# Just wondering ... what is everyone reading now?



## pdswife

I just started....GRANNY DAN by Danielle Steel
                        PARADISE by Toni Morrison
and                   THE READER by Bernhard Schlink


----------



## nicole

I usually don't read books. Can never finish them


----------



## DampCharcoal

'Roughing It', Mark Twain. VERY funny!    8)


----------



## tweedee

The only thing I enjoy reading is a news paper.


----------



## wasabi

*Just finished Danielle Steel's Ransom

In the middle of Dance With Me by Luanne Rice

Will be reading Frankenstein by Dean Koontz next*


----------



## pdswife

wasabi said:
			
		

> *Just finished Danielle Steel's Ransom
> 
> In the middle of Dance With Me by Luanne Rice
> 
> Will be reading Frankenstein by Dean Koontz next*



Sounds like a good list.


----------



## pdswife

nicole said:
			
		

> I usually don't read books. Can never finish them



I always read three or four at a time.  I have
them all over the place...   they are my "drug" of choice.


----------



## Alix

I just finished the Sugar Cookie Mystery which was half recipes...YUM.

Now I am into Claire and Present Danger, it is cute so far.


----------



## Brooksy

Um,
A Discuss Cooking Thread........

I'm a male, I am only capable of doing one thing at a time........

Last thing I read - 2 hours ago was a tech manual. Don't have the time to read novels these days, general generally technical stuff. 

All other time is spent hiding from MDW so she can't give me a job.


----------



## luvs

i'm reading 'what i learned in medical school'; 'the secret life of bees'; 'kitchen confidential'; i'm re-reading 'a cook's tour' and i think that's it. oh, and i'm reading a book about WWII... i can't think of the name right now. 
i like to read a bunch of books at once depending on what seems interesting at the moment.


----------



## Zereh

_The Winter King_ by Bernard Cornwell


Z


----------



## -DEADLY SUSHI-

Im reading Maxuim..... now quit banging on the door. Cant a guy read??


----------



## buckytom

sush, let me hear you clapping with both hands!!!!!!! that way i know you are properly busy.
and you'd better not come out with a bright red forehead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## mudbug

The journals of William Clark and Meriwether Lewis as they explored the country that Mr. Jefferson bought from Napoleon.  It's the 200th anniversary of their trip you know.


----------



## ronjohn55

Not by choice, but I'm reading Business, Government, and Society, A Managerial Perspective (10th Ed). 

I'd rather be reading Radical Brewing...    

John


----------



## PA Baker

I finished Girls in Trouble by Caroline Leavitt about a week ago and it was so good I didn't want to start anything else right away so I caught up on magazines.  I went to the library last night and grabbed and arm load.  I'll start What Looks Like Crazy by Pearl Cleager today.


----------



## The Z

mudbug said:
			
		

> The journals of William Clark and Meriwether Lewis as they explored the country that Mr. Jefferson bought from Napoleon.  It's the 200th anniversary of their trip you know.



Ahhhh, the _Corps of Discovery_, huh?  It was an amazing and inspiring journey.  I grew up not far from the grave of Sergeant Floyd (the only death along this epic journey) and the explorers were infused in the local culture... but I never truly appreciated what they did until I watched the Ken Burns documentary on PBS last year.... it was beautifully filmed and put the scope of the journey into perspective.  It was narrated by Hal Holbrook and included exerpts from the journals.  I would recommend the video/DVD to anyone and think it should be required viewing in schools.


----------



## pdswife

luvs_food said:
			
		

> i'm reading 'what i learned in medical school'; 'the secret life of bees'; 'kitchen confidential'; i'm re-reading 'a cook's tour' and i think that's it. oh, and i'm reading a book about WWII... i can't think of the name right now.
> i like to read a bunch of books at once depending on what seems interesting at the moment.



Me too.   I have books in almost every room of the house and two in the car.  Just incase I don't feel like reading the one in my hand.   I don't think I've ever just read one book at a time.    Unless, I sit down and read one cover to cover.


----------



## pdswife

mudbug said:
			
		

> The journals of William Clark and Meriwether Lewis as they explored the country that Mr. Jefferson bought from Napoleon.  It's the 200th anniversary of their trip you know.



We just checked out a diary of Lewis and Clark.  I haven't started reading
it yet though.   I think I'll take it on vacation with us.


----------



## mudbug

The Z said:
			
		

> mudbug said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The journals of William Clark and Meriwether Lewis as they explored the country that Mr. Jefferson bought from Napoleon.  It's the 200th anniversary of their trip you know.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ahhhh, the _Corps of Discovery_, huh?  It was an amazing and inspiring journey.  I grew up not far from the grave of Sergeant Floyd (the only death along this epic journey) and the explorers were infused in the local culture... but I never truly appreciated what they did until I watched the Ken Burns documentary on PBS last year.... it was beautifully filmed and put the scope of the journey into perspective.  It was narrated by Hal Holbrook and included exerpts from the journals.  I would recommend the video/DVD to anyone and think it should be required viewing in schools.
Click to expand...


Z, another excellent telling of this story is by Stephen Ambrose, entitled _Undaunted Courage_.  I'm not familiar with the Ken Burns film, but I'm a fan of his other work (Civil War, Jazz) - thanks for the tip.


----------



## sarah

Mayo Clinic guide to a healthy pregnancy,thats waht i'm readin these days


----------



## PA Baker

Sarah, the What to Expect When Your Expecting series is great, too.


----------



## amber

The five people you meet in heaven, by Mitch Albom.


----------



## GB

PA Baker said:
			
		

> Sarah, the What to Expect When Your Expecting series is great, too.



We had about 6 or 7 copies of that. Everyone kept giving it to us as soon as they found out my wife was pregnant.


----------



## Bangbang

Winning Roller Hockey


----------



## buckytom

"what to expect when you're expecting" is a good reference for all of the things that can go wrong with your pregnancy sarah, but be careful. it may scare you a bit and make you call your doctor for every twinge and gas pain.


----------



## GB

Yeah, my wife did not like reading it at all. Her nurse actually told her to not read it because it will drive you crazy think that all these things will happen to your baby.


----------



## crewsk

I'm getting ready to start Jewel by Bret Lott. I also got Grandma Rose's Book of Sinfully Delicious Snacks, Nibbles, Noshes, & Other Delights by Rose Naftalin whil I was at the library today.


----------



## PA Baker

crewsk said:
			
		

> I'm getting ready to start Jewel by Bret Lott.



You'll have to let me know how you like it, crewsk, it's a great read!


----------



## crewsk

I will...just from reading the front flap it sounds really good! I can't wait to get started on it, which is what I'm going to do in just a few minutes.


----------



## In the Kitchen

THINK think BE thin local gal from here wrote this book and has testimonies that say it can be done. Going to read and see what happens. My luck they are all sold at the bookstore but will get in next week.  Strange, the gal who wrote it lived in my neighborhood and from knowing her I feel she isn't trying to mislead anyone.  Just getting thin enough tobe healthy is my goal.


----------



## crewsk

I jsut checked out Open House & Never Change(both by Elizabeth Berg)from the library today. I don't know which one I want to read first though!


----------



## PA Baker

Read both!  Right away!    Obviously I'm no good on suggesting one--I love all of her stuff.

I just read What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day by Pearl Cleage.  It was very good.  I'm half way through Coming Back to Me by Caroline Leavitt which is excellent, too.  It's always nice when you pick out all good books at the library.  I always expect to have a few duds, but lately I've been lucking out.


----------



## Barbara L

I can't seem to find as much time as I would like to read lately, but I am reading S.e.x Begins in the Kitchen by Dr. Kevin Leman. We are watching one of Dr. Leman's video seminars about how men and women are different, in a marriage class at church. He is SO funny, and he really knows what he is talking about. Check him out--He also wrote Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours, The New Birth Order Book, and Sheet Music. I read the one about kids when I was raising my daughter.

 Barbara


----------



## lindatooo

Just finished "Night Fall" by Nelson Demille - very interesting and will keep you up at night after you reach the halfway point.  Next is "The Last Juror" - Gidgett hasn't given me a lot of time to read


----------



## crewsk

PA, I decided to start with Open House...well, actually that's the one TC brought to me last night after supper. I've read about 1/4 of it & so far I really like it. Her writing style is a little diffrent from what I'm used to but it's a nice change.


----------



## SizzlininIN

I just finished reading ....The Calhouns by Nora Roberts.  She's one of my favorites I get so engrossed in her books that I can read them within a few days


----------



## PA Baker

crewsk said:
			
		

> Her writing style is a little diffrent from what I'm used to but it's a nice change.


 
Yea, it is different.  It's sort of simple and a lot like just having a conversation with someone.


----------



## crewsk

PA, I finished Open House last night& I didn't want it to end! I started Never Change last night too.


----------



## PA Baker

Glad you enjoyed it so much!  I haven't read one of her books yet that I haven't liked.  They go fast, too, which is nice sometimes.


----------



## Alix

Reading The Wedding, by Nicholas Sparks. It is the sequel to the Notebook, so far it is good. Not as good as the Notebook but good.


----------



## htc

I just started Angels & Demons by Dan Brown.  Pretty good so far.


----------



## pdswife

I'm still reading Paradise Toni Morrison
and just started Vinegar Hill by Manette Ansay
and The Reader by Bernhard Schlink.

Just finished re-reading Lord Of the Flies.
I'd forgotten how much I liked that book.


----------



## Pam Leavy

I love Toni Morrison, but she is not easy to read.


I just reread a book called " The Assistant" by 
Bernard Malamud.  It was a painful book to read, if that makes any sense.  I became involved in the people's lives.  A very different time and lifestyle to mine.

Pam


----------



## mudbug

Still with Lewis & Clark and the Corps of Discovery.  They are on the way back home now.


----------



## crewsk

PA, I know you want see this until Monday but I had to tell you before I forgot! I finished Never Change last night & cried through the last half of it. It was wonderful! Thanks!!


----------



## Bangbang

Brewing for Dummies


----------



## pdswife

Pam Leavy said:
			
		

> I love Toni Morrison, but she is not easy to read.
> 
> 
> I just reread a book called " The Assistant" by
> Bernard Malamud.  It was a painful book to read, if that makes any sense.  I became involved in the people's lives.  A very different time and lifestyle to mine.
> 
> Pam



I agree Pam.   I really like her too.  BUT, I find myself re-reading line after line because of the way she writes. I think it's the work order that confuses me.


----------



## -DEADLY SUSHI-

Im reading the newest PC Gamer!  GO COCONUT MONKEY!!! :p


----------



## PA Baker

crewsk said:
			
		

> PA, I know you want see this until Monday but I had to tell you before I forgot! I finished Never Change last night & cried through the last half of it. It was wonderful! Thanks!!


 
I'm glad you liked it so much!  I find myself crying in a lot of her books.  It's a good thing, though!


----------



## crewsk

Yes, it is a good thing, it helps clean out your system!  I'm going to the library today to see what else they have.


----------



## luvs

*what are you reading?*

i'm planning on taking 'the catcher in the rye' and Hemingway's 'a moveable feast' out of the library. i just bought some books i had lost/ruined again, plus a new one, and i'll be starting on those, too. 'the devil wears prada', 'the secret life of bees', and 'confessions of a sociopathic social climber.' i got 'the Holocaust chronicle', a very awesome book, and i've been flipping through that.
but 'the catcher in the rye' and 'a moveable feast' are two of my absolute favorites.
i might start reading 'the diary of Anne Frank' agian, too. i love that book.
i like to read a whole bunch of books at once. i select which one i want to read at the moment depending on my mood.


----------



## Pam Leavy

'the Secret life of Bees' is one of my favorite books.  It has been years since I've read Catcher in the Rye.

I've just read three good books, "Remains of the Day", "We have to talk about Kevin" and The way the crow flies", all three different but equally good.

Have you read 'White Oleander'?  It is one of my favorites.  "Blackberry Wine' is also very good.

Pam


----------



## luvs

i haven't read 'white oleander', pam, but i did see the movie, and liked that a lot.
what's 'we have to talk about kevin' about? it sounds like a good book.


----------



## Lugaru

Cool stuff. I never told you guy's but I finished american psycho a couple of months back (which I posted an excerpt of in this forum... hehehe). Then I took on The Big U by Neal Stephenson which I finished this week (it was amazing). The book is a satire about universities, machismo, burocracy and by the end its a satire about war. Probably one of the best I've read in a long time. Right now Im reading Aura which is a WEIRD and atmosferic book in spanish by Carlos Fuentes but its really short so as soon as I get a "reading day" I'll plow through it. Next on my list is Fargo Rock City which a roomie loant me since Im a metal head (It's about growing up listening to 80's metal) and after that Im starting the Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson which is suposed to be a gritty yet funny period fiction.


----------



## Zereh

I love to read as much as I do cook!_

The Secret Life of Bees_ was great! I picked it up after hearing raves about it here and I'm so glad I did. Sue Kidd's second book, _The Mermaid Chair_, is very good as well._

White Oleander_ is a very good book. I haven't seen the movie so maybe I'll have to find that one and watch it.

I'm reading the second series in Terry Brook's Sword of Truth books, _The Scions of Shannara _is the one I started last night_. _If you are a fan of the fantasy genre, TB writes some decent stuff.

I am also re-reading a book called _Loving What Is_ by Byron Katie, a super self-help kind of book which encourages you to quit focusing on the "what should be" or "what should have been" as that is the kind of thinking that leads you absolutely nowhere. Instead learn to find the simple truths in those things that eat at you. Learn to awknowledge, understand, appreciate and enjoy what is in front of you. It's about letting others live out their lives, make their own mistakes and learn their own painful lessons without you having to having to be pulled down into their unhappy worlds. I highly recommend it. It's not deep and weighty stuff, but offers good, simple, common sense approaches to letting go of stressful and dead end  thinking.


Z


----------



## luvs

i like reading as much as cooking, too, zereh. that and history. soooooo many people have read 'the secret life of bees' and i have yet to hear one negetive comment about that book. it's such a great book. i hope sue monk kidd won some awards for it; she's an awesome writer. i'll have to check her other book out.


----------



## pdswife

The Secret Life of Bees is a great book!  
White Oleander was really good too.   I saw part of the movie but, missed the end.  I'll have to rent it some day.

I just got done reading  THE BOY WHO LOVED ANNE FRANK,  It was good.  Took a little while to read though.  It's not long just.... a slow read.  Hard to explain.  luvs if you read and liked THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK,  you should check this out.  It's a good part two to the story.  Fiction

I also read  SPEAK SOFTLY SHE CAN HEAR YOU.    I wouldn't  tell any one to rush out and buy it.   Get it from the library instead.   I re-read books over and over and I won't pick this one up again.   The characters were too unbelieveable even for a fiction book  and the ending was "just wrong".   

I'm out of books now and this afternoon will be going signing on to the local library site to pick out some new ones.   Any ideas?


Oh and speaking of old books...   I just finished ( again) THE LORD OF THE FLIES.   I love that book!!


----------



## luvs

if you like satire and belly laughs, pds, i HIGHLY recommend 'confessions of a sociopathic social climber' by adele lang. it was a New York Times bestseller.
it drips with sarcasm and just makes you laugh a lot.
oh, and if you haven't read 'the catcher in the rye', please do. it's just a pure classic, and now i see why. it's excellent.


----------



## Pam Leavy

'We have to talk about Kevin' is a series of letters written by the mother of a boy that commits a horrible crime.  He shoots several people at his high school.  The mother is writing letters to his father.  It is really gripping.  I am a fast reader, but found I needed to take this book very slowly.  We have an English language bookclub here and this is the next book.  I'm glad I read it.

I saw the film 'White Oleander'.  I thought it was also very good.  That was a relief!  Film versions of books can really fall flat.  

Lord of the Flies is also a classic.  Haven't read that in a long time!

Lugar, I hated 'American Psycho'.  The guy can write, but I could not stomach the subject matter. My father-in-law was reading the Dutch translation and he asked me what a 'hard body' was.  Hard to translate so they left it in English.  Hard to translate for me as well.

the Anne Frank house is in Amsterdam.  I have been a few times.  We wanted to take my son there last week as he has never been and he was taking the day off for his 18 birthday.  The problem is, the lines are so long to get in.  It is worth the wait.  I read the book in Dutch as well for one of my exams.  That changed the whole perspective. It was written in Dutch.  It wasn't anything I'd really thought about.

Has anybody read the 'new' version, with things added after her father died a while back?  I have not and am wondering what the differences are.  Apparently she said some unkind things about her mother.

pam


----------



## luvs

thanks for the info on the book, pam.
don't think i'd like American psycho; that kind of book/movie just give me the creeps.
Happy 18th to your son!
i'd LOVE to go to Amsterdam to see the secret annex. i might ask for that for my 25th birthday or for next Christmas. 
i haven't seen the new version of Anne Frank, but i'm well aware of the fact that she and her Mother shared some animosity. even in the version Otto Frank published that was evident.


----------



## Pam Leavy

If you are ever in Amsterdam you have to let me know.  I am 25 minutes away by train!


Pam


----------



## pdswife

*What are you reading these days??*

 Like always I'm reading a # of books.

Maeve Benchy's QUENTINS
James Patterson's LIFEGUARD
Victoria Holt's  THE INDIA FAN
Nuala O'Faolain's ARE YOU SOMEBODY?
and
THE TRUTH ABOUT CELIA BY  Kevin Brockmeier


----------



## GB

Nothing right now, but if all goes right I will be reading Harry Potter tomorrow


----------



## pdswife

I hope you enjoy it GB.  I was at the book store yesterday and the lady at the help
desk was telling me that they had to bring in extra help because that book was going to be released.    

I've read part of the first book but, couldn't really get into it.   I still have it around here somewhere.  Maybe, I should try again?


----------



## Bangbang

Nothing..don't feel like reading. Hard enough to read the posts here.


----------



## GB

yes give it another try. Make sure you at least get to the part in the book where they get to the school. Some people find the beginning of the book a bit boring and tedious to get through (I was not one of those people), but once they get to school it becomes a lot more enjoyable for some people. Since you love to read so much, I think you should try again some day. Not everyone likes these books of course, but I hope you try again and like it


----------



## pdswife

I'll dig it up GB and try again.  Finding it will be a little hard though.  It's in one of those boxes upstairs that we didn't unpack when we moved a few years ago.  lol... it's a good thing we have a big house...we have TOO much stuff.


----------



## GB

LOL I know what you mean. I have boxes of stuff from 2 moves ago that have never been unpacked. Just moved from place to place


----------



## pdswife

I should just go dump the boxes with out even looking in them.  But, I'm pretty sure I'll need all that stuff again some day.  lolol!


----------



## Bangbang

pdswife said:
			
		

> I should just go dump the boxes with out even looking in them. But, I'm pretty sure I'll need all that stuff again some day. lolol!


 
 I must have at least a hundred books that I will never even pick up again but I just can't part with them just in case.


----------



## pdswife

Bangbang said:
			
		

> I must have at least a hundred books that I will never even pick up again but I just can't part with them just in case.



Us too Bang.   
I do re-read books though.  
So ya never know.  I might just read the 
ones in the boxes again.


I bring a bunch to Greece everytime we go and one of the nicest parts of the trip is walking in to the house and seeing all the books I left behind last time.


----------



## SierraCook

I usually read several books at the same time. This really frustates my mom. She just does not see how I keep track of them all. I just finished reading:

_Skywatch West - The Complete Weather Guide_ by Richard A. Keen.

This is what I am currently reading:

_The Field Guide to Geology_ by David Lambert
_Wildflowers of the Eastern Sierra_ by Laird R. Blackwell
_Plants of the Tahoe Basin_ by Michael Graff
_World Without End_ by Sean Russell (Science Fiction)
_The Calhouns - Suzanna and Megan_ by Nora Roberts (My light reading)

We have had an extraordinary wildflower summer. That is why I am reading the two plant books.


----------



## luvs

i'm re-reading 'the devil wears prada.' i LOVE that book. i need to get to the bookstore and library very soon, as i am out of books and need some new ones. i'm not used to only reading one book at a time. i'm so picky about what i'll read, though. i think i'm going to get some books about history. i cannot read enough about history, namely the Depression era, WWII and the victorian era.


----------



## buckytom

a copy of the new harry potter book that wasabi and corazon just threw at me...   (only teasing)

i'm reading "what to expect, the first year".


----------



## jkath

great book, bucky. Boy do you learn a lot!
I'm in the middle of reading 3 different cookbooks that I got at the library.


----------



## buckytom

yeah, like "duck!"...


oh wait, you meant the "what to expect" books. yes they are full of useful info, and don't hurt as much...


----------



## jkath

I don't know about that.....nothing like "learning" what your little ones do when you're in public....
I'm still waiting for a story about how Louie and Beethoven teach your boy enough words so when he goes to the mommy and me class, he says something sweet like: "Mama! I do that $@^+#&* too!"


----------



## buckytom

lol jkath. i am wondering how i'm gonna talk my way out of those situations. on one hand, i can't wait. it'll probably be funny, but i hope it doesn't begin in church, during the silence of communion prayers. "geez mom, this stuff tastes like #$%^@".

i can see dw's laser-like glare already...


----------



## wasabi

I bought these from Costco today-

Black Rose by Nora Roberts
Picture Perfect by Fern Michaels
Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy
Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich

Tomorrow morning, I pick up the new Harry Potter book, so my Costco books will be put on the back shelf.


----------



## Zereh

I try to have one fun book and one that will teach me something going at the same time. 

I grabbed the first book in Terry Brooks' _High Druid of Shannara_ series _*Jarka Ruus*_; I also have Manda Scott's *Boudica, Dreaming the Eagle* queued up.

For some pseudo "brain food" reading I picked up *The Introvert Advantage (How to Thrive in an Extrovert World)  *by Marti Olsen Laney.


Z


----------



## spatulator

Currently reading:
Citizen Soldiers by Stephen Ambrose
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0684848015/ref=pd_sxp_f/102-8784798-3024130?v=glance&s=books


----------



## GB

buckytom said:
			
		

> i'm reading "what to expect, the first year".


Awesome book BT!!!


----------



## pdswife

wasabi said:
			
		

> I bought these from Costco today-
> 
> Black Rose by Nora Roberts
> Picture Perfect by Fern Michaels
> Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy
> Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich
> 
> Tomorrow morning, I pick up the new Harry Potter book, so my Costco books will be put on the back shelf.



I read 
NIGHTS OF RAIN AND STARS a few weeks ago!
It's a really good book.   Set in Greece ( lol...so it had to be good).


----------



## SierraCook

wasabi said:
			
		

> I bought these from Costco today-
> 
> Black Rose by Nora Roberts
> Picture Perfect by Fern Michaels
> Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy
> Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich
> 
> Tomorrow morning, I pick up the new Harry Potter book, so my Costco books will be put on the back shelf.


 
wasabi, I buy my books from Costco also.  Such good prices.  I also forgot to mention that I am also reading _Everyday Italian_ by Giada De Laurentiis.  Now it just need to decide what to cook out of it. So many good recipes.


----------



## SierraCook

I finished reading the books in my previous list. Here is what I am reading now:

_First Rider's Call_ by Kristen Britain (Although it is not scary this one kept me awake one night last week. I read it before I went to bed and then could not go to sleep.) 
_Flashback_ by Nevada Barr  (This one is starting out to slow for me, I doubt I will finish this book.)
_Flyboys A True Story of Courage_ by James Bradley


----------



## DampCharcoal

I'm about 2/3 of the way through _The DaVinci Code._ Very cool story! I can see why it has caused so much controversy but I'm just reading it like the fictional story that it is. I recommend it.


----------



## mrsmac

pdswife said:
			
		

> Like always I'm reading a # of books.
> 
> Maeve Benchy's QUENTINS
> James Patterson's LIFEGUARD
> Victoria Holt's  THE INDIA FAN
> Nuala O'Faolain's ARE YOU SOMEBODY?
> and
> THE TRUTH ABOUT CELIA BY  Kevin Brockmeier



Have you read The Scarlet Feather? (Maeve Binchy)
I love her books I have all of them. At the moment I'm reading Shelia OFlanagan's Too Good To Be True.
Have you read any Cathy Kelly? She is in that same style as Maeve.
I love reading its so relaxing and its an escape from everyday life!


----------



## luvs

i just bought like 20 medical books, used, all hardcover, and i love 'em. i am fascinated by medicine and these books are just the sort i like to read.


----------



## Claire

Just finishing Steve Berry's "The Third Secret" in reading to myself.  In reading aloud, we're finishing up "The English Governess at the Siamese Court."  Both excellent!


----------



## Claire

Oh, Damp ... I read _Da Vinci_ when it first came out, and my immediate thought was, what a great murder mystery type book.  Then all this scandal came out, and all I could think (and I was raised Catholic) was -- hey, guys, get over it.  It is filed under FICTION.  Then my blind friend asked me to read it to her (also raised Catholic), and we had a big hoot on it.  I bet Dan Brown is just loving the Catholic Church for all the fuss they've raised.  I'll bet they've doubled his sales!  Had the Church said nothing, it would still have been a popular book ... it is just plain good.  But the fuss has made many more people pick it up and read.  How fun!  Reading is great!!!


----------



## pdswife

mrsmac said:
			
		

> Have you read The Scarlet Feather? (Maeve Binchy)
> I love her books I have all of them. At the moment I'm reading Shelia OFlanagan's Too Good To Be True.
> Have you read any Cathy Kelly? She is in that same style as Maeve.
> I love reading its so relaxing and its an escape from everyday life!



I have read the SCARLET FEATHER. 
I enjoy all her books.   I'll have to go to the library
and check out a few of Cathy Kelly's.  I always love to find
new books to read.  Thanks for the recommendation!


----------



## -DEADLY SUSHI-

Larry Spotter and the Sorcerer of Askherham.


----------



## pdswife

DampCharcoal said:
			
		

> I'm about 2/3 of the way through _The DaVinci Code._ Very cool story! I can see why it has caused so much controversy but I'm just reading it like the fictional story that it is. I recommend it.




I read this a few months ago. It's a great book!
It was really written well.  I had to keep reminding
myself that it was just a story.


----------



## mrsmac

I am reading a book called "Thunderwith" by Libby Hathorn, to my class, its very moving I have cried twice! Its been made into a movie in the US with Judy Davis but it has a different name which I can't remember.


----------



## hvacwife

*I"m on the reserve list for Lifeguard by James Patterson.*

*I"m currently reading 'THE HOT FLASH CLUB'. By Nancy Thayer*
*I pick up a ton of books tomorrow for our local book mobile. I will be reading about Ronald Reagan, and ****'s Angels. *


----------



## pdswife

hvacwife said:
			
		

> *I"m on the reserve list for Lifeguard by James Patterson.*
> 
> *I"m currently reading 'THE HOT FLASH CLUB'. By Nancy Thayer*
> *I pick up a ton of books tomorrow for our local book mobile. I will be reading about Ronald Reagan, and ****'s Angels. *




LIFEGUARD is a great book!!
I don't buy new books.  I always go to the library or
garage sales. BUT, hubby always buys me the new James Patterson books as soon as they are  released.  He's my favorite writer these days.


----------



## Claire

I read so profusely that buying books is a luxury that I only indulge in with books I know I'll re-read. The school system where I lived in 4th grade picked up on the fact that I could read better than most and loved it .... and experimented with me in a speed reading class. I don't speed read on purpose unless a book I'm not enjoying has information I want to extract from it. Being an insomniac gives me many extra hours of reading a day. But even "normal" reading is a minimum of 3 books a week. I could build a house, make that a mansion, using them as bricks if I owned all of them. So I'm also a library fan, and always have been. 

BTW, if you're loving _The DaVinci Code_, try anything by Steve Berry. Just finished _The Third Secret,_ and have also read _The Amber Room_ and _The Romanov Prophecy_. They aren't quite as convoluted as Dan Brown's novels, but really in the same sort of line. I'm going to recommend one next for my ladies.


----------



## Bangbang

Just these posts here and at some other sites.


----------



## luvs

i'm getting reading to read some poe, starting with 'the raven'. i love that poem. then i'm reading 'the telltale heart.'
then 'the cask of amontillado.'


----------



## pdswife

Poe has always been one of my favorites!  Enjoy !!


----------



## DampCharcoal

Hey Claire and Pds, the book WAS great until I got busy again and had to take the book back cuz it was two weeks overdue!  I'll get back to it soon enough. One book I bought last weekend that I've been picking at is, "_The Ship and the Storm: Hurricane Mitch and the Loss of the Fantome_" by Jim Carrier. Basically the story about a 282' schooner that got trapped by Mitch and went down with all hands in 1998. Tragic but extremely well written and you really get to know the crew.


----------



## ironchef

Anything by Dan Brown, Michael Crichton, and Nelson DeMille


----------



## Claire

I'm looking for a good read-aloud book for my ladies.  We just finished _The English Governess at the Court of Siam_.  The books I've read to these friends have been mind-expanders, no doubt about it.  We do a lot of local memoirs (one of them was a freind of Ann Landers, he wrote her bio, and that's how we got started).  A couple of our first books were a history of Greece and one of Ireland, by the same author, trying to tie the history into how we live today.  Trust me, this twisted my tongue.  Reading _The DaVinci Code_ to them was great fun in that their household help fell in love with the story!!!  One lady who was just there as a temp, doing cleaning, pulled me aside and asked me what I was reading!  But if any of you can come up with shorter books that are interesting reading with an intellectual bent, let me know.  I'm never at a lack for reading material, but we are always open to suggestion.


----------



## msalper

Awareness: The Key to Living in Balance by OSHO

My friend suggested me to read it. I interested in "Reiki".. I think it will help me in this way...


----------



## Claire

I don't reread books much, but do go back and re-read posts.  It just occurred to me ... pdswife, Victoria Holt?  What wonderful memories.  When I was 13, just returning to the 'states from Germany, a cousin turned me on to Victoria Holt and others of her genre (I already knew about  Stewart and had read most of what she had written at that point).  That has given me the idea for my next readings.  My friend is absolutely enamoured of the King Arthur tales, but don't think she's read Mary Stewart's Merlin books!  At least I can pronounce the names (hey, I just finished reading a book full of Thai names, and have been twisting my tongue around Gaelic and Greek and ....)


----------



## mrsmac

My mum loved Victoria Holt,( she also wrote under the name Jean Plaidy and another name i can't remember) I haven't heard that name in years, makes me think of my mum.
This term I am going to read Charlie and the Chocolate factory to my class, there are heaps of fun activites we can do with it.


----------



## Daphne duLibre

Like the plumber with the leaking faucet. Ph.D. in lit, retired from the U. I don't read literature any more because I'm burned out on it -- can't read it without being theoretically analytical . . . 

And so recent books are about surfing, and lately have been looking at Robt. W. McChesney, U of Ill. at Urbana-Champaign, on media and the FCC. -- because I'm a news junkie and of late have been more and more suspicious and skeptical about news reporting and the commercial motives of the major networks: FOX, CNN, and the "big three" . . . and NPR is getting a second once over, if that's not contradictory.


----------



## Ishbel

I've just finished 'Lethal Intent' by Quintin Jardine - he's an Edinburgh author who writes books about an Assistant Commissioner called Skinner and another set of books about a character called Oz Blackstone. 

He's a sub-Ian Rankin in my opinion, but I find them 'easy reading' - ideal for hot sunny days when you just sit in the garden, turning the pages....


----------



## tweedee

I don't read much other then the newspapers. Unless that is if you want to count Dr. Seuss to the grandchildren.


----------



## mudbug

Mostly reading all and sundry posts here because I've been away for awhile and need to catch up!

Finished the latest Harry Potter two days after it was released.  Almost finished with James Boswell's journal of his year in London (1762-63).  Thinking of reading "French Women Don't Get Fat" next - anybody have a review?


----------



## GB

Mudbug, what did you think of Harry Potter (without giving anything away of course). I enjoyed it, but now can't wait for the next one. It is going to be a loooong wait.

I just picked up Tom Clancy's Red Rabbit.


----------



## mudbug

hiya geebs.  Loved the latest Harry, like I did all the others.  I guessed wrong on which principal character was going to...you know.  I'm ready for the next movie too.

As a side note, on the way down to the Outer Banks we listened to the audio book version of "The Order of the Phoenix."  Even daughter and her buddy were transfixed and did not ask us to put on one of their stupid screaming boy-band CDs instead.  HH, not a great reader, has discovered audio books and listens to them on his way to and from work.  That's how he "read" the latest Harry book.  He's also got a bunch of Tom Clancy ones.


----------



## GB

Yeah I guessed wrong too. I am glad I did as it added to the surprise.

I have done a few books on tape and love it for long trips. I bet the harry potter books would be very well suited for tape. That must have been fun!


----------



## mudbug

Jim Dale, the guy who does the Harry tapes, is great.  Apparently he has won several Grammys for his recordings.


----------



## Claire

I just started reading _The Crystal Cave_ by Mary Stewart to my ladies (one is completly house-bound with severe arthritis, her house-mate is in advanced states of macular degeneration -- very vital and active, but cannot really read a book any more).  They are in love with the tales of King Arthur, so I thank you guys for helping me think aloud and remembering old books I've read.  The gothic novelists are a part of my past (I loved Holt (in all her psuedonyms), Stewart, and their ilk when I was a child), and are something these ladies would never be interested.  I'd forgotten that Stewart really stretched herself on this series.  They are tickled with it, so I now have two more books after this.  Not that it is ever a problem.  These women were feminists before the word was coined, are far more educated that I.  So when I said Mary Stewart -- well, I suppose luckily, they didn't even know who she was (I think I my first Mary Stewart novel when I was 11).  

By the way, how DOES the web site do their ads?  I'm amazed.  As I was writing this I got an ad for a new Merlin book.  I haven't even hit "post" yet, so I suppose it is coincidence.  At least the ads that appear on the top are always appropriate, as opposed to when I used the TVFN ones that showed buff gorgeous women on the side and told me I was fat and needed to go on a diet.


----------



## Sandyj

Just finished Ursula, Under by Ingrid Hill. Wonderful. I notice there are a few people from Michigan belonging to this forum - you might be interested in this book (Goodweed of the North?). Next, The Kite Runner (Khalid Hosseini), which is highly recommended by a friend/colleague of mine. And, oh gosh, Claire, I do remember The Crystal Cave and how I loved it. I only discovered it when I was about 18 or so. How great that your are reading to those lovely ladies. -Sandyj


----------



## Claire

Thank you, Sandyj! I have to say ... I just got my latest AARP mag and do you know what it said?  That reading aloud will keep me going (I'm 50).  Haha!  Seriously, I've always wanted to discuss books with like-minded freinds, so this really works for me.  We not only read, but look up odd words, and try to translate some French and even occaisionally other languages.  We have connections to a professor at a Chicago university, and the editor of a major newspaper.  This is actually how we got started.  Anyone who loves to read sould consider doing this.  On top of the reading, it is a big hike for me (only a half-mile, but completely up and down hill).  Sometimes I drive it (less than 5X/yr) if the weather is severe.  The entire experience is good for me, all around.  My friends act like I'm doing THEM a favor.  Haha.


----------



## Ishbel

I am a member of a woman's book club. Some members are colleagues, but others are friends of friends of friends.....

We've read some really interesting books that I would never have thought of buying for myself.  I finally read Salman Rushdie - after swearing that I just couldn't perservere with his stuff...  Still didn't like it after reading it, but at least I'd given it a fair 'go' as Aussies would say!


----------



## Alix

Claire said:
			
		

> By the way, how DOES the web site do their ads? I'm amazed. As I was writing this I got an ad for a new Merlin book. I haven't even hit "post" yet, so I suppose it is coincidence. At least the ads that appear on the top are always appropriate, as opposed to when I used the TVFN ones that showed buff gorgeous women on the side and told me I was fat and needed to go on a diet.


 
No coincidences, I think there is something in place that recognizes the words you type and advertises accordingly. I was just on a thread talking about smelly tupperware and the last post suggested kitty litter as help. The ads below were all pet related and urine removal related. Sheesh!

As to books, I am finally going to break down and read the DaVinci Code. I am not sure why I have been resisting, everyone tells me how wonderful it is. I am out of library books so now seems to be the time. LOL.


----------



## Ishbel

I read it Alix......   it was Tosh!

Poor Roslin chapel has been inundated with visitors - all looking for the secret...


----------



## licia

What does "tosh" mean?


----------



## Ishbel

It's a slang word for absolute rubbish!


----------



## Alix

Well Ishbel, I respect your opinion on books, so I may just chuck the dang thing. Sometimes I just get a weird feeling about books and can't bring myself to read them.

Guess I'll just have to jump into Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich.


----------



## Sandyj

Alix, know what you mean about "getting a funny feeling" about a book. The same thing happens to me with books and movies. In my case, I think I'm a big wimp -  couldn't / wouldn't see "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" until about 20 years after it was released (I just knew it would be too sad to bear), and.... I was right. Same thing with books. Now that my daughters are older though, sometimes they'll read something they really like and enthuse about it - this happened with the whole Harry Potter series as well as with the Da Vinci code. Harry Potter series was okay for me...Da Vinci code...suspected a lot of it was (sorry to say) drivel. Sandyj


----------



## pdswife

Claire, I love Victoria Holt also. 
I still have the first copy of PRIDE OF THE PEACOCK. It's
the first Holt I read.  I re-read her over and over.


----------



## Maidrite

men's health magazine ! boy do I need it !


----------



## Ishbel

I used to LOVE to visit Roslin Chapel  Peaceful, with some really amazing 'unexplained' things, like the carving of 'Indian Corn' from a time before the Americas were 'discovered' etc! All making for a major mystery. I often got talking to American visitors who had read about the apprentice pillar (the corn thingy) in various places and so they added the Chapel to their holiday itinerary. Lots of interesting conversations were had!

Now? Full of loads of tourists - particularly from America (but also Canda, Aus, S.Africa) - who are absolutely SURE that the story in the Da Vinci Code was HISTORY.... Some of them are even demanding (what a cheek!) permission to dig up the floors and find the 'secret' crypt etc....! Mind you, it's making the Chapel a fortune!

The book wasn't HISTORY, it was fiction! I also wasn't too impressed with his writing style - and cannot believe that so many of his books were in the best sellers' charts for so long!

http://www.rosslynchapel.org.uk/


There is an interesting article in my newspaper today saying that yesterday, Lincoln Cathedral was being picketed by a group, led by a nun, to stop the filming of part of the Da Vinci Code with Tom Hanks.  They are using Lincoln in place of Westminster (London) presumably because there are slightly less tourists in Lincoln!


----------



## Alix

I spoke to the friend who lent me the book and he was a bit baffled by my response to it. We usually have very similar taste in reading material. He says his feelings won't be hurt if I don't read it, WHEW! I am going to give it another go today and if I can't do it, well I will return it to him. 

Ishbel, doesn't it amaze you that folks forget they are reading fiction sometimes? I have to confess to getting really wrapped up in what I am reading (to the point of not wanting to put stuff down because something might happen while I am away  ) but I am always aware of whether or not I am reading fiction. 

Anyone else do that? Get so engrossed in your book you just can't bear to put it down? I used to have that trouble especially with Desmond Bagley and Alistair MacLean.


----------



## mudbug

Alix said:
			
		

> Anyone else do that? Get so engrossed in your book you just can't bear to put it down?


 
oooooooooh yeah.  Read the Exorcist in one sitting.  Out in the country.  All by myself in this house.  It was that good.


----------



## Alix

eek.


----------



## pdswife

Yep.. all the time.   Books are my "drug" of choice.   
I love it.


----------



## Alix

OK, I have spent the day nose down in Eleven on Top, and have laughed out loud in the coffee shop (receiving odd looks from the old duffers playing cards). I have laughed all day and my sides ache. Janet Evanovich never fails to amuse the heck out of me. This is a perfect summer read. Quick, funny and just all around light hearted.


----------



## htc

I just started Life of Pi.


----------



## Sandyj

I thoroughly enjoyed Life of Pi. Great book.Sandyj


----------



## Claire

Loved _The life of Pi._  pretty strange, but I thought it was great.  The most interesting book I'm reading right now is _The Shadow ofthe Wind._  Luckily, it was sent to me from a friend who I share "odd" books with, because the ladies I read to might be interested.  I loved so many books recomended in the same genre.  

I guess what I'm getting at is ... how many of you have read books that are translated into English?  Some are better than others.  I've read many (the given is that I cannot read a novel or anything else in  any language but English), and sometimes I love it, sometimes I get frustrated.  For example, I've read the Maigret mysteries translated by two different people, and one set are great, another frustrate the holey hades out of me.  Translations are interesting and frustrating.  Anyone got a comment on that?  Umberto Eco comes to mind.  Right now it is The Shadow ofthe Wind (Great).  Asian-to-English might be the hardest.  Anyone out three interested?


----------



## Sandyj

*More Books...*

I know what you mean about the translations, but I was thinking about some books I've read by writers for whom English is not their first language: 

"Hanna's Daughters" by Marianne Frederickson was translated from Swedish into English, French, you name it....even Chinese, and it was a best seller everywhere. This book resonated so for me. It's the story of several generations of Swedish women. I was reminded of the women in my own family, and I think this must have been true for people all over the world. 

Works by Chinese writers often seem to translate beautifully. I am in awe of the prose - how can it be that good when it wasn't even written in English? I'll try to think of some names for you.
"God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy - a young writer from India. Actually, she probably did write this in English, and English is probably not her first language. I had to mention it, it was just beautiful.

"Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri......


----------



## Ishbel

I love the novels of Isabel Allende (no, NOT because we share a forename!) which are translated from Spanish to English.

I first read her novel 'House of Spirits'.  I don't remember who does her translations, but a Spanish-speaking friend tells me that they are very 'near' to the originals.


----------



## SierraCook

My other hobby besides cooking is reading. Here is my current reading list:

_*Graced by Pines-The Ponderosa Pine in the American West*_ by Alexandra Murphy (_Pines are living constants in the landscape. They hold the West's history, both in the rings of their heartwood, hidden with like human memory, and in the outward manifestations of their daily living--in their blackened fire scars, the borings of beetles and woodpeckers, the goshawk nests high in their wolfy crowns, the wind-sculpted drape of their branches, and the stumps, smooth as tables, left by logging. By apprehending this history, we come to know the pines, and in turn, to know the West._) This is my favorite paragraph of the book. It is so true, pines and other trees are the living history of an area. 

_*Eldest*_ by Christopher Paolini (_Darkness falls....Swords clash....Evil reigns._)

_*The Birds of America*_ by John James Audubon (My mom gave me this book. It was given to her by my great great aunt. It was printed in 1946.) 

What are you reading?


----------



## urmaniac13

I am trying to improve my reading skill (or lack of.. should I say...) in Italian, so I am tackling an Italian translation of some Sherlock Holmes short stories.  I can only read as Beavis and Butthead would do..."C-c-c-a...r...o Watson, eh um uh huh huh, a quuuuaaaantoooo...uh huh huh, uh huh huh...parrrrreee  p-p-p...e...r me....eh heh heh..."...well as you can imagine it is going on a snails speed, but it helps that I know these stories by heart.  I just hope it will improve into at least a turtle's speed eventually...  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




I would also like to get my hands on some more recent releases of Donald Westlake, John Dortmunder series in particular....


----------



## Claire

In my reading aloud 'program', I just finished _The Crystal Cave_ by Mary Stewart.  I read this so many years ago it isn't funny to think about it.  But the ladies I read to have a love of the tales of King Arthur in all their many forms (including one with a decidedly feminist bent), so asked if they'd be interested in the story told from Merlin's point of view.  

In the "gap", while we decide what will be our next reading, we've picked up this and that.  They'd like James Joyce's Ulysses (excuse spelling) next.  Oh, dearie me.


----------



## Claire

One genre of novels that has surfaced in the past few years is novels written about female characters in the bible, who anyone will admit, often get short shrift.  I just read _Zipporah, wife of Moses_ by Marke Halter, but there are a few floating around now (_The Red Tent_ is one).  I enjoy these books, although I'm sure there are those who consider them sacriligious.


----------



## Claire

Ishbel, I love Allende.  When is she going to write something new?


----------



## Claire

Sandyj -- sorry I haven't kept up with this thread.  I've read both the novels you mentioned and loved both.  One I picked up for a simple reason .... Roy is my maiden name.  But I loved the book.  For some reason I wasn't expecting to like "Interpreter..." but enjoyed it enormously.  There are serveral Japanese authors I simply cannot get into.  Most Indian ones I like.  There is a Dutch murder mystery series that is great entertainment.  But there are many novels that make me wonder why I'm even trying ... the translations might as well be in the original language when you have to read a line a half-dozen times to get the meaning.  I thought the Umberto Eco thing was just me until a friend read a couple of his novels and agreed with me.  Good stories, but difficult-to-impossible to wade through the words.  Of course, maybe he's difficult to read in Italian, if you're Italian, and it isn't the translator's fault.  Come to think of it, I know an Italian translator.  Maybe I'll get an email address for her and ask if she's read ....


----------



## mudbug

I Am Charlotte Simmons, by Tom Wolfe


----------



## PA Baker

On Marmalady's recommendation I read Ruth Reichl's newest book Garlic and Sapphires.  I liked it so much I just devoured her first two, too, Tender at the Bone and Comfort me with Apples.  Those two should definitely be read in order (probably all 3 should be but reading the newest first didn't throw me off).  They were all wonderful!  I'm not a huge nonfiction/bio fan but these read like fiction.  I recommended them to my mom, who isn't interested in cooking or food writing in the least, but she broke down and started reading Tender at the Bone and is hooked now too!


----------



## Raven

Right now I'm reading this thread. 

Sorry, I couldn't resist 

~ Raven ~


----------



## DampCharcoal

Right now I'm reading "Ghost Hunter's Guide to Haunted Ohio," by Chris Woodyard. It's that time of year, after all!


----------



## pdswife

THE BOOK OF RUTH 

by Jane Hamilton


----------



## buckytom

the ccna study guide.

my boss just told me about future plans for my dept.. there's about to be a huge shake up in my job in the next few years, and lots of people will be looking for new dept.'s, or maybe new jobs. so my boss suggested that people with certain training, expertise, and certifications will be the ones to survive. i ain't about to give up this juicy gig, so i'm starting off with cisco certification. wish me luck.


----------



## Piccolina

Raven said:
			
		

> Right now I'm reading this thread. Sorry, I couldn't resist


 I have to echo Raven's words, I can't believe that I've missed this cool thread up until this exact minute!

At the moment I am reading the cookbook, simply entitled "Fish" by Sophie Grigson.


*(Best of luck to you Bucky!)*


----------



## DampCharcoal

Best of luck, Buck! Educate yourself, kick a** and take names!


----------



## buckytom

thanks damp. i don't think computer nerds can do the latter of what you'd mentioned tho...


----------



## DampCharcoal

Kick butt in a metaphorical sense.


----------



## pdswife

You can do anything you want to bucky!!
I know ya can!!!


----------



## Corinne

Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen. And I am struggling with it...


----------



## licia

While I was shopping for my grandchildren, I bought the complete set of "The Chronicles of Narnia". I will pass them on to one of them after I've read the set.  I have only taken out the first book, but plan to read them all when reading time isn't so scarce. I don't remember reading them when I grew up.


----------



## urmaniac13

I have been forever looking for an Italian version of ANY James Herriot book and finally found it some days ago. JUST ONE COPY of "Cat Stories".  (it is really unbelievable, as famous and loved he is almost everywhere in the world, he seems to be utterly unknown in Italy!!)  Since I could get only one copy, I have to make this a gift for one of our dearest friends, a cat lover, who would surely cherish this book.  Now I am trying to read as much as possible of it ever so carefully not to make any dog ears or drop some stains from my tea or munchies(I was always curious how it would be translated, also it is a great learning tool to read something that I know by heart in Italian), before it has to be gift wrapped later today!!


----------



## Piccolina

urmaniac13 said:
			
		

> I have been forever looking for an Italian version of ANY James Herriot book and finally found it some days ago. JUST ONE COPY of "Cat Stories". (it is really unbelievable, as famous and loved he is almost everywhere in the world, he seems to be utterly unknown in Italy!!) Since I could get only one copy, I have to make this a gift for one of our dearest friends, a cat lover, who would surely cherish this book. Now I am trying to read as much as possible of it ever so carefully not to make any dog ears or drop some stains from my tea or munchies(I was always curious how it would be translated, also it is a great learning tool to read something that I know by heart in Italian), before it has to be gift wrapped later today!!


That is very beautiful Licia, what a truly thoughtful gift, I'm sure your dear friend will be touched through and through by your wonderful present


----------



## TXguy

Tom Clancy.


----------



## cartwheelmac

Where do I start...hmm...The book of Matthew, Dear Princess, Shaq Attaq, and Becoming a Writer.

Cameron


----------



## Claire

Since we have friends who are aquainted with her, Queen Noor's memoirs were my last "serious" book. I must say I skimmed through much of the politics of the middle east parts ... we just get so much of that in the news lately. The book I'm currently reading aloud is "Monsoon Diary" by Shoba Narayan. A really great foodie book. Other than that, my normal stack of murder mysteries.  Oh, I recently DID read a "new" book by Allende ... but for the life of me cannot remember the title.  I put "new" in quotes, because I tend to read library books 90% of the time.  It was on the "new book" rack, but am not sure how new it was.  It struck me as different from her past books, but still wonderful.


----------



## pdswife

I just finished reading THE BOOK OF RUTH by Jane Hamilton.  

Now I'm reading two by Marcia Muller  DEAD MIDNIGHT and TILL THE BUTCHERS CUT HIM DOWN

also...THE TIN WOODSMAN OF OZ.  I'm re-reading all the Oz books.


----------



## phinz

I just started Julie and Julie by Julie Powell. It sounds like it will be a good read.

I usually have about 6 or 7 books going at once. I currently have a couple of Star Wars books, Naked Came the Manatee, a history of pirates and And Johnny Got His Gun all in various stages of being read. Having owned a used book store for several years, my collection has more unread than read books because I always grabbed what looked interesting to me even if I had other books at home that weren't read.


----------



## phinz

mudbug said:
			
		

> Jim Dale, the guy who does the Harry tapes, is great. Apparently he has won several Grammys for his recordings.



+1. I've not "read" a single Harry Potter book. I've listened to them all and I can't imagine doing it any other way.


----------



## luvs

one is -'a million little pieces', also 'th bell jar'.


----------



## pdswife

*What are you reading these days?*

I'm in the middle of...  KEEPING WATCH by Laurie R King  THE POISON WOOD BIBLE by  Barbara Kingsolver  and  sadly and embarrassingly  INTO THE WOODS by VC Andrews.


----------



## college_cook

The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman and some Eastern philosophy... mostly Sun Tzu amd Lao Tsu


----------



## corazon

I'm reading Ptolemy's Gate by Jonathan Stroud.  It's the last in a trilogy.


----------



## Chopstix

'A Year in the Merde' by Stephen Clarke -- a laugh-out--loud comedy-of-errors account of the pleasures and perils of being a Brit in France.

And 'History of France for Dummies'


----------



## succ33d

I;m currently reading a book of short stories called 'I Am No One You Know' by Joyce Carol Oates.


----------



## kimbaby

Nothing Right Now, Can't Seem To Say Concentrated On 1 Thing Long Enough...


----------



## pdswife

lol.. Kim, that's why I always read three or four at a time.


----------



## Ishbel

Just finished The Sunday Philosophy Club and started Friends, Lovers, Chocolate - both by Alexander McCall Smith.


----------



## pdswife

Are they good?  I'm always looking for new people to read.


----------



## wasabi

*I just got home from Costco with three books, The Closers, by Michael Connelly, Cordina's Royal Family, by Nora Roberts, and A Certain Justice by John Lescroart. I tried to get into digital books to read on my pda, but I prefer the real thing.*


----------



## pdswife

I feel the same way wasabi. Books were meant to be held and the pages turned.


----------



## Ishbel

pdswife said:
			
		

> Are they good? I'm always looking for new people to read.


 
I like his writing style - he is the man who wrote the No1 Detective Agency books, set in Africa.  He is/was a professor of medical jurisprudence in Edinburgh and has written two sets of novels set in the city - 44 Scotland street was the first one of his books which resulted from a weekly column in the Scotsman newspaper (he had always been fascinated that Charles Dickens' novels started that way!) and I made sure I didn't READ the columns, cos I wanted to savour the book when it was released.  Savouring the moment, as they say!  

Here's a bit more about mr McCall Smith http://www.mccallsmith.com/


----------



## Sandyj

"The Poisenwood Bible" was so sad, but so good, my two eldest girls loved it too, pdswife. Succ33d, Joyce Carol Oates is good, but some of her books have left me feeling awful (Do With Me What You Will....oy). I've also enjoyed  Alexander McCall Smith's "No 1. ..." books, Ishbel - he must have lived in Africa, he refers to a lot of little everyday kinds of things (like the smell of Sunlight soap).  I may have mentioned/asked this before, but has anyone read "Ursula, Under" by Ingrid Hill? I read it last summer and thought it was very, very good. I'm looking for something else right now - have to pay a visit to the library soon. Also, anyone read Marianne Frederiksson's "Hannah's Daughters" (sad, but it must resonate with a lot of people - it has been translated into all sorts of languages from Swedish; for me, could have been my grandmother's and mother's story, except set in Sweden).


----------



## Chopstix

If you're looking for book recommendations, try "Life of Pi'.  Have not been so so personally affected by a book in quite a while.  I don't mean that it's a spiritual book. It's an account of a boy's strange adventure.  The writing is wonderful.  The story is gripping.  And the outcome, well, let's just say, you'll want to read the book all over once again as soon as you get to the end.  Can't recommend it highly enough.


----------



## pdswife

always looking for recommendations.  Thanks Chopstix. I'll check it out.


----------



## Michelemarie

I'm with Kimbaby.  The book I read most consistently is the Bible.  After that, I dabble with The Baby Whisperer for Toddlers, What to Expect the Toddler Years, and Beyond the Big Talk (about teens).


----------



## Chopstix

pdswife said:
			
		

> always looking for recommendations. Thanks Chopstix. I'll check it out.


 
My pleasure.  Tell me what you think afterwards...


----------



## pdswife

I placed it on hold at the library. It'll be a while before I get a copy. But, I'll let ya know.


----------



## Ishbel

Sandyj
I believe McCall Smith lived in Africa for a large part of his life - and I like the fact that he has little bits that let's you KNOW he knows his localities well. I can't speak for his Africa knowledge, but his Edinburgh knowledge is spot on!


----------



## Raven

I just picked up a copy of The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand at the library to see why everyone talks about it LOL!  So far it's not bad and I see some symbolance in it but....  

This was the same reason I read Catcher in the Rye.  It was okay but I don't understand why it's considered a "classic".


~ Raven ~


----------



## ronjohn55

What am I reading these days?

W-2s, 1099-INTs, checklists from the CPA, all that fun stuff....

At least I'll have it done with shortly. 

John


----------



## buckytom

my monthly copy of broadcast engineering.

i'm freakin riveted!!!! i can't put it down, such a page turner.


----------



## Sandyj

"Slow Man" by J.M. Coetzee


----------



## Alix

Dating can be Murder, by Jennifer Apodaca. A nice light giggle.


----------



## pdswife

I just started GAP CREEK  by Robert Morgan


----------



## kingfisherfd2

Well, I just finished both last week, Dark Watch, and Sacred Stone  These are Clive Cussler books that are co wrote with Jack Du Brul and Craig Dirgo,respectively.  They are part of the Oregon files.  Good stuff.  
Also I'm part way through Pandora's Curse  by Jack Du Brul.  In the wings is another Du Brul book, Vulcan's Forge  and Brad The Millionares.   
On top of that I have a subscription to about 6 magezines that I read cover to cover.  

My tv is for watching DVD's.  Books are my entertainment.


----------



## lmw80

*What book are you reading?*

Currently I am halfway through the 10th and last book in Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles.  I enjoyed this series so much!

Next on my list is The Chronicles of Narnia.  Even though I read it as a child, I don't remember much of anything.

After that it's on to the Harry Potter series.

Then I'm open for suggestions


----------



## GB

I loved the Vampire series. I did not read all of them though. I don't even think I know there were 10 of them. I think I read 4 or 5 of them maybe.

I want to read The Chronicles of Narnia again. I read the whole series as a kid and loved each book more than the last. I saw the movie and while it was good, it was not magical like the books were.

I have not started it yet, but my FIL just lent me Dan Brown's Deception Point. I will probably start it this weekend.


----------



## SizzlininIN

Actually I'm reading an older Danielle Steele......Mixed Blessings.


----------



## abjcooking

I just finished reading Dan Brown's Digital Fortress and picked up from the book store Deception Point, and Criminal Intent by Laurie Brenton.


----------



## BreezyCooking

I have very eclectic taste in reading.  Besides all the cookbooks on my bedstand that I'm reading, I recently finished Anna Karenina, & am currently 2/3 of the way through A Treasury of Cat Mysteries.


----------



## mudbug

_Hen's Teeth and Horse's Toes_ by Stephen Jay Gould.

(edited - goofed on the title, mixed it up with another book of essays by Mr. Gould, _The Panda's Thumb._  Most of his books are collections of essays about biology and evolution that even a non-scientific type like me can enjoy.)


----------



## luckytrim

Reading_  "_PREY" by Chrichton (sp)

just finished "the da vinci code"


----------



## GB

abjcooking said:
			
		

> I just finished reading Dan Brown's Digital Fortress


What did you think of it? I really enjoyed that one, but my wife was not crazy about it.


----------



## Raven

I'm still trying to get through Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead.  It's a good book it's just huge, and I don't get much of a chance to sit down and read anymore.

~ Raven ~


----------



## RMS

Oh all of Anne Rice's older books are great!  
I read them all too.  Love Lestat!  Her mummy book was fantastic but I can't remember the name of it right now.
Right now I'm reading To Kill a Mockingbird.  I love that old movie and decided to get the whole picture by reading the book.


----------



## mudbug

RMS said:
			
		

> Right now I'm reading To Kill a Mockingbird. I love that old movie and decided to get the whole picture by reading the book.


 
One of my all-time favorite books, RMS.  I love that excellent old movie too.
Did you know that the character of Dil was base on Truman Capote as a child?


----------



## corazon

For the 4th time, I'm reading _The Time Traveler's Wife _Anyone else read it?  It's wonderful and I'd highly recommend it.


----------



## QSis

mudbug said:
			
		

> Did you know that the character of Dil was base on Truman Capote as a child?


 
Really, mud?  I just saw the movie "Capote" yesterday, and saw how close Truman and Harper Lee were.  

I'll have to re-read "Mockingbird" with that new knowledge now.  Thanks!

Lee


----------



## Claire

I've read _The Time Traveler's Wife_ and loved it. Currently I'm reading _The 6th Lamentation_ and just finished _The Town That Forgot to Breathe.  _The latter was really weird.  I read a LOT (insomnia gives you hours for it!).  I understand Julia Child's nephew has compiled her memoirs, that should be interesting.  Oh, in my read-aloud group, we just finished _The Reluctant Tuscan_, which was good as well.


----------



## RMS

Mudbug,
I didn't know that.  Thanks for the info!  I'm enjoying the book.


----------



## Toots

I just finished A Million Nightingales by Susan Straight.  It was really good if you like historical fiction.  I am struggling through the Orientalist by Tom Reiss right now.  I have the two latest Elizabeth Berg novels stashed away (The Year of Pleasures and We Are All Welcome Here) to take on my trip next week.  
I like to read fiction, self help, historical writing and of course COOKBOOKS!


----------



## Foodfiend

I'm currently reading 2 books.  One of them is 'Polaris' by Jack McDevitt, and the other is by Mercedes Lackey, book 1 of the Mage Wind Series.  I love her Valdemar Series, and Jack McDevitt is a new writer to me and I'm currently buying all his books.  Polaris is getting good, and I've already read 'Moonfall' and loved it.  He's a good writer, and as was mentioned on the front cover by Stephen King he's the 'logical heir to Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke'.  I'm usually reading up to at least 3 books with the 3rd one usually from Anne McCaffrey's 'Pern' Series (I also like her Freedom book series), or David Eddings 'Belgariad/Mallorean', or 'The Redemption of Althalus', his books with the character of Sparhawk isn't shabby either.


----------



## abjcooking

GB
I really liked it.  I didn't think it was quite as good as Angels and Demons though, but the writing stayed true to his other best selling novles.  At first I was leary about getting it because I'm not a numbers and math type person, but the reading was easy enough for me to follow along.  There was enough suspense to keep me from wanting to put the book down.

Where Angels and Demons and The DaVinchi code delt with religion and had you thinking on those terms, Digital Fortress delt with the government.  All and all I'm glad I got the book.


----------



## phinz

I tend to have several going.

I just finished Marley and Me. I *loved* it. I also finished Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson. Good fun, but I didn't like the abrupt ending.

I'm currently reading Too Many Crooks Spoil The Broth by Tamar Myers, Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo, Ghost Rider by Neil Peart and Triple Zero: Star Wars Republic Commando by Karen Traviss. I have a severe weakness for Star Wars. Anything Star Wars.


----------



## Toots

phinz said:
			
		

> I tend to have several going.
> 
> I just finished Marley and Me. I *loved* it. I also finished Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson. Good fun, but I didn't like the abrupt ending.
> 
> I'm currently reading Too Many Crooks Spoil The Broth by Tamar Myers, Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo, Ghost Rider by Neil Peart and Triple Zero: Star Wars Republic Commando by Karen Traviss. I have a severe weakness for Star Wars. Anything Star Wars.


 
I cried myself silly at the end of Marley and Me.  Its a **must read** for any dog lover.


----------



## KathyJ

just got done reading the series by Earlene Fowler - Benni Harper mysteries. Very good light reading.... Also the elm creek quilters series by Jennifer Chiaverini.  

Just started reading "My Life in France" by Julia Child w/ Alex Prud'homme.
also started "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
Also have, but haven't started, the new Frances Mayes - "A Year in the World".

corazon90 - I put "The Time Traveler's Wife" on hold at the library. Thanks for recommending it.
Foodfiend - I've also read the Pern series by Anne McCaffrey, enjoyed them. 
lmw80 - Narnia - always good, have probably read them at least 20 times during and since teenage years.
Also The Hobbit - why didn't they turn that one into a movie?

I'll have to make a list of the other recommendations....I like hearing about good authors.

-k


----------



## corazon

You will love it KathyJ!  I feel a little jealous that you get to read it for the first time.  Let me know how you like it!


----------



## Raven

I _just this minute_ finished reading _"The Romanov Prophecy"_ by Steve Berry.

OMG!!  This book is Awesome!!  If your into Dan Brown (or if you chose not to read the Da Vinci Code) then you must read this book.  It's every bit as good and will absolutly keep you rivited to your seat from page 1.

I started this book yesterday and finished it tonight LOL!  I litterally could not put it down.  I carried it around the house as I walked from room to room. I don't think I even did that with Dan Browns' _Angels and Demons_

~ Raven ~ <-- now where's the Eagle?  (read the book you'll understand)


----------



## GB

Raven, what is it about?


----------



## urmaniac13

Raven said:
			
		

> I _just this minute_ finished reading _"The Romanov Prophecy"_ by Steve Berry.
> 
> OMG!! This book is Awesome!! If your into Dan Brown (or if you chose not to read the Da Vinci Code) then you must read this book. It's every bit as good and will absolutly keep you rivited to your seat from page 1.
> 
> I started this book yesterday and finished it tonight LOL! I litterally could not put it down. I carried it around the house as I walked from room to room. I don't think I even did that with Dan Browns' _Angels and Demons_
> 
> ~ Raven ~ <-- now where's the Eagle?  (read the book you'll understand)


 
Romanov Prophecy?  Is that something to do with the doomed last tsar Nikolai and his family and/or some prediction made by Rasputin?  An intriguing title, I am interested!


----------



## Raven

Yes! Exactly!

Russia is going to appoint a new Tsarist government and the lead character is an American lawyer assigned to check out the leading cantidate to ensure there are no skeletons rattling around his famliy closet that might discredit or disqualify him.

While digging through the archives he runs across clues that suggest that Alexi and Anastasia Romanov might have survived the massacre of their family and are possibly being hidden somewhere.

From there, the story takes off like a rocket and dosen't let up till the end. 

~ Raven ~


----------



## GB

Sounds facinating!


----------



## urmaniac13

Yeah, that sounds really interesting, gotta go look for it... I was always interested in Russian history.  I know there have been always a mystery about what happened to Anastasia, no one seems to know what exactly happened to her.  Though it is doubtful she is still alive even if she managed to escape, I am curious how this bit is treated in this story... thanks for the info, I have been missing reading a good gripping book!! (which was my main passion before I got hooked on the puter!!)


----------



## licia

I'm actually not reading it, but got it on audio "Persuasion" by Jane Austen. The library was supposed to have a copy and when I arrived to pick it up, it wasn't there, but the audio version was. I'm still going to read the book since I get much more out of it reading than listening. "Persuasion" was Jane Austen's last book and was printed posthumously. It is quite interesting about a couple who had fallen in love as young people and thru family interference not married but found each other later.


----------



## BreezyCooking

Have just moved on to Tulipomania - "The story of the world's most coveted flower & the extraordinary passions it aroused".

Very interesting read so far.  Amazing how entire lives & fortunes were both made & lost over the TULIP, of all things!!


----------



## buckytom

i'm reading an ibm x-series 342 server maintenance manual as i chat here today.   one of our servers crashed, and is stuck loading virtual product data, and the spare system board is having serveraid problems. 

1 guess which is more interesting. ibm, or foodies.


----------



## luvs

hmmmmm..... foodies?


----------



## luvs

i'm reading Chef's materials. it's fascinating. learning 'bout Escoffier & Careme, proper technique, recipes & equipment, plenty.


----------



## wasabi

Would you believe I'm reading Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code? I waited till it came out in paperback because that huge hardcover edition is very difficult to read in bed. I'm half way thru this book and it's a great read.


----------



## ironchef

"Deception Point" by Dan Brown


----------



## corazon

I have only a few pages left of time traveler's wife. I'll be reading Cloud of Sparrows next by Takashi Matsuoka


----------



## Trip

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince... again.... I'm looking for clues...


----------



## Raven

After finishing The Fountainhead I had to grab Ayn Rands next book Atlas Shrugged.  I've gotten hooked on Rand lately. 

~ Raven ~


----------



## SizzlininIN

Danielle Steel - Granny Dan.


----------



## patch

I am reading _Dreamweaver MX 2004 The Missing Manual _and _The Elusive Truffle_ by Mirabel Osler. I've just finished _Garlic                   and Sapphires_ by Ruth Reichl.


----------



## corazon

Trip said:
			
		

> Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince... again.... I'm looking for clues...


I hear that!  I've read it quite a few times myself.  I'm actually listening to it on cd in the car right now.


----------



## pdswife

Danielle Steel's THE KISS 
Danielle Steel's IMPOSSIBLE
THE DA VINCI CODE (re-reading before the movie comes out)
and
THE MAGIC OF OZ ( I'm slowly re-reading the whole series)

I have the new James Patterson book beside my bed too... I'm forcing myself to read all these others plus a few library books first.


----------



## Trip

Okay, be warned I'm a book-a-holic now I'm on the Wild Baron by Catherine Coulter... I read pretty much everything, from Stephen King to Julie Garwood, to J K Rowling... if it catches my eye, it catches my brain lol.


----------



## Trip

By the way before I forget, has anyone ever read Cooking for Dummies, sounds basic but it comes in handy... another one I like is Cooking for College Kids (dating back to my own college days)... a little off topic but just thought I'd mention it...


----------



## Jeremy

American Gods by Neil Gaiman was a good read, very intelligent.  Also Anthony Bourdain's 'A Cooks Tour' is a staple bedside companion.


----------



## lmw80

2 weeks ago I finished the last book in Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles and now I am on the 2nd book in the Narnia Chronicles and it's every bit as good as I remember it being!


----------



## Swann

The Return of the Wolf by Steve Grooms.
An excellent book on the history, howling, breeding, and hunting strategies of wolves as well as the misunderstanding of the wolf.


----------



## KathyJ

Trip-
I haven't looked at "Cooking for Dummies", that I can remember anyways, but I did pick up "Christmas Cooking for Dummies"... I'm always looking for easy holiday recipes....

corazon90-
will be picking up "The Time Traveler's Wife" this week at the library. I'll let you know how I like it.


also been reading the tea shop series by Linda Childs, "The Witness" by Dee Henderson, the garden series by Anthony Eglin.
been depressed lately, so I've been reading a lot!!


----------



## Trip

KathyJ said:
			
		

> Trip-
> I haven't looked at "Cooking for Dummies", that I can remember anyways, but I did pick up "Christmas Cooking for Dummies"... I'm always looking for easy holiday recipes....
> 
> corazon90-
> will be picking up "The Time Traveler's Wife" this week at the library. I'll let you know how I like it.
> 
> 
> also been reading the tea shop series by Linda Childs, "The Witness" by Dee Henderson, the garden series by Anthony Eglin.
> been depressed lately, so I've been reading a lot!!



Hmmm christmas gooking for dummies... will have to try to find that one, sounds interesting... Cooking for dummies I got when I joined Dells cookbook club, for that matter so did my husband, we really do buy alot of cookbooks...
Right now I'm reading IT by Stephen King.


----------



## corazon

KathyJ said:
			
		

> corazon90-
> will be picking up "The Time Traveler's Wife" this week at the library. I'll let you know how I like it.


Please let me know!  I'm so excited for you, it's such a great book!


----------



## Claire

In my reading aloud, we're just about through with _viva la repartee_, which we're getting a huge kick out of.  It's a collection of clever things people have said over the years.  I'm one of those who thinks of what I should have said a week later, at 3 a.m. in the morning.  I usually have at least three books going (one frivolous, usually a murder mystery; something serious requiring more thought, which I break up with the frivolous; and something aloud to my freinds who are very literary but unable to read themselves).  

One thing I read to my ladies last week takes only a few minutes:  _You're Only Old Once_, the last book by Dr. Seuss.  Should be required reading for everyone over 50.  The only bad thing is that one friend is blind so couldn't enjoy the illustrations!  This would make a great birthday present.


----------



## KathyJ

corazon90
finished "The Time Traveler's Wife" actually a while ago and just realized I hadn't let you know how I liked it.

I really, really liked it. Course, anything time travel I like. Could've done without a few of the scenes, but it was a really enjoyable read. Thanks so much!!!

actually, not reading too much these days. Trying to go through my books and figure out which ones to keep and which ones to sell.


----------



## licia

Claire, your friend may be interested in the audio books.  I've really enjoyed them lately and keep one in my car.  I don't allow myself to listen any other time so trips in the car are much more pleasurable.


----------



## Yakuta

Just finished reading "The Pilots Wife" by Anita Shreve.  It's part of Oprah's book club.  It's a good book.  

The initial part is extremely depressing and hits you hard if you have experienced death of a close one.  I lost my only brother in an accident so reading about death so intimitely described made my tummy churn.  The portions after that and the way the story unfolds are gripping.


----------



## Toots

I just finished Elizabeth Gilbert's book "Eat, Pray, Love".  The author spent 4 months each in Italy, India and Indonesia after she goes through a divorce.  Its well written (funny, sad, good story, etc) and also an excellent travelogue for anyone traveling to Rome, India or Bali.


----------



## licia

I've read several Jan Karon books lately. Entertaining, but not heavy. (not a description of me .


----------



## mudbug

Wastewater management plan (with 5 appendixes) for a facility in the Midwest and a closeout report for a cleaned-up Superfund site in the mid-Atlantic area.

But I'm bringing a bunch of good trash to read at the beach.  And I can't wait.


----------



## KathyJ

licia
Love Jan Karon's books!!! Part of my Do Not Sell collection.


actually started reading "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" at lunch, so I am reading again. Should have kept going on my "sell" list though. oh well.


----------



## Andy M.

mudbug said:
			
		

> Wastewater management plan (with 5 appendixes) for a facility in the Midwest...


 
You're going to love it!  What a fantastic ending, you'll never guess how it's going to turn out!  I couldn't put it down.


----------



## Hopz

John Sandford's "Dead Watch"... his newest- a good one.
 Also recently re-read through the "Harley-Davidson Service Manual for the 2002 Touring Models", really aan interesting read. The imagery was wonderful and the technical specifications were fascinating. Hard to put it down.


