GG series that I bought on ebay will arrive.

makes up for it! I love Anne of GG. I want to go to Prince Edward Island, just because of those books (but it is surprisingly far!). I may need to dig them out. After Candide (no comments, please).

[Myra]

Just finished The Invisible Circus by Jennifer Egan, which was good. I also recommend her second book, Look at Me. Of course, I have a weakness for female writers who manage not to be chick lit.

[isobel]

I love Jennifer Egan's books. The Invisible Circus was wonderful. they made a movie of it that had Cameron Diaz in it but the film went straight to video. I still think I will rent it someday.

[LittleFredPunkinHead]

I am reading/listening to trash and semi-trash right now. I'm reading "A Perfect Gentleman" by Barbara Metzger (nothing better for Christmas vacation than a good regency romance ;) ) and listening to to "Tishimingo Blues" by Elmore Leonard (nothing better for holiday driving than a mob story ;) ).

[LeslieandPaul]

I'm currently reading "In Her Shoes" and up next will be "Undomestic Goddess" (a Christmas gift).

[chrisinluv]

DH pretty much worships Maureen Dowd, so it was no surprise that I found myself unwrapping her new book, Are Men Necessary? I'm halfway through, and am enjoying it. The book isn't perfect. I've found at least one error in referencing a quote, and I just can't get past it when the possessive apostrophe is used with wild abandon in a $26 book.

[pocket]

Yesterday I read Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0375422307.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

It's a graphic novel about a young girl, the daughter of intellectuals and communists, growing up in revolutionary iran. It's SO good!

Also yesterday, my long-awaited Anne of Green Gables books came and I am deep in the world of Avonlea.

[SiValleySteph]

I picked up a ton of books at the library book sale $2 bag hour (everything you can fit in a paper grocery sack for $2) and am working my way through those. I picked up a lot of Oprah book club books. I finished Where the Heart Is and am just about done with White Oleander.

I also got a B&N gift card for Christmas, so I'll be getting some new books with that...

[IUAlum]

I just finished Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner. I have read all of her previous books and this one was nowhere near the level of the others. It was ok, but not up to par for her standards. I didn't even cry!

[Rosebud]

I just finished In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson.

If you're interested in Australia or travel writing in general, I highly recommend it. Insightful and just the right amount of humor. I always enjoy Bryson's writing.

Synopsis from Amazon.com: Bill Bryson follows his Appalachian amble, A Walk in the Woods, with the story of his exploits in Australia, where A-bombs go off unnoticed, prime ministers disappear into the surf, and cheery citizens coexist with the world's deadliest creatures: toxic caterpillars, aggressive seashells, crocodiles, sharks, snakes, and the deadliest of them all, the dreaded box jellyfish. And that's just the beginning, as Bryson treks through sunbaked deserts and up endless coastlines, crisscrossing the "under-discovered" Down Under in search of all things interesting.

[BoricuaMorena]

The New Drawing on the right side of the brain

[nawsgirl]

I just finished listening to Life of Pi- I thought the narrator was really good... as for the story, I liked the observations on zoology and animal nature in the beginning. I thought the entire journey was fascinating, although the ending disappointed me a bit-


PROBABLE SPOILER HERE I wasn't sure if I was supposed to question Pi's sanity and the validity of the story or not. By introducing the other version it made me wonder if perhaps the entire book was a "figment" itself... but after doing a little internet research it seems that one is supposed to believe the tiger version- one reading guide web site asked something along the lines of 'Did you ever actually believe the second version of the story?' Well, yes, I did! BUt then again, my mom does claim I'm cynical... :rolleyes:

I've just started listening to The Traveler and it's great so far- sort of like the Matrix, with a very creepy introduction from the author at the beginning....

[chrisinluv]

I enjoy Bill Bryson as well. I gave A Short History of Nearly Everything to my 12 y.o. niece. Being a science freak, she loves it and really liked how simple he makes things sound.

Another great author is Craig Nelson. His Let's Get Lost is packed full of quirky humor as Bryson's stuff, but he also has a unique talent for poking fun at himself as a tourist. I love his idea of the "travel bubble." I'll try to post a link to an exerpt, but I can't guarantee it will work :o

...from Let's Get Lost (http://www.twbookmark.com/books/90/0446676039/chapter_excerpt9901.html)

[LittleFredPunkinHead]

Finished "Tishimingo Blues" which was not his best work, but solid, entertaining Elmore Leonard all the same.

Now I'm listening to "In the Night Room" by Peter Straub. I didn't like it at first, but it's starting to get pretty interesting. I didn't realize it was a "sequel" to another book though, "Lost Boy, Lost Girl," and will probably pick that up after I finish this.

[pocket]

I've just started listening to The Traveler and it's great so far- sort of like the Matrix, with a very creepy introduction from the author at the beginning....

Ooh! I really liked The Traveler!

And now I am listening to The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova.

[Myra]

I'm reading The Woman at the Washington Zoo, a collection by Marjorie Williams. I also got Lunar Park by Brett Easton Ellis for xmas. I hope the body count is lower than in American Psycho and Glamorama.

[bklynhamptonian]

I just finished reading "Prep". Last night I started reading "Your Best Life Now" by Joel Olsten (an x-mas gift from my parents) and I think I will also start "My Sisters Keeper".

[lawyerlee]

I recently read Ordinary Heroes by Scott Turow, which I enjoyed.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0374184216.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg


I'm now reading I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith for book club, and I'm really loving it. :)

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0312201656.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[Aug2002Bride]

Has anyone read "One thousand White Women..The Journals of May Dodd"??? Its this months book club selection and Im not too sure about it...so just thought I would see if anyone recommended it.
TIA!

[Amuse Bouche]

Lawyerlee -- isn't I Capture the Castle wonderful? I think it's such a little gem of a book. They made a movie of it a few years ago too that's pretty good.

I'm reading On Beauty by Zadie Smith, and while the characters and plot haven't really sucked me in yet, I just love her prose. I find myself rereading a lot of sections just to savor.

[laura]

I'm reading Under the Banner of Heaven right now - it's pretty interesting.

[MsRo]

lawyerlee! I read I Capture the Castle two years ago...as our very first book club pick. :) Glad to hear you're liking it!

[Clattercote]

Oh, I've been wanting to read Prep ever since it came out - maybe now that it's in pb.

I'm reading a couple novels: Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde, and A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson for my book club.

I just finished The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, which has got to be one of the best I've ever read.

I've read some of Fforde's stuff before - he writes semi-mysteries with tons of literary allusions - much fun for book lovers! I'm glad I have this new one.

[Reenie]

I'm about 100 pages into The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0393060349.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg (image from www.amazon.com)

It's interesting enough. It came highly recommended from a friend, who claimed it was the best fiction of the year, and I'm not sure I'm convinced of that yet...

[popculturejunkie]

I received When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka in my stocking. It is a super-quick read that captures a family's experience in a Japanese internment camp. Interesting and movingly written.

[LeslieandPaul]

I started reading The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella last night.

[Reenie]

I started reading The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella last night.

Ooooh, I just picked this up from the library yesterday! I'll read it after I finish The History of Love and maybe we could trade opinions?

[apoppy]

I just finished Zorro: A Novel by Isabel Allende and have started The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

[IUAlum]

For dog lovers:

I just finished Marley and Me by John Grogan. It is a memoir of his yellow lab and how his family grew with the dog. I bawled like nothing I've ever experienced during this book. Beware, those with PG hormones. But it was wonderful.

[justHB]

I just finished reading Bel Canto and was intrigued by it right up until the epilogue which seriously ruined the whole thing for me.

Amazon.com's Best of 2001
In an unnamed South American country, a world-renowned soprano sings at a birthday party in honor of a visiting Japanese industrial titan. His hosts hope that Mr. Hosokawa can be persuaded to build a factory in their Third World backwater. Alas, in the opening sequence, just as the accompanist kisses the soprano, a ragtag band of 18 terrorists enters the vice-presidential mansion through the air conditioning ducts. Their quarry is the president, who has unfortunately stayed home to watch a favorite soap opera. And thus, from the beginning, things go awry.

Among the hostages are not only Hosokawa and Roxane Coss, the American soprano, but an assortment of Russian, Italian, and French diplomatic types. Reuben Iglesias, the diminutive and gracious vice president, quickly gets sideways of the kidnappers, who have no interest in him whatsoever. Meanwhile, a Swiss Red Cross negotiator named Joachim Messner is roped into service while vacationing. He comes and goes, wrangling over terms and demands, and the days stretch into weeks, the weeks into months.

With the omniscience of magic realism, Ann Patchett flits in and out of the hearts and psyches of hostage and terrorist alike, and in doing so reveals a profound, shared humanity. Her voice is suitably lyrical, melodic, full of warmth and compassion. Hearing opera sung live for the first time, a young priest reflects:

Never had he thought, never once, that such a woman existed, one who stood so close to God that God's own voice poured from her. How far she must have gone inside herself to call up that voice. It was as if the voice came from the center part of the earth and by the sheer effort and diligence of her will she had pulled it up through the dirt and rock and through the floorboards of the house, up into her feet, where it pulled through her, reaching, lifting, warmed by her, and then out of the white lily of her throat and straight to God in heaven.

Joined by no common language except music, the 58 international hostages and their captors forge unexpected bonds. Time stands still, priorities rearrange themselves. Ultimately, of course, something has to give, even in a novel so imbued with the rich imaginative potential of magic realism. But in a fractious world, Bel Canto remains a gentle reminder of the transcendence of beauty and love.

[lawyerlee]

Lawyerlee -- isn't I Capture the Castle wonderful? I think it's such a little gem of a book.
Yes! It was a marvelous story. :)

After I finished I Capture the Castle, I read Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. Now I'm reading Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner. It's extremely engaging and thought provoking. :)

[ginastorm]

I just finished "Hissy Fit" by Mary Kay Andrews. Someone (I'm sorry that I don't remember who) recommended it in an earlier post. It was a very cute book that kept me entertained throughout. Good recommendation!

I am still reading "Good In Bed". The story just took a surprising turn & I'm only about half way done with it. Can't wait to see what happens!

[wendalah]

Speaking of dog lovers--I'm re-reading the entire James Herriot series. I forgot how much I loved his writing!

[keska]

I just finished Into Think Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer (awesome!) and A Hard Day's Knight by Katie MacAlister.

Right now, I'm reading Silver's Edge by Anne Kelleher. It's good fantasy but I feel like the first book is really just setting up the series.

Has anyone read Left for Dead by Beck Weathers? That first Everest book really was gripping and I'm on the waitlist for this one over at paperbackswap.com.

[Reenie]

I finished The History of Love. It was very good, but I'll argue against "best fiction of the year." Eh. Maybe I'm just not in that place right now...

I also read The Undomestic Goddess in one sitting, which was a little silly but definitely good brain fast-food. I enjoyed it enough.

School started, so I'll probably just lurk along until summer break- too much going on between the two. :)

[lawyerlee]

I finished Freakonomics last night (highly, highly recommended), and started reading The Big Love by Sarah Dunn, some "high brow" chic lit. ;) :)

[nawsgirl]

I recently finished The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks... It's sort of a science fiction-y thriller meant to draw attention to the lack of privacy in the modern world... i.e. your phone calls are being tapped, e-mails being read, etc. by the government. Apparently it is the first of a trilogy, so I'm looking forward to the next one.

Currently listening to City of Falling Angels by John Berendt- it's a look at modern Venetian society right after La Fenice, the opera house, burned in 1996. So far the author is going around and talking to prominent people to get their opinions on Venice and La Fenice- that makes it sound kinda boring, but he weaves the stories together and so far I'm liking it.

Currently reading High Five by Janet Evanovich- another Stephanie Plum. It's pretty good, I'm anxious to find out what has happened to stingy Uncle Fred :o

[Regina Phalange]

ETA: New to this thread so sorry if this book has already been discussed.

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. I heard her interviewed on NPR sometime in December and recieved the book as a gift for Christmas. I started yesterday and could barely put the book down. It's a nonfiction kind of biography of her life after her husband died one evening at dinner. For anyone who has grieved an unexpected death (or even expected), this book might really interest you...it did me!

[Reenie]

FutureGallucci I keep seeing this one at the bookstore and forgetting about it later. Thank you for reminding me. I'll definitely pick it up.

[MsPeachy]

I'm currently reading The Death of Kings (Emporer, Book 2) by Conn Iggulden

It's the second book in a series about what Julius Caesar's life was like when he was young and events that shaped him to the man whose name became synonomous with dictator. If you like historical stories, ancient Rome and/or powerful figures in history, then check out this series. The first book is called The Gates of Rome and the series really should be read in order.

[lawyerlee]

I'm reading The Plot Against America by Philip Roth. It's good, so far. :)

[keska]

I just finished I Have Lived A Thousand Years: Growing Up In The Holocaust by Livia Bitton-Jackson and Simply Sinful by Carly Phillips. Now, I'm reading Power Politics by Aruhdhati Roy.

[Myra]

Has anyone read Name All the Animals by Alison Smith? Is it any good?

[msnicolea]

Has anyone read Name All the Animals by Alison Smith? Is it any good?

I read it last year and really liked it--but I warn you, it's pretty ROUGH!!

[laurenc]

i just finished reading lies my teacher told me. it's a nonfiction book examining the ways in which american history textbooks are chronically, well, plain wrong, and how they misrepresent so much of what really happened in our past. it was a great read, made me seriously wonder if we should homeschool our kids when the time comes...

[lawyerlee]

I read it last year and really liked it--but I warn you, it's pretty ROUGH!!
It sounds really sad, but I do want to read it. I'm glad to hear it is worthwhile. :)

[msnicolea]

It sounds really sad, but I do want to read it. I'm glad to hear it is worthwhile. :)

It's quite good--and different. And sad. My only criticism is the ending which I felt was incomplete.

[MsPeachy]

i just finished reading lies my teacher told me. it's a nonfiction book examining the ways in which american history textbooks are chronically, well, plain wrong, and how they misrepresent so much of what really happened in our past. it was a great read, made me seriously wonder if we should homeschool our kids when the time comes... That sounds really interesting. I always knew this happened to some extent but would be interested to know what is being fibbed about.