----------



## Claire

Licia, the reason I started reading for this friend was that she didn't like books on tape ... which I could identify with.  I'd had vision problems a number of years ago, and I hated them.  Not that I think they are bad, a lot of people love them and I'm glad they are there.  They just don't go at my pace.  I started to read to her because she was desperate to read a couple of books written by friends of hers.  Then two things happened -- she started to like me reading.  But the big development was that her very arthritic friend (totally housebound) started getting into conversations we would have.  Honestly, she'd been going into a vegestative state when I first started reading, then started asking me when she cold meet my husband, my friends, etc.  Right now we are between books and I asked if they'd like to hear some Wodehouse "Jeeves".  This is a good series of short stories to fill time until we move on to a more serious book.  Yes, she could throw a tape or cd on, but we read, and often look up words, or will segue to a related book, or go off on another conversation.  Sometimes we have dinner parties with the food & drink of a country that comes from a bio, history, or novel that we just read.


----------



## Claire

Right now, for myself, I seem to have gotten into a dead place when it comes to reading.  The last half dozen I've read just haven't been very good. I despise the romance-type format .... I don't mind some romance in a novel, but I hate it when you open a book and immediately KNOW that the arrogant hero and gorgeous woman who hate each other will fall into each other's arms by the end of the book.  It seems a lot of romance writers are trying to get into the mystery genre .... but they leave the mystery out of it.  I read a dozen or so books in the past two weeks, and was disappointed in all of them.  C'est la vie.  
So now I'm reading some old Graham Greene books.


----------



## licia

I enjoy books that have relationships, not romance. I suppose that is why I like the Jan Karon books. It is about everybody in the town and more. They each have their idiosyncracies, but somehow avoid getting into too much trouble. I find many of the characters remind me of someone I know or knew. Reading to your friend is a magnificent gesture and surely is worth your while, but most of us couldn't spend that much time with someone.  I remember my mother listening to stories on the radio when I was a child. She would be ironing or sewing and we would be asked to play quietly with our dolls while she was listening. I suppose she didn't have much time to read with 3 little girls.


----------



## VegasDramaQueen

_I love reading any Michael Connelly mystery or anything by Alex Kava.  Alex has a way of keeping your attention throughout the book. I  have just finished one of the most fascinating books I've ever read, _"The Cruelest Miles"_ a story of the diptheria epidemic in the '20's in Nome, Alaska and how the only way to get anti-toxin to these people was by dogsled.   The people involved in the 'relay"  are interesting and the obsticales they faced were horrendous.  __Very interesting information on the Arctic Circle, the weather conditions in the northern part of Alaska, the dogs themselves and dog sledding in general.  I never dreamed I would be so engrossed in a book like this.  _
_I'm wondering if anyone else has read it._


----------



## Raven

Well, I'm finally reading a book that I've tried to read many times over the years but never made it past Leviticus. 

This time I started with Matthew with a plain-english version and am doing much better.

~ Raven ~


----------



## pdswife

As always I'm reading a few different ones...

BEACHROAD,  JAMES PATTERSON

DON'T LET'S GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT AN AFRICAN CHILDHOOD, ALEXANDRA FULLER

BLACKBIRD ( CHILD ABUSE STORY) JENNIFER LAUCK

MELODY, VC ANDREWS

BOOK OF JOE,  JONATHAN TROPPER

AND

MY FRIEND LENOARD,  JAMES FRYE ( second half of 1 MILLION PIECES)


----------



## mudbug

Andy M. said:
			
		

> You're going to love it! What a fantastic ending, you'll never guess how it's going to turn out! I couldn't put it down.


 
LOL, Andy.  And didn't you love Appendix 3????!!! 200-plus pages of manufacturer's literature.

Can't wait for the movie.


----------



## Sandyj

pdswife said:
			
		

> As always I'm reading a few different ones...
> 
> DON'T LET'S GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT AN AFRICAN CHILDHOOD, ALEXANDRA FULLER


 
I loved that book! My family lived in the areas that she described in around about the same years (and before, from the early '50's)(most of them didn't farm and probably weren't _quite_ as lush-y, but a lot of the daily life kinds of things she describes are so evocative). I made my mom read this book, too. My sister was born in Luansya, and my family lived in Kitwe and Ndola, too. My mom said it brought back all kinds of memories. Her next book, Scribbling the Cat, is much much darker, though. 

Pdswife, I also have several books going at the same time - all stacked on the chair next to my bed. I'm reading: 

A Southern Exposure by Alice Adams <- working on this one
April Witch by Majgull Axelsson <- just finished, strange, occult, fantasy & social commentary
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini <- bought it last summer, then held off for a long time, don'g know why, but once I started, boy, it's good
Simple Abundance by Sarah Breathnach <- working on this one - spotted it in a doctor's office - a day book. May 6th (I think) was what made me buy the book.

I have a few others under that pile, too.


----------



## Raven

mudbug said:
			
		

> Wastewater management plan (with 5 appendixes) for a facility in the Midwest and a closeout report for a cleaned-up Superfund site in the mid-Atlantic area.
> 
> But I'm bringing a bunch of good trash to read at the beach.  And I can't wait.





			
				Andy M. said:
			
		

> You're going to love it! What a fantastic ending, you'll never guess how it's going to turn out! I couldn't put it down.





			
				mudbug said:
			
		

> LOL, Andy.  And didn't you love Appendix 3????!!! 200-plus pages of manufacturer's literature.
> 
> Can't wait for the movie.


Nah, save your money, the film really stinks right up till the ending where they're all singing "Shall we gather at the river" 

Although I did like the fact that they used The Doobie Brothers original version of "Black Water" for the opening theme. 

~ Raven ~


----------



## KathyJ

claire, licia-

try reading *Dee Henderson's* books. mystery/romance genre. I really like the interplay between the characters. Some even made me laugh out load. She has a couple of different series.

also try *Francine Rivers*.

Both are Christian writers, but it's not "in your face".

raven-
I could never get past Deuteronomy....
I should try the plain english (easier to read) versions. I think we have one.

lol  on the wastewater book comments.....

oh - also started reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Does anyone know if this is a true story?


----------



## nikkiev

currently reading Stephen King's series, the dark tower... on "The Wolves of Calla"


----------



## JoAnn L.

Here are some of my favorite authors;     
M.C. Beaton
Peter Robinson
Hennig Mankell
Georges Simenon
Martha Grimes
Ruth Rendell
Ann Granger
As you can see I love mysteries. JoAnn


----------



## amber

I've always liked Danielle Steele books too Sizzlin   I bought a book about two months ago and havent read it yet "in her shoes" by Jennifer Weinner. I've been debating whether to get the dvd first or read the book.  I typically like to read the book and use my imagination first, and then see how the movie compares.  I think it's time to read that book on my front porch, on a nice sunny day, or even a warm rainy day for that matter


----------



## BakersDozen

*What are you reading now?*

What is everyone reading? Favorite author?

  I love to read and a bookworm...most recent read was "The Englisher" by Beverly Lewis. Love to read cookbooks too. Favorite author: Too many to pick just one...Lewis, Koontz, King, Sparks, and on and on.

Current reads: Frieda and Min - Pamela Joonte
                      Saveur Cooks Authentic Italian
                      The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean - Paula Wolfert


----------



## pdswife

My favorite author is James Patterson.  I read all his books over and over again.

Right now I'm only reading Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides.  

I usally read 5 or 6 books at a time but not this time.


----------



## mudbug

Still trying to finish up the beach books I took to OBX - Janet Evanovich, and one of the Ladies Detective Agency series.  Also have to polish off the Stephen Jay Gould book of essays I borrowed from a colleague at work.

When the weather cools off a bit, I wil re-read at least one Jane Austen book.


----------



## SharonT

I love Jane Austen too.
Just now I'm reading P. D. James' _The Lighthouse_ 
This summer I've re-read all the Harry Potter books
and all the Diane Mott Davidson mysteries.  Have ya'll read those?  Cooked any of the recipes?


----------



## SierraCook

Here is what I am currently reading:

_The Field Guide to Geology_ by Davis Lambert.  Basic geology reading, but a good refresher nonetheless.  

_Feather River Country Adventure Trails_ by Tom DeMund.  I have made a goal to hike at least two of the local trails this summer, so I am reading this book to decide where to go. 

_Rockhounding California_ by Gail A. Butler.  This is just to find some interesting rock formations in the local area.


----------



## erinmself

I love sparks!!!! I own and have read all of his books. I also love Jane austen. I am reading Emma right now which is her only novel I haven't read and I am also reading david copperfield.


----------



## corazon

I have a few faves.  Time Traveler's Wife by Niffenegger (sp?) is the ultamite fave.  Harry Potters.  Lord of the Rings.  I know I have plenty more but I can't think of all them now.

Right now I'm reading the fifth Harry Potter.  Next is Cloud of Sparrows.


----------



## Ishbel

Just finished Espresso Tales by Alexander McCall Smith.  I love his 'Scotland Street' series and other Edinburgh-based books.  Have found his African detective books are not to my taste, though.


----------



## urmaniac13

I haven't read much books since I came to Italy, I still have too much trouble reading in Italian and books that I would like written in English is not always available.  I now have collection of e-books that I downloaded from internet, but it is not exactly the same reading them on a monitor...  (I like reading books sprawled out on a sofa or bed...)

James Herriot has always been close to my heart and I never get tired of his lovely stories.
I also like crime novels, Bruce Alexander, Colin Dexter (the famous Inspector Morse series, though I never really liked the series on the telly...), Reginald Hill, Stuart Kaminsky (of the Rostnikov series) and Donald Westlake, the author who writes those hysterically funny crime novels, most famously the Dortmunder series.  Another my old standby which I never get tired of is the Sharlock Holmes series by Conan Doyle.


----------



## Loprraine

I'm finishing "When French Women Cook", by Madeleine Kamman.  What a great read.  re-reading "Love And Kisses and a Halo Of Truffles", James Beard's letters to and from Helen Evans Brown.    "Leone's Italian Cooking", Gene Leone, them of the famed restaurant in New york.


----------



## Banana Brain

My favorite book is either To Kill a Mocking Bird or Life of Pi.


----------



## mudbug

SierraCook said:
			
		

> Here is what I am currently reading:
> 
> _The Field Guide to Geology_ by Davis Lambert. Basic geology reading, but a good refresher nonetheless.
> 
> _Feather River Country Adventure Trails_ by Tom DeMund. I have made a goal to hike at least two of the local trails this summer, so I am reading this book to decide where to go.
> 
> _Rockhounding California_ by Gail A. Butler. This is just to find some interesting rock formations in the local area.


 
Sierra, don't know if I've recommended these to you before, but anyway -
you need to read Norman Maclean - "Young Men and Fire" (abut smokejumpers) and "A River Runs Through It" (waaaaaaay better than that awful movie)


----------



## mudbug

Ishbel said:
			
		

> Have found his African detective books are not to my taste, though.


 
Will let you know what I think when I get to the sample I bought, Izzy.


----------



## KathyJ

BakersDozen said:
			
		

> most recent read was "The Englisher" by Beverly Lewis. Love to read cookbooks too.


 
Hey I just finished that one also! Along with the first one "The Preacher's Daughter". Can't wait for the 3rd and final... It comes out in September, I believe.



			
				corazon90 said:
			
		

> I have a few faves. Time Traveler's Wife by Niffenegger (sp?) is the ultamite fave.


 
Did you ever get my message on the previous book reading thread? I had got it from the library and read it. Very good read and I thank you for the recommendation.... 



			
				urmaniac13 said:
			
		

> I now have collection of e-books that I downloaded from internet, but it is not exactly the same reading them on a monitor...  (I like reading books sprawled out on a sofa or bed...)
> 
> James Herriot has always been close to my heart and I never get tired of his lovely stories.


 
I can't read online either.... have to be curled up in comfy chair or in bed...
Love James Herriot - have all of them. 


lately have been reading some Louis L'Amour. Got hooked on him in the 8th grade when one of my teachers had us go through "Down the Long Hills" chapter by chapter.
have also read a few a friend gave me by Luanne Rice.

now have tons of cooking magazines to look through.... but reading a novel is so much more relaxing....


----------



## SierraCook

mudbug said:
			
		

> Sierra, don't know if I've recommended these to you before, but anyway -
> you need to read Norman Maclean - "Young Men and Fire" (abut smokejumpers) and "A River Runs Through It" (waaaaaaay better than that awful movie)


 
Mudbug, I have read them a few times. They are some of my favorite books!!  The movie was OK, but the book is definitely better.


My favorite series of books are by Anne McCaffrey about the Dragonriders of Pern.  I could read those books over and over again.


----------



## TXguy

Tom Clancy's 'Without Remorse'


----------



## TATTRAT

The computer monitor...


----------



## expatgirl

I love to read stories written by people who have travelled to various places in the world and written about their experiences.  One of my favorites and recent ones (I don't know if it's still in print or not) was written by Agatha Christie who was married to an archaeologist, Max Mallowan, titled ( I believe) "Come Follow Me" where she accompanied him on his many digs to the Middle East before she died.  So she did more than just write all those wonderful mysteries that she is famous for--(she was considered a very valuable member of the expedition team as she was invaluable in processing artifacts----she was also 10  years older than her husband and  is quoted as saying that she was the happiest married woman ever because as she aged he became even more interested in her--move over Demi!


----------



## expatgirl

Oops--the Agatha Christie book was titled "Tell Me How You Live" and not "Come Follow Me"--sorry about that--guess I'm getting to be an archaeologist's dream, too.


----------



## Banana Brain

I've just picked up Treasure Island for the first time.


----------



## Claire

I just finished a couple of bios, and always have some murder mysteries at hand.  What I'm now reading aloud to my ladies is a bio of Yul Brynner written by his son.  It is excellent.  None of the last dozen or two novels I've read overly impressed me.  The fact is, I hate romance novels (it is just way too easy to predict the entire book)(man and woman hate each other at first sight.  You immediately know they will wind up in bed before the end of the book, and in everlasting (haha) love at the end).  My recent favorites are _Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, The Harmony Silk Factory,_  and _The Geographer's Library.  _I have always, even as a child, been a huge fan of any version of The King and I.  I've read every version, from Anna's memoirs through bios through her son's memoirs, and seen all three movies.  So when Yul, written by his son, showed up on the library's $2 shelf, I bought it.  This is what I'm reading to my ladies right now.  Rocky Brynner is an excellent, even poetic, writer.  I'm quite impressed.


----------



## Claire

I'm going back and reading other responses.  I loved the Live of Pi.  I bought it for a stupid reason .... the author's name is a family name (Martel).  But talk about a good suspension of disbelief!


----------



## Claire

I am a huge fan of the A. McCall Smith books.  I think they are great fun, and epitomize what I consider summer reading.  PLUS, I get very sick and tired of fashion-model heroines, so I love a "traditionally built" heroine!!!  I also love Janet Evonavich and many other mystery writers!!  Just pure fun.  Yes, I've read all of P.D. James.  I've read all of Diane Mott Davidson, and really liked the concept of the blue cheese cake in her last one ... but it seemed kind of complicated and fragile.  Since there are only two of us, I can't really experiment, so will probably never try it.  Anyone who does, let me know how it turns out!!


----------



## SharonT

Claire said:
			
		

> I've read all of P.D. James. I've read all of Diane Mott Davidson, and really liked the concept of the blue cheese cake in her last one ... but it seemed kind of complicated and fragile


The only recipe I've tried from the series is the "Savory Florentine Cheesecake" in "Prime Cut" -- it was very good... 

Have you read Dorothy Sayers?  She'll get you out of your slump!   If you like P.D. James, you'll love DS


----------



## auntdot

Actually I hate to admit it but am working through The Complete History of Jack the Ripper by Philip Sugden.


----------



## ChefJune

Just finished reading Julia Child's lovely posthumous book, "My Life in France."  If you're a fan of hers, OR of cooking, imo, it's a must-read.  I felt as though I could hear her talking as I read.  She wrote it in the last couple of years of her life by telling the stories to Paul's great-nephew, alex Prud'homme.  He obviously knew her well and loved her a lot to be able to capture her so exactly in print.


----------



## Claire

YES.  I've read all of D. Sayers plus have been trying to get into the BBC Peter Wimsley series, and am thinking of rereading them to help me get into the spirit.  And I'm not much of a believer in re-reading.  So many books, so little time.  I'm unemployed, and an insomniac.  That adds up to 3-5 books/week.  My latest thing has been to check out old Graham Green books that I missed the first time around.  My read-aloud book (a friend who is blind, and one who is too crippled to hold up a book for any length of time) is Yul Brynner's biography.


----------



## Little Miss J

Claire said:
			
		

> I am a huge fan of the A. McCall Smith books.


 
I have only read the first two so far....but these are great!! My only problem is that I read fast and read each in one sitting.


----------



## Claire

Miss J -- I too am a fast reader.  Many, many years ago, some teacher of mine (don't remember her) in 3rd or 4th grade, discovered I was really GOOD at reading.  She sent me to a speed reading course.  I don't actively try to speeed-read, because I consider it a pleasure and slow myself down.  Still, a McCall book only takes a few hours to read.  THat is TRYING to read slow.  

I was at the library a few years ago, and a friend of mine saw how many books I was checking out (I leave with 5-8 books).  He's a young Irish man.  He said, "Claire, you read all that?"  (the books range in subject matter very widely).  Yes.  "You must have some spectacular dreams."

Now, here's the question.  Do readers have more dreams?  More exotic dreams?  I've always had very vivid dreams but never connected it to reading, and have always thought it was a result (or source) of being insomniac.  Any opinions??


----------



## Lynan

At the moment I have 3 books on the go, one in my office and 2 at home. Dumb to have 2 at home, Im hardly here!!
Anyways, I read Jeanette Wintersons ' Sexing the Cherry' years ago and  bought the book home from my recent trip to Italy ( I have a TRUNK full of books still not shipped home!) so Im 1/2 way thru' that again and loving it. Also have Richard Carlsons ' Dont Sweat the Small Stuff' because I have been. 'Nuff said there...lol
And Im also reading 'Everydog' a complete book of dog care as we have a rescue pup..8 mths old..who is totally out of control. My garden is wrecked, a credit card chewed ( my fault for leaving it within jaw distance) hubsters vehicle has a flat battery because of him, trash bags have been strewn far and wide and he loves to leave a calling card in a particular spot on the hall carpet. A wet calling card and he is 8 mths old!! Ummm, Im concentrating on the discipline part of the book.


----------



## Chopstix

Banana Brain said:
			
		

> My favorite book is either To Kill a Mocking Bird or Life of Pi.


 
BB, I absolutely love these books too! Three other books I would put in the same class are The Little Prince, The Caine Mutiny, and Pride and Prejudice.


----------



## Trip

Robert Jordan, Knife of Dreams... like him, Dean Koontz, John Saul, JK Rowling, RA Salvatore, Julie Garwood, Amanda Quick/Jayne Ann Krentz/Jayne Castle, Catherine Coulter, Jude Devereaux, Judith McNaught, Stephen King, Sidney Sheldon, VC Andrews... the list doesn't really stop so I should lol.


----------



## justright

Right now I am reading "On the Road," by Jack Kerouac.  It's amazing!  It's probably the third time I've read it.


----------



## cara

Anyone of you guys over there ever heard of Walter Moers?
He is a german writer, but I just found out many of his books are already translated into english...
so if anyone likes phantasy, a bit like Terry Pratchett, only better, look out for his Zamonien (Zamonia?) books..

I just finished "The city of dreaming books", Rumo also is great, Captain Bluebear not the best, but good, too...


----------



## pdswife

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
and 
Perfect Nightmare  by John Saul.

Not much time to read lately though.. too busy enjoying summer.


----------



## kadesma

Night, by,Elie Wiesel. 
My daughter read it, then started asking me about it. She said, she had heard some and read some in high school, but til now, it was like a dream to her. So, now I re-read about this so it doesn't become a dream and is remembered and allowed to never happen again.

kadesma


----------



## pdswife

Oh Kadesma... I'm proud of you for reading this.  It's hard.


----------



## kadesma

_Thanks Pds,_
_It's something, I feel needs to be done for me. It's easy to forget and hard to remember, but, we must._

_kadesma_


----------



## TATTRAT

Behold the Pale horse.


----------



## Bangbang

I am reading The Complete Idiots Guide to Cigars. The Idiot and Dummy books are very informational and fun to read . I have several of them.I hate Fiction......well except for the Bible.


----------



## mudbug

kadesma said:
			
		

> _Thanks Pds,_
> _It's something, I feel needs to be done for me. It's easy to forget and hard to remember, but, we must._
> 
> _kadesma_


 
here's another one along that line, although not about the Jews:

The Gathering Storm, by Winston Churchill - the first book in his series about WW2.  In fact I was just thinking about re-reading this one myself.


----------



## kadesma

mudbug said:
			
		

> here's another one along that line, although not about the Jews:
> 
> The Gathering Storm, by Winston Churchill - the first book in his series about WW2. In fact I was just thinking about re-reading this one myself.


Thanks mudbug, I think I'll join you.

kadesma


----------



## corazon

KathyJ said:
			
		

> Did you ever get my message on the previous book reading thread? I had got it from the library and read it. Very good read and I thank you for the recommendation....


I think I did get your message but I can't remember.  So glad you liked it!!


----------



## corazon

I ran into this and thought I'd pass it on.  You can type in the name of an author you like and it will give you names of other authors that are similar.  http://www.literature-map.com/


----------



## cara

corazon, that even works with german authors


----------



## mudbug

At work - about how old WW2 munitions can be blown up without causing an environmental mess (very tricky, but a good thing)

At home - finished my trashy beach reads finally (not impressed with Ms. J. Evanovich) and resuming essays by Stephen Jay Gould about evolution, but not really into it.


----------



## mudbug

At work - about how old WW2 munitions can be blown up without causing an environmental mess (very tricky, but a good thing)

At home - finished my trashy beach reads finally (not impressed with Ms. J. Evanovich) and resuming essays by Stephen Jay Gould about evolution, but not really into it.


----------



## TATTRAT

I was relly enjoying some of the Seat of the Soul, but i am fliping between a couple of books right now. Pale horse is interesting too.


----------



## Half Baked

I'm rereading the classics. Right now I'm in the middle of Vanity Fair...that book is 4" thick with tiny writing so I should be finished about this time next year.

I picked up Square Foot Gardening and have been getting some wonderful ideas for my future gardens.


----------



## Claire

Half-baked, I've considered re-readng the classics, but ****ed it, can't really get into re-reading when there are so many books I haven't read the first time around.  

But Square Foot Gardener is the best book around for learning to garden.  Even if you don't have a square foot garden (I've had several), it really teaches you a lot.

I will say most of my reading is for entertainment, not for education.  Anyone out there a Larry McMurtry fan?  Just finished his latest.


----------



## Barbara L

I'm reading James A. Michener's _Caribbean_.  I love his books.  My favorite of his is _Centennial_.

 Barbara


----------



## Bangbang

The Ghost Hunters Handbook:The Difinitive Version.


----------



## Claire

Hmmm.  Just reread what I wrote ... and I cannot imagine what word I used there that got bleeped.  I don't swear a lot, and am trying to fit in obscene words that would fit in that sentence .... and that I would actually use.  Oh, well.  Sorry.


----------



## Katie H

*What are you reading?*

I'm an avid reader and my DH is, too.  Our house is filled with all kinds of books and it's not unusual for me to have three books "working" at once.  I read an average of one to two books a week and am just now finishing up _The Phantom of the Opera_ by Gaston Leroux.  It's a fascinating book and, after watching the DVD of the same name last weekend, it paints amazing pictures in my head.

The book I am going to read next is _Fork it Over:  The Intrepid Adventures of a Professional Eater_ by Alan Richman.  In it he describes his experiences as a food critic and, from what I gleaned from skimming it, it is going to be a funny read.

What are you folks reading out there?


----------



## Dove

My DH can't do anything anymore but sit and read. He reads a book a day. He likes Westerns, Mysteries and Spy Stories. ( paperback books)


----------



## wasabi

I'm reading two books right now. Adored by Tilly Bagshawe and Lovers & Players by Jackie Collins.


----------



## KathyJ

I'm always reading.....
lately, I think, just to get away from real life! lol

the latest: started the Sharpe's series by Bernard Cornwell. Starts in 1809 and follows an English Lieutenant's career against the French.

also have read: "Fields and Pastures New" and currently reading "A Friend of the Flock" both by John McCormack. Tells of his first years as an Alabama country veterinarian. similar to James Herriot's stories.


----------



## Alix

Currently reading Break no Bones, by Kathy Reichs. Its a good one.


----------



## Bangbang

I am reading Conversations with God............books 1&2........by Neal Walsch.


----------



## Gretchen

The Earth Is FLat.  You had better read it!!

Kathy Reichs is a hometown person--very interesting person. She has certainly launched a career.


----------



## Alix

Gretchen said:
			
		

> Kathy Reichs is a hometown person--very interesting person. She has certainly launched a career.


 
I really enjoy her books. I like to read Canadian authors when I can. I gather she is like her main character in that she also commutes between Virginia and Quebec. I read all of Gail Bowen's books too. Wonderful for anyone who has spent any time in Saskatchewan, she describes all the places so well and with such affection.


----------



## ChefJune

I am reading "The Wine Bible," by Karen McNeill.  It's a great read as well as being extremely informative.


----------



## abjcooking

Has anybody read The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Stetterfield?  It was reccomended by Barnes and Noble, but I was debating wheter or not to wait until it came out in paperback.


----------



## Alandra

I do that also, Raven, - read books sometimes to find out why everyone raves about them, --infact, even when I don't really care for the book from the getgo, I'll still continue to read thru to the end, as "must" see if the book improves as it goes along, (when everyone has praised it so highly) --or to find out if I really didn't like it at all, even when I'd read the entire book  
That was how it was with the first book in the Mitford series by Jan Karon.  Just could not see what everyone was raving about!  But kept on reading, as found it hard to believe that I didn't care much for it, after all the praise.  I got so annoyed at Father Tim for not being able to make up his mind, re the romance.   
But I did begin to like the book, and read most of the series one after the other, and really loved them.  So am glad I persisted, but it took a long time for me to get into that first book in the series.


----------



## Katie H

Just finishing up _Fork It Over _by Alan Richman.  A great read and so much fun enjoying his eating adventures.  I recommend it to anyone who loves food and loves to read!!


----------



## ncage1974

Programming WCF (windows communication fundation) services. Anyone want a copy .


----------



## Toots

I just finished The Lost, A Search for Six of Six Million by David Mendelson.  I could NOT put it down.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Right now I am reading all of Deborah Crombie mysteries. They are about Scotland Yard Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his partner Sergeant Gemma James. I have them all but one, hopefully I will find that one this week.


----------



## Uncle Bob

My daddy Was a Pistol...and I'm a Son of a Gun  by Lewis Grizzard. 
Funny, Funny book


----------



## shpj4

I am reading 'Never Be Lied To Again" by David J. Lieberman, Ph.D. and "Men Are From Mars. Women Are From Venus by John Gray, Ph.D.


----------



## pdswife

"Cross" by James Patterson
"Glenda of Oz" ( I'm re-reading all the OZ books )
and I just got " The Nasty BIts " by Anthony Bourdain.  I've only read a few pages but so far so good.


----------



## Nicholas Mosher

I'm starting back to college this upcoming week after 5yrs of being away.  I suspect I'll be reading lots of textbooks for the next few years... 

Finished a year of Engineering, but I'm going back for Business.  Hope to finish with a bachelors in business and an associates in science & mathematics.

Up until now it's been cookbooks, and manuals on various equipment & procedures for my current field of work.


----------



## vagriller

For Men Only by Jeff and Shaunti Feldhuhn. My wife got it for me as a stocking stuffer.


----------



## Uncle Bob

My Daddy was a Pistol and I'm a Son of a Gun    Lewis Grizzard

Very very funny!!


----------



## Claire

Raven,_  Catcher in the Rye_ was required reading when I was in the early years of high school, and was considered quite scandalous (we had to have parents' permission to read it).  I haven't read it since, but was quite unimpressed when I was 14 or 15.  I've been thinking of revisiting it to see if it had more value than I remember, but you've convinced me not to bother.  So many books, so little time!  After struggling through more serious fare, right now I'm just doing light murder mysteries ... candy for the brain.  I'd just finished a memoir/autobio about generations of Chinese women, and several other very, very boring (the former was not) bios.  It amazes me sometimes how people who have lived very fascinating lives can manage to make their lives boring once they start writing!  I'm also reading, aloud, a philosophy/ecology book to my ladies, so some light stuff is overdue and in order.


----------



## Aria

Advertising Text Books....Semester started January  17th.


----------



## mudbug

The Nasty Bits.  Will whip through this one in no time.


----------



## Barbara

Setting the Table - Danny Meyer
America Alone - Mark Steyn

I really like Michael Connelly - read all his books.


----------



## mudbug

Barbara, let me know how you like Mark Steyn's book.  I'm a big fan of his stuff on the web.


----------



## Barbara

Several of my family members have read it and can't stop talking about how good & disturbing it is. Will let you know.


----------



## SierraCook

_Wolf Hunting_ by Jane Lindskold - It is a science fiction book about humans, wolves, and other creatures that work together to stop some evil magic and doings. 

_The Dodge City Trail_ by Ralph Compton - Pretty much what the title states:  a cattle drive north to Dodge City with the typical Indian issues, stampedes, bad weather, etc.


----------



## Katie H

SierraCook said:
			
		

> _The Dodge City Trail_ by Ralph Compton - Pretty much what the title states:  a cattle drive north to Dodge City with the typical Indian issues, stampedes, bad weather, etc.



If you like _The Dodge City Trail_, you might like _Mrs. Mike_ by Benedict and Nancy Freedman.  It's an older book, but the authors "paint" great pictures in your head as you read.  It would be especially apropos to read in the wintertime because of the winter segments.  They've written other books, of which is _Kathy Little Bird_.  This is another great read.  _The Search for Joyful_ is another of their works.  All three are on my "keep" library shelves.  Wonderful stories!!


----------



## SierraCook

Thanks, Katie!!  I will keep those titles in mind the next time I head for the bookstore.


----------



## jabbur

I'm currently reading "Knowing God" by J.I. Packer for Sunday School class.  Supposed to be reading Jimmy Carter's book about Palestein for book club but can't get copy at library and won't pay bookstore price for it!  Also on second half of "Suite Francaise".  Can't remeber spelling of author but it is a story about WWII German invasion of France.  So far so good.  Have several Nora Roberts books lying around to start soon.  Just recently got into the Odd Thomas books by Dean Koontz.  Very interesting and real page turners.  Couldn't wait to see what would happen next in them!  If you didn't guess I love to read.  I'm the same way with books as others have stated here, have to hold them to appreciate them but do enjoy audio books when on long road trips.


----------



## JoAnn L.

*Reading anything good right now?*

I am just getting done reading "Good-bye To the Mermaids" A Childhood Lost in Hitler's Berlin. It is a true story by Karin Finell. I usually just read English mysteries but I heard them interviewing the author on the radio one day and it sounded very interesting. Excellent book! I haven't been so moved by a book before.


----------



## jabbur

I recently read "Lovely Bones" and "A Day of Small Beginnings".  Both were excellent.  The first is about a young teen who is murdered and written from her point of view after the fact.  It is quite interesting.  The other covers several generations and involves Jewish experiences during the years before and after the holocaust in Poland.  It is fiction and quite interesting too.  You really learn alot about Judaism and their thoughts on death.  It also involves spirits working in the world.  Very good.


----------



## goodgiver

"A Boy Called It" very compelling how tragic but he certainly does percervier


----------



## TATTRAT

jabbur said:
			
		

> I recently read "Lovely Bones" and "A Day of Small Beginnings".  Both were excellent.  The first is about a young teen who is murdered and written from her point of view after the fact.  It is quite interesting.  The other covers several generations and involves Jewish experiences during the years before and after the holocaust in Poland.  It is fiction and quite interesting too.  You really learn alot about Judaism and their thoughts on death.  It also involves spirits working in the world.  Very good.




I loved the Lovely Bones. I listened to the reading ages ago on NPR and got the book to read for myself. She has a couple other books that are great too.


I have been working on the Dancing Wu Li masters by David Zukav. Seat of the Soul was a great read too.


----------



## foodstorm

I just finished Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. Not as funny as his book Naked, but it still made me laugh out loud.


----------



## amber

I have read lovely bones as well, very good book.  Right now I am reading 'The measure of a man' by Sidney Poitier (yes, the actor).  I am only up to page 30 but am enjoying this book.  I rarely read anything but fiction, but this is a "spiritual autobiography" as he calls it.


----------



## college_cook

TFL Cookbook, The Reach of a Chef, and Kitchen Confidential.  TFL is def. my fav. though.  You get inspired just skimming the pictures.


----------



## mudbug

Re-reading _Following the Equator_ by Mark Twain. Memoirs of his speaking trip around the world to get out of bankruptcy.


----------



## Buck

The Essential Calvin and Hobbes.

Gotta stay sharp!


----------



## Katie H

I just started _The Invention of Hugo Cabret_, which is a piece of juvenile fiction.  It's beginning quite nicely and the illustrations are nothing short of fabulous.  Here's a link to get a glimpse of the story and view a slideshow of the illustrations.  I think I'm going to enjoy this beautiful book.

I regularly read something that is for the young set to see what's out there.  I have a feeling I'm going to give this book a great big "thumbs up."


----------



## Reanie525i

goodgiver said:
			
		

> "A Boy Called It" very compelling how tragic but he certainly does percervier


.. This is such a good read - sad but makes one realize how lucky we are even when things seem so bad ... Read the other books in the series - it is awe inspiring - I have listened to interviews with him and would love to talk to him someday!!!!


----------



## radhuni

*Which book are you reading now?*

Which book are you reading now?

I am reading 'The Ninth Buddha' by Daniel Easterman


----------



## redkitty

Still trying to get through Three Cups of Tea.


----------



## Barbara

Protect and Defend - Vince Flynn


----------



## suziquzie

Honestly, none for myself. 
I just read Goodnight, Thumper does that count? 
I am about 4 John Grisham books behind. I was in the middle of The Last Juror last summer.


----------



## jabbur

Right now I'm working on "Twilght Eyes" by Dean Koontz.  It's a bit creepy but not nightmarish.  I seem to be in a mystery/suspense mood since most of the books I have right now are that kind.  I just finished Up Country by Nelson DeMille and Santa Cruise by Mary Higgins Clark (and her daughter).  I see Margaret Truman died yesterday so will have to get caught up on her books as well.


----------



## BBQ Mikey

The BBQ Bible and other assorted cookbooks.


----------



## simplicity

"Voluntary Simplicity" again, a book by Duane Elgin - toward a way of life that is outwardly simple, inwardly rich.

I remind myself now and then. I am blessed.

Another book is "The Seat of the Soul" by Gary Zukav. I don't agree with much of what he writes, but it is thought provoking.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Wake The Dead by Dorothy Simpson. I am reading all of her books featuring, Inspector Luke Thanet. I love English mysteries!


----------



## NAchef

No Man Knows My Future


----------



## tdiprincess

I am Legend (just finished)
I started Crime and Punishment
And each night... The Bible


----------



## nutfry

The Oxford History of Christian Worship... Yeah, I'm one of those people who reads history books for fun.


----------



## LEFSElover

1. You too can find anyone, Joseph Culligan
2. Babywise, Ezzo/Bucknam


----------



## expatgirl

I would tell you the  main title but it might be  taken the wrong way but it's absolutely fascinating and interesting to history buffs which I am --but the subtitle is Nine Hundred Years of Vile Kings and Passionate Politics by Eleanor Herman and found in the historical aisles of Barnes & Nobles and fascinating to read.  How sad a life most of these queens and princesses led.


----------



## jeninga75

Brother Odd - Dean Koontz at work at lunch.

Going to start Prince Caspian at home soon.  Need to read it before seeing the movie.


----------



## Toots

I am reading a little book called "Last Night at the Lobster" and I'm  also getting ready to start Robert Morgan's biography "Boone".


----------



## Bean208

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire for bookclub and each morning I read from the Bible where I am currently reading through Proverbs and 1 Samuel.


----------



## Claire

I love mysteries of any sort, and English ones are great.  I also love the "Odd" series of novels.  The fact is that I love to read, period.  I usually have a couple of "serious" reading going on, and a book I'm reading aloud to "my gals" (a blind lady and one who is house-bound because of arthritis).  Now I'm in the middle of a biography of Georges Simenon, alsoI_ The Measure of a Man, _and just for fun, a few murder mysteries.  By the way, support your local library.  Our local has a St Valentine's day card sale.  I usually do some kind of bead work and attach it to a card.  This is a great fund raiser.  I do a couple of hours of volunteer work for the project.  It  is fun.


----------



## babetoo

*book*

the fallen" can't remember the author. about a guy that falls from a very tall building and lives. 

babe


----------



## Maverick2272

Job - A Comedy Of Justice      by Robert A. Heinlein

Revelations from the Bible. It is the current book we are on in the church. Each month we read one book from the Bible, in order. Genesis is next.
This is separate from Sunday School and sermons, just a program started to encourage the congregation to better learn and understand their Bible.

Which is a funny coincidence, if have ever read JOB you would understand. If not read the description of JOB and I think you will get it.


----------



## sparrowgrass

The Golden Compass trilogy--I am just starting the third book.  

Also a couple of Michael Pollan's books--The Botany of Desire and another one about gardening, can't remember the name.


----------



## csalt

Claire said:


> I love mysteries of any sort, and English ones are great. I also love the "Odd" series of novels. The fact is that I love to read, period. I usually have a couple of "serious" reading going on, and a book I'm reading aloud to "my gals" (a blind lady and one who is house-bound because of arthritis). Now I'm in the middle of a biography of Georges Simenon, alsoI_ The Measure of a Man, _and just for fun, a few murder mysteries. By the way, support your local library. Our local has a St Valentine's day card sale. I usually do some kind of bead work and attach it to a card. This is a great fund raiser. I do a couple of hours of volunteer work for the project. It is fun.


 
If you like English crime fiction/mystery do see if you can get hold of any by Hazel Holt, they are excellent; also Jacqueline Winspear and Richard Pitman. Very good indeed.


----------



## jabbur

Maverick wrote[/QUOTE]Job - A Comedy Of Justice by Robert A. Heinlein[/QUOTE] 

I really enjoyed that one!  It's been over 15 years since I read it but I still remember a lot of the story.   Great twist on Heaven,****, God, Satan and Reality!


----------



## VaporTrail

I go through books too fast to be caught reading one "now". The one I hope to read next is _East of the Sun, West of the Moon_ by John Ringo. As soon as I find it in paperback (possibly today). 

In fact I may make a special trip to the mall...


----------



## Maverick2272

Finished JOB, onto Long Dark Teatime of the Soul by Douglas Adams.
I have his collectors edition Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series in leather bound hardcover.
Was worth the price for me.


----------



## Barbara L

Maverick2272 said:


> Which is a funny coincidence, if have ever read JOB you would understand. If not read the description of JOB and I think you will get it.


That's interesting--I just read Esther this morning (well, technically yesterday morning) and am starting the book of Job (in the Bible, not the interesting looking book you showed) tomorrow.

I just read _Redeeming Love_, by Francine Rivers.  It is a novel, based on the book of Hosea from the Bible.  

I started reading James Michener's _Caribbean_ earlier last year but kind of put it on hold for awhile.  I am getting back in to that right now.

Barbara


----------



## Cath4420

*What a great idea...*



Claire said:


> I love mysteries of any sort, and English ones are great. I also love the "Odd" series of novels. The fact is that I love to read, period. I usually have a couple of "serious" reading going on, and a book I'm reading aloud to "my gals" (a blind lady and one who is house-bound because of arthritis). Now I'm in the middle of a biography of Georges Simenon, alsoI_ The Measure of a Man, _and just for fun, a few murder mysteries. By the way, support your local library. Our local has a St Valentine's day card sale. I usually do some kind of bead work and attach it to a card. This is a great fund raiser. I do a couple of hours of volunteer work for the project. It is fun.


 
Csalt, I never thought about doing something like reading to older people, I might look into this.  How did you get into this?


----------



## Maverick2272

Barbara L said:


> That's interesting--I just read Esther this morning (well, technically yesterday morning) and am starting the book of Job (in the Bible, not the interesting looking book you showed) tomorrow.
> 
> I just read _Redeeming Love_, by Francine Rivers.  It is a novel, based on the book of Hosea from the Bible.
> 
> I started reading James Michener's _Caribbean_ earlier last year but kind of put it on hold for awhile.  I am getting back in to that right now.
> 
> Barbara



That reminds me, forgot I had this book and haven't even read it yet:
The Lost Gospel: Book Review by Laura Knight-Jadczyk
It looked interesting, I should get to that one next, LOL.
I think I heard of Redeeming Love, I have to check but I think that one might be on my wife's list.


----------



## PytnPlace

"Get Saucy"  It's a cookbook.  Cookbooks are my novels lately.


----------



## Alix

Shadow Music, Julie Garwood. Its been too danged cold to get to the library so I'm relying on the kindness of my neighbors in a book share.


----------



## corazon

sparrowgrass said:


> The Golden Compass trilogy--I am just starting the third book.
> 
> Also a couple of Michael Pollan's books--The Botany of Desire and another one about gardening, can't remember the name.



I really enjoyed all the books from His Dark Materials. I'd love to see the Golden Compass movie. It looks like its well done. 

I'm kinda on book hiatus right now. I need to find something good.


----------



## Alix

My daughter tried the Golden Compass series and didn't find it grabbed her. So I never bothered. I think the movie might be Ok though.


----------



## Dina

Just finished So B. It by Sarah Weeks.  It's a beautiful and touching story.


----------



## expatgirl

My daughter swears that "Atonement" is great and better than the movie--I loaned it to a traveling friend on a five hour flight from from Frankfurt to Kazakhstan and she didn't lift her head once and she had seen the movie.  She said it was "excellent" and better than the movie.  So I'm looking forward to reading it whenever I get it back.


----------



## Ask-A-Butcher

I just finished Ken Follett's epic "World Without End", which was a sequel to his "Pillars of the Earth".

Good read, if you can put up with 900 pages of small print


----------



## LadyCook61

Cane Mutiny by Tamar Meyers, funny mystery.


----------



## Barbara

Caine Mutiny - one of my all time favorite books, the one I read was written by Herman Wouk.


----------



## Wart

What fun.


----------



## pdswife

I don't seem to have time to read much these days.  I am listening to a book on CD though.  WATER FOR ELEPHANTS.  I'm only into the first chapter but so far it's great.


----------



## radhuni

I am rereading 'Why didn't they ask Evans?' by Agatha Christie (Agatha Christie is one of my favorite authors)


----------



## Barbara L

LadyCook61 said:


> Caine Mutiny by Tamar Meyers


I believe you mean _The Cane Mutiny_.  

Barbara


----------



## Claire

Cath, I got into reading to shut-in freinds because I met a woman who was going blind  in a bar when we first moved here.  Having been in that position myself (I had a severe case of iritis once), I knew that the one thing I would miss the most was reading.  I asked her over and over again for a year and one day she told me a couple of friends of hers had written books and she desperately wanted to read them (and they are not the kind of books you're going to find on tape).  That was over five years ago.  I now hike up to their home (one friend is blind, the other is completely crippled with rheumatoid arthritis) and read to them twice a week.  Sometimes I spend the first half-hour reading mail and newsletters, then segue into a book (right now it is _The Measure of a Man_ by Sidney Poitier; in line are a travelogue and _The Secret Garden_; my friends were interested in childrens' books and had not read this classic, so that will be it.  In the past we've read everything from large historic tomes to novels (these women are very highly educated, much more so than I).

If this kind of thing interests you, I recommend you contact your local assisted living facility.  I do this with these ladies because they are friends, and it has enriched my life.  I think one of the oddest moments was when someone told me they thought one of these ladies was dead.  No, she just cannot get out of her house.  This made a large difference in her life.  

A friend I know did read at an assisted living facility for many years.  He used to joke that he could read the same chapter over and over again because most everyone suffered from some sort of dementia (alzeimers or parkinsons).  In my case, my ladies are very alert and we discuss what we read.  My husband is a historian by nature, and we often get calls asking him for information (the latest was a question about the Bay of Pigs; often there are calls about the history of the Roman Catholic Church, or the history of the middle ages, or .....  ).  

You might also contact your local library to see if they have a program.  I know most libraries have programs for reading to children, which is great.  But maybe some out there have programs for reading to adults who cannot.  There are probably more out there than you'd think.  An acquaintance told me that because of crippling arthritis, her mom can no longer hold up a book.  This is the case with one of my reading buddies.


----------



## Wart

Maverick2272 said:


> Job - A Comedy Of Justice      by Robert A. Heinlein
> 
> Which is a funny coincidence, if have ever read JOB you would understand. If not read the description of JOB and I think you will get it.



I missed your post the first time through.

Wiki has a good synopsis of Job.

I read JOB in the mid 80's, when Fallwell and Robertson were riding high, when Baker was crashing, and I thought, do I really want to spend eternity with _those_ kinds of people?

BTW, did you ever read Heinliens 'essay' about the worlds laziest man?

{edit} I had to look it up, Worlds Laziest Man is in Time enough for Love.{/edit}


----------



## LadyCook61

Chicken Soup for the Catlover's Soul


----------



## David Cottrell

Do you really want to know? It's called Naykrashti Kazke Ookraiine (Best Fables Ukraine) with a Ukrainian - English Slovnek (dictionary) in one hand and Modern Ukrainian by Assya Humesky in the other. If you can call it reading, but that's it!


----------



## Cath4420

Claire

Sorry about the wrong name on the previous post, get a bit confused sometimes, so many names.

Thanks for the info, I really admire you.

It is funny because my mum ran into my ex mother-in-law the other day who I have not seen in nearly 10 years which is a shame as we got on ok. She had rheumatoid arthritis when my ex and I divorced. I have since remarried. She told Mum that she has also lost 80% of her sight and she was always an avid reader. Maybe I could get the gumption up to speak to her in the near future. But I do go to the library every month so I will ask there and let you know how I go.

Cath


----------



## radhuni

> Having been in that position myself (I had a severe case of iritis once), I knew that the one thing I would miss the most was reading.



Yes I also feel that. I cant live without book,  I feel  a  kind of void if there  is nothing to read (this thing sometime happens, when I go some other's place and they don't read).

I need glasses to read doctor said this is not good for my age.


----------



## Maverick2272

Wart said:


> I missed your post the first time through.
> 
> Wiki has a good synopsis of Job.
> 
> I read JOB in the mid 80's, when Fallwell and Robertson were riding high, when Baker was crashing, and I thought, do I really want to spend eternity with _those_ kinds of people?
> 
> BTW, did you ever read Heinliens 'essay' about the worlds laziest man?
> 
> {edit} I had to look it up, Worlds Laziest Man is in Time enough for Love.{/edit}



Hmm, according to Wiki it "owes much to Mark Twain's _Captain Stormfield's Visit to Heaven".
_I may have to go see if I can pick that one up and read it, sounds intriguing as well.

And yea,  not sure if I want to be around those guys either. The accumulation of wealth is NOT supposed to be a priority with Christian Teachers.


----------



## Bilby

About to start Renegade's Magic by Robin Hobb (book 3 of the Soldier's Son trilogy). Got to read book 2 while I was recuperating.  Also got to finish book 2 of the Queen of Isis series by Traci Harding. Then I have three books by Guy Gaverial Kay to read, a Sidney Sheldon, a Marian Keyes, The Diary of Mark Twain from when he was in Australia and a couple of Robert Walker books (but am looking for Book 1 before I start those).  And if I ever get the chance I wouldn't mind finishing The Phantom of The Opera and Pilgrim's Progress, although I have read that before (and it is really the second part/book that I amm reading now). And I was wanting to read Jane Eyre after that had a shoddy version of it on tv over summer but I think that will get shelved cos in a couple of months there is a new Marian Keyes book coming out and the new Traci Harding should be soon after.


----------



## Bilby

Barbara L said:


> That's interesting--I just read Esther this morning (well, technically yesterday morning) Barbara


Always liked that one.


----------



## Claire

This past week I read _Channeling Mark Twain_ (not a favorite, but for poetry lovers probably a good one)_The Brief Wondrous Live of Oscar Wao (_again not a favorite), _Dead Heat, The Kingdom of Bones, _and _Sweet Candy_.  Brain candy.  I'm trying to read McCulloughs (probably mispelled) _Anthony and Cleopatra_, but for some reason it seems too dense.  Reading aloud I'm finishing up _The Measure of a Man_ (I love what he says the measure of a man is) and starting _The Secret Garden.  _


----------



## Chopstix

Barbara said:


> Caine Mutiny - one of my all time favorite books, the one I read was written by Herman Wouk.



Barbara, me too!  I've reread this more than 10 times over the years. I still see some new nuance in certain characters or situation each time, depending on my emotional state and what personal issue I'm faced with at the time.


----------



## Chopstix

Just finished Grisham's Playing for Pizza and Hosseini's The Kite Runner.


----------



## Katie H

Chopstix said:


> Just finished Grisham's Playing for Pizza and Hosseini's The Kite Runner.



Chopstix, how'd you like _Playing for  Pizza_?  I've been thinking about reading it.

This afternoon I finished Beverly Cleary_'s _juvenile piece, _Henry Huggins_.  I'm sending it to our 7-year-old grandson for his Valentine's Day birthday.  He lives in Georgia, which means we don't see him  very often.  I wanted to read the book so we could talk about it as he reads it.

Actually, it's a very cute book.  It's the first one in a series and great fun to read.  Even by a "big  person."  I highly recommend it to parents who have young children who love to read.  Even for children who aren't fond of reading because the story is quite captivating and might spark an interest  in a reluctant reader.


----------



## Dina

12 Second Sequence by Jorge Cruise.  It's about combining the right amount of good carbs and protein to stay fit.  He also tells you that "You Are WHEN You Eat".  He mentions that many people wait hours until they're so hungry to eat then they end up eating excessively.  He provides a program to eat a combination of protein, whole grains, vegetables and fruits every 3 hours.  I love this book.


----------



## ~emz~

I've just finished reading the whole of the Harry Potter Series and am going to start on Pride and Prejudice. I absolutely loved the movie but I am more of a book person.


----------



## Maverick2272

I tried to get behind the Harry Potter stuff, just couldn't get into it at all. The kids didn't like at all either. But like me they loved LOR.


----------



## Chopstix

Katie E said:


> Chopstix, how'd you like _Playing for  Pizza_?  I've been thinking about reading it.



Hi Katie, the book is light reading as how Grisham's last few novels have been.  It's definitely not The Firm, nor A Painted House. But you'll like it if you are into any of the book's three key elements: Italy's Parma area, regional Italian food (think Parma ham and parmeggiano), and American football.

I hear his latest book, The Appeal, is excellent and marks his return to the legal suspense/drama genre that he became famous for.


----------



## expatgirl

My daughter swears by "Atonement"---says it's one of the best written books that she's read recently.  A friend on a recent trip back to K. was without books and I loaned her Atonement and I could see her not putting it down once.  When she gave it back to me last week she agreed that it was a great book and better than the movie.  Now it's in the hands of another friend who so far is engrossed.  As for myself I'm already reading two other books so I don't have time for it.  But when I do I'll let you know---but I've heard from many people and their assessment is that it is better than the movie.


----------



## Barbara L

I am reading Cell, by Stephen King.  It is a hard one to put down!  I find myself looking at people on cell phones a little differently now!  *_shudder!!_*

Barbara


----------



## abjcooking

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time.  I heard about it from my bf, he said people in his office were talking about it and how funny it was.  This particular book by *Bill Bryson is called "A Walk in the Woods"* and tells about his actual trip hiking the Appalachian Trail, and his un-natural fear of bears and while on the trail meets a bizarre assortment of hilarious characters. 

Also, has anybody checked out the new Kindle from Amazon.  I got one for a present for Christmas and love it.  You simply set up your payment method on amazon and click one button to purchase then transfer it over to the kindle and you have all your books stored on this electronic reader.  It also allows you to shop on Amazon, play music, and store books onto a memory card and receive daily newspapers.  Just wondering what you think of it?


----------



## Ask-A-Butcher

"The Elements of Cooking", by Michael Ruhlman.


----------



## LadyCook61

Hitched by Carol Higgins Clark


----------



## expatgirl

abjcooking said:


> This is one of the best books I've read in a long time.  I heard about it from my bf, he said people in his office were talking about it and how funny it was.  This particular book by *Bill Bryson is called "A Walk in the Woods"* and tells about his actual trip hiking the Appalachian Trail, and his un-natural fear of bears and while on the trail meets a bizarre assortment of hilarious characters.
> 
> Also, has anybody checked out the new Kindle from Amazon.  I got one for a present for Christmas and love it.  You simply set up your payment method on amazon and click one button to purchase then transfer it over to the kindle and you have all your books stored on this electronic reader.  It also allows you to shop on Amazon, play music, and store books onto a memory card and receive daily newspapers.  Just wondering what you think of it?



I loved "A Walk in the Woods"---Bill Bryson's descriptions of what to do when faced with bears was hilarious and of course the odd, quirky people that he met  along the way made for an interesting read.

Just finished Christopher Robbins' "In Search of Kazakhstan--the Land that Disappeared" ---since I live here I found it to be humorous as well as informative---learned about the suffering that the people of K. endured under the Soviet years---so sad and yet today they are one of the most stable countries, with lots of petrol and mineral $$$ and moving forward.  There is peace here and all religions are tolerated.


----------



## Katie H

Among other things, I'm reading  _Henry and Beezus_ by Beverly Cleary.  It's the second  in a  series of books involving a little boy named Henry Huggins.  We gave our 8-year-old grandson the first book for his birthday earlier this month.  He lives in Atlanta, GA and we're "reading" the books together.  I read the first one before we sent it to him  so, as you could say, we're on the same page with the the stories.


----------



## effektz

I just got the new book "Benazir Bhutto: Reconciliation" from B&N, I've only made it in about a chapter, but I'm very excited to hear what she had to say.


----------



## cara

got something old out of the bookshelf:

Stephen King & Peter Straub "The Talisman"


----------



## Barbara

Loved Water for Elephants

I'm reading Laguna Heat by T. Jefferson Parker - a good who done it.


----------



## Inferno

Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam
Throughout the day, several textbooks, 1 of which dropped on my foot.


----------



## pdswife

Just started listening to T IS FOR TRESSPASS.   It's another book on tape.  I just don't have time to read these days.


----------



## babetoo

the first patient. not so great so far.

babe


----------



## PastaKing

Eric Claptons Auto Bio.  I love music almost as much as I love to cook.


----------



## LadyCook61

Sticks and Scones by Diane Mott Davidson.  I like her cooking mysteries.


----------



## radhuni

Now I am reading 'Rendezvous with Rama' by Arthur C. Clarke


----------



## Barbara L

I am reading Even Now, by Karen Kingsbury.  

Barbara


----------



## Jikoni

I am reading, 'Don't wake me at Doyles' By Maura Murphy. Very highly recommended memoir. Also reading 'Lessons in Heartbreak' By Cathy Kelly. I sometimes have two books going at the same time, on in the car if I am early for school pick-up and another in the house. They are both great.


----------



## YT2095

"Calculations for Advanced Level Chemistry" by, E.N.Ramsden


----------



## Jikoni

YT2095 said:


> "Calculations for Advanced Level Chemistry" by, E.N.Ramsden


Just my kind of book YT!(really kidding big time)Try some poetry or some chick lit! very relaxing.


----------



## Chopstix

I'm reading John Grisham's The Appeal now.  So far so good.  The old Grisham is back.


----------



## SpiritWolf

Me, I am reading at the moment "WE are their heaven" by Alison DuBouir, then I have her next book to finish, Yes I started it then lent it to a friend, she lent me hers as hers was before mine and she had finished it, But normally I will read anything Spooky or a Thriller, I love Stephen King,and anyone else that is a Thriller writer or Spooky, I LOVE IT.


----------



## radhuni

I am reading 'Ground Zero' of X- files


----------



## Dina

A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle is an amazing writing; a transformation of oneself.  This book is changing my life and my perception of life as well as my purpose for everything.  If you feel it's that time in your life when you need a positive change, read it.  It will certainly enlighten you.


----------



## Barbara L

I'm reading _Two Little Girls in Blue_, by Mary Higgins Clark.  It was the perfect choice for traveling (airplane, lay-overs, a little time now and then at night during my visit) since the chapters are so short.  Plus I just love her books.  

Barbara


----------



## Barbara

Memory Keeper's Daughter a novel by Kim Edwards


----------



## pdswife

I'm re-reading LOOK AWAY BEULAH LAND  it's an old book set in the time of the civil war.
Romance and murder and family stories.


----------



## B'sgirl

About to start the collected works of Frederic Bastiat. I just finished  Empire  by Orson Scott Card. 

I am also going to read the Golden Compass series. I didn't like the movie but I heard the books were good. Just waiting for them to be delivered, I ordered them online a few weeks ago.


----------



## redkitty

I'm half way through *Naked* by David Sedaris.  He makes me giggle!


----------



## cara

started again 
The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follet

want to read "World Without End" wich is the follower, so I want to know what happened..
It's years ago I read the Pillars..


----------



## ChefJune

*"**Perfect Pairings,"* by Evan Goldstein.... 

not fiction. It's research for my thesis, but very interesting topic, if you're into wine with food.


----------



## expatgirl

a cheery little nonfiction number dealing with the science of forensics "Dead Reckoning:  The New Science of Catching Killers" by Michael Baden, MD who was the former chief coroner of NY.


----------



## SixSix210

"Vampyres: Short, Dark Stories"  Can't help myself...


----------



## Loprraine

> Memory Keeper's Daughter


Barbara, I loved that book!  Sure went through a lot of kleenex reading it.  I'm reading "A Goose In Toulouse: and Other Culinary Adventures In France " by Mort Rosenblum.  What a fun read!  Here's part of a review:

A Goose in Toulouse examines some of France's most significant contributions to the table in a series of essays covering Roquefort cheese, cassoulet, champagne, goat cheese, truffles.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I just got done reading Peter Robinson's latest book in the Chief Inspector Alan Banks series. It is called "Friend Of The Devil". I loved all of his books, but this one is absolutely the best. Can hardly wait for the next one.


----------



## Bean208

I just finished Eclipse which is the third book in the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyers.  I am a middle school teacher and a lot of my students are reading these books.  I was TOTALLY hooked on this series and flew through the books!!  The fourth is set to come out this August and they are putting out a movie in December!  The story is one of a Vampire, Edward, who falls in love with a human, Bella.  These are great books but let me warn you....if you start reading Twilight make sure you have on hand the the time to read New Moon and Eclipse!!!


----------



## babetoo

Barbara L said:


> I am reading Cell, by Stephen King. It is a hard one to put down! I find myself looking at people on cell phones a little differently now! *_shudder!!_*
> 
> Barbara


 
now that was true stephen king, i read it in one sitting with only snack and cigs breaks.lol

but then that is how i read needful things, one of his best , i think. the movie was a stinker. most of movies i have seen of his books are just awful.


babe


----------



## redkitty

I just started How To Lose Friends and Alienate People by Toby Young.


----------



## suziquzie

Right this minute?
I am reading Three Billy Goats Gruff.


----------



## B'sgirl

suziquzie said:


> Right this minute?
> I am reading Three Billy Goats Gruff.



Great story suz!

I'm reading Abigail Adams--A Biography by Pyllis Lee Levin


----------



## Barbara

Loprraine said:


> Barbara, I loved that book! Sure went through a lot of kleenex reading it. I'm reading "A Goose In Toulouse: and Other Culinary Adventures In France " by Mort Rosenblum. What a fun read! Here's part of a review:
> 
> A Goose in Toulouse examines some of France's most significant contributions to the table in a series of essays covering Roquefort cheese, cassoulet, champagne, goat cheese, truffles.


 
Loprraine,
I loved the book too, a friend told me they were doing the movie on Life Time this week and she said it was not very well done. 

I just got the new Harlan Coben one - Hold Tight, starts out fast just like all of his books, can't put them down!


----------



## Barbara

B'sgirl said:


> Great story suz!
> 
> I'm reading Abigail Adams--A Biography by Pyllis Lee Levin


 
I hope you're watching the HBO special - Sunday nights - John Adams story, it's fabulous. Abigail is so inspiring!


----------



## B'sgirl

Barbara said:


> I hope you're watching the HBO special - Sunday nights - John Adams story, it's fabulous. Abigail is so inspiring!



Ack! I don't have a tv! Is it available online as well?


----------



## JoAnn L.

Just got done reading, Borkmann's Point. An Inspector Van Veeteren mystery. Written by Hakan Nesser. What a suprise ending, I never saw it coming.


----------



## pdswife

Water for Elephants...
Hannibal Rising...and
The davinci Code 

read them all before but... really like them so I'm re-reading


----------



## miniman

Twice SHy by Dick Francis


----------



## corazon

Bean208 said:


> I just finished Eclipse which is the third book in the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyers. I am a middle school teacher and a lot of my students are reading these books. I was TOTALLY hooked on this series and flew through the books!! The fourth is set to come out this August and they are putting out a movie in December! The story is one of a Vampire, Edward, who falls in love with a human, Bella. These are great books but let me warn you....if you start reading Twilight make sure you have on hand the the time to read New Moon and Eclipse!!!


I looooove these books!  I've read them many times myself.
I can't wait for the fourth book.
Ah, Edward...


----------



## quicksilver

_ "The Orchid Thief"  Susan Orlean_


----------



## Dina

A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer.  It's a story of one of the most severe child abuse cases in CA history.


----------



## pdswife

Dina, I've read three of his books.  They are amazingly sad.


----------



## Dina

I'm in tears at every page.  It's a heartbreaking story.


----------



## miniman

A very sad & upsetting book. I'm reading "Come to Grief" by Dick Francis


----------



## B'sgirl

Atlas Shrugged.  DH really likes it but I'm still waiting for it to get a little more interesting.


----------



## Barbara

B'sgirl said:


> Ack! I don't have a tv! Is it available online as well?


 
I don't think it would be online yet, it just finished on Sunday night on HBO -


----------



## DaveSoMD

Alton Brown's "Gear for your kitchen".  okay I admit it.. I'm a foodie!


----------



## spryte

Skeleton Crew by Stephen King


----------



## luvs

well, my for-sale books from my mail, then 'the bell jar' by sylvia plath.


----------



## miniman

I've gone retro and got one of the boys books: Enid Blyton's Upper Fourth at Malory Towers


----------



## RPMcMurphy

last 5 I've read. 

Jupiter's Travels - Ted Simon

Kitchen Confidential 

Wind, Sand and Stars - Antoine de Saint-Eupery (one of the best books I've ever read)

Fast Company - I forget, the guy who brought back Ducati Motorcycle

and I'm almost done Heat....(guy who quit his job to work for Batali)


----------



## Katie H

_Julia Child_ by Laura Shapiro.  Just into it, but it's already a good read.


----------



## GotGarlic

Now that my Intro to Journalism and News Writing class is almost over, I won't have to read the textbook anymore: Amazon.com: Reporting for the Media: Fred Fedler,John R. Bender,Lucinda Davenport,Michael W. Drager: Books 

So I can go back to the book I received for making a donation to NPR: Amazon.com: The New Kings of Nonfiction: Ira Glass: Books


----------



## CherryRed

"The Hungry Years: Confessions of a Food Addict" by William Leith. Cleverly written and very informative about food's effects on the body, the truth behind popular diets, the low-carb vs. low-fat debate, and so on. I recommend it.


----------



## LEFSElover

I might read it or might now, don't know yet, cause I got it for my daughter to read while sitting 5 or 6 hours on a plane.  The Secret Portrait by Lillian Stewart Carl.  It's right up her alley as it's about Scotland.  If she loves it and assures me it's an easy read, I'll read it while on a mini vacation with her.​


----------



## expatgirl

Dina said:


> A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer.  It's a story of one of the most severe child abuse cases in CA history.




Dina, that is one of the saddest books that I have ever read----you are very brave to take it on


----------



## expatgirl

About finishing Michael Farquhar's bestseller "Royal Scandals----The Shocking Ture Stories of History's Wickedest, Weirdest Most Wanton Kings, Queens, Tsars, Popes, and Emperors" it's an easy read as well as informative and amusing


----------



## LadyCook61

*What book are you reading ?*

I went to the library yesterday and 7 books.  I like to read before going to bed .  Current book I'm reading is Double Shot by Diane Mott Davdison.


----------



## ChefJune

"Champagne" by Don & Petie Kladstrup.  It's the history of the wine and the region.  Fascinating.


----------



## suasagefest

Unfortunately all reading material lately has been work related so nothing interesting.  (unless you are into Network/computer security)


----------



## sland22

Phantom Prey by John Sandford


----------



## mudbug

America Alone - Mark Steyn


----------



## luvs

'a tree grows in brooklyn.'
an excellent book that i read before.


----------



## Maverick2272

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series bound in leather, just working my way thru each book. It is amazing how much of them I have forgotten over the years since I last read them.

"The trick to flying is to miss the ground!" Gotta love that.


----------



## PytnPlace

Culinary Bootcamp.  I would love to attend one of those!


----------



## GB

Maverick2272 said:


> The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series bound in leather, just working my way thru each book. It is amazing how much of them I have forgotten over the years since I last read them.
> 
> "The trick to flying is to miss the ground!" Gotta love that.


Those are some of my favorite books. So funny.


----------



## Katie H

Just finished Laura  Shapiro's _Julia Child. _So good.  Parts of it brought me to tears.  Good read for those who loved Julia.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I've got two going right now. The Lovely Bones and just starting the Hazel Holt series of Mrs. Malory mysteries.


----------



## Barbara L

While I normally read books written for adults, I do like to read books written for young adults now and then.  I fell in love with Margaret Peterson Haddix's writing when I read her first novel, Running Out of Time, to my class.  Later I read Among the Hidden (1st in the "Shadow Children" series) to my class and the second in the series, Among the Imposters, myself.  I have been wanting to see how the series progressed, so I bought all seven of them a couple weeks ago.  I just reread Running Out of Time and the first two of the series and am now on the third, Among the Betrayed.  I would recommend them to anyone.  She does not write down to children.  They are a quick read but hold an adult's attention.  The premise behind the "Shadow Children" series is that there has been a huge worldwide famine, and the government (no country is ever named--it is sometime in the near future, and the government is totalitarian) has passed a law that no family may have more than two children.  Shadow children are illegal third (or even fourth, etc.) children who have to hide from the government, but shortly after the first story begins, some of them, who secretly communicate by computer, start planning to change the laws.  

Sheesh!  I didn't mean to write a book about it, but I just wanted to say that if you like mild suspense (she tackles heavy subjects, but in a way that is still appropriate for young teens) without bad language, these books might be just the ticket for you.  

Barbara


----------



## Katie H

Thanks for your comments, Barbara.  I, too, like to read  juvenile literature.  I think I  might have to  read  the  books you describe.

If  you want  a  fun  juvenile read, try _The Invention of Hugo Cabret_.  Delightful story of an orphan boy who lives in  a  Paris  train  station, keeps all the clocks at the right  time and builds an automaton.

Great read  and the black-and-white illustrations  are fabulous.


----------



## Toots

I am reading World Without End by Ken Follett, I'm about 550 pages in.  It is the follow up to his Pillars of the Earth.
I have a huge stack of reading material to get through.


----------



## stassie

Katie E said:


> Thanks for your comments, Barbara. I, too, like to read juvenile literature.


 
Me three  Although I read a lot of most things!

At the moment, I'm reading 'Tripwire' by Lee Child. Just discovered him - books like his aren't usually my thing, but I picked one of his up one day, and loved it. Can't afford to buy them - am reading them chapter at a time in the bookstore!


----------



## middie

Right now I'm reading this forum lol


----------



## suziquzie

Honestly I was trying to read a pattern for a snowflake I'm crocheting but either the person that wrote is was on crack or I need to go to bed. 
It's not making sense and I want to throw my stuff at something! 
So, like middie, I thought I'd read here instead.


----------



## Katie H

suziquzie said:


> Honestly I was trying to read a pattern for a snowflake I'm crocheting but either the person that wrote is was on crack or I need to go to bed.
> It's not making sense and I want to throw my stuff at something!
> So, like middie, I thought I'd read here instead.



I've been crocheting for longer than you've probably been alive, suzi, and I still have discovered patterns that are flawed. Maybe I can help decipher your pattern.  Let me know if I can help.


----------



## Maverick2272

GB said:


> Those are some of my favorite books. So funny.



The Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul was another good one, and Job which I read previously for about the tenth time, LOL.


----------



## GB

Maverick2272 said:


> The Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul was another good one


I was never able to get into that one. I must have started it at least 20 or more times, but was never able to get more than a couple of chapters in. 

My favorite is still Restaurant At The End Of The Universe. I love the part where he describes the biggest problem of time travel is knowing which tense to use. 



> The Restaurant at the End of the Universe is one of the most extraordinary ventures in the entire history of catering. It has been built on the fragmented remains of... it will be built on the fragmented... that is to say it will have been built by this time, and indeed has been—
> 
> One of the major problems encountered in time travel is not that of accidentally becoming your own father or mother. There is no problem involved in becoming your own father or mother that a broad minded and well-adjusted family can't cope with. There is no problem about changing the course of history—the course of history does not change because it all fits together like a jigsaw. All the important changes have happened before the things they were supposed to change and it all sorts itself out in the end.
> 
> The major problem is quite simply one of grammar, and the main work to consult in this matter is Dr. Dan Streetmentioner's Time Traveler's Handbook of 1001 Tense Formations. It will tell you, for instance, how to describe something that was about to happen to you in the past before you avoided it by time jumping forward two days in order to avoid it. The event will be described differently according to whether you are talking about it from the standpoint of your own natural time, from a time in the further future, or a time in the further past and is further complicated by the possibility of conducting conversations while you are actually traveling from one time to another with the intention of becoming your own mother or father.
> 
> Most leaders get as far as the Future Semiconditionally Modified Subinverted Plagal Past Subjunctive Intentional before giving up; and in fact in later editions of the book all the pages beyond this point have been left blank to save on printing costs.
> 
> The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy skips lightly over this tangle of academic abstraction, pausing only to note that the term "Future Perfect" has been abandoned since it was discovered not to be.
> 
> To resume:
> 
> The Restaurant at the End of the Universe is one of the most extraordinary ventures in the entire history of Catering.
> 
> It is built on the fragmented remains of an eventually ruined planet which is (wioll haven be) enclosed in a vast time bubble and projected forward in time to the precise moment of the End of the Universe.
> 
> This is, many would say, impossible.
> 
> In it, guests take (willan on take) their places at table and eat (willan on eat) sumptuous meals while watching (willing watchen) the whole of creation explode around them.
> 
> This, many would say, is equally impossible.
> 
> You can arrive (mayan arrivan on when) for any sitting you like without prior (late fore when) reservation because you can book retrospectively, as it were when you return to your own time (you can have on-book haventa forewhen presooning returningwenta retrohome).
> 
> This is, many would now insist, absolutely impossible.
> 
> At the Restaurant you can meet and dine with (mayan meetan con with dinan on when) a fascinating cross-section of the entire population of space and time.
> 
> This, it can be explained patiently, is also impossible.
> 
> You can visit it as many times as you like (mayan on-visit re onvisiling... and so on—for further tense correction consult Dr. Streetmentioner's book) and be sure of never meeting yourself, because of the embarrassment this usually causes.
> 
> This, even if the rest were true, which it isn't, is patently impossible, say the doubters.
> 
> All you have to do is deposit one penny in a savings account in your own era, and when you arrive at the End of Time the operation of compound interest means that the fabulous cost of your meal has been paid for.
> 
> This, many claim, is not merely impossible but clearly insane, which is why the advertising executives of the star system of Bastablon came up with this slogan: "If you've done six impossible things this morning, why not round it off with breakfast at Milliways, the Restaurant at the End of the Universe?"


----------



## babetoo

The Murder Book, patrica cornwell

babe


----------



## LadyCook61

Got more books from the Library today. Probably will start tonight with an autobiography :My First Five Husbands by Rue McClanahan


----------



## jabbur

Just finished "Good Omens" by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman and am currently on "Snow Crash" my Neal Stephenson.  

GB and Mav would like Good Omens since they like Hitchhiker's Guide.  We listened to Dirk Gentley's Holistic Detective Agency on a recent car trip and that was good too.


----------



## LadyCook61

babetoo said:


> The Murder Book, patrica cornwell
> 
> babe


 
Is that a new one of hers ? I have read all her books but haven't seen The Murder  Book.  I went to her website , it seems a book called The Front is the latest.  Also I did not see The Murder Book listed at all .