[laurenc]

That sounds really interesting. I always knew this happened to some extent but would be interested to know what is being fibbed about.

some of the topics the author covers:

* misrepresentations about columbus's "discovery"
* misrepresentations about the "first thanksgiving"
* misrepresentations about famous historical figures, such as woodrow wilson, john brown, and lincoln
* the true impact of white settlers in the americas
* how racial tensions have played a much larger role in shaping our history than history textbooks will ever admit
* how class struggles rarely get discussed in history textbooks, as the overarching conclusion is, blandly, that american society is always "progressing" despite evidence to the contrary
* why textbooks end up reading like boring contentless tomes of nothing

in any case, it's an interesting read, and didn't take too long to get through (then again, i love nonfiction, so if you're more a fiction person, then it might be a bit dry at times).

[msnicolea]

some of the topics the author covers:

* misrepresentations about columbus's "discovery"
* misrepresentations about the "first thanksgiving"
* misrepresentations about famous historical figures, such as woodrow wilson, john brown, and lincoln
* the true impact of white settlers in the americas
* how racial tensions have played a much larger role in shaping our history than history textbooks will ever admit
* how class struggles rarely get discussed in history textbooks, as the overarching conclusion is, blandly, that american society is always "progressing" despite evidence to the contrary
* why textbooks end up reading like boring contentless tomes of nothing

in any case, it's an interesting read, and didn't take too long to get through (then again, i love nonfiction, so if you're more a fiction person, then it might be a bit dry at times).


Lauren--have you read Howard Zinn's "People's History of the United States"? It really debunks a lot of historical myths and is incredibly well written. I love this book--I learned so much form it!

[alootikki]

I've been reading:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0425207552.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Chick lit - but funny and entertaining (although the "true love" plot gets a bit long)

[alootikki]

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0802170145.01._BO2,204,203

Very interesting - although I was a bit confused by the ending.

ETA: Oops, not sure why the picture didn't post, but the book rec was Minaret by Leila Aboulela

[kris97]

Has anyone read either of the "Darcy's Daughters" books? I picked up the "Exploits of Alethea Darcy", which is okay so far. I like the premise, which is imagining Elizabeth and Darcy's family, but so far it's trying too hard to be a period book.

[laurenc]

Lauren--have you read Howard Zinn's "People's History of the United States"? It really debunks a lot of historical myths and is incredibly well written. I love this book--I learned so much form it!

i haven't, but you bet that's next on my list. :) (after harry potter 6, that is. DH finished reading it so it's my turn now!!!)

[Brandy]

I've been re-reading this week...

My Antonia by Willa Cather (I can't reread this one enough!)
The Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers
Taken by Tim F. LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins

[laura]

I'm reading Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire. It started out a tiny bit slow for me (b/c I read Wicked awhile ago and I was straining to make connections), but fortunately it picked up quickly.

[longislandlolita]

A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami. It was a gift from a friend. I love it!

[Smilin13]

I'm reading Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire. It started out a tiny bit slow for me (b/c I read Wicked awhile ago and I was straining to make connections), but fortunately it picked up quickly.

Oh good, I'm glad to hear it picks up quickly. I got 'Son' for Christmas, and it is still sitting on my night stand because I am afraid to commit to it. *laughs* Maybe I'll give it a crack.

:)

[bnaseelen2]

I'm reading Chronicles of Narnia. . .I have the book that they are all in one book. It is rather large. ..but it was $20.00 for the whole book; compared to $50.00+ for the set. Thought that was a good deal. haha

I'm just starting it. Saw the movie at Christmas, and had to buy the book to read. Probably did it the wrong way (should have read the book first). . but oh well. I know everyone mentions that they read them when they were younger, but I don't remember doing this.

Hopefully it is as good as the movie!! :)

[lawyerlee]

This weekend I finished The Plot Against America by Philip Roth. It was kinda dissapointing. I felt that there were a number of important flaws in the novel, including the ending and the denseness of the text. I wouldn't say, "Don't read it", but I didn't love it the way I'd hoped I would. :rolleyes:

Then I read Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain, one of my all-time favorite novels, and my absolute favorite of Twain's. I love his commentary on race and stereotypes in this work. I think it should be required reading for every American. :)

And now I'm reading Sammy's Hill by Kristin Gore and laughing my ass off. :D

[miel]

I'm thinking of reading Memoirs of Hadrian but right now it's all work stuff I'm reading.

[magrat]

Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore :)

[vancouvergirl]

A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami. It was a gift from a friend. I love it!

oh my gosh, what a treasure of a book! so much fun. his other books are satisfying too, but this remains my favorite of his. read it twice. forced friends to read it!

[vancouvergirl]

Never Let Me Go by kazuo ishiguro. interesting.

[mgrace]

Two Harbors by Kate Benson

[nawsgirl]

I just finished listening to The Wonder Spot by Melissa Bank- she also wrote The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing. It disappointed me although I'm not sure if that's due to a flaw in the book itself or me being used to having everything explained. The book's chapters are like little short stories about a woman named Sophie- starting around age 12 and ending in her late 30s. Boyfriends and friends and jobs and apartments come and go, but with no explanation about what happened, which got to be frustrating with the boyfriends, particularly. In one chapter she would be with a guy and it would seem serious, and then in the next there was no mention of the guy at all, or what happened. In one chapter she talks about a previous fiance that had never even been mentioned before... I imagine that the author was trying to have a different kind of narrative, being more reflective or whatever, but I would have liked it better if there had been a little bit more detail.

[pocket]

Never Let Me Go by kazuo ishiguro. interesting.

I'm thinking about picking this up today - what were your thoughts on the book?

[msnicolea]

I just requested A Wild Sheep Chase from my library--really looking forward to reading it!

[vancouvergirl]

I'm thinking about picking this up today - what were your thoughts on the book?

tepid in and of itself but has the potential to raise thought provoking questions on issues such as escape, destiny, inertia, inhumanity, etc.

if viewed as an allegory of animal rights, it becomes significantly more deep. however, i don't believe that was what ishiguro was attempting. too bad. i'm afraid his best work will always be The Remains of the Day. (nothing to sneeze at!)

[LeslieandPaul]

I'm currently reading The Horse and His Boy from the Chronicles of Narnia. I read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe right after I saw the movie, and I decided to read the whole series, in the order they were meant to be read (unfortunately I didn't read the Magician's Nephew first because my mom doesn't own that one). I've only got a couple chapters left, so in the next few days I'll be starting Prince Caspian

[Brandy]

Just finished... Memories of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Currently reading... Song of Solomon by Toni Morrisson

[MaineBelle]

ok , my reading slowed to a trickle for a little while (I blame it on a Sudoku addiction and a very slow book), but now I am back.

So, the slow book I referred to is About Grace by Anthony Doerr. (This isn't a religious book as the title may imply.) There are some beautiful and rewarding parts of the book, but overall it was fraught with inaction.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0143036165.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I also read Four to Score (A Stephanie Plum novel) by Janet Evanovich. She is always good for a fun, fast paced read.

Now I am reading Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende. (Just looked it up on Amazon, I didn't realize it was an Oprah book). I am thoroughly enjoying it. I love reading about different cultures, so it is interesting to read about Chile, China and life during the Gold Rush.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/038082101X.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[scout]

I just finished SHANTARAM by Gregory Roberts. I got it for Christmas, and it is SO not a book I would have chosen, but it was amazing!

[alootikki]

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0385515308.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Love and Other Impossible Pursuits, Ayelet Waldman. I really enjoyed this one - some of her columns are a little wacky, but the novel was great.

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0060791551.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
The Space Between Us, Thrity Umrigar. You can kind of figure out the ending before it happens, but also a great read.

[Fenway]

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0743454553.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I can't put this book down!! I bought it to read on a 30 hour train trip to Mississippi. (FH and I are volunteering for some Katrina Relief work) But, I'm going to have to buy another book!! This one will be long over by the time we leave on saturday.

Does anyone know if Jodi Picoult's other books read like this? I mean, with the different character narration for different chapters.

[msnicolea]

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0743454553.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I can't put this book down!! I bought it to read on a 30 hour train trip to Mississippi. (FH and I are volunteering for some Katrina Relief work) But, I'm going to have to buy another book!! This one will be long over by the time we leave on saturday.

Does anyone know if Jodi Picoult's other books read like this? I mean, with the different character narration for different chapters.

They all read very much like that--it's hard to stop reading them once you start! I read My Sister's Keeper in one marathon setting!

[msnicolea]

I just started this: http://images.syndetics.com/hw7.pl?client=sclsp&isbn=1400080452/LC.JPG last night and it is so funny--I want the author to be my new BFF!

[Belm]

I just finished reading Lipstick Jungle by Candace Bushnell. I didn't really like it - the characters seemed kind of empty to me. Anyone else not really get into it?

[EmilyZA]

I just finished Bel Canto by Ann Patchett, and I'm curious to see what people thought of the ending...

I started James Patterson's Honeymoon last night. I've never read anything of his before.

[msnicolea]

I just finished Bel Canto by Ann Patchett, and I'm curious to see what people thought of the ending...



Love that book--my thoughts re: the ending are in white:

I thought the ending was unfortunate. I couldn't accept that the opera singer and the Japanese man would be together (I'm sorry-i can't rmemeber their names, it's been so long!)--I just didn't buy it, and it seemed wrong to me. Overall, however, I thought it was an amazing book--I cried when I finished it.

[mgrace]

msnicolea, I heart Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life!

[imagirliegirl]

I just finished How To Be Lost by Amanda Eyre Ward.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1931561729.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I thought the book itself was very good but I found the ending to be a bit lacking. I would have liked a little more information on what happened to the characters.

I am currently reading The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. I haven't seen the movie so I thought I'd read the book first. Books are usually better than the movies! I'm anxious to see how it ends.

Once I finish that I will be reading Amanda Eyre Ward's other book called Sleep Toward Heaven.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0060582294.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I also recently finished The Bad Place and Life Expectancy, both by Dean Koontz and found them very enjoyable. I read Life Expectancy in one day.

[Lizzy]

Just started The Handmaid's Tale and I'm also about a quarter of the way through A Man in Full. So far I dislike the latter, I'm not into it at all. At this point I'm not sure if I will pick it back up again.

[lawyerlee]

You seriously have the best recommendations, Nicole. You're making my list so freaking big! ;) :)

[nawsgirl]

Agree w/ msnicolea on Bel Canto....

I just finished listening to No Place Like Home by Mary Higgins Clark. I thought it was pretty good, although a bit repetitive. It was like she thought no one would remember details about a person a chapter later, so she had to repeat it all.

Just starting listening to The Geographer's Library by John Fasman. Seems pretty good so far, here's a description:

A young reporter is caught up in a deadly centuries-long treasure hunt in this puppyish but brainy debut, a thriller steeped in arcane lore and exotic history. When Paul Tomm, a reporter for the Lincoln Carrier, a small Connecticut newspaper, looks into the demise of Jaan Puhapaev, an elderly academic found dead in his cluttered house, nothing seems out of the ordinary - until the pathologist performing the autopsy is himself killed in a freak car accident. Various locals and acquaintances offer reminiscences of the late professor that suggest Puhapaev was an extremely complicated (and perhaps dangerous) character. Tomm's discoveries lead him to a lovely young woman, a network of international smugglers and hidden alchemical libraries. Appealing more to the intellect than to the emotions, the book is slowed by the catalogue-like descriptions of precious objects that close many chapters, while the protagonist, however likable, is often too naïve to be entirely credible. Still, some deft plotting and lively writing bode well for the author's future literary endeavors. ~ Publishers Weekly

[keska]

Brandy - How was Memories of My Melancholy Whores? I've read most of his other stuff and this book is on my wishlist.

I've just read the entire Dark Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon - yum!

Next up on my list:
Getting Over It by Anna Maxted
Sammy's Hill by Kristin Gore
You Have to Kiss a Lot of Frogs by Laurie Graff

[MsPeachy]

I've just read the entire Dark Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon - yum! How are these books? This series and author keep showing up on my Amazon recommendations and I've been curious about them.

[msnicolea]

msnicolea, I heart Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life!

J--I LOVE it! She thinks and talks the way I do (only she's much better at it) and I have been laughing and laughing! Iwas reading some of it out loud to Josh last night--he really liked it, too.

[msnicolea]

You seriously have the best recommendations, Nicole. You're making my list so freaking big! ;) :)

I borrow from you all the time, too, especially re: non-fiction/poltical books!

[keska]

msnicolea -- I think they are good. I don't normally read paranormal romances but these came so highly recommended that I decided to check them out. The first one wasn't my favorite but the next few are really good. They have some steamier sex scenes than I'm used to because I normally read Regencies, but they have real plot development too. While you don't have to read the series in order, some of the characters do get developed throughout the series so it makes more sense if you do.

[kris97]

Some books I've recently finished:

1) The Exploits and Adventures of Miss Aletheia Darcy --- I thought this book would be neat because it imagines what the lives of Elizabeth and Darcy's children would be like. It was a step above terrible. Everything was so trite, so trying to be 1820's literature, it was annoying. I mean, I *get* that it would be subversive for a young gentlewoman to dress up as a young man and run off to Europe; you don't need to repeat it a billion times. Not a book I'd recommend.

2) The Saint of Lost Things, Castellani -- In contrast to book 1, I _really_ liked this book. It's a random new hardcover that I found at my library, about a Italian-American family in 1950's Delaware. It's small in scope, but a real gem.

3) Third Girl From the Left -- MArtha Southgate: another random book I picked off the "new book" shelf at the library and ended up REALLY liking. It's about a young African American film student whose mother acted in blaxploitation flicks in the seventies and whose grandmother lived through the Tulsa race riots. I thought it exceptionally well written, and just a pleasure to read. Definitely recommend, particularly if you have any interest in 70s filmmaking or African American history.