----------



## GB

jabbur said:


> GB and Mav would like Good Omens since they like Hitchhiker's Guide.


I will have to check that out. Thanks for the recommendation.


----------



## babetoo

babetoo said:


> The Murder Book, patrica cornwell
> 
> babe


 
boy is my face red. it is called the book of the dead. i was to lazy to go look. so often i have no clue to title of what i am reading. 

a friend has a book business on ebay and gives me books to read and return. 

i read about five a month, so is hard to keep them straight. sorry

babe


----------



## Maverick2272

GB said:


> I will have to check that out. Thanks for the recommendation.



Ditto. I know Dirk Gentlys Holistic Detective Agency but it has been so long I would have to re-read it to remember what happens in it.


----------



## LadyCook61

babetoo said:


> boy is my face red. it is called the book of the dead. i was to lazy to go look. so often i have no clue to title of what i am reading.
> 
> a friend has a book business on ebay and gives me books to read and return.
> 
> i read about five a month, so is hard to keep them straight. sorry
> 
> babe


 
It's okay, not a problem.  I thought I missed a book of hers.  Nice friend to lent you books to read. My friend is the library.


----------



## babetoo

yes it saves me lots of time and money. i used to go to library as well before she started this business. she gathers them from many sources and sells them. mostly hard backs.babe


----------



## LadyCook61

As The World Churns , a Pennsylvania Dutch mystery with recipes by Tamar Myers.


----------



## ChefJune

I got way behind with my food and wine magazines this spring because I was concentrating on reading for my thesis.  Now, I am reading the back issues of Food Arts, Sante, Tasting Room, Specialty Foods and the other trades I receive evey month!


----------



## Saphellae

I don't have the money to buy new books right now, so I just read my Harry Potter books over and over. LOL

no complaints, I love them! I have seen the movies probably about 30 times each..


----------



## Maverick2272

DW got me America Alone by Mark Steyn and Bobby Flay's Grill It! for Fathers Day, so technically I started with Bobby Flay's book in prep for grilling season. I am way behind as the patio has still not been cleared off so I can use the grill. Been kinda delayed for health reasons but looking forward to getting it going this week!
I will probably start the other one in a day or two, I am saving it in case I get sent back into the hospital again so I have something to read!


----------



## Barbara L

Barbara L said:


> While I normally read books written for adults, I do like to read books written for young adults now and then. I fell in love with Margaret Peterson Haddix's writing when I read her first novel, Running Out of Time, to my class. Later I read Among the Hidden (1st in the "Shadow Children" series) to my class and the second in the series, Among the Imposters, myself. I have been wanting to see how the series progressed, so I bought all seven of them a couple weeks ago. I just reread Running Out of Time and the first two of the series and am now on the third, Among the Betrayed. I would recommend them to anyone. She does not write down to children. They are a quick read but hold an adult's attention. The premise behind the "Shadow Children" series is that there has been a huge worldwide famine, and the government (no country is ever named--it is sometime in the near future, and the government is totalitarian) has passed a law that no family may have more than two children. Shadow children are illegal third (or even fourth, etc.) children who have to hide from the government, but shortly after the first story begins, some of them, who secretly communicate by computer, start planning to change the laws.
> 
> Sheesh! I didn't mean to write a book about it, but I just wanted to say that if you like mild suspense (she tackles heavy subjects, but in a way that is still appropriate for young teens) without bad language, these books might be just the ticket for you.
> 
> Barbara


Over the last few days I have finished the 4th in this series, Among the Barons, the 5th, Among the Brave, and the 6th, Among the Enemy.  I will finish the last book in the series, Among the Free, tomorrow.  I have thoroughly enjoyed these books!  

Barbara


----------



## Maidrite

*I am about to read the insides of my eyes, But first I must contact my Beautiful Wife. *


----------



## Claire

I am such a prolific reader that I have an intimate relationship with my library.  Like babetoo, I read so much that I usually cannot remember titles and authors.  I also read aloud to a blind friend and one whose RA is so severe that holding up a book and turning the pages is difficult.  I'm reading _The Story of English _to them, but also bring up a book of things like famous quotes or proverbs or some such, and now a French/English crossword puzzle book.  For myself I'm reading _The Witch of Portobello.  _I'm not overly impressed with it so far.


----------



## Southern Cookin'

I'm almost finished with _*Heiress*_ by Janet Dailey.  Typically predictable pap and I can't wait to get done.  I don't know what I was thinking when I checked it out, but I started it and will finish hopefully today.  Before that I read _*Rhett Butler's People*_ and *DID NOT *want it to be over!  Highly recommend it to anyone who loved "Gone With the Wind"


----------



## PytnPlace

I'm reading "Culinary Bootcamp" about someone's experience at the 5 day training sessions offered by CIA.


----------



## RPMcMurphy

PytnPlace said:


> I'm reading "Culinary Bootcamp" about someone's experience at the 5 day training sessions offered by CIA.



me too. it's not bad, but not great either...the format of it is kind of strange.


----------



## PytnPlace

I can't seem to figure out how to quote RP but I just started this book last night so haven't really formed an opinion except that I'd love to participate in a culinary bootcamp . . . I think!


----------



## suziquzie

I am suddenly obsessed with gardening.... flowers and produce alike. I am making my way thru 2 books, Burpee's Complete Veg. and herb gardening, also Better Homes and Gardens complete Flower and Veg gardening. 
Someone may need to stop me..... I have visions of covering all of my 5 acres with something or other!!!


----------



## expatgirl

GB said:


> I was never able to get into that one. I must have started it at least 20 or more times, but was never able to get more than a couple of chapters in.
> 
> My favorite is still Restaurant At The End Of The Universe. I love the part where he describes the biggest problem of time travel is knowing which tense to use.


ok most of you know that I love verbiage as most of us wind tunnels do  and GB  this is definitely a book for me....thanks for sharing.........


----------



## GB

Enjoy it expatgirl. it really is very entertaining.


----------



## expatgirl

yep, I'll be leaving on a jetplane next Tuesday to go back to the land of tulips, apples and horses and Ghenghis Khan.................will be looking out for good reads....do love history, however..........what a wierdo.........


----------



## VeraBlue

Finding My Place At The New Orleans Table by Sara Rohan.  The author, originally from Wisconsin, relocated to New Orleans with her med student husband.  She'd been a line cook up north, took a job with a weekly paper in New Orleans as a food critic.  The book, broken into chapters such as Gumbo, Sazerac, Red Gravy, Sno-Balls, etc details her introduction to New Orleans cuisine, culture and society.  Her journey takes place pre and post Katrina.  It meanders through back yards and 5 star hotels.  It is not a cookbook, but reading it, you seriously want to cook and or eat.

If you've ever visited New Orleans, this book is a must read.  If you've never been, but want to be a fly on the wall, you'll love this book.


----------



## Loprraine

I'm reading the ServeSafe book.


----------



## VeraBlue

Loprraine said:


> I'm reading the ServeSafe book.


 Why?  Are you testing soon?


----------



## Loprraine

No.  I won't write until I move there next year.  By then I should have it memorized.    The way I see it, if I'm going to hang out in his kitchen, I might as well know what he's talking about.


----------



## ChefJune

Loprraine said:


> I'm reading the ServeSafe book.


 
  Leave it to Lolly!  What fascinating reading!!!!! (not!)

For a change I'm reading fiction!  Ralph Ellison's fictionalized account of "Juneteenth."  It's not the easiest read.... this is my third try at this one


----------



## JillyBean

At the moment I'm in a "make my brain stop working" phase, so I'm reading what's turned out to be an addictive Fantasy series called "The Eldarn Sequence" by Robert Scott and Jay Gordon.  Jay Gordon passed away a year or so back, so I'm curious to see what book 3 (the last in the series) is going to be like.  The story combines current reality based in Colorado and a fantasy world, and it's very well written.  Am re-reading book 1 before I step into book 2.


----------



## MexicoKaren

I just finished a book called Case Histories by Kate Atkinson. Absolutely unique book, sort of a mystery, but much much more because of the clever way it is written. I highly recommend it.


----------



## herbgrower

I just started  Animal,Vegetable,Miracle - A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver
She and her family moved from Tucson to an Appalachian farm that had been in her husbands family for over 100 yrs.
They decided to eat only what they grew or raised, or what they could buy from local growers for 1 year.
So far its pretty good.


----------



## LadyCook61

I'm reading Mark's Story by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins (authors of the Left Behind series )


----------



## deelady

How funny cause I'm reading "Left Behind" serries....for the 3rd time! Love them!


----------



## DramaQueen

*I have read 7 books since May but I just discovered an auther that I will read for a long time. Carl Hiaasen. His "Double Whammy" is a very good, witty murder mystery. He has about 10 books so I will be reading him for a long time. There is "language" so if you're easily offended, (I could care less about the language) be forewarned. His characters are a riot and his writing style is superb.*
** 
*Question:  Has anyone read Ken Follet's "Pillars of the Earth"?  I tried to read it and found the intense cruelty too much for me.  I don't know how far those scenes went into the book but it was a turn off for me.   Did anyone else find the cruelty too much???*


----------



## B'sgirl

I am reading book 10 of Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events, the Slippery Slope. The story isn't all that interesting. But I LOVE the writing style! It's quite humorous.


----------



## GB

I am reading Horton Hears A Who. My daughter keeps me company while I read.


----------



## MexicoKaren

DQ, I love Carl Hiassen's books! I've read them all, and eagerly await the next one. I have not read Ken Follet's  _Pillars of the Earth _(although I saw a copy in Spanish the other day), but I just finished reading his _The Hammer of Eden_. Interesting premise, moderate violence/cruelty, not a great book. Started out very slow and built up to a page-turner finish.


----------



## miniman

Agatha Christie omnibus of Miss Marple stories.


----------



## babetoo

Sail    by james patterson

so far not very good and hard to get into it. i usually really like his stuff. so guess i will keep trying.

babe


----------



## ChefJune

The Writers Coach, by Jack Hart.  Thought it would be dry, but it's really interesting to me.


----------



## BakersDozen

*Books I'm reading...*

Hi...its been awhile since I checked in, and figured I'd add my two-cents worth. I'm a book-a-holic...have always read and have a huge stash of books I'm hoping to read before I croak! I keep a book journal of all the books I read. Just finished "_The Summer I Dared_" by Barbara Delinsky, _High Country_ by Nevada Barr, and _A Place Called Wiregrass_ by Michael Morris...all great reads! Now I'm reading _The Book Thief_ by Marcus Zusak, and can't hardly put it down. I read many genres, and try to mix them up when reading so I don't get bogged down. I've tried reading more than one book, but it doesn't work for me. I like to immerse myself in what I'm reading, and enjoy every single written word. Thats just me...
I'm enjoying all the interesting posts about books you are reading or have read...keep it up!


----------



## LadyCook61

Just finished a book by Thomas Kinkade called A Christmas Visitor.


----------



## expatgirl

The Secret Life of a Slummy Mummy by Fiona Neill---those of you overworked Moms with sorta non-helpfulf, career-driven but critical hubbies  but loving as well will certainly identify with this story.............I haven't finished it yet but had to share it....quick read........nothing taxing......but fun...........


----------



## MexicoKaren

Just finished _The Big Nowhere_ by James Ellroy. Fascinating peek at the year 1950 in LA. Pretty dark, but beautifully written. Just started _An Innocent Man_ by John Grisham. A friend came over this morning, saw it, and commented that it is very depressing. Hmmmm. May switch to something else.


----------



## expatgirl

nope, don't want to read anything depressing either, MK, I cry easily as it is..........but I can suppy a list of weepies down the road for anyone interested.......


----------



## MexicoKaren

expatgirl said:
			
		

> nope, don't want to read anything depressing either, MK



Me neither - that's why I stopped reading Oprah's books. Oh my gosh - why are they all so sad??


----------



## expatgirl

Well, quite seriously (and yes, I do have a serious side I think that angst sells.......plus Oprah did have some hurdles in her life and now she is super rich and happy thru her own efforts and I applaud her "Yay, Girl, Go For It!!!!"  and I think that she wants to help others along the way.............good for her..........but I have to agree with you....War and Peace?????  have you tried to read that book?????  I'm a bookaholic and English lover but just being confidential betw us  "too much info" after a short while......just me.......I'm sure there are those of you who  have found it upflfting......but it too was depressing........I just can NOT believe with her chaotic schedule that Oprah actually "read" this book and kudos to her if she did.......I've read two of her other "recommended" books and they were wonderful but not because she recommended them per se......but when I saw her endorsement I did give pause.......glad I didn't ...........Tolstoy.....I'm sorry.......you are a heavy dude.....


----------



## expatgirl

yep, me, too, MK!  read a few tho' always surprised that they were on her "hit list" of recommendeds........she's great at launching other people's careers......we should be so lucky.....at least she has some people reading...........


----------



## MexicoKaren

expatgirl said:
			
		

> plus Oprah did have some hurdles in her life



Yes, and I think she is particularly attracted to books where the protaganist is faced with various obstacles...but sometimes, it all just ends badly. No triumph over adversity, just more adversity. No thank you.


----------



## expatgirl

Agree totally, MK!  That's why i've been enjoying Slummy Mummy, just a fun read....more along the lines of Bridget Jones' Diary.......even one of my Canadian friends who has no kids and no intentions  of ever having any really enjoyed it......the book probably made her glad she had no kids..........hahaha


----------



## expatgirl

miniman said:


> Agatha Christie omnibus of Miss Marple stories.


Hey, Miniman,

If you like Agatha Christie you might want to search for her book "Come Along With Me" which chronicles her sojourns with her archaeologist husband , Sir Mallowan, in the Middle East...........so entertaining and a light read......I have enjoyed it so much that I've read it several times over the years......apparently people had been pestering (for lack of a better word) her to write about travels with her 2nd husband (he was 10 years younger than she)  so this was it.....wonderful book.....don't know if it's still in print but you can always go to alibris.......I actually found it better than any of her other books but I like autos


----------



## YT2095

"Night and low light Photography" by, Lee Frost.


----------



## DramaQueen

MexicoKaren said:


> Just finished _The Big Nowhere_ by James Ellroy. Fascinating peek at the year 1950 in LA. Pretty dark, but beautifully written. Just started _An Innocent Man_ by John Grisham. A friend came over this morning, saw it, and commented that it is very depressing. Hmmmm. May switch to something else.


 
*Please don't stop reading this fascinating book.  It isn't as depressing as your friend thinks it is.  I didn't find it the least bit depressing I just marveled at the incredible screw-up in our legal system that would cause these men to spend years in prison.   This is a true story and a good one.   John Grisham makes this one very easy to read and keeps you interested til the surprise ending.   Don't miss it.   *


----------



## Claire

Just finished Shoot the Moon and intend on finding more of her books.  I usually have a history/biography going as well and now it is Victoria's Daughters.  I also have at least one in my read-aloud group, and it is The Story Of English, a book of proverbs, and a French crossword puzzle.


----------



## Claire

I, too, often avoid Oprah books. Overall, I am pleased that she's gotten a few women who would normally be watching Soaps and Lifetime Movies all day READING. But, while I read almost anything, I do find that her recommended books ARE like lifetime movies.  Lots of misery, rape, horror of all kinds.


----------



## DramaQueen

Claire said:


> I, too, often avoid Oprah books. Overall, I am pleased that she's gotten a few women who would normally be watching Soaps and Lifetime Movies all day READING. But, while I read almost anything, I do find that her recommended books ARE like lifetime movies. Lots of misery, rape, horror of all kinds.


 
*I agree. Almost every book Oprah recommends is sad, depressing, violent or horrific.  They are good stories but come on, somebody has to write a book that is uplifting that she would like.  Her recommendations of House of Sand and Fog  (depressing and very sad ending)  and Pillars of the Earth, (extreme cruelty, violence, etc.)  are books that she claims are the best she's ever read.   Couldn't get past the first 100 pages of Pillars and wonder if anyone else read this book and found the cruelty more than you wanted to read about.*


----------



## MexicoKaren

DramaQueen said:
			
		

> *Please don't stop reading this fascinating book.  *



No, I won't give up on it. It's too difficult to find books in English here to waste one! I have taken a detour into Raymond Chandler's _The Big Sleep _and am nibbling at Elmore Leonard as well. I usually read 2-3 books at a time, and I will definitely go back to it. Thanks for the encouragement.


----------



## expatgirl

yep, you have my appetite, too MK


----------



## In the Kitchen

Time Is A River by Mary Alice Monroe.


----------



## Dina

I just started reading Past Perfect by Susan Issacs.


----------



## BakersDozen

Just finished "_The Book Thief_" by Marcus Zusak, and now reading something lighter, "_Summer Blowout_" by Clare Cook.


----------



## Claire

How many of you refuse to give up on books?  I used to be this way.  Then one day I realizzed that there are so many books that I'll never be able to read that I don't need to waste my time on books I don't enjoy.  If I'm not enjoying it, I only continue to read IF there is information I want in that book, or someone I care about recommended it or gave it to me.  Luckily I was taught to speed-read when I was a child.  So I use those skills to get the information out of a book I might not normally read.  My husband is not a big reader, and I often speed-read a book to find out if he will like it!  It is so funny; I picked up Victoria's Daughters for myself, and when I read an excerpt to hubby, he immediately wanted to read it!  Someone gave me House of Rain and Fire and I, too, found it depressing.  Also the first book by an Afghan author ... Oh, yes, the Kite book.  I did love his (her?) second book, though.  This is what I mean by reading books because they contain information I want to acquire.  I feel a need to know more about these cultures, and I read those books to get a "flavor" of the people.  There is also an author of "graphic novels" (i.e., what we call comic books for adults) who gave me a great insight into a woman's life in the middle east.  

One thing I must say is that I often can recognise a very good book even though I hate it.  That is one reason why I always have several books going at one time.  I may wish to get through a bio or history or even on occaision a science book.  So I will read a few chapters of it, then pick up a funny murder mystery to give my weary brain a rest.  Oh, yes, let's not forget cook books!


----------



## GB

Claire said:


> How many of you refuse to give up on books?


My wife is this way. If she reads the first page then she is committed until the end, even if she absolutely hates the book. I felt horrible when I recommended Interview With A Vampire to her thinking she would love it. I was wrong and she was stuck reading it until she finished.


----------



## Barbara

MexicoKaren said:


> Just finished _The Big Nowhere_ by James Ellroy. Fascinating peek at the year 1950 in LA. Pretty dark, but beautifully written. Just started _An Innocent Man_ by John Grisham. A friend came over this morning, saw it, and commented that it is very depressing. Hmmmm. May switch to something else.


 
Read Ellroy's "My Dark Places" it's his true life story. It is dark, but if you like his books it will explain a lot. I have read nearly all.


----------



## Barbara

claire,
I give up on books and like you have several going at the same time. Some of them are old favorites that I enjoy reading a second time. Like visiting an old friend. 

I'm reading Black Water by T. Jefferson Parker, My Grandfather's Blessings & cookbooks all the time.


----------



## DramaQueen

*I give up on books too.  I read the first 50 pages and if it hasn't grabbed me or I don't care about the characters by then, it's gone.  As Claire said, there are too many good books out there for me to waste my time reading a book I can't get interested in.  What a waste of good reading time!  *
** 
* I read only one book at a time but usually for pleasure.   Where is the pleasure in prodding through a book you don't like?  If I can gleam some good information out of a  book such as "The Cruelest Miles" or John Grisham's "An Innocent Man" then that's a bonus.   Those  books  were  fascinating as well as good reading.*


----------



## suziquzie

99 snowflakes in thread crochet....
make your orders now I only have 5 months to crank 'em out!!  

I'm also working my way through Burpee's COmplete Veg and Herb Gardener. 
I have a LONG list for next year, I better start digging out more space!!!!


----------



## LadyCook61

Claire said:


> How many of you refuse to give up on books?


 
I've gotten books from the Library that I thought would interest me and ended up not being able to continue reading it.  At least the books are free  so no money is wasted .


----------



## MexicoKaren

Barbara said:
			
		

> Read Ellroy's "My Dark Places" it's his true life story.



Thanks, Barbara - I will look for it. I have been doing a little reading about him online, and it seems he has had a difficult life - reflected in his books. His character development in The Big Nowhere is really phenomenal.  I look forward to learning more.


----------



## Toots

I'm almost ashamed to admit this, but I am reading the new book by Madonna's brother "Life with My Sister Madonna" - it is my guilty pleasure reading for the summer,  I guess.  It is utterly delicious.


----------



## expatgirl

the most horrible book that I ever read was Lorna Doone...........it was assigned when I was a 7th grader..........the write(forget his name---probably on purpose)the  would take 3 pages to describe a tree.......I'm partially ADD I think and it was difficult to glut through it.........then Miss Seal would call every one up and ask them question.........God must not have liked this book either because the 3 times she called up  to discuss it there was some  major interference.....fire drill, last minute assembly in the auditorium, and I forget the 3rd one.........I really felt guilty cause after 300 pages (there's about a thousand pages........well it seemed like it) I gave up....ok the guy's father is killed...he meets the daughter (who really isn't) they fall in love and the relatives come after him.........does this plot really deserve a thousand pages????.......the librarian who had become a friend couldn't believe that I had to read that...........yep, other kids got assigned Lord of the Flies, Jane Eyre, etc.,  Wuthering Heights but no  I get a coffee table.........


----------



## Claire

You know, I seldome re-read a book, there are just too many books out there I want to read.  But my read-aloud group (a blind friend and one who is shut-in because of severe arthritis) was joking around about books we loved as children.  When I mentioned The Secret Garden, my friends had never read it!  At the time both were going through some tough physical problems, and this book seemed to help them.  Revisiting this childhood favorite got both of them going through the most dreary months of winter (we had a particularly bad winter!).  I did tell my friend that our next book has to be a little lighter!!


----------



## expatgirl

my 4th grade teacher, Mrs Matocha, would read to us after lunch, and the book that remember the most was The Secret Garden....she'd read us a chapter and we'd have to wait until the next day...........she also used a lot of expressions and inflexions........she was one of my best teachers ever......tough but good


----------



## miniman

I love The Secret Garden and recently watched the movie on TV. It is such a wonderful story (the book is miles better than the movie). I can't really settle to read at the moment - I was in the library the other day and nothing gripped me. I also find the books I have, I can't reread at the moment.


----------



## Southern Cookin'

I just finished TRIBUTE by Nora Roberts.  It's very good --- the identity of the "bad guy" took me completely by surprise.  Started YOUNG WIVES by Olivia Goldsmith yesterday.  So far so good.


----------



## Southern Cookin'

When my daughter was small I read _*The Secret Garden*_ to her by doing a chapter each night at bedtime.  Your post brought back such a beautiful memory.  We read a few others this way, but _*The Secret Garden*_ and _*Caddie Woodlawn*_ are the two that stand out in my memory.


----------



## Barbara

I have read "Where the Red Fern Grows" twice. An example of an old friend. I look forward to reading it to another grandchild.


----------



## expatgirl

*The  Secret Garden*



Southern Cookin' said:


> When my daughter was small I read _*The Secret Garden*_ to her by doing a chapter each night at bedtime.  Your post brought back such a beautiful memory.  We read a few others this way, but _*The Secret Garden*_ and _*Caddie Woodlawn*_ are the two that stand out in my memory.



I had a 4th grade teacher back in 1964 who would read one chapter after lunch from The Secret Garden.......Mrs. Matocha had the best vocalizations ever and we looked forward to coming back after lunch..........I will NEVER forget that book as long as I live and the latest movie (sorry I don't know the actress) is one of the best portrayals so far..........thanks for the memories...........


----------



## expatgirl

ok, I see that I'm repeating myself.......sorry........but the Secret Garden is a great chapter book to keep a kid hanging on.........I've been gone a week so I don't remember what I've posted and not..........there are several good movie versions as well out there to show once you've finished reading the book........nothing was done back in 64 that I remember..........don't show the movie until you finish reading the book together if I can influence anyone out there.........please.........


----------



## MexicoKaren

I finished The Innocent Man by John Grisham (at the urging of Drama Queen) and I have to admit that it was worth reading. Painstakingly researched and sensitively written - I applaud John Grisham for bringing this inexcusable miscarriage of justice to the attention of the reading public. Having said that, it was a SAD book. Sad story. Then....I read a book my DIL bought for me when they were visiting, A Thousand Splendid Suns. This is a book about Afghanistan, and the women who live there, especially. It is by the same author who wrote The Kite Runner, which I have not read. I almost quit reading it 2/3 of the way through. How many horrible things have to happen to one person? Well, two people, actually. I found the details about Afghan life fascinating, and it is always beneficial to remind ourselves that people all over the world have the same love for their families, the same fears....I decided to finish the book after I checked out reviews online. I'm glad I finished it - it is not a book I will forget soon, and I would certainly recommend it. The writer seems to simplify his characters a bit (all good or all bad), but he had a big story to tell, and maybe that was the way he had to do it. I think there is much more to the current story than the book suggests, but that borders on politics, which is _verboten,_ so I'll leave it at that.


----------



## DramaQueen

MexicoKaren said:


> I finished The Innocent Man by John Grisham (at the urging of Drama Queen) and I have to admit that it was worth reading. Painstakingly researched and sensitively written - I applaud John Grisham for bringing this inexcusable miscarriage of justice to the attention of the reading public. Having said that, it was a SAD book. Sad story. Then....I read a book my DIL bought for me when they were visiting, A Thousand Splendid Suns. This is a book about Afghanistan, and the women who live there, especially. It is by the same author who wrote The Kite Runner, which I have not read. I almost quit reading it 2/3 of the way through. How many horrible things have to happen to one person? Well, two people, actually. I found the details about Afghan life fascinating, and it is always beneficial to remind ourselves that people all over the world have the same love for their families, the same fears....I decided to finish the book after I checked out reviews online. I'm glad I finished it - it is not a book I will forget soon, and I would certainly recommend it. The writer seems to simplify his characters a bit (all good or all bad), but he had a big story to tell, and maybe that was the way he had to do it. I think there is much more to the current story than the book suggests, but that borders on politics, which is _verboten,_ so I'll leave it at that.


 
*I'm glad you finished "An Innocent Man."  It gives a lot of insight into what can happen when the justice system is out of control. *
*  Please read "The Kite Runner."  This was a very interesting and intense book but doesn't have the same  theme about crimes against women.   The author does a superb job of describing life in Afghanistan and what happened to the two boys the book tells about.   The ending is both sad and uplifting. The movie leaves out a great deal of the story.   I hope this author writes another book soon.*


----------



## MexicoKaren

I think everyone would benefit by reading these books about Afghanistan - anything that makes the people affected by generations of war and violence more real to those of us who are privileged to live in countries where our daily lives are safe and secure. I look forward to reading The Kite Runner as well and will start searching for a copy.


----------



## LeeAnn

Just finished Northlander - Tales of the Borderlands (one of my daughters books) and just started Catherine, Called Birdy.  We've been reading a lot more lately, joined the summer reading program.  My oldest daughter was "required" to read 3 books during the school summer break to attend the summer end party, she has already read 9 books!  Read! Read! Read!  
I'll get some time to see what everyone else is reading, to get some good references. .


----------



## luvs

i'm gonna read 'a tree growws in brooklyn'. that is an excellent novel.


----------



## Katie H

I'm almost done with _Here We Go Again - My Life in Television_ by Betty White.  It's been a wonderful read.  Lots and lots of amazing information about early television and many of the people I grew up watching.  I'm going to be sorry when I finish it.


----------



## LadyCook61

Just finished The Parting by Beverley Lewis.  Amish story.


----------



## Southern Cookin'

Have any of you read Paula Deen's autobiography (I hope I'm remembering the title correctly) *It Ain't All About The Cookin'* ?  It's really quite good, and she is so up front about everything, including the _most_ personal parts of her life.  I enjoyed it tremendously


----------



## expatgirl

Katie E said:


> I'm almost done with _Here We Go Again - My Life in Television_ by Betty White.  It's been a wonderful read.  Lots and lots of amazing information about early television and many of the people I grew up watching.  I'm going to be sorry when I finish it.



Thanks, Katie, I happen to love Betty White and she is so with it at her age.....I sometimes catch her on Ellen when I'm home as they are both animal lovers.........thanks for the recommendation as I like to read biographies and autob.


----------



## Claire

I just finished "Victoria's Daughters" which gave me a lot of insight to the start of WWI.  I'm still reading "The Story of English" to my freinds, and am reading one of the Jane Austin copies that seem to be going around.  I liked the last book by the Afghani writer much more than "Kite Runner"  --Kite was just too sad and too unhappy an ending.  A good book, but it left me depressed for days.


----------



## LadyCook61

I'm reading a culinary mystery called Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke.


----------



## Lynd

I'm reading the last stand by stephen king


----------



## Southern Cookin'

I just finished *Black Creek Crossing* by John Saul.  Creepy!  But good!


----------



## LadyCook61

Reading Blueberry Muffin Murder by Joanne Fluke.  I like her recipes that she includes in the book for blueberry goodies.


----------



## luvs

Katie E said:


> I'm almost done with _Here We Go Again - My Life in Television_ by Betty White. It's been a wonderful read. Lots and lots of amazing information about early television and many of the people I grew up watching. I'm going to be sorry when I finish it.


 

that sounds like an excellent read!!! if you've read my signature, you can see i LOVE golden girls. if she mentions that show, i wanna read her book.


----------



## BakersDozen

I just finished "The Forbidden" by Beverly Lewis, and now reading, "Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady" by Florence King. So far, so good! The "Forbidden" was really good...its the second book in the Amish series, "The Courtship of Nellie Fisher".


----------



## jabbur

BakersDozen said:


> I just finished "The Forbidden" by Beverly Lewis, and now reading, "Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady" by Florence King. So far, so good! The "Forbidden" was really good...its the second book in the Amish series, "The Courtship of Nellie Fisher".


 
I love Beverly Lewis!  I read her other Amish series The Heritage of Lancaster County.  That was good.  I grew up near an Amish community so it was easy to imagine their lifestyle.  I'll have to look into her other books.  Right now I'm on a Faye Kellerman run.  I just finished _False Prophet_ and have started _Grievious Sins_.  My reading will be curtailed in another week when classes start up again.  Then it will be reading textbooks again!  Oh!  Speaking of textbooks, I read Language in Hand:why sign came before speech.  It was a really interesting book about the theory that language grew out of gestures first before humans developed control of their voices.  If you are interested in language and anthropology you'd enjoy this book.  It was fairly easy to read.


----------



## LadyCook61

Reading Shelley Winter's autobiography.


----------



## pdswife

Southern Cookin' said:


> I just finished *Black Creek Crossing* by John Saul. Creepy! But good!


 

I love John Saul.

Isn't it about time that he came out with a new one??


----------



## Barbara L

John Saul is one of my favorite authors!

I am currently reading "The Glass Flame," by Phyllis A. Whitney. 

Barbara


----------



## sichuan dingdong

judas strain by james rollins. i get my nerd on with a lifelong intrest in science. the books by rollins combines hard science with wild action adventure. at the end of each he lists what parts of the story were facts with refrences if you want to check them out. it is often suprising what turns out to be fact. if interested start with the novel map of bones, followed by black order then judas strain. the books he wrote before this were a little far feched for me but fall along the same lines.


----------



## Lynd

has anyone read Cell by Stephen King? I think it's a rather new one, not sure.


----------



## Chico Buller

In all seriousness, this is what I have been perusing, and it's driving my wife nuts.

When you spend a bazillion dollars on bike parts, Moco gives you your own factory parts book to buy more parts. This is the latest edition.

It's a page turner, I cannot wait to see how it ends!

Most likely, a divorce...

Edit:  BTW, for those who are faint of heart, my "bookmark" was inserted as a gag.  I collect old curios, and this is a Sicilian knife, circa 1955, dull as a butterknife with the mechanism inoperable for more than 40 years.  Belive it it or not, it's the blonde bone handles that make it valuable.  They don't build 'em like this anymore.


----------



## DramaQueen

Lynd said:


> has anyone read Cell by Stephen King? I think it's a rather new one, not sure.


 
*I'm reading it now and it's a very strange story.  "THE STAND " is still his best work.*


----------



## Barbara L

Lynd said:


> has anyone read Cell by Stephen King? I think it's a rather new one, not sure.


I read it earlier this year and enjoyed it.  

Barbara


----------



## Lynd

I read it too, I loved the first half, great stuff and one of my best reads! near the end it started to get a bit weird though. I'm going to read the stand next


----------



## Barbara L

The Stand is a really good one.  Very intense!  Have you read 'Salem's Lot?  That was one of the first Stephen King books I ever read.  It is what hooked me on his books.

Barbara


----------



## Lynd

I've read that one yeah, awesome stuff! I heard that The Stand is his best rated book and the plot sounds perfect for me, I ordered a bunch of his books off Amazon at the start of summer to read and The Stand was in there  If you haven't read The Mist, that's a great one too - it's a short that also got turned into a pretty good movie, except they changed the end!


----------



## Barbara L

I read The Mist long ago, but can't remember the end!  I saw the movie too.  I just remember thinking (at the end of the movie), "And the moral of this story is, wait until you actually see the big scary monster before..."  Well, I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet!  

Barbara


----------



## Lynd

Yeah thats what I thought too, silly bloke  It's hard to not ruin the ending for other people... the book was more of a stephen king style ending (think Cell's ending) and the movie wasn't  I still liked it though.

One series I haven't read of his is the Dark Tower, which is apparently very good.


----------



## elaine l

I am currently reading or trying to read "The Garden of Last Days" by Andre Dubus.  My last read was "Anne of Green Gables" for my trip to Prince Edward's Island.


----------



## Barbara L

Lynd said:


> Yeah thats what I thought too, silly bloke  It's hard to not ruin the ending for other people... the book was more of a stephen king style ending (think Cell's ending) and the movie wasn't  I still liked it though.
> 
> One series I haven't read of his is the Dark Tower, which is apparently very good.


I tried but just couldn't get into that series.  I keep hearing it is good, so I may try again someday, but not yet.

Barbara


----------



## DramaQueen

Lynd said:


> I've read that one yeah, awesome stuff! I heard that The Stand is his best rated book and the plot sounds perfect for me, I ordered a bunch of his books off Amazon at the start of summer to read and The Stand was in there  If you haven't read The Mist, that's a great one too - it's a short that also got turned into a pretty good movie, except they changed the end!


 
*They changed the ending of "CUJO" also.  The book is terrific because there are sections that are italicized indicating what the dog is thinking.  This dog has been bitten by a rabid bat and is becoming increasingly  violent and ill.  They couldn't  show what the dog is thinking in  the movie so that was lost; and they changed the ending to be less, uh,  violent.    If you haven't read this one, it a very good  and intense story.*


----------



## elaine l

I think I may have met CUJO on my vacation.  Went to a slaughter house in a very rural part of New Brunswick and this big slobbering dog was barking at my car door.  YUK.  Scared the heck out of me.


----------



## MexicoKaren

I agree with the comments about Stephen King - I enjoy his books, but like Barbara, couldn't get into the Dark Tower series. My daughter has told me over and over that I should read them. I loved Lisey's Story, one of his latest in paperback. I'm currently reading Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Wonderful book.


----------



## getoutamykitchen

Your not going to believe this, but the only books I have been reading have been my son's books that he reads for school. He'sin sixth grade now, but in third grade his teacher alerted me to him being behind all his classmates in reading. So with a lot of hard work in school and at home he is now up to grade level. One of the things I do to encourage him to read is read whatever book he is reading. Than we can disguss the book together. I'm usually ahead of him and I always try to get him excited about what's coming up in the book. It's worked wonders. Last year he ended the year at the top of his class in reading. We are currently reading "No Talking, by Andrew Clements" Just during his summer vacation he has read 3 books.


----------



## MexicoKaren

getoutamykitchen, you deserve an award as a great parent. What a fine idea! Instilling a love for reading is one of the finest gifts you can give your son.


----------



## getoutamykitchen

MexicoKaren said:


> getoutamykitchen, you deserve an award as a great parent. What a fine idea! Instilling a love for reading is one of the finest gifts you can give your son.


 
Thank You! Being a mom is the greatest gift I have ever been given. I have never been an avid reader myself, but seeing how important it is for an education I really push it.


----------



## Barbara L

Over the last couple days I have bought several books at little shops and yard sales ($1.00 for some paperbacks, 50 cents for most of them, and $1.00 and 50 cents for some hard cover books), including a few by Stephen King and John Saul, and one or two by Dean Koontz, Robin Cook, and a few others. So, what am I reading now? Another kid's book! When I was a kid, one of my favorite books was "A Room For Cathy," by Catherine Wooley, so when I found a sequel to it yesterday, "Cathy Leonard Calling," I just had to get it! The writing is not that great, and the story-line is fairly preposterous, but I find myself back in my childhood when I read it!

Barbara


----------



## expatgirl

Yeah, I know how you feel, Barbara.........I have some favorites, too, and when I reread them ........oh, well, you know.........

Just finished reading Colin Martin's "Welcome to H-ll--One Man's Fight for Life Inside the Bangkok Hilton".........it's an international bestseller (paperback) and was difficult to read at times.......he was accused of a crime that he didn't commit (according to him) and spent 8 years of squalor and brutality fighting a corrupt prison system.  He finally was released thru an amnesty program.  He lost everything (wife, children, home, business, and half a million to a swindler).....and yet he hung on despite his gut feelings at times to end it all...........


----------



## DramaQueen

MexicoKaren said:


> I agree with the comments about Stephen King - I enjoy his books, but like Barbara, couldn't get into the Dark Tower series. My daughter has told me over and over that I should read them. I loved Lisey's Story, one of his latest in paperback. I'm currently reading Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Wonderful book.


 
*I've heard some good comments about Lisey's Story.  Is it worth reading?   Loved Water for Elephants.   *


----------



## Lynd

Cujo sounds good.. I have heard about that one before. Might order it


----------



## BigDog

Reading now?

This topic . . . . . . .


----------



## DramaQueen

Lynd said:


> Cujo sounds good.. I have heard about that one before. Might order it


 
*It's an oldie but goodie, one of King's better suspense stories.   The ending is different in the movie and I will tell you about it after you read the book.  I'm sure your library will have it. *


----------



## Claire

I just read two very interesting books this week; The 19th Wife and The Lace Reader.  Both were very unusual novels.  I have to tell you I got the most enormous laugh out of the fact that the Catholic Church turned The Da Vinci Code into a much more money-maker than if they'd have ignored it.  Remembering living in Utah as a teen, I can't help but wonder if the LDS church will turn The 19th Wife into a best-seller rather than just ignore it?


----------



## Claire

I very seldom re-read books .... there are just too many out there I've never read and want to.


----------



## skilletlicker

I'm just now stumbling across this thread. Agree with recent comments about _Cujo_ and _The Stand_. Years ago was an avid King reader but the idea of a haunted car turned me off so stopped when _Christine_ came out. I'm sure I've missed a lot of great reads.

I'm now reading _The Book of Virtues_ by William Bennet. It's an anthology of great short reads, mostly for children but includes Shakespere and Thomas Jefferson as well as Aesop and Hans Christian Anderson. I highly recomend it to parents, grandparents and anyone who wants to remember their favorite childhood stories and discover the classics they might have missed.

Just finished _Einstein: His Life and Universe_ by Walter Isaacson. Glad I read it but, except for an interesting but simple explanation of relativity and a suprisingly simple-minded conception of God, it wasn't worth the effort.


----------



## DramaQueen

skilletlicker said:


> I'm just now stumbling across this thread. Agree with recent comments about _Cujo_ and _The Stand_. Years ago was an avid King reader but the idea of a haunted car turned me off so stopped when _Christine_ came out. I'm sure I've missed a lot of great reads.
> 
> I'm now reading _The Book of Virtues_ by William Bennet. It's an anthology of great short reads, mostly for children but includes Shakespere and Thomas Jefferson as well as Aesop and Hans Christian Anderson. I highly recomend it to parents, grandparents and anyone who wants to remember their favorite childhood stories and discover the classics they might have missed.
> 
> Just finished _Einstein: His Life and Universe_ by Walter Isaacson. Glad I read it but, except for an interesting but simple explanation of relativity and a suprisingly simple-minded conception of God, it wasn't worth the effort.


 
*Christine was probably one of King's best books too.   I loved it.  The intensity was "edge of your seat" stuff.   Of course it's fantasy,  with few exceptions all of King's works are fantasy but this one is good.   I read this one about 10 years ago.  At the begining of each chapter, King quotes the first few lines of songs that were popular in the 60's since the car is a '63 Plymouth.   While I was reading the words to "Run Around Sue"  the song came on the radio at the same time.  Absolutely freaked me out.   I'll never forget it.*
** 
*The movie is very good, catch it on Netflix or Blockbuster if you can.*


----------



## sichuan dingdong

*hello fellow readers*

i read a lot of stephen king stuff when i was younger. thought he was the best then and remember many of the stories as being gripping and scary. i have not been on much of a horror kick lately though. just wanted to ask if any of you have read books by the author christopher moore? i found the book lamb to be one of my favorite reads ever. it is not for those who can't make light of their own belifes but is a great book at heart. the rest of his stuff is still fun and in the same style but having passed lamb along to people from 80yrs of age to 20yrs i have yet to find someone who did not find themselves touched by it. thanks for any replies and am always looking for new reads.


----------



## expatgirl

I'm not deep..........so I read whatever I want to..........pretty much a mish mash though I really don't care for sc-fi or fantasy......my DH takes up that end of it........he's never given up his books so we have millions and I'm willing to part with some of mine.......the landlady gave us 3 shelves of bookcases to add to only  add to his collections.......I actually resent her.........it only enables him......


----------



## DramaQueen

expatgirl said:


> I'm not deep..........so I read whatever I want to..........pretty much a mish mash though I really don't care for sc-fi or fantasy......my DH takes up that end of it........he's never given up his books so we have millions and I'm willing to part with some of mine.......the landlady gave us 3 shelves of bookcases to add to only add to his collections.......I actually resent her.........it only enables him......


 

*Since I'm a firm believer that books are meant to be read not stored,  I pass on all of my books or donate them to the local library if they're purchased by me.   I never read a book twice and have stopped buying them since my library carries or can order any book I want.   You might want to talk your husband into donating his books.   Hospitals and libraries would love to have them. *


----------



## m00nwater

I like to re-read some stuff, but I also share a lot of my books.

I read W.Michael & Kathleen Gear, Terry Goodkind, Pauline Gedge regularly. I will read pretty much anything you put in front of me, but those are the authors I read consistently. I also like Sarah Waters and Jean M. Auel. By far one of the most influencial books I have read and re-read, and given away and re-bought about 5 times is Anthony De Mello's Awareness. This book opened my eyes up to a whole new world.


----------



## expatgirl

Well, when you hit Alzheimers.......any book is always a new experience.....jest kidding...nope.......I 've tried to talk him out of his collections.......I guess some of them are collector items by now........he drives me crazy........if I had kept every book that  I ever owned we'd be looking at millions.........instead of his thousands.........and then you add debate daughter to it and then you're really looking at millions.........the stuff she reads...........


----------



## qmax

Got two going: the old Leon Uris book, The Haj, and The Mergers and Acquisitions Handbook.  The latter is a bit dry.


----------



## Lynd

DramaQueen said:


> *Christine was probably one of King's best books too.   I loved it.  The intensity was "edge of your seat" stuff.   Of course it's fantasy,  with few exceptions all of King's works are fantasy but this one is good.   I read this one about 10 years ago.  At the begining of each chapter, King quotes the first few lines of songs that were popular in the 60's since the car is a '63 Plymouth.   While I was reading the words to "Run Around Sue"  the song came on the radio at the same time.  Absolutely freaked me out.   I'll never forget it.*
> 
> *The movie is very good, catch it on Netflix or Blockbuster if you can.*



I watched some of the Carrie movie a few nights ago actually, it was really really great. I'm sad I didn't record it but I was too tired!


----------



## Barbara L

Right now I'm reading _Darkness_, by John Saul.  

Barbara


----------



## LadyCook61

I've been reading old Reader's Digest Condensed books.  The books came from deceased brother in law's house.


----------



## expatgirl

LC, some of them are really quite good.....just depends on who the editor is and how much they abridged the book.........was turned on to several authors because of RD condensed books........I'd forgotten about them....thanks for reminding me...actually except for a few coffee table books those are the only books that you will find in my sister-in-law's house and I know that she's never read them.......how can you only own 10 books in your whole lifetime?????  The biggest brag that she and her brother made was that at the 4 years of being at Texas A&M neither one of them had checked a book out of the library.........oh, my goodness, that's something to brag about...........don't get me wrong......they are smart but dumb at the same time..... I love them to death, however ..... but when we go their houses I always make sure that I have a stack of books to keep me company..........unless I want to read a boating magazine (nothing wrong with that---no plot, however) I'm on my own......


----------



## LadyCook61

expatgirl said:


> LC, some of them are really quite good.....just depends on who the editor is and how much they abridged the book.........was turned on to several authors because of RD condensed books........I'd forgotten about them....thanks for reminding me...actually except for a few coffee table books those are the only books that you will find in my sister-in-law's house and I know that she's never read them.......how can you only own 10 books in your whole lifetime????? The biggest brag that she and her brother made was that at the 4 years of being at Texas A&M neither one of them had checked a book out of the library.........oh, my goodness, that's something to brag about...........don't get me wrong......they are smart but dumb at the same time..... I love them to death, however ..... but when we go their houses I always make sure that I have a stack of books to keep me company..........unless I want to read a boating magazine (nothing wrong with that---no plot, however) I'm on my own......


 The one I'm currently reading is from 1997 . I doubt BIL even read them, lot of the RDCB were still in the package unopened ! He died in 2005.


----------



## Barbara L

expatgirl said:


> ...was turned on to several authors because of RD condensed books...


Same here!  I used to find them at yard sales or used book stores for a quarter.  It was an inexpensive way (when I didn't have much money in the first place) to check out a variety of authors.

Barbara


----------



## LadyCook61

Barbara L said:


> Same here! I used to find them at yard sales or used book stores for a quarter. It was an inexpensive way (when I didn't have much money in the first place) to check out a variety of authors.
> 
> Barbara


 we have so many of them, I plan to sell them 5 for a dollar , just to get rid of them all ! If no one buys them  then I will give them away.


----------



## Claire

Last week I read _The 19th Wife_ and _The Lace Reader._ Both were fascinating in very different ways. Of the former, I laugh to myself. If the LDS church does to it what the RC church did to _The DaVinci Code, _the author will be a zillionaire before the year is out! For some reason, though, the books I've been reading lately have had to do with mental health problems. Is this a trend or am I just grabbing books off the library shelf (and I'm not very selective) in that order? 

I donate the books I read to my library for their annual fund-raising sale. They sort them and put some on their shelves, sell some year 'round, and have a big annual sale that generates beaucoup bucks. I seldom, if ever, re-read a book (and almost any book I re-read it is because I loved it and want to share it with a blind friend).


----------



## MexicoKaren

Drama Queen said:
			
		

> *I've heard some good comments about Lisey's Story.  Is it worth reading?*



Lisey's Story is a sensitive, tender book. I am amazed at King's ability to write from a woman's perspective. Having said that, it may not be for you (or babetoo or Katie E., maybe others) because it is about grief after losing a husband. May be too hard for some to read if they have experienced it.


----------



## luvs

i wanna read anne frank again.


----------



## Barbara

i just downloaded Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz on my ipod, we'll see.


----------



## Claire

I love the "Odd" series of books by Koontz.  Hope you do as well.


----------



## jabbur

I really enjoyed Odd Thomas and all the sequels. Scary, but touching and has some humor as well. Dean Koontz is a wonderful writer. I enjoy his books. 

Right now I'm reading _Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell._ It's kind of an odd book set in the early 1800's about magic in England making a comeback. Mr. Norrell  is a magician similar to Merlin from the Arthur legends.  I'm only about a third of the way through the book (900 some pages long) so it will be a while before I finish it.


----------



## TanyaK

I've read a lot of Koontz books but never Odd Thomas - will look out for it. Currently reading Trace by Patricia Cornwell


----------



## LadyCook61

Starting a book called " The Cat Who Wasn't a Dog" by Marian Babson, published 2003 so it is not a new book but new to me.


----------



## Claire

Oh, of all the Koontz books I love the "Odd" series best.  I think I've read three of them.  Haven't read anything recently.


----------



## Claire

The Cat Who Wasn't a Dog?  You will have to tell us more!


----------



## TanyaK

The 4-hour work week - very inspiring so far


----------



## babetoo

just finished a dean koonz book. very , very good. "the darkest night of the year" very interesting premise and a good late night read


----------



## MexicoKaren

I like many of Koontz's books, babetoo - like others, I especially love the Odd Thomas series. I just finished Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. Very entertaining if you are a fan, and I am.


----------



## babetoo

MexicoKaren said:


> I like many of Koontz's books, babetoo - like others, I especially love the Odd Thomas series. I just finished Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. Very entertaining if you are a fan, and I am.


 
i really enjoyed the odd thomas series. don't care very much for bourdain but that is what makes the world go round.


----------



## expatgirl

chuckling over Agatha Christie's "Tell Me Again How You Live" which is an autobiographical account of her expeditions with her archaeologist husband, Max Mallowan........she really has a way with words and not just in murder mysteries......really opens your eyes as to what people had to go thru in the 30's and 40's to travel.........she's a trooper alright........despite all the hardships, she came away with a deep appreciation for the mideast areas that she helped her husband dig in...from what I've read her service in  cataloguing specimens was invaluable to her husband's research......she was 10 years older than him and she said he valued her as a relic because the older she got the more he appreciated her.........


----------



## phinz

Just finished F.N.G. by Richard Bodey. I'm now on Richard Bangs' Adventures with Purpose Dispatches from the Front Lines of Earth. 

For the past 6 months or so I've been receiving about 2 books a month from publishers for pre-release review and am a little behind. The review process has cut into my "fun" reading, but I'm enjoying it. I need to write my F.N.G. review this weekend.

I actually have about 6 books (4 of them pre-release) going right now, but don't have a list in front of me. I'll post my F.N.G. review when I finish writing it. Excellent, excellent book written by a Vietnam vet.


----------



## Max Sutton

*Shadow Woman*

I'm currently reading a crime fiction paperback called *SHADOW WOMAN* (1997) by Thomas Perry. This is the third book in his Jane Whitefield series where a woman helps people disappear and start a new life.


----------



## Lynd

Has anyone read Relentless by Simon Kernick? What did you think?


----------



## expatgirl

Does anyone read nonfiction here?  Just wondering......not an accusation.......I like nonfiction,  too......


----------



## expatgirl

I mean I like fiction too.........chime in if you can.........


----------



## expatgirl

DH thinks i'm out of line.......don't mean to be.......sorry if I come across that way......... forgive me if I do........but do any of you like nonfiction like autobiographical, biographies,,, etc.,  that you can recommend..........thanks for your hep and input........debs.........


----------



## jabbur

Nonfiction is fine but it really depends on the subject and how it is written.  Right now, I'm reading the nonfiction "Reading Between the Signs" and "So You Want to Be an Interpreter" and over the summer I read "Language in Hand : why sign came before speech".  As you can see, most of my nonfiction reading has to do with my classwork for my degree in sign language interpreting.  They are not books the general population would read although if you have an interest in Deaf culture (yes, they have their own culture!) the first one mentioned would be good.  For my own enjoyment however, I tend to lean toward fiction.  My own life can seem so dull to me that I need that "thrill" from reading interesting fiction!


----------



## zefcan

Currently reading a terrible sci-fi... but the last good book I read was Jitterbug perfume! Definitely recommend it!


----------



## expatgirl

I know......thanks, Jabbur...........if anyone comes across any good autos let me know.......hubby was right..........was in a real weepy mood last night.....not responsible for anything that I posted....


----------



## MexicoKaren

No need to apologize, epg - we are all friends here. I like nonfiction occasionally (just read Kitchen Confidential by Bourdain) and I especially like Doris Kearns Goodwin's biographies. I'm looking for her LBJ book, but hard to find here in English. My job required lots of challenging reading (statutes, regulations, legislative bills) and I got in the habit of reading for relaxation. Right now, I'm coasting with "J is for Judgment" by Sue Grafton. Fun read.


----------



## expatgirl

Thanks, Karen...........I read an auto of LBJ years ago and he sure was a colorful character.........he probably did more for civil rights than any other president in history .........


----------



## sichuan dingdong

*more decent books*

has anyone here read any of the greywalker series. the first one was ok. do the risk stack up?


----------



## babetoo

MexicoKaren said:


> No need to apologize, epg - we are all friends here. I like nonfiction occasionally (just read Kitchen Confidential by Bourdain) and I especially like Doris Kearns Goodwin's biographies. I'm looking for her LBJ book, but hard to find here in English. My job required lots of challenging reading (statutes, regulations, legislative bills) and I got in the habit of reading for relaxation. Right now, I'm coasting with "J is for Judgment" by Sue Grafton. Fun read.


 
thanks for reminding me about that series. have read a lot of them . will see whats new.


----------



## TanyaK

expatgirl said:


> Does anyone read nonfiction here?  Just wondering......not an accusation.......I like nonfiction,  too......



Not as much as I mean to - I like reading "lifestyle coaching" type books like "Who moved my cheese" and "The 4 hour work week". I also found "Rich Dad Poor Dad" and "Screw it let's do it" by Richard Branson very valuable reading.


----------



## gogoguy

*Struggling through another book*

I'm usually not reading anything, but for the time being I'm working my way through The Kite Runner; although it was probably big about a year ago.


----------



## Claire

GOgo, don't struggle through it ... it is too sad.  If you want a taste of the culture, find his next book, which is at least hopeful.


----------



## phinz

expatgirl said:


> Does anyone read nonfiction here? Just wondering......not an accusation.......I like nonfiction, too......


 
Yeah. That seems to be the majority of what I'm sent these days. I have an Emily Post biography, a Tiny Kline biography, the biography of the guys who own Time Bandit (the Alaskan fishing vessel of deadliest catch fame), Richard Bang's travelogue, a semi-autobiographical Vietnam account, a biography of a family that was shipwrecked on a circumnavigation... I have a couple of other books in the pipeline I should be receiving soon, and I believe one of them is another non-fiction.


----------



## Barbara

I'm halfway through Odd Thomas - did not know it was a series, took me a while to get into it, but now I am - different when I'm listening to it instead of reading, takes me longer to get into books - I downloaded it on my ipod as you may recall.


----------



## jabbur

I read Spook by Mary Roach about 2 years ago.  It's an interesting non fiction about the intersection of science and the afterlife.  She relates some stories from history and how scientists today are studying psychic and ghostly phenomenon.  She's got a good sense of humor so while there are actual studies and stuff she add her own hilarious comments to alot of stuff.  Excellent writer.  I'd like to read her book Stiff about cadavers but right now, I have about 15 books in the stack so it will have to wait.


----------



## Claire

Do I read nonfiction?  Heck, yes, I read everything.  The last nonfiction I read was "Victoria's Daughters" which got me on a real pre-WWI kick, the events that lead up to that war.


----------



## LeeAnn

I'll read just about anything also.   I'm currently reading "Strapless" and "Four Letters of Love".  Normally I only read one book at a time, but somehow one got misplaced when I was about 1/2 way through so I started another, now I'm just working through them both.  

My middle daughter Monica, gave me a book last night that she just finished, said I HAVE to read it because it's SO good.  "Meet Samantha, An American Girl - Book One".  It's a 55 page book and at the end there are a few pages of what life was like in 1904, she really enjoyed it and it will be a quick read.  I love reading my kids books including my own.


----------



## expatgirl

Claire said:


> Do I read nonfiction?  Heck, yes, I read everything.  The last nonfiction I read was "Victoria's Daughters" which got me on a real pre-WWI kick, the events that lead up to that war.



I've read Victoria's Daughters, too...........they all had rather sad lives didn't they..........


----------



## expatgirl

LeeAnn said:


> I'll read just about anything also.   I'm currently reading "Strapless" and "Four Letters of Love".  Normally I only read one book at a time, but somehow one got misplaced when I was about 1/2 way through so I started another, now I'm just working through them both.
> 
> My middle daughter Monica, gave me a book last night that she just finished, said I HAVE to read it because it's SO good.  "Meet Samantha, An American Girl - Book One".  It's a 55 page book and at the end there are a few pages of what life was like in 1904, she really enjoyed it and it will be a quick read.  I love reading my kids books including my own.



my daughter has given me some great books.......she read everything that I had in my library.....I'm glad I had some good stuff along with the fluff for her sake........her English teachers in high school were impressed.......I wished that I had had more.......your kids will surprise you one day.......be ready..........have good books on hand..........


----------



## Chopstix

I'm re-reading Chaim Potok's The Chosen.  Next in line is Under the Tuscan Sun.


----------



## HushBull

Making my way through a large selection of Edward Albee.
Just finished Micheal Pollan's, In Defense of Food.


----------



## babetoo

just finished "i did it" name was changed from "if i did it" engrossing. got it about noon and read all day.not sure just yet of how i feel about it. will edit when i do.

babe

i'm back! the part that was supposed to be written by o.j. was very short and not in speech patterns he would use. it was very graphic. as were the photos in book, VERY GRAPHIC. the chapter written by the goldman's and dominck dunn and the ghost writer each had  a different slant and take on things. that was very interesting to me. i have followed these events over the years. watch everyday during the trial. simply did not believe the verdict. did the jury see the same evidence i did? 

no comment on trial in fla. that is going right now. doesn't look good for oj though. this is just one of many books on this event that i have read. not sure why i find it so engrossing. babe


----------



## LadyCook61

Reading William Shatner's autobiography " Up Till Now "

Just finished this boring book... Don't waste your money on it.  I got mine from the library.


----------



## phinz

Cussler's "The Golden Buddha". So far I like it, and I'm not that big a Cussler fan. I just finished John MacDonald's "A Purple Place for Dying". I can plow through a Travis McGee novel in two days, because they read well and they're basically pulp.


----------



## babetoo

"last man standing" so far it is hard to get into. too lazy to go and see who wrote it.


----------



## Toots

I just finished the Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackermana and now I'm reading Fine Just the Way It Is by Annie Proulx.


----------



## Claire

DId you like "The Zookeeper's Wife?"  I did.  I just finished "Red Knife" -- I tend to like most books about the places I've lived, and right now it is the Midwest and this was a good whodunit set in the Objibwe tribe.  "Dreamers of the Day" was good as well.  Because I've spent a lot of time in Apple Valley and Victorville, CA, I have an affection for Roy Rogers and Dale Evans and enjoyed the latest bio on them.


----------



## Toots

Claire said:


> DId you like "The Zookeeper's Wife?" I did. I just finished "Red Knife" -- I tend to like most books about the places I've lived, and right now it is the Midwest and this was a good whodunit set in the Objibwe tribe. "Dreamers of the Day" was good as well. Because I've spent a lot of time in Apple Valley and Victorville, CA, I have an affection for Roy Rogers and Dale Evans and enjoyed the latest bio on them.


 
Yes, I liked the Zookeepers Wife, especially because it is a true story.  They were brave people.


----------



## phinz

babetoo said:


> "last man standing" so far it is hard to get into. too lazy to go and see who wrote it.



David Baldacci. His stuff can be a little dense sometimes.


----------



## wisconsin girl

'Three cups of tea' by Greg Mortensen and David Oliver Relin. Fascinating book, and a good heart warmer that some people are doing phenominal things


----------



## expatgirl

Do you really want to know?  It will surprise you........The Life of Henry VIII by Alison Weir..........I find that guy fascinating.......and also the lives of his wives......I'm just sad that I'm not in the states to see the rest of the series on tv..........I'll catch up once I get in which will be the middle of Nov.......but he's absolutely fascinating to read about.......


----------



## Barbara L

I am reading _Body-for-LIFE for Women_, by Pamela Peeke, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P. It is very interesting! She breaks women's fat-producing years into four categories (puberty to child-bearing years, child-bearing years, peri-menopause/menopause, and post-menopause) and shows how and where women add fat during each phase of their lives, and she tells how to work on losing it at each stage. I am on part three of the book and have learned a lot so far.

Barbara


----------



## LadyCook61

Just finished Sundays At Tiffany's .  It was interesting.


----------



## DramaQueen

*I anyone reading the current rage "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" ?  My library has 10 copies and I'm 28th  on the wait list. Would like a review on this book from someone who is NOT Oprah, or a book critic. *


----------



## ChefJune

This weekend I bought "We've Always Had Paris (and Provence,)" the co-bio of Patricia and Walter Wells, to read on the plane -- tomorrow!!


----------



## LPBeier

I am currently re-reading "Inside My Heart" by Robin McGraw (Dr. Phil's wife).  It is a really wonderful testimony to marriage and motherhood and just being a woman.  But I always have a half dozen cookbooks I am "reading" at one time.


----------



## phinz

John D. MacDonald's _A Deadly Shade of Gold._ Perfect beach reading.


----------



## skilletlicker

*Blood and Fire*

_Blood and Fire_ by Roy Hattersley is the story of William and Catherine Booth and the Salvation Army in the nineteenth century. Pretty good so far. I'm only a couple chapters into it.


----------



## BigDog

I'm reading, albeit somewhat slowly, _Riven_ by Jerry B. Jenkins. It's a good read, but not really the style I like. It's written where at the beginning of the book there are multiple distinct story lines, and later on they all come crashing together. It almost seems like this is the new style of writing, because I've found other books (we're talking fiction here) with similar styles. 

For those that aren't familiar with Jenkins, he is a co-author of the _Left Behind_ series, as well as many other religiously themed books.


----------



## LadyCook61

Got more books at the library.  I am reading one called *Dewey *by Vicki Myron.  It's a real story about a cat who lived at a library in Iowa.


----------



## LadyCook61

BigDog said:


> I'm reading, albeit somewhat slowly, _Riven_ by Jerry B. Jenkins. It's a good read, but not really the style I like. It's written where at the beginning of the book there are multiple distinct story lines, and later on they all come crashing together. It almost seems like this is the new style of writing, because I've found other books (we're talking fiction here) with similar styles.
> 
> For those that aren't familiar with Jenkins, he is a co-author of the _Left Behind_ series, as well as many other religiously themed books.


I've read all the Left Behind books.  I will have to look for Riven at the library.


----------



## expatgirl

I just don't read much fiction...........I like history, bios and autobios..........I know weird.......I do have a lot of good literature, though,..........my daughter read most of them while in high school.......never told me, though.........I discovered it quite by accident.........ok, she's weird, too..............


----------



## deelady

*Rich Dad, Poor Dad   by Robert T. Kiyosaki*


----------



## lifesaver

the most i read is news papers and magazines


----------



## expatgirl

yeah, I read online newspapers and listen to CNN..........oh, my, oh, my............Iknow that we can't make political comments.................oh, my , oh my.......................


----------



## chefmaloney

Jude the Obscure/Thomas Hardy


----------



## expatgirl

chefmaloney said:


> Jude the Obscure/Thomas Hardy



so what do you think so far?...........


----------



## chefmaloney

I think Jude should never have gotten involved with Arabella (hah)
I love Thomas Hardy, he is (was) a brilliant poet.
A bit difficult sometimes, very descriptive, so much so that I can read a paragraph a couple of times to understand his meaning.
CONCENTRATE CHEF MALONEY!!!


----------



## expatgirl

I haven't read it but you've got me intrigued as l like Thomas Hardy......I will NOT read descriptive passages............they can describe a tree until the dawn of time.............it will not be read more than once and usually with flickering eyelids..............


----------



## chefmaloney

Read Thomas Hardy: 'Tess of the D'urbervilles' or 'Far From the Madding Crowd' or The Trumpet Major' or 'A Pair of Blue Eyes'
Actually I have read Jude the Obscure years ago (30 years ago) when I was in school.
I cannot find anything else of his to read but the above are some of my favorites.


----------



## babetoo

it is titled"the ruins." have forgotten who the author is. it is a very slow read. am half way through and it is still ponderous to read. only one in house i haven't read.


----------



## expatgirl

talk about a ponderous read.......if you really want to go snail's pace read "Lorna Doone"---yeah, as in the cookies.............was assigned that in 7th grade and never did finish it and I love to read............each time the teacher tried to ask me questions some major interruption occurred.......I honestly believe it was by divine will.......even the angels hated the book........the librarian, who was my buddy, couldn't believe that I was assigned such a book to read in the first place.......finally after the 3rd interruption the teacher gave up.............and went on to another student........


----------



## Max Sutton

*Dean Koontz*


I'm currently reading *DARK RIVERS OF THE* *HEART* (1994) by Dean Koontz.


----------



## LadyCook61

I'm reading All Things Wise And Wonderful by James Herriot .


----------



## Katie H

I'm reading _When the Mississippi Ran Backwards_ by Jay Feldman.  It's about the New Madrid earthquake that occurred in 1812 and other historical events in that area.  Amazing story.  It's of particular interest to me because I live on the New Madrid Fault and we've had several earthquakes since we moved here in 1994.


----------



## ChefJune

pdswife said:


> I just started....GRANNY DAN by Danielle Steel
> PARADISE by Toni Morrison
> and THE READER by Bernhard Schlink


 
Long term reading:  "What to Eat" by Dr. Marian Nestle.
Reading for review: "Fish Without a Doubt," by Rick Moonen and Roy Finamore
Reading for edification: The Esther Stories" by Peter Orner

The Morrison and the Schlink from your list, pds, are on my "to-do" list.


----------



## ChefJune

expatgirl said:


> talk about a ponderous read.......if you really want to go snail's pace read "Lorna Doone"---yeah, as in the cookies.............was assigned that in 7th grade and never did finish it and I love to read............each time the teacher tried to ask me questions some major interruption occurred.......I honestly believe it was by divine will.......even the angels hated the book........the librarian, who was my buddy, couldn't believe that I was assigned such a book to read in the first place.......finally after the 3rd interruption the teacher gave up.............and went on to another student........


 
sounds like you're describing my nemeses... "Ivanhoe" by Walter Scott and Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens.  Couldn't get through either of them.


----------



## Claire

How funny.  I read the book about the Mississippi running backwards a couple of years ago. Not something I really thought I'd like, but it is very interesting that the entire course of history was changed.  I'm thinking of reading it again because my husband loved it and refers back to it and I cannot remember a lot of it.

My blind friend was interested in a book called _Galway Bay_, and we started it this week.  I'm reading _Honeymoon in Tehran_ and _The Heat of the Moon_ at the moment.


----------



## radhuni

Ghost stories by _Sheridan Le Fanu_


----------



## babetoo

The Fifth Plague  
don't remember the author and am to lazy to go look.


----------



## GrillingFool

"The Terror" by Dan Simmons.
Set in 1848, an exploration team of British sailors is trapped in the frozen North for two years, with an unknown beast slowly but surely eating them.

What I liked about it was the background info about the technology, social life and hardships of the location. Really interesting. The "terror" part... eh.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Right now I am reading Ruth Rendell's, "Inspector Wexford" mysteries.


----------



## Dove

*I have 3 books checked out of the Library by Fern Michaels and two by Janet Dailey. Better get started on some reading..*


----------



## aHobbs

just picked up a bunch of books at goodwill - will be starting "Spilt Second" by David Baldacci later this afternoon !


----------



## LPBeier

I just started the Women's Murder Club series.  Since they cancelled the television show I have been interested in the books.


----------



## Cooksie

*Hold Tight*

I'm almost finished with this book.  It is really good, but I can see it scaring the daylights out of parents with teenagers .  


#1 Bestseller Harlan Coben’s provocative novel _Hold Tight_ promises to be the most talked about thriller in decades

From the Book Jacket:
*How well do you really know your child?*
Tia and Mike Baye never imagined they’d spy on their kids. But their sixteen-year-old son Adam has been unusually distant lately, and after the suicide of his best friend Spencer Hill, they can’t help but worry. Within days of installing a sophisticated spy program on Adam’s computer they are jolted by a cryptic message from an unknown correspondent that shakes them to their core: “Just stay quiet and all safe.”


----------



## mudbug

Winston Churchill's memoirs of WW2.  On book 2 of 6 books.  France has just fallen and the Blitz is about to begin.

Before that, raced through the "Twilight" series.


----------



## phinz

I just finished Mango Opera by Tom Corcoran last night and am now starting Gumbo Limbo by Tom Corcoran. I finished The Tale of the Thunderbolt by E. E. Knight on Tuesday.


----------



## Alix

Holy crap phinz, you are just powering thru 'em!


----------



## recipedirect

The Associate - John Grisham.  I'm about 1/4 the way through and it is really good.


----------



## phinz

Alix said:


> Holy crap phinz, you are just powering thru 'em!



I can do a book every 2-3 days if I like the book. I have even read The Stand (long version) in 24 hours before. 

I also have four other books going right now in various rooms of the house. 2007 Best Food Writing, 2008 Best Food Writing, 2008 Best American Travel Writing and another American Food Writing book that is an anthology of 200+ years of food writing. Come to think of it, in progress are also Big Red (about the USS Nebraska), And Johnny Got His Gun, a collection of Key West short stories, another collection of Florida Mystery Writer short stories, a book on modern design, another book on Miami Modern architecture, a book on Frank Lloyd Wright, Neil Peart's Ghost Rider and assorted other books scattered throughout the house.

If you ever want to see my collection of books, it's here: LibraryThing | Catalog your books online


----------



## radhuni

'The Ninth Buddha' by Daniel Easterman


----------



## LadyCook61

I'm reading Hot Flash Holidays by Nancy Thayer.  It is kind of funny.


----------



## Katie H

Just, finally, picked up _Dewey - The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World._  It's a true story and I've only just started reading it, I'm totally captivated.  Plus, the picture on the cover of Dewey is a real heart-melter.  What a dolly!  I'm going to whiz through in no time I have a feeling.  Then I'll be sad it's done.


----------



## LadyCook61

Katie E said:


> Just, finally, picked up _Dewey - The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World._ It's a true story and I've only just started reading it, I'm totally captivated. Plus, the picture on the cover of Dewey is a real heart-melter. What a dolly! I'm going to whiz through in no time I have a feeling. Then I'll be sad it's done.


 
Katie, I've read that book...  I liked it a lot.


----------



## msmofet

an old classic for the 5th time.

the hobbit


----------



## luvs

msmofet said:


> an old classic for the 5th time.
> 
> the hobbit


 

classics rock!
i've read anne frank like 15 times.

...though i oughta abandon my computer to read my 'meats' sections in my textbook! my vocab's gotta be refined; due tomorrow! bye-bye, vacation!!


----------



## msmofet

luvs said:


> classics rock!
> i've read anne frank like 15 times.
> 
> ...though i oughta abandon my computer to read my 'meats' sections in my textbook! my vocab's gotta be refined; due tomorrow! bye-bye, vacation!!


 bye enjoy the soup


----------



## expatgirl

I'm just curious.....what makes you pick up a certain book?  Is it the author or the subject matter?      For me........it's history.........I also like travelogues.......I love to read about where people have been and their impressions, experiences,..........maybe I live vicariously thru them.............one of my favorites is written by Agatha Christi.........she writes about her adventure with her husband on his digs in the Middle East..........he was a famous archaeologist, Sir Mallowan............she's so interesting.............he commented ( though she was ten years younger than he) that the reason he was attracted to her in the first place was the fact that she could sleep in the middle of the midday in massive heat........he was also know to describe her dresses in the language of archaologists "that's a very becoming logenze design my dear"..........the infamous quote was that he loved her, speaking off the cuff was that the older she got the more he appreciated her being an archaelogogist..........


----------



## expatgirl

sorry, I need to correct a fact........she was ten years older than him........go Aggie.........


----------



## msmofet

expatgirl said:


> I'm just curious.....what makes you pick up a certain book? Is it the author or the subject matter? For me........it's history.........I also like travelogues.......I love to read about where people have been and their impressions, experiences,..........maybe I live vicariously thru them.............one of my favorites is written by Agatha Christi.........she writes about her adventure with her husband on his digs in the Middle East..........he was a famous archaeologist, Sir Mallowan............she's so interesting.............he commented ( though she was ten years younger than he) that the reason he was attracted to her in the first place was the fact that she could sleep in the middle of the midday in massive heat........he was also know to describe her dresses in the language of archaologists "that's a very becoming logenze design my dear"..........the infamous quote was that he loved her, speaking off the cuff was that the older she got the more he appreciated her being an archaelogogist..........


 
author, the subject matter and history. i read 10 little indians (and then there were none) and murder on the orient express. i just read Devil Bones (Temperance Brennan Series #11) by Kathy Reichs (the show Bones is based on her books).


----------



## expatgirl

msmofet said:


> author, the subject matter and history. i read 10 little indians (and then there were none) and murder on the orient express. i just read Devil Bones (Temperance Brennan Series #11) by Kathy Reichs (the show Bones is based on her books).[/quote  Thanks for the info......I didn't know that........


----------



## msmofet

expatgirl said:


> msmofet said:
> 
> 
> 
> author, the subject matter and history. i read 10 little indians (and then there were none) and murder on the orient express. i just read Devil Bones (Temperance Brennan Series #11) by Kathy Reichs (the show Bones is based on her books).
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the info......I didn't know that........
Click to expand...

 you're welcome.

i also like true crime, horror (stephen king is my fav), gothic romance and some sci-fi.


----------



## radhuni

i read 10 little indians (and then there were none) and murder on the orient express.

Agatha Christie is one of my favourites. I read almost all of her books. 'And Then There Were None' is my especial favourite. I gifted this book to my DH when I was dating with him.


----------



## GB

Before I left for my trip to Israel, I got a Kindle 2 from amazon. I love this reader and have been going a lot more reading lately because of it. Right now I am reading The Good Guy by Dean Koontz. The concept is interesting and it is an alright book so far, but I am looking for it to pick up a bit more.


----------



## Luvs2Cook

I am currently reading "Downtown" by Anne Rivers Siddons

***GB, I was looking into a Kindle 2, would you give it a good recommendation?


----------



## GB

Luvs2Cook said:


> ***GB, I was looking into a Kindle 2, would you give it a good recommendation?


I would give it the best recommendation possible. I love everything about it. There is not a single thing I do like with this thing. I am reading so much more because of it and there is no shortage of good material.


----------



## expatgirl

Do  Dear John Bathroom Readers count?  My son owns about 15 and they are all located in my bathroom as he commandeers it while I'm gone....and I do have to admit they have some interesting tidbits..........quick, just like the flourish of a foot of toilet paper, and with a quick flush you're on your way, etc............haven't had time to read anything else except inflight magazines.........can't wait to get to the bookstore on Monday............have a nice weekend y'all


----------



## Claire

All reading counts.  I read to my elderly friends a couple of times a week, and revisiting childhood favorites is great.  Right now we're reading _Galway Bay_ by Mary Pat Kelly.  For myself, I accidentally picked up _The Sparrow_ by Mary Doria Russell.  WEll, I say accidentally because I rarely read sci-fi.  Only when it is recommended by friends who know my taste in reading and think I'll like it.  Seriously, so much of the sci-fi I read in my 20s was thinly disguised mild porn.  You know, men's vision of the future is of women with perfect bodies running around naked or nearly so, having sex with anyone.  At any rate, this book is supposed to be about Jesuits in space.   Hmmmm ... we'll see!  Anyone out there read it?


----------



## Cooksie

msmofet said:


> i also like true crime, horror (stephen king is my fav), gothic romance and some sci-fi.


 
If Stephen King is your favorite, you should try Heart Shaped Box by his son, Joe Hill.


----------



## msmofet

Cooksie said:


> If Stephen King is your favorite, you should try Heart Shaped Box by his son, Joe Hill.


 i read it!! LOL he looks just like his dad doesn't he? i still like his dad's syle better.


----------



## phinz

E.E. Knight - Valentine's Rising. I'm taking 6 books with me to Folly Beach this week too.


----------



## bandonjan

Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs.  The series
Bones on TV is based on her books.


----------



## msmofet

bandonjan said:


> Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs. The series
> Bones on TV is based on her books.


 i read my first bones book "devil bones", have you read it? please let me know how "deja dead" is.


----------



## Wyogal

I'm reading kind of an odd book, got it for a dollar on sale at the college bookstore: Seed to Harvest, by Octavia E. Butler


----------



## Alix

msmofet said:


> i read my first bones book "devil bones", have you read it? please let me know how "deja dead" is.



You need to go back and start at the beginning. Deja Dead I think is #1  in the series and I think Devil Bones is the most recent...#9 or #10? Can't remember. 

Kathy Reichs is a great author. Deja Dead was very good indeed.


----------



## Alix

Kathy Reichs site. I was close Devil Bones is #11. 

I'm about to pick up Pillars of the Earth again.


----------



## msmofet

thank you yes i know (i think it is #11 in the series) but i was intrigued by the zooooodoooooooo note  i have been sick and the family went to B&N yesterday and picked something up for me. an audio book 2 disc's (2 novellas) richard matheson, stephen king and son joe hill called road rage. i guess they thought it would be nice to listen while i am getting better ( i have and fever and a head ache).


----------



## bandonjan

msmofet said:


> i read my first bones book "devil bones", have you read it? please let me know how "deja dead" is.



I haven't read Devil Bones yet. Deja Dead is good. I've read several others of hers, one I think was Bones to Ashes. I don't remember all the titles, I have to read the synopsis all the time or I'll get the same book again!  Hope you are feeling better soon.


----------



## msmofet

bandonjan said:


> I haven't read Devil Bones yet. Deja Dead is good. I've read several others of hers, one I think was Bones to Ashes. I don't remember all the titles, I have to read the synopsis all the time or I'll get the same book again! Hope you are feeling better soon.


thank you i am feeling a little bit better. fever is down to 100 but this throat and ear thing won't let go. my older girl got it 5 days before me and she still has the sore throat and voice coming and going thing. spring sickness stinks, it just hangs on forever. thank you again for the well wishes.


----------



## Katie H

Just started _Falling Angels_ by Tracy Chevalier, who also wrote _Girl with a Pearl Earring_, which I devoured.  This one is great, too.  Starts off with a real "bang" and I have a feeling I'm going to eat this one up also.


----------



## Katie H

Omigosh!  I loved _Falling Angels_ and I'm sorry I'm done with it.  Can't wait to get back to the library and get another Tracy Chevalier book.  Her descriptions are fabulous.  Like watching a movie in my head!!


----------



## Claire

Right now I'm reading aloud to my blind friend, _Galway Bay_.  Just finished a few murder mysteries (my favorite vice).


----------



## phinz

Burke's "Cadillac Jukebox." This is the second one by him I've read recently. The first I read was Tin Roof Blowdown and I loved it. He's amazing at description. Sometimes he can leave me going, "What the heck just happened?" but most of the time he's spot on and vivid in his hyperbole.


----------



## Claire

The first Burke I read was the one about the Confederate Dead, and I think I've read all of his books.  Sometimes a little on the dark side, but I liked them all.  I've spent a fair amount of time in the area he writes about which makes it even more interesting.  His daughter is now writing as well.


----------



## radhuni

revising Agatha Christie's 'Death on the Nile'


----------



## JoAnn L.

Reading Elena Forbes, a new mystery writer. Two books so far, Die with Me and Our Lady Of Pain. On the back cover it says "dark, chilling and clever". My kind of books.


----------



## jabbur

Just finished "Look me in the Eye" by John Robison.  Excellent auto biography of living with Asperger's syndrome.  My niece has that syndrome so it was rather enlightening.  Now I'm onto the new Odd Thomas book "Odd Hours" by Dean Koontz.


----------



## Wyogal

help wanted ads


----------



## ChefJune

Just finished "Wine and War" by Don and Petie Kladstrup. It's the story of WWII in France, and what happened to the wines.  It reads like an adventure novel, but it's all true.  Hair-raising.

Now I'm catching up on some professional periodicals.


----------



## jabbur

Wyogal said:


> help wanted ads


  Good luck with your job search!  Hope you read some good ones!


----------



## Wyogal

actually, just looking for a part-time job until fall. I hope to do some work at the local community college, tutoring, basic cooking type classes, as well as some centering on culture and cuisine. Applying for a security position at an art museum later today.


----------



## MomsKitchenAndStuff

"A Simple Path" by Mother Teresa


----------



## Claire

_Wine and War_ and _Look me in the Eye_ are both ones I'll look for.  Right now the book I'm finishing reading aloud is _Galway Bay_ by Mary Pat Kelly.  The thing is it that's a long book (551 pages), which when I'm reading to myself is no biggie.  But try reading aloud.  For reading myself, I've been sticking to "fun" murder mysteries and other kinds of light reading.  My blind older lady friend I read to has even gotten tired of the Irish and their Troubles, so I'm going to read the last 30 pages myself and just tell her how it ends (I suspect she'd have liked it if I'd have done that a week or so ago).  I also looked up one aspect of the book (a historical novel) to find out if it actually happened.  She usually isn't big on novels, so I want to let her know about this particular episode in history.


----------



## Katie H

Holy Christmas!!!  Just finished eating, I mean reading, John Grisham's _The Appeal_.  What a book!  Couldn't put it down and it's sooooooo possible it's scary.  Loved it.  Grisham did it again.


----------



## Luvs2Cook

Just finished Michael J. Fox's new book


----------



## Uncle Bob

The Natchez Indians....A History to 1735........James F. Barnett Jr.
*
*


----------



## phinz

My latest books I'm reading... I just gave away about 50-60 books at work to my coworkers. Have started culling down the massive collection.



























I also just got a subscription to and all back issues of 

 Super swa nky stuff!


----------



## Claire

I just read a couple of Proulx books.  enjoyed them, but found them a bit disjointed feeling.  I don't remember her first book giving me that feeling.  For reading to my ladies, I'm reading _I'm a Stranger Here Myself_ by Bill Bryson.  I even have Pat giggling, although I know it hurts her (severe arthritis).  I'm fond of Bryson because he was recommended to me by an Australian gentleman I met on a bus in Slovenia.  How strange is that?


----------



## Claire

Oh, phintz, I cull through my books every year and donate them to our library.  They have a big book sale that gets bigger and bigger and bigger every year.  I "rarely" buy fiction because I read 3-5 books a week, so mostly I check them out at the library.  Right now I have 3 boxes of books to haul over there.


----------



## Katie H

I just began reading the first book in _The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant_.  So far I'm hooked.  The author is "painting pictures" in my head.


----------



## radhuni

'Sobuj Deser Raja' by Sunil Gongopadhyay


----------



## navywife

I always have two or three floating around, too.
Power, Faith, and Fantasy: _America in the Middle East 1776 to Present_[U by Michael Oren
Epicenter by Joel Rosenberg
Passionate Vegetarian by Crescent Dragonwagon
Cooking at home Jacques and Julia 

Those, and my daily Bible reading.


----------



## phinz

Claire said:


> I'm fond of Bryson because he was recommended to me by an Australian gentleman I met on a bus in Slovenia.  How strange is that?



I have all his books. His "In A Sunburned Country" was hysterical. I loved his description of driving around in Canberra. I listened to the book on audio tape (read by the author) and I was in *tears* at that point.


----------



## Barbara L

Several months ago I started to read "Wicked."  At about the same time the book hit kind of a dead zone and my life hit a bad zone, and I stopped reading.  I finally got back to it and just finished it.  

I enjoyed "Wicked" for the most part, especially the last several chapters.  It is most definitely not a book for kids (they wouldn't be interested in it anyway, and it has some pretty racy scenes).

If you have never seen the movie "The Wizard of Oz," some of "Wicked" might be confusing.  Personally, I would recommend that you 1) See the movie "The Wizard of Oz" (or read the book), 2) See the show "Wicked," and then 3) read the book "Wicked," in that order.  The book and the show are only about 20% related, from what I saw.  I absolutely loved the show.  I loved the book too, but in a much different way. The show is light and fun, with a hint of darkness.  The book is dark with a little dark humor. Wicked operates on the assumption that you have seen or read "The Wizard of Oz," making many references to events there, which is why I recommend you see/read that first.  

The interesting thing is "Wicked" shows the events regarding Dorothy, the scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman, and the Lion in a much different light, but it will not spoil "The Wizard of Oz" for you.  It will make you see it differently in some ways though.  

Barbara


----------



## CasperImproved

Barb - You are now making me want to read the book. I like looking at things from a different angle.

Let me offer you something in return. Next time you are at the library, check out the books by H. Turtledove. He writes about alternative history results. He has caused me to consider a lot of different points of view.

Bob


----------



## GB

Barbara, I tried reading Wicked a number of years ago. The idea of the book fascinated me, however I found it so boring at the beginning that I just could not get past the first chapter. Did you find the start tough to get through or did you enjoy it from the start? I would love to give it another shot if the beginning is not what the entire book is like.


----------



## Barbara L

GB said:


> Barbara, I tried reading Wicked a number of years ago. The idea of the book fascinated me, however I found it so boring at the beginning that I just could not get past the first chapter. Did you find the start tough to get through or did you enjoy it from the start? I would love to give it another shot if the beginning is not what the entire book is like.


I had a very difficult time getting into it, and as I said, it lagged again in the middle.  I'm glad I did stick with it though, as it turned out to be very good.  Go see the show too!

Barbara
P.S. Thanks Bob, I will have to look into those books.


----------



## GB

Thanks Barbara. As soon as it comes out for the Kindle I will get it and give it another go.


----------



## CasperImproved

GB said:


> Thanks Barbara. As soon as it comes out for the Kindle I will get it and give it another go.




I would scoff at your kindle GB, but reading is too serious to scoff at.

I have a sony PRS-505 with a binder that has light. AND I have about 2K of books in text format, so I'll scoff at you anyways (Ha! ha! ha!),

But seriously, 

Have fun reading as it is the next best thing to a vacation mortal man can have.

Bob


----------



## GB

I do have to say I am jealous of your light Bob. I actually just bought a small little (but powerful) light with a clip that will work perfectly for me. My Kindle case has a pocket that it fits in perfectly.


----------



## CasperImproved

GB said:


> I do have to say I am jealous of your light Bob. I actually just bought a small little (but powerful) light with a clip that will work perfectly for me. My Kindle case has a pocket that it fits in perfectly.




GB - Be even more jealous. I'm mailing Katie E a really nice clip on light. Just haven't made it to the post office yet.

Bob


----------



## GB

If I were as pretty as Katie then I would have had a shot at that light.


----------



## CasperImproved

GB - Thanks for the major grin I have at this moment... 

Bob


----------



## phinz

Just finished The Nasty Bits by Anthony Bourdain and Cormac McCarthy's The Road. About halfway through an advanced reading copy of Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned About Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat by Gwen Cooper. Loving it so far. Will give link to review once I'm done.


----------



## Inara

I'm currently reading Assassin's Apprentice on my Kindle 2.  I've been reading it for awhile because I had a lot of reading to do for school.  I'm glad I'll be able to finally finish it now that school is out for a few weeks.


----------



## phinz

phinz said:


> Just finished The Nasty Bits by Anthony Bourdain and Cormac McCarthy's The Road. About halfway through an advanced reading copy of Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned About Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat by Gwen Cooper. Loving it so far. Will give link to review once I'm done.



Reviews: Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper | LibraryThing


----------



## jonnyjonny_uk

Roasting in Hell's kitchen by Gordon Ramsay


----------



## jabbur

I'm working my way through Sue Grafton's alphabet series.  I read a couple then shift to something else.  Right now I'm on G for Gumshoe and have Ragman by Walter Wangerin on the shelf to follow.


----------



## bethzaring

Writing the Family Narrative, by Lawrence P. Gouldrup.....actually a very interesting and inspiring book


----------



## Alix

Just finished James Pattersons 8th Confession. Its was good. I have a couple ready to go for our vacation coming up but need to get to the library today.


----------



## Claire

Right now it's _Fire and Ice_ by J.A. Jance.  She's taken to combining her Joanna Brady series and her J.P. Beaumont series and I'm confused.


----------



## GrillingFool

The Boys Who Vanished, by John Carson.
It's a young reader classic from the late 1950s, about 2 boys who drink scientist Dad's secret elixir and shrink to the size of ants. Then they have to try to make it
home. Only 4 houses, but sooo far....

Is one of my childhood favorite books that I finally found on ebay. A rare book actually, worth about $45 if in good condition. I KNEW I had good taste, LOLOL


----------



## les

In the middle of Eric Clapton's The Biography...I'm surprised he's actually still alive!!!


----------



## babetoo

just started to read "columbine" the scope of the shooting was so much bigger than i thought. have another one , same subject. on the way from amazon. just a different author and more about the why?


----------



## Wyogal

FINALLY!!! Dean Koontz's Frankenstein, bk. 3 is out in paperback! I just got it this afternoon!!!!


----------



## Inara

Just finished the first two books of the Twilight series.  And I have started reading His Majesty's Dragon.


----------



## In the Kitchen

Wyogal said:


> FINALLY!!! Dean Koontz's Frankenstein, bk. 3 is out in paperback! I just got it this afternoon!!!!



This Koontz seems to be so popular.  How were books Frankenstein 1 and 2?  Were they worth reading?  Just figure so many people waiting for this guy's books.


----------



## In the Kitchen

jonnyjonny_uk said:


> Roasting in Hell's kitchen by Gordon Ramsay




does he use 'f' word in his books too?  Surprised anyone really gives him the time due to his loose use of this word.  I just truly dismiss him when he does say the word as I can so relate to the pressure he is under. Will you let me know what you think after you have finished?  Thanks


----------



## babetoo

am reading : what really happened at columbine high school.  very tense. told by the boy the killers told to leave campus just before the shooting starts. i do this once in while, get really immersed in one subject or another. have another book on same subject than i will read next


----------



## Chopstix

The Snowball.  It's a biography of Warren Buffet.


----------



## GB

I just re-started Wicked on Barbara's recommendation.


----------



## Thaicooking

I'm reading "The Alchemist" written by Paulo Coelhe...This's my 2nd of reading this title in different language.


----------



## roadfix

I am currently reading _American Pie_.....My Search for the Perfect Pizza by Peter Reinhart.


----------



## radhuni

Overcoat by Nikolai Gogol


----------



## JoAnn L.

Henning Mankell's "The Fifth Woman". And another one I am reading is "The Lives Our Mothers Leave Us" by Patti Davis, its about famous women and their relationships with their mothers.


----------



## Alix

Finger Lickin Fifteen by Janet Evanovich. Just finished The Angel by Carla Neggers and am thinking of rereading the Time Travellers Wife since the movie comes out this month. Man THAT was a good book.


----------



## ChefJune

roadfix said:


> I am currently reading _American Pie_.....My Search for the Perfect Pizza by Peter Reinhart.


 
That's a delicious book! 

I'm reading Julie and Julia by Julie Powell. They gave us the book at the movie preview.  I have to say I am enjoying the book much more than I did the blog.


----------



## jonnyjonny_uk

In the Kitchen said:


> does he use 'f' word in his books too?  Surprised anyone really gives him the time due to his loose use of this word.  I just truly dismiss him when he does say the word as I can so relate to the pressure he is under. Will you let me know what you think after you have finished?  Thanks



In this particular book he doesn't use the word much at all. The book was a really good insight into his childhood and how he became so sucessful and in some respects it makes you see him in a different light. It also shows you how competative it is in the restaurant world.

Well worth a read.

I'm not sure if it's against the rules or not but I have the pdf version if you want me to email it to you? PM me if you would like that


----------



## Mariam3

Presently I am reading Twelve night by William Shakespear .


----------



## MeganRobinsx3

harry potter...again

ender's game... again 



I need some new ones lol


----------



## rlauzon

Obviously, we are all reading this thread right now.


----------



## In the Kitchen

jonnyjonny_uk said:


> In this particular book he doesn't use the word much at all. The book was a really good insight into his childhood and how he became so sucessful and in some respects it makes you see him in a different light. It also shows you how competative it is in the restaurant world.
> 
> Well worth a read.
> 
> I'm not sure if it's against the rules or not but I have the pdf version if you want me to email it to you? PM me if you would like that



I sure would!  See if you can do it?  If not, we have to understand.  So glad you don't just get upset about Ramsay.  I sure can tell he WANTS them to succeed.  They will HAVE lot worse when he isn't around, I am sure.


----------



## jonnyjonny_uk

In the Kitchen said:


> I sure would!  See if you can do it?  If not, we have to understand.  So glad you don't just get upset about Ramsay.  I sure can tell he WANTS them to succeed.  They will HAVE lot worse when he isn't around, I am sure.



No problem  Please PM me your email and I can fire it over now.


----------



## bullseye

Currently reading Alexander McCall Smith's _Morality for Beautiful Girls_, a mystery novel set in Botswana.  Also slogging through _The Golden Compass_; it's OK as far as plot, but a bit pedantic and overly referential, if you know what I mean.


----------



## LPBeier

A book on making fondant animals.  Can we say "obsessed"?


----------



## Claire

Love all of the Alexander McCall Smith novels I've read!  I love stuff like that; light but insights to another culture.  The last book I finished was titled something like "The Making of ..." (cannot remember the man's name, that tells you how much I liked it, who the heck knows why I finished it!)(oh, I do, ran out of books).  Too much "getting old Jewish angst" in it for me.  This time around (meaning my trips to the library) I chose only light reading.  I mean, sometimes I purposefully try to challenge my little gray cells, but at times I wonder:  Is the author trying to communicate (the purpose of writing, I think) or just trying to seem intelligent.  In other words, the fewer people who read the book, the better, because the author can claim us readers are way too stupid to appreciate their writing.


----------



## Claire

You know, I'm always looking for good books to read to my ladies.  They are both very intelligent, and for reasons (one is legally blind, her companion is so arthritic she cannot hold a book up for very long.  The blind lady always was a reader, the arthritic not so much) cannot read.  M (the blind lady) likes to read books that come up in the news, and that her favorite radio personality mentions.  She has friends who are authors, and I read anything they write.  

But in between I choose books where each chapter can, actually, stand alone.  Travel books (both ladies are well traveled), anything by Peter Mayle or Bill Bryson are high on my list.  The last thing that was long that I read to them was _Galway Bay. _But I had to renew it three times, and her care-giver had checked it out before that for two weeks.  Finally I gave up and told her, "Do you want me to finish it and tell you how it ends?"  Absolutely.

I've read all but one of Cahill's books to her (the guy who writes sociological books about different cultures) and trust me, getting my tongue around Greek and Celtic names just about drove me crazy.

Anyone have suggestions for books for very intelligent ladies, but aren't ridiculously L-O-N-G or obscure?  Oh, they both have interests in anything French.  I cannot speak it ... Hmmm ... know what?  Sometimes I think of something I write and get an idea.  Maybe they'd like a Maigret mystery?  The thing is there are some I like and some I don't (they're out there with two different translations, one I like, the other not so much.  

OK, I've digressed, as is my wont.  But if any of you read this and come up with something you can imagine being read aloud, chime in.


----------



## ellakav

Mordant's Need by Stephen Donaldson


----------



## ellakav

oh yeah, and '1-2-3 Magic:  Discipline for ages 2-12.'
I can't BELIEVE I'm resorting to reading a book on how to 
discipline my rogue 3 year old son.  My stepdad always says that
'parenthood is predicated on the parent being smarter than the child.'
I must be pretty stupid then because I am at a loss!


----------



## Barbara L

_From Time to Time_, by Jack Finney.  It is the sequel to _Time and Again_.  Time travel novels, not using machines and gadgetry, but based on Einstein's theory that other time periods exist alongside ours and we just have to figure out how to move from one to the other.  Even though they are fiction, I learned a lot about 1800s New York City from the first one.  The first was written in 1970 and the second in 1995, and I thoroughly enjoy both.

Barbara
P.S. The second one gives us a glimpse of 1912's NYC.


----------



## LadyCook61

I put in a request at the library for Julia Child's book "My life in France"  Her book , with her on the cover.


----------



## jabbur

I started Patricia Cornwell's new series.  At Risk was okay.  It was really light reading.  I could almost see it more as a screenplay for a TV movie.  It could have easily been put into a show and not lost anything.  I was a bit disappointed that she didn't flesh out the characters a bit more or go into more detail on the investigations that took place.  She would set up where someone was searching then the next thing you know that person is sharing the conclusions from the investigation.  The Front so far is a bit better but it seems like you get dialog without understanding the characters motivation.  I don't know what is making these guys tick.  That is the joy of books over movies is that deeper understanding of human nature and behavior.  I don't know if I would read any others in this series.


----------



## jennifer75

Barbara L said:


> _From Time to Time_, by Jack Finney.  It is the sequel to _Time and Again_.



I had Time and Again in my  possession but passed it on without reading it.  

I'm listening to Angela's Ashes on audio, while trying to finish Running with Scissors and Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes.


----------



## Barbara L

"Black Creek Crossing," by John Saul.  He is one of my favorite authors.

Barbara


----------



## bethzaring

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.....you never know what I will come home with from the library...


----------



## Claire

My love of mysteries coming to the fore:  just finished James Sallis' _Salt River_, and just started _Double Negative_ by David Carkeet.  To my ladies I'm reading _A Dog's Life_ by Peter Mayle.  Any Peter Mayle lovers who happen to be dog lovers should read it; it is sort of A Year in Provence told from the dog's point of view.  The gals are loving it!  Of the books I checked out of the library last week, my favorite was probably _The Baker Street Letters_ by Michael Robertson.

I have a new friend who just discovered how much I love reading ... he's trying to convince me to give Tolstoy another chance, that he wrote short stories that aren't bad.  Huh ... aren't bad is a positive.  So many books, so little time to waste on books you don't like unless there is a reason to read them (information you need, because you want to be able to discuss it, to get a grade).


----------



## Saphellae

Currently leafing through all of Mercedes Lackey's books.  I read fast and furious!


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am just starting to read Michael Hardwick's "The Revenge Of The Hound". It says on the back cover that it is an energetic, atmospheric semi-sequel to "The Hound Of The Baskervilles".


----------



## Barbara

I just finished Pat Conroy's South of Broad - have read nearly all his books.


----------



## Alix

An Echo in the Bone - Diana Gabaldon. I'm trying to savor and not read it too quickly.


----------



## Barbara L

"A Hope and a Future," by Katrina A. Wampler.  Katrina has been my friend Christi's friend for years.  I have met her a couple times, and she is a friend of mine on Facebook--she is a real sweetie.  This was her first novel, and so far it is good.

Barbara


----------



## GB

I just finished reading Wicked and I immediately started reading The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown.

Now that I am done with Wicked I want to re-watch The Wizard Of Oz. I will see it in a whole new light this time around.


----------



## Barbara L

GB said:


> I just finished reading Wicked and I immediately started reading The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown.
> 
> Now that I am done with Wicked I want to re-watch The Wizard Of Oz. I will see it in a whole new light this time around.


Yes you will!  I said the same thing after we saw the show on Broadway.  It will change how you see it, but I don't think it will mess it up.  I loved the exchange between Elphaba and Dorothy at the end of Wicked (the book--they didn't talk to each other in the show).

Barbara


----------



## GB

Watership Down.


----------



## Claire

I picked up Dan Brown's latest at the library, along with 4 other books, and then realized I'm going out of town in a week for two weeks.  Even I, an insomniac who spends my extra hours reading (well, and doing laundry) can't read all these books in one week, and I know the blockbuster will be in high demand (I pretty much caught it as it arrived at our library) cannot absorb this in a day or two.  Oh, deary me, what shall I do.  

Now I'm finishing up a book of Nero Wolf mysteries.  To my ladies I'm reading _Hotel Pastis.  _

I picked up two paperbacks at Wal-Mart of mysteries I hope I haven't read. I don't much like to buy books there because, well, I'm not much into inspirational, religion-oriented books and romances, which seems to be par for the course at ours.  But I picked up a Kellerman and a Cornwell that I don't _think_ I've read before for on the road reading.


----------



## GB

Claire said:


> I picked up Dan Brown's latest at the library


That is what I just finished reading. In typical Dan Brown fashion it is a quick read that is hard to put down, but of all his books I thought this was the worst. I did enjoy it though.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Murder In Ordinary Time by Sister Carol Anne O'Marie. I love all of her books.


----------



## Claire

I remember that book.  I love old-fashioned murder mysteries, and Sister O'Marie's I loved.  I wonder if she's still alive and writing?


----------



## JoAnn L.

Claire said:


> I remember that book. I love old-fashioned murder mysteries, and Sister O'Marie's I loved. I wonder if she's still alive and writing?


 
Sorry to say Sister died on May 27 of this year. She died of Parkinsons Disease.


----------



## KatieFrank

When in doubt, always go for a classic. I'm reading "Wuthering Heights!"


----------



## PrincessFiona60

*Good Omens*



GB said:


> I will have to check that out. Thanks for the recommendation.


 
I highly recommend "Good Omens," in fact I recommend it so much that I buy up all the used copies I can find so I can hand them out to folks.  To date I've handed out 23 copies and only received two of them back as I misread a couple of people's book likes/dislikes.  Most all have kept them or passed them on to others to enjoy.

And if you e-mail Terry Pratchett he'll answer you back, a very nice man.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

In the Kitchen said:


> This Koontz seems to be so popular. How were books Frankenstein 1 and 2? Were they worth reading? Just figure so many people waiting for this guy's books.


 
I didn't "discover" the new Koontz until #3 was released...I was lucky enough to be able to scoop up #'s 1&2 at the same time.  I loved them and they are the first Koontz DH has read since "Watchers."


----------



## PrincessFiona60

What I am reading at this time is "Sharper Than A Serpent's Tooth," the last in the _Nightside_ series by Simon R. Green.  Then it's back to _The Time Wars _novels by Simon Hawke.  I'm whiling away the time until I find a new author to come up with something good or a favorite author releases a new one.  

As a matter of fact, Terry Pratchett has a new _Discworld_ book coming out called "Unseen Academicals," it's about football and the team at the Unseen University for those of you who are Discworld fans.  Also waiting for the new Rachel Caine book...the title escapes me but it should be soon.


----------



## Fix

Just finished the lost symbol - Dan Brown.

 Just started After dark - Haruki Murakami

Always reading my recipe books, even though I often end up online for a particular recipe


----------



## Dixie_Amazon

PrincessFiona60 said:


> What I am reading at this time is "Sharper Than A Serpent's Tooth," the last in the _Nightside_ series by Simon R. Green.


I love Simon Green.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Dixie_Amazon said:


> I love Simon Green.


 
They are the first I've ever read of him.  Just happened to pick up an omnibus with the first three novels of Nightside in a used bookstore.  I'll be getting more.


----------



## Randy_

Something Of Value by Robert Ruark


----------



## jabbur

DH found 2 black garbage bags of books on the curb for the trash man and brought them home.  Half of them were ones I had already read but I kept about a dozen.  I'm reading one of them now "Looking for Alaska" by Peter Jenkins.  He wrote the book "Walking Across America" about his travels as a young man looking to find himself.  This one is about his adventures in Alaska living there with his wife and kids.  It's been enjoyable.  Makes me want to go there!


----------



## jennifer75

I'll be reading an Amish Cookbook, as soon as it arrives in the mail.  YUM.

Oh, but in the meantime, Isabel's Bed by Eleanor Lipman.


----------



## Dixie_Amazon

Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger

On the spine it is listed as horror/fantasy more accurately it is a steam-punk historical urban fantasy mystery romance.


----------



## jabbur

jennifer75 said:


> I'll be reading an Amish Cookbook, as soon as it arrives in the mail.  YUM.




Those who enjoy cookbooks will enjoy this!
Today's Blondie Comic Strip - ArcaMax Publishing


----------



## PrincessFiona60

The other day I read an excerpt from Dean Koontz's new book,_ a big little life; Memoir of a Joyful Dog._ Yesterday, being payday, I went in search of it. I started reading it last night at about 7 pm and just finished it at 10:30 am. Wonderful book and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Dean Koontz's books, dogs and/or memoirs. Very funny in parts and quite uplifting. A very nice read.


----------



## Barbara

Rough Country - John Sandford


----------



## 1kathyc

I am reading the Cedar Cove series from Debbi Macomber. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, all her books!!!!!


----------



## phinz

I'm currently reading The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway and Twelve Mile Limit by Randy Wayne White. I just finished The Orchard Keeper by Cormac McCarthy and The Year of Living Biblically by A. J. Jacobs. I've gotten hooked on McCarthy lately and am in love with his clean, sparse style of writing. It's been likened to Hemingway before, but I find McCarthy's much more readable.


----------



## JJSH

Just finished 'In a Dry Season ' by Peter Robinson, and 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' by Stieg Larrson, while sitting in the sun on holiday. Both were good books, although Larrson's book has some fairly unpleasant adult themes, all justified by the contex of the story, so be warned if you are of a sensative nature. I will be searching out other books in both series, as I enjoyed them both immensly. However, I am re-reading Hayeck's 'The Road to Serfdom' at the moment.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am reading the new cookbook by Clara Cannucciari from YouTube. She is the lady who is 94 years old and does the recipes from when she was growing up during the depression. I love reading all of her recipes and her stories.


----------



## JoAnn L.

JoAnn L. said:


> I am reading the new cookbook by Clara Cannucciari from YouTube. She is the lady who is 94 years old and does the recipes from when she was growing up during the depression. I love reading all of her recipes and her stories.


 
Forgot to say the name of the cookbook, it's Clara's Kitchen.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Hell to Pay by Simon R. Green and then on to the next one.  I also picked up Plague Ship by Clive Cussler for a quick read at work, since I forgot to take a book for my lunchtime.


----------



## Claire

I've been mostly reading "lite" books lately.  My favorites when my spirits are low or when I'm travelling (both of which describe my last month) are murder mysteries of the goofy genre.  But when visiting a friend in Atlanta, I found a book on his shelf and was taking down the information on it, because I thought it would be one my blind friend would like.  The biography of Edith Piaf.  I brought it to her house yesterday and she was absolutely thrilled with it.


----------



## Claire

By the way, someone here found me a source to find a book I've been looking for for many years.  I have it on order at the library (Amazon only has one copy at $155).  Hopefully I will find and re-read this book.


----------



## Barbara

Pursuit of Honor
Vince Flynn

Love his books, can't put them down.


----------



## yourstrulyewalani

I am working on New Moon, the second book in the Twilight series as most of you may know.  The series is insanely popular as you may have already heard and I wanted to see what the fuss was about.  The books are very well written and I like them and all but I'm not able to set aside much time for reading.  Very different from my teenage years I would read book after book after book.  I would order stacks of books from the library so by the time I was done with what I had I would have fresh ones waiting!


----------



## jessicacarr

Tonight, I finished Lunatic by Ted Dekker which is the 5th of 6 of the Lost Books.  This 5th book was co-authored by another with Dekker; I could tell the diff and I prefer strictly Dekker authoring, but new authors have to get their start somewhere, so i am willing to deal with it again in the 6th book, which is also co-authored by the same.  It is actually in the Juvie fiction genre, but I am such a Ted Dekker fan that I even read the juvinile level...Lost Books.   
I took a break to check in on DC, but am about to start the final and 6th book of the Lost Books.  
Dekker has new novels out too.  One of which is per say an extension of a triliogy, Black...Red...White.  the new one to it is Green.
God has given Dekker a gifted and brilliant imagination.  I love that God has worked through Dekker as he has and appreciate that Dekker has offered himself to be a vessel of God's great love.  you can check out his books at teddekker.com


----------



## Barbara L

GB said:


> Watership Down.


One of my favorites!

I am reading "On Butterfly Faith," by Katrina Wampler. It actually isn't published yet, but a few of us are reading it and reviewing it for her before it is published.  It will be either her 2nd or 3rd published book.  I have only read chapter one so far, but I already enjoy it very much.

Barbara


----------



## SourCream15

I am finally reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult... I have been meaning to read it for a whole now, and it is awesome


----------



## Barbara

I saw the movie and liked it, heard the ending is different than the book ...


----------



## Jikoni

Re-reading Don't Wake Me At Doyles By Maura Murphy. It's a remarkable memoir. It's incredible.
*
*


----------



## PrincessFiona60

"Your Heart Belongs To Me" by Dean Koontz.


----------



## babetoo

Garden of the Beasts,  deaver is the other . it is set in Germany at the Olympic games just before the war. quite a page turner.


----------



## Barbara

Michael Connelly's Scarecrow


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Another Simon R. Green, "Deamons Are Forever."  Love his writing, just picked up his Hawke & Fisher books, I'll be delving into those soon.  I just spend a wad of cash at the bookstore, so I have many delights waiting for me for the next couple of weeks.


----------



## Mrs. Cuillo

Gosh...I used to hate to read because I was forced to read books I didn't like when I was in school but now I always am reading something!  I can't keep up with more than one books so I only read one at a time!    Over the past two months I've read the following books and all of them were fantastic!!

The Twilight series, all four books, 
The Host also by Stephenie Myers...not about vampires!
Downtown by Anne Rivers Siddons
Plantation by Dorthea Benton Frank
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers


----------



## Dr.Awkward

Gotta show my love for "Shantaram" by Gregory David Roberts.  It might be a more guy-ish book (the author escaped from an Australian prison, went on the run to India, surviving and starting a free clinic in the Bombay slum, and wrote a book about a man who escaped from an Australian prison and went on the run to India, surviving and starting a free clinic in the Bombau slum...)  I've bought two copies at full price to give away so far.  Lovely vision if India, and surprisingly introspective, given the adventurous subject matter.


----------



## radhuni

Charles Dicken's short stories


----------



## GB

I am reading The Angel Experiment (Maximum Ride, Book 1) by James Patterson and I am also listening to I, Alex Cross by James Patterson. I did not realize until just this second that they are both Patterson books as they are very different from each other.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

GB said:


> I am reading The Angel Experiment (Maximum Ride, Book 1) by James Patterson and I am also listening to I, Alex Cross by James Patterson. I did not realize until just this second that they are both Patterson books as they are very different from each other.


 
I loved the Maximum Ride series, great fun.  I really enjoy James Patterson, but he can't seem to keep up with me


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Dr.Awkward said:


> Gotta show my love for "Shantaram" by Gregory David Roberts. It might be a more guy-ish book (the author escaped from an Australian prison, went on the run to India, surviving and starting a free clinic in the Bombay slum, and wrote a book about a man who escaped from an Australian prison and went on the run to India, surviving and starting a free clinic in the Bombau slum...) I've bought two copies at full price to give away so far. Lovely vision if India, and surprisingly introspective, given the adventurous subject matter.


 
Sounds good, I'll have to take a look.


----------



## jennifer75

I just finished a good book, The Boy on the Bus and am reading So Far From God now.  The BOTB was interesting because I found myself relating to just about everything going on.  I had to close the book a couple of times because it hit a little too close to home but that just goes to show the power of good writing.  (Oh, and the interesting thing is that while I was reading, I was convinced that the author must have personally lived through the situations written in the story to know how to write on them, turns out not so.  That is good research/writing.)

I knew immediately upon reading the back of the book that I was interested, then heard from a younger reader that it was very strange and not at all what they expected.  I read it in record time, a week.  I'm a very slow reader.  

Then I picked up So Far From God and read almost half of it in one evening.  If you read and enjoyed Like Water For Chocolate, you'll enjoy this book.  Much of the same ideals and "hocus pocus" type of stuff.  

Both are recommended.


----------



## Max Sutton

*Soul Patch*

I'm currently reading* SOUL PATCH* (2007) by Reed Farrel Coleman. This _crime fiction_ book is the fourth book in his Moe Prager series set in NYC. I've read and enjoyed the previous three books in this series.


----------



## chilipepper12

Under the Dome by Stephen King - i just saw him speak, so i had to go and start the book right away - the man is a genius


----------



## GrillingFool

Knapp's Chemical Technology, or Chemistry Applied to Arts and Manufacturers, 1848.
And Greg Iles "Devil's Punchbowl".


----------



## TATTRAT

Dress your family in denim and courtyard

when engulfed in flames

Both David Sedaris

Honeymoon with my brother
Franz


----------



## LadyCook61

Just picked up 8 books from the library.  I will probably start with a book by Al and Joanna Lacy, called A Measure Of Grace.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Will be beginning a Jeffery Deaver in a few minutes, "The Lesson of Her Death."  It's a stand alone and I need a short break before beginning the next series of Simon R. Green...besides DH is still reading the one I want to read next.


----------



## BakersDozen

*What is everyone reading now....??*

Its been awhile since I've posted on this board, but have kept up with it through emails. I just finished reading "Rebecca's Promise" by Jerry S. Eicher and the second book in this series, "Rebecca's Return". The next book is "Rebecca's Choice" and I'm anxious to get it! These are Amish inspirational fiction books and I'm enjoying them very much. 

My current read is a big switch in genres, "The Death of Sweet Mister" by Daniel Woodrell. So far, I'm enjoying it. An excerpt from the inside cover:

_Shuggie Akins is a lonely fat boy of thirteen. His mother, Glenda, teases him with her sexual provocations. His father, Red, is a brutal man with a short fuse who mocks and despises his son. Into this mix comes Jimmy Vin-Pearce with his shiny green T-bird and smart city clothes. It isn't long before he and Glenda begin a torrid affair. What follows is violent, shocking, and totally unpredictable-except that it is totally foreordained._
_The Death of Sweet Mister, Daniel Woodrell's darkest novel, is raw and disturbing and wholly original. Woodrell's Ozarks are cut as cleanly as Flannery O'Connor's Georgia and packed with characters just as volatile and proud and predictable. _


----------



## Max Sutton

I'm now reading *GENTLEMEN AND PLAYERS* (2006) by Joanne Harris. This book of fiction takes place at St. Oswald's Grammar School For Boys.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Yards and yards of end of the month paperwork to get ready for the next month...I'll be glad when Tuesday gets here so I can get back to my novels.


----------



## kannan

I love comics and I am starting with Asterix in Spain.


----------



## Max Sutton

*Gallows lane*

I'm now reading* GALLOWS LANE* (2008) by Brian McGilloway. This is the second book in his _Garda Inspector Devlin_ series that takes place in Ireland. I've read and enjoyed his first book *BORDERLANDS* (2007) and plan to read the third book *BLEED A RIVER DEEP* (2009) soon.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Just started the Hawk and Fisher book by Simon Green, so far so good.  I'm still waiting for DH to finish "Tuck" by Stephen Lawhead,once he's done I will drop everything else to read it.


----------



## BakersDozen

Finished "The Death of Sweet Mister" and Winters Bone" by Daniel Woodrell, and now reading "When Autumn Leaves" by Amy S. Foster.


----------



## vagriller

Good to Great by Jim Collins.


----------



## GrillingFool

I have discovered Andrew Vachss' "Burke" series. He's a "shadowy, unlicensed investigator, ex con, criminal and deeply conflicted character " battling against child abusers and other issues. 

There are 18 novels, I am on #5, so I have at least a month or three of reading left!

Vachss was one of the original lawyer writers... interesting looking dude,
has an eye patch.

I very much like the Burke character.. he has a 140 pound mastiff named Pansy and an interesting cast of supporting characters.
Quick, easy entertaining reads.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

GrillingFool said:


> I have discovered Andrew Vachss' "Burke" series. He's a "shadowy, unlicensed investigator, ex con, criminal and deeply conflicted character " battling against child abusers and other issues.


 
Thanks for the rec!  Always looking for something new to read.  

Still getting through Hawke and Fisher, these are not page-turners like the other Simon Green series are, at least not for me.


----------



## Max Sutton

*Secrets to die for (2009)*

I'm now reading *SECRETS TO DIE FOR* (2009) by L.J. Sellers. This is her second Detective Wade Jackson book. I've already read and enjoyed her first book in this series *THE SEX CLUB*.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am reading the mysteries by Indridason Arnaldur. He is a crime writer from Iceland.


----------



## bethzaring

doing the Harry Potter series right now


----------



## babetoo

without conscience by robert hare phd. the disturbing world of the psychopaths among us. another book same subject on way from amazon. i get on these tangents to know all i can about a subject. last was columbine shooting.


----------



## Silversage

I'm reading Ruth Reichl's Garlic and Sapphires.  It's a hoot!!!!!!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

"Monster", by A. Lee Martinez and ""*Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers"* is a 2003 non-fiction work by Mary Roach. Published by W. W. Norton & Company, it details the unique scientific contributions of the deceased. It was a _New York Times_ bestseller..."that is from Wikipedia.


----------



## GB

Under The Dome - Stephen King


----------



## BakersDozen

T is for Trespass - Sue Grafton
The Mammy - Brendan O'Carroll


----------



## getoutamykitchen

The St. Petersburg Times (Newspaper)


----------



## Omnidir

I just finished the Audiobook "Below Zero" by C J Box... part of a series about a State Game Warden. 

Paperback: Every Crooked Nanny by Kathy Hogan Trochek - an ex-police woman, ex-private eye turned owner of a House cleaning service. Of course she gets involved in mysteries and murders in her daily cleaning life.


----------



## babetoo

BakersDozen said:


> T is for Trespass - Sue Grafton
> The Mammy - Brendan O'Carroll


 i love her books, have read a lot of them. should have written them down as i read them. then i could tell what i had read and not  duplicate them.


----------



## radhuni

'Inca gold' by Clive Cussler.


----------



## Max Sutton

*Police procedurals set in modern Greece*

I enjoyed reading *MURDER IN* *MYKONOS* (2009) by Jeffrey Siger so much that I'm now reading his second book *ASSASSINS OF ATHENS* (2010). Both crime fiction books are _police procedurals_ set in modern-day Greece.


----------



## Alix

Just about to begin, "Blood Game" by Iris Johansen.


----------



## Barbara

babetoo said:


> without conscience by robert hare phd. the disturbing world of the psychopaths among us. another book same subject on way from amazon. i get on these tangents to know all i can about a subject. last was columbine shooting.


 
Read "People of the Lie" Scott Beck to know more than you want to about psychopaths.


----------



## BakersDozen

Babetoo....I keep a book journal with books I've read and that helps me.


----------



## jabbur

I'm in the middle of Sue Grafton's alphabet murders.  On L have M,N.O,Q,S,and T waiting. I know. P and R are not there.  I read them first since they were given to me by friends.  After reading them, I had to go back and start at the beginning!


----------



## JamesS

I've been reading a series of silly, para/noir/fantasy/detective novels by a fellow named Jim Butcher.  The series really defies classification, they're old school Dashiel Hammet-esque detective novels that center on a modern day wizard.  I know, sounds ridiculous, but they're really kind of fun. Collectively, they're called The Dresden Files.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

JamesS said:


> I've been reading a series of silly, para/noir/fantasy/detective novels by a fellow named Jim Butcher. The series really defies classification, they're old school Dashiel Hammet-esque detective novels that center on a modern day wizard. I know, sounds ridiculous, but they're really kind of fun. Collectively, they're called The Dresden Files.


 
Love Harry Dresden!  There is a short story collection just out with a Harry Dresden story, the book is called "Mean Streets."  The other writers are: Simon R. Green (John Taylor story), Kat Richardson and Thomas Sniegoski.  I haven't heard of the last two, but will be finding out about them shortly.

If you like Jim Butcher, you should like Simon R. Green's Nightside series with John Taylor.


----------



## vagriller

Just read Born to Run by Chistopher McDougall. Great book!


----------



## nomomojo

Had a monster read-a-thon these last few weeks. Read Jodi Picoult's My Sisters Keeper (finally!), Poor Little B*tch Girl - Jackie Collins (Good light reading), Mommywood - Tori Spelling (I now have a strong hate for that girl...), Joan Rivers 'Men are stupid...' and Textbook Romance by Zoe Foster.
Working at a major publisher has its perks!!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Just started "Mean Streets."  DH is reading outloud all the funny bits of a book I read two weeks ago...they are still funny.  It's from Jefferson Bass' "Bones of Betrayal."  If you are a fan of CSI, check out Jefferson Bass.


----------



## Claire

pdswife, I'm like you.  There are books all over the place.  I read almost anything besides romances (nothing against them, just too predictable and too many pretty people).  Right now I'm in the middle of a murder mystery (my favorite "light" genre), _Through a Glass Darkly_, and a biography of Edith Piaf .... and am reading aloud two different books to a blind friend.


----------



## JamesS

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Love Harry Dresden!  There is a short story collection just out with a Harry Dresden story, the book is called "Mean Streets."  The other writers are: Simon R. Green (John Taylor story), Kat Richardson and Thomas Sniegoski.  I haven't heard of the last two, but will be finding out about them shortly.
> 
> If you like Jim Butcher, you should like Simon R. Green's Nightside series with John Taylor.



Thanks for the recommendation. I tossed Mean Streets and one of Simon Green's books onto my Amazon wishlist. As soon as some of this snow clears away and UPS can get to the house (which may be a while..supposed to snow again today) I'll let them ship.


----------



## Chopstix

The Good Soldiers by David Finkel - A gut-wrenching account of an American battalion stationed outside Iraq's Green Zone.

Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama


----------



## masteraznchefjr

Matrix Structural Analysis - Felton  : ( grrs at schoool


----------



## PrincessFiona60

"Blindness," by Jose' Saramago.


----------



## Barbara

Just started "Open" the autobiography by Andre Agassi. I bought the hard cover - I have a Kindle, but wanted the book. Kindle also helps with me remembering what books I've read - it keeps a list  just like audible.com keeps a library of read books.


----------



## Claire

I'm going for some light reading right now; picked up some Miss Read novels at the library.  Not something I'd read on a regular basis, but nice, soothing, bed-time reading.  Much on the line of Jan Karon's books, only English, and written in the early 60s.  Let's just say Karon's stuff is almost hard-hitting compared to Read's, but both are soothing, when you're stressed out, kind of reading.


----------



## CookLikeJulia

Nothing. Im currently too busy doing work and I barely have time!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Percy Jackson and the Olympians - The Lightning Thief.  It's really good!  I'll be picking up the rest of the series.


----------



## SierraCook

_Paths of Glory_ by Jeffrey Archer.  Basically, the book is about George Mallory who died while trying to reach the summit of Mt. Everest.  The book tells his story from mostly college age to when he died.  The mystery is whether or not he actually reached the summit or died enroute.

George Mallory


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Just started "Cape Storm," by Racheal Caine, another series I love!


----------



## yourstrulyewalani

Sadly, I am still on the 3rd book of the Twilight series "Eclipse".  I am also reading George Carlins book "Napalm & Silly Putty".


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I got the entire Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and will be starting on the second book.  I'm really enjoying these.


----------



## LadyCook61

Cry In The Night by Collen Coble - A Christian Mystery


----------



## Claire

I picked up _Alex Cross's Trial _by James Patterson & Richard Dillalo.  I am always suspicious of books that reek of an author selling his name to another author, so am curious of this (I cannot afford to buy the books I read; that is to say 3-7 a week, the library is my best friend).  Sometimes an author takes over a series and does great at it.  Sometimes, more often, the new author just cannot capture what the original did.  Anyone have something to say on the subject?


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Claire said:


> I picked up _Alex Cross's Trial _by James Patterson & Richard Dillalo. I am always suspicious of books that reek of an author selling his name to another author, so am curious of this (I cannot afford to buy the books I read; that is to say 3-7 a week, the library is my best friend). Sometimes an author takes over a series and does great at it. Sometimes, more often, the new author just cannot capture what the original did. Anyone have something to say on the subject?


 
The only one's I've ever been happy with are the Clive Cussler series taken over by other authors and his son.  I was and am not crazy by Anne McCaffrey's son Todd taking over the Pern series.


----------



## jabbur

Usually the new authors try but cannot match the spark infused by the original author.  I've found this to be so with V.C. Andrews and Lawrence Sanders.  So far, the Patterson books with a second author that I have read have been good.  It seems like it may be more of a mentoring type thing than taking over for him.  I also like the fact that he gives them credit for working with him.


----------



## LadyCook61

Riven by Jerry Jenkins.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm keeping the Percy Jackson stories for light-reading before bed.  Reading two others at this time, "Unknown," by Rachel Caine and my work book is, The Scarecrow," by Micheal Connelly.  I'm in one of my short attention span periods when I have to many books to read so I try to read all of them at once.  Happens about once a year.


----------



## Chopstix

Am thoroughly enjoying Julia Child's My Life in France now.


----------



## Max Sutton

*FDR by Jean Edward Smith*

I'm halfway through *FDR* (2007) by Jean Edward Smith. This is a fascinating biography of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.


----------



## licia

i've been reading the book on Susan Boyle.  I hope she is very successful but the book isn't written very well - terribly repetitive.


----------



## DaveSoMD

It is a book called _The Devil's Food Dictionary_. It has to be one of the funniest food books I have read.


----------



## gabagoo

I am reading  "the devils punchbowl"  by Greg Iles.

No its not a cookbook!!!!  lol


----------



## PrincessFiona60

gabagoo said:


> I am reading "the devils punchbowl" by Greg Iles.
> 
> No its not a cookbook!!!! lol


 
How is it?  It's one of many I have waiting for me to pick up...when I finish the current crop.


----------



## gabagoo

PrincessFiona60 said:


> How is it? It's one of many I have waiting for me to pick up...when I finish the current crop.


 

Im only on page 64  but it has kept my interest so far.  I have never read this author before.....was a Walmart special!!!!  lol


----------



## PrincessFiona60

gabagoo said:


> Im only on page 64 but it has kept my interest so far. I have never read this author before.....was a Walmart special!!!! lol


 
If you enjoy it, I can recommend the rest of his books.  This one is just the latest I've picked up.


----------



## Gennie32

the lost symbol by dan brown


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Kingdom Keepers, by Ridley Pearson, another visit to juvenile books...I must be in my second childhood already.


----------



## Linda123

I discovered Celia Riverbark. Real southern humor.


----------



## ohwhataday03

I just got done reading "bitter in black" & "pretty in plaid" by jen lancaster. Now reading her second book (not sure if it I can put it here), she is funny for life most trying times. I can't wait for her new book this may.


----------



## babetoo

just finishing up with "dance with the devil". true story of woman married to a sociopath. the abuse emotionally and mentally was just awful. then he tried to kill her.


----------



## les

Half way through "Lucky" written by Alice Sebold who wrote "The Lovely Bones", brilliant writer!


----------



## BakersDozen

Sounds like my ex!


----------



## BakersDozen

I'm reading "Liberty Falling" by Nevada Barr. The other post was to babetoo, about the book she read.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

More Harry Dresden, "Small Favor."


----------



## DaveSoMD

My 3 gardening magazines came is the mail this week so I am reading those, dreaming of warm weathe and no rain.


----------



## MexicoKaren

I'm listening to a Lee Child/Jack Reacher book called Gone Tomorrow on my iPod and reading Darkness, Take My Hand by Dennis Lehane. But not at the same time.


----------



## Linika

"The Omnivores Dilema"


----------



## Claire

Just finished _The Distand Land of my Father_ by Bo Caldewell.  Loved it!


----------



## SierraCook

I just finished reading _The Art of Racing in the Rain_ by Garth Stein.  Like Marley and Me it had a very emotional ending.   Keep a tissue handy at the end, if you read this book.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

SierraCook said:


> I just finished reading _The Art of Racing in the Rain_ by Garth Stein. Like Marley and Me it had a very emotional ending. Keep a tissue handy at the end, if you read this book.


 
It's in my "read next pile," thanks for the warning.


----------



## babetoo

reading" devil's waltz" by jonathan kellerman. it is hard to put down, very dramatic.


----------



## BakersDozen

Just finished "Liberty Falling" by Nevada Barr. Now I'm reading "The Bronxville Book Club" by Pamela Hackett Hobson.


----------



## Barbara

Love Lee Child - Reacher novels, think I've read or listened to all of them.


----------



## Barbara

Reading Courage and Consciousness by karl Rove - so far amazingly personal.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

The First Rule, by Robert Crais.  The Art of Racing in the Rain is my bedside book right now.


----------



## expatgirl

I'm reading "No One Would Listen" by Harry Markopolos.......the Bernie Madoff expose which could have been possibly prevented nearly 10 years before it was discovered had the SEC listened to his and others' warnings and before billions were swindled  and left so many people devastated......


----------



## Barbara

I'm going to "A Day of Authors" at our local college on Saturday. Main speaker is John Lescroart - his latest novel is Treasure Hunt. have read The Hunt Club. Others are also there for break out sessions. Looking forward to a fun day.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Barbara said:


> I'm going to "A Day of Authors" at our local college on Saturday. Main speaker is John Lescroart - his latest novel is Treasure Hunt. have read The Hunt Club. Others are also there for break out sessions. Looking forward to a fun day.


 
That sounds like fun, wish we had things like that around here.


----------



## Barbara

It's once a year and this is the first one I have been able to go to.


----------



## Jel

i dont read books.. because i cant finish reading them;(


----------



## babetoo

currently catcher in the rye. one of those books you always think you have read and you haven't


----------



## Mimizkitchen

The Gate House by Nelson Demille... Great read...


----------



## Barbara

Gate house - Is that a sequel?


----------



## Mimizkitchen

Barbara said:


> Gate house - Is that a sequel?



Barbara it's the first time i've read him (though it won't be the last) but the back of the book says it is a follow-up to The Gold Coast...


----------



## Kayelle

Just finished "Cain and Abel"...Jeffery Archer.
Although this is the 30th anniversary of it's hitting the best seller list, I can't believe it passed me by in those days.  WHAT a story, and no wonder it's now a classic!!  By the way......it has nothing to do with the Bible.
If you have yet to read it........you're in for a real ride!!
WOW!!


----------



## Barbara

Okay, I read the Gold Coast - do I remember it??? I have a Kindle and will get the sample - thanks.


----------



## Mimizkitchen

You're very welcome...


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I just finished the last installment of Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden series, "Changes."  I won't discuss it until all Butcher fans here have read it and DH is done.  Continuing on with the Clive Cussler's I've missed over the years.


----------



## BakersDozen

Just finished "Good Hope Road" by Lisa Wingate. Loved this book, very inspirational. Not sure what's next, but will definately start something today.


----------



## TATTRAT

Bag of Bones, S. King


----------



## ChefJune

Reading and loving *"Spoon Fed (How 8 cooks saved my life)"* by Kim Severson. Highly recommend it!


----------



## Mimizkitchen

ChefJune said:


> Reading and loving *"Spoon Fed (How 8 cooks saved my life)"* by Kim Severson. Highly recommend it!



Just went to the link June, this book sounds amazing... When I finish my read i'm investing in this, thanks for the recommendation...


----------



## GB

I am now reading The Passage by Justin Cronin. It is a vampire book, but does not seem to be the typical sort of vampire book. I am a 5TH of the way done with the book (700ish pages or so. Not too sure of the length because it is on my Kindle) and so far there have been no traditional vampires and the word vampire has only been used once or twice. This is the first thing I have ever read from this author. I am really enjoying his style. There are a lot of characters to keep track of and a number of different plot lines, but I can tell they are all going to end up coming together in one at some point and I have a feeling he will do it in a clever way. I got this book after hearing a recommendation for it on NPR and I am very happy I did.


----------



## CjH

In the middle of "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle", the story of a family of four who make it a goal to go a whole year only eating food they raised themselves or bought from local sources.  Very interesting!


----------



## MSC

LOL, guess it's a brief attention span, but I've got 4 books going at the moment.
The battle for Normandy, by Antony Beevor, one of the best books I've read about the D'Day invasion.
Rereading Talking god by Tony Hillerman, one of my favorite authors no longer with us.
The Good, the Bad and the Uncanny, by Simon r. green in the Nightside series
And Blue-eyed Devil, the, what will now be the last in the Virgil Cole western series due to Robert B. Parker's untimely demise.


----------



## qmax

Smartest Guys in the Room - the Rise & Fall of Enron.

Just finished Medium Raw.


----------



## Wyogal

Beach Road, James Patterson and Peter de Jonge. cheesey. but I started it so I should finish it.


----------



## Barbara

The Girl Who Play with Fire


----------



## BakersDozen

I'm reading "Hearts on a String" - Kris Radish, and will start a second book as soon as I figure out what else I want to read...leaning towards a Susan Wittig Albert mystery.


----------



## FrankZ

At the Mountains of Madness by HP Lovecraft.  Haven't read it in a very long time.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Barbara said:


> The Girl Who Play with Fire


 
I just finished that trilogy, loved it!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

The Third Secret by Steve Berry.


----------



## Mimizkitchen

The Lions Game,,, Nelson DeMille


----------



## babetoo

mimiz how in the world do u find the time to do all you do and still be very active on d.c.?


----------



## CharlieD

Winter Quin, by Boris Akunin.


----------



## babetoo

i just finished a really good book. skin by ted dekker. read til midnight last nite to finish it. just couldn't go to bed till i read the ending. it is a suspense novel and rivals steven king. 

last week i read shutter island by dennis lehane. he wrote mystic river. also a very tense book.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I love Dennis Lehane!

Right now I'm reading Agincourt, by Bernard Cornwell AND The Charlemange Pursuit, by Steve Berry.  One book for home, one for work/car.


----------



## vagriller

This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti


----------



## Alix

vagriller said:


> This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti


I loved those books!


----------



## vagriller

Alix said:


> I loved those books!


 
Traded some old cookbooks for them on swaptree. I don't even look at my newer cookbooks much so that was a great trade.


----------



## Claire

I'm just finishing the latest _Mistress of Death_ novel by Ariana Franklin.  Interesting series.  For reading to my elderly friends I'm reading _Je Ne Sais Quois and Letters to Myself_, in turn (I may not have the titles exactly correct, one is about "foreign" words that enter the English language, the other is letters women write if they could advise themselves at a younger age).


----------



## Alix

vagriller, have you read his other ones? The Oath I think is what the other one is called. They really make you think. 

I'm reading Poisoned Tarts by GA McKevett.


----------



## BakersDozen

Finished "Wench" by Dolen Perkins-Valdez and reading 

"A Gate At The Stairs" by Lorrie Moore


----------



## susieloves2cook

LOVED The Secret Life of Bees.  One of my all-time favorites....It was also great as an audio book while driving in the car.


----------



## ChefJune

Just finished reading "The Sweet Life in Paris," by David Lebovitz. It's not a cookbook, but there are some lovely recipes included anyway.

If you've been to Paris, it will make you homesick.


----------



## babetoo

William Manchester's "Remembering Kennedy". subtitle " one brief shining moment" it is bringing up lots of memories for me. my first vote for president.


----------



## JodyK

There are a lot of great suggestions in this thread.  After I'm done the series I'm reading (by Lynn Kurland - historical paranormal romance), I'll start at the beginning and go from there!


----------



## BakersDozen

Starting a new book, along with reading the last few chapters of "A Gate at The Stairs" by Lorrie Moore. 

New book - So Happy Together - Maryann McFadden


----------



## PrincessFiona60

"206 Bones" by Kathy Reichs...the books the TV show "Bones" is based on.


----------



## gage

" molecular gastronomy" by Herve This.--- It is damm good


----------



## Alix

PrincessFiona60 said:


> "206 Bones" by Kathy Reichs...the books the TV show "Bones" is based on.



Haven't read that one yet! I'm saving it for a pool book this summer. Is it good? I love Kathy Reichs. I must say the show disappoints me because Tempe in the books is NOT Aspergers. I think the characters are richer in the books.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Alix said:


> Haven't read that one yet! I'm saving it for a pool book this summer. Is it good? I love Kathy Reichs. I must say the show disappoints me because Tempe in the books is NOT Aspergers. I think the characters are richer in the books.


 So far so good...haven't read much, too many new toys.  Personally, I watch "Bones" for the dialog, which is funny and Angel...er...Seely Booth. 

New Toys List:
Laptop Computer
2009 Subaru Outback
Cook'n Recipe Organizer
New storage for our CD's and DVD's

Then  there is the satck of books we've managed to accumulate over the last three days.  Not to mention cooking, eating, sleeping and getting ready to go back to work.


----------



## Gracie's Kitchen

*Loving the....*

Twilight series.


----------



## qmax

Just finished "Sh*t My Dad Says".

Absolutely hilarious.  Out loud belly laughs through the whole thing.

Short read, though, only 100-couple pages.


----------



## BreezyCooking

Anthony Bourdain's new book, Medium Raw.  I like it, but then I liked Kitchen Confidential as well.  If you didn't like Kitchen Confidential, you most likely won't like this one.  And if you've never read "KC", much of this somewhat "sequel" will be oblivious to you.  It's a bit different from & not quite as good as "KC", but in the same general style.


----------



## qmax

BreezyCooking said:


> Anthony Bourdain's new book, Medium Raw.  I like it, but then I liked Kitchen Confidential as well.  If you didn't like Kitchen Confidential, you most likely won't like this one.  And if you've never read "KC", much of this somewhat "sequel" will be oblivious to you.  It's a bit different from & not quite as good as "KC", but in the same general style.




I liked Medium Raw.  Not quite as "raw", but Bourdain's writing skills are much better now.


----------



## ChefJune

gage said:


> " molecular gastronomy" by Herve This.--- It is damm good


 
...and sitting down to talk one on one with him is even better!


----------



## ChefJune

I'm reading "Reflexions," Richard Olney's autobiography.  For those of you who are not familiar with him by name, he wrote the Time/Life series "The Good Cook" that has become a collectors' item.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

qmax said:


> Just finished "Sh*t My Dad Says".
> 
> Absolutely hilarious. Out loud belly laughs through the whole thing.
> 
> Short read, though, only 100-couple pages.


 
It was great...took me about 4 hours...I read it straight through, didn't even stop for food!


----------



## Claire

Jeese, I keep having to completely sign in every time I come here.  Oh, well, By the tiime I've signed in, I cannot remember why I'm here to begin with!


----------



## Claire

Oh, there it is, books.  I just finished reading _What I Know Now_ to my shut in friends, and am propably going to send it on to some one I know could use some inspiration.  It is a great concept for all of you out there.


----------



## BakersDozen

I'm reading "By Fire, By Water" - Mitchell James Kaplan.


----------



## TATTRAT

After a long King stint. then "Girl with the butterfly tattoo". I am back to Sedaris: Me Talk Pretty One Day


----------



## FrankZ

I am reading Under the Dome but King.


----------



## GB

FrankZ said:


> I am reading Under the Dome but King.


I enjoyed this one, but the ending was a little lack luster IMO.


----------



## FrankZ

The fellas I sail with on Thursdays said the same thing.  

Barely even moving with it yet.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

GB said:


> I enjoyed this one, but the ending was a little lack luster IMO.


 
Why couldn't I have seen this the other day, before I bought it?  Doesn't matter, I would have bought it anyway.

I'm starting "Pillars of the Earth," by Ken Follett...for the 5th time.  I want to get it read again before the mini-series comes out on cable.


----------



## GB

Don't worry PrincessFiona. Even though the end could have been better it is still a worthwhile read. It took me a little while to get into it, but once I did I was riveted.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

GB said:


> Don't worry PrincessFiona. Even though the end could have been better it is still a worthwhile read. It took me a little while to get into it, but once I did I was riveted.


 
Thanks GB!  Sounds like a typical King.  I'm going to be hitting Pillars of the Earth next and then Under The Dome...I have too many new books to choose from right now and then a bunch of Tess Gerritson's to re-read.  So many books, so little time


----------



## babetoo

i am reading "scarpetta" by patrica cornwell. quite a thriller, am half way through and have to clue,"who did it" she has a lot of books about this heroine. all i find riveting. good summer read.


----------



## velochic

I've just read up from where I left off of this thread quite a while back.  Interesting reads.

I work in a library, so I have access to a great selection and often have more than one book going at the same time.  Right now my light read is Body in the Attic by Katherine Hall Page (a murder mystery).  Other books that I'm reading are Time and Chance by Sharon Kay Penman (an historical novel), Everyday in Tuscany by Frances Mayes (headed there in a couple of months) and The Entitlement-Free Child (which is parenting book).

I've written down some of the titles mentioned here to put on hold at work.  Great suggestions!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

velochic said:


> I work in a library, so I have access to a great selection and often have more than one book going at the same time.


 
Oh Gosh!!!  DREAM JOB!...only thing better would be to own a bookstore!

And coffee shop/diner...think my patients would miss me??


----------



## semlerae

I've been reading "The Book of Negroes" by Lawrence Hill. I absolutely love it, finding the time to finish it is the problem...


----------



## GB

I just finished reading The Passage. It was a great book. There will be two more in the series, but they have not been written yet so I will have to wait.

I just started Blood Oath and I am really enjoying it so far.


----------



## Kayelle

I'm nearly done with "For California's Gold" by Joann Levy. If you like historical novels this one's for you.  The story of a woman and her family heading west is truly a compelling read, and nearly impossible to put down from the very first page.
I highly recommend it, as it's the best I've ever read on this personally interesting subject.


----------



## ChefJune

Really loved Richard Olney's autobio, "Reflexions,"  so now am rereading his first book, "the French Menu Cookbook."  
Really underscores the meaning of "basic skills and techniques."


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm reading "Under The Dome," by Stephen King, but I picked up "Eat, Pray Love" today and may switch for a bit.


----------



## Mimizkitchen

Just finished "swimsuit" by James Patterson, and started "the asylum prophecies" by Daniel Keyes, which I pretty much can't put down...


----------



## Barbara

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson - it's riveing even better than the first one The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo. Already a movie.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Barbara said:


> The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson - it's riveing even better than the first one The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo. Already a movie.


 
Read reviews on the movie before buying it.  I haven't heard anything good about it, Amazon and IMDb.  The books are fantastic, though!


----------



## Barbara

Here's a first - I saw it and liked it - got it on Netflix - sub titled


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Barbara said:


> Here's a first - I saw it and liked it - got it on Netflix - sub titled


 
Maybe only people who don't like something write reviews...I'll reconsider, we almost picked it up at Costco yesterday.


----------



## vagriller

The Oath by Frank Peretti. Wow, this one is better than the last!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm still laboring, "Under The Dome" by Stephen King.  Very dry story, about half way through and I'm wishing I was reading something else.


----------



## GB

It is definitely dry in the middle, but push on through PF. It does get a bit better and easier to read.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

GB said:


> It is definitely dry in the middle, but push on through PF. It does get a bit better and easier to read.


 
Oh, I'm stubborn I never leave a book unread once I've started it.  But, thanks for the encouraging words.


----------



## GB

You are like my wife then. No matter how bad a book is, once she starts she HAS to finish. I have seen her torture herself countless times by reading a book she could not stand.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

It's that insatiable urge to know how it ends.


----------



## FrankZ

Finished Under the Dome and started Firestarter.


----------



## Chopstix

Just finished Wolfhall.  So many characters and so many details I got confused, but great piece of writing. So I'm reading it again from the start!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> Finished Under the Dome and started Firestarter.


 
Is it your first time read for "Firestarter?"  Fantastic story, one of my favorites.


----------



## FrankZ

Oddly enough, yes.  How I never read it before I don't know.  I have always enjoyed King, except for a couple books (Tommyknockers comes to mind).  

I especially like old King and I think this is the last of the old stuff I haven't read.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> I especially like old King and I think this is the last of the old stuff I haven't read.


 
IMHO, he topped himself when he wrote, "The Stand."  I love his early books, not so fond of recent offerings. 

Dean Koontz is still writing some fantastic story, but again not as "meaty" as his earlier stories.  But, he involves fantastic animals into his stories that make you want to meet them.

I've decided to put "Under The Dome" away for a bit and have some adventures with Clive Cussler and his assorted band of pirates.


----------



## GB

FrankZ said:


> Oddly enough, yes.  How I never read it before I don't know.  I have always enjoyed King, except for a couple books (Tommyknockers comes to mind).
> 
> I especially like old King and I think this is the last of the old stuff I haven't read.


After I finished Under The Dome I wanted to read another King book. I randomly bought tommyknockers, but was not able to get past the first page or two.


----------



## Claire

GB, I had to laugh at your wife _having _to finish any book she started.  I used to be like that in my younger days.  Mostly it was financial; if I bought the book, I'd finish it come ..... or high water.  But there are so many good-to-great books out there, a few years ago I came to the conclusion that wasting my time on a book I've read half and still don't like it ... so many books, so little time.  Right now I'm reading _This body of Death_ by Elizabeth George for my own entertainment, and reading Steinbeck's _Of Mice and Men_ to my handicapped friends.  Now most of my reading comes from the library.  I read 2-5 books a week (that 3 a.m. thing) and life is too short to read bad books.


----------



## Linux

Maximumride books by James Patterson. My daughter and I share and discuss them. Brilliant reads.


----------



## GB

Those were fun books Linux.


----------



## bigdaddy3k

I loved Tommynockers. I have enjoyed all the King books. I like his attention to detail. I re-read The Stand about once every 2 years. Speaking of re-reads, I am re-reading Stranger in a Strange Land.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

bigdaddy3k said:


> Speaking of re-reads, I am re-reading Stranger in a Strange Land.


 
I've worn out several copies of Stranger.  Heinlein is my favorite author!