[lawyerlee]

This weekend I finished reading Sammy's Hill by Kristen Gore. It was funny and clever - a very enjoyable read. Then I read The Final Solution by Michael Chabon. I liked this little book. It was a really unique story and quite engaging. Now I'm reading Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach. It's really cool and not at all creepy, considering that it's about dead people. ;) :)

[mili04]

I love this thread! My library keeps a reading list of books I have checked out. Some good ones I read recently are Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (Lisa See), Vanishing Acts (Jodi Picoult), and Eleven on Top (Janet Evanovich).

Now I need to read through the rest of this thread to find more books for my reserve list!

[mgrace]

The Big Love by Sarah Dunn. I'm really enjoying it.

[lawyerlee]

I'm reading Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama. It's awesome! :)

[lawyerlee]

Have any of you read any books by Liz Evans? They seem like they might be good, but I was just interested in hearing your thoughts, and I wondered if anyone might know which book is first in the PI Grace Smith Investigations series. Thanks! :)

[PatsyGirl]

Dean & Me - Jerry Lewis. So far so good.

[enchantingdragon]

The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory

[MsRo]

These Granite Islands by Sarah Stonich - and she's coming to our book club meeting in March!!

[bklynhamptonian]

Lost in the City by Edward P. Jones. It's a collection of short stories

[Myra]

Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert Putnam.

[emmasart]

Krakatoa : The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883 by Simon Winchester.

Yes, I am a total nerd who reads non-fiction for fun...

Next I think I'm gonna read Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman, my favorite author in the whole wide world.

[emmasart]

Now I'm reading Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach. It's really cool and not at all creepy, considering that it's about dead people. ;) :)

Ooh! I read that book a year ago! I really enjoyed it, i got some really strange looks from strangers for reading it in public. :)

[lawyerlee]

Ooh! I read that book a year ago! I really enjoyed it, i got some really strange looks from strangers for reading it in public. :)
My hubby definitely thought I was a freak for reading it, but I thought it was great. So interesting! :)

[MaineBelle]

I just read The Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. I really enjoyed it. I defintely thought it was didactic in some parts, but it was interesting nonetheless. It made me want to go camping and be with nature :-)

[mgrace]

Just started Don't Get Too Comfortable.

[laura]

I finished Son of a Witch a couple of weeks ago, and now I'm reading - nothing! I'm in such a rut, so I'm going to go back and couple of pages here and try to find some inspiration... =/

ITA w/ msnicolea re: Bel Canto, though. I thought it was an entertaining/interesting read, but I just didn't buy the ending.

[nawsgirl]

Currently listening to Saving Fish from Drowning, the new book by Amy Tan. I like her books anyways, and this one has been good so far. A San Franciscan socialite and art patron dies mysteriously shortly before she is to lead a group tour in China and Burma. Finding herself in some kind of spiritual limbo, she goes along on the trip and witnesses how things go wrong. I'm not too far into it... Apparently Tan was inspired to write this book after spontaneously visiting the Center for Psychical Research in NYC and finding a narrative delivered by the socialite to a medium- she visited the medium quite a bit to learn about "automatic writing", as I guess it is called when a spirit uses a medium to write their (auto)biography, and Tan made a fictional story out of it all.

[lawyerlee]

I just finished reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. It was good. I really liked Christopher, the main character, and appreciated the way in which Haddon captured what it must be like to be autistic.

Now I am reading Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen. My dad's cousin gave it to me a while back, so I didn't really set out to read it, but it sounds good and has been enjoyable so far. :)

[APCullip22]

I just started Man Walks Into a Room by Nicole Krauss. So far it's interesting..can't wait to read more!

[curlyjr]

I just finished The DaVinci Code 2 days ago and am now reading Dragon Tears by Dean Koontz. I'm on vacation for 9 days, I'm gonna have to go buy some books!(I'm a speed reader)

[LeslieandPaul]

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood (and I plan on buying the third summer soon so I own the complete set)

[MrsBrooke]

I'm reading [B]These Granite Islands[B] too! I'm almost halfway through, and so far I really like it. Very cool that you'll get to meet the author! Have fun!

[permanentvacay]

Started reading A Wedding in December by Anita Shreve; ummm cant really get into it, somewhat slow beginning

Just finished Bergdorf Blondes and Ugly Americans

[tgr68]

LeslieandPaul~I love the Sisterhood series!! Cannot wait for the fourth book to come out!

Recently Finished
Confessions of a Not It Girl by Melisa Kantor~It was okay to read once.
Cheating at Solitaire by Ally Carter~I am dying to read the sequel!!

Currently Reading
The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart~It's been okay, about like Confessions.

Waiting to Read
Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot
Flascards of My Life by Charise Mericle Harper
Diary of a Fairy Godmother by Esme Raji Codell

[myshel]

I'm reading The Scarlet Letter, though not really by choice. I'm teaching it in AP.

For a pleasure book, I'm finally going to read The Dante Club.

[Belm]

I just finished Match me if you can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. It was a cute, easy read.

[wsusquirrel]

Our book club is reading The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble. It has a ton of characters but I can't put it down!

[greenbunny]

Just finished A Bend in the Road by Nicholas Sparks. Sooo predictable. I keep reading fluff and then getting mad at myself when I'm let down--yet reading the heavier stuff seems so trying. I want to get into popular fiction that isn't so trite.

[Myra]

I'm enjoying Unless by Carol Sheilds. Will probably pick up her other books when I finish.

[LittleFredPunkinHead]

lawyerlee, Skinny Dip was the first Carl Hiaasen book I read, and I just loved it.

I just finished a romance novel by Julia Quinn: When He Was Wicked. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060531231/sr=8-1/qid=1140732156/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-6585666-3349729?%5Fencoding=UTF8) It started off with promise, but the plot really weakened around the middle. Meh. I wouldn't recommend it.

Also recently finished An Unpardonable Crime (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401329632/sr=8-1/qid=1140731897/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-6585666-3349729?%5Fencoding=UTF8) by Andrew Taylor. It's a mystery set in 19th-century London, and one of the main characters is Edgar Allan Poe as a child. I liked it a lot... It's not a book of deep meaning, but it's an entertaining plot, IMO.

And now I'm listening to an audiobook of Slaughterhouse Five. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060573775/ref=ed_oe_a/102-6585666-3349729?%5Fencoding=UTF8) How sad is it that this is the first time I'm reading/hearing it, considering that I majored in English? Anyway, of course it's great. And although I despise Ethan Hawke for cheating on Uma Thurman when they were married and had children, I have to say he does a great job with the reading on the audiobook.

[lawyerlee]

lawyerlee, Skinny Dip was the first Carl Hiaasen book I read, and I just loved it.
I finished it last night, and it was great! Can you recommend another of his? I'm definitely interested in reading him again because I enjoyed it so much. :)

[bookworm]

I'm enjoying Unless by Carol Sheilds. Will probably pick up her other books when I finish.

I've had this for awhile, but didn't get into it. I may have to try it again.

I have to fly on Monday--can anyone recommend something entertaining and brainless, but not overly sentimental? I'd love something in the Jane Green/Marian Keyes genre.

Or can anyone comment on the newer Philippa Gregory novels? I hated The Virgin's Lover, but liked a couple of her others.