----------



## Barbara L

I'll be leaving in several hours to fly back home to see my family.  My friend Susan bought me a great book to read on the plane, "Fascinating Facts of the Faith: Your Inspirational and Entertaining Guide to the Who, What, When, and Where of Christianity."  It is a compilation, by several authors. I couldn't resist reading some of it already, and I am thoroughly enjoying it.

Barbara


----------



## radhuni

'Manabputra' by Samaresh Majumder


----------



## PrincessFiona60

"Starvation Heights" by Gregg Olsen, a true crime novel.


----------



## FrankZ

I am in the middle of Desperation.  I suppose I am now officially on a King kick.


----------



## GB

I am reading Treason. It is not that great of a book, but is just interesting enough to keep me reading.


----------



## pdswife

I'm a few pages into PILLERS OF THE EARTH...


----------



## bigdaddy3k

Has anyone read Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts?


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm just starting the Tess Gerritsen, Rizzoli and Isles books.  Finished, "Starvation Heights," by Gregg Larsen, this morning.


----------



## FrankZ

I have moved on to The Regulators.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Picked up "Heat Wave" and "Naked Heat" by Richard Castle...they have Nathan Fillion's picture on them as the author.  I wonder who is really writing them.


----------



## ChefJune

I have two books working right now.  In the living room, I'm reading John Besh's "My New Orleans," and in the bedroom I'm reading Dorie Greenspan's new one,, "Around my Paris Table."  Both are quite delicious, and will require "Lab work."


----------



## GB

I am reading Harry Harrison's A Stainless Steel Trio.


----------



## vagriller

The Passing of the Night: My Seven Years as a Prisoner of the North Vietnamese by Robinson Risner. Can't put the book down!


----------



## KathyJ

I'm reading "The Zookeeper's Wife" by Diane Ackerman at home, "Brava, Valentine" by Adriana Trigiani at work. Up next will be "61 Hours" by Lee Child. Just finished "Tensleep" by Sarah Andrews - will probably try to read the series.

Also looking through "cat cora's classics with a twist" trying to decide if I want to keep it or not - auto-selection from The Good Cook club. Same with "Chez Panisse Menu Cookbook" by Alice Waters though I found that one at a thrift store.


----------



## KathyJ

bigdaddy3k said:


> Has anyone read Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts?



Not yet - but it's on my tbr pile...


----------



## babetoo

just finished Hitler, from a shrink's point of view. very interesting


----------



## legend_018

I'm reading the condensed version of the life of Katherine Hepburn. I bought a ton of readers digest books - used to come 4 stories in one book. I bought them off craigslist for a steal. I got piles of them. : ). I got them for something like $1.00 per book. Some or fiction, and some are non fiction.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

GB said:


> I am reading Harry Harrison's A Stainless Steel Trio.


 
Are you enjoying the Stainless Steel Rat?  Have you read his "Make Room, Make Room?"


----------



## GB

I am enjoying it. It is not what I was expecting, but I am sucked into it in a good way. I have not read Make Room, Make Room yet. This is the first Harrison I have read. It will not be the last though.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

GB said:


> I am enjoying it. It is not what I was expecting, but I am sucked into it in a good way. I have not read Make Room, Make Room yet. This is the first Harrison I have read. It will not be the last though.


 
Harry Harrison is another favorite of mine, I'll be interested to know what you think when you are done.


----------



## FrankZ

I am now on The Hand of Chaos the fifth book in The Death Gate Cycle.


----------



## Claire

You'll have to let me know how you like _Frankenstein, _since it is in the stack of books I just brought back from the library.  Right now reading _Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral  _by Kris Radish.  I'm just in the "set up" stage to the novel, so don't how I'll like it.  Some books of that sort can be too touchy-feely-girly for me, but I've never read one by her, and it seems promising.  To my shut-in ladies I'm reading a local book of ghost stories.


----------



## mudbug

KathyJ said:


> I'm reading "The Zookeeper's Wife" by Diane Ackerman at home.


 
I am reading this one too - just started it.  I like books about heroism during WW2.  I am also re-reading Churchill's memoirs of same war (I think I was doing this last year as well but come on, people - it's 6 volumes!)  Also getting ready to re-read the last Harry Potter in preparation for the next movie.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

mudbug said:


> Also getting ready to re-read the last Harry Potter in preparation for the next movie.


 
Yay!  Another Harry fan!!!  

I'm reading "The Taking,"  by Dean Koontz.

Next up is Urban Fantasy by Kat Richardson, 4 books in the series.


----------



## taxlady

I'm reading _Bearing an Hourglass_ by Piers Anthony. It's okay, not as good as _On A Pale Horse_. I think my DH put it well when he said that the trouble with Piers Anthony is he keeps on writing books in a series after he has run out of stuff to write.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

taxlady said:


> I'm reading _Bearing an Hourglass_ by Piers Anthony. It's okay, not as good as _On A Pale Horse_. I think my DH put it well when he said that the trouble with Piers Anthony is he keeps on writing books in a series after he has run out of stuff to write.


 
I feel the same way, I usually stop reading his series after about 4 books.


----------



## phinz

Cormac McCarthy's _Suttree. _I'm a McCarthy addict.

I'm also reading The Best American Travel Writing 2010. This one isn't holding me like the last few years have.


----------



## Zhizara

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I feel the same way, I usually stop reading his series after about 4 books.




I loved that series, in order to get the whole story, read all the books, preferably in order.  I don't always like PA, I'm more into science fiction than fantasy, but he's easy reading.

Currently, I'm just starting Jonathan Kellerman's Twisted.  I know it will be good.

Speaking of series, have any of you read Stiegh Larsson's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo?  It's the first of three books.  They are gripping and I can't wait for the third one.  The second book is complete in itself with the same characters.  His writing is full of surprises and twists and turns of plot.  Very imaginative.  The second book is The Girl Who Played With Fire.  I strongly recommend reading these in order.  The best part, well, one of them, is that the books are THICK!  Over 700 pages, not one of them boring.  My favorite combination of good, exciting reading in a big thick book.


----------



## Barbara

Oh yes I'm on number three. Brutal but good


----------



## Alix

I left my book at work! AAAAAAAAAAAAA! Its a Lee Child...can't remember the title...Without End or something I think. Off to the library with me!


----------



## Barbara

Love Lee Child


----------



## jabbur

I just started C.S. Lewis space trilogy.  I'm half way through Out of the Silent Planet.  It's interesting. Knowing his Christianity usually makes an appearance in his fiction, it's fascinating to see how he approaches space travel.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> Speaking of series, have any of you read Stiegh Larsson's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo? It's the first of three books. They are gripping and I can't wait for the third one. The second book is complete in itself with the same characters. His writing is full of surprises and twists and turns of plot. Very imaginative. The second book is The Girl Who Played With Fire. I strongly recommend reading these in order. The best part, well, one of them, is that the books are THICK! Over 700 pages, not one of them boring. My favorite combination of good, exciting reading in a big thick book.


 
I couldn't wait for the third book to come out in paper...I was standing outside the bookstore, with my face pressed to the window, the day the hardcover was released.  I think I made the employees nervous, but they did let me in...finally.  It's okay, they are used to me

It is fantastic!  I promote the series as much as I can.


----------



## KathyJ

Barbara said:


> Love Lee Child



me too! just finished his "61 Hours" and am in line for one of the copies at the library for his newest. might be at least a month before I get it - quite a few are wanting it.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Alix said:


> I left my book at work! AAAAAAAAAAAAA! Its a Lee Child...can't remember the title...Without End or something I think. Off to the library with me!


 
I hate it when I leave my book at work!  I went back one day and the day nurse laughed and said they had been taking bets how long it would take me to come pick it up...20 minutes, she collected.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

jabbur said:


> I just started C.S. Lewis space trilogy. I'm half way through Out of the Silent Planet. It's interesting. Knowing his Christianity usually makes an appearance in his fiction, it's fascinating to see how he approaches space travel.


 
Those were a good read...I've read them a few times over the years.


----------



## babetoo

just got a hugh box of books i ordered from amazon. start the one about women serial killers. i am very interested in non fiction books about crime and it's motives.


----------



## FrankZ

I have moved on to Into The Labyrinth volume 6 of The Death Gate Cycle.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

babetoo said:


> just got a hugh box of books i ordered from amazon. start the one about women serial killers. i am very interested in non fiction books about crime and it's motives.


 
I like those type of non-fiction too, Babe!  

I found the book I lost the other day...I knew I didn't leave it in the laundromat, but it seemed to have disappeared.  It was in the bottom of a grocery bag...

Just picked up the new Jim Butcher, "Side Jobs," it's a collection of all his short stories from the Dresden Files.  From where I'm sitting there are six stacks of books laying around I haven't read...have to make a decision soon.


----------



## Claire

I got into Larsson's "tattoo", but couldn't get into "kicked the hornet's nest" (I'm not sure I have them correct); too much cold war espionage for me these days (something I was into many moons ago).  I think I'll try it again when I'm in a different mood.

I'm just finishing "Skippy Dies" by Paul Murray.  Didn't really like it, but got so far along in it that I want to see how it ends.  

I liked Koontz's "Frankenstein" more than I thought I would.  Maybe next year, this time, I'll go back and read the first books in the series.  I like his "Odd" series better, though.  

I've been reading collections of "true" ghost stories aloud to my ladies (in honor of Halloween!), and they've been loving it.  When I get back from my trip, though, I'm going to read them 'Tis' by Frank McCourt.  They say they've already seen the movie of his first bio, so this is one they'll enjoy, especially since one is a lover of all things Irish.


----------



## Alix

Picked up the latest Iris Johansen at the library. It will have to hold me til I get that Lee Child back from my cabinet at work. *grumble*


----------



## Barbara

I recommend Ann Rule true crime writer.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Barbara said:


> I recommend Ann Rule true crime writer.


 
I've read many of those, very good!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I will be starting a self imposed research project soon...on the Roman Invasion of Britian, just waiting for a key piece of material to show up.

You don't want to know about my other research...it's for nursing, and deals with bodily fluids.


----------



## Joshatdot

I am re-reading The Dragon Lance Chronicles


----------



## danpeikes

Just got the latest AB book. Good Eats the middle years


----------



## Claire

Funny, as much as I like fiction murder mysteries, I'm not much into true crime books.  I guess ... to scary!  Give me nightmares.  I do read them, though, when they touch on or are in places I live or have lived.  

I'm slogging through the last chapters of _Skippy Dies_.  Won't look for that author any time soon.  I hate to say it, but young male writers have a sense of humor that really evades me.  The various reviews/blurbs on this novel said it was funny.  I must be getting old, because I found very little humor in it.

I went to the library's used book sale shelf and bought a stack for an upcoming road trip.  My poor husband jokes (in all sincerity) that my reading/writing matter bag weighs more than all of our other luggage combined when we take a trip.  Heck, what else do you do when miles and miles of boredom are ahead of you?


----------



## taxlady

Claire said:


> ...
> 
> I went to the library's used book sale shelf and bought a stack for an upcoming road trip.  My poor husband jokes (in all sincerity) that my reading/writing matter bag weighs more than all of our other luggage combined when we take a trip.  Heck, what else do you do when miles and miles of boredom are ahead of you?



Time to look into getting an e-reader


----------



## GB

taxlady said:


> Time to look into getting an e-reader


Exactly what I came to post! For anyone who enjoys reading, especially those who travel, an e-reader is a life changing device.


----------



## bigdaddy3k

taxlady said:


> I'm reading _Bearing an Hourglass_ by Piers Anthony. It's okay, not as good as _On A Pale Horse_. I think my DH put it well when he said that the trouble with Piers Anthony is he keeps on writing books in a series after he has run out of stuff to write.


 
I finished that series a while ago. It was worth the read. However I agree that "On a Pale Horse" was the best of the series. 

Check out "Mort" from Terry Pratchett for another look at Death!!!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

bigdaddy3k said:


> Check out "Mort" from Terry Pratchett for another look at Death!!!


 
But don't eat or drink anything while reading.  You'll mess up the book.


----------



## Barbara

I just star tee the lTest Vince Flynn book. American Assassin


----------



## Barbara

I have a Kindle too. Great for travel. Still buy books, use kindle for mysteries and "beach reads"


----------



## taxlady

PrincessFiona60 said:


> But don't eat or drink anything while reading.  You'll mess up the book.



So true. I giggled for a week about death having a horse named Binky.


----------



## taxlady

GB said:


> Exactly what I came to post! For anyone who enjoys reading, especially those who travel, an e-reader is a life changing device.



I hope you know about  Project Gutenberg - free ebooks online download for iPad, Kindle, Nook, Android, iPhone, iPod Touch, Sony Reader

Loads of free, public domain (the copyright ran out) books available.


----------



## GB

Absolutely. Project Gutenberg is great!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

taxlady said:


> So true. I giggled for a week about death having a horse named Binky.


 
"SQUEEK!"   A quote from my favorite character.


----------



## Secundinius

Just picked up "Physics of the Impossible" by Michio Kaku, "Physics for Scientists and Engineers" and "Earth (the Book)". 

I'm not a geek, I swear...


----------



## Barbara L

Awhile back I decided that, for personal and historic reasons, I wanted to read the Bible from beginning (Genesis 1:1) to end (Revelation 22:21), and I just finished a couple nights ago. I will continue to read it, but I don't think I will be reading it from start to finish again.  

Right now I am reading a book my friend loaned me, "The Apocalypse Code," by Hank Hanegraaff.

Barbara


----------



## Poppi G. Koullias

Advanced Calculus by David Widder. This book is amazing.  It is one of the most excititng math texts I have  ever studied out of.


----------



## babetoo

what we knew. a book with interviews of ordinary citizens in germany  during world world 2


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_The Elements A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe_, by Theodore Gray.  Very cool and I AM a Geek! 

_Gerontological Nursing:Promoting Successful Aging with Older Adults_

_Care Planning for the Elderly_

and still plugging away on _Pirate Latitudes,_ by Michael Crichton


----------



## Barbara L

PrincessFiona60 said:


> ..._Gerontological Nursing:Promoting Successful Aging with Older Adults_...


I'm waiting for the movie.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Barbara L said:


> I'm waiting for the movie.


  We'll be the stars!!!


----------



## FrankZ

I have started The Seventh Gate the seventh and final book of The Death Gate Cycle.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> I have started The Seventh Gate the seventh and final book of The Death Gate Cycle.


 
What do you have planned for after?


----------



## FrankZ

Hey yeah, good question...

Umm.. dunno.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

No backup plan...Have you read any Jim Butcher?


----------



## FrankZ

I have not.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> I have not.


 
Urban Fantasy, Harry Dresden, wizard and private eye for the investigation of the supernatural.  Quite fun!


----------



## Alix

Live to Tell, Lisa Gardner. EEK. It hits a bit too close to home for me. Some of the kids she describes could be my patients. Great read though.


----------



## jabbur

Just finished the second Chet and Bernie mystery Thereby Hangs a Tail by Spencer Quinn.  Bernie is a PI and Chet is his dog.  The stories are told from the dog's point of view.  Funny and intriguing to read the dog's thoughts.


----------



## mudbug

babetoo said:


> what we knew. a book with interviews of ordinary citizens in germany during world world 2


 

this sounds like my kind of book!  author (or compiler/interviewer), please


----------



## babetoo

mudbug said:


> this sounds like my kind of book! author (or compiler/interviewer), please


 

you got it. Eric A Johnson and Karl-Heinz Reuband. this is a very interesting book. interesting view points.

babe


----------



## mudbug

thanks, babe!  I will look for it.


----------



## babetoo

Between Good and Evil, about criminal profiling . when it started in FBI and how effective it has become. book not handy but will check author if you like. the author is the one that got everything rolling.


----------



## Poppi G. Koullias

Viz.


----------



## FrankZ

I finished my book last night so now I have to figure out what's next.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> I finished my book last night so now I have to figure out what's next.


 
Are you fishing for ideas or looking over your bookshelves???


----------



## Zhizara

I just finished Jonathan Kellerman "Twisted".  I've started on the Harry Potter series I found in the community library downstairs.  There were 6 books so I grabbed the set so I could read them all in order.  The movies are good, but often confusing.  Give me the original books and I'm happy.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> I just finished Jonathan Kellerman "Twisted". I've started on the Harry Potter series I found in the community library downstairs. There were 6 books so I grabbed the set so I could read them all in order. The movies are good, but often confusing. Give me the original books and I'm happy.


 

Yes, Harry Potter movies can be confusing if you haven't read the books. There is so much more to the stories than is shown on the screen. But, that still won't keep me from the movie theater on the 19th.

Oh and I did like "Twisted."


----------



## Alix

Zhizara, there are 7 books in the Harry Potter series. Which ones did you get? 

I'm reading the Secret Sister by Elizabeth Lowell. I can't find my Lee Child - I think I might have left it in a gym where Madeleine was playing volleyball!


----------



## Zhizara

Sorcerer's Stone, Deathly Hallows, Half-Blood Prince, Order of the Phoenix, Goblet of Fire, Chamber of Secrets.

As I mentioned, there was one book previously that I read and enjoyed, I don't remember which, but it's not Sorcerer's Stone.  I'm hoping maybe that's the 7th book.

Thanks for letting me know, I wondered how many there were.


----------



## FrankZ

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Are you fishing for ideas or looking over your bookshelves???




More like looking over the Kindle "shleves"

I went ahead and picked up the Darksword trilogy.

More Hickman and Weis.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> Sorcerer's Stone, Deathly Hallows, Half-Blood Prince, Order of the Phoenix, Goblet of Fire, Chamber of Secrets.
> 
> As I mentioned, there was one book previously that I read and enjoyed, I don't remember which, but it's not Sorcerer's Stone. I'm hoping maybe that's the 7th book.
> 
> Thanks for letting me know, I wondered how many there were.


 
You are missing "The Prisoner of Azkaban" the third book.  I hate it when that happens.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> More like looking over the Kindle "shleves"
> 
> I went ahead and picked up the Darksword trilogy.
> 
> More Hickman and Weis.


 
Good choice...some authors you might look into.  Simon R. Green, Jim Butcher, Kat Richardson.  Getting away from SF/Fantasy, Stieg Larsson.


----------



## Zhizara

PrincessFiona60 said:


> You are missing "The Prisoner of Azkaban" the third book.  I hate it when that happens.



Hopefully that will turn out to be the book I already read.  I really don't remember books once I've read them.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

And I read them over and over until they are very memorable.  There are a couple of series and individual books that I have worn out over the years and had to replace.


----------



## Alix

Zhizara, Sorcerer's stone is first, then Chamber, (Azkhaban is missing here) then Goblet, Order of the Phoenix, Half Blood Prince and finally Deathly Hallows. Happy reading! Those are some of my favorites, I've read them each about 3 times. 

I just got 9th Judgement!! WOOHOO!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Alix said:


> I just got 9th Judgement!! WOOHOO!


 
I saw that at the store today and thought about you!


----------



## Zhizara

Alix said:


> Zhizara, Sorcerer's stone is first, then Chamber, (Azkhaban is missing here) then Goblet, Order of the Phoenix, Half Blood Prince and finally Deathly Hallows. Happy reading! Those are some of my favorites, I've read them each about 3 times.
> 
> I just got 9th Judgement!! WOOHOO!



I just stacked them on the bookcase in reverse order of publishing.  When I saw them all together in our community library, I knew I'd better grab them all so I'd have the best chance of reading the series in order.  I'll return them as I finish them.

I'm switching off between reading and working on a new afghan.  Darn TV on Saturday stinks, so not getting much afghan done.  It's getting chilly here - 54 degrees right now.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> I'm switching off between reading and working on a new afghan. Darn TV on Saturday stinks, so not getting much afghan done. *It's getting chilly here - 54 degrees right now.*


 
Hah!  T-shirt weather!!!    I put socks on today when we went shopping, my only concession to the lowering temperature!


----------



## Zhizara

I'm still wearing shorts and short sleeve shirt, but I have a long sleeve flannel shirt standing by.  As long as the wind isn't right out of the north, I can keep the windows upon a little.  I'm trying to get the afghan longer so it will keep my knees warm.  I dread having to turn on the heat.  The heat uses so much more electricity.  If it gets too chilly tomorrow, I'll make a chicken soup just to add heat and make the place smell good.  The stove costs next to nothing to run.  Yeah, that sounds good.  I've got enough biscuit mix to make drop biscuit dumplings.   I haven't done that in awhile.


----------



## taxlady

You people and your temperate weather. It's 2C (~36F) here. I've been wearing the winter boots and I have snow tires on the car. As we say around here, "Mon pays, ce n'est pays un pays, c'est l'hiver." (My country isn't a country, it's winter.)


----------



## PrincessFiona60

taxlady said:


> You people and your temperate weather. It's 2C (~36F) here. I've been wearing the winter boots and I have snow tires on the car. As we say around here, "Mon pays, ce n'est pays un pays, c'est l'hiver." (My country isn't a country, it's winter.)


 
It's about 44F and I just opened two windows...I ready for some winter!!!!

They aren't hot flashes, they're power surges!


----------



## taxlady

PrincessFiona60 said:


> It's about 44F and I just opened two windows...I ready for some winter!!!!
> 
> They aren't hot flashes, they're power surges!



I used to call them "Personal, tropical vacations". Thank goodness that's past.


----------



## Zhizara

taxlady said:


> I used to call them "Personal, tropical vacations". Thank goodness that's past.



Amen!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Back on the books you are reading track, sorry I veered!

Amazon.com: I Love Menopause Because (9780836267662): Joyce Silverman Ben-Kiki, Robin Sherman Herman: Books

Love this and anything esle I can find to make light of a distressing condition.


----------



## babetoo

just started a new j.d. robb book. sometimes reading so fast is not a good thing. only one book left out of the eight or so i got from amazon. do have an application to mail for books in the mail. a service by our local library. that should cut down my having to buy them. a friend sells books on e-bay and she brings books to me until they sell.


----------



## Poppi G. Koullias

The Sunday Times newspaper.


----------



## Zhizara

babetoo said:


> just started a new j.d. robb book. sometimes reading so fast is not a good thing. only one book left out of the eight or so i got from amazon. do have an application to mail for books in the mail. a service by our local library. that should cut down my having to buy them. a friend sells books on e-bay and she brings books to me until they sell.



It's amazing that someone can write such tame novels as she does as Nora Roberts, and then turn around and write the most amazing, cunning, twisty plots as J.D. Robb  I'd never have believed they could be the same person, but they are.  I love the J.D. Robb books.  You can't read them slowly, they are just too exciting.


----------



## babetoo

Zhizara said:


> It's amazing that someone can write such tame novels as she does as Nora Roberts, and then turn around and write the most amazing, cunning, twisty plots as J.D. Robb I'd never have believed they could be the same person, but they are. I love the J.D. Robb books. You can't read them slowly, they are just too exciting.


 

i know what you mean, they have tended to make me read far to late into the night. i agree with you, never really cared for her as nora roberts. too sweet for me.


----------



## puptentacle

I went to a library book sale and found 7 hardcover Robert B. Parker novels. He's one of my favorites so I'm working my way through those. Great writer, especially the Spenser novels. 

Speaking of Nora Roberts, I also found an autographed copy of Nora Roberts "Black Hills" that I most likely won't read, but will live on the shelf. Figured I'd pick it up for a buck.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Gone Baby Gone, by Dennis Lehane, I love his books, not the movies so much.


----------



## Zhizara

The book is ALWAYS better, then at least when you see the movie you understand what they are portraying, as well as what they left out.

I'm on to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> The book is ALWAYS better, then at least when you see the movie you understand what they are portraying, as well as what they left out.
> 
> I'm on to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.


 
I would like regular reports on what you think of Harry Potter...I love those books.  Hah!  Bet you didn't know there'd be a test!


----------



## Zhizara

That's easy.  I love the books!  Test away, your Ogressness.


----------



## taxlady

Zhizara said:


> The book is ALWAYS better, then at least when you see the movie you understand what they are portraying, as well as what they left out.
> 
> I'm on to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.



I have to agree. But, I tried reading *Doctor Zhivago* and I just couldn't keep track of all the different names used for the same people and couldn't finish the book. Then I saw the movie. I read the book and it all made sense, and yes, it was better.


----------



## Uncle Bob

Me and My Likker........."Popcorn" Sutton


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> That's easy. I love the books! Test away, your Ogressness.


 
Oh Great!  First I have to create "Murphy Slaw" and now I have to write a test...me and my big mouth!


----------



## Zhizara

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Oh Great!  First I have to create "Murphy Slaw" and now I have to write a test...me and my big mouth!



HAHAHAHAHHAHAHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

Yep.


----------



## babetoo

at the moment i am reading two books. "the years of extermination by saul friedander. it is tough going to read. so when my brain gets tired of trying to follow it, i resort to jd robbs "glory in death". i have been very interested in the books i am reading about nazi germany and the jews. no i am not jewish. i just get on this tangent to find out all i can about any given subject.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

babetoo said:


> at the moment i am reading two books. "the years of extermination by saul friedander. it is tough going to read. so when my brain gets tired of trying to follow it, i resort to jd robbs "glory in death". i have been very interested in the books i am reading about nazi germany and the jews. no i am not jewish. i just get on this tangent to find out all i can about any given subject.


 

Oh, I love tangents!  They make up some of the best reading, not saying fun, but you can sure learn alot!


----------



## Barbara

Lehane has a new book out forget the name right now. Got a good review, first new one in quite some time. mystic river my favorite


----------



## FrankZ

I finished Forging the Darksword last night and started Doom of the Darksword this morning.

Interesting premise; A child is born with no magic in a world where everyone has magic.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> I finished Forging the Darksword last night and started Doom of the Darksword this morning.
> 
> Interesting premise; A child is born with no magic in a world where everyone has magic.


 
Now you have me interested...who is/are the author(s)?  Pretty please!!


----------



## FrankZ

Weis and Hickman.

Darksword Trilogy


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> Weis and Hickman.
> 
> Darksword Trilogy


 
Thank you!!!  I'll go find them.


----------



## FrankZ

I downloaded them on the Kindle.


----------



## GB

I just downloaded a sample of the first one onto my Kindle. Thanks Frank.


----------



## FrankZ

I think it was a bit of a slow start but it picks up.  I am about a third into the second book and it is moving well.

Try the Deaths Gate cycle if you like that sort of reading.  That was a good one.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> I downloaded them on the Kindle.


 
I wandered into the bookstore on my lunch break and then I couldn't remember the name of the Trilogy...it so happens, I did find the third book. Unfortunately I did not have time to really browse. I still spent too much

Found "Trolls in the Hamptons," by Celia Jerome. Looks like fun. And yes, I picked up the extended cut of Avatar!

I wrote the name of the trilogy down this time...!


----------



## Zhizara

I'm on the last few pages of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.  I'll be starting Goblet of Fire sometime this morning.  I'll be glad to move on as Chamber of Secrets is a large hardbound book and is awkward and heavy to read in the recliner.  Goblet of Fire is paperback.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> I'm on the last few pages of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I'll be starting Goblet of Fire sometime this morning. I'll be glad to move on as Chamber of Secrets is a large hardbound book and is awkward and heavy to read in the recliner. Goblet of Fire is paperback.


 

And are you enjoying it???  Sorry, I have to relive the feeling of joy of a new read through your eyes, since I can never do it again!


----------



## Zhizara

Sorry, Princess, I don't know how I missed your post earlier today.  Yes, I'm especially enjoying the last 30 pages where so much gets explained.  I always thought Harry's parents were wizard and witch.

I got sidetracked by good TV, and the latest Sudoku puzzle book has a new twist called jigsaw that I'm having fun with.  

Every time I pick up Harry, Law & Order comes up with an episode I haven't seen, so I puzzle during the commercials, because if I read, I get involved and miss the show.

I used to hate L&O, I just didn't like to hear arguing.  Now that my life is much calmer, I decided to watch it since it is on a lot during the day.  I am glad now, because I find some of the subject matter very thought provoking and new episodes of good TV is hard to find.

Hope you are enjoying your snow, but please drive carefully.


----------



## Barbara

I have been a law and order fan for years. Sorry it was cancelled. Trying to watch the new Los Angeles one.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> Hope you are enjoying your snow, but please drive carefully.


 
Not much snow and it all melted...but winter is finally here!!!  As for driving in it.  I am supremely careful, too many out there who forget how to drive from one season to the next!


----------



## babetoo

i am an avid fan of all the incarnations of law and order. specially law and order criminal intent. love that vincent. make my old heart go pitty pat. lol. am reading "inside the criminal mind. will get author if anyone cares.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Frank Z, I just ordered the Darksword Trilogy.


----------



## taxlady

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Not much snow and it all melted...but winter is finally here!!!  As for driving in it.  I am supremely careful, too many out there who forget how to drive from one season to the next!



Ain't that the truth!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

taxlady said:


> Ain't that the truth!


 
My first driving lesson in the snow included a pickup truck, a horse trailer and MY horse in the back. I had to drive into town, park and back out to the farm without hurting the horse.  I could barely see out the truck as it was...I'm kinda short, but I became a good driver by the age of 13, working for my uncle on his dairy farm.


----------



## Zhizara

It was a good TV night.  Human Target is back - very good.  I like the new L&O BarbaraL, and of course Criminal Minds is a favorite.  Babetoo I'm guessing your book is non-fiction.  Does the content compare with the profiles from Criminal Minds TV show?  

I used to watch Criminal Intent with Vincent, until it kept bothering me whenever I'd see him get right in someone's face again and again.  Reminded me of situations I'd been in that were abusive, so I stopped watching the ones with him in it.  It was like his thing, like when Jack Klugman played a Medical Examiner.  At some point during his show he would get on his soap box about something and go on and on.  I stopped watching that series too.  I don't like ranting.

Anyway, I'm off to finish up Harry, then to bed for as long as I can.  I'll probably be up around 2:30am again.  That's been my latest average.

Princess, you are so brave.  Hope you can get back to eating normally soon.  

{{HUGS}} to all.

Sally


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I love Human Target!!!  It was a good one tonight, I'm off to sleep, starting to hurt!  Good Night, Sally!


----------



## Zhizara

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I love Human Target!!!  It was a good one tonight, I'm off to sleep, starting to hurt!  Good Night, Sally!



Me too.  I was so happy to see it on tonight and yes it was an excellent story tonight.

I finally finished Chamber of Secrets.  Very good.

I made it to 2:45am.  I had hoped for a longer sleep, especially since yesterday was almost pain free.  At least I caught up my housework.

The pain just won't let me sleep on either side, so I stay up once I wake up enough to go to the bathroom.  It's a waste of time and more pain if I don't just get up at least for awhile.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Have you seen the doctor for this pain?  It sounds so debilitating and I cheer you for being able to make it through your days.  Love you!

Hugs,
PF


----------



## Barbara

Criminal intent was the best. Vincent I fear is gone too. Wait a few years and I will watch them all again.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Barbara said:


> Criminal intent was the best. Vincent I fear is gone too. Wait a few years and I will watch them all again.


 
It was fantastic, too mellow now with Jeff Goldblum, although I like him, too.  But Vincent's character was so much more interesting.


----------



## Barbara

The episode when their boss was murdered was Vincent's last and one of the best. Unless you count his stalking crazy woman who would show up once and awhile.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Barbara said:


> The episode when their boss was murdered was Vincent's last and one of the best. Unless you count his stalking crazy woman who would show up once and awhile.


 
Nicole Wallace, played by Olivia D'Abo...I liked those episodes.


----------



## Kerch

*Current Book*

Currently reading "Five Years to Freedom" by James N Rowe.

About his ordeal as a POW in Vietnam.
He was captured in 1963.

Quite interesting.


----------



## Zhizara

My neighbor brought over a couple of Kathy Reichs books, Bare Bones and Death Du Jour.  I just had to take a break from Harry Potter and am 2/3 through Bare Bones.

Shopping was yesterday and I picked up two books.  Tami Hoag's new book Deeper Than Dead (love her books), and Andy McDermott's The Pyramid of Doom.


----------



## Littlechef

Zhizara ... I also enjoy Tami Hoag's books ... I've read a few over the summer and just yesterday stopped off at the library and picked up The Alibi Man, and Kill the Messenger.


----------



## GB

I just started The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.


----------



## Zhizara

GB said:


> I just started The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.



You'll love it.  It's a great read.  Twisty genius.  The second  book (it's a trilogy) is The Girl Who Played With Fire.  Just as good.  I'm haunting the bookshelves for the 3rd book, but it doesn't seem to be out yet.  I'm going to pounce on that one the instant I see it.


----------



## Zhizara

Littlechef said:


> Zhizara ... I also enjoy Tami Hoag's books ... I've read a few over the summer and just yesterday stopped off at the library and picked up The Alibi Man, and Kill the Messenger.



I figured I'd get a response to the mention of Tami Hoag.  She is always an above average read.  This new one is nice and thick!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> My neighbor brought over a couple of Kathy Reichs books, Bare Bones and Death Du Jour. I just had to take a break from Harry Potter and am 2/3 through Bare Bones.
> 
> Shopping was yesterday and I picked up two books. Tami Hoag's new book Deeper Than Dead (love her books), and Andy McDermott's The Pyramid of Doom.


 
I'm all caught up on the Kathy Reichs books, Love them. Have never read Tami Hoag or Andy McDermott.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

GB said:


> I just started The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.


 
You are so lucky!  I wish I was just starting out on them again!  Love those books!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> You'll love it. It's a great read. Twisty genius. The second book (it's a trilogy) is The Girl Who Played With Fire. Just as good. I'm haunting the bookshelves for the 3rd book, but it doesn't seem to be out yet. I'm going to pounce on that one the instant I see it.


 
"The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest" is out in hardcover, I'm not seeing a publication date for the paperback. Probably next spring.

I'm on the second book of Kat Richardson's Greywalker series.  After that is the Darksword trilogy by Weis and Hickman, I just got them from Amazon.


----------



## Zhizara

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I'm all caught up on the Kathy Reichs books, Love them. Have never read Tami Hoag or Andy McDermott.




I don't know about Andy McDermott yet, but do yourself a big favor and find yourself a Tami Hoag book, any one.  Kathy Reichs is a good read, but Tami is awesome in comparison.  Edge of the seat, page turner.  Always.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> I don't know about Andy McDermott yet, but do yourself a big favor and find yourself a Tami Hoag book, any one. Kathy Reichs is a good read, but Tami is awesome in comparison. Edge of the seat, page turner. Always.


 
I'll find some, should be easy, I see them all the time.  But, she goes to the bottom of a very large stack!


----------



## Zhizara

I love it when I'm overwhelmed with books.


----------



## babetoo

i just finished the last of j.d.robb that i have. gone back to the brain numbing 
"THE YEARS OF EXTERMINATION" i have to get a stamp and mail my request for books in the mail.


----------



## Zereh

I'm working on a classic: John Irving's _The World According to Garp_.


----------



## babetoo

that is such a great book. much better than the movie.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> I love it when I'm overwhelmed with books.


 
I think I'm trying to start a library...


----------



## Zhizara

In the 60s and 70s I belonged to the Doubleday Book Clubs, before it became too expensive.

When we were moving in 1975, I donated most of my books to the local library.  It was over 1,000 books!  It was a really good tax deduction too.  So I averaged 100 books for each year, and that didn't take into account the ones I didn't donate like my Literary Guild books and cookbooks.

When in Jr. High School I had the opportunity to work in the library instead of Homeroom.  It was wonderful, and learning to check books in and out and return books to their proper place on the shelves was good practice for my future in office work.  Filing, always filing.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> When in Jr. High School I had the opportunity to work in the library instead of Homeroom. It was wonderful, and learning to check books in and out and return books to their proper place on the shelves was good practice for my future in office work. Filing, always filing.


 
I spent oodles of time in the Library in High School, working.  My absolute most favorite jobs were working in bookstores.  Mom was the Textbook Manager at a college bookstore in the Denver area.  I would go into work with her and happily shelve, face and dust the books.  And this was a few years ago, her boss was always trying to hire me.  I'd just laugh and tell him I was on vacation.  He said I worked harder on vacation than his hired employees did on the clock.


----------



## Zhizara

I finished the Kathy Reichs book, and although I do have another one, I'm starting the Tami Hoag. 53X pages, in the new taller book format.  I do love a big, thick, juicy book!


----------



## babetoo

babetoo said:


> i just finished the last of j.d.robb that i have. gone back to the brain numbing
> "THE YEARS OF EXTERMINATION" i have to get a stamp and mail my request for books in the mail.


 

i put the years of extermination aside, discovered i had not finished "inside the criminal mind" so am reading that instead. was desperate so was reading "joy of cooking" sad huh, lol.


----------



## taxlady

babetoo said:


> i put the years of extermination aside, discovered i had not finished "inside the criminal mind" so am reading that instead. was desperate so was reading "joy of cooking" sad huh, lol.



It usually takes me much too long when I look up a recipe in *Joy of Cooking*. It's as bad as an encyclopaedia for distracting you with interesting stuff to read.


----------



## radhuni

God Themselves by Issac Assimov


----------



## Zhizara

I just finished Tami Hoag's Deeper Than Dead which was excellent.  I've just started Andy McDermott's The Pyramid Of Doom.  I'm 20 pages in and already hooked.


----------



## babetoo

was doing some minor rearranging yesterday. found a book i have had for over thirty years. "one brief shining moment" started rereading it and am enthralled as i was the first time. 

the memories of j.f.k. are still so vivid to me. i lived them when i was very young, including the cuban crisis ( i laid awake wondering if my children would live to grow up) 

this book sent me on line to barnes and noble. ordered the Kennedy detail. saw a doc. on it the other night. 

also ordered two j.d.robb from amazon. am so hooked on these books and she wrote many in the series. just a book nut i guess.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

babetoo said:


> was doing some minor rearranging yesterday. found a book i have had for over thirty years. "one brief shining moment" started rereading it and am enthralled as i was the first time.
> 
> the memories of j.f.k. are still so vivid to me. i lived them when i was very young, including the cuban crisis ( i laid awake wondering if my children would live to grow up)
> 
> this book sent me on line to barnes and noble. ordered the Kennedy detail. saw a doc. on it the other night.
> 
> also ordered two j.d.robb from amazon. am so hooked on these books and she wrote many in the series. just a book nut i guess.


 
A book nut is the best type of nut to be!

I went online to get the new edition of my Drug Book and *ONLY *bought three other books on nursing with it...that was unrealistic control for me.


----------



## Zhizara

I haven't seen this thread for a few days and wanted to confess that I was half way through Andy McDermott's The Pyramid of Doom.  I have read one of his books before.  Lots of pitfalls, chases and cliff hanger  type excitement.  Very good, but not really good for bedtime reading.

I went to Walmart Tuesday and found Patricia Cornwell's The Scarpetta Factor so I switched to read this one and am already over half way through 572 pages.  It's a brand new one, but apparently I missed one so I'll have to review the titles and find out which one (or ones) I missed.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm on the third book of Kat Richardson's _Greywalker_ series, just started it last night.


----------



## babetoo

j.d. robb's "holiday in death". i think i am getting tired of these books and need a break. the kennedy detail that i ordered from barnes and noble should be here today. that will be next


----------



## Claire

The book I'm now reading is what I consider to be brain candy.  Hey, don't we all need that sometime?  The book I'm reading aloud to my ladies is _'tis_ by Frank McCourt.  I've read all three of his books and one of his brother's, so ... well, great books. The lady I'm reading it too tends to forget it isn't fiction (she has this thing about asking me to read Irish authors, and doesn't realize this is not fiction).  She keeps telling me, "oh, that's an exaggeration"  Huh?  When I read another book to her which was about Irish life and immigration to the US, she didn't have a problem with it.  It was fiction (I'd have to look it up to remember what novel it was); but for some reason she can't stand fact.  This is a little crazy, because this woman almost always wants to have me read nothing but history and biography.  But for some reason Frank McCourt's memoirs of his first years in the U.S. are bugging her.  She's quite a liberal, and very pro-Irish, but for some reason this is bothering her.  "That couldn't have happened, not really, Claire, what do you think."  Duh, We're reading about his experiences.  She wants me to switch to Maya Angelou, and all I can say is that if shedoesn't like Frank's life, she sure as hck won't like Maya's (yeah, I've read her autobiography).


----------



## Jikoni

Reading The Winner stands Alone by Paulo Coelho


----------



## Barbara L

I started a couple books awhile back, but I put them aside and forgot them.  I am now reading them in earnest, along with another.  I am reading The Apocalypse Code, by Hank Hanegraaff, Living Organized, by Sandra Felton, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis. I've had the last one for a few years but had never read it. A couple years ago we bought our oldest grandson a book with the entire Narnia collection in it. Now I wish I had bought one for myself as well!

Barbara


----------



## Zhizara

I finished The Scarpetta Factor and am reading another Kathy Reichs Death Du Jour.


----------



## Barbara

Decision Points, George W Bush
So Far very interesting.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Barbara L said:


> I started a couple books awhile back, but I put them aside and forgot them. I am now reading them in earnest, along with another. I am reading The Apocalypse Code, by Hank Hanegraaff, Living Organized, by Sandra Felton, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis. I've had the last one for a few years but had never read it. A couple years ago we bought our oldest grandson a book with the entire Narnia collection in it. Now I wish I had bought one for myself as well!
> 
> Barbara


 
I envy you, for never having read the Narnia series.  I wonder what my adult brain would imagine on a brand new reading of the series.  I've worn out at least 4-5 editions of the series over the years.


----------



## Barbara

My grandson is reading the narnia series right now - borrowing from our library at home. Maybe it's time I re-read. He's 10


----------



## jabbur

Claire said:


> The book I'm now reading is what I consider to be brain candy.  Hey, don't we all need that sometime?  The book I'm reading aloud to my ladies is _'tis_ by Frank McCourt.  I've read all three of his books and one of his brother's, so ... well, great books. The lady I'm reading it too tends to forget it isn't fiction (she has this thing about asking me to read Irish authors, and doesn't realize this is not fiction).  She keeps telling me, "oh, that's an exaggeration"  Huh?  When I read another book to her which was about Irish life and immigration to the US, she didn't have a problem with it.  It was fiction (I'd have to look it up to remember what novel it was); but for some reason she can't stand fact.  This is a little crazy, because this woman almost always wants to have me read nothing but history and biography.  But for some reason Frank McCourt's memoirs of his first years in the U.S. are bugging her.  She's quite a liberal, and very pro-Irish, but for some reason this is bothering her.  "That couldn't have happened, not really, Claire, what do you think."  Duh, We're reading about his experiences.  She wants me to switch to Maya Angelou, and all I can say is that if shedoesn't like Frank's life, she sure as hck won't like Maya's (yeah, I've read her autobiography).



I can understand her difficulty with Frank McCourt's books.  I had a hard reading them and remembering what years they were written about.  So much of the lifestyle he grew up in was behind the times with regards to technology.  It seemed to be happening more in the 19th century than the 20th!

I just finished C.S. Lewis Space Trilogy and have Dan Brown's Lost Symbol on deck to start tonight.


----------



## babetoo

i would urge you all to read. "the kennedy detail" it is an insight into history. much, much more than we knew at the time. an interesting visit into the private lives of very famous people.


----------



## babetoo

just finished an autobiography by barbara walters. she has always been someone i like to watch. this book is about her family and career. very interesting. called audition


----------



## PrincessFiona60

"Gone, Baby, Gone" by Dennis Lehane, in the library.  "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," by Douglas Adams, on my Kindle.


----------



## joesfolk

I never even knew what a library was until I was in the sixth grade (went to public school too!) To this day I feel the lack. So a couple of times a year I read a children's book. Just now I am reading "Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie". It's a story about pioneer life.  ( You cannot imagine what a wonderous feeling it was to walk into a library the first time and finding that I could check out as many of those wonderous things as my little heart desired.  I think I got about 30 the first time. No exaggeration.)


----------



## FrankZ

PrincessFiona60 said:


> ...  "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," by Douglas Adams, on my Kindle.




Copy cat.  

I just grabbed the complete set today on the Kindle and started them.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> Copy cat.
> 
> I just grabbed the complete set today on the Kindle and started them.


 
Exactly, you made me do it...made some room on my wish list.  I distracted Shrek with a new Clive Cussler, nabbed the set, a nurses drug book and a medical terminoloy text...he never knew what hit him (or his debit card).


----------



## Claire

joesfolk said:


> I never even knew what a library was until I was in the sixth grade (went to public school too!) To this day I feel the lack. So a couple of times a year I read a children's book. Just now I am reading "Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie". It's a story about pioneer life.  ( You cannot imagine what a wonderous feeling it was to walk into a library the first time and finding that I could check out as many of those wonderous things as my little heart desired.  I think I got about 30 the first time. No exaggeration.)



I, too, read children's or young adults' books on occasion. My old ladies love to revisit books from their childhoods as well.  One I'm thinking of looking up is _A Wrinkle in Time._  It was the first Sci-Fi book I ever read, and I have no idea how old I was when I read it.  No girl, and maybe many guys, can ever forget _The Secret Garden_ and _Anne of Green Gables_.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Claire said:


> I, too, read children's or young adults' books on occasion. My old ladies love to revisit books from their childhoods as well. One I'm thinking of looking up is _A Wrinkle in Time._ It was the first Sci-Fi book I ever read, and I have no idea how old I was when I read it. No girl, and maybe many guys, can ever forget _The Secret Garden_ and _Anne of Green Gables_.


 
I could point and say, "It's over there, on the third shelf..." but, this might be more helpful.  It's still in print.  A Wrinkle in Time - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


----------



## Claire

I had a few books in mind for my ladies this year, but then yesterday she mentioned something about the final scene in King Arthur's tales.  She has a sort of fixation on King Arthur (also Joan d'Arc), so when I see something new on those two subjects I pick it up (I live at the library, ha-ha, and Amazon is my second best friend).  Anyway, caregiver brought me _Morte d'Arthur_.  I skimmed it and said No, this isn't what she wants.  She has a copy of _Once and Future King_ around here somewhere (finding books in her house can be a nightmare; she's of the persuasion that you never give a book away).  Luckily caregiver found it immediately, I found the scene she wanted and read it.  Then Caregiver asked if I'd read it next.  She's often told me that she's learned more from my reading aloud to the ladies than she ever learned in school.   OK, we can do that.  Long books are quite an undertaking to read aloud, but we can give it a go.  Sure beats the inspirational//religious tomes that the caregivers hint towards (not, NOT, to my ladies' or my own taste).  We'll see how it goes.  For myself I'm struggling to finish _Parrot and Olivier in America._  Not really to my taste, don't know why I'm finishing it.  Booker prize winners are often not to my taste.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Claire said:


> I had a few books in mind for my ladies this year, but then yesterday she mentioned something about the final scene in King Arthur's tales. She has a sort of fixation on King Arthur (also Joan d'Arc), so when I see something new on those two subjects I pick it up (I live at the library, ha-ha, and Amazon is my second best friend). Anyway, caregiver brought me _Morte d'Arthur_. I skimmed it and said No, this isn't what she wants. She has a copy of _Once and Future King_ around here somewhere (finding books in her house can be a nightmare; she's of the persuasion that you never give a book away). Luckily caregiver found it immediately, I found the scene she wanted and read it. Then Caregiver asked if I'd read it next. She's often told me that she's learned more from my reading aloud to the ladies than she ever learned in school. OK, we can do that. Long books are quite an undertaking to read aloud, but we can give it a go. Sure beats the inspirational//religious tomes that the caregivers hint towards (not, NOT, to my ladies' or my own taste). We'll see how it goes. For myself I'm struggling to finish _Parrot and Olivier in America._ Not really to my taste, don't know why I'm finishing it. Booker prize winners are often not to my taste.


 
I think I need _The Once and Future King_ on my Kindle...I am an Arthur Freak, too!  She may like the Arthur books By Jack Whyte, if she would like new stories and just a bit closer to actual history.  I loved them.


----------



## jabbur

I love this thread!  When I need new books to read, I come here and see what everyone here is reading and can make a list of ones I want to read!  I'm on a Stephen King run right now.  DS gave me The Stand which I have started and am enjoying and have Insomnia next.  I avoided his books because of Carrie (a bit too creepy) but so far The Stand is intriguing.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

jabbur said:


> I love this thread! When I need new books to read, I come here and see what everyone here is reading and can make a list of ones I want to read! I'm on a Stephen King run right now. DS gave me The Stand which I have started and am enjoying and have Insomnia next. I avoided his books because of Carrie (a bit too creepy) but so far The Stand is intriguing.


 
_*The Stand*_, the best Stephen King in my opinion.  Enjoy!


----------



## FrankZ

PrincessFiona60 said:


> _*The Stand*_, the best Stephen King in my opinion.  Enjoy!



That or The Shining.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> That or The Shining.


 
Or the Novella: *Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption*

From the book:* Different Seasons*


----------



## tinlizzie

Almost finished with About Grace by Anthony Doerr.  Kind of odd and sweet and sad, but I like it.  Up next is Philip Roth's The Human Stain.  Last week finished my second dose of Body Farm novels (Jefferson Bass).  Those are almost too real to handle.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

tinlizzie said:


> Almost finished with About Grace by Anthony Doerr. Kind of odd and sweet and sad, but I like it. Up next is Philip Roth's The Human Stain. Last week finished my second dose of Body Farm novels (Jefferson Bass). Those are almost too real to handle.


 
I love the Body Farm novels, those two need to write faster!


----------



## Zhizara

I saw the third and final book of the trilogy by Stieg Larsson at Walmart today. 
Anyway, It's in hardcover, so I'll have to wait for the paperback.  

The first one is The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
The second is The Girl Who Played With Fire
The third is the Girl....  DRAT!!!! I forgot.

Does anybody have an idea how long it takes from hardcover to paperback on the shelves?

I picked up Dan Brown's new (2009) book The Los Symbol.  This book follows The DaVinci Code.  I like having a book to put on these empty shelves, but reading this one on a Kindle would be a lot easier on my wrist.  Heck, it's too big to hold with one hand - 639 pages!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

The Girl Who kicked The Hornet's Nest...

Love my Kindle!


----------



## Zhizara

Thanks, Princess.  I had it in my mind when I started my post, but my mind got hung up on the repeating of "The Girl Who"... and off it went.  I hate it when that happens.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> Thanks, Princess. I had it in my mind when I started my post, but my mind got hung up on the repeating of "The Girl Who"... and off it went. I hate it when that happens.


 
You're Welcome...I don't mind being your memory


----------



## FrankZ

PrincessFiona60 said:


> You're Welcome...I don't mind being your memory




Very scary thought.. very scary indeed....


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> Very scary thought.. very scary indeed....


 
OMGosh...not YOUR memory...  That IS scary!


----------



## Claire

Zhizara said:


> I saw the third and final book of the trilogy by Stieg Larsson at Walmart today.
> Anyway, It's in hardcover, so I'll have to wait for the paperback.
> 
> The first one is The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
> The second is The Girl Who Played With Fire
> The third is the Girl....  DRAT!!!! I forgot.
> 
> Does anybody have an idea how long it takes from hardcover to paperback on the shelves?
> 
> I picked up Dan Brown's new (2009) book The Los Symbol.  This book follows The DaVinci Code.  I like having a book to put on these empty shelves, but reading this one on a Kindle would be a lot easier on my wrist.  Heck, it's too big to hold with one hand - 639 pages!




You'll have to tell me  how you like the 'Hornet's Nest" one.  I liked the first two, but wasn't big on that last one, in fact, never finished it (rare for me).  Too much cold war politics which I've been having a hard time getting into since, well, since the cold war ended!


----------



## Claire

Fiona, I've noted Jack Whyte down for future reference.  Never heard of them.  You might like, if you haven't, _The Crystal Cave_ series by Mary Stewart (Stuart?  Can't remember), the King Arthur tales told from Merlin's point of view.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Claire said:


> Fiona, I've noted Jack Whyte down for future reference. Never heard of them. You might like, if you haven't, _The Crystal Cave_ series by Mary Stewart (Stuart? Can't remember), the King Arthur tales told from Merlin's point of view.


 
Oh yes, read them all, they are all over there on the fourth shelf.

The Jack Whyte books are well embedded in possible history.  How it could have really happened.  I love them.


----------



## Claire

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Oh yes, read them all, they are all over there on the fourth shelf.
> 
> The Jack Whyte books are well embedded in possible history.  How it could have really happened.  I love them.



She would love that, I'll definitely check Amazon and the library.  She's always questioning  me about if I think this or that could really have happened.  Of course, can you imagine how long _Once and Future King _will take to read aloud?


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Claire said:


> She would love that, I'll definitely check Amazon and the library. She's always questioning me about if I think this or that could really have happened. Of course, can you imagine how long _Once and Future King _will take to read aloud?


 
A lot longer than it takes me to read to myself  I bet I've read that one 12-15 times.


----------



## Zhizara

I finished The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, and went back to my unfinished (this time around) Angels & Demons.  Now I'll have to get (and read again) The DaVinci Code so I'll have the whole set.

In addition, I just placed my first order with Abe Books for 8 Robert Heinlein books (for starters), including my favorite Stranger In a Strange Land which has been overdue for rereading for a Loooong time.  I may just have to read it twice just to catch up.

In addition, I ordered Friday, Revolt in 2100, To Sail Beyond The Sunset, The Cat Who Walked Through Walls, Beyond This Horizon, Have Spacesuit Will Travel, The Rolling Stones, and Time Enough For Love!

I'm going to be in heaven when they come!


----------



## babetoo

right now am reading obsession by john douglas and mark olshaker. john is guy that pretty much invented the profile identification of criminals. very, very thought provoking. next is the west memphis three. it is about three teenagers convicted of killing three young boys. the writer thinks they are innocent. all are in prison, one death row, and the other two in for life. i have read first chapter. will finish before i have an opinion.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> I finished The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, and went back to my unfinished (this time around) Angels & Demons. Now I'll have to get (and read again) The DaVinci Code so I'll have the whole set.
> 
> In addition, I just placed my first order with Abe Books for 8 Robert Heinlein books (for starters), including my favorite Stranger In a Strange Land which has been overdue for rereading for a Loooong time. I may just have to read it twice just to catch up.
> 
> In addition, I ordered Friday, Revolt in 2100, To Sail Beyond The Sunset, The Cat Who Walked Through Walls, Beyond This Horizon, Have Spacesuit Will Travel, The Rolling Stones, and Time Enough For Love!
> 
> I'm going to be in heaven when they come!


 
Makes me feel good just reading the titles!


----------



## Zhizara

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Makes me feel good just reading the titles!



Doesn't it?  I knew you'd get a kick out of this since I know you love Heinlein just like I do.  

I didn't really bother to pick and choose except for SIASL, I want them _all_ and at those prices I just might get them.  I can't wait to start rereading them.


----------



## tinlizzie

Just finishing up The Human Stain - one of the very vivid characters is a ruined Vietnam vet.  Also nearly half through Enslaved by Ducks about a couple's home menagerie of mostly birds - parrots, ducks, geese - but also rabbits. I trade off with this one when Stain gets too intense.  Up next is Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> Doesn't it? I knew you'd get a kick out of this since I know you love Heinlein just like I do.
> 
> I didn't really bother to pick and choose except for SIASL, I want them _all_ and at those prices I just might get them. I can't wait to start rereading them.


 
SIASL and Time Enough For love, I read those at least every 2 years.


----------



## Zhizara

I'm definitely behind on my rereading.  I also want to get the Lazarus Long series.  I loved those.  Then there's the Future History series....


----------



## Zhizara

Boy, I can't count, Princess.  It' actually 9 books total.  Not bad at all for $32.10!


----------



## radhuni

Revising 'A tale of two cities'.

Sydney Carton is one of my most favorite character.


----------



## tinlizzie

radhuni said:


> Revising 'A tale of two cities'.
> 
> Sydney Carton is one of my most favorite character.


 
Thanks to Hollywood, I've never actually read Dickens (or War and Peace for that matter - opted for the BBC version).  If you were to choose your favorite of the Dickens books, would it be the one you're revisiting - 'tale of two cities'?


----------



## LAJ

I just finished Idiots guide to Learning Latin and now I am reading The First Century.


----------



## babetoo

reading about the west memphis three. that is not the title but to lazy to go see what it is.


----------



## Zhizara

I picked up a Karin slaughter novel, Undone.  There were several books by her and I don't think I've read any.  Hope fully she will become another new favorite author.


----------



## simonbaker

I have relly gotton interested in the library lately with my 12 year old daughter. The author RICHARD PAUL EVANS is excellent. As far as I.m concerned he has not writtten a bad book.


----------



## tinlizzie

Have just finished Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams, relating his trips to various parts of the globe to see endangered species, including lemurs, white rhinos, gorillas, certain New Zealand parrots going the way of the Dodo bird, fruit bats. He observed that these little bats hanging from their roosts looked like small broken umbrellas.


----------



## LAJ

*Kitchen Confidential book*



luvs said:


> i'm reading 'what i learned in medical school'; 'the secret life of bees'; 'kitchen confidential'; i'm re-reading 'a cook's tour' and i think that's it. oh, and i'm reading a book about WWII... i can't think of the name right now.
> i like to read a bunch of books at once depending on what seems interesting at the moment.


 
You will love Kitchen Confidential, I am sure.
I am reading about WWII as well. The Hiding Place. I saw the movie years ago and ran across it at a yard sale. True story of very heroic people in Holland.


----------



## GB

I am reading The Girl Who Played With Fire. I am enjoying it much more than the first book in the series.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm reading about 4 differnet books.  Talk about ADD.


----------



## GB

I forgot about the book I'm reading to my daughter. Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

GB said:


> I forgot about the book I'm reading to my daughter. Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing.


 
Now that is nice, i always enjoyed being read to by Dad!


----------



## Barbara

That's me all the time  one on kindle, one real book, one on audible, do cooking magazines count??


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Barbara said:


> That's me all the time  one on kindle, one real book, one on audible, do cooking magazines count??


 

Of course!!!  As long as medical texts count, too!  And the Humorous one I got on menopause!


----------



## simonbaker

I'm into reading a couple different books about physics & afterlife.


----------



## Barbara L

I just started Radical, by David Platt.

Barbara


----------



## simonbaker

I,m just startin a new book called "Cage of Stars" by Jacoquelyn Mitchard.


----------



## LAJ

I am reading British History and The Druids.


----------



## tinlizzie

A book set in early 1900's Cairo - The Mamur Zapt and the Men Behind by Michael Pearce. It's a series - I previously read The Camel of Destruction, and The Snake Charmer's Daughter. Lots of local color and a peek into the timeless culture of Egypt.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Just Bento, By Makiko Itoh.  I just ordered a Japanese book for learning to read and speak Japanese and another Japanese cookbook, it has it's recipes in English and Japanese.


----------



## jabbur

tinlizzie said:


> A book set in early 1900's Cairo - The Mamur Zapt and the Men Behind by Michael Pearce. It's a series - I previously read The Camel of Destruction, and The Snake Charmer's Daughter. Lots of local color and a peek into the timeless culture of Egypt.


 
I'm also reading a series set in Egypt but it's the late 1880's.  Archeologists are the main characters but of course that would be boring so it gets spiced up with intrigue.  The first one I read was The Last Camel died at Noon  and I just finished The Mummy Case.  The series is by Elizabeth Peters.


----------



## phinz

My latest is Walking the Appalachian Trail by Larry Luxenberg.


----------



## simonbaker

LAJ said:


> I am reading British History and The Druids.


 
My daughter is reading (she is twelve) the Maximum Ride Series. It is by James Patterson. She thinks it is awesome.


----------



## Zhizara

Finally, after many long years, I'm rereading one of my very favorite books, A Stranger In A Strange Land by Robert Heinlein!


----------



## simonbaker

Zhizara said:


> Finally, after many long years, I'm rereading one of my very favorite books, A Stranger In A Strange Land by Robert Heinlein!


I only wish that I had more time to read.


----------



## AnnieDrews

I recently read Made From Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life by Jenna Woginrich. It was a good read; clever and informative.


----------



## simonbaker

Sounds good.  I just got done with a book series from author "Mitch album" I can't say enough good about his books. Check him out on-line.


----------



## babetoo

just starting j.d.robb's" loyalty in death" just finished
" the psychopath next door. "


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> Finally, after many long years, I'm rereading one of my very favorite books, A Stranger In A Strange Land by Robert Heinlein!


 

Don't mind me, just reading over your shoulder!


----------



## Max Sutton

*Dance For The Dead*

I'm reading *DANCE FOR THE DEAD* (1996) by Thomas Perry. This is the second book in his Jane Whitefield series where the protagonist helps people disappear. There are only six books in this series.

I've read five books by Thomas Perry.  They've all been very engrossing.


----------



## simonbaker

Max Sutton said:


> I'm reading *DANCE FOR THE DEAD* (1996) by Thomas Perry. This is the second book in his Jane Whitefield series where the protagonist helps people disappear. There are only six books in this series.
> 
> I've read five books by Thomas Perry. They've all been very engrossing.


 

That sounds like my kind of series. Thanks.  I will check them all out at the library very soon.


----------



## tinlizzie

jabbur said:


> I'm also reading a series set in Egypt but it's the late 1880's. Archeologists are the main characters but of course that would be boring so it gets spiced up with intrigue. The first one I read was The Last Camel died at Noon and I just finished The Mummy Case. The series is by Elizabeth Peters.


 
I think I'll order up an Elizabeth Peters from my library and see if the 'flavor' of her old Cairo is much different between the two time periods. It should be an interesting comparison even though the years between are not that many in the great scheme of things.

Even though I grumble at all this new technology, having access at my fingertips to the library's entire catalog, being able to choose a book and have it sent to my local branch for me to pick up - Free! - well, it's pretty darned nice.


----------



## simonbaker

I really enjoy the library also. I feel lik a kid in a candy store. Finally some peace & quiet to get away from everything for awhile.


----------



## megamark

I just picked up a book called _The Complete Joy of Home Brewing _by Charlie Papazian.


----------



## Claire

Tinlizzie, I was about to say you shouldn't need to order it from the library, there should be a dozen or more books on the shelf by Peters.  I love them.  But then I remembered that some places in Florida (my sis) you can order the books and have them delivered!  I'd actually see if I could find out which are the first books in the series, because they're more fun to read that way.  

I live in a small town, and am (for me, in decent weather) enjoying walking to the library and having a relationship with my librarians.  But my sister's description of what you're doing?  Wow.  I love to browse the shelves, and I can call or go on-line and order a book and have it waiting.  But pick up and delivery?


----------



## radhuni

'Code name God' by Mani Bhaumik


----------



## simonbaker

Skeleton creek series by Patrick Carmen.  After every chapter there's a video too look up on-line.


----------



## tinlizzie

Claire said:


> Tinlizzie, I was about to say you shouldn't need to order it from the library, there should be a dozen or more books on the shelf by Peters. I love them. But then I remembered that some places in Florida (my sis) you can order the books and have them delivered! I'd actually see if I could find out which are the first books in the series, because they're more fun to read that way.
> 
> I live in a small town, and am (for me, in decent weather) enjoying walking to the library and having a relationship with my librarians. But my sister's description of what you're doing? Wow. I love to browse the shelves, and I can call or go on-line and order a book and have it waiting. But pick up and delivery?


 
I'm sorry - I wasn't very clear - didn't mean to mislead you. My local branch is small and has a limited selection. At the County's library website, I can browse or order a specific title online and have it sent to my branch from any other branch in the County (as long as the title is in the system) for me to pick up there. 

I appreciate your note about starting at the beginning of the series; I'll bet I can ferret out the earliest by looking at the book descriptions online for publication dates. 

Driving some extra miles, I can visit the larger regional branch for more productive on-the-shelf browsing - more fun than the mall any day.


----------



## ChefJune

Jessica B. Harris' book, *"High on the Hog."*  There are a few recipes, but really it's a culinary history from Africa to America.


----------



## jacky77

i'm reading "The Tudors-the complete story of England's most notorious dynasty" by G.J. Meyer.


----------



## megamark

_Barton Fink._ A pretty odd Coen Brothers film. I'm not sure if I should recommend it yet.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Salt: A World History, by Mark Kurlansky.  A fantastic book, he also has one called "Cod."


----------



## babetoo

another j.d.robb book. born in death. such a good writer.


----------



## tinlizzie

A big, fat Michener book - Chesapeake.


----------



## LAJ

The man Who Talks To Dogs
and History of the Canine Race


----------



## GB

My daughter and I just finished reading Superfudge together. I loved that book as a kid and was so happy that she enjoyed it as much ad I did. The only disappointing part is that it has been updated for the times. There is mention of laptop computers and mp3's. I dint see why they needed to add those things in. It is not like they were important to the story. 

We started The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe last night and even though it is a little advanced for her she is really enjoying it. 

For myself, I just finished The Girl Who Played With Fire. I enjoyed it more than the first book in the series, but did not care for the end. It seemed very sudden with doing a good job of tying things up. 

I just started A Game Of Throwns. I have heard excellent things about it, but so far it has not sucked me in. I am not far into it yet though so I know I need to give it more time to grow on me.


----------



## Rocklobster

I'm not much of a reader. I have a hard time concentrating on things. I probably have ADHD, I just never got diagnosed.  I read current events, editorials, technical manuals, but as far as novels, stories, biographies go, they just don't seem to hold my intrest. We just splashed out and got a new camera, so I am currently reading a Photography book. I get a page read and am asleep. I have to go back and read it over the next night.


----------



## ChefJune

Reading an AMAZing food history of African-Americans in this country from the beginnings of slavery to the present day -- titled "High on the Hog," by Dr. Jessica Harris.


----------



## love-cooking2

Never read books, but read lots of magazines, computers, music, audio equipment, photography and whatever takes my interest at the time.
I have never managed to become a book worm, unlike my mother and father to an extenet, my wife or our daughter who is destined for journalism on completing her university education next year.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm reading about 4 different books right now, one on the Kindle, "Left Neglected," by Lisa Genova.  "The Good, The Bad and the Uncanny," by Jim Butcher.  "Asian," a cookbook, along with "The Complete Book of Sushi."  And I have a stack of magazines to get through!


----------



## mollyanne

I'm reading *The Reluctant Tuscan* _written by Phil Doran_ who was a writer/producer for many popular TV sitcoms. It's non-fiction and hilarious while also insightful (based on his opinion) into the Italian culture. I'm loving it.


----------



## Barbara

The fall of Giants, Ken Follett.  Great read takes place just before WW one and through the war.


----------



## babetoo

another j.d.robb mystery. got five last monday from books by mail. i really love the service.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

babetoo said:


> another j.d.robb mystery. got five last monday from books by mail. i really love the service.


 
I got the first three books in her series for my Kindle(when I thought I might end up in the hospital), haven't read them yet.  Will have to  get around to them soon, especially since you recommended them.


----------



## simonbaker

I am reading the "Upstairs Room" about the holocaust.


----------



## Zhizara

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I got the first three books in her series for my Kindle(when I thought I might end up in the hospital), haven't read them yet.  Will have to  get around to them soon, especially since you recommended them.



I second her recommendation.  As J. D. Robb, she is an incredibly devious writer.  Excitement galore and very hard to put down.  I still have trouble reconciling her with sweet, nice, tame Nora Roberts' writing.


----------



## Zhizara

I'm down to the last 28 pages of Lincoln Lawyer.  I wouldn't have chosen this book because of the Lawyer in the title.  I got tired of reading Grisham because courtroom drama gives me a headache.  I was desperate for something new to read, and this turns out to be a good one.  More action, less courtroom.


----------



## Selkie

"Better Handwriting," and "The Art Of The Handwritten Note." I've been having fun sending personal notes to family and friends. I guess I've gone "retro" because I'm writing them using an old fashioned fountain pen.

"Baking Boot Camp," one of two of the "Boot Camp" series that I have. I've already read the other, "Culinary Boot Camp."

"The Land Of Scotland," a large, color photo filled coffee table book. I so want to visit there one of these days! (The land of my family heritage.)


----------



## Zhizara

Selkie said:


> "Better Handwriting," and "The Art Of The Handwritten Note." I've been having fun sending personal notes to family and friends. I guess I've gone "retro" because I'm writing them using an old fashioned fountain pen.
> 
> "Baking Boot Camp," one of two of the "Boot Camp" series that I have. I've already read the other, "Culinary Boot Camp."
> 
> "The Land Of Scotland," a large, color photo filled coffee table book. I so want to visit there one of these days! (The land of my family heritage.)




Are you going to try calligraphy next?


----------



## Alix

I've got a few on the go at the moment. 

1. A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson
2. Memoirs of a Holocaust Survivor - Icek Kuperberg (doing biography in book club)
3. Immortal - V.K. Forrest (Kindle freebie)
4. Plague of Secrets - John Lescroart (car book)
5. Stone Angel - Margaret Laurence (teaching this one)


----------



## Felicia

Just finished Broken by Karin Slaughter, starting Subterranean by James Rollins.


----------



## Zhizara

I finished Lincoln Lawyer this morning, and bought another Karen Slaughter, Indelible.


----------



## babetoo

just started a book of short story mysteries. led off by j.d. robb. never heard of the other authors. maybe i will find another one i like.


----------



## Selkie

Zhizara said:


> Are you going to try calligraphy next?



I've been there and done that years ago. I would again except it would be wasted. I have nothing to use it for. It would be nice when sending out social invitations and for making placement cards, but I don't host dinners any longer. I don't believe anyone does, which is a shame. Dinner parties were fun!


----------



## Barbara

I read the book when it first came out. Saw the movie last week and was surprised how good it was.


----------



## simonbaker

I just started the "upstairs room"


----------



## Barbara

Zhizara said:


> I finished Lincoln Lawyer this morning, and bought another Karen Slaughter, Indelible.



See the movie, it is good. I am reading Connellys Fifth Witness now. He defends people that are upsude down with their mortgages because his criminal clients have dried up with the economy


----------



## Zhizara

Johnathan Kellerman's Deception soon to be followed by Iris Johansen's Chasing The Night.


----------



## babetoo

just finished a reread of legally dead. have order coming from the library. ever thing i wanted this time was either out or on a waiting list. won't do that, need my book fix.


----------



## simonbaker

Night Star by Allison Noel


----------



## Claire

_Clara and Mr. Tiffany_ by Susan Vreeland.  I have a love of glass, and I am really enjoying this novel version of biography.  I went to the great museum in Winter Park, Florida when I lived in the area and this novel makes me want to go back, but life being what it is, the next time I'm in Florida, family concerns will probably over-ride the thought of a museum trip.


----------



## Selkie

"The Watercolorist's Answer Book" edited by Gina Rath


----------



## ChefJune

I'm rereading Craig Claiborne's autobiography, "A Feast Made for Laughter," (also has his top favorite 100 recipes). I read it years ago when it first came out (1982). Not sure what prompted me to pick it up again, but it's very interesting. He writes well, and lived a very interesting life -- right at the beginning of "Great American Food."

As well, his writing partner, Pierre Franey, was one of my esteemed mentors and teachers.


----------



## Barbara

Below Zero by C. J. Box
A Joe Picket Novel - 8th in series


----------



## Zhizara

I just finished Chasing The Night by Iris Johansen and started Disturbed by Kevin O'Brien.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

"Water For Elephants" by Sara Gruen and "Ice Station" by Matt Reilly.


----------



## Barbara

Read water for elephants and liked it. They are making the movie now


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Barbara said:


> Read water for elephants and liked it. They are making the movie now



Yeah, I saw the previews and they got me interested in reading the book.


----------



## babetoo

started the last of currant library books. Hate Crime, should check author but to lazy to get up. actually it hurts to get up today. hands and knees mopping and old age don't mix.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am just getting done reading three books about Inspector John Madden of Scotland Yard. The author is Rennie Airth. Excellent mysteries.


----------



## Selkie

Whichever comes in todays' mail... I have seven books on order!


----------



## Zhizara

Seven????? So, a weeks worth?  Which ones?


----------



## Selkie

A monthly order, in this case they are on Water Color Painting and Art History - mostly inexpensive used books from Amazon... the books often sell for less than the cost of shipping!


----------



## Katie H

Just finishing up _The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest_ by Steig Larsson, which is the last book in his trilogy.  Long books, but very, very interesting and good.

Next one up will be _The Paris Wife_ by Paula McLain.  It's the story of Ernest Hemingway's first marriage.  I'm looking forward to it.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Katie H said:


> Just finishing up _The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest_ by Steig Larsson, which is the last book in his trilogy.  Long books, but very, very interesting and good.
> 
> Next one up will be _The Paris Wife_ by Paula McLain.  It's the story of Ernest Hemingway's first marriage.  I'm looking forward to it.




I loved the Steig Larsson books...so sad he died and will never write again.


----------



## Katie H

Oh, I didn't know that.  Rats.  I really liked these three books.


----------



## Alix

I'm reading Strip by Thomas Perry. I LOVE his stuff. I've read all the Jane Whitefeather books and I'm working through all the other stuff. Metzger's Dog and Butcher Boy are next up. I've got their samples on my Kindle and laughed out loud already. The guy is genius. 

I'm also looking at the Elegance of the Hedgehog. Supposed to be a really good read, so I've got the sample. I've not purchased it yet. I may get it from the library instead.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Katie H said:


> Oh, I didn't know that.  Rats.  I really liked these three books.



His estate published the books, he never knew how much his stories were loved in his lifetime.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I just picked up another trilogy...an Alien Investigator series...aliens like ET...


----------



## babetoo

i am re reading Without Conscience, the disturbing world of the psychopaths among us. author robert d hare. phd. waiting for mail books from the library. i read this a long time ago so it is not boring to read again.


----------



## Barbara

Just ordered without conscience on my kindle to sample. Thanks, you may like "people of the Lie" by Scott Beck.


----------



## tinlizzie

Just finished The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter.  Strange little book.

And ChefJune, I'm reading Nora Ephron's  I Feel Bad About My Neck.  She has some remarks about Craig Claiborne, among lots of great, funny stuff re living in NYC.  Also does purses, hair, husbands, apartments -- her neck.  She's too much.


----------



## simonbaker

Just got done reading "Eternal" by Cynthia Leitich Smith.  It's a good paranormal/romance novel.


----------



## Zhizara

I got the first book from my latest order today.  It's the first book of a trilogy that I haven't read by one of my very favorite authors, Alan Dean Foster.  I'm thrilled, I haven't seen a new ADF in many, many years, so I'll be ordering the other two books in the next day or so.  The title of this one is "Phylogenesis".


----------



## Katie H

Just finished _The Paris Wife_ by Paula McLain.  It was wonderful.  I devoured it.  Don't have anything in the wings at the moment, but I'm going to the library tomorrow and will probably come home with an armload of goodies.


----------



## Claire

I'm reading _Prodigal Summer_ by Kingsolver.  Not enjoying it near as much as the other books I've read by her, not sure why.


----------



## Selkie

"Light In Watercolor" and "A Photographer's Guide To Portraits"

I'm on an art kick, and trying to cram as much as possible into this tiny brain!


----------



## JoAnn L.

Just starting a mystery by Sister Carol Anne O'Marie. I love her books about an older nun,  Sister Mary Helen, who always get involved in some kind of murder case.


----------



## babetoo

"the other daughter" author lisa gardner


----------



## Aunt Bea

I always have a few going but, the latest is London At War 1939 -1945 by Philip Ziegler.  It provides a very real glimpse of life in that city during the war.


----------



## Stubbs

Well I love to read inspirational books. Im reading the Above The Line Series by Karen Kingsbury. Just love her books of faith and real life issues.


----------



## tinlizzie

Title:  Fury, by Salmon Rushdie.  Wish I "got" all his references.  I feel stuff flying over my head; still liking it.

Also, Silence of the Grave, a novel by Arnaldur Indridason - detective work in Iceland.  Interesting.


----------



## Zhizara

I'm reading Hangman by Faye Kellerman.  It's good, but going fast.

I'm glad it is a fast read because I got the last 3 books I ordered, one by Anne McCaffrey, another by Alan Dean Foster and the last a one book trilogy by Marion Zimmer Bradley.


----------



## Stubbs

Wow you sound like me. Im on the third book of the series im reading but I have to go get the last one. But I got 4 books from my club as well.


----------



## Zhizara

Stubbs said:


> Wow you sound like me. Im on the third book of the series im reading but I have to go get the last one. But I got 4 books from my club as well.



What series are you reading?  Yeah, I'm in book heaven.  I got a total of 6 books I ordered from Abe Books.  If my current book weren't so good, I'd put it down and wallow in my old favorites.


----------



## Stubbs

Have u heard of Karen Kingsbury? It above the line is the name of the series. Not top happy that I don't have the last book of the series lol but I have a total of 5 books other than the one im on. Reading relaxes me. I would rather ready than watch TV.


----------



## FrankZ

I just started reading Game of Thrones.


----------



## babetoo

Inside The Criminal Mind-- guy debunking  the "it is the parents fault"


----------



## GB

FrankZ said:


> I just started reading Game of Thrones.


Are you watching it on HBO too? I am both reading and watching. The book helps me understand the show and the show helps me understand the book.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> I just started reading Game of Thrones.



I keep forgetting and buying DTB's...one of these days, I'll get them all read.  Meanwhile, the Kindle goes everywhere with me.


----------



## FrankZ

GB: Yes, we are watching.  I think the show is amazing... very well done.  The book is filling in some of the detail nicely.  This one seems as close to the book (as far as I have read) as any adaptation I have seen.

PF:  I got it on the Kindle.  Who buys DTBs anymore?  

I found it funny that Amazon has the books for $8.99 each or you could buy the set of 4 for $35.99.  I understand with DTB you get a nice box and it all looks like a set, but on the Kindle?  Bah.  Want to charge me an extra $.03 to grab em all at once?  Bah.


----------



## Stubbs

I still buy regular books. Can't afford the kindle.


----------



## Zhizara

I love my DTB.  They fill up my bookcases better than a kindle and don't need batteries.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> PF:  I got it on the Kindle.  Who buys DTBs anymore?



Dingbats like me who can't stay out of the bookstore.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> I love my DTB.  They fill up my bookcases better than a kindle and don't need batteries.



No batteries on the Kindle, it comes with a rechargeable...I've had it for 6 months, plugged it in three times, so far.  It goes with me everywhere, I use it at work (5 nursing books) as much as I read it at home.  I am currently hauling a library of 27 books with me everywhere I go.

My work bag is much lighter these days.


----------



## Stubbs

Well im ok with the books I get. Maybe I should ask my husband for one lol


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Stubbs said:


> Well im ok with the books I get. Maybe I should ask my husband for one lol



I resisted buying one for a long time.  It wouldn't be worth it for me if I couldn't include my nursing and drug books.  And I still have stacks of books all over that need to be read.


----------



## jabbur

I just finished David Baldacci's Absolute Power and started The Deeds of the Disturber an Amelia Peabody mystery by Elizabeth Peters.  I've been considering a Kindle.  I'm waiting for it to come down some in price to the $100 range.  When they came out with the $114 I was about to jump on it until I realized it had ads on it.  Figure I get hit with enough of those on TV, newspapers, junk mail and magazines.  Don't want it with my books!


----------



## Stubbs

Well I belong to a Christian book club that is $13 a month. Plus I trade in mine for store credit.


----------



## FrankZ

jabbur said:


> I just finished David Baldacci's Absolute Power and started The Deeds of the Disturber an Amelia Peabody mystery by Elizabeth Peters.  I've been considering a Kindle.  I'm waiting for it to come down some in price to the $100 range.  When they came out with the $114 I was about to jump on it until I realized it had ads on it.  Figure I get hit with enough of those on TV, newspapers, junk mail and magazines.  Don't want it with my books!



As I understand it you don't get ads while reading.  Only between books, but since I don't have the "sponsored" Kindle I can't verify that.  Mine is first generation.

I do think Amazon should throw ya a bone and toss in some book purchases with the thing.


----------



## Zhizara

FrankZ said:


> As I understand it you don't get ads while reading.  Only between books, but since I don't have the "sponsored" Kindle I can't verify that.  Mine is first generation.
> 
> I do think Amazon should throw ya a bone and toss in some book purchases with the thing.



That was another turn-off for me, and the fact that the books cost about the same as a DTB.  I feel that's a ripoff.


----------



## pacanis

That's how I understood it, too, Frank. I figured it would be like the non-obtrusive ads I have on a lot of my Droid's free apps. Still, if I purchased a Kindle, I think I'd spend the extra 20 bucks or whatever it is to not see them. Just for the fact that I will be using the Kindle a lot more. I want to turn it on and see book, not ads.
I bought one for my sister and she loves it. I've almost pulled the trigger on one for myself a few times. I used to read a lot, recently read an online book, and I think the Kindle would be nice on those nights I can't find anything to watch on 300 channels  
I like that it will read in low light, cuz as a lot of us know, the older we get, the lower the lighting gets   I don't understand the book pricing though. A lot of books there's not much savings at all, and that just doesn't seem right.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Stubbs said:


> Well I belong to a Christian book club that is $13 a month. Plus I trade in mine for store credit.



I trade for store credit, too.  Since I have store credit, I can't stay out of the bookstore!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

pacanis said:


> That's how I understood it, too, Frank. I figured it would be like the non-obtrusive ads I have on a lot of my Droid's free apps. Still, if I purchased a Kindle, I think I'd spend the extra 20 bucks or whatever it is to not see them. Just for the fact that I will be using the Kindle a lot more. I want to turn it on and see book, not ads.
> I bought one for my sister and she loves it. I've almost pulled the trigger on one for myself a few times. I used to read a lot, recently read an online book, and I think the Kindle would be nice on those nights I can't find anything to watch on 300 channels
> I like that it will read in low light, cuz as a lot of us know, the older we get, the lower the lighting gets   I don't understand the book pricing though. A lot of books there's not much savings at all, and that just doesn't seem right.



Really depends on the books you are buying.  I was able to save half on my nursing books and most of my reference books (dictionaries, etc.) were $1.  Novels, especially new ones, some are half hardcover price, but only a dollar or two off the paperback price.

I especially like the convenience of finding a recommended title and being able to get it, ASAP, before I forget the title.


----------



## pacanis

Having a book instantly available is certainly a perk.


----------



## Stubbs

Well my husband says if u like to read it a good thing


----------



## PrincessFiona60

pacanis said:


> Having a book instantly available is certainly a perk.



Books vs Kindle...my argument, using _Taber's Medical Cyclopedia_.

If I pick up _Taber's_ I can find what I am looking for faster with a DTB than the Kindle, that's where the convenience ends.  The _Taber's _is heavier than the Kindle; if I lose the page, I have to find it again, actually minor inconveniences.  However, with the Kindle, it instantly bookmarks the last page I am reading, it's small enough I can hold it for longer periods, I don't have to hold it open to read it.   AND, the best part...I have the rest of my nursing and reference books in my hand if I need them and some lighter reading for my lunch break.

I know, I sound like a Kindle commercial...I still buy DTB's...why?  Because I love the feel and smell of a book.


----------



## pacanis

I just received an email from Amazon... no doubt because they track what I am looking at, lol. 114 for the ad Kindle and 189 for the non-ad... I thought it was a lot closer in price.  That's a pretty big difference.  I think I'll hold out for a while longer.


----------



## Stubbs

Well at least im not the only one that likes the smell.


----------



## GB

pacanis said:


> I just received an email from Amazon... no doubt because they track what I am looking at, lol. 114 for the ad Kindle and 189 for the non-ad... I thought it was a lot closer in price.  That's a pretty big difference.  I think I'll hold out for a while longer.


The 189 is for the 3G model. There is a wifi model that is 139.


----------



## pacanis

GB said:


> The 189 is for the 3G model. There is a wifi model that is 139.


 
Really. I didn't see that one in the email. I _was_ right then... there's a model close in price to the 114 Kindle. 
There were three in the email, 114, 189 and 239 (I think) for an international one. The wifi Kindle is the one I was looking at getting. 

Thanks for pointing that out, GB. Maybe I'll order that one tonight.


----------



## GB

If you like to read then you will not be sorry. The Kindle is the greatest thing to happen to books since people switched over from using scrolls.


----------



## LPBeier

I'm reading the Ace of Cakes book.  No, it isn't a recipe book, nor just a photo album of all their cakes.  It is a terrific insight into the bakery, the people (in their own words and each represented by a cake they made), some clients and the show itself.  Being in the industry myself, I am finding it a terrific read, though it is basically directed to the home cake decorator and Ace of Cakes fan!

I specially love the part where Duff negates the "rumour" that he is the guy who blows up cake by stating that this would be ludicrous because then you couldn't eat it!  He merely adds pyrotechnics to the cakes in a safe and food safe manner!  In other words, he gets to light up his cake and eat it too!


----------



## tinlizzie

As a retiree, I have lots more time (and grateful for it) than you young'uns out there.  Don't have a Kindle yet, maybe in the future.  But limited income, yada, yada.  One thing a Kindle can't give me is time in the stacks -- cruising over to the library and pulling out volumes.  In the interests of economy, I try to bunch up my trips and so fill up the gas tank, stop at the grocery (I keep a cooler on my back seat down here), then to the library, so I can spend some quality time looking.  When I get home, I feel absolutely rich.  The bag o' books has a lot to do with the feeling.  

One more thing:  I'm hooked on Netflix because I can access and choose from their online library of titles.  Perhaps Kindle scratches that itch for readers.

Lucky Liz


----------



## tinlizzie

LPB - I heard the Canucks got a big one last night.  Congrats!


----------



## Stubbs

I don't have kindle either can't afford it. But we do the Netflix as well we love movies in my house!


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

I just finished two Eric Van Lustbader novels, First Daughter and Last Snow. I am now digging into Tom Clancey's latest novel Dead of Alive, a 950 pager that could take most of the summer.


----------



## FrankZ

GB said:


> If you like to read then you will not be sorry. The Kindle is the greatest thing to happen to books since people switched over from using scrolls.




Aye...


----------



## LPBeier

tinlizzie said:


> LPB - I heard the Canucks got a big one last night.  Congrats!



Thanks, Liz!
Yep, a real nail biter for the first 59 minutes and 41.5 seconds but we pulled it out from under them quite nicely .


----------



## Aunt Bea

I am not a fan of the kindle yet.  Most of what I read is at least forty years old.  By the time I catch up I will probably go to audio books!

I am working on two books now.  A reread or visit to Celestine Sibley's book a Place called Sweet Apple.  A story of country living and southern recipes.

The second is Margaret Hard's book A memory of Vermont, our life in the Johnny Appleseed Bookshop.


----------



## tinlizzie

Aunt Bea said:


> I am not a fan of the kindle yet. Most of what I read is at least forty years old. By the time I catch up I will probably go to audio books!
> 
> I am working on two books now. A reread or visit to Celestine Sibley's book a Place called Sweet Apple. A story of country living and southern recipes.
> 
> The second is Margaret Hard's book A memory of Vermont, our life in the Johnny Appleseed Bookshop.


 
Nice to hear someone's reading Celestine Sibley.  Her book, Turned Funny, is fun if you can find it - my local library doesn't have it.  I found her books when I lived in Atlanta, GA.  What a salt-of-the-Earth person she was.


----------



## Aunt Bea

tinlizzie said:


> Nice to hear someone's reading Celestine Sibley. Her book, Turned Funny, is fun if you can find it - my local library doesn't have it. I found her books when I lived in Atlanta, GA. What a salt-of-the-Earth person she was.


 

If you like Celestine Sibley you might like Gladys Taber.  Also Cross Creek country cooking by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.  I like these regional books, the people become like old friends.


----------



## Barbara

The Glass Castle a memoir that is powerful. Not finished yet.


----------



## Stubbs

Jus realized that the auther that im reading now confines to write about the charters in more series looks like im going go be getting all the books lil at a time


----------



## MSC

Just finished the first two books in the series by Alan bradley, "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie", and "The weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag", featuring an eleven year old "genius" girl in 1950 who solves mysteries.  Worth checking out IMO.  Also "once a Spy" by Keith Thomson, a fun, page-turner, best seller by a first-time novelist.


----------



## Stubbs

Jus ordered the last book of the series im on. Plus a 3 in 1 novel.


----------



## Zhizara

I just finished Dragondrums and started All The Wyers of Pern, both by Anne McCaffrey.


----------



## tinlizzie

Aunt Bea said:


> If you like Celestine Sibley you might like Gladys Taber. Also Cross Creek country cooking by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. I like these regional books, the people become like old friends.


 
Thanks, Aunt Bea.  Have you ever read any of the Elm Creek Quilters series?  You might like them, as well.


----------



## Stubbs

Has anyone read Karen kingsbury?


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> I just finished Dragondrums and started All The Wyers of Pern, both by Anne McCaffrey.



So I won't give you any spoilers...I love the Pern books.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

My next foray is a new author, Gini Koch...science-fiction.  I have her three books.


----------



## Zhizara

PrincessFiona60 said:


> So I won't give you any spoilers...I love the Pern books.



Can't spoil 'em since I've read them all before.  I'm just building my library of old favorites.  Fortunately, It's been so long they are just like new.  Unfortunately, you just can't take time to savor them as they are impossible to put down for more than a few minutes at a time.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> Can't spoil 'em since I've read them all before.  I'm just building my library of old favorites.  Fortunately, It's been so long they are just like new.  Unfortunately, you just can't take time to savor them as they are impossible to put down for more than a few minutes at a time.



I started out with the Harper stories when they were first published in the 70's...they are still a favorite.


----------



## babetoo

about half way through "The Help"


----------



## vitauta

just purchased a nook - off the hook!!  ($99 - refurbished - b&n thru ebay)  pros:  a bonanza of older and classic type books are freebies  !!  plenty of other cheap reads too !!  great for multi-book jugglers like me - you can switch books instantly, much like channel-surfing !!  i'm like a kid in a candy store with the free sample ebooks - saves $$ if you're not keen on the sample !!  love the convenience of the free and easy portability !!  cons:  impulse control has never been a strong point with me (watch your first week or two of hair-trigger purchases with strict diligence)  !!  a sample ebook can act like a double edged sword - just say no to the superficial hook - remember, you can sample  endLESSly for free !!  the pages do not have their own source of light (no backlighting) !!  $99 is still $$  !!  it's not a kindle !!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I hope you enjoy it!


----------



## Alix

Just jumping back to the Kindle chat for a moment. I currently have well over 100 books on my Kindle. If you look carefully and search on your computer rather than on the Kindle itself you can access a whole lot of free books. The freebies change from time to time so you need to keep checking. I also have bought a crapload of 99 cent books. 

IMHO its not outrageous to spend $6 - $9 for a book that would currently be in paperback.

The $114 ad Kindle only shows ads when it goes to sleep. You don't get interrupted with ads or anything like that. Its WELL worth the money. And you will not stop reading DTBs either. I still get stuff from the library and the used book store. I just don't have a shoulder dent from the weight of the books in my purse anymore.  

In case any of you are interested, at the bottom of this page (and every page) there are links to the other Social Knowledge forums. One of those is Book and Reader. I recently joined over there and I'm loving the book chat. Come on over, lets have a DC invasion!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Alix said:


> Just jumping back to the Kindle chat for a moment. I currently have well over 100 books on my Kindle. If you look carefully and search on your computer rather than on the Kindle itself you can access a whole lot of free books. The freebies change from time to time so you need to keep checking. I also have bought a crapload of 99 cent books.
> 
> IMHO its not outrageous to spend $6 - $9 for a book that would currently be in paperback.
> 
> The $114 ad Kindle only shows ads when it goes to sleep. You don't get interrupted with ads or anything like that. Its WELL worth the money. And you will not stop reading DTBs either. I still get stuff from the library and the used book store. I just don't have a shoulder dent from the weight of the books in my purse anymore.
> 
> In case any of you are interested, at the bottom of this page (and every page) there are links to the other Social Knowledge forums. One of those is Book and Reader. I recently joined over there and I'm loving the book chat. Come on over, lets have a DC invasion!



I'm busy registering...think they'll think I'm a Spammer...


----------



## vitauta

this enormously popular thread has been pulling in members of dc like "moths to a flame"   for more than six years already.  i hope it can continue.  since i'm still new, i'm unfamiliar with what happens when the last page of a thread is filled.  i would like to be able to continue checking in on what books folks are into, and share my latest.  what now?


----------



## PrincessFiona60

There is no last page, as long as we keep posting new pages will continue to appear!  Are you set up to be subscribed to threads and get e-mail updates when you post to a thread?


----------



## vitauta

well, that's good news, thanx.  and yes, i don't know how it came about, but i do receive e mails informing me of new postings. i look forward to them too....


----------



## PrincessFiona60

vitauta said:


> well, that's good news, thanx.  and yes, i don't know how it came about, but i do receive e mails informing me of new postings. i look forward to them too....



Then for this thread, anytime someone posts a new one...it will let you know, even if we end up ignoring it for a couple of weeks.

I understand how you feel, I get new author ideas from what others are reading all the time.  And it was Frank and GB who finally convinced me to buy a Kindle.


----------



## pacanis

The last page of a thread? 
Is that like the end of the internetz?


----------



## vitauta

i picked up a couple of books from oprah's book club, hadn't done that one before, for some/no reason.  elizabeth berg's open house, and james frey's a million little pieces. love oprah to death, but so far i'm not big on her book selections.   james frey's book, about drug rehab, could have used some good, radical editing, and i just didn't see where it was so inspirational as it was touted back when it caused such a sensation.  elizabeth berg, has a rather nice, free flowing style of writing that i liked - just didn't find the subject or the story of the open house to be of much interest, personally.  i might try another of berg's books, but not one by frey.


----------



## vitauta

i'm way too obsessed with the ongoing casey anthony trial, and need a really good, riveting book to separate my from this addiction. anybody got one?


----------



## ChefJune

Now I'm reading "As Always, Julia," edited by Joan Reardon. It's the collection of letters exchanged between Julia Child and Avis DeVoto over submission and publication of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking."


----------



## Barbara

The Glass Castle - could not put it down. Autobiography.

Now reading: Dream Golf: The Making of Bandon Dunes, my hubby goes there a couple of times a year and we have met this guy. Interesting read.

Buried Prey - John Sandford - Lucas Davenport character. Loves these books. Twin cities area.


----------



## Stubbs

So excited got email tht my books being shipped


----------



## Barbara

I have the original kindle and love it. Still buy books too. Also have ipad. Prefer reading on the kindle though.


----------



## tinlizzie

vitauta said:


> i'm way too obsessed with the ongoing casey anthony trial, and need a really good, riveting book to separate my from this addiction. anybody got one?


 
You might be interested in the Body Farm series - just yesterday I caught a clip on TV news of one of the Anthony trial experts who's associated with the Body Farm in TN.  He testified as to forensics in the case.

The books are basically mysteries.  Listed as written by Jefferson Bass, they are co-written by two men, Jon Jefferson, and Dr. Bill Bass, who founded the UT Anthropology Research Facility -- The Body Farm --that scientifically studies decomposition of corpses.  Maybe won't keep you on the edge of your seat, but they're very well written and authoritative on the subject.  

Liz


----------



## vitauta

tinlizzie said:


> You might be interested in the Body Farm series - just yesterday I caught a clip on TV news of one of the Anthony trial experts who's associated with the Body Farm in TN.  He testified as to forensics in the case.
> 
> The books are basically mysteries.  Listed as written by Jefferson Bass, they are co-written by two men, Jon Jefferson, and Dr. Bill Bass, who founded the UT Anthropology Research Facility -- The Body Farm --that scientifically studies decomposition of corpses.  Maybe won't keep you on the edge of your seat, but they're very well written and authoritative on the subject.
> 
> Liz



patricia cornwell and i traveled the 1990s together, sharing some nine books and following dr. scarpetta around. don't know why i stopped reading her, but i see she's doing just fine without me....thanks for this Jefferson Bass tip - it's a gem!  what good news--some half dozen of the body farm ebooks are a bargain at $7.99 !!  all i need to do now, is decide which one to download first.  of course you realize this will do nothing but feed into my already raging anthony trial obsessions....thanks


----------



## PrincessFiona60

vitauta said:


> patricia cornwell and i traveled the 1990s together, sharing some nine books and following dr. scarpetta around. don't know why i stopped reading her, but i see she's doing just fine without me....thanks for this Jefferson Bass tip - it's a gem!  what good news--some half dozen of the body farm ebooks are a bargain at $7.99 !!  all i need to do now, is decide which one to download first.  of course you realize this will do nothing but feed into my already raging anthony trial obsessions....thanks



If you liked Patricia Cornwell, you will LOVE Jefferson Bass.  None of what they have written has ever butted heads with what I learned in Anatomy and Physiology class.


----------



## vitauta

PrincessFiona60 said:


> If you liked Patricia Cornwell, you will LOVE Jefferson Bass.  None of what they have written has ever butted heads with what I learned in Anatomy and Physiology class.



in that case, i just may have hit the mother lode here!!


----------



## babetoo

vitauta said:


> i'm way too obsessed with the ongoing casey anthony trial, and need a really good, riveting book to separate my from this addiction. anybody got one?


 

i too am watching it on and off. certainly doesn't have the quality announcers of the old court t.v.what channel are you watching? mine is on a cable channel.  i miss the court tv channel.


----------



## babetoo

I am reading "I Have Lived A Thousand Years" written by a woman that survived auschwitz and forced labor in a german factory, in germany. tough to read, but i have been doing research on this topic.


----------



## vitauta

babetoo said:


> i too am watching it on and off. certainly doesn't have the quality announcers of the old court t.v.what channel are you watching? mine is on a cable channel.  i miss the court tv channel.



i don't have cable, but i am watching it online cnn.com/live (9:00a.m.-5:00p.m.)


----------



## tinlizzie

vitauta said:


> i don't have cable, but i am watching it online cnn.com/live (9:00a.m.-5:00p.m.)


 
That's good to find out.  Think I'll tune in later this morning.  Way back when, I was glued to the set watching the OJ trial spin out - recorded a good bit of it, but for some reason haven't really wished to revisit that unhappy bit of history.  These cases are stranger than fiction, aren't they?

One of the Body Farm novels was Bones of Betrayal, which led to my doing Google time on the secret doings there in East TN when they were rushing to develop the atomic bomb.  Ver-r-r-y interesting.


----------



## Barbara

I am at the end of reading Unbroken. Japanese POW true story. Powerful stuff.


----------



## vitauta

i'm happily, busily making a reading list for myself from the authors and books you guys are recommending.  here's a news flash for ebook readers:  amazon has an offering of some 600 book titles from 99c--$2.99 for "summer readers".  here's some authors that caught my eye:  pat conroy, andre dubus, william styron, alan d. foster, ian fleming, jack higgins, robert b. parker, kurt vonnegut, to name just a few...good stuff, huh?


----------



## MSC

One of my favorites, the "Cat Who" lady, Lilian Jackson Braun, died today, age97, and she wrote almost right up to the end.  RIP.


----------



## Alix

MSC said:


> One of my favorites, the "Cat Who" lady, Lilian Jackson Braun, died today, age97, and she wrote almost right up to the end.  RIP.



Get out! I loved those books! What will we do without Koko and Yum Yum?


----------



## Maidrite

Revit-How to for my new job.........and of course all your posts


----------



## babetoo

Clara's War, another Holocaust book


----------



## tinlizzie

vitauta said:


> i'm happily, busily making a reading list for myself from the authors and books you guys are recommending. here's a news flash for ebook readers: amazon has an offering of some 600 book titles from 99c--$2.99 for "summer readers". here's some authors that caught my eye: pat conroy, andre dubus, william styron, alan d. foster, ian fleming, jack higgins, robert b. parker, kurt vonnegut, to name just a few...good stuff, huh?


 
Mighty good list.  How about some women as well:  Margaret Atwood, Barbara Kingsolver, Angela Carter, A. S. Byatt, E. Annie Proulx, Patricia Highsmith....a little Sue Grafton or M. C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin for dessert.


----------



## babetoo

babetoo said:


> Clara's War, another Holocaust book


 
this is a very powerful book!! it is written by the clara in the title. i am about half way through and they have been in an under ground bunker for over a year. eighteen people. the people that live upstairs are protecting them. they are polish christians. they all live in poland. this is a first person account of life with the s.s. and Nazi solders. i would recommend this book highly, to see a true picture of the jewish solution.


----------



## vitauta

here's a quickie request - i'm about to mail out books to my grandkids and i'm not real up on current youth books.  i've got the boys covered, but the girls, what to do, what to do? ages 15 and 11, and i refuse to be part of anything to do with twilight or vampires.  i know i liked judy blume - is there anything comparable today?  oh, and the 11 year old is more of a doer than a reader. something about animals, a book to spark her interest in reading for pleasure?


----------



## pacanis

Well, I did it.  I had a Kindle in my wish list along with a couple crocks (for the French onion soup I intend to make), but I needed a toner cartridge so visited Amazon... and we all know how that goes, lol.
I will be a Kindling fool before long, or would that be kindred spirit...


----------



## PrincessFiona60

vitauta said:


> here's a quickie request - i'm about to mail out books to my grandkids and i'm not real up on current youth books.  i've got the boys covered, but the girls, what to do, what to do? ages 15 and 11, and i refuse to be part of anything to do with twilight or vampires.  i know i liked judy blume - is there anything comparable today?  oh, and the 11 year old is more of a doer than a reader. something about animals, a book to spark her interest in reading for pleasure?




For the 11 year old, see if there is a fiction book for her age group that is about a veterinarian and her taking care of animals.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

pacanis said:


> Well, I did it.  I had a Kindle in my wish list along with a couple crocks (for the French onion soup I intend to make), but I needed a toner cartridge so visited Amazon... and we all know how that goes, lol.
> I will be a Kindling fool before long, or would that be kindred spirit...



Ah, you are going to love it!


----------



## spork

vitauta said:


> here's a quickie request - i'm about to mail out books to my grandkids and i'm not real up on current youth books.  i've got the boys covered, but the girls, what to do, what to do? ages 15 and 11, and i refuse to be part of anything to do with twilight or vampires.  i know i liked judy blume - is there anything comparable today?  oh, and the 11 year old is more of a doer than a reader. something about animals, a book to spark her interest in reading for pleasure?


From your grandgirls' description, I'd highly recommend the Redwall series by Brian Jacques.  It's not current, but it is a timeless adventure fantasy about heroic animal communities and individuals, be they a mouse.


----------



## Zhizara

In Junior High School, I had the opportunity to work in the library during my free period.  The librarian asked me what I was most interested in and I told her horses.  She gave me a book, "Frog, The Horse Who Knew No Master" and I've been an avid reader ever since.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

spork said:


> From your grandgirls' description, I'd highly recommend the Redwall series by Brian Jacques.  It's not current, but it is a timeless adventure fantasy about heroic animal communities and individuals, be they a mouse.



Redwall...great suggestion!


----------



## spork

For the 15-yr old, I'd recommend downloading the unofficial biography of Justin Bieber for a grandkid hug next week, or "Sophie's World" for an amusing introduction to philosophical thought that won't pay Gramps back with a grateful hug until sophomore year of college.

Pac, ack, don't download that!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

babetoo said:


> Clara's War, another Holocaust book



I got this one today, I'll be reading it when I finish the one I am on.  I also got a copy of The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank.  It's been a while since I read it.


----------



## Alix

pacanis said:


> Well, I did it.  I had a Kindle in my wish list along with a couple crocks (for the French onion soup I intend to make), but I needed a toner cartridge so visited Amazon... and we all know how that goes, lol.
> I will be a Kindling fool before long, or would that be kindred spirit...



YAY! If you need tips or hints on getting to the freebies and cheapies PM me. I'm all over it. 



vitauta said:


> here's a quickie request - i'm about to mail out books to my grandkids and i'm not real up on current youth books.  i've got the boys covered, but the girls, what to do, what to do? ages 15 and 11, and i refuse to be part of anything to do with twilight or vampires.  i know i liked judy blume - is there anything comparable today?  oh, and the 11 year old is more of a doer than a reader. something about animals, a book to spark her interest in reading for pleasure?



May I suggest Louise Rennison? Her site. My daughters are 17 and 15 and lough out loud reading her series. Are you against Harry Potter? How about Artemis Fowl? The YRCA list (Young Readers Choice Awards) has excellent books on it. There is a new list every year, and I have not been disappointed with the books on there very often. The books are broken down by age category so that might help you out too. Ok, done now...sorry! I'm a bit passionate about books, can you tell? 

Right now I just finished Living with the Dead, by Kelley Armstrong and I picked up Face Changers by Thomas Perry. I have Odd Thomas waiting for me, and on the Kindle I'm reading a Donovan Creed novel.


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

I picked up three new paperbacks yesterday for when (if?) I finish Tom Clancy's Dead or Alive: The Bourne Objective, the latest Eric Van Lustbader edition of Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne novels; Clive Cussler's The Spy; and James Patterson's Just Cause.


----------



## pacanis

Thanks Alix!
Will do.
It shipped already, too.


----------



## Alix

Which version did you get? And you won't be sorry, they have EXCELLENT customer service (did I tell you my tales of woe...I'm on my 3rd Kindle since Feb) and shipping is FAST.


----------



## Zhizara

Thanks for the link, Alix.  I see several DCers there.  Joined and posted.  I like the "where are you" thread.


----------



## vitauta

Zhizara said:


> In Junior High School, I had the opportunity to work in the library during my free period.  The librarian asked me what I was most interested in and I told her horses.  She gave me a book, "Frog, The Horse Who Knew No Master" and I've been an avid reader ever since.



thanks to everyone for the slew of fine book ideas. zhizara, your s.p.meeks book is out of print, and very pricey if you want a copy in nice shape from what i'm seeing.  so for now i've sent my "meh" reader a horse book by annie wedekind.  but i will not give up on my search for this elusive arabian horse book that is said to read like a cross between hemingway and dorothy lyons. how could i?


----------



## vitauta

pacanis said:


> Well, I did it.  I had a Kindle in my wish list along with a couple crocks (for the French onion soup I intend to make), but I needed a toner cartridge so visited Amazon... and we all know how that goes, lol.
> I will be a Kindling fool before long, or would that be kindred spirit...



congrats! another literary love affair has been launched!


----------



## roadfix

I'm not much of a reader, but I do enjoy playing Word With Friends or Scrabble over the internet.


----------



## Alix

roadfix said:


> I'm not much of a reader, but I do enjoy playing Word With Friends or Scrabble over the internet.



I'm addicted to words with friends.


----------



## vitauta

roadfix said:


> I'm not much of a reader, but I do enjoy playing Word With Friends or Scrabble over the internet.



have you checked out wordsquaredcom?  it's become my favorite way to indulge my scrabble cravings.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I bought Ruth Rendell's, End In Tears. I just love her books.


----------



## vitauta

tinlizzie said:


> That's good to find out.  Think I'll tune in later this morning.  Way back when, I was glued to the set watching the OJ trial spin out - recorded a good bit of it, but for some reason haven't really wished to revisit that unhappy bit of history.  These cases are stranger than fiction, aren't they?
> 
> One of the Body Farm novels was Bones of Betrayal, which led to my doing Google time on the secret doings there in East TN when they were rushing to develop the atomic bomb.  Ver-r-r-y interesting.



i chose to start with bones of betrayal because of the manhattan project connection. so i'm deep into this harrowing tale and less fixated on the casey trial. actually, i'm ready for it to end, already.  i just hope casey never has the chance to give birth to another child....


----------



## pacanis

Alix said:


> Which version did you get? And you won't be sorry, they have EXCELLENT customer service (did I tell you my tales of woe...I'm on my 3rd Kindle since Feb) and shipping is FAST.


 
I got the $139 version, Alix. I'll have to read your thread. I'm usually pretty lucky with electronics purchases, so I'm probably due to get a dud one of these times. Maybe not though. I'm reading the users guide (kind of) right now, inbetween watching a movie and posting here


----------



## Selkie

"The Simple Art of Celtic Calligraphy" - Fiona Graham Flynn


----------



## Alix

pacanis said:


> I got the $139 version, Alix. I'll have to read your thread. I'm usually pretty lucky with electronics purchases, so I'm probably due to get a dud one of these times. Maybe not though. I'm reading the users guide (kind of) right now, inbetween watching a movie and posting here



The $139 one is the one I have. Its really pretty idiot proof thank goodness. You can even set it up to post to Twitter or Facebook when you finish a book. There are also some games that are preloaded on it. Minesweeper is on there. I haven't found the others yet. Enjoy!!


----------



## Stubbs

Finally got my new books in yay!


----------



## Dawgluver

I just discovered this thread today.  Was excited to see all the stuff about Kindle. I have the second gen, and love it.  Most of my books are 99 cents or free.  Kindle is perfect for travel, and you can also read your books on your smart phone, IPad, and PC.  You don't even need a Kindle, just download the free app.  I have never seen any ads on mine.  J.A. Konrath has some great gory stuff, and writes especially for Kindle.  I am currently reading Shaken, one of the books in the Jaqueline "Jack" Daniels series.


----------



## Alix

Dawgluver said:


> J.A. Konrath has some great gory stuff, and writes especially for Kindle.  I am currently reading Shaken, one of the books in the Jaqueline "Jack" Daniels series.



I'm off to find some now. Thanks for the tip. Have you read any John Locke? The Donovan Creed stuff is pretty good. $.99 each.


----------



## Selkie

I will never own a Kindle (or similar device), even if it were given to me as a gift!

Why not? Because:

Kindle: Amazon.com has and continues to operate under its own rules of censorship, deleting books, without notice, that Kindle owners have already purchased. Ironically George Orwell’s "1984" and "Animal Farm" were among the first that Amazon deleted. Amazon makes no apology for arbitrarily exerting its censorship over its subscribers.

Books: Once in your hand, the bookseller cannot come and confiscate. It belongs to you!

********************
Kindle: There are many places in the world were you cannot access your kindle library.

Books: Can be carried anywhere.

*******************
Kindle: Like so many electronic devices we use, such as cell phones, Ipods, portable DVD players and laptops, Kindles will regularly malfunction requiring you to purchase a new one, typically every two years.

Books: Don't malfunction if reasonably taken care of. They typically last several hundred years.

*******************
Kindle: requires its battery to be regularly recharged.

Books: What battery?

*******************
Kindle: Point to your Kindle and tell a friend, "Look at my library."

Books: Point to a wall-to-wall bookcase filled to overflowing with books and say to a friend, "Look at my library."

********************
Kindle: Try lending a book to a friend.

Books: Lending a book to a friend, hand them the book.

********************
Kindle: Illustrations are limited to the size of the screen.

Books: Many books are large, affording huge, high quality color prints of photos, art and illustrations, not limited by computer pixel size.

********************
Kindle: Try crawling around under a dirty, greasy car with a kindle instead of a book repair manual.

Books: They deal with dirt and grease a lot better than do electronics.

********************
Kindle: is primarily manufactured in Asia (China), and contributes to their economy.

Books: English language books are typically printed in America, Britain or Canada. Each Kindle book sold contributes to putting hundreds of Americans, British and Canadians out of work.
********************
Kindle: You can't use a Kindle as booster seat or a door stop.

Books: Stacks of books come in handy for many uses.


----------



## Alix

Selkie, its not about giving up books to use a Kindle. My library visits have not diminished nor have I changed my purchasing habits of books. 

You are mistaken about not being able to access your books anywhere you like. Once your book is on your Kindle its there until you remove it yourself. Your books are backed up on the Amazon site, true, but they are also on your Kindle. And once you purchase it, its yours, same as with any paperback or hardcover. My Kindle currently resides in my purse and goes with me everywhere. Its roughly 1/4 the width of a paperback but the dimensions are otherwise the same. I have over 100 books on it and none of them is inaccessible. 

As for lending a book, Amazon is working on that at the moment, and expects to have it up and running by the fall. 

I read just as many DTBs as I do eBooks and enjoy them all thoroughly. I love the smell of a fresh book, and the feel of it in my hands. I love being able to see how much of my book is left and to whack a fly with it if I choose. That doesn't mean I don't see the benefits of owning a Kindle as well. I travel and I work in so many different locations that a Kindle is really my best portable option. Saying "no" to a Kindle is like the Luddites saying "no" to all new technology. Use it to benefit you, choose what you will do and not do, but the technology itself is not bad. 

I also have the Kindle app on my Android and on my Mac. I see no reason not to use all the options available to me. 

Back to the thread topic...

I'm currently reading "Face Changers" by Thomas Perry (DTB) and I'm also reading "A Girl Like You" by John Locke on my Kindle.


----------



## pacanis

There's a couple things there (Selkie) that could be turned the other way.
Kindle requires a battery to be charged in order to read it.
A book requires lighting from an outside source to read it.

Or... with a Kindle, _every_ room is your library! lol

Anyway, I gotta say your censorship statement caught my eye. They really dropped a couple books like Animal Farm and 1984? What the heck. I don't like that at all. You're definitely right with that one. What right does Amazon have to censor its e-books?


----------



## Selkie

Alix, while I appreciate the accessiblity your Kindle affords you, Amazon can and has reached out to delete books from people's Kindles even though they were uploaded. They are being sued over that very issue. For those interested, Google, "Kindle Censorship."

It rankles me that ANYONE can express that kind of power over my purchased and personal reading material! That reason alone is enough to keep me from ever owning one.

Believe me, it's not the technology... I've been a computer person since 1970 (6 years before the first personal computer ever appeared...), but the misuse of technology and its affects on our lives.

,,,and you still can't use it as a booster seat!


----------



## Alix

Selkie, those articles are 2 years old. I'm not going to argue that it didn't happen, but rather that it won't happen again. Kindles haven't been out that long and mistakes happen. That was clearly a big one. Manufacturers issue recalls all the time, I don't see this as any different. 

That one incident is certainly not enough to minimize the Kindle's convenience to me. 

If we are comparing to computers, well I've had to overwrite operating systems, and buy external hard drives, virus scanners, etc etc blah blah blah. Lots of irritations, but it doesn't prevent me from using them. I just adjust and move on. If Amazon oopsed and a book I'd purchased was deleted from my Kindle, I'd b!tch pretty loudly and go buy a hard copy. No biggie. There are always alternatives. 

And on a side note, does anyone find it amusing that 1984 was one of the books removed? HAHAHAHAHAHA! Big Brother indeed! 

Oh and I wouldn't use it for a booster seat cuz there better not be a NEED for a booster seat in my house for a LONG TIME! I'm out of production and my daughters better STAY out of production for at least 8-10 years!


----------



## Dawgluver

Alix said:
			
		

> I'm off to find some now. Thanks for the tip. Have you read any John Locke? The Donovan Creed stuff is pretty good. $.99 each.



Will check him out.  Thanks!   Konrath also goes by the name of Jack Kilborn, with equally gory stuff and a lot of humor.  He frequently pairs with other authors and the resulting books are a blast!

A great resource for Kindle news and free books is Steve Windwalker's free newsletter, Kindle Nation.  

We take our Kindles on planes and to Mexico.  We don't have the international version, just download whatever books we might read.  I have around 200 books on mine, including some very fine cookbooks.  Nowadays, I find myself using my IPad for just about everything, but for a dedicated e-reader that works everywhere and is so lightweight, Kindle can't be beat.  I also have a waterproof case for it, so I can float around the pool without fear of splashes.

Oh, just read the other most recent posts.  I think you can find 1984 on Kindle currently.  For free.  The most recent issue was taking off the book about how to be a pedophile, which made the national news, and IMHO, probably shouldn't be available to anyone anyway.  They still sell porn for Kindle, if you want it.  I don't find censorship to be an issue, and have never had anything deleted by Amazon.

I think they do currently have a sharing program for Kindle books.  I haven't used it yet, but apparently it's there.


----------



## vitauta

i think we have the beginnings for a new thread here, but the controversy between paper books and e readers strikes a very familiar chord:  electric vs. acoustic, vinyl vs. tapes/cds, plugged vs. unplugged, etc.  life's changes occur with or without our invitation or consent, and we are left to make a choice, take a stand, often amid spirited, and even divisive discussions and exchanges.  eventually, the fast and the slow, the loud and the soft, the new and the old end up peacefully? coexisting among us, with our individual freedoms preserved and intact. and we live to dispute another day....


----------



## babetoo

finishing up "By Their Hand" while waiting for my books by mail from the library. it is like having your own public library.


----------



## FrankZ

I grabbed A Clash of Kings (on my kindle) last night.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> I grabbed A Clash of Kings (on my kindle) last night.



I have too many choices facing me when I finish what I'm reading, I can't decide what I want to read next.  How was Game of Thrones?  I did not watch the TV program.


----------



## FrankZ

The book was true to the show... errmm.. the show was true to the book.  The book was more detailed.  I found Martin's writing style detailed but straight forward.  He isn't flowery, just complete.

Face paced when it needed to be.  Very similar to R A Salvator in style, but smoother.


----------



## Alix

Finished Face Changers, it was as good as Thomas Perry's stuff usually is. I'm now into Odd Thomas. I have LOL'ed a few times and I'm only a few pages into it.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> The book was true to the show... errmm.. the show was true to the book.  The book was more detailed.  I found Martin's writing style detailed but straight forward.  He isn't flowery, just complete.
> 
> _Face paced when it needed to be.  Very similar to R A Salvator in style, but smoother._




Thanks, Frank!


----------



## Zhizara

Started the Marion Zimmer Bradley Darkover trilogy, A World Divided:  Star of Danger, The Bloody Sun and The Winds of Darkover.


----------



## babetoo

babetoo said:


> finishing up "By Their Hand" while waiting for my books by mail from the library. it is like having your own public library.


 

actually is is "by their father's hand" guy in calif. that thought he was jesus, had many children with his daughters . he shot and killed nine of the kids, cause the law was asking questions. really a scum bucket guy.


----------



## Claire

I think on this one, it depends on how often you buy new books.  I almost never do.  I buy used, when I do buy, and mostly use library books.  I have several hundred books around the house, a big reference library of odd sorts.  But I'm slowly getting rid of a lot of all of them.  I'm even thinking of asking two friends who collect cookbooks to come and pick over my collection.  That'll be a heart-breaker, but in fact, can't remember the last time I used a recipe aside from a dozen or so favorites, so eventually they will have to go.  I'm one of those people who don't like a lot of stuff around that is not of use to me.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Claire said:


> I think on this one, it depends on how often you buy new books.  I almost never do.  I buy used, when I do buy, and mostly use library books.  I have several hundred books around the house, a big reference library of odd sorts.  But I'm slowly getting rid of a lot of all of them.  I'm even thinking of asking two friends who collect cookbooks to come and pick over my collection.  That'll be a heart-breaker, but in fact, can't remember the last time I used a recipe aside from a dozen or so favorites, so eventually they will have to go.  I'm one of those people who don't like a lot of stuff around that is not of use to me.



I have lost the use of 6-8 inches of the perimeter of most rooms in the apartment because of bookcases.  And there are still stacks of books that don't fit into bookcases.  I have over $300 worth of credit at the used bookstore, it used to be more...much more.  Books are an addiction.


----------



## babetoo

Empty Promises by ann rule.


----------



## Dawgluver

Oh, and Pacanis, you can download the Kindle app and read your books on any e-device.  I have it on my Blackberry, IPad, laptop and PC.  Anytime you order a book, it automatically goes to the other devices.  You don't even need a Kindle.

One click, it's a beautiful thing!

Welcome to the wonderful world of Kindle!  You will love it!


----------



## babetoo

bitter creek-ann rule


----------



## pacanis

Thanks Alix.

Dead Tree Books... I knew what was being referred to, but I didn't know the acronym either.
That kills me these utility companies that send me a seven page letter every two weeks asking me to go electronic to save a tree... HellOOOOOO.... lolololol


----------



## pacanis

It's certainly a good crash course for me, Dawg.
20 years from now all the "DTB"s will have been burned anyway ;^)


----------



## pacanis

Right now I am "reading" the W-S catalog, June edition.
My gawd! I'm salivating all over the first few pages with all that grilled food. And that turkey and black turtle bean chili... 
If you haven't yet opened this up, preferring to look at that rib on the front cover, I highly recommend it.


----------



## vitauta

'life' by keith richards, and 'does the noise in my head...' by steven tyler - both highly entertaining and worthwhile reads - a special treat for fans.


----------



## LPBeier

Still on the cooking books - Picked up "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution"  from Costco the other day.  Recipes are great but the story behind it is even better.  I like a book where I am learning as much about the author and their food story as the actual recipes!


----------



## LPBeier

Dawgluver said:


> Oh, and Pacanis, you can download the Kindle app and read your books on any e-device.  I have it on my Blackberry, IPad, laptop and PC.  Anytime you order a book, it automatically goes to the other devices.  You don't even need a Kindle.
> 
> One click, it's a beautiful thing!
> 
> Welcome to the wonderful world of Kindle!  You will love it!



Thanks, Dawgluver, I am going to look into this for my netbook.  I figure with it and my internet stick I don't need a kindle weighing down my purse/bag too!


----------



## Dawgluver

LPBeier said:
			
		

> Thanks, Dawgluver, I am going to look into this for my netbook.  I figure with it and my internet stick I don't need a kindle weighing down my purse/bag too!
> 
> Where do I find it?



I think you just google download Kindle App for PC or somesuch.  Ya know, it's been so long...

It's in BB App store, Ipad/Iphone through their app store, Amazon.com (Kindle), I will have to go back and try to figure out how I got it on my PC and laptop.

As I recall, you need an Amazon account no matter what.  Kindle Nation free newsletter may also have advice.

Aha!  I googled download Kindle for PC, and it took me to the Amazon site with free download and a listing of free books.


----------



## LPBeier

Found it, got the app, got the account, bought Julia Child's "My Life In France".  I am a happy camper!!!!

All this Kindle stuff was kind of stressing me out because I didn't want another techie device (that's for DH!).  But this way my netbook is endearing itself to me once more....once hubby fixes it after he loaded a non-compatible piece of software that is!


----------



## Dawgluver

LPBeier said:
			
		

> Found it, got the app, got the account, bought Julia Child's "My Life In France".  I am a happy camper!!!!
> 
> All this Kindle stuff was kind of stressing me out because I didn't want another techie device (that's for DH!).  But this way my netbook is endearing itself to me once more....once hubby fixes it after he loaded a non-compatible piece of software that is!



Yay!  That was quick, LP!


----------



## ChefJune

LPBeier said:


> Found it, got the app, got the account, bought Julia Child's "My Life In France". I am a happy camper!!!!
> 
> All this Kindle stuff was kind of stressing me out because I didn't want another techie device (that's for DH!). But this way my netbook is endearing itself to me once more....once hubby fixes it after he loaded a non-compatible piece of software that is!


 
You're in for a real treat. That's a goodie! 

I'm enjoying "As Always, Julia," the letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto by Joan Reardon.  Julia shows us once again how outspoken she was. Loved that about her. You always knew just where she stood.


----------



## babetoo

In the Still of the Night, by ann rule. one of her true crime. she goes into more detail than is necessary. find that kinda boring.


----------



## pacanis

babetoo said:


> In the Still of the Night, by ann rule. one of her true crime. she goes into more detail than is necessary. find that kinda boring.


 
I thought crime stories always went into a lot of detail, to let the reader deduce things as they play out.
Been a while since I read a crime novel though.


----------



## babetoo

pacanis said:


> I thought crime stories always went into a lot of detail, to let the reader deduce things as they play out.
> Been a while since I read a crime novel though.


 
perhaps i should have said it another way. she will describe a relationship or scene in detail. then will do it again , not exact words, but exact facts later in chapter or beginning a new one. she writes only in primary colors, so to speak.


----------



## pacanis

ooh... I hate that.
Kind of like TV nowadays. After a commercial they always have to back up a bit, like you forgot already.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

vitauta said:


> 'life' by keith richards, and 'does the noise in my head...' by steven tyler - both highly entertaining and worthwhile reads - a special treat for fans.



We got both of those for Shrek, he reads them a bit at a time.


----------



## vitauta

PrincessFiona60 said:


> We got both of those for Shrek, he reads them a bit at a time.



your shrek is looking better and better....


----------



## PrincessFiona60

vitauta said:


> your shrek is looking better and better....



He's okay for an Ogre...I kinda like him.  I can let you borrow him...he eats, sleeps and watches TV, rarely drinks, smokes a couple of cigarettes a day and you can always find him...on the end of the couch.  He is housebroken and has had his shots...


----------



## vitauta

PrincessFiona60 said:


> He's okay for an Ogre...I kinda like him.  I can let you borrow him...he eats, sleeps and watches TV, rarely drinks, smokes a couple of cigarettes a day and you can always find him...on the end of the couch.  He is housebroken and has had his shots...



hey what can i say "i'm a believer"


----------



## Snip 13

Just finished Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich, love her books! I used to read mainly thrillers but light reading is much more my thing since having kids.


----------



## LPBeier

ChefJune said:


> You're in for a real treat. That's a goodie!
> 
> I'm enjoying "As Always, Julia," the letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto by Joan Reardon.  Julia shows us once again how outspoken she was. Loved that about her. You always knew just where she stood.


Thanks, June!  I saw the reopened thread about Julia's books and I had always wanted to read this one.  I will look for the letters book next!


----------



## vitauta

LPBeier said:


> Found it, got the app, got the account, bought Julia Child's "My Life In France".  I am a happy camper!!!!
> 
> All this Kindle stuff was kind of stressing me out because I didn't want another techie device (that's for DH!).  But this way my netbook is endearing itself to me once more....once hubby fixes it after he loaded a non-compatible piece of software that is!



i've always admired julia for all the obvious reasons, but to now haven't read any books by or about her, and i'm ready.  is my life in france a good place to start?


----------



## babetoo

Couldn't Keep  It to Myself, by wally lamb. short stories written by women inmates of state prison. i got it because i read. "this much i know is true" by the same author and loved it.


----------



## Dawgluver

Love Wally Lamb.


----------



## Barbara

I feel bad about my Neck - Nora Ephron


----------



## Dawgluver

Barbara said:
			
		

> I feel bad about my Neck - Nora Ephron



I do too.  Good book!  Enjoy!

I try to read anything Nora Ephron writes.


----------



## Barbara

I do too!  Lol


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I got two cookbooks at a garage sale for $1...I'm set for short attention span reading...


----------



## LPBeier

vitauta said:


> i've always admired julia for all the obvious reasons, but to now haven't read any books by or about her, and i'm ready.  is my life in france a good place to start?



Yes, I am finding it a wonderful way to get away from my own hectic life and go along for the ride.  She and her nephew did an amazing job on the book.  I would definitely say it is a good one to start with.


----------



## Selkie

*Celtic Design: Illuminated Letters*


----------



## Aunt Bea

Little Heathens by Mildred Armstrong Kalish  A nice little book about Iowa farm life during the depression.  This brings back many memories of growing up on a farm in CNY.

The Alice B. Toklas Cook Book  Interesting look at daily life in the french countryside during the war.


----------



## pacanis

I'm still on the Jakarta Pandemic, but I've read 45% of it in the last two days. It's not only picking up, I'm getting used to my Kindle.


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

Finished the new Tom Clancy novel, Life or Death, and I'm about half way into The Bourne Objective, Eric Van Lustbader's further adventures of Jason Bourne, started by Robert Ludlum, continued by Van Lustbader by permission, and totally destroyed by Tony Gilroy. The only resemblance between the Ludlum books and the Gilroy screen play is the three titles and the name Jason Bourne.


----------



## babetoo

babetoo said:


> Couldn't Keep It to Myself, by wally lamb. short stories written by women inmates of state prison. i got it because i read. "this much i know is true" by the same author and loved it.


 

got "she's come undone" looking forward to it.


----------



## babetoo

i am reading "dreams of my father" by our president. very interesting, what an intelligent person, even in his youth.


----------



## tinlizzie

Salt by Mark Kurlansky.  Came out in 2009; I like popular books to age for awhile before I get to them.  If they're still being talked about, there must be something there.  Plan to read his book Cod sometime.

Also in the middle of River of Darkness by Rennie Airth.  Whoever it was that mentioned him in this thread some time ago, thanks a lot.  Good reading.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

tinlizzie said:


> Salt by Mark Kurlansky.  Came out in 2009; I like popular books to age for awhile before I get to them.  If they're still being talked about, there must be something there.  Plan to read his book Cod sometime.
> 
> Also in the middle of River of Darkness by Rennie Airth.  Whoever it was that mentioned him in this thread some time ago, thanks a lot.  Good reading.




I loved "Salt" and "Cod."  Now I have about 10 types of salt to get used up...and I'm on a low or no-salt diet


----------



## Alix

Got a couple on the go at the moment. Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, and Lost Souls by Lisa Jackson. One DTB, and one on Kindle.


----------



## Zhizara

Lee Child - Bad Luck & Trouble


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am reading an English mystery by Hazel Holt. I love her Mrs. Malory stories. I have read them all a few years ago and I am reading them again.

Do you have favorite books that you reread?


----------



## PrincessFiona60

JoAnn L. said:


> I am reading an English mystery by Hazel Holt. I love her Mrs. Malory stories. I have read them all a few years ago and I am reading them again.
> 
> Do you have favorite books that you reread?



Oh yes, I have stacks and stacks of books that I read at least once a year.  I still manage to get a new one in there, every once in a while.


----------



## the A Cappellan

I read a few at a time, unless it is to good to put down. Just finished  WARPATH by C / S Martin,  Frank by J Kaplan and Steinbrenner by B Madden.

In the middle of  Mannahatta by Sanderson, Mayflower by Philbrick and the 2010 World Almanac  (I skim every page of  Ref. Books./Cook Books. Not a single CALORIE.


----------



## babetoo

just finish "all the pretty girls"by j.e. ellison. a crime story about a serial killer. riveting.


----------



## Snip 13

This question...ROFL!


----------



## babetoo

started " she's come undone" by wally lamb. i really enjoy his writing style.


----------



## vitauta

babetoo said:


> started " she's come undone" by wally lamb. i really enjoy his writing style.




i'm reading and enjoying lamb's undone too.  his existential style reminds me a lot of anne tyler - homesick restaurant, accidental tourist, etc.  i get good suggestions for books from this thread, thanks.  between this site and a recent ereader purchase, i'm reading more and better than ever!


----------



## CookingMamaof2

vitauta said:


> i'm reading and enjoying lamb's undone too. his existential style reminds me a lot of anne tyler - homesick restaurant, accidental tourist, etc. i get good suggestions for books from this thread, thanks. between this site and a recent ereader purchase, i'm reading more and better than ever!


 
I love Wally Lamb.  I know This Much is True is a great read as well.

Right now, I'm reading a PD James mystery and Buried Prey by John Sanford.


----------



## the.muffin.lady

Just finished The Lovely Bones...interesting but kinda creepy!!! 
Now starting on A Walk to Remember


----------



## tinlizzie

Finished Rennie Airth's mystery, and I really look forward to getting another of his.  Still working on Salt -- yesterday's shuttle launch beside the Chinese use of salt B.C. and camels carrying salt across the desert, something that I think is still the case.......well, sometimes it's really hard to (as the kids say today) wrap my head around it all.  Let's do the time warp again.


----------



## Zhizara

I just started another Lisa Gardner book, Hide.


----------



## pacanis

the.muffin.lady said:


> Just finished The Lovely Bones...interesting but kinda creepy!!!
> Now starting on A Walk to Remember


 
I saw the movie a while back. Pretty good and yes, creepy.


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

Finished the Van Lustbader Jason Bourne novel, wanted to start Clive Cussler's Isaac Bell detective novel called The Spy, but found out there are two Isaac Bell books before it, The Wrecker and The Chase, so I ordered them from Borders Books on line and started James Patterson's latest Michael Bennett novel, Worst Case. I've already read the previous books in that series!


----------



## vitauta

faithful place by tana french


----------



## CookingMamaof2

vitauta said:


> faithful place by tana french



I just finished that one. It was the first of hers that I've read.

 I'm reading Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice and The Man from St. Petersburg by Ken Follett.


----------



## Snip 13

babetoo said:


> started " she's come undone" by wally lamb. i really enjoy his writing style.


 
Loved it, sure you'll enjoy it! I read it recently but I'm taking a break at the moment. Need some sleep, I can never put a book down, OCD I guess..lol!


----------



## babetoo

Zhizara said:


> I just started another Lisa Gardner book, Hide.


 

me too," the next accident."


----------



## vitauta

once i started reading anne rice i couldn't stop until she was done with me.  new orleans did me the same way....


----------



## PrincessFiona60

True Crime novel by Gregg Olsen, _Cruel Deception_.  I really need to get myself re-trained to sit and read.


----------



## Alix

Lets see...I've got Trickster's Choice on the go, Glass Castle still in progress, and I opened Counterfeit Magic. I'm weird. They're all different genre and sometimes I need to change stuff up.


----------



## Zhizara

I lucked out at Walmart today and got two Sandra Brown books for $3 each.  I started reading The Alibi and will follow with The Switch.  

I can see I won't be getting much else done for a few days at least.


----------



## SharonT

I just finished "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein.  SUCH a great book.  I've never owned a dog, but I can only imagine how much you dog lovers out there would love this book.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

SharonT said:


> I just finished "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein.  SUCH a great book.  I've never owned a dog, but I can only imagine how much you dog lovers out there would love this book.



I have to quit reading the dog books, wait for my hormones to balance out.  Either that or buy stock in Kleenex.


----------



## vitauta

david baldacci, i often go to one of his books when i need a sure thing.  he's never disappointed me yet.  imo, baldacci is 30 times a better writer than grisham.  they are both from virginia.  just now i am reading baldacci's one summer.


----------



## Barbara

Baldacci is great. I think he has aromance novel out. Very different for him.


----------



## ChefJune

Just finished reading "the Help" by Kathryn Stockett. If you haven't read it, it's mesmerizing.


----------



## Barbara

ChefJune said:


> Just finished reading "the Help" by Kathryn Stockett. If you haven't read it, it's mesmerizing.



Great book. Soon movie will be out.


----------



## Dawgluver

Wonderful book.  The movie trailer looks interesting.  Mary Monroe's series, starting with "God Don't Like Ugly" is also very good.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Went to the library this morning and got all of Susan Hill's Detective Chief Inspector Simon Serrailler mysteries.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

"Cooking For Geeks" got here today...see you in a few days...


----------



## vitauta

PrincessFiona60 said:


> "Cooking For Geeks" got here today...see you in a few days...



is this a book for geeks who are attempting to cook--that is, are you saying you are one?  or is it a book for persons attempting to cook for geeks--that is, a  normal person attempting to cook for, say, a geeky dh?


----------



## PrincessFiona60

vitauta said:


> is this a book for geeks who are attempting to cook--that is, are you saying you are one?  or is it a book for persons attempting to cook for geeks--that is, a  normal person attempting to cook for, say, a geeky dh?



Dis Geek will be cooking for her Geek...  I just paged through it, it's going to be a fun read.


----------



## babetoo

ChefJune said:


> Just finished reading "the Help" by Kathryn Stockett. If you haven't read it, it's mesmerizing.


 

i really, really enjoyed that book. hope they don't make the movie to cutesy. i grew  up in that environment and know how insidious it was.

not so much enjoying the book i am reading right now "eight days to live" iris Johanson. will finish but it is not gripping.


----------



## vitauta

Barbara said:


> Baldacci is great. I think he has aromance novel out. Very different for him.



david baldacci, oh nooo you didn't! (write a danielle steele novel when you sat down to pen one summer!)  baldacci writing a romance novel is like mick jagger crooning c&w tunes.  i couldn't bear to see this travesty through to the end....


----------



## Alix

Brother Odd - Dean Koontz.


----------



## tinlizzie

vitauta said:


> david baldacci, oh nooo you didn't! (write a danielle steele novel when you sat down to pen one summer!) baldacci writing a romance novel is like mick jagger crooning c&w tunes. i couldn't bear to see this travesty through to the end....


 
Puts one in mind of Rod Stewart crooning old standards.


----------



## tinlizzie

I'm about halfway through _Salt_ - took a break to read _After Effects_, a Detective Inspector Sloan mystery by Catherine Aird.  From the dust jacket:  "...for those who like their prodecurals on the lighthearted side."


----------



## ChocolateFrosting

Dog Walks Man: A Six Legged Odessey by John Zeaman. 

I'm surprised how wonderfully funny and quite unexpected it is. But, then again, I love dogs so


----------



## Zhizara

I'm reading Deluge which is book #3 of the Petaybee series by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough.  I read the series a long time ago, but only found book 3 when I made my last order with Abe Books.

I ordered book 1 and 2 a couple of days ago.  Great order, I got 7 books for under $12!


----------



## Dawgluver

Just started "The Upper Room" by Mary Monroe.  I really like her books.  

Just finished the Kindle edition of "Draculas", a highly entertaining gore fest by 4 collaborating authors, including J.A. Konrath.


----------



## babetoo

"sarah's key," about france's bad acts during second world war. thousands of jews sent to camps. they were arrested by the french police and not the Nazis.


----------



## FrankZ

I am now on A Feast for Crows the fourth book of the A Song of Ice and Fire epic.


----------



## Snip 13

Plain Truth - Jodi Picoult (again, I read it a few months back but I've run out of books to read ) I don't remember all of it thank goodness!


----------



## vitauta

just kids, by patti smith.  i'm about halfway through but can recommend it with confidence already.  (not a book for the fainthearted though)


----------



## babetoo

i read a lovely little book yesterday. another wally lamb. call " wishin and hopin " quick read , took me about two hours. he calls it a christmas story. funny and a real joy to read

started "icy sparks" this morning, it was an oprah book club pick.  written by gwen hyman rubio. kinda of a slow start, will wait and see.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

Beginning iPhone 4 Development, Exploring the iOS SDK by Dave Mark, Jack Nutting and Jeff LaMarche.

Part of my senior project. Can't wait until I have time to read just for fun again.


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

Borders Books is going out of business. I'm saving up for a month or two, then I'll load up on my favourite authors at a big discount!


----------



## buckytom

the 1951 sportsman's guide to fishing; ny, nj, and conn. issue.

really great info that hasn't changed for 60 years, great pics of old timey fishin', and even a few pics of "pin-up" girls fishing.


----------



## EatLoveMove

Cravatalicious, by Matt Preston. Food critic and host of Masterchef Australia. It's a collection of his writings and I've literally only read the first page!


----------



## Claire

I just finished _Heads You Lose_ by Lisa Lutz and David Hayward.  What a hoot.  When I went to the library last week I bought only "light" mysteries, but this was unexpected!  Fun.


----------



## PattY1

Alix said:


> Lets see...I've got Trickster's Choice on the go, Glass Castle still in progress, and I opened Counterfeit Magic. I'm weird. They're all different genre and sometimes I need to change stuff up.




Glass Castle is a great book, well written, but sad that is it true.


----------



## vitauta

well, my nook reader crapped out, and right in the middle of rocker patti smith's memoir, just kids, that i was soo into reading.  bummer.  i've had this nook for what, all of three or four months, now....i'm testing the battery first before b&n will take any action to provide me with a new reader.  hey, just maybe restarting the battery will work for me!  i'm such a pessimist.  if anything ever turns out right for me in my world, i'm wildly, ecstatically surprised and full of unimaginable glee!!  but that won't happen in this case--i just know it....


----------



## babetoo

i finished "icy sparks" last night about midnight. as of the moment i have nothing new in the house. packed up the books for mail and phoned the library for more. we probably get them on thurs. friday at the latest.  i did order the "glass castle" that patty1 recommended.


----------



## PattY1

I have 3 books going. "The Catcher in The Rye". I don't see where it is so great. I can't get pasted chapter 2. Janet Evanovich " Sizzling Sixteen". I keep getting preoccupied. "No Angel" My Harrowing Undercover in the Hells Angles. It is slow., Interesting though.


----------



## BreezyCooking

Since I'm always enthused by both film & literature concerning the good old "Cosa Nostra", I just recently began Underboss - Sammy "The Bull" Gravano's Story of Life In The Mafia by Peter Maas.  So far it's interesting, but since it's true & not a novel, can be a little confusing at times with all the different names tossed around.  Thank God there won't be a quiz when I finish - lol!


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

buckytom said:


> the 1951 sportsman's guide to fishing; ny, nj, and conn. issue.



I'll wait for the movie.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

BreezyCooking said:


> Since I'm always enthused by both film & literature concerning the good old "Cosa Nostra", I just recently began Underboss - Sammy "The Bull" Gravano's Story of Life In The Mafia by Peter Maas.  So far it's interesting, but since it's true & not a novel, can be a little confusing at times with all the different names tossed around.  Thank God there won't be a quiz when I finish - lol!



I could build you a quiz if you really want one!!!


----------



## vitauta

i'm happy to report that i was wrong (again!), and my nook came back to life!   the battery just needed a little out-of-body experience for a while, but is now reconnected, recharged, and back on the job.  i am happily back to reading my patti smith book and all is well.  you know, i may be a real debbie downer, but i rarely suffer from letdowns involving unmet expectations, and once in a while, like today, i am pleasanty surprised by good news....


----------



## Selkie

*The Handcrafted Letter* - _Diane Maurer-Matheson_

Dust cover line, _"Get inspired, find your voice and create unique projects to keep in touch."_


----------



## Zhizara

Tough Customer by Sandra Brown.


----------



## babetoo

a recent read "sarah's key" is being made into a movie.


----------



## Aunt Bea

The Food of a Younger Land by Mark Kurlansky

A collection of short items written as part of a WPA project.  They deal with American foodways in various areas of the country.


----------



## Barbara L

I am about to start "Lake Wobegon Days" by Garrison Keillor. I read it in the 80s and loved it. My copy is still in California, but I found a copy in excellent condition at a yard sale for 50 cents. Cheaper than shipping.


----------



## Selkie

Barbara L said:


> I am about to start "Lake Wobegon Days" by Garrison Keillor. I read it in the 80s and loved it. My copy is still in California, but I found a copy in excellent condition at a yard sale for 50 cents. Cheaper than shipping.



I read it last year... I think it's great, particularly if you've ever listened to the radio program!


----------



## Dawgluver

vitauta said:
			
		

> i'm happy to report that i was wrong (again!), and my nook came back to life!   the battery just needed a little out-of-body experience for a while, but is now reconnected, recharged, and back on the job.  i am happily back to reading my patti smith book and all is well.  you know, i may be a real debbie downer, but i rarely suffer from letdowns involving unmet expectations, and once in a while, like today, i am pleasanty surprised by good news....



Yay!    Sometimes a shutdown or battery pull works wonders on any of our high tech stuff.

Will check out Patti Smith on Kindle!

Btw, after upgrading ITunes on my Ipad, my DC app showed only a dark screen!  Much gnashing of teeth and ripping of hair.  Did a hard restart and it is now working fine!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Aunt Bea said:


> The Food of a Younger Land by Mark Kurlansky
> 
> A collection of short items written as part of a WPA project.  They deal with American foodways in various areas of the country.



I didn't know that title...thanks Bea!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Barbara L said:


> I am about to start "Lake Wobegon Days" by Garrison Keillor. I read it in the 80s and loved it. My copy is still in California, but I found a copy in excellent condition at a yard sale for 50 cents. Cheaper than shipping.



Nice, it's about time I re-read it, too!


----------



## Barbara L

Selkie said:


> I read it last year... I think it's great, particularly if you've ever listened to the radio program!


My mom and dad had a few sets of the radio program on tape. I loved listening to them, and when I read his work I always "hear" it in his voice!


----------



## babetoo

i am reading "as the crow flies" am not sure yet what it is about.


----------



## vitauta

following babetoo's lead and moving on from patti smith's bohemian greenwich village to kathryn stockten's racially troubled south.  i need to hit some book bins or pay a visit to my favorite used book store again soon, though. i'm spending way too much money on kindle books.  does anyone have ebooks that are both reasonably priced that you would recommend highly?  as much as i love reading, i cannot afford to continue paying $10-$15 for such a short-lived pleasure.  romance novels are the only genre i wouldn't be interested in. thanks for any help....


----------



## Katie H

vitauta said:


> following babetoo's lead and moving on from patti smith's bohemian greenwich village to *kathryn stockten's racially troubled south*.  i need to hit some book bins or pay a visit to my favorite used book store again soon, though. i'm spending way too much money on kindle books.  does anyone have ebooks that are both reasonably priced that you would recommend highly?  as much as i love reading, i cannot afford to continue paying $10-$15 for such a short-lived pleasure.  romance novels are the only genre i wouldn't be interested in. thanks for any help....




Omigosh, I love _The Help.    _I lived in the south during the time of Kathryn's book and can fully understand the subject.  We also had black help, but I never imagined treating Juanita like the characters in the book treated their ladies.

I'm eating the book and I'm really looking forward to seeing the movie, which comes out in a couple of weeks.


----------



## Dawgluver

vitauta said:
			
		

> following babetoo's lead and moving on from patti smith's bohemian greenwich village to kathryn stockten's racially troubled south.  i need to hit some book bins or pay a visit to my favorite used book store again soon, though. i'm spending way too much money on kindle books.  does anyone have ebooks that are both reasonably priced that you would recommend highly?  as much as i love reading, i cannot afford to continue paying $10-$15 for such a short-lived pleasure.  romance novels are the only genre i wouldn't be interested in. thanks for any help....