[mgrace]

bookworm, have you read Bookends or Babyville by Jane Green? I liked both of those. I also like Meg Cabot (Every Boy's Got One or Boy Next Door) as well as Ariella Papa's books (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=books&field-author-exact=Ariella%20Papa&rank=-relevance%2C%2Bavailability%2C-daterank/103-0835209-9317417).

[bookworm]

I have! I love Bookends. Actually, the problem (which I should have specified) is that I've read everything by Jane Green and Marian Keyes, so while I like their writing, I'm out of options for the moment.

Thank you for the Meg Cabot and Ariella Papa recommendations--I'll check out both of those authors!

[alootikki]

mgrace and bookworm - Jane Green has a tendency to annoy me, yet I continue to read all of her books! :rolleyes:

I think my favorite one was The Other Woman - I liked the whole MIL-power struggle storyline (although I thought the main character was too spoiled at times).

I just finished re-reading The Twentieth Wife & The Feast of Roses, both by Indu Sundaresan. Great reads, if you're interested in historical fiction about Mughal India.

[nawsgirl]

I finished it last night, and it was great! Can you recommend another of his? I'm definitely interested in reading him again because I enjoyed it so much. :)

lawyerlee, I read Strip Tease a couple of years ago and thought it was quite good. Kinda twisted, but in an entertaining way :p That was the 1st Hiassen book I read- I am about to start listening to Skinny Dip though!

[lawyerlee]

lawyerlee, I read Strip Tease a couple of years ago and thought it was quite good. Kinda twisted, but in an entertaining way :p That was the 1st Hiassen book I read- I am about to start listening to Skinny Dip though!
Awesome! Thanks. :)

[lawyerlee]

After I finished Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen, which I really enjoyed, I started reading The Second Bill of Rights: FDR's Unfinished Revolution and Why We Need It Now More Than Ever by Cass Sunstein. It's really cool. :)

[mili04]

Our book club is reading The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble. It has a ton of characters but I can't put it down!

I read this recently and really enjoyed it. A few days ago I finished I Capture the Castle based on recommendations from this thread and from The Reading Group :).

Now I am reading Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver.

[LittleFredPunkinHead]

lawyerlee, I read Strip Tease a couple of years ago and thought it was quite good. Kinda twisted, but in an entertaining way :p That was the 1st Hiassen book I read- I am about to start listening to Skinny Dip though!
I haven't read Strip Tease yet... The movie with Demi Moore was based on it, wasn't it? I'll have to check it out.

Another of my favorites by him is Stormy Weather. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0446603422/ref=pd_sim_b_3/102-6585666-3349729?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=283155) It has a lot of great characters, just like Skinny Dip.

[nawsgirl]

I haven't read Strip Tease yet... The movie with Demi Moore was based on it, wasn't it? I'll have to check it out.



I looked this up on netflix, and I guess it sort of was based on the book, but the reviewers there said there were lots of differences and that unless you enjoy seeing Demi semi-nude, it's not all that great...

[keska]

I just finished:
http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0060519134.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/042519213X.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
(part of the Coffee House Mystery series)

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/045146057X.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Now, I'm reading:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0451214943.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[EmilyZA]

I am currently reading Teacher Man by Frank McCourt.

[lawyerlee]

Another of my favorites by him is Stormy Weather. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0446603422/ref=pd_sim_b_3/102-6585666-3349729?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=283155) It has a lot of great characters, just like Skinny Dip.
Cool! Thanks. :)

[MaineBelle]

I just finished The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. I thought it was well written, but I did not like the storyline. I could not empathize with the main character. I'll put my comments in white, in case they spoil it for anyone.

I just couldn't imagine leaving my husband and child, falling in love with someone in a matter of days and sleeping with him. I just see something wrong with the fact that she had to have an affair to "awaken her soul" or something. It just goes against the pro-feminine theme that the book is trying promote.

How does The Secret Life of Bees comapre to this book?

Next for me Atonement by Ian McEwan

[pocket]

I haven't read The Mermaid Chair, but heard it was terrible. It got really bad reviews. Secret Life of Bees is really a great book, and i recommend it wholeheartedly.

I finished Inkspell, by Cornelia Funke. Now I am reading The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares and it's very cute!

[doradora]

MaineBelle -- I've read both The Mermaid Chair and Secret Lives of Bees, and I enjoyed Bees infinitesmally more! I think it's definitely worth reading even if you didn't like Mermaid. (I felt the same way as you about Mermaid Chair by the way!)

And pocket -- I also really loved the Sisterhood of the Traveling pants books! I picked them up as soon as I saw the movie.

I'm currently reading "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" by Lisa See. I just finished "Gilead" by Marilynne Robinson (which I had a really hard time with, but am determined to try again), and "The History of Love" by Nicole Krauss.

[vancouvergirl]

after reading The Shell-Seekers and Coming Home by rosamunde pilcher, i'm hoping that her other books are equally as scrumptious. has anyone a recommendation? are the others just as good or did she peek with those two? thanks.

[KeliAnn]

I'm probably one of the last people on earth to read this book, but I'm currently reading The Time Traveler's Wife.

I just finished The Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult (love her books!) and it delivered. Unfortunately, I figured out the ending before it ended, but it was still a good one.

[bookworm]

MaineBelle, Secret Life of Bees is much, much better than Mermaid Chair.

Vancouvergirl, the only other long lovely Pilcher book is September. There is another long one (Winter something?) but it is not very good at all. Her other books are sort of novellas, but a very nice way to spend an afternoon with a cup of tea. I think I liked them all...off the top of my head I can think of Under Gemini, The Carousel, and The Empty House.

Thank you to whomever recommended Meg Cabot (it's a page back on my screen--I can't scroll!). I read Every Boy's Got One on the plane yesterday and it was a lovely airplane book. I also read The Undomesticated Goddess (not on the plane), and I think I can say I've had enough Sophie Kinsella. I'm glad it was from the library.

[pocket]

after reading The Shell-Seekers and Coming Home by rosamunde pilcher, i'm hoping that her other books are equally as scrumptious. has anyone a recommendation? are the others just as good or did she peek with those two? thanks.

Lucky you! You still haven't read September!

I just finished Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and am on to the next one – Second Summer of the Sisterhood. I’m also reading Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson after so many people recommended it along with A Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood to those who aren’t afraid of the post-Roe world.

[bookworm]

Speaking of traveling pants, I'm all thrown off by this... I've read the 3 books, which (and I'm not giving anything away here) ends with the end of high school/beginning of college. It's a natural transition, but yet that's just THREE books. When there are FOUR "sisters." And each of the books has a different narrator, so someone is left out. It feels All Wrong to me. She should have started the books a year earlier :).

[vancouvergirl]

bookworm and pocket, so i just bought September! i am too excited.

[pocket]

She should have started the books a year earlier :).

[shakes fist]

it's a violation!

[womblecobb]

I love James Patterson and have not read Maximum Ride. How does it compare to his others?