Check out the free enewsletter, Kindle Nation, from Steve Windwalker.  He publishes weekly lists of free Kindle books.  Amazon has a list of cheapies on their Kindle page as well.  I have 11 pages of books on my Kindle, along with my archives, and rarely if ever have paid full price.


----------



## vitauta

Dawgluver said:


> Check out the free enewsletter, Kindle Nation, from Steve Windwalker.  He publishes weekly lists of free Kindle books.  Amazon has a list of cheapies on their Kindle page as well.  I have 11 pages of books on my Kindle, along with my archives, and rarely if ever have paid full price.



you're right, dawg, no shortage of cheap and free ebooks out there--a glut of them, in fact!  my problem, having spent many hours on many occasions going through endless pages of book listings, is weeding through all the useless junk to find some worthwhile reading there.  and i read through some book reviews before making selections, too.  4 1/2 starred books are all too often nothing more than poorly written, virtually illiterate, sophomoric drivel--can't imagine who is doing the reviewing of this hopelessly amateurish tripe.  in these few months that i've been taking book recommendations from dc book readers, i've been rewarded with winners, time and again.  but, so far, none of them have been of the cheap or free variety--thus my request for further help....


----------



## Dawgluver

vitauta said:
			
		

> you're right, dawg, no shortage of cheap and free ebooks out there--a glut of them, in fact!  my problem, having spent many hours on many occasions going through endless pages of book listings, is weeding through all the useless junk to find some worthwhile reading there.  and i read through some book reviews before making selections, too.  4 1/2 starred books are all too often nothing more than poorly written, virtually illiterate, sophomoric drivel--can't imagine who is doing the reviewing of this hopelessly amateurish tripe.  in these few months that i've been taking book recommendations from dc book readers, i've been rewarded with winners, time and again.  but, so far, none of them have been of the cheap or free variety--thus my request for further help....



I wish I could remember what was how much on my Kindle.  I've enjoyed the books I've read so far, haven't gotten to all of them yet.  J.A Konrath/Jack Kilborn has a number of cheap/free books for Kindle.  He has a nice gory sense of humor.  I also got the Steig Larssen books for cheap.  Elizabeth Peters has some interesting titles, I haven't started one yet, but she combines archeology and history.   Love Carl Hiaasen.

I know it's tedious plowing through the lists.  I like Kindle Nation as they separate everything into categories.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Just found out that our Borders store is closing. A store called Books-in-a-Million will be moving in. Does anyone buy from them? Are they a discount store?


----------



## Dawgluver

JoAnn L. said:
			
		

> Just found out that our Borders store is closing. A store called Books-in-a-Million will be moving in. Does anyone buy from them? Are they a discount store?



I just read an article about a nearby city trying to court them as a replacement for their Borders, apparently all Borders are closing.  The article said BIAM may try to buy up Borders store leases at auction.

I had never heard of them before.


----------



## vitauta

JoAnn L. said:


> Just found out that our Borders store is closing. A store called Books-in-a-Million will be moving in. Does anyone buy from them? Are they a discount store?




who's next, barnes & noble? probably.  "bam" is said to be the second largest book chain, now that borders is closing.  evidently, they do have a number of wholesale subsidiaries and superstores in operation, mostly on the east coast.


----------



## Claire

PattY1 said:


> I have 3 books going. "The Catcher in The Rye". I don't see where it is so great. I can't get pasted chapter 2. Janet Evanovich " Sizzling Sixteen". I keep getting preoccupied. "No Angel" My Harrowing Undercover in the Hells Angles. It is slow., Interesting though.



_Catcher in the Rye_ was considered so scandalous when I was a kid that we needed parental permission to read it in my 8th grade American Lit class.  I remember wondering what in the heck the big deal was about?  Of course, Mom had already let me read _valley of the Dolls.  _I lived in Germany, and had to lunch and take the bus home with rambunctious, toilet-mouthed high school students.  It just didn't seem a big deal then.  Every once in awhile I think of revisiting it ....but I have a tendency to think there are so many books I have not read, why re-visit a book I didn't much like when I was in 8th grade?


----------



## Claire

Right now I'm in the middle of _Ya-Yas in Bloom _by Rebecca Wells.  What IS driving me crazy is that I'd picked up a book to read and cannot find it.  It is here somewhere.  I didn't feel like going to the library today (will have to give in and go tomorrow if I cannot find that darned book!)  It is a Japanese-set murder mystery by someone named Rowland or something similar.  I remember liking one of her previous novels, although it took a chapter or two to get into.

This time of year, I rarely read anything serious.  I just sit by the window a/c unit with the most frivolous reading I can bear.


----------



## Zhizara

I got my order from Abe Used Books, and am reading another Lisa Gardner, Alone.  It is previous to another book of hers I've read so I'm really enjoying it.


----------



## vitauta

stockten's the help is a fine debut novel, though i think she had some struggles bringing it to a close.  the movie? i shudder to think....next on my reading list is carl hiassen.  dawg "loves" him, and he is compared to voltaire and george carlin--plus, it's a 7.99 kindle book (stormy weather - early hiaasen) - win, win, win!!


----------



## tinlizzie

Re Hiaasen -- years ago my late husband and I were driving to S FL and had the recorded version of Native Tongue playing all the way down the peninsula.  Had us in tears, laughing so hard.

Hiaasen is pretty hard on Disneyana.  Not necessarily a bad thing.  A memory I have from taking the kids to Disney in the 70's -- we were all sitting under some fake birds listening to them sing fake bird songs.  It struck me between the eyes that I should be almost anywhere else, listening to real birds.  And if I never hear Small World again, it will be too soon.    Oh dear.  Have I said too much?


----------



## Selkie

*Paleography:* Notes upon the History of Writing and the Medieval Art of Illumination _- Bernard Quaritch_


----------



## vitauta

reading hiaasen brings to mind the memorable writings of kurt vonnegut from the 1960s and 70s--slaughterhouse five, god bless you mr. rosewater, cat's cradle, etc., etc.--they say, great minds think alike. if so, then vonnegut and hiassen are kindred souls, indeed....


----------



## tinlizzie

There's a slim volume of Vonnegut "interviews with the dead," a compilation of what was originally radio pieces, aired on a NYC station.  Doesn't take long to read; occupies the mind for quite a while.  Can't come up with the exact title at the moment.


----------



## Selkie

A book I just received yesterday from my aunt for my birthday:

Charles Stanley's new book, "Turning the Tide."


----------



## Dawgluver

vitauta said:
			
		

> reading hiaasen brings to mind the memorable writings of kurt vonnegut from the 1960s and 70s--slaughterhouse five, god bless you mr. rosewater, cat's cradle, etc., etc.--they say, great minds think alike. if so, then vonnegut and hiassen are kindred souls, indeed....



Vit, check out some Elmore Leonard.  He wrote "Get Shorty" plus many others.  Geez, the guy was born in 1925!  I had no idea.  Highly entertaining.  I remember reading "Maximum Bob" and laughing my head off.  Great beach reads!


----------



## Claire

I love Elmore Leonard and Hiassen.   We loved the TV series (that didn't last long, I guess you have to have a certain sense of humor) as well.  Lately my library seems to have gotten on a kick of Scandinavian murder mysteries, so just finished _The Snowman_ by Jo Nesbo (sorry, don't know how to get that last o correctly).  Right now I'm reading one of those cupcake mysteries.  This time of year I want reading, light!


----------



## simonbaker

I am still looking for the book "Michael Vey" written by Richard Paul Evans.


----------



## vitauta

Claire said:


> I love Elmore Leonard and Hiassen.   We loved the TV series (that didn't last long, I guess you have to have a certain sense of humor) as well.  Lately my library seems to have gotten on a kick of Scandinavian murder mysteries, so just finished _The Snowman_ by Jo Nesbo (sorry, don't know how to get that last o correctly).  Right now I'm reading one of those cupcake mysteries.  This time of year I want reading, light!




yes, we love these guys--leonard, vonnegut, hiaasen and douglas adams (hitchhiker's guide to the universe) - all with a quirky side we share - they make us laugh, they make us think, they remind us who we are....


----------



## Dawgluver

simonbaker said:
			
		

> I am still looking for the book "Michael Vey" written by Richard Paul Evans.



Try Amazon.com, $9.88.  The Kindle price is the same.  Sounds interesting!


----------



## Dawgluver

vitauta said:
			
		

> yes, we love these guys--leonard, vonnegut, hiaasen and douglas adams (hitchhiker's guide to the universe) - all with a quirky side we share - they make us laugh, they make us think, they remind us who we are....



Love the quirky.


----------



## tinlizzie

I think Douglas Adams would be a fine choice for that "who would you like to have dinner with, living or dead" question.


----------



## vitauta

tinlizzie said:


> I think Douglas Adams would be a fine choice for that "who would you like to have dinner with, living or dead" question.



what a bountiful banquet of fertile, celestial minds we would have gathered round our humble, hungry table!  tinlizzie, you would be one of my honored earthly guests, with five invitations of your own, to distribute as you see fit...


----------



## tinlizzie

vitauta said:


> what a bountiful banquet of fertile, celestial minds we would have gathered round our humble, hungry table! tinlizzie, you would be one of my honored earthly guests, with five invitations of your own, to distribute as you see fit...


 
If I slept on these I'd no doubt change them out for five more, but here goes: 
Teddy Roosevelt, for stories of his travels and his general enthusiasm for life
Michael Palin, ditto, plus gossipy Python stories
Ben Franklin - I just watched the miniseries on his life (what a guy); seems like he would be approachable
Werner Herzog, just a fascinating personality with a unique outlook (I recently saw his documentary of monks creating a sand mandala)
Dame Judi Dench - to represent the feminine view (with such a long career in film, she must have many stories to tell, if she would - Sean Connery, etc.......)
 - five already. Does this mean I can't have Douglas Adams?


----------



## vitauta

tinlizzie said:


> If I slept on these I'd no doubt change them out for five more, but here goes:
> Teddy Roosevelt, for stories of his travels and his general enthusiasm for life
> Michael Palin, ditto, plus gossipy Python stories
> Ben Franklin - I just watched the miniseries on his life (what a guy); seems like he would be approachable
> Werner Herzog, just a fascinating personality with a unique outlook (I recently saw his documentary of monks creating a sand mandala)
> Dame Judi Dench - to represent the feminine view (with such a long career in film, she must have many stories to tell, if she would - Sean Connery, etc.......)
> - five already. Does this mean I can't have Douglas Adams?



very interesting selections, with some surprising ones.  dame judi dench? really? what, oprah  wasn't available?  jk, jk! (oprah--bless her)  yes, tinlizzie, doug can still come....


----------



## tinlizzie

vitauta said:


> very interesting selections, with some surprising ones. dame judi dench? really? what, oprah wasn't available? jk, jk! (oprah--bless her) yes, tinlizzie, doug can still come....


 
As I hinted, I was not above using Dame Judi to get to Sean Connery...  And your five?


----------



## Katie H

Just finished _Murder in Little Egypt, the True Story of a Filicide_, by Darcy O'Brien.  An amazing book and one of the characters, Marilyn Leonard, sold her house here in our area to my younger brother.  She signed the book I read and wrote a short note to him.

It's a true-crime account of a family murders in the southern Illinois area known as Little Egypt.  It's central character is Dr. John  Dale Cavaness, a native son who practiced medicine in the Little Egypt area of southern Illinois. For a time one of the most beloved  men in the area, Cavaness led a secret life--he abused his family,  squandered his considerable income on drink and drugs, and eventually  killed two of his sons, presumably to collect the insurance.


----------



## vitauta

tinlizzie said:


> If I slept on these I'd no doubt change them out for five more, but here goes:
> Teddy Roosevelt, for stories of his travels and his general enthusiasm for life
> Michael Palin, ditto, plus gossipy Python stories
> Ben Franklin - I just watched the miniseries on his life (what a guy); seems like he would be approachable
> Werner Herzog, just a fascinating personality with a unique outlook (I recently saw his documentary of monks creating a sand mandala)
> Dame Judi Dench - to represent the feminine view (with such a long career in film, she must have many stories to tell, if she would - Sean Connery, etc.......)
> - five already. Does this mean I can't have Douglas Adams?



i had no idea how HARD this guest list was going to be to make! swear, i must be the world's most indecisive person, i think. and continuing to agonize over my choices right now as i type...ok, ok, here goes:  mark twain, emily dickenson, j.k. rowling, michelangelo, shakespeare and beethoven.  anybody else willing to share your dinner guest list with us?  do we need a new thread for this?


----------



## Katie H

Next on my bedside table is a 50-cent thrift store find, _As Always, Julia - The Letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto._  The copyright is 2010 and I wasn't aware of its existence.  Can't wait to open the cover.  I know it'll be great fun.


----------



## vitauta

Katie H said:


> Next on my bedside table is a 50-cent thrift store find, _As Always, Julia - The Letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto._  The copyright is 2010 and I wasn't aware of its existence.  Can't wait to open the cover.  I know it'll be great fun.



don't you love finding bargain buys like you just did with julia's book?  it gets very high ratings at amazon, too.  nice one....


----------



## Katie H

vitauta said:


> don't you love finding bargain buys like you just did with julia's book?  it gets very high ratings at amazon, too.  nice one....



Yep, I LOVE bargains!!!  Plus, it was a pristine hardback, which is super.  I've been building my personal library of my favorite books, all to be in hardback.  This was a real find and I can't wait to start turning the pages.


----------



## Vanilla Bean

I have one more chapter to "Left Behind" by Tim Lahaye and Jerry B Jenkins. After that, I'm going to start "Tribulation Force" by the same authors.


----------



## Zhizara

I'm reading Lisa Gardner's The Survivor's Club.  I'll probably finish it tonight, then I'll start Lisa Unger's Fragile.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

Cooking for Geeks!


----------



## vitauta

i just found out that kindle and b&n are finally acting competitively in the marketing of books!  previously, whenever i checked book prices on one i wanted to buy, i found that both bookseller's prices were right in lockstep and never varied.  i don't know what has happened with them, but today i am downloading mary kurlansky's salt from amazon's kindle for $7.64 instead of b&n's $9.99.  i'm glad to see that capitalism is alive and well once again in our national bookstores....(mark, not mary)


----------



## tinlizzie

Just started a new-to-me author, Peter King's _Spiced to Death_, interspersed with _The Monkey's Paw_, a collection of spooky stories by W. W. Jacobs, and _Walking the Appalachian Trail_ by Larry Luxemberg.


----------



## vitauta

compromising positions, by susan isaacs.  it's still summer....


----------



## babetoo

just finish My Dark Places by james ellory. a disturbing story of the murder of the authors mother. his quest to find her killer and who she really was. he was ten when the murder occurred. it is in some ways very sad. am now reading "father, forgive me" a story (true ) of the murder of a nun. the suspect is a priest.


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

I have completely run out of books, Borders is gone, and I didn't see anything interesting on the supermarket book rack, so I am catching up on my Food & Wine, Cooking Light, Healthy Cooking, and Everday Food magazine subscriptions.


----------



## DaveSoMD

I went to the library yesterday and picked up two Jamie Oliver books:  jamie's italy and  jamie at home.  The second book is based on his TV show of the same name.


----------



## tastypastry

I have been reading the four hour body lately by tim ferris

really good book on different type of foods that enhance your body and well being


----------



## babetoo

almost through with "father forgive me" true story of nun murdered in ohio. don't know if the priest was convicted or not.will let you know and will list the author then.


----------



## vitauta

can someone recommend a book that i will be reluctant to finish, feel sad to leave?  i miss that kind of book ending--the one that feels like bidding goodbye to a dear friend....


----------



## Dawgluver

vitauta said:
			
		

> can someone recommend a book that i will be reluctant to finish, feel sad to leave?  i miss that kind of book ending--the one that feels like bidding goodbye to a dear friend....



I just started Elizabeth Peters' "Crocodile on the Sandbank",  I am liking her style so far.  She has a series, all available on Kindle.  About a very independent feminist, circa 1890, who travels.  Sorta Miss Marple-like.

Back to work, not much time to read now.


----------



## vitauta

Dawgluver said:


> I just started Elizabeth Peters' "Crocodile on the Sandbank",  I am liking her style so far.  She has a series, all available on Kindle.  About a very independent feminist, circa 1890, who travels.  Sorta Miss Marple-like.
> 
> Back to work, not much time to read now.



school can act as a very effective stimulant for book reading, actually....


----------



## Dawgluver

vitauta said:
			
		

> school can act as a very effective stimulant for book reading, actually....



Ah, I would agree, but right now there's too much stuff going on, Vit.  Been in the education biz for over 28 years.  I'm exhausted.


----------



## vitauta

Dawgluver said:


> Ah, I would agree, but right now there's too much stuff going on, Vit.  Been in the education biz for over 28 years.  I'm exhausted.



my ex was a h.s. social studies teacher, and it always seemed like school  year beginnings were marked by huge commotions and upheavals, thankfully followed by a period of settling down and settling in.  i hope you have that quieting time at yours, dawg.  hey, 28 years, you're a "seasoned" educator by now, then....


----------



## Dawgluver

vitauta said:
			
		

> my ex was a h.s. social studies teacher, and it always seemed like school  year beginnings were marked by huge commotions and upheavals, thankfully followed by a period of settling down and settling in.  i hope you have that quieting time at yours, dawg.  hey, 28 years, you're a "seasoned" educator by now, then....



Thanks for the support, Vit!  You would not believe all the crap...anyway, check out Elizabeth Peters.

The one book I read over and over as a kid and a young adult was " Gone With the Wind", always hoping for a different ending.  Probably my favorite movie too.


----------



## tinlizzie

vitauta said:


> can someone recommend a book that i will be reluctant to finish, feel sad to leave? i miss that kind of book ending--the one that feels like bidding goodbye to a dear friend....


 
I nominate _Accordion Crimes_ by Annie Proulx.  _The Shipping News_ was the first of hers I read, leading me to this engrossing book.

If you've already been there, done that, have you tried A. S. Byatt?  She wrote _Possession_, which as in so many cases was a much better book than film.


----------



## vitauta

oKaY, i have my book fix for now, thank you dawg and tinlizzie.  so, i've got e. peters' the golden one, a. proulx's accordion crimes (wow), and george eliot's mill on the floss--one of hers i missed in am. lit, and i've still got salt going....feeling good!


----------



## simonbaker

vitauta said:


> can someone recommend a book that i will be reluctant to finish, feel sad to leave? i miss that kind of book ending--the one that feels like bidding goodbye to a dear friend....


I recomend any book by the author Richard Paul Evans. Whenever I read one of his book I cannot put it down until it's done.  Another book I throughly enjoyed is 90 minutes in heaven by don piper.


----------



## jabbur

Dawgluver said:


> I just started Elizabeth Peters' "Crocodile on the Sandbank",  I am liking her style so far.  She has a series, all available on Kindle.  About a very independent feminist, circa 1890, who travels.  Sorta Miss Marple-like.
> 
> Back to work, not much time to read now.



I'm currently on her Falcon at the Portal.  There are 19 books in the series.  I am on #11 and have the other 8 waiting.   Lovely series.  Highly recommend it.


----------



## Dawgluver

jabbur said:
			
		

> I'm currently on her Falcon at the Portal.  There are 19 books in the series.  I am on #11 and have the other 8 waiting.   Lovely series.  Highly recommend it.



Good to know, Jabbur.  I have several of her books on Kindle that, as I recall, I got either free or really cheap.


----------



## vitauta

jabbur said:


> I'm currently on her Falcon at the Portal.  There are 19 books in the series.  I am on #11 and have the other 8 waiting.   Lovely series.  Highly recommend it.




do you think there is a real advantage to reading the amelia series in order? right now, i'm going for the cheap reads first....


----------



## jabbur

vitauta said:


> do you think there is a real advantage to reading the amelia series in order? right now, i'm going for the cheap reads first....



Yes I think so.  The books go forward in time so as you read through the series, technology changes, children grow up and characters outside the family recur and have life changes that sometimes affects the story line.  I started with The Last Camel Died at Noon though.  It made references to things that had happened in earlier books.  While it didn't detract from the story, it made me curious so had to go back and read the others from the beginning.  The Crocodile on the Sandbank is the first one and I would expect the older ones to be cheaper anyway.


----------



## vitauta

jabbur said:


> Yes I think so.  The books go forward in time so as you read through the series, technology changes, children grow up and characters outside the family recur and have life changes that sometimes affects the story line.  I started with The Last Camel Died at Noon though.  It made references to things that had happened in earlier books.  While it didn't detract from the story, it made me curious so had to go back and read the others from the beginning.  The Crocodile on the Sandbank is the first one and I would expect the older ones to be cheaper anyway.



i agree with every word you just said. were you a debating team champion ever?


----------



## jabbur

vitauta said:


> i agree with every word you just said. were you a debating team champion ever?



 Nope.  Just stating my opinion!


----------



## vitauta

devil's knot, a book by mara leveritt was added to my current book stack today. it is a book written about the case of the wm3, a detailing of this "botched" murder case handling, and its modern day witch trial atmosphere.  celebrities including johnny depp, eddie vedder and one of the dixie chicks were instrumental in gaining freedom for the three young men, who have spent the last 14 years in prison, convicted of the triple murder that took place in 1993. the crime was a grisly, heinous one, in which three eight year old boys were beaten, hogtied, and dumped in a ditch.  one of the boys was castrated.  the west memphis three were convicted on circumstantial evidence only, with apparently a great deal of weight placed on satanic references and rhetoric.  they were freed from prison today amidst much controversy, fanfare and speculation.  one wonders who it was that killed those young boys? maybe now with the wm3 freed we'll get to find out....


----------



## Alix

Oh Amelia and Emerson are two of my favorite characters. Elizabeth Peters also writes as Barbara Michaels in case anyone is interested. I've read nearly all her stuff and enjoyed them all. The most recent Amelia and Emerson stories aren't quite up to par IMO, but still readable. 

I'm currently on the second book in Game of Thrones. DANG its addictive. It is reminiscent of Pillars of the Earth. 

OOOO....vitauta, you should pick up Pillars of the Earth if you haven't read it yet.


----------



## vitauta

Alix said:


> Oh Amelia and Emerson are two of my favorite characters. Elizabeth Peters also writes as Barbara Michaels in case anyone is interested. I've read nearly all her stuff and enjoyed them all. The most recent Amelia and Emerson stories aren't quite up to par IMO, but still readable.
> 
> I'm currently on the second book in Game of Thrones. DANG its addictive. It is reminiscent of Pillars of the Earth.
> 
> OOOO....vitauta, you should pick up Pillars of the Earth if you haven't read it yet.



on your say so i'm putting pillars of the earth on my short list, alix.  and only on your sayso.  ken follett did not thrill me with his eye of the needle, and i'm not much for the whole medieval times thing. trusting you on this one...


----------



## PrincessFiona60

vitauta said:


> on your say so i'm putting pillars of the earth on my short list, alix. and only on your sayso. ken follett did not thrill me with his eye of the needle, and i'm not much for the whole medieval times thing. trusting you on this one...


 
Yes, good suggestion, Pillars of the Earth...fantastic read.  Good job Alix!!!


----------



## Alix

Trust me vitauta, Pillars of the Earth is not to be missed. I poo poo'd Ken Follett too, but this one is a winner. Its less about the times than the people. Its really a keeper.


----------



## Dawgluver

Didn't care for Follett either.  Will prepare to be impressed!


----------



## vitauta

Alix said:


> Trust me vitauta, Pillars of the Earth is not to be missed. I poo poo'd Ken Follett too, but this one is a winner. Its less about the times than the people. Its really a keeper.




kay then, i'll report back....myomyo alix--look at your posts, will ya? be catching up w/andy soon, will ya?


----------



## Alix

vitauta said:


> kay then, i'll report back....myomyo alix--look at your posts, will ya? be catching up w/andy soon, will ya?



I've been here a few years longer, I'm just a late bloomer I s'pose!


----------



## Somebunny

Have to agree that Pillars of the Earth is a must read!  This was a book I had a hard time putting down and one I didn't want to end!  Currently reading a book by a local author about a local subject (the life of a border patrol agent) so far it isn't one that I'm having trouble putting down. Lol!  I have "The Help" waiting in the wings, but I want to save it for vacation/holidays! I'm sue it will be a good read.


----------



## tinlizzie

Another vote here for Pillars of the Earth.  And thanks, Vitauta, for Devil's Knot.  Duly added to my list for the library.

On the lighter side, I like M. C. Beaton's stories, both the Hamish Macbeth and the Agatha Raisin lines.  They're fast and fun.


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

I just started the new Grisham book, The Confession


----------



## Dawgluver

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:
			
		

> I just started the new Grisham book, The Confession



Please let us know how you like it.  Some Grishams are great, others not so much.


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

Dawgluver said:


> Please let us know how you like it.  Some Grishams are great, others not so much.



His lawyer books are usually pretty good. It's when he strays from the law that he gets boring.


----------



## Dawgluver

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:
			
		

> His lawyer books are usually pretty good. It's when he strays from the law that he gets boring.



He's DH's favorite author.  I would agree with your observation.  I take it this is a lawyer book?  Will check out the Kindle edition.  Thanks, Sir Loin!


----------



## jabbur

Dawgluver said:


> Please let us know how you like it.  Some Grishams are great, others not so much.



I just finished it last week!  It was pretty good.  There was a lot of tension in the beginning but it kind of flagged toward the end.  IMO the climax came too early in the book.  There was a lot of stuff after that could have been edited out and it would have been a better book.


----------



## Dawgluver

jabbur said:
			
		

> I just finished it last week!  It was pretty good.  There was a lot of tension in the beginning but it kind of flagged toward the end.  IMO the climax came too early in the book.  There was a lot of stuff after that could have been edited out and it would have been a better book.



Will give it a try!  Thanks, Jabbur.


----------



## tinlizzie

Have started Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace.  The switch-between book is A Treasury of the World's Best Diaries, a flea market find.


----------



## DaveSoMD

I just started 'Jamie at Home' last night.


----------



## Aunt Bea

I found an old copy of Cross Creek by Marjorie Kinan Rawlings at the flea market.

Her chapter on daily living and country food in the backwoods and swamps of Florida is wonderful.


----------



## Zhizara

I got all 5 books of Vatta's War by Elizabeth Moon.  I'm already on the 4th book, can't put 'em down.


----------



## jabbur

I'm reading Night-Dawn-Day by Elie Wiesel.  Night is his autobiography of time in a concentration camp during WWII. Dawn and Day are both novels where he explores his feelings and experiences through fictional characters in different circumstances.  I had read Night before but it still is a moving account of Hitler's treatment of Jewish prisoners.  I'm ready to start Dawn tonight.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am reading The Glass Devil by Helene Tursten. An Inspector Irene Huss investigation set in Sweden and England.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

Hoker's Law by Mike Lee. Started it after I injured my elbow. It was free for the Kindle app. Not bad so far.


----------



## JoshuaNY

I'm reading _The 5 Greatest Warriors _by Matthew Reilly. I love his stuff, non stop action from beginning to end.


----------



## peacefulkat

I have just recently the bible.


----------



## vitauta

peacefulkat said:


> I have just recently the bible.




how would you rate it?


----------



## jabbur

My son wants me to read I,Robot and Do Androids Dream of Sheep? also known as Blade Runner.  I started I,Robot last night.  He likes to discuss books after reading them and no one else in the family has read these books (though we have enjoyed both movies).  A mother will always do things to encourage her kids!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

jabbur said:


> My son wants me to read I,Robot and Do Androids Dream of Sheep? also known as Blade Runner.  I started I,Robot last night.  He likes to discuss books after reading them and no one else in the family has read these books (though we have enjoyed both movies).  A mother will always do things to encourage her kids!



I've enjoyed those over the years...not to be a PITA (which means I will be a PITA), but...Do Androids Dream of _Electric_ Sheep? By Philip K. Dick.

I've read the whole Robot series many times over the years, they are fantastic and I'm glad you saw the movie first.


----------



## GB

I am now reading The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest.


----------



## Barbara

Loved Pillars of the Earth, World Without End is good too. His most recent is even better Fall of Giants


Currently reading Dick Cheney In My Life.


----------



## Zhizara

GB said:


> I am now reading The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest.



Has it finally come out in paperback?  I'm haunting the bookshelves to find it at Walmart, but the first two books I bought are paperback and I want a set.


----------



## GB

I don't know Zhizara. I am reading it on my iPad.


----------



## jabbur

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I've enjoyed those over the years...not to be a PITA (which means I will be a PITA), but...Do Androids Dream of _Electric_ Sheep? By Philip K. Dick.
> 
> I've read the whole Robot series many times over the years, they are fantastic and I'm glad you saw the movie first.



Yes it's the Philip K. Dick book.  I was working off of my memory. That title always makes think of Adidas (*a*ll *d*ay *I **d*ream *a*bout *s*occer) and want to make it into a word or something and then I invariably forget part of the title!


----------



## ChefJune

Still trying to find time to finish "And the Sea is Never Full" by Elie Wiesel. It's the 2nd half of his autobiography. The first half read much faster.

I really need to get an iPad.


----------



## chopper

Barbara said:
			
		

> Loved Pillars of the Earth, World Without End is good too. His most recent is even better Fall of Giants
> 
> Currently reading Dick Cheney In My Life.



Oh I really want to get Dick Cheney's new book.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

Since injuring the elbow about a week ago I've read Mansfield Park, Demonsouled, Horker's Law, the short stories Beauty and the Beast, Tempting Yerva, Delightfully Twisted Tales Volume 4 (a collection of 4 short stories), and parts of (two or three chaptera of) Emma, A Princess of Mars, The Count of Monte Cristo, Heart of Darkness, and The Black Arrow.


----------



## Somebunny

The Help......it's proving to be quite good.  I wanted to read it before seeing the movie.


----------



## jabbur

ChefJune said:


> Still trying to find time to finish "And the Sea is Never Full" by Elie Wiesel. It's the 2nd half of his autobiography. The first half read much faster.
> 
> I really need to get an iPad.



I just finished his Night-Dawn-Day trilogy.  I'm not familiar with his other books.  Are they as depressing?  I felt so sorry for the man in his trilogy and his preoccupation with death.


----------



## vitauta

sorry, i tried to like elizabeth peters' the golden one (amelia peabody)--but just not my cup of tea, i guess.  peters seems a fine writer, but her style is too formal and quaint for my tastes....ken follett's pillars of the earth--a happy surprise--thanks, alix, for pushing this one!  i especially like when he writes about building construction, cathedrals, architecture--a finely crafted book, and nice and loong.  don't know where to start, what to say about accordion crimes.  annie proulx is simply brilliant!! her descriptive powers are breathtaking and mesmerizing, and about the only thing that kept me reading through many lengthy, dark, deeply disturbing accounts of human suffering and carnage.  this book is a relentlessly depressing treatise of the human condition, as it follows generations of hapless immigrants repeatedly thwarted in their attempts to assimilate into a rigidly prejudiced american society. a musical thread is provided by a little green accordion as it bounces across the country and a span of 100 plus years, bringing brief glimmers of respite through music at times, but brutal endings to each successive accordion owner.  this book has been a love/hate journey every step of the way for me.  only proulx's captivating vignettes kept me coming back. forty pages still remain--certain parts of this book will remain sharply embedded in my memory banks forever.  i will, i must read more proulx, god help me....


----------



## Dawgluver

Have you read the Steig Larsen books yet, Vit?


----------



## vitauta

Dawgluver said:


> Have you read the Steig Larsen books yet, Vit?



i read "tattoo" and "fire".  didn't much care for fire, so the hornets nest is only a maybe for future consideration.  what about you, dawg?  did you like this trilogy?


----------



## Dawgluver

vitauta said:
			
		

> i read "tattoo" and "fire".  didn't much care for fire, so the hornets nest is only a maybe for future consideration.  what about you, dawg?  did you like this trilogy?



I found the first one (Tattoo) terribly tedious for the first 200 pages or so, forged through it, and really enjoyed the rest of the book, so I finished the series.  DH couldn't make it past the first one.  

It's been awhile.

Sorry you didn't care for Elizabeth!  I find her style charming, but I haven't been down to the pool since we shut it down!


----------



## hamm4

I am reading The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore. It is very interesting.


----------



## tinlizzie

vitauta said:


> sorry, i tried to like elizabeth peters' the golden one (amelia peabody)--but just not my cup of tea, i guess. peters seems a fine writer, but her style is too formal and quaint for my tastes....ken follett's pillars of the earth--a happy surprise--thanks, alix, for pushing this one! i especially like when he writes about building construction, cathedrals, architecture--a finely crafted book, and nice and loong. don't know where to start, what to say about accordion crimes. annie proulx is simply brilliant!! her descriptive powers are breathtaking and mesmerizing, and about the only thing that kept me reading through many lengthy, dark, deeply disturbing accounts of human suffering and carnage. this book is a relentlessly depressing treatise of the human condition, as it follows generations of hapless immigrants repeatedly thwarted in their attempts to assimilate into a rigidly prejudiced american society. a musical thread is provided by a little green accordion as it bounces across the country and a span of 100 plus years, bringing brief glimmers of respite through music at times, but brutal endings to each successive accordion owner. this book has been a love/hate journey every step of the way for me. only proulx's captivating vignettes kept me coming back. forty pages still remain--certain parts of this book will remain sharply embedded in my memory banks forever. i will, i must read more proulx, god help me....


 
Sometimes, to me the value of reading books such as this is in bringing me up short and putting my everyday, for the most part easy American life, in sharp perspective....accidents of birth, etc.  My "struggles" would be a less fortunate soul's child's play, something I need to have pointed out to me occasionally.

Her _The Shipping News_ is a bit less grim, also beautifully written.  But I really didn't like the movie version - wrong cast all around.


----------



## vitauta

for those of you missing stieg larsson--a new source of nordic noir by jussi adler-olsen in the keeper of lost causes.  i'm in up to my ears already....


----------



## GB

vitauta said:


> i read "tattoo" and "fire".  didn't much care for fire, so the hornets nest is only a maybe for future consideration.


I am with you on tattoo and fire. Tattoo was good, but the first half the book I struggled to stay with it. Like Dawgluver I found it tedious. Hornets Nest is my favorite so far.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I accidentally read them out of order...so I was hooked on the second book, struggled through the first and was hanging out at the loading dock the might the third released.  But by the time I was struggling, I was already enamored of the story.


----------



## mudbug

Autobiography of Black Hawk, a Sauk Indian who fought against the govt in northern Illinois in the 1830s.  The Black Hawk War was the one in which Abe Lincoln performed his military service. Just finished wading thru all the introductory junk and will start the good stuff tonight.


----------



## tinlizzie

mudbug said:


> Autobiography of Black Hawk, a Sauk Indian who fought against the govt in northern Illinois in the 1830s. The Black Hawk War was the one in which Abe Lincoln performed his military service. Just finished wading thru all the introductory junk and will start the good stuff tonight.


 
I'd like to put that on my list -- is that the title?  I couldn't find it in my library catalog.   TIA.


----------



## Sprout

I'm just finishing up Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I've dragged myself through it and I'm almost done, thank goodness! I just can't get into it. There are parts that are mildly humerous, but perhaps I know the original too well to get lost in this one. He used too much of the original text to make it fly as a spoof with me, but changed the principal characters too much for me to accept it as an "update" or whatever it was intended to be. I know it's not meant to be serious, but the cheesy fight "scenes," hokey innuendos and references to Shao Lin training contrast too much with the bulk of the text that was left alone. Again though, it may be that I'm just too familiar with (and fond of) the original for my brain to mash it all together. 

Up next is A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, by Donald Miller. I have no idea what it's about, besides the fact that it's an autobiography. It was recommended to me by a friend, so we'll see. I hope it holds my attention better than my current labor!


----------



## babetoo

the glass castle, very good, a read that you don't want to end. i have have been reading way to much micheal connealy.


----------



## mudbug

tinlizzie said:


> I'd like to put that on my list -- is that the title? I couldn't find it in my library catalog. TIA.


 
Tinlizzie, I bought it at the National American Indian Museum store in Washington.  Here's a link that might help:
National Museum of the American Indian


----------



## jabbur

babetoo said:


> the glass castle, very good, a read that you don't want to end. i have have been reading way to much micheal connealy.



I liked the Glass Castle!  Very compelling read.  That book and Prizewinner of Defiance Ohio both made me very grateful for my childhood in a stable family!


----------



## In the Kitchen

I have JUST started using my library. I know, shame, shame!

 Since time seems to be the main factor in reading, I was wondering about author James Patterson.  Now you see her now you don't, is good.  Piqued my interest.  Are there some others by him that any of you could suggest?  He is one who has kept me reading so far.  I do enjoy getting lost in someone else's life.

Thanks


----------



## Katie H

In the Kitchen said:


> I have JUST started using my library. I know, shame, shame!
> 
> Since time seems to be the main factor in reading, I was wondering about author James Patterson.  Now you see her now you don't, is good.  Piqued my interest.  Are there some others by him that any of you could suggest?  He is one who has kept me reading so far.  I do enjoy getting lost in someone else's life.
> 
> Thanks



I've read nearly everything Patterson has written and loved it all.  He has several genres that he pursues.  One is the Woman's Murder Club, which centers around 4 professional ladies, one is a police officer/detective, another a forensic/coroner type, a third is an assistant district attorney and the fourth is a newspaper reporter.  I enjoyed the series and came to appreciate and understand the dynamics among the four ladies.

Another is his science fiction (?) group.  Not sure science fiction is the right description, but I thoroughly enjoyed the "Maximum Ride" stories about a group of genetically designed winged children.  I actively dislike science fiction but I loved these books.

His third venue is sort of romantic/mystery, which is just as good as the other two.  Any time Patterson cranks out a new book, I try to read it.

Oh, I almost forgot...he has another group.  It's his Alex Cross series, which revolves around a seasoned police officer/detective and his life.  Many of his stories take place in Washington, DC, which interests me because I lived there for 30 years.

From my point of view, any thing you choose that Patterson has written will be enjoyable.

He's very prolific and often co-authors with others.  Always good.

Have fun.


----------



## Katie H

I just finished James Patterson's _10th Anniversary_, which I thoroughly enjoyed and can't wait for him to add another to this series.

Yesterday afternoon I began reading _Mrs. Astor Regrets_ by Meryl Gordon.  It's about Brooke Astor _the_ Mrs. Astor.  So far it's quite interesting and makes me want to have met the lady.  She certainly didn't let the grass grow under her feet and kept going at nearly full tilt until she died at 105.  I'm looking forward to the rest of the book.


----------



## In the Kitchen

Thanks for response.  i have almost read this book in two days which to me i something I never thought I COULD do.  He is a easy read.  Many books some people say are good I don't find same opinion.  I remember you Katie H and happy to see you still giving your opinions.

Take care.  Don't know if I posted in proper place but will sure find out. 





Katie H said:


> I've read nearly everything Patterson has written and loved it all.  He has several genres that he pursues.  One is the Woman's Murder Club, which centers around 4 professional ladies, one is a police officer/detective, another a forensic/coroner type, a third is an assistant district attorney and the fourth is a newspaper reporter.  I enjoyed the series and came to appreciate and understand the dynamics among the four ladies.
> 
> Another is his science fiction (?) group.  Not sure science fiction is the right description, but I thoroughly enjoyed the "Maximum Ride" stories about a group of genetically designed winged children.  I actively dislike science fiction but I loved these books.
> 
> His third venue is sort of romantic/mystery, which is just as good as the other two.  Any time Patterson cranks out a new book, I try to read it.
> 
> Oh, I almost forgot...he has another group.  It's his Alex Cross series, which revolves around a seasoned police officer/detective and his life.  Many of his stories take place in Washington, DC, which interests me because I lived there for 30 years.
> 
> From my point of view, any thing you choose that Patterson has written will be enjoyable.
> 
> He's very prolific and often co-authors with others.  Always good.
> 
> Have fun.


----------



## vitauta

In the Kitchen said:


> I have JUST started using my library. I know, shame, shame!
> 
> Since time seems to be the main factor in reading, I was wondering about author James Patterson.  Now you see her now you don't, is good.  Piqued my interest.  Are there some others by him that any of you could suggest?  He is one who has kept me reading so far.  I do enjoy getting lost in someone else's life.
> 
> Thanks



good to hear you're discovering the joy of reading, kitchen."getting lost in someone else's life" is a great way of putting it--one of the main reasons i love to read, for sure....


----------



## babetoo

the concrete blond by micheal Connelly. i had requested a lot of his books at different times. they all came in together. have read six in the last three weeks. i may return the other six back unread. i am getting sick of his writing, just a case of overkill.


----------



## PattY1

Any Stephanie Plum (Janet Evanovich) fans here? Judging by the movie trailer the movie made from  "One For The Money" is (IMHO) is going to bomb. They cast all the wrong people for it. What do you think?

One for the Money Trailer 2012 HD - YouTube


----------



## In the Kitchen

babetoo: Six?  Wow isn't that some kind of record?  Must have really caught your interest.  I just have to keep checking this thread, is that what they call it, to see what others are enjoying.  As I said, two days for this book I thought was pretty good, anyway for me!


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

PattY1 said:
			
		

> Any Stephanie Plum (Janet Evanovich) fans here? Judging by the movie trailer the movie made from  "One For The Money" is (IMHO) is going to bomb. They cast all the wrong people for it. What do you think?
> 
> One for the Money Trailer 2012 HD - YouTube



I haven't read the book but the movie looks like a chick flick trying to be something guys would like. I'll pass until it comes out on video and my sis-in-law decides it's "such a cute movie" and makes me watch it.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

In the Kitchen said:
			
		

> babetoo: Six?  Wow isn't that some kind of record?  Must have really caught your interest.  I just have to keep checking this thread, is that what they call it, to see what others are enjoying.  As I said, two days for this book I thought was pretty good, anyway for me!



In high school I used to read 3-4 books every week. I ended up re-reading a lot of books. I forced myself to slow down my reading and read every word. I found nor only did the book last longer but if it was well written I enjoy it a lot more. I can still kill roughly 1000 pages in a day if I need/want to and don't have much else to do. Most of the time though, I can only spend an hour or two reading before I start to feel restless. I have a few friends that are fast readers and they can kill roughly 1000 pages in an evening, like, 4 or 5 hours. I've never been that quick.

I read mostly sci-fi/fantasy with the occasional something else thrown in. Lately I've had trouble finding stuff that can keep my interest. But then, I've also been sticking to stuff I can get for free on my kindle app for my phone so that might be part of it. 

Currently trying to read "The Picture of Dorian Grey" but 4 chapters in I'm finding that nothing has happened, the characters aren't particularly interesting or well developed and the whole thing feals extremely tedious. Thinking about giving up on it. I'm seriously craving something that moves, and in a direction, instead of something that just putters about aimlessly.


----------



## Zhizara

I'm currently reading (again) Where Is Joe Merchant by Jimmy Buffett.

I found a used paperback of The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest for about $8 (Abe Books).  I'm excited!  It'll probably take about 10-14 days to arrive, but at least it's on it's way.


----------



## GB

Zhizara said:


> I'm currently reading (again) Where Is Joe Merchant by Jimmy Buffett.


I loved that book. I lent it to a co-worker years ago and left the job before I got the book back. I think I will go download a copy now.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

We are headed to the used bookstore...


----------



## Zhizara

GB said:


> I loved that book. I lent it to a co-worker years ago and left the job before I got the book back. I think I will go download a copy now.



I was disappointed that he didn't write more of these books.  He's very, very talented.  I was delighted with this one enough that I like to read it every few years.  Not many books get on that list!


----------



## GB

I was so impressed with his writing Zhizara. This book came out when I was in my Jimmy Buffet phase and I read it just because I loved him. I was surprised at how good it really was.


----------



## vitauta

i can think of few people i'd rather spend a sunday afternoon with than jimmy buffett.  his simple, homespun wisdom always has such a calming effect on me.  jimmy finally got his head screwed on straight after banging around a bit, and like the free air we breathe, jimmy wanted to share his good fortune with his friends of the world.  what he has to offer is direction from his inner compass to those ever important attitudes and latitudes in life.  jimmy is a gentle and generous free spirited guide....


----------



## In the Kitchen

*Buffett*

GB:  Hello, remember me?  Guess I have scared everybody away with my stories.

About Jimmy Buffett, Where is Joe Merchant?  How do you download it?  Do you have it on some kind of computer document or something?  Since I know how computer savvy you are, I would appreciate you telling me how you do it? The library doesn't have the book.  Will I have to go to bookstore for it?

Thanks


----------



## GB

Hi ITK. Of course I remember you 

I will be downloading it on my iPad or Kindle. If you don't have an ereader then you can try to get a paper copy at this link Amazon.com: Used and New: Where Is Joe Merchant?


----------



## pacanis

Has anyone here read the Twilight Saga stories? Yeah, those are the ones I mean, lol.
I absolutely love werewolf/vampire/human interaction type stories, but man... the sappiness of the movies, coupled with this teenage angst love/crush thing from a female lead who acts (I say hesitantly) in monotone, that's some pretty tough stuff to get through just for a couple good story lines. 
I saw the third one yesterday and it had some parts that I'm hoping last longer in the book without being wrapped around in the bad parts as much. I'm hoping this is just the case of a movie not doing the book justice... to the tenth degree.
So do the books provide an entertaining story for more than adolescents? Without all the muck, I think there's a good story in there somewhere, but maybe not.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

pacanis said:
			
		

> Has anyone here read the Twilight Saga stories? Yeah, those are the ones I mean, lol.
> I absolutely love werewolf/vampire/human interaction type stories, but man... the sappiness of the movies, coupled with this teenage angst love/crush thing from a female lead who acts (I say hesitantly) in monotone, that's some pretty tough stuff to get through just for a couple good story lines.
> I saw the third one yesterday and it had some parts that I'm hoping last longer in the book without being wrapped around in the bad parts as much. I'm hoping this is just the case of a movie not doing the book justice... to the tenth degree.
> So do the books provide an entertaining story for more than adolescents? Without all the muck, I think there's a good story in there somewhere, but maybe not.



My sister liked them but warned me that I likely wouldn't. She said there is a fair amount of teen drama type stuff but that they are still better than the movies. I have another friend who liked the books but admits she only went to the movies to watch the shirtles native boys. From what I gather based on their descriptions, the books have some good ideas and interesting mythology but still more angsty teen stuff than most guys (and some of us girls) would want to wade through. Shoot Sprout a pm though if you're interested. I'm sure she'd be willing to give some feedback.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

They (Twilight) were the Harlequin Romance of Vampire stories.  Too fluffy for me.


----------



## pacanis

Bummer.
They've got a pretty good story line going with the vampires trying to co-exist with the werewolves in a modern day setting, but I guess their real story line is the teen angst fluff with the vampire mythology thrown in as the dressing. Too bad.

Harlequin Romance of vampire stories... no wonder the movies stink for the most part. It's bad enough I have to see Fabio doing deodorant commercials, lol.

Thanks for the answers, Ladies. I won't waste my time with the books. I was hoping someone would say they were drastically different.


----------



## Katie H

pacanis said:


> Bummer.
> They've got a pretty good story line going with the vampires trying to co-exist with the werewolves in a modern day setting, but I guess their real story line is the teen angst fluff with the vampire mythology thrown in as the dressing. Too bad.
> 
> Harlequin Romance of vampire stories... no wonder the movies stink for the most part. It's bad enough I have to see Fabio doing deodorant commercials, lol.
> 
> Thanks for the answers, Ladies. I won't waste my time with the books. I was hoping someone would say they were drastically different.



Waaaay too fluffy for me, too.  But, Fred, if you would like to venture into another "other world" kind of story where unusual creatures are thrust into our world, you might check our the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson.  I was captivated by the first book and nearly ate the rest and I'm hungry for him to write more.

One of the things I appreciate about this batch of Patterson's writings is that he paints wonderful pictures in my head as I read, which I view as good writing.

Check into them.  You might be pleasantly surprised and...hooked.


----------



## pacanis

Thanks Katie. 
Headed over to Amazon...


----------



## vitauta

if i want to know what my grandkids are into, and i do, i have to read some of their stephanie meyer and their rick riordan.  and i'm telling you, rick riordan and his percy jackson series is waayy easier to take than meyer's twilight saga.  no vampires in the lightning thief, for instance, but plenty of mythology,  greek gods in various forms, fast paced, and a riveting read.  stephanie meyer cannot write. period.  her books are painful to read--i had to stop after two. i haven't seen any of the twilight movies, but i would venture to guess that the movies are actually far better than the books on which they are based.  if you like vampire/human interaction pac, could you be enticed to read a real master in this genre for once--anne rice?  just for starters check out her 'tale of the body snatchers'....plus, you will be lured into a sensuous, atmospheric, love affair with new orleans that lingers enchantingly, like fairy dust....


----------



## pacanis

"but i would venture to guess that the movies are actually far better than the books on which they are based."

Holy cow... if the movies are likely better than the books, that is really not saying a whole lot for her writing. I had been hoping the screenwriter stank.


----------



## Alix

pacanis, if you like the paranormal stuff with a dollop of mythology tossed in you might like Patricia Briggs stuff. Look for the Mercy Thompson series. Well done and very entertaining. She has a couple of related books that carry on the dynamic with different characters. 

My current favorite Otherworldly writer is Kelley Armstrong. She has written both juvenile and adult fiction. Her stories are fast paced and certainly grabbed my attention.


----------



## Sprout

While I did enjoy the Twilight series, I agree that it's probably not what you're looking for. It's a fun, entertaining read, but it's written from the perspective of a teenage girl. Meyer is not a great writer, she just had an entertaining story to tell. I thought the books were much, much better than the movies, but the movies are pretty similar in ratio of action/mythology to teen drama. I wouldn't compare them to Harlequin, since they aren't smutty, but they are definitely fluffy.

It's funny, of all the inconsistencies & errors in the series, only one part actually _really_ bothered me. A characer who was supposed to be an amazing musician, with heightened senses, whose is presented as a musical connoisseur, says that the music of the 50s and 80s was better than that of the 60s and 70s. I'm not saying I don't love me some good 80s hits, but it's definitely not where I look for quality musical composition!


----------



## Sprout

Hmmm, that's actually a decent comparison. Twilight is the 80s music of vampire books.


----------



## vitauta

In the Kitchen said:


> GB:  Hello, remember me?  Guess I have scared everybody away with my stories.
> 
> About Jimmy Buffett, Where is Joe Merchant?  How do you download it?  Do you have it on some kind of computer document or something?  Since I know how computer savvy you are, I would appreciate you telling me how you do it? The library doesn't have the book.  Will I have to go to bookstore for it?
> 
> Thanks



a used copy of buffett's joe merchant can be had for four dollars on ebay--tax and ship included.  other buffett reads as well....


----------



## Zhizara

Decisions, decisions...  I finished Jimmy Buffett, and have several new books as well as a good size pile of unfinished ones.


----------



## pacanis

Thanks for the suggestions. I've put a couple of the author's books in my wish list to remember them for a future order.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Katie H said:


> Waaaay too fluffy for me, too.  But, Fred, if you would like to venture into another "other world" kind of story where unusual creatures are thrust into our world, you might check our the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson.  I was captivated by the first book and nearly ate the rest and I'm hungry for him to write more.
> 
> One of the things I appreciate about this batch of Patterson's writings is that he paints wonderful pictures in my head as I read, which I view as good writing.
> 
> Check into them.  You might be pleasantly surprised and...hooked.



Oh yes, The Maximum Ride is a good series.


----------



## Zhizara

I decided to work on finishing Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.


----------



## vitauta

Zhizara said:


> I decided to work on finishing Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.




me too.adler-olsen's keeper of lost causes was such a waste of time and money for me, so disappointing.  fabulous reviews continue to pour in for this author, this book...


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Clive Cussler - Medusa.


----------



## Luca Lazzari

Justina Robson, Down to the bone


----------



## babetoo

another micheal connelly book "city of bones"


----------



## Claire

It seems like the Scandinavians have the corner on murder mysteries lately.  I didn't care for "Hornet's Nest" (in fact, didn't finish it; too much Cold War politics, although I reserve the right to try again when I'm in a different mood!).  The last Scandinavian mystery I read was set in Iceland, although I think the author was British.  Can't remember the title/author, but enjoyed it.  Next in that genre is Hakan Nesser, _The Inspector and Silence_.  I've read a couple of his other books, I think.


----------



## Claire

Zhizara said:


> I decided to work on finishing Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.



I loved this; there is a British movie (or is it a TV thing?) of this story that my husband (not a novel reader, but a real history buff) just loved.


----------



## Zhizara

I received The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, but realized I'd forgotten exactly what had been going on, so I'll just go ahead and re-read the first two books before tackling Hornet's Nest.


----------



## GB

I am finding that Hornets Nest does a very good job of recapping what happened previously. I would even go as far as saying that you could read Hornets Nest without ever even reading the first two.


----------



## Zhizara

GB said:


> I am finding that Hornets Nest does a very good job of recapping what happened previously. I would even go as far as saying that you could read Hornets Nest without ever even reading the first two.



Thanks.  I'll try it.


----------



## babetoo

void moon--micheal connelly


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

I'm currently bouncing between Children of Another God (forget by who) and World War Z (don't remember who its by either).


----------



## Zhizara

I started reading Hornet's Nest, but received my order for the first two books of the Twins of Petaybee, (Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough) and made the "mistake" of looking at the first page... I'm now already into the second book.  

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest turned out to be a hard bound book, so it's now sitting on my desk for reading.  It's just too heavy to read sitting in the recliner.


----------



## lyndalou

I just read "Unbroken" a great book. Also just finished " Sarah's Key", wonderful and Jaycee Dugard's memoir "A Stolen Life"...heartbreaking. Have to get to the library today.


----------



## vitauta

ken follett gets a big, solid b+ for his pillars of the earth.  certain sections of this book had me absolutely enthralled, particularly the cathedral-building portions.  it is a daunting challenge to direct and modulate a saga of this magnitude, and follett has produced an ambitious and creditable work in pillars.  i am now looking at a compelling account of a man and his family, living with his condition--a very broad-based amnesia, subsequent to a head injury he sustained three years ago.  the book is my life deleted, by scott bolzan.


----------



## Alix

Glad you liked it vitauta! Now after a little break you can pick up World Without End (sequel to Pillars). 

Are you going to try out A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin?

And is it a nook or a kindle that you have?


----------



## vitauta

Alix said:


> Glad you liked it vitauta! Now after a little break you can pick up World Without End (sequel to Pillars).
> 
> Are you going to try out A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin?
> 
> And is it a nook or a kindle that you have?



i have a nook, but also read kindle books on my pc.  are you recommending martin?  if this is sf, my interest summarily dried up after aasimov, bradbury, herbert, etc., as a fantastic element came to dominate this genre, imo....


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

I boxed up all my 'already read' books and shipped them to my father last week. I just started Cross Fire, the new James Patterson Alex Cross novel.


----------



## Alix

vitauta said:


> i have a nook, but also read kindle books on my pc.  are you recommending martin?  if this is sf, my interest summarily dried up after aasimov, bradbury, herbert, etc., as a fantastic element came to dominate this genre, imo....



Nope, its very much like Pillars. PM me, I might have a little treat for you!


----------



## Claire

vitauta said:


> ken follett gets a big, solid b+ for his pillars of the earth.  certain sections of this book had me absolutely enthralled, particularly the cathedral-building portions.  it is a daunting challenge to direct and modulate a saga of this magnitude, and follett has produced an ambitious and creditable work in pillars.  i am now looking at a compelling account of a man and his family, living with his condition--a very broad-based amnesia, subsequent to a head injury he sustained three years ago.  the book is my life deleted, by scott bolzan.



I enjoyed this one, then my husband found it on the Netfix line up and asked me about it.  We enjoyed the series. I agree with it, loved it.


----------



## Claire

Zhizara said:


> I started reading Hornet's Nest, but received my order for the first two books of the Twins of Petaybee, (Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough) and made the "mistake" of looking at the first page... I'm now already into the second book.
> 
> The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest turned out to be a hard bound book, so it's now sitting on my desk for reading.  It's just too heavy to read sitting in the recliner.



I agree.  I read the first two of his other novels, but couldn't get into this one.  Dont' know why. I'm not talking heavy to pick up, I'm talking I guess I'm tired of cold war stuff.


----------



## Claire

Right now I'm getting ready to take back all of my library books so I can get on the road for a couple of weeks.  Of course, I volunteered at the local library fundraiser book sale,and wound up with 17 books for $20.  They were all light reading for an upcoming road trip.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Claire said:


> Right now I'm getting ready to take back all of my library books so I can get on the road for a couple of weeks.  Of course, I volunteered at the local library fundraiser book sale,and wound up with 17 books for $20.  They were all light reading for an upcoming road trip.



I'm glad I'm not the only one who does that, ending up with more than I brought...


----------



## Claire

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I'm glad I'm not the only one who does that, ending up with more than I brought...


I think it is great all around.  I buy used books during the sale, a year later I bring them back, then work the book sale, and bring home more books.

That brings me to a thought ... that I'll start over.


----------



## FrankZ

Currently I am reading a real page turner...

vSphere Availability - ESXi 5.0


----------



## GB

Do I have to read vSphere Availability - ESXi 4.0 first to follow along or can I jump right into 5.0?


----------



## Claire

Right now I'm on an old Nero Wolfe.   Since my husband fell  in love with the TV series (I think Canadian) I can't read  it without a picture of that cast in my mind.  I liked the series an the fact that it is almost word for word the novels.


----------



## FrankZ

GB said:


> Do I have to read vSphere Availability - ESXi 4.0 first to follow along or can I jump right into 5.0?




Oh no.. you can jump right in... No need to read the earlier version.


----------



## GB

Maybe I will wait until next summer. Seems like it would be a good book for the beach.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> Currently I am reading a real page turner...
> 
> vSphere Availability - ESXi 5.0



What?  It didn't come on the kindle?


----------



## Bolas De Fraile

For who the Bell Tolls by Hemingway.


----------



## In the Kitchen

*James Patterson*

I have started reading James Patterson's books.  Easy to read.  However, latest book Toyz is kind of confusing.  Anyone read this one and got same impression?  I am going to finish and hope that will give me more insight.

Thanks


----------



## FrankZ

GB said:


> Maybe I will wait until next summer. Seems like it would be a good book for the beach.



I don't have high expectations for the movie, but it is riveting.  




PrincessFiona60 said:


> What?  It didn't come on the kindle?



Well, it is a PDF so I suppose I could Kindle it, or use it on the Atrix.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> Well, it is a PDF so I suppose I could Kindle it, or use it on the Atrix.



So...what the heck is an Atrix?


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

PrincessFiona60 said:
			
		

> So...what the heck is an Atrix?



A type of smart phone, droid os I think.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> A type of smart phone, droid os I think.



Oh, I just have a, DDP...Developmentally Delayed Phone, it just makes and receives phones calls, I know it's strange.


----------



## tinlizzie

Dead Man in Trieste by Michael Pearce.  I put aside Infinite Jest - for the second time.  Have also started the Spellman series by Lisa Lutz.  And it may be time to re-read Catch-22.


----------



## martan

Baby Proof - my last Emily Giffin novel! She's pretty great for mindless entertainment. Other then that I read Rachael Ray magazine every month and my bio textbook! Not that fun...


----------



## PrincessFiona60

martan said:


> Baby Proof - my last Emily Giffin novel! She's pretty great for mindless entertainment. Other then that I read Rachael Ray magazine every month and my bio textbook! Not that fun...



Oh!  I loved my Biology Text...Chemistry wiped the floor with me.


----------



## FrankZ

It is a smartphone from Motorola.

I have moved on to VSphere Resource Management - ESXi 5.0.


----------



## babetoo

"the poet "by michael connelly, this author amazes me. i have read ten of his books in the last month or so. this book and maybe one other are brilliant. the rest of his books, mostly ones with his character. henry botch,  the detective are just not that good. curious as to why ?  to lazy to check spelling of the detective


----------



## SharonT

Barbara said:


> Below Zero by C. J. Box
> A Joe Picket Novel - 8th in series



I just read the first one in the series, Open Season, and thought it was great.  Glad to hear there are that many more!


----------



## babetoo

last week i finished "chasing the dime" and this week "water for elephants"
the latter is just wonderful. i would recommend it to anyone but especially those that are getting older.


----------



## Dawgluver

babetoo said:
			
		

> last week i finished "chasing the dime" and this week "water for elephants"
> the latter is just wonderful. i would recommend it to anyone but especially those that are getting older.



Adored "Water for Elephants".  I would rec it for anyone.  Did not see the movie, can't imagine it did justice to the book.


----------



## vitauta

lie down in darkness, the mill on the floss (free ebook), washington square (free ebook), water for elephants--all worthwhile reading imo....


----------



## SharonT

The Year of the Flood - Margaret Atwood 
When She Woke - Hillary Jordan
Both of these novels are set in a dystopian future... both really good reads.


----------



## Claire

Loved _Water for Elephants._  I've been on the road for two weeks and have read a bunch of used paperbacks I pick up at the library's used book sale.  Nothing stands out.  Didn't know "Water" was a movie.  Will ask husband to netflix it for me.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

Dracula, by Brahm Stoker. It was free for my kindle app. Liking it so far. He's good at creating an atmosphere without over explaining.


----------



## Zhizara

I ordered a bunch of books from Abe Used books, including Water for Elephants.

I'm currently reading the third book of the founding of the Commonwealth by Alan Dean Foster.  I'm also in the middle of A Salty Piece of Land by Jimmy Buffett.


----------



## tinlizzie

Midway through Those Who Walk Away - Patricia Highsmith cat & mouse in Venice and Rebecca Wentworth's Distraction, Robert J. Begiebing - set in 1740's New England.  Both absorbing.

Sounds like I should add Water for Elephants to my list, along with Atwood's The Year of the Flood and several more.  Thanks, folks.


----------



## Isabella_

I've just started to read "Emma" by J. Austen. I like her novels very much though they are all similar.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

Isabella_ said:
			
		

> I've just started to read "Emma" by J. Austen. I like her novels very much though they are all similar.



I liked Emma. Not quite as much as Pride and Predjudice but a little more than Mansfield Park.


----------



## Zhizara

I just found PartnerShip by Anne McCaffrey and Margaret Ball in my mailbox.  

I won't read anything else until I've re-read this old favorite!  Whoo Hoo!


----------



## vitauta

Zhizara said:


> I just found PartnerShip by Anne McCaffrey and Margaret Ball in my mailbox.
> 
> I won't read anything else until I've re-read this old favorite!  Whoo Hoo!




hiya zee.  what is the best mccaffrey novel to showcase her talents, in your opinion?  i'd like to take a look at her but she seems to write together with lots of different authors....


----------



## Zhizara

Hi, Vit.  I'd say that The Dragonriders of Pern is a must read.  She's a wonderful author.  Don't plan on going anywhere for awhile, she's really hard to put down.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> Hi, Vit.  I'd say that The Dragonriders of Pern is a must read.  She's a wonderful author.  Don't plan on going anywhere for awhile, she's really hard to put down.



Agree, start with the Dragonrider stories.  Early in her career, Anne McCaffrey wrote on her own and those stories are the best.


----------



## Alix

I just finished Frankenstein by Dean Koontz. (Thought that was appropriate Halloween reading) and now I'm hooked. I'm moving on to book two. Koontz is freaking weird but is a really good writer. I've not yet been disappointed by his writing. I have to bend my brain sometimes to get around his concepts, but love his writing.


----------



## Zhizara

I'm in book heaven.  All the books I ordered from Abe Books have arrived.  I'm currently reading PartnerShip by Anne McCaffrey and Margaret Ball.


----------



## vitauta

Alix said:


> I just finished Frankenstein by Dean Koontz. (Thought that was appropriate Halloween reading) and now I'm hooked. I'm moving on to book two. Koontz is freaking weird but is a really good writer. I've not yet been disappointed by his writing. I have to bend my brain sometimes to get around his concepts, but love his writing.




huh, me too, alix!  stumbling across a koontz book one day, i was pleasantly surprised--surprised at his intelligence, surprised by the caliber of his writing. at present, i am one happy-as-a-clam reader, immersed as i am in george r.r. martin's game of thrones (the first of a bundle of four--thanks, alix!!), and also reading anne mccaffrey's dragonriders of pern.  these two will keep me contentedly reading for some time to come....


----------



## Alix

You're welcome! I hope you enjoy them as much as I have been. I'm holding off on book 4. Its the last one I have so I'm saving it! (Weird huh?)


----------



## JoAnn L.

Just going to start reading Agatha Christie's THE MURDER AT HAZELMOOR. Love her books.


----------



## TATTRAT

Just started Harry Belafonte, My Song. A Memoir.


----------



## JoAnn L.

TATTRAT said:


> Just started Harry Belafonte, My Song. A Memoir.



I read a part of the book on some site the other day, very interesting.


----------



## vitauta

Alix said:


> You're welcome! I hope you enjoy them as much as I have been. I'm holding off on book 4. Its the last one I have so I'm saving it! (Weird huh?)




funny thing.  i ran a reconstruction (or is it a restore?) on my computer tonight.  as usual, don't have the foggiest...lost my whole grr martin bundle of books, and that had me on the verge of tears...returned to your original email, and downloaded the whole shebang again!...happily reading again....


----------



## Alix

vitauta said:


> funny thing.  i ran a reconstruction (or is it a restore?) on my computer tonight.  as usual, don't have the foggiest...lost my whole grr martin bundle of books, and that had me on the verge of tears...returned to your original email, and downloaded the whole shebang again!...happily reading again....



OMG! That would freak me right out! Glad you found it again. Whew! (And its a System Restore)


----------



## vitauta

Alix said:


> OMG! That would freak me right out! Glad you found it again. Whew! (And its a System Restore)



since i need to do a system restore about every two months, i will be needing to download my bundle of books again, and again...alix, any idea how many times this can be done?  or do i maybe need to ratchet up the speed of my reading in order to "beat the clock"?  my apologies for being such a pain, especially after you've been so nice and all....


----------



## Alix

As long as you keep the email you should be fine to do it whenever you wish. If you lose it just email me, I'll send it again. If I might ask though, why on earth do you need to do a System Restore so often? Are you having issues? There are things you can do to prevent having to do a restore.


----------



## Aunt Bea

I picked up a copy of The Edge of Day by Laurie Lee.

A story of a boy's early years in England around the end of the first world war.

The story is told through the boy's eyes starting at the age of three.

A cozy escape, time travel, to a simpler time.


----------



## vitauta

Alix said:


> As long as you keep the email you should be fine to do it whenever you wish. If you lose it just email me, I'll send it again. If I might ask though, why on earth do you need to do a System Restore so often? Are you having issues? There are things you can do to prevent having to do a restore.



i've been doing the restore for a variety of reasons that wouldn't make sense to a computer savvy person.  but the usual and most compelling reason is to dodge the relentless warnings and threats from norton security and semantec that my protection is about to/has already expired--(even though it never is)  the restore presents me as a "new" customer with a 60 day trial membership....and norton & co. lay off for another little while....


----------



## TATTRAT

vitauta said:


> i've been doing the restore for a variety of reasons that wouldn't make sense to a computer savvy person.  but the usual and most compelling reason is to dodge the relentless warnings and threats from norton security and semantec that my protection is about to/has already expired--(even though it never is)  the restore presents me as a "new" customer with a 60 day trial membership....and norton & co. lay off for another little while....




There are plenty of good, FREE anti malware/spyware/virus protection programs that don't eat up your system resources like Norton. . .and doing a system restore that often can do damage to your computer too.


----------



## babetoo

Black Ice, by Micheal Connelly. last one of his i hope. i have read four others since i posted in this thread. to busy reading to report, i guess.


----------



## Zhizara

I finished PartnerShip and am starting on Water For Elephants.  It seems good so far.


----------



## TATTRAT

JoAnn L. said:


> I read a part of the book on some site the other day, very interesting.



He was on the BBC a few weeks ago and it sounded like a fascinating life story. I had no idea he was so diversified.


----------



## babetoo

"the girl that kicked the hornets nest." just started it, a swedish author that i am not familiar with. translated from the swedish version. hard to get into.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

babetoo said:


> "the girl that kicked the hornets nest." just started it, a swedish author that i am not familiar with. translated from the swedish version. hard to get into.



FYI - Babe, that is the third book in a series.  "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" is the first and "The Girl Who Played With Fire" is the second.


----------



## vitauta

TATTRAT said:


> There are plenty of good, FREE anti malware/spyware/virus protection programs that don't eat up your system resources like Norton. . .and doing a system restore that often can do damage to your computer too.




what kind of harm am i doing to the computer with the restores?  and what does  it mean--eating up resources, what resources?  i will look into other security programs, but am immobilized at the moment....


----------



## Zhizara

I started an old favorite that I remember re-reading years ago:  The Mote In God's Eye by Larry Niven  and Jerry Pournelle.

It's been so long, none of it is familiar at all, so I'm really enjoying it.


----------



## vitauta

Zhizara said:


> I started an old favorite that I remember re-reading years ago:  The Mote In God's Eye by Larry Niven  and Jerry Pournelle.
> 
> It's been so long, none of it is familiar at all, so I'm really enjoying it.




oh wow, the mote in good's eye was a favorite read of mine too--over thirty years ago... following your lead, zee, i will reread this oldie-but-goodie, and see how many sparks of recollection i'm able to reignite.  only today did i learn of the two sequels to the mote that were published many years later....looking at me today, one would never suspect that i was once an avid reader and follower of sf books and authors....  (the mote in god's eye is what i meant to type in line one of this post--arrghhh!!)


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> I started an old favorite that I remember re-reading years ago:  The Mote In God's Eye by Larry Niven  and Jerry Pournelle.
> 
> It's been so long, none of it is familiar at all, so I'm really enjoying it.




Have you read, "Lucifer's Hammer," by Niven and Pournelle?  Excellent story!  One MisCon, I was manning the Heinlein desk, and someone asked me a question, I looked up and it was Larry Niven...asking _m_e a question about Heinlein.  I was slightly nervous.


----------



## Alix

vitauta said:


> what kind of harm am i doing to the computer with the restores? and what does it mean--eating up resources, what resources? i will look into other security programs, but am immobilized at the moment....


 
Did you get the PM I sent you with the links? And its kind of tough to explain about the resources. Try to imagine your computer like a filing cabinet and it keeps everything stored in there. Norton uses a couple of drawers instead of just a part of a drawer. Other systems (like the AVG link I sent you) only use small parts of one drawer. And a restore is like playing a record backward. Does that help? Check that PM I sent you and I can walk you through installing the stuff you need.


----------



## Zhizara

vitauta said:


> oh wow, the mote in good's eye was a favorite read of mine too--over thirty years ago... following your lead, zee, i will reread this oldie-but-goodie, and see how many sparks of recollection i'm able to reignite.  only today did i learn of the two sequels to the mote that were published many years later....looking at me today, one would never suspect that i was once an avid reader and follower of sf books and authors....  (the mote in god's eye is what i meant to type in line one of this post--arrghhh!!)



Do you remember the sequels' titles?  I don't remember reading any sequels.  I do want to order Lucifer's Hammer.  I remember enjoying that book too,


----------



## vitauta

Zhizara said:


> Do you remember the sequels' titles?  I don't remember reading any sequels.  I do want to order Lucifer's Hammer.  I remember enjoying that book too,




the two sequels are, 'the gripping hand', and 'outies'.


----------



## ChefJune

Now reading  Clive Coates' "the Wines of Burgundy."  Getting ready for my trip.


----------



## Zhizara

vitauta said:


> the two sequels are, 'the gripping hand', and 'outies'.



Thanks so much, Vi.  I'm sure I haven't read those.  I'll put the in my next Abe books order.


----------



## FrankZ

Ok.. I will admit it.. I am reading Dead and Gone (Sookie Stackhouse book 9) and have read the first 8 before this.


----------



## Alix

FrankZ said:


> Ok.. I will admit it.. I am reading Dead and Gone (Sookie Stackhouse book 9) and have read the first 8 before this.



Are you embarrassed Frank? do you watch True Blood behind closed doors too?  I quite like Charlaine Harris's stuff. I prefer the Lily Bard series, but Sookie is good too. (Lily shows up in a couple of the Sookie books for a brief appearance)


----------



## FrankZ

We do watch True Blood.  It is less.. umm.. silly than the books.

I started Dead in the Family this morning.


----------



## Zhizara

I'll finish The Mote In God's Eye tonight and have a brand new Tami Hoag on deck called Secrets Of The Grave.


----------



## Alix

FrankZ said:


> We do watch True Blood.  It is less.. umm.. silly than the books.
> 
> I started Dead in the Family this morning.



You have GOT to be kidding me. You have to take a pretty big leap out of reality no matter whether you're reading or watching these. I'd say either one is a bit on the fluffy but fun side.


----------



## Katie H

PrincessFiona60 said:


> FYI - Babe, that is the third book in a series.  "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" is the first and "The Girl Who Played With Fire" is the second.



I've read them all and loved them.  They are a bit, um, unusual but in a way that really grabbed my curiosity.  Sadly Stieg Larsson died before he wrote any more.  Rats!  I enjoyed his writing.


----------



## Katie H

Zhizara said:


> I finished PartnerShip and am starting on Water For Elephants.  It seems good so far.



I just finished _Water for Elephants_ and I have to say it's the best book I've read in the last 15 years or so and I've read lots of books.  Usually 3+ per week.

I loved the story and, when I finished the book, I must've cried for 15 minutes it was so beautiful.  What a story!!  Now I HAVE to see the movie.


----------



## FrankZ

Alix said:


> You have GOT to be kidding me. You have to take a pretty big leap out of reality no matter whether you're reading or watching these. I'd say either one is a bit on the fluffy but fun side.




Fluffy.. good word. I think the books are more fluffy than the series (not counting last season which stunk).  The only thing that made last season worthwhile was "If you want her you have to go through me bloodsucker"


----------



## babetoo

i too loved "water for elephants" now i am reading stephen king's "under the dome" he is writing in his old style and i really am glad. so much of the stuff lately was awful.


----------



## Zhizara

I started rereading The Mystery of Ireta by Anne McCaffrey (a double book of Dinosaur Planet and Dinosaur Planet Survivors).

I'm still only half way through Water For Elephants.  It's good, but not my usual kind of book.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> I started rereading The Mystery of Ireta by Anne McCaffrey (a double book of Dinosaur Planet and Dinosaur Planet Survivors).
> 
> I'm still only half way through Water For Elephants.  It's good, but not my usual kind of book.



I tried Water For Elephants and just couldn't get into the story...I guess there weren't enough spaceships in the story  Shrek loved the book.


----------



## Zhizara

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I tried Water For Elephants and just couldn't get into the story...I guess there weren't enough spaceships in the story  Shrek loved the book.



That's it!  No spaceships.


----------



## Zhizara

I just started re-reading the whole Rowan series by Anne McCaffrey.  I love it when it's been long enough for the story to be like new again.  First book:  The Rowan.

I had forgotten this series until I reached the last page of Crisis At Doona and there was a page for ordering The Rowan.  It reminded me that the series is all about telepathy and other paranormal powers, so I googled and got the complete list of the Rowan books and went to my trusty Abe Used Books and ordered them all (5 books), plus The Gripping Hand by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle.  Not a bad haul for $18.

I was expecting at least one book when I checked the mail yesterday, but actually had 4 paperbacks and my new Magic Jack in my mailbox.  Now I have to go to WalMart and get a phone. (and bread, and ...


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Wow, great haul, Z and Moties, too!  You will be enjoying that.  Have you read "Lucifer's Hammer" by Niven and Pournelle?  Great read!


----------



## Zhizara

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Wow, great haul, Z and Moties, too!  You will be enjoying that.  Have you read "Lucifer's Hammer" by Niven and Pournelle?  Great read!



Yep!  Thanks for reminding me.  I meant to order it this last time.  I keep forgetting I don't have to make up a whole order for Abe Books, since they work for various book sellers and each has it's own shipping.

I'm loving The Rowan.  I even put aside a brand new Patricia Cornwell - Port Mortuary to read it.  I'm a sucker for Anne McCaffrey.  Telepathy over murder mysteries any day.


----------



## Alix

The Rowan? I've never heard of that one and I've read most of McCaffrey's stuff. I'm going to look it up. 

I'm currently reading "Hail Mary" by JR Rain. The third Knighthorse mystery. Its a bit Spenserish and I'm loving it.


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

I ran out of books, so I am catching up on my food magazines. I've finished the November Cooking Light, the December editions of Food & Wine and Healthy Cooking, and I just started my December Cooking Light.


----------



## Zhizara

Alix said:


> The Rowan? I've never heard of that one and I've read most of McCaffrey's stuff. I'm going to look it up.
> 
> I'm currently reading "Hail Mary" by JR Rain. The third Knighthorse mystery. Its a bit Spenserish and I'm loving it.



The Rowan precedes Damia, followed by Damia's Children, Lyon's Pride, and The Tower And The Hive


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

Currently reading The Demon Queen and The Locksmith on the Kindle app for my phone. Its description wasn't what I'd expect based on the title but it still tiea into the story. So far I'm really liking it. It's kind of a fantasy/mystery/surrealist story. There are parts that feel like a dream, altough most of it feels pretty realistic. If it continues to be as good as it's been and it finishes well, this will be on my list of books to recommend to others.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

9 Dragons, by Micheal Connelly, very good, I love the Harry Bosch stories.  His daughter has just been kidnapped in Honk Kong, he's getting ready to head there to find her.


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

I just picked up a copy of James Patterson's Toys. It looked interesting, but about 6 chapters in I realized it's a science fiction story. I am not crazy about science fiction.


----------



## SharonT

I am on SUCH a good roll with books lately.   Recently read:
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
11/22/63 by Stephen King
Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candace Millard
All three VERY different and all three excellent!


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

Finished reading The Demon Queen and the Locksmith by Spencer Baum. Not at all what I was expecting and I love it for that. The tone of the book was somewhere between a classic mystery novel, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and a dream. The subject of the book was part comic book, part japanese "attack of the mutant such and such", part old mystery radio show, and part folk tales of the New Mexico dessert, only done in a way that's not nearly as cheesey as that makes it sound. 

The writing was good and the story was well paced. I was able to predict some things but there were twists I didn't see coming, which is rare to find in a book anymore. The characters could have been a tiny bit more developed but definitely weren't two dimensional and were fairly easy to relate to. They were also quirky, a little weird, but believably so. I believe it was self published, so no editor, but there were only two mistakes that I remember, both along the lines of doubling up on a word. The author was refreshingly proficient with the rules of grammer.

Overall it was an extremely enjoyable read and it was free for the kindle app. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes non magic based fantasy, fantasy set in modern times, old mystery radiow shows and crazy conspiracy theories about aliens, mutents, government coverups of giant mutant animals, etc. Or even just to someone looking for something a little different.

Next on the list is The Labrynth, by Kenneth McDonald.


----------



## JoAnn L.

End In Tears a Chief Inspector Wexford mystery by Ruth Rendell. I love her books.


----------



## CWS4322

16 research papers (about 500 pages) on distributed sensor networks. ZZZZZZ


----------



## Steve Kroll

Just finished "Salt: A World History" by Mark Kurlansky, and am about to start "Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World" by the same author.

If you haven't read the "Salt" book, it's a good one. You'll never look at salt the same way again.


----------



## Aunt Bea

Steve Kroll said:


> Just finished "Salt: A World History" by Mark Kurlansky, and am about to start "Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World" by the same author.
> 
> If you haven't read the "Salt" book, it's a good one. You'll never look at salt the same way again.




He is an interesting guy!  

If you have not read it already try Food of a Younger Land.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Steve Kroll said:


> Just finished "Salt: A World History" by Mark Kurlansky, and am about to start "Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World" by the same author.
> 
> If you haven't read the "Salt" book, it's a good one. You'll never look at salt the same way again.



That was the book that started my love affair with Salt...drives Shrek nuts when I can tell him where and how that salt he just ate was showing up on his food.


----------



## CWS4322

PrincessFiona60 said:


> That was the book that started my love affair with Salt...drives Shrek nuts when I can tell him where and how that salt he just ate was showing up on his food.


 No surprise--you keep him locked up when you're at work.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

CWS4322 said:


> No surprise--you keep him locked up when you're at work.



So he doesn't scare the neighbor kids...

I'm such a brat!


----------



## vitauta

didya know, bradbury's fahrenheit 451 is now available as an ebook!  as a rule, i don't do a lot of rereads, but fahrenheit is one i look forward to reading again.  wonder if there will be a dated feel to it....


----------



## PrincessFiona60

vitauta said:


> didya know, bradbury's fahrenheit 451 is now available as an ebook!  as a rule, i don't do a lot of rereads, but fahrenheit is one i look forward to reading again.  wonder if there will be a dated feel to it....



I am very slowly memorized that book.  Thanks for the heads up, I'm trying to get all my old standards on my Kindle.  I bet the first 12 books I got were ones I have read over and over.


----------



## vitauta

there was a time when i would have been content to just curl up and live inside kurt vonnegut's mind.  just released:  and so it goes:  kurt vonnegut:  a life.  author's name is charles j. shields.  i'm on it!

oucheee!  $14.99 for the kindle book!  but i gotta have it, christmas is coming....


----------



## babetoo

i have been forgetting to post in this thread. so, to catchup. in the last month i have read, four books by Charline Harris. they are about vampires, werewolves, and shift changers. in some cases very funny, and in general is a different take on the current vampire wave. 

also read" false testimony" by rose Connors, and" one for the money" by Janet evanovich. 

as you know reading is my passion , so if i don't post here, you will know i am busy reading.


----------



## tinlizzie

vitauta said:


> didya know, bradbury's fahrenheit 451 is now available as an ebook! as a rule, i don't do a lot of rereads, but fahrenheit is one i look forward to reading again. wonder if there will be a dated feel to it....


 
I never read it, but was lucky enough to hear it read, serial-style, by Bradbury on a middle of the night show on Sirius radio (don't have it any more and miss it).  It was quite a treat.


----------



## tinlizzie

babetoo said:


> as you know reading is my passion , so if i don't post here, you will know i am busy reading.


 
Books are so much more than a pastime, aren't they?  Enjoyment, education, coping mechanism -- remember Melanie's "Wish I could find a good book I could live in" ?  I've felt that way and been very grateful for the comfort of an engrossing book; and if it's really good, the more pages the better.


----------



## kezlehan

Just finished James Patterson's Run For Your Life about a minute ago. Now going to start the next one called Worst Case. I love James Patterson's books when I want some quick reading.


----------



## vitauta

tinlizzie said:


> Books are so much more than a pastime, aren't they?  Enjoyment, education, coping mechanism -- remember Melanie's "Wish I could find a good book I could live in" ?  I've felt that way and been very grateful for the comfort of an engrossing book; and if it's really good, the more pages the better.




ah, melanie...look what they done to my song--such a plaintive, haunting sound she had...living in books is one of my most pleasurable pastimes.  i loved melanie's candles in the rain album, would listen to it for hours--beautiful people, candles in the rain (lay down), citiest people....thanks tinlizzie, for bringing me a good memory today....


----------



## Steve Kroll

Aunt Bea said:


> If you have not read it already try Food of a Younger Land.


Thanks Aunt Bea, just added to my Amazon wish list!


----------



## vitauta

food of a younger land costs $5.99 on kindle. the nook book of this title is $12.99.  i always compare prices.  sometimes it is the nook book that is cheaper.


----------



## Steve Kroll

From what I've read of the reviews, "Food of a Younger Land" contains a number of recipes. For that reason, I'll probably buy the paper version. I've bought recipe books for the Kindle before, and I find they don't always translate well to the electronic format.

I find myself using audio books a lot these days. I don't have as much time as I would like for reading, so I download books and play them through my car's audio system. They make the morning commute go much quicker. 

Of course anything with recipes doesn't translate well to audio books, either.


----------



## FrankZ

babetoo said:


> i have been forgetting to post in this thread. so, to catchup. in the last month i have read, four books by Charline Harris. they are about vampires, werewolves, and shift changers. in some cases very funny, and in general is a different take on the current vampire wave.
> .



I finished rereading the first 10 recently.  Going to wait on 11 until they don't want hard back price for the Kindle download.


----------



## Alix

FrankZ said:


> I finished rereading the first 10 recently.  Going to wait on 11 until they don't want hard back price for the Kindle download.



I can't get it on Kindle. It says not available to me...wonder if there is some Canada prejudice going on! _(Edit: I just checked and it is now available again but holy crap!!! I'm not paying $18 for it)_

I just finished another John Locke and laughed out loud. Then I read A Dozen Deadly Roses. Not a bad read for $.99. I'm going to the library to pick up a hold today, not sure which one is in. 

I also finished Bonnie, by Iris Johansen. I thought it (finally) wrapped up that series nicely.


----------



## FrankZ

Alix said:


> I can't get it on Kindle. It says not available to me...wonder if there is some Canada prejudice going on! _(Edit: I just checked and it is now available again but holy crap!!! I'm not paying $18 for it)_




They want $15US for it on the Kindle.  The series is ok... it isn't that good.

I suppose I will wait a year.


----------



## Alix

FrankZ said:


> They want $15US for it on the Kindle.  The series is ok... it isn't that good.
> 
> I suppose I will wait a year.



I'll get it from the library on the fast turn around shelf. Its a light read, not a keeper.


----------



## LPBeier

I have two trips to make Wednesday and Thursday and was wanting something to read.  So, a dear friend pops by with a package for us....his very first novel!  I can't wait to read it!


----------



## Zhizara

I'm taking a break from the Rowan series by Anne McCaffrey.  I'm reading The Gripping Hand by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm reading a collection of short stories.  "Whatdunit?" short story mysteries with aliens as the culprits.  I'm not sure I will finish it...kinda dry.  I will be going on a Clive Cussler rampage in the near future.  Shrek keeps wanting to take books to the used bookstore and I haven't read them yet.  My reading has been slowed down due to lack of attention...another fun symptom of peri-menopause.


----------



## SharonT

tinlizzie said:


> I never read it, but was lucky enough to hear it read, serial-style, by Bradbury on a middle of the night show on Sirius radio (don't have it any more and miss it). It was quite a treat.


F.451 read by Ray Bradbury is available at Audible.com.   I wonder if that's the same one you heard on the radio.   
I love listening to books... I listen to books while cooking.


----------



## tinlizzie

I'm back in Spellmanland (_Curse of the Spellmans_) with Lisa Lutz as she blazes a giddy trail into the second of the detective-family series.  Quirky is definitely the word.  And fun.

_Food of a Young Land_, a title from Aunt Bea I believe, is waiting in the wings.

Michener's _Centennial_, my purchase from the library sale for a buck, fills in the spaces.  It's now working on the Colorado Native Americans, discovering the black stick that kills.


----------



## babetoo

steven king's "black house" i am about half way through. written with peter straub. kinda drags in some places. just called library and eight books are on the way in the mail.


----------



## FrankZ

babetoo said:


> steven king's "black house" i am about half way through. written with peter straub. kinda drags in some places. just called library and eight books are on the way in the mail.




That wasn't too bad of a continuation, but The Talisman was, um.. much better.


----------



## Steve Kroll

Currently reading "A History of the World in 6 Glasses" by Tom Standage. Interesting book that relates the historical context of six beverages: beer, wine, tea, coffee, spirits, and Coca-Cola.


----------



## Zereh

babetoo said:


> i have been forgetting to post in this thread. so, to catchup. in the last month i have read, four books by Charline Harris. they are about vampires, werewolves, and shift changers. in some cases very funny, and in general is a different take on the current vampire wave.



I enjoy those books as well. So much so that I was inspired to start watching the TrueBlood series on HBO. It does deviate from the books quite a bit but it's still a fun and strangely entertaining show.

I've had my nose buried in Mark Bittmans' _The Food Matters Cookbook_ for something to fuel my brain and kitchen enthusiasm. I just started Ted Dekker's _Circle Triolgy_ for pure entertainment.


----------



## FrankZ

Zereh said:


> I enjoy those books as well. So much so that I was inspired to start watching the TrueBlood series on HBO. It does deviate from the books quite a bit but it's still a fun and strangely entertaining show.



Quite a bit?  Anyone ever give you an award for understatement?  

They do, umm, use mostly the same characters.


----------



## Zhizara

I just finished the Rowan series by Anne McCaffrey and am switching back to The Gripping Hand by Niven & Pournelle.  It's a little confusing between the Mrdini and the Moties.  

This should be fun!


----------



## JoshuaNY

I am a big fantasy/sci fi fan, I read it almost exclusively. With the occasional mystery thrown in.

Right now I am reading _Cursors Fury_ by Jim Butcher. I loved his Harry Dresden Series so I figured I would try his other books.

Next up is Hunger Games, my mother said it was very good. So figured I should give it a shot before the movie comes out.


----------



## simonbaker

For Christmas i got "Michael Vey" By Richard Paul Evans, I am looking forward to getting enough time to read it soon.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

JoshuaNY said:


> I am a big fantasy/sci fi fan, I read it almost exclusively. With the occasional mystery thrown in.
> 
> Right now I am reading _Cursors Fury_ by Jim Butcher. I loved his Harry Dresden Series so I figured I would try his other books.
> 
> Next up is Hunger Games, my mother said it was very good. So figured I should give it a shot before the movie comes out.



How is the Fantasy series by Butcher?  I really like the Dresden books.


----------



## tinlizzie

Just finished a Body Farm novel - _Carved in Bone_.  Another good one by the Jefferson Bass duo.  And zoomed through Betty White's _If You Ask Me._  Still working on Simon Mawer's book _Mendel's Dwarf_, a story alledgedly by a descendent of Gregor Mendel, with all kinds of interesting info on the original pea project.  The Mathematics!  My nemesis.  Also about halfway through _The Food of a Younger Land_ - Mark Kurlansky.  Good, but puts me to sleep.  Looks like I'll have to renew it.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I love the Body Farm books.  Too expensive for me to donate to it, though.  I looked into it when I read the first book.

I loved "Salt" by Kurlansky, but have found his other books too dry and difficult to read.


----------



## tinlizzie

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I love the Body Farm books. Too expensive for me to donate to it, though. I looked into it when I read the first book.
> 
> I loved "Salt" by Kurlansky, but have found his other books too dry and difficult to read.


 
I briefy thought about the donation thing, but very briefly - not long enough to look into it.  I'm glad others are willing and able.

_Salt_ was his first for me, and I was going to order up _Cod_, but I agree about the dryness of this one and wonder if I need to do the New England fish industry - although it was on the news again this morning, dealing with new limits on cod and difficulties for the coast fishermen.


----------



## Syberia

Hi, I'm reading the song of ice and fire series by George RR Martin enjoying every bit of it. I'm on the fourth book, a lot slower than the previous ones but very good all the same!
I'm a big fan of fantasy books too and have my eyes set on the name of the wind for when I finish this ones.


----------



## vitauta

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I love the Body Farm books.  Too expensive for me to donate to it, though.  I looked into it when I read the first book.
> 
> I loved "Salt" by Kurlansky, but have found his other books too dry and difficult to read.




i liked kurlansky's salt too.  the younger land books seem to be a series of bureaucratic rush job assignments hastily crammed together, with little editing, and not much evidence of kurlansky's own writings or contributions.  i read only samples of some of these regional younger lands books, and would not buy the complete collection...


----------



## babetoo

i have been trying to read, " the prosecution of george w. bush for murder. it is written by vincent bugliosi. he also wrote "helter skelter" about the manson murders, which was a spell binder. this one no so much. pretty dry. interesting premise, though. new books coming from library tomorrow.


----------



## Zhizara

I finished the Rowan series by Anne McCaffrey and went back to Patricia Cornwell's new book, Port Mortuary.  Good read!


----------



## JoshuaNY

PrincessFiona60 said:


> How is the Fantasy series by Butcher?  I really like the Dresden books.



I like them alot. But if you did not know they were from Butcher you probably wouldn't recognize them. They are written in a different style, instead of following a single person the entire book. They switch between characters and mini stories all culminating at the end.

If you enjoy other fantasy stories that are written in this fashion then you will like these. The world he created is very interesting and fun to read. Also every now and then I got annoyed at the characters, but thats probably just me


----------



## JoshuaNY

Syberia said:


> Hi, I'm reading the song of ice and fire series by George RR Martin enjoying every bit of it. I'm on the fourth book, a lot slower than the previous ones but very good all the same!
> I'm a big fan of fantasy books too and have my eyes set on the name of the wind for when I finish this ones.



I liked those too. I find them a bit too wordy and some parts were tough to get through. Alot of political scheming throughout the book. But still quite good.

On a side note I liked the show on HBO too.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

JoshuaNY said:


> I like them alot. But if you did not know they were from Butcher you probably wouldn't recognize them. They are written in a different style, instead of following a single person the entire book. They switch between characters and mini stories all culminating at the end.
> 
> If you enjoy other fantasy stories that are written in this fashion then you will like these. The world he created is very interesting and fun to read. Also every now and then I got annoyed at the characters, but thats probably just me



Thanks, Joshua, I'll put them on my consider list.  Next time I'm looking for something to read.  I have about 50 books in line right now.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

PrincessFiona60 said:


> How is the Fantasy series by Butcher?  I really like the Dresden books.



I just discovered this topic and decided to join it, but I hope nobody expects me to read all 191 previous pages to catch up!  But nonetheless it looks like a fun topic so I'll start here, and I apologize in advance if I duplicate anything or missed on something.

I just read my first Jim Butcher novel, _Changes_ which I think is the latest Dresden novel. It was okay but a bit wordy and maybe a bit too self conscious too, in short nothing that inspired me to read back from the beginning of the series or want to get the next installment.

I'm not a fantasy fan, or maybe I'm a recent fantasy fan, so by no means have I explored the field. Originally I was a SF fan (a million years ago) but I burned out, and most of the last couple decades I've been reading thriller/suspense and mystery novels. I've recently discovered a few witch-werewolf-vampire-fae etc. novel series and I vastly prefer those set in the present era but in an alternate reality, often combining other genres in their fantasy.

I have two series to recommend, and I suggest you should Google the authors and if any of this appeals to you then start with the first novel in the series and read in order. The Hollows series by Kim Harrison, about Rachel Morgan, a detective witch who works with local law enforcement agencies and faces threats both mundane and supernatural in origin.

The Fever series by Karen Marie Moning, "Alina is dead and her sister Mac has returned to Ireland, the country  that expelled them, to hunt her sister's murderer. But after discovering  that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, she descends  into an epic battle between humans and Fae immortals as the Sinsar Dubh  turns on her, and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves.  Mac's journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and make a  choice that will either save the world ... or destroy it." (I think this series is concluded after the 5th volume.)

It bugs me that there's a third series by a different author that I really liked too, but I can't remember her name. (Female authors seem to dominate this sub-genre of fantasy.) Now I move on to subjects not related to fantasy.

My big recommendation and I would be astonished if they have not already been already discussed in this topic, the Millennium series by Swedish author Stieg Larsson: _The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, _and _The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest_. This suspense series is probably the most awesome I've ever read, has already been made into movies in Sweden, and now currently debuting an American remake just this month (December 2011). I recommend first read the books and then see the movies. The trilogy is awesome, the movies are.... okay. (I want to make it clear I'm recommending the books not the movies, and only saying that they were so good they had to be made into movies for people who don't appreciate reading books.)

The most recent novels I've enjoyed: SF/history genre _Blackout_ and _All Clear_ about time travelers from 2060 who became trapped in 1941 and 1945 WWII era England, and their struggles to get back to ... (ahem) the future. The two novel series is more about what it was like to live in WWII England than about the mechanics of time travel, heavier on history and lighter on the SF aspect (although a fair serving of chaos theory and time travel paradox). Each is about 500 pages and there is no ending for the first (_Blackout_) but rather proceeds right to the first chapter of the second (_All Clear_) so MUST be read in sequence!

I'm currently reading a novel by Eric Van Lustbader, _The Testament_, which is okay but nothing I'd encourage. I'm currently waiting for _The Affair_, the latest Jack Reacher series novel by Lee Child (a series I totally recommend, and suggest reading them in order of publishing date).

It will be interesting to follow this topic and I'm sure I'll get some new ideas and receive some interesting replies on my recommendations.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

First...you should try the Dresden series from the beginning...there is a lot of back story before you ever get to "Changes."  Loved the Steig Larsson and have no interest in seeing the movies.

I started reading SF/Fantasy when I was 5 years old, starting out with "The Hobbit." Always up for new Author names, even though I have a stack of 50 in line first!


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Yeah, Tolkein's _Hobbit_ and Trilogy go without saying. As far as Dresden I just didn't like the author's writing style, it didn't have anything to do with not knowing the back story, and I figured out some of the back story anyway.

Speaking of really bad writing style (IMO) I started a fantasy novel by Sherrilyn Kenyon and it was so awful I had to quit in the middle. The plot looked like she was just figuring things out on the fly with no advance planning. It was typing, not writing. She went on my ban list. I don't understand how she has published multiple novels. Must be something there that I don't see. At least I could read another Dresden novel if I wanted, I'd just rather focus on books and authors I'm likely to like more.

Larsson's Millennium Trilogy was great. The movies, not so good. It's impossible to replace all the detail and complexity of the book with special effects and cram it all into 90 minutes on the screen. The saddest thing is that the author had never been published in fiction, wrote the three novels in the Millennium series and parts of a few more, then died of a heart attack before any of them were published, so he never got to see the success of his novels. And also sadly, we'll never see any sequels. (What's left is hopelessly tied up in courts by a family dispute.) The movies are probably okay for people who don't like reading. But people who enjoy reading could probably skip the movies altogether.


----------



## JoshuaNY

PrincessFiona60 said:


> First...you should try the Dresden series from the beginning...there is a lot of back story before you ever get to "Changes."  Loved the Steig Larsson and have no interest in seeing the movies.
> 
> I started reading SF/Fantasy when I was 5 years old, starting out with "The Hobbit." Always up for new Author names, even though I have a stack of 50 in line first!



I would also recommend starting from the beginning. I however did not thing Storm Front(Book 1) was up to the standard of all the other books n the Dresden Series. But I kept reading because my parentsg loved them. I was not dissapointed. They are no in my top 5 book series.

I would have to say that Harry Dresden is one of my favorite characters. He is a bit a SOB in a in a good funny way. I began reading them in March and read them one after another until I was done. I even may have to go back and read them again soon.


----------



## Claire

Larrson's novels are so dark ... I'll probably see the movie eventually, but doubt I'll make it through.  My Swedish friend loved on movie from one of his novels (there aren't many, are there?  He died after only writing 3 or 4, right?), but at the time it was only in Swedish.  She loved it and asked if I'd read any of the books (she knows I'm a mystery buff and read a lot of novels in translation).  Funny, I don't mind a dark novel, or even a violent one, but don't care for it in TV or movies.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Claire I completely agree with you. I don't like violence per se but novels, particularly dark ones, need the emotional edge. Try to think of a mystery or suspense novel where nobody dies and you'll see that it's almost impossible to write a book like that or at least one that gets published. At least we can be glad that they're just imaginary characters who suffer this.

If they made the Millennium trilogy into a movie (or movies) and kept all the violence in it would be impossible to watch, too horribly gruesome far all but the most cold hearted people. They had to tone it down for movies, leave some out and imply but not show other parts.

I saw _GWTDT_ in Swedish with English captions. I saw the two sequels (Swedish versions) dubbed into English. I have not yet seen _GWTDT_ remake English version and not sure I will. I think eventually I'll reread _GWTDT_ and if it's enjoyable even knowing the plot I'll follow with the other two in the series. (Keep in mind that I read all three novels before they were ever available as movies, and glad of it!)

Movies made from novels have never been as good for me as the novels themselves. There is far more plot and character detail, more dialog, novels are far more complex than movies they're made into. This is necessarily so because it could take you 10-12 hours to read a novel but that has to be reduced to an hour and a half or two hours on the screen. Visual detail has to take the place of plot, character and dialog complexity. My imagination is good enough to generate the equivalent of visual details so I enjoy the greater complexity of written novels. However actively reading is more work than passively watching a movie, and many people would have their entertainment presented in front of them than have to do any work to enjoy it. To each person his or her own. I'll take the novels over the movies made from them.

Wikipedia has an excellent article on Stieg Larsson, including the novels (three of them, plus uncompleted partial works) and the story of his death and the aftermath. I suggest that anybody interested in the author should read this article.

Yes, I am quite a Stieg Larsson fan. It just breaks my heart that he died so young, that he never got to see the success and acclaim that his novels achieved, and that we fans will never read the fourth and later installments of this great series. I'm sure if he hadn't died prematurely that the series would have easily gone on to several or a dozen.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Too late to edit this in, just wanted to add:

_The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo_ (first in the series) works completely well as a stand alone novel, including a satisfying conclusion. If you're not sure want to read the trilogy you could read this series debut novel and afterwards decide if you want to continue.

The second in the series has a bit of a cliff hanger ending (not satisfying as a stand alone novel) and you should not read it unless you plan to continue on to the final third novel (which picks up right where the second ended). Thank God the third and final volume has a satisfying conclusion! It's wonderful that the series stands complete, for us fans and for the author too.

And to make it entirely clear, these three novels must be read in order!


----------



## Katie H

Gourmet Greg said:


> Too late to edit this in, just wanted to add:
> 
> _The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo_ (first in the series) works completely well as a stand alone novel, including a satisfying conclusion. If you're not sure want to read the trilogy you could read this series debut novel and afterwards decide if you want to continue.
> 
> The second in the series has a bit of a cliff hanger ending (not satisfying as a stand alone novel) and you should not read it unless you plan to continue on to the final third novel (which picks up right where the second ended). Thank God the third and final volume has a satisfying conclusion! It's wonderful that the series stands complete, for us fans and for the author too.
> 
> And to make it entirely clear, these three novels must be read in order!



I, too, loved Steig Larsson's books.  Sadly he died before we could enjoy any more of his talent.  He was one of those authors that, in my estimation, was a wizard at "painting pictures in my head" as I read his stories.  Authors like that are few and far between and true treasures.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Too bad we can't make a list of these authors and series, except unfortunately the list would be different for every person.

I have to go through lots of losers before I find a keeper. The last dozen or so years I've decided one thing that has helped me deal with the losers a lot better. I'll read the first 50-100 pages and then pause to consciously decide if the novel is worth completing. Reading, for me, is in some ways similar to eating. It's more difficult to push away the plate than it is once you've cleaned it. In a novel it's natural to want to know how it all ended, so if you're midway in a novel it's difficult to put it down until your curiosity is satisfied. I just steel myself and resist this impulse, and make a critical decision if I want to waste several hours of my life completing an insipid novel. There's far too many novels to read and far too little life to waste any reading novels that don't perform.

So I hope somebody else will adopt my idea if you already haven't. Read about 50-100 pages of your novel and then put it down for a few minutes and consider whether completing it is worth your time. If not, move on to another novel and hope it will turn out better.


----------



## Addie

vitauta said:


> how would you rate it?


 

And who was the author?


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Addie said:


> And who was the author?


I think it's an anthology.


----------



## Addie

John Adams (I want to read the letters between him and Abigail)
Mozart (I would love to be able to look at his original manuscripts of music as he wrote it)
Herbert Hoover (How did he feel when the Depression hit and he was blamed for it)
Queen Victoria (How did she handle the assassination of her daughter Victoria (her namesake) married to Czar Nicolas)
Any one of the scholars who have been translating the Dead Sea Scrolls. (Do they really say what I have heard)
Well there are my five people I would like to sit down to dinner with.


----------



## Addie

tinlizzie said:


> I briefy thought about the donation thing, but very briefly - not long enough to look into it. I'm glad others are willing and able.
> 
> _Salt_ was his first for me, and I was going to order up _Cod_, but I agree about the dryness of this one and wonder if I need to do the New England fish industry - although it was on the news again this morning, dealing with new limits on cod and difficulties for the coast fishermen.


 

With all the restrictions being placed on our fishing industry, soon we won't have one. The only ones fishing now are fathers who hope to have sons take over their boat and traditions.


----------



## Addie

Well, yesterday I got my new reading chair (Xmas present from youngest son) and there is one copy of _The Help_ making the rounds through the building. Finally!!! It is my turn. So I will be sitting down to read it. 

I am thinking of going up to the library and getting _A Woman of Substance_ by Barbara Bradford again. It is a very powerful book. And there are a couple of more books that continue the saga. 

I also have a hard copy of _The Reckoning_ by Sharon Kay Penman. It takes place in Wales and England. It is based on history during the days of feudalism. I love historical novels. 

I can handle only one book at a time.


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

I'm just getting into The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Very weird having everything happening in Sweden, a place I have never been and know nothing about.


----------



## Addie

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> I'm just getting into The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Very weird having everything happening in Sweden, a place I have never been and know nothing about.


 
If there are Swedish words that I would find hard to pronounce, then I would lose interest very fast.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> I'm just getting into The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Very weird having everything happening in Sweden, a place I have never been and know nothing about.


 
Weird good or weird bad? I've read many novels set in places I've never been, and sometimes I get tired of novels sited where I'm most familiar (So. Cal.). Sometimes it's nice to have a little bit of strange, although it seems to me that Sweden is very different from the US.

Scandinavian literature has been becoming very popularly lately in the US if presence on the library shelves is any indication. I've read several novels lately by Swedish, Norwegian or Danish authors. (These novels are often translated into English, and I suspect only the best ones are worthy of the effort of translation.) In truth I'm a bit set off too by the cultural differences, find it a bit jarring, but everything considered I've liked more of these novels than not.

I think _GWTDT_ is a cut above the rest, and if you're like me you'll absorb the cultural differences quickly and move on to focusing on the characters and plot.

I think you can count on the plot picking up as you get past the first hundred pages or so. I'd really love to hear your opinion later in your read or after you've finished the book.


----------



## GB

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> I'm just getting into The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Very weird having everything happening in Sweden, a place I have never been and know nothing about.


I found that very difficult to deal with. I went about 100 pages before it was not bugging me anymore.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I read the words as I would read an unpronounceable name in SF, that pattern of letters is "this" and head on from there.  I didn't even attempt to try to say the words, there is no way I was going to learn Swedish so I could read a book.  I'm too busy playing with Japanese.


----------



## Claire

I'm reading Jeffrey Archer's start on his newest saga, _Only Time Will Tell.  _It always amazes me that some authors can keep on going like the Energizer Bunny.


----------



## buckytom

we're reading the "diary of a wimpy kid" series.

i think i like them more than my son does...


----------



## Rocklobster

My son bought me "What They'll Never Tell You About The Music Busness" by Peter M. Thall. Once things settle down I'm gonna get into it.


----------



## Claire

I, too, have noticed an increase in whodunits by Scandinavian authors.  For the most part, I enjoy them, but they are usually on the dark side (I kinda have a weakness for English cozy authors).  I do read a lot of books in translation simply because I enjoy the world travel vicariously.  There are some authors I have a hard time with.  Russians.  Way too much gloom and doom and negativity, they can put you in a depressed funk.  There are two Turkish authors, one I like a lot, one I can't stand (the latter, I think, got a Nobel prize!).  Since I love murder mysteries, there is one Belgian I enjoy.  Maigret mysteries are translated by two different translators, one I like, the other I don't.  But overall, I like the insight into different cultures.


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I read the words as I would read an unpronounceable name in SF, that pattern of letters is "this" and head on from there. I didn't even attempt to try to say the words, there is no way I was going to learn Swedish so I could read a book. I'm too busy playing with Japanese.


 
Wakadi mas. However, I do speak German, and Swedish is a Germanic language, so pronounciation isn't that much of a problem. My problem is I don't know the cities, which makes it difficult to follow the story, and the characters, without a map.


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

Claire said:


> I, too, have noticed an increase in whodunits by Scandinavian authors. For the most part, I enjoy them, but they are usually on the dark side (I kinda have a weakness for English cozy authors). I do read a lot of books in translation simply because I enjoy the world travel vicariously. There are some authors I have a hard time with. Russians. Way too much gloom and doom and negativity, they can put you in a depressed funk. There are two Turkish authors, one I like a lot, one I can't stand (the latter, I think, got a Nobel prize!). Since I love murder mysteries, there is one Belgian I enjoy. Maigret mysteries are translated by two different translators, one I like, the other I don't. But overall, I like the insight into different cultures.


 
You won't be seeing any more from this particular author. He wrote two more  books about girls who did dumb stuff (one kicked a hornets nest and the other played with fire), and then he died.


----------



## JoAnn L.

One of my favorite authors from Sweden is Henning Mankell. I love his series with Inspector Kurt Wallander. I have read all of his books on this series, he even has a DVD out from the mysteries being on PBS (which I also have).


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

JoAnn L. said:


> One of my favorite authors from Sweden is Henning Mankell. I love his series with Inspector Kurt Wallander. I have read all of his books on this series, he even has a DVD out from the mysteries being on PBS (which I also have).



Have you read _The Troubled Man_? I just finished it, and mostly enjoyed it but it ruined my desire to read previous books in the series due to the ending. Anybody who wants to read the series should read this one last.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> You won't be seeing any more from this particular author. He wrote two more  books about girls who did dumb stuff (one kicked a hornets nest and the other played with fire), and then he died.



The same girl in all three books.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Gourmet Greg said:


> Have you read _The Troubled Man_? I just finished it, and mostly enjoyed it but it ruined my desire to read previous books in the series due to the ending. Anybody who wants to read the series should read this one last.



You definitely should read them all in order, his first one was called Faceless Killers (1991). Here is a site to see all he has written.

Henning Mankell


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

There's a significant part of the fourth novel in the series completed, and if Larsson's family can quit quibbling it's quite possible that a ghost writer could complete the fourth either as a novel, screenplay or both. If this ever happens the likely cause will be if the three American version movies make huge amounts of money and the producers want to hit the piggy bank again.

"Larsson left about three quarters of a fourth novel on a notebook computer, now possessed by his partner, Eva Gabrielsson; synopses or manuscripts of the fifth and sixth in the series, which he intended to contain an eventual total of ten books, may also exist." (source)

I think it's more likely than not that the fourth novel will not be completed, but when there's money involved it sometimes tips the scale. As I said, demand for a fourth movie would drive the desire to complete the fourth in the series.

Other writers have died and then gone on to produce new books, like for example Robert Ludlum and his _Bourne_ series, the latest having been written by Eric von Lustbader.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Just finished reading THE VAULT by Ruth Rendell. I have read all of her Inspector Wexford mysteries, there are 23 of them. As you can tell I am a big fan of hers.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

"The Overlook," by Michael Connelly, one of his older Harry Bosch stories.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I just finished "The Fifth Witness" by Michael Connelly (Mickey Haller series), and have his next book "The Drop" (Harry Bosch series) reserved at the library. I like his Harry Bosch stories better. Once I've finished "The Drop" I'll have read all his novels and impatiently waiting for the next one!


----------



## Aunt Bea

The biography of James Beard.


----------



## DebLynn

I'm reading the Pretty Little Liars book series by Sara Shepard... my guilty pleasure.


----------



## Claire

I, too, love Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine, and think I've read everything she's written.  Right now I'm slogging through _The Stranger's Child_ by Alan Hollnghurst.  I'm 139 pages into a 435 page book, a Booker award winner.  It seems to me it's one of those books that go on and on with a lot of words but no real activity.  Sometimes when I pick up a prestigious award winner book, I feel I have to slog on through it even if I'm not enjoying it.  If something doesn't happen in the next several pages, it'll go back to the library half-read.  

Another one I've started and will probably complete is _Sea of Poppies_ by Amitav Ghosh.  In this case it is simply the pigeon English and other jargon that I'm wading through.  But the story line is good (I think it's another Booker).  

By my bedside right now is a book (I actually think it's a text book aimed at high school or maybe early college) about famous philosophers.  It's just thumbnail sketches, but the subject always interested me.  I can read them in minutes (I'm a very fast reader) and try to distill the theories.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I've never heard of pigeons speaking English!


----------



## Claire

Ha-ha!  Pigeons would be easier to understand than some pigeon English!  (I lived in Hawaii for the better part of a decade, and can understand that version!)


----------



## Claire

When I was at my "third place" Friday, a friend told me that an acquaintance of hers told her she might like historical murder mysteries.  She, knowing I read a lot, and am pretty indiscrimate in what I read, asked me what I know of the genre.  Little did she know that she hit a real chord with me.  Murder mysteries (I think the Brits call them crime fiction, which is more accurate) are my true guilty pleasure.  So I told her I'd email her with my favorites.  Since I read so much, I can never remember authors, so sat down and did the research.  I came up with:

Ellis Peters
Caleb Carr
Anne Perry
Laurie R. King
Elizabeth Peters
Stephanie Barron

Anyone have any more to add?


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Elizabeth George


And the word you need is "pidgin." Pidgin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


----------



## tinlizzie

Finally got through _The Food of a Younger Land_ (Mark Kurlansky), which contained a teaser in the Middle West section:  "...the Galena Guide, considered one of the best small-town guides in the series..."  Paging Claire -- do you suppose it's in the Galena library?

Am nibbling my way through Margaret Atwood's _The Edible Woman.  _ A morsel:  "...on a table-top pebbled with crumbs lay the remnants of her breakfast -- a limp starfish of a banana peel..."

Also, a very strange book by Eric Garcia, _Anonymous Rex_, a detective story in which the protagonist is a velociraptor required to masquerade as a human, as are all the other dinosaurs - a highly inventive tale.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

tinlizzie said:


> Finally got through _The Food of a Younger Land_ (Mark Kurlansky), which contained a teaser in the Middle West section:  "...the Galena Guide, considered one of the best small-town guides in the series..."  Paging Claire -- do you suppose it's in the Galena library?
> 
> Am nibbling my way through Margaret Atwood's _The Edible Woman.  _ A morsel:  "...on a table-top pebbled with crumbs lay the remnants of her breakfast -- a limp starfish of a banana peel..."
> 
> Also, a very strange book by Eric Garcia, _Anonymous Rex_, a detective story in which the protagonist is a velociraptor required to masquerade as a human, as are all the other dinosaurs - a highly inventive tale.



I love the _Rex_ books, lots of fun.  My brother suggested them to me a few years ago.


----------



## Claire

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Elizabeth George
> 
> 
> And the word you need is "pidgin." Pidgin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



After living in Hawaii for years, you'd think I'd remember that.  Since you looked it up you know that, at least in Hawaii, pidgin has nothing to do with the bird, but is what some person in some country heard when an English-speaking person said, business.  So it became a bastardized mix of English and whatever language was local to combine to form a language that locals and English speakers could use to conduct business.  In Hawaii, you'll find Portuguese, Spanish, English, Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages, Tagalog, ... well, I could go on ... in the pidgin as well as the food. 

How could I forget Elizabeth George!  Also Laura Joh Rowland (Samurai era, late 1600s)


----------



## Zhizara

Sassinak


----------



## Zhizara

tinlizzie said:


> Am nibbling my way through Margaret Atwood's _The Edible Woman.  _ A morsel:  "...on a table-top pebbled with crumbs lay the remnants of her breakfast -- a limp starfish of a banana peel..."
> 
> Also, a very strange book by Eric Garcia, _Anonymous Rex_, a detective story in which the protagonist is a velociraptor required to masquerade as a human, as are all the other dinosaurs - a highly inventive tale.



Thanks for the idea, I ordered a used copy of Anonymous Rex.  It sounds hilarious.

What kind of story is The Edible Woman?


----------



## tinlizzie

Zhizara said:


> Thanks for the idea, I ordered a used copy of Anonymous Rex. It sounds hilarious.
> 
> What kind of story is The Edible Woman?


 
I hope you like A Rex.  I'm happy that PF says there are more of them and hope my library has others.

Edible Woman:  Marian, the main character, is a single woman working for a market research outfit.  So far, at about halfway through, the reason for the title eludes me.  I'm not sure there's a real destination to be reached, but the journey takes many side trips for observations by/from The Human in thought mode, with all its vagaries and oddments.  So, what kind of story is it?  Hard to say....but I like it a lot.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Just got done with WHAT I HATE FROM A TO Z by Roz Chast. What a clever lady.


----------



## Steve Kroll

Currently reading (or rather, "listening to" - it's on audiobook) "Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human" by Richard Wrangham. 

The entire premise of the book is that cooking and the use of fire was the primary impetus behind our evolution into intelligent creatures. I'm not sure I agree with all of the points the author makes, but it's an interesting theory... and a pretty good read.


----------



## Zhizara

The Gripping Hand by Niven and Pourelle.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Steve Kroll said:


> The entire premise of the book is that cooking and the use of fire was the primary impetus behind our evolution into intelligent creatures. I'm not sure I agree with all of the points the author makes, but it's an interesting theory... and a pretty good read.



I've heard this theory too and I think learning to control and use fire had a lot to do with man's evolution into intelligent creatures, although many other factors played a part too.


----------



## SharonT

Just finished Patrick Lee's books The Breach, Ghost Country, and Deep Sky - very enjoyable trilogy.   They are fast-paced thrillers with a sci-fi bent.  

Reading Michael Connelly's The Drop now.

Has anyone here read "Death Comes to Pemberley"?


----------



## Barbara L

I just started The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel. It is pretty interesting.


----------



## Zhizara

SharonT said:


> Just finished Patrick Lee's books The Breach, Ghost Country, and Deep Sky - very enjoyable trilogy.   They are fast-paced thrillers with a sci-fi bent.


 
Thanks for the comments.  These look like something I would definitely like.  I added them to my list of books to try.


----------



## jabbur

Just finished "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom for the second or third time.  It had been years since I last read it.  I'm currently working my way through "War Horse" and on the the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters.  I forget which one I'm on now.  There are 19 in the series and this one is around 15 or 16.


----------



## JoAnn L.

jabbur said:


> Just finished "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom for the second or third time.  It had been years since I last read it.  I'm currently working my way through "War Horse" and on the the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters.  I forget which one I'm on now.  There are 19 in the series and this one is around 15 or 16.



Another book by Corrie ten Boom is In My Fathers House. It covers her early years.


----------



## JoshuaNY

I am now reading _The Way of Shadows_ by Brent Weeks. Another fantasy Novel for me. About a young boy who works for a theives guild who wants to escape that life and the only way he thinks he can is to become an Assassins Apprentice. I like when they make the Protagonist a somewhat less then respectable character. It makes for a good story.

Its pretty good so far.


----------



## CWS4322

I'm reading David Lodge's book, "The Art of Fiction." I know, not a book most people would read. It is more or less a literary analysis of different techniques writers use bring characters, etc., to life. Interesting read, but not a novel.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'll be starting a Clive Cussler tonight...Dirk Pitt's first adventure, "Pacific Vortex."


----------



## CWS4322

I love Clive Cussler! Enjoy!


----------



## Claire

Well, I managed to get through Amitav Ghosh's _Sea of Poppies_.  It was one of those time when I wanted to thunk myself on the head when I realized I thought I had another couple of chapters and the last was a glossary of the pidgen, Hindustani and other languages and jargon in the book.  Would have made it much easier if I'd started from the back!  But, even with that help, it seemed not to really have an end.  I can only assume Ghosh is planning on sequels?  

I'm giving up on one, and I don't do that often, _The Stranger's Child_ by Alan Hollinghurst.  Anyone read this one?  Is there any reason to read pages 151 - 435?


----------



## PrincessFiona60

CWS4322 said:


> I love Clive Cussler! Enjoy!



I love Cussler, when I want to read something light, I pick him up.  I start on one end of the shelf and read to the other end.  I also like his Kurt Austin stories and Numa Files with Juan Cabrillo.


----------



## kezlehan

Just started Private London by James Patterson. Love his books at the moment I'm flying through them.


----------



## tbattenfield

I'm reading Too Close To The Falls, by Catherine Gildiner.


----------



## tinlizzie

A Prayer for the Dying - Stewart O'Nan


----------



## chopper

I am reading "Until Tuesday.". It is about a wounded warrior and a service dog (a golden retriever). It was on the clearance rack for 5.95. The author is a former Army Caption, Luis Carlos Montalvan.


----------



## joesfolk

I am reading a really bizarre book, "The Graveyard Book".  Not my cup of tea at all but my book club picked it for this month.  It's the story of a baby raised in a graveyard by a variety of spooks.  I feel like I have to finish it but to tell you the truth I would just as soon trash it.  I joined the book club to meet some new people in the town we moved into and to expand my horizons as I had gotten into a rut with my reading.  So far I have been unimpressed with most of the choices.  But it has certainly gotten me out of that rut.  I can't wait to get back into it again!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

joesfolk said:


> I am reading a really bizarre book, "The Graveyard Book".  Not my cup of tea at all but my book club picked it for this month.  It's the story of a baby raised in a graveyard by a variety of spooks.  I feel like I have to finish it but to tell you the truth I would just as soon trash it.  I joined the book club to meet some new people in the town we moved into and to expand my horizons as I had gotten into a rut with my reading.  So far I have been unimpressed with most of the choices.  But it has certainly gotten me out of that rut.  I can't wait to get back into it again!



One of the reasons I don't care for book clubs.  My tastes in fiction bear almost no resemblance to the tastes of the group.


----------



## mudbug

SharonT said:


> Has anyone here read "Death Comes to Pemberley"?


 
Had to read this as a fan of both Jane Austen and  PD James. Good but not great.  Not as much dialogue as I would have liked.


----------



## Rocklobster

I have started Life, the Kieth Richards memoir. Just getting into it.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I'm finishing up "The Land of the Painted Caves" by Jean M. Auel, the most recent and probably final in her Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth's Children) series. It's a bit slower than the previous novels in the series, not quite enough drama for me, too much descriptive stuff. However for years I've hoped a sequel would come out and I'm glad she has finished up the story. (I assume it's finished, but that is my personal opinion and I have no fact to base that upon.)


----------



## Alix

Anyone read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies? 

My current reads are some YA literature that I found as freebies on Kindle. I think I'm reading Behind Blue Eyes at the moment.


----------



## SharonT

mudbug said:


> Had to read this as a fan of both Jane Austen and  PD James.


I feel the same... but have delayed buying it because of luke-warm reviews.   Will continue to wait for it at the library!


----------



## SharonT

joesfolk said:


> I am reading a really bizarre book, "The Graveyard Book".  Not my cup of tea at all but my book club picked it for this month.  It's the story of a baby raised in a graveyard by a variety of spooks.  I feel like I have to finish it but to tell you the truth I would just as soon trash it.  I joined the book club to meet some new people in the town we moved into and to expand my horizons as I had gotten into a rut with my reading.  So far I have been unimpressed with most of the choices.  But it has certainly gotten me out of that rut.  I can't wait to get back into it again!



The Audible recording of this book was a lot of fun to listen to... It's narrated by the author (Neil Gaiman) and is accompanied by a music arrangement of "Danse Macabre."   Certain things you just have to be in the MOOD for to enjoy!   
I agree that book clubs force you out of a "reading rut" - also agree that it's not always fun to do that.    
I've had good luck with book clubs, though - and have read things that I really liked - things I probably would not have ever picked up except for BC.


----------



## Aunt Bea

I found a copy of More Food That Really Schmecks by Edna Staebler!

Edna was a Canadian that wrote about Mennonite country cooking.  She lived to be 100 years old so whatever she was cooking did not seem to hurt her.  I think they even named a school after her in Waterloo, Ontario.


----------



## mudbug

Alix said:


> Anyone read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies?


 
not yet, but I picked up Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters at the used bookstore and need to get on it.  A friend who is more of a Bronte fan read the P&P&Z and loved it.


----------



## Alix

mudbug said:


> not yet, but I picked up Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters at the used bookstore and need to get on it.  A friend who is more of a Bronte fan read the P&P&Z and loved it.



I haven't seen that one! I will have to go find it for Kate. She loved P&P&Z. She was reading it on the beach in Mexico while I ready Dirty Jobs. The covers on both books were a little gross so we got a few weird looks as folks went by. We were usually laughing our asses off too!

I'm just about to start the newest Kathy Reichs, Flash and Bones.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Gourmet Greg said:


> I'm finishing up "The Land of the Painted Caves" by Jean M. Auel, the most recent and probably final in her Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth's Children) series. It's a bit slower than the previous novels in the series, not quite enough drama for me, too much descriptive stuff. However for years I've hoped a sequel would come out and I'm glad she has finished up the story.


Just to note, I finished "The Land of the Painted Caves" and happy to say the drama picked up in the last couple hundred pages, and I was satisfied with the novel's end and the end of the series.

Anybody interested should start with "Clan of the Cave Bears" and if they enjoy it they can continue to complete the 6 novel series. All of them are several hundred pages so it's quite an epic saga. (summary on Amazon)

Next up: Lee Child's latest novel in the Jack Reacher series: "The Affair"


----------



## Littlechef

I'm reading 7th Heaven by James Patterson.  It's the seventh in his Women's Murder Club Series.  His books are not my favorites, but I do like this series.


----------



## Timothy

Just bought the text book; "Physics" by Jay Orear of Cornell University. 

I've wanted to study Physics since I was much younger. The subject fascinates me and I've always wanted to know much more than casual reading will provide me.

This book was suggested by many past Physics students as the best of the best of first year Physics studies.

I think I'm gonna hurt my head!


----------



## Steve Kroll

I just got around to starting "11/22/63" by Stephen King. The storyline seems very interesting, but I'll admit I balked at starting it because of the sheer size.

I don't read much fiction. The last King book I read was "The Stand" and that was back in the 80s.


----------



## Alix

Nearly done Flash and Bones (Kathy Reichs). Good read, I enjoy following the investigation and figuring things out as they do.


----------



## Timothy

Steve Kroll said:


> I just got around to starting "11/22/63" by Stephen King. The storyline seems very interesting, but I'll admit I balked at starting it because of the sheer size.
> 
> I don't read much fiction. The last King book I read was "The Stand" and that was back in the 80s.


 
I haven't read Kings version of A Time to Remember, Stanley Shapiro's book about a man who travels back in time to prevent JFKs assassination.

Shapiro's book put me to sleep. I would hope that King did a better job of it.

There is another book along the same lines; "Time Out of Mind" by Peter Delacorte, which tells a time travel theory about how much better the world would have been if they went back in time and killed Reagan.

I haven't read that one yet either, but it's on my reading list.


----------



## Steve Kroll

Timothy said:


> I haven't read Kings version of A Time to Remember, Stanley Shapiro's book about a man who travels back in time to prevent JFKs assassination.
> 
> Shapiro's book put me to sleep. I would hope that King did a better job of it.
> 
> There is another book along the same lines; "Time Out of Mind" by Peter Delacorte, which tells a time travel theory about how much better the world would have been if they went back in time and killed Reagan.
> 
> I haven't read that one yet either, but it's on my reading list.


I only started it yesterday, but so far I like the King book. It moves along pretty quickly.

The Peter Delacorte book sounds interesting. Might have to look into that one as well.

Sometimes I like books that put me to sleep. Probably why I read so much non-fiction. 

By the way, if you like physics, you might also want to look into some of Stephen Hawkings books. I have trouble visualizing concepts, but Hawking explains things in a way that makes it both interesting and understandable.


----------



## Timothy

Steve Kroll said:


> I only started it yesterday, but so far I like the King book. It moves along pretty quickly.
> 
> The Peter Delacorte book sounds interesting. Might have to look into that one as well.
> 
> Sometimes I like books that put me to sleep. Probably why I read so much non-fiction.
> 
> By the way, if you like physics, you might also want to look into some of Stephen Hawking's books. I have trouble visualizing concepts, but Hawking explains things in a way that makes it both interesting and understandable.


 
Thanks! The Physics book I just started is intended to be the text for a year to a year and a half course study. It'll probably keep me busy for at least a couple months. I read books like this pretty slowly. I want to absorb every bit of the information in them.

I read at least 4 hours a day. 2 hours in bed each evening and a couple more during the day. Later, I'll probably pick up a couple of Hawking's books.


----------



## vitauta

Steve Kroll said:


> I just got around to starting "11/22/63" by Stephen King. The storyline seems very interesting, but I'll admit I balked at starting it because of the sheer size.
> 
> I don't read much fiction. The last King book I read was "The Stand" and that was back in the 80s.



i just can't read stephen king.  i've tried several times.  there might be something there but if so its hidden in the tall weeds....


----------



## Claire

I just finished "Room" by Emma Donoghue.  The fact is, I'd just picked up a light pperback, what I was looking for for the post-holiday winter doldrums, and lost it after the first chapter (literally, can't find the book).  So I picked this up from my shelf of books I bought at sales and people have given me (most of my books come from the library).  NOT what the doctor ordered, but still fascinating.  Finally braved the almost-thawed roads to go to the library and am now reading some lighter fare.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I got "The Taken," by Robert Crais, today.  I'm almost done with the Cussler I'm reading, so this one will be next.  Love Elvis Cole and Joe Pike stories.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I'm on my public library reserve list for "The Taken" by Robert Crais and I expect to begin reading it in about 3 weeks. 

I just completed Lee Child's "The Affair" and sorry to say it was not one of his best, at least in my opinion. But as always his books are very involving in the sense that they're hard to put down.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Gourmet Greg said:


> I'm on my public library reserve list for "The Taken" by Robert Crais and I expect to begin reading it in about 3 weeks.
> 
> I just completed Lee Child's "The Affair" and sorry to say it was not one of his best, at least in my opinion. But as always his books are very involving in the sense that they're hard to put down.




Have you read any Crais?

I ask because, Elvis Cole and Joe Pike have a long history.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

PF, I've read all the Crais!!!  Except his most recent of course. I've been with him since the beginning!  He's one of my favorite authors. He's on my list of authors who I read all their novels! I particularly like his Pike character.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Gourmet Greg said:


> PF, I've read all the Crais!!!  Except his most recent of course. I've been with him since the beginning!  He's one of my favorite authors. He's on my list of authors who I read all their novels! I particularly like his Pike character.



It's so rare that I meet someone who actually reads an author I do.  Wonderful.  I too have been with Crais since the beginning.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

PF I've forgot for now but IIRC you've read other authors I enjoy too.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Gourmet Greg said:


> PF I've forgot for now but IIRC you've read other authors I enjoy too.



Well...there are the Science Fiction authors from A to Z.


----------



## CWS4322

Read Asa Larsson's Until Thy Wrath Be Past on the train. I couldn't put it down. But, I really like her style and stories. If you like Scandinavian Crime Fiction, she's definitely worth reading: http://www.amazon.com/Until-Thy-Wrath-Be-Past/dp/1402787162 Now I'm reading Jo Nesbo's Headhunters (Nesbo is an excellent Norwegian writer).


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Well...there are the Science Fiction authors from A to Z.


 
I read SF incessantly from when I first learned to read in elementary school, and _Space Cadet_ was the first novel I ever read (in the 4th grade?). I continued to read SF through college and a few years after although I eventually burned out. These days I'll read one or two SF novels a year, hoping I'll reach a point where I'll rekindle my enthusiasm for SF, but so far it hasn't happened. However I'll always appreciate the great enjoyment I got from the many SF novels I read during my SF era.

These days I like to read mystery/suspense/thrillers and have been experimenting with reading some fantasy now and then.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Gourmet Greg said:


> I read SF incessantly from when I first learned to read in elementary school, and _Space Cadet_ was the first novel I ever read (in the 4th grade?). I continued to read SF through college and a few years after although I eventually burned out. These days I'll read one or two SF novels a year, hoping I'll reach a point where I'll rekindle my enthusiasm for SF, but so far it hasn't happened. However I'll always appreciate the great enjoyment I got from the many SF novels I read during my SF era.
> 
> These days I like to read mystery/suspense/thrillers and have been experimenting with reading some fantasy now and then.



Have you read Peter Robinson's books. He writes mysteries about Inspector Banks? He has written 19 books in the series. The first one is called Gallows View. Here is a site with all of them in order.
Peter Robinson


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

No I haven't. I'll consider your recommendation. ... I'm having a bit of a problem getting on the subject of books and authors this morning. I'm distracted by other things on my mind. I'll return to the subject when my concentration returns.


----------



## SharonT

vitauta said:


> i just can't read stephen king.  i've tried several times.  there might be something there but if so its hidden in the tall weeds....



Which ones did you try?   I've read all of SK... loved some, hated some.

"11-22-63" is excellent, IMO.


----------



## SharonT

Those who like time travel novels will enjoy "Replay" by Ken Grimwood.


----------



## SharonT

Syberia said:


> Hi, I'm reading the song of ice and fire series by George RR Martin enjoying every bit of it. I'm on the fourth book, a lot slower than the previous ones but very good all the same!
> I'm a big fan of fantasy books too and have my eyes set on the name of the wind for when I finish this ones.



That fourth George RR Martin book keeps getting shuffled to the bottom of my TBR stack... I keep hearing folks say it's hard to power through it.

I'm currently reading the second book in the Kingkiller Chronicles ("The Wise Man's Fear").   Those are excellent books.


----------



## Timothy

SharonT said:


> Those who like time travel novels will enjoy "Replay" by Ken Grimwood.


 
I read that one about a month ago. Pretty good book, but I didn't like the way it ended.


----------



## SharonT

Gourmet Greg said:


> The most recent novels I've enjoyed: SF/history genre _Blackout_ and _All Clear_ about time travelers from 2060 who became trapped in 1941 and 1945 WWII era England, and their struggles to get back to ... (ahem) the future.



I've been meaning to read these... I really enjoyed Connie Willis' "Doomsday Book."   She also wrote the hilarious "To Say Nothing of the Dog."  Anyone who enjoyed Jerome K. Jerome's "Three Men in a Boat" will love that one.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Thanks Sharon for your feedback. I'll look into her other novels soon. I think she really found a fine mix of SF and historic fiction with her _Blackout_ and _All Clear_!

Currently I am really enjoying _A Cavern of Black Ice_ by J.V. Jones (fantasy). It was rough going for about the first hundred pages but now I'm totally into it, and I'm pleased it's just the first in a trilogy.


----------



## babetoo

i have read so many since i posted here. am reading "the trial of charles manson" right now. several mentioned steven king, read "the dome" i assure you will not be bored.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

SharonT said:


> I've been meaning to read these... I really enjoyed Connie Willis' "Doomsday Book."   She also wrote the hilarious "To Say Nothing of the Dog."  Anyone who enjoyed Jerome K. Jerome's "Three Men in a Boat" will love that one.



I will read anything by Connie Willis.  Her books are always a joy.


----------



## Alix

Just picked up Prey by Linda Howard.


----------



## tinlizzie

Yesterday finished _Grizzly_ by Christine Andreae - a nice mix of Montana scenery, gourmet menus for visiting Japanese businessmen, deceased bears, and a little Blackfoot Indian, too.

Coming up this afternoon is Douglas Adams' _The Salmon of Doubt_.  Well, sure - bears & salmon go together.  Maybe not these bears or that salmon, but.....


----------



## Alix

The Scottish Prisoner is up next for me.


----------



## Timothy

Just finished "Term Limits" by Vince Flynn. Lots of action in this political thriller that exposes widespread corruption all the way to the top. I give it a 7 of 10. The dialog gets a little slow in a few places.

I'm starting Tom Clancy's "Rainbow Six" today.


----------



## Alix

Thought you were plowing through a physics text?


----------



## Timothy

Alix said:


> Thought you were plowing through a physics text?


I am. But that's my bedtime reading. During the day, I read fun books.


----------



## Alix

Hahahaha! You are NEVER going to retain any of that physics stuff then. I applaud you for finding a sure fire insomnia cure though.  Be careful to let the book fall AWAY from your forehead!


----------



## Zhizara

Thanks to GourmetGreg I found that I had missed not just one but the last two Jane Auel Earth's Children novels.  

I put my Generation Warriors by Anne McCaffrey on hold when I got the Shelters of Stone yesterday.  The Painted Caves is on order and should be here by the time I finish.


----------



## Timothy

Alix said:


> Hahahaha! You are NEVER going to retain any of that physics stuff then. I applaud you for finding a sure fire insomnia cure though.  Be careful to let the book fall AWAY from your forehead!


 
The reason I take my time reading text books is that I do have near perfect retention. It might take me two years to finish this one, but when I'm finished, I'll know everything covered in the book. 

I don't read any further than I can clearly comprehend and retain what I read. In some books I've studied, that was about a paragraph. This one may be that difficult.

It's pointless to read something and not understand it perfectly. I keep cross-referencing it until I DO understand it totally. That's the advantage to learning at my own speed. I'm not rushed by a formal classroom's timings.


----------



## Alix

Timothy said:


> It's pointless to read something and not understand it perfectly. I keep cross-referencing it until I DO understand it totally. That's the advantage to learning at my own speed. I'm not rushed by a formal classroom's timings.



Really? Pointless to read and not understand it perfectly? I can't decide which reaction is the strongest. 1. Sad - because reading is a joyful thing, and you can never truly understand everything perfectly. Folks glean different things from the written word, I've seen many a book club debate, or classroom debate because of it. 2. Incredulity.


----------



## Addie

Timothy said:


> The reason I take my time reading text books is that I do have near perfect retention. It might take me two years to finish this one, but when I'm finished, I'll know everything covered in the book.
> 
> It's pointless to read something and not understand it perfectly. I keep cross-referencing it until I DO understand it totally. That's the advantage to learning at my own speed. I'm not rushed by a formal classroom's timings.


 
I love historical novels. And sometimes there are maps and family trees in the beginning of the book. I often have to keep stopping and going back to the map or family trees to keep track of the action and characters. If no maps or trees, I will go back to where the character was introduced so I can get it fixed in my head. 

One year I was determined to start with William the Conqueror and follow the Royal families of England through ERII. So much confusion for my brain. But I can pretty much answer any Jeopardy question now regarding the Royal Family of the UK. Oh it took me more than a year to get it all straight. I wonder if Lizzie II can say that?


----------



## Timothy

Alix said:


> Really? Pointless to read and not understand it perfectly? I can't decide which reaction is the strongest. 1. Sad - because reading is a joyful thing, and you can never truly understand everything perfectly. Folks glean different things from the written word, I've seen many a book club debate, or classroom debate because of it. 2. Incredulity.


 
1. Reading a text book isn't something I look at like reading for fun. I do it to learn a specific subject. I read, re-read and re-read until I do understand what I'm reading. Yes, I think it would be a pointless effort to read a text book and not understand the information completely when finished.

2. (Incredulity) I can't help you with that. It really matters little to me if you believe it or not.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I finally found a Robert Crais I can't get into...it may be just the subject matter or I'm just not ready for it.  My attention span has become much shorter, I'm blaming it on hormones ('cause I can).  So, I will be switching to a new Dean Koontz - _77 Shadow Street_.


----------



## Zhizara

By the way, thanks, Timothy for posting about the physics book.  

In my high school SAT tests, I scored highest in physics, which I've never studies, and have always wanted to get a good textbook.  Even if I only read at bedtime, I think I'll get a lot out of it.  I also think bedtime reading would be an excellent time to "sleep on it" and absorb it better, in my opinion.


----------



## simonbaker

Timothy said:


> Just bought the text book; "Physics" by Jay Orear of Cornell University.
> 
> I've wanted to study Physics since I was much younger. The subject fascinates me and I've always wanted to know much more than casual reading will provide me.
> 
> This book was suggested by many past Physics students as the best of the best of first year Physics studies.
> 
> I think I'm gonna hurt my head!


 Have you ever checked out the town Casadaga in florida?


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Zhizara said:


> Thanks to GourmetGreg I found that I had missed not just one but the last two Jane Auel Earth's Children novels.
> 
> I put my Generation Warriors by Anne McCaffrey on hold when I got the Shelters of Stone yesterday.  The Painted Caves is on order and should be here by the time I finish.



You're welcome! Ms. Auel caught me off guard, I was almost startled when I saw that Painted Caves had been published. Her previous book was about 7  years earlier and I had finally given up and assumed she had retired.

I'm sure fans who have enjoyed the first 4-5 in the series will enjoy the final volume. How could any of her fans resist the final installment? 



PrincessFiona60 said:


> I finally found a Robert Crais I can't get into...it may be just the subject matter or I'm just not ready for it.  My attention span has become much shorter, I'm blaming it on hormones ('cause I can).  So, I will be switching to a new Dean Koontz - _77 Shadow Street_.



I'm sorry to hear you didn't like your Crais novel. Was it _Taken_? As we've discussed Crais is one of both yours and my favorite authors and I'm very much looking forward to reading it. (I'm on a wait list at my public library.)

I hope Koontz will do it for you. I've read a few of his and they're mind boggling!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Gourmet Greg said:


> You're welcome! Ms. Auel caught me off guard, I was almost startled when I saw that Painted Caves had been published. Her previous book was about 7  years earlier and I had finally given up and assumed she had retired.
> 
> I'm sure fans who have enjoyed the first 4-5 in the series will enjoy the final volume. How could any of her fans resist the final installment?
> 
> 
> 
> I'm sorry to hear you didn't like your Crais novel. Was it _Taken_? As we've discussed Crais is one of both yours and my favorite authors and I'm very much looking forward to reading it. (I'm on a wait list at my public library.)
> 
> I hope Koontz will do it for you. I've read a few of his and they're mind boggling!



Yes,_ Taken_.  I don't think it's a matter of not liking it, just not what I'm in the mood for.  That's okay, I'll let Shrek read it first.  Love Koontz, another long time favorite author.


----------



## PolishedTopaz

*Anyone read Koontz' Frankenstien series?? I read them a while back and got "Koontzed out"  But a good series nonetheless. I just pilfered DD's complete Lovecraft book today. *
*I finally broke my "junkfood for the brain" magazine habit. *


----------



## PrincessFiona60

PolishedTopaz said:


> *Anyone read Koontz' Frankenstien series?? I read them a while back and got "Koontzed out"  But a good series nonetheless. I just pilfered DD's complete Lovecraft book today. *
> *I finally broke my "junkfood for the brain" magazine habit. *



Yes, I read the Frankenstein series.  They were really good and different from his other writing.


----------



## Timothy

Zhizara said:


> By the way, thanks, Timothy for posting about the physics book.
> 
> In my high school SAT tests, I scored highest in physics, which I've never studies, and have always wanted to get a good textbook. Even if I only read at bedtime, I think I'll get a lot out of it. I also think bedtime reading would be an excellent time to "sleep on it" and absorb it better, in my opinion.


 
You're very welcome, Zhizara. I found it on the net for $25, through Amazon. That's not a bad price for a text book. 

The reviews on this book were all favorable and there were a LOT of them.


----------



## Timothy

simonbaker said:


> Have you ever checked out the town Casadaga in florida?


 
No. I've never even heard of it. Why?


----------



## SharonT

trying to get into "Mr. Fox" by Helen Oyeyemi for book club.  Have to get it read by next Sunday...  I keep picking it up and putting it down.  One reviewer called it "Funny, deep, shocking, wry, heart-warming and spine-chilling..."  Now, who wouldn't want to read that?   I'm not feeling it...  on page 38.  hah


----------



## Zhizara

Timothy said:


> You're very welcome, Zhizara. I found it on the net for $25, through Amazon. That's not a bad price for a text book.
> 
> The reviews on this book were all favorable and there were a LOT of them.



I did even better.  Someone here at DC turned me on to Abe Used Books (Alix?).  $5.56 with free shipping!


----------



## Margi Cintrano

I am a new member and here is a little about me: living in the Mediterranean between 2 Mediterranean countries, for my Profession and  my paternal Grandmom Margherite,  owned her own Trattoria ...   

Now to your post, Type of book : 

Gastronomically oriented or Fiction or Non Fiction on a non-food topic ?


----------



## Claire

If you like campy murder mysteries there are several that feature chefs, cooks, bakers, gourmets.  Many feature recipes.  If you're interested, I'll do a search and come up with some authors.


----------



## Claire

simonbaker said:


> Have you ever checked out the town Casadaga in florida?


 
Physics, not Psychics.  Timothy, Casadaga is a town of Psychics, not that far from where you live!  A once Utopian community that has been settled by palmists, tarot card readers, etc.  Doubt you'll find much Physics there!  But it is worth a side trip if you're ever in the area.  I have friends who wouldn't miss the place when visiting our neck of the woods.


----------



## Claire

Right now I'm looking for an "Orphan Train" trilogy.  Started my research at Amazon and was surprised to realize there are at least two of them.  So went further and the one I want is by Robert Noonan.  It strongly features Galena.  Surprisingly, my library doesn't have it.  I'm not sure I want to buy it, but might go ahead.  I just don't often buy books, especially novels.


----------



## PolishedTopaz

Margi Cintrano said:


> I am a new member and here is a little about me: living in the Mediterranean between 2 Mediterranean countries, for my Profession and my paternal Grandmom Margherite, owned her own Trattoria ...
> 
> Now to your post, Type of book :
> 
> Gastronomically oriented or Fiction or Non Fiction on a non-food topic ?


 

*Welcome!! If I am not mistaken, Any book or mag, fits the topic.*


----------



## Timothy

Claire said:


> Physics, not Psychics