[lawyerlee]

I'm reading The Broker by John Grisham. I used to read all of his as they came out, but this is my first in a while. Some of them were just too dissapointing for me to feel like I'd always enjoy his books. But this one is great, so far. It's really engaging and a bit different from his others, but still suspenseful and law-related. :)

[emmjay]

I have lurked in this thread occasionally to get recommendations, and I picked up Let's Get Lost by Craig Nelson from the library the other night - I love it so far! I've only read the first two chapters (China and Peru) and, having visited both of those places, I was literally laughing out loud at some of his descriptions. I can't wait to read the rest.

So, thanks to the person who recommended it in the first place!! :)

[pocket]

I finished the third Traveling Pants book last night - Girls In Pants and I loved it!

Bookworm - (spoiler, highlight to read) I don't think this is the last book. There will be a fourth book because the Paul-Kostas-Lena thing is not yet worked out.

[wine_o_girlie]

Just finished the following -

The Space Between Us by Thrity Umragat (for book club). Good in the beginning and middle, fizzled out a lot by the end. Just an "ok" book.

The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamant. One of my all time favorites is The Red Tent so I had high hopes for another Diamant book. This book definitely didn't do it for me. It was ok but pretty slow and not very imaginative.

Sammy's Hill by Kristin Gore, got the recommendation for it in this thread. I'm not usually a chick-lik person but was looking for something mindless and fun. And I found that in this book. ;) Totally predictable and flippant but would be a decent beach read. I am assuming there will be (or there already is one) a sequel based on the ending - anyone know?

Next up is Bel Canto, Spelling Bee, and The Plot Against America for book club.

[laura]

I have the same opinion of The Last Days of Dogtown. Really I just thought it was blah.

I'm currently reading Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult. It's serving it's purpose as a good commute read.

[keska]

I'm reading The Second Assistant: A Tale From the Bottom of the Hollywood Ladder by Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare.

[pocket]

I'm starting People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn. Also still reading Snow Crash, but so far I am wishing I wasn't reading it on audio. It's slow, and I am a fast reader. I would be done by now if I was reading it myself. Harumph.

[kemaji]

I just finished re-reading The Handmaid's Tale. It was just as good as the first time around and definitely fitting considering recent events.

Prior to that, I read Good in Bed and Little Earthquakes. I liked the first, the second was just okay.

[d4est]

I have read and really enjoyed: Summer Sisters -Judy Blume, She's Come Undone- Wally Lamb, and Beach Gals - can rememeber the author. It is really hard for me to get into a book at the beginning. Any recommendations?

[lawyerlee]

I have read and really enjoyed: Summer Sisters -Judy Blume, She's Come Undone- Wally Lamb, and Beach Gals - can rememeber the author. It is really hard for me to get into a book at the beginning. Any recommendations?
Have you read Wally Lamb's other book, "I Know this Much is True"? It's quite a bit different than "She's Come Undone", but I actually liked it a lot more than "She's Come Undone" and highly recommend it.

You might also want to read the other novels that Judy Blume has written for adults: Smart Women and Wifey.

Finally, you may enjoy books by Jennifer Weiner, Marian Keyes, Jennifer Crusie, Sophie Kinsella, Jane Green, or Terry McMillan. I enjoy all of these authors a lot. :)

[tgr68]

I just finished The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart. Wasn't really that impressed with it, but by the time I was boared with it, I only had 2 chapters left. So, I had to finish it! :p

Right now I'm reading Potty Training Your Baby: Begin Training Before Your Child's First Birthday - and Be Fully Completed by the Second Year!.

[vancouvergirl]

Saturday by Ian McEwan. has anyone read his work? beautiful prose. every sentence is a pleasure. i've heard lots of his books have twists so i'll see if this gets exciting as well!

[d4est]

Have you read Wally Lamb's other book, "I Know this Much is True"? It's quite a bit different than "She's Come Undone", but I actually liked it a lot more than "She's Come Undone" and highly recommend it.

You might also want to read the other novels that Judy Blume has written for adults: Smart Women and Wifey.

Finally, you may enjoy books by Jennifer Weiner, Marian Keyes, Jennifer Crusie, Sophie Kinsella, Jane Green, or Terry McMillan. I enjoy all of these authors a lot. :)

Thanks so much Lawyerlee:D - I picked up "I know this much is true" - Its pretty long so it may take me a while..LOL

[keska]

I'm reading:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0553569910.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

So far, it's OK. It's about an average woman who is made beautiful through plastic surgery after a violent attack that almost kills her and leaves her young daughter and husband dead. She later goes off for revenge. I'm not normally into the crime thrillers but the idea was interesting and someone recommended it to me.

[lawyerlee]

Thanks so much Lawyerlee:D - I picked up "I know this much is true" - Its pretty long so it may take me a while..LOL
It *is* a long one! I hope you enjoy it. :)

Saturday by Ian McEwan. has anyone read his work? beautiful prose. every sentence is a pleasure. i've heard lots of his books have twists so i'll see if this gets exciting as well!
I haven't, but it is on my list. I may have to pick that up this week. I'm in the mood for something like that. :)

[Brandles]

After seeing "Tristan & Isolde" and being completely disappointed in it (where was the LOVE POTION?!), I dug my old copy of "Tristan" out from college. I'm reading that now.

I don't know what I'll read next...probably something from the library.

[endymion411]

just finished "dress your family in corduroy and denim" by david sedaris---a funny, easy read!

[vancouvergirl]

sedaris is laugh-out-loud! i am laughing now just thinking about that book. :D

[looch]

I always have a lot of books going at the same time. One is usually a cookbook, one is a non fiction, the other is a fiction. Right now:

Cookbook: The bread lovers breadmachine cookbook by Beth Hensperger. Yummy brioche just came out about an hour ago, I can't wait to slice into it.

Non Fiction: The code book by Simon Singh. Borrowing this one from my brother, it is about decoding and decyphering secret messages.

Fiction: none right now, I usually read historical fiction, but I am taking a break from that right now to focus on my school reading!

[pocket]

mmmm....just finished Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay....so good! I will crosspost to scififan. i'm still working on People's History by Howard Zinn. It takes me so much longer to read nf than f!

[miel]

I just read a very weird book but I liked it. I have strange taste in books so I usually don't post here!

It's called Stranger Things Happen by Kelly Link. It's kind of this set of surreal gothic short stories. If you are a short story freak like me, you might like it. There's one story where it turns out that all blondes are from outer space.

Hey Pocket--

When you finish A People's History--if you like it-- you might want to read A Different Mirror by Takaki if you haven't already. It's kind of a civil rights history. It's interesting and fun to read like The People's History.

When I finish the 90 million papers I have to write, I can't wait to read VERONICA by Mary Gaitskill. Does anyone here like her? Weird stuff but great reads. The movie "Secretary" was based on one of her short stories.

[pocket]

The movie "Secretary" was based on one of her short stories.

That movie was f-hot!

[greenbunny]

keska, I read The Ugly Duckling and really liked it. It got hokey by the end, but it was still good. I actually read it twice because I picked it up at the library after it was reissued, the new cover threw me off.

[endymion411]

i just finished the undomestic goddess by sophie kinsella--a perfect, brainless, spring break read!

[tlew12778]

I just finished Bergdof Blondes. I actually hated it. I know people like that exist and it annoyed me.

Right now I am reading Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan. I needed something more serious after that last one.

[pocket]

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson was an interesting premise but the plot fell apart in a very unsatisfying way at the end.

[eli1126]

I finally got around to reading The Da Vinci Code thought it was pretty good.

Beth

[MsRo]

I finished reading Birdman by Mo Hayder on Friday and now I'm on to the next in the series, The Treatment. So disturbing that I can't stop myself from reading. :confused:

[pixiecat]

Just finished Marley & Me - cute & a sweet story

Monkeewrench - a mystery novel, lighthearted & fun! Couldn't put it down really... :) Now, I'm going to search this thread for my next book!

[tippy]

I just finished My Friend Leonard by James Frey (pretty good, though the whole time I kept thinking how much of it was actually real)

I started Night by Elie Wiesel today, and am nearly done. Such a good book, but extremely sad! :(

[lawyerlee]

I'm reading The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson and absolutely *loving* it! :)

[laura]

Last week I read (a lot of trash) :

The 5th Horseman (Women's Murder Club) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Citizen Girl by Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
Cocktails for Three by Madeleine Wickham (ie. Sophie Kinsella)

All 3 were pretty mindless and predictable, but we were traveling, so they were okay for that. CG is by the same duo who wrote The Nanny Diaries and I liked that MUCH better; I though CG was slow and the character was pretty uninteresting.

Today I started The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory; so far, so good.

[lawyerlee]

Last week I read (a lot of trash) :

The 5th Horseman (Women's Murder Club) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Citizen Girl by Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
Cocktails for Three by Madeleine Wickham (ie. Sophie Kinsella)

All 3 were pretty mindless and predictable, but we were traveling, so they were okay for that. CG is by the same duo who wrote The Nanny Diaries and I liked that MUCH better; I though CG was slow and the character was pretty uninteresting.

Today I started The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory; so far, so good.
I made the mistake of reading Citizen Girl before I went for The Nanny Diaries because a friend lent it to me. The main character was really annoying to me, so I've avoided their other book. :(

[laura]

I liked TND b/c I used to work w/ kids, plus I just found the story more gripping/interesting. Sort of like The Devil Wears Prada, except the nanny version, if you've read that. Not exactly 'literature', but good mindless funnies.

[lawyerlee]

I liked TND b/c I used to work w/ kids, plus I just found the story more gripping/interesting. Sort of like The Devil Wears Prada, except the nanny version, if you've read that. Not exactly 'literature', but good mindless funnies.
Yeah! :) I enjoyed reading The Devil Wears Prada. I'll have to give those girls another chance.

[EmilyZA]

I just finished Teacher Man by Frank McCourt, and am starting Say When by Elizabeth Berg.

[LittleFredPunkinHead]

I'm halfway through "Be Cool" by Elmore Leonard. I haven't seen the movie yet, but I'm loving the book. I saw "Get Shorty," but haven't read the book there. I'll be interested to see how they compare.

Anyway, I'd definitely recommend this (or any other Elmore Leonard book).

[mili04]

I just finished Marley and Me and The Second Summer of the Sisterhood. Both were really good.

Marley and Me - I laughed and cried all the way through this book. Very cute, especially if you are an animal lover.

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood - I liked the first book and this one was even better. I really enjoyed the focus on the mother/daughter relationship.

[thechick79]

I just finished Vinegar Hill by A. Manette Ansay. Starting Peace Like a River by Leif Enger.

I enjoyed The Devil Wears Prada but I didn't think The Nanny Diaries was as good.

[Rosebud]

I just finished The Kite Runner and LOVED it. What a wonderful book!! I thought it was very moving and extremely well written. If you haven't already read it, I highly recommend it!

I've just started reading The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. This isn't normally subject matter I'd be interested in, but I read a bunch of good reviews and thought I'd give it a try. So far, it's really interesting! Moody, creepy, suspenseful...

Synopsis from Publisher's Weekly:
In 1972, a 16-year-old American living in Amsterdam finds a mysterious book in her diplomat father's library. The book is ancient, blank except for a sinister woodcut of a dragon and the word "Drakulya," but it's the letters tucked inside, dated 1930 and addressed to "My dear and unfortunate successor," that really pique her curiosity. Her widowed father, Paul, reluctantly provides pieces of a chilling story; it seems this ominous little book has a way of forcing itself on its owners, with terrifying results. Paul's former adviser at Oxford, Professor Rossi, became obsessed with researching Dracula and was convinced that he remained alive. When Rossi disappeared, Paul continued his quest with the help of another scholar, Helen, who had her own reasons for seeking the truth. As Paul relates these stories to his daughter, she secretly begins her own research. Kostova builds suspense by revealing the threads of her story as the narrator discovers them: what she's told, what she reads in old letters and, of course, what she discovers directly when the legendary threat of Dracula looms. Along with all the fascinating historical information, there's also a mounting casualty count, and the big showdown amps up the drama by pulling at the heartstrings at the same time it revels in the gruesome. Exotic locales, tantalizing history, a family legacy and a love of the bloodthirsty: it's hard to imagine that readers won't be bitten, too.

[LaughAtlantis]

Has anyone read I Hate Other People's Kids by Adrianne Frost? SOOOO funny!

[pocket]

I've just started reading The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. This isn't normally subject matter I'd be interested in, but I read a bunch of good reviews and thought I'd give it a try. So far, it's really interesting! Moody, creepy, suspenseful...

I really liked this book!

[bevvied]

I just finished reading James Patterson's 5th Horseman, the latest in the Women's club books..it was great as usual..so far I'm done with all of Patterson's Alex Cross & Lindsay Boxer's series

[greenbunny]

I'm so behind the times. :o I only just finished Da Vinci Code last night, and I just started Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

[keska]

I just finished Fishbowl by Sarah Mlynowski. Now, I'm reading several books on soap making.

[ysolde]

I am reading "Till We Have Faces" by C.S. Lewis. It is a retelling of the Eros and Psyche myth, and is an exploration of faith, love, and their role in our lives.

ETA:

Here is a pretty good explanation:

http://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=12321

[mgrace]

Just started The Undomestic Goddess

[alootikki]

Just finished:

- The Reading Group, which was good, but left me thinking "Haven't I read three books just like this before?"

- Life isn't all Ha Ha Hee Hee, entertaining but the character motivations made zero sense to me. Annoying.

and just started reading Lipstick Jihad, memoir of an Iranian-American woman who grew up in California.

[CityGirl]

I really need to get into a new book. I read in spurts, but wish I was more regular about it.

The last book I read was Everything Is Illuminated: A Novel by Jonathan Safran Foer. It was amazingly intricate and beautiful, hilarious and sad. So much more complex than the movie, if you saw it.

[Katy]

Well, for book club, I was supossed to be reading Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner. But with so much goin on, I never got around to it. Instead, I'm reading Anne Rice's Blood Canticle (which I'm liking so far, first Lestat/vampire book in a loooong time I've enjoyed). So now at book club I'm hoping they wow me with how good it is and I'll read it next (since I've already read two out of the next four books).

[bookworm]

Katy I'm not in book club, but it really is that good. It took me a few tries to get past the first 15 pages, but once I did, I don't think I put it down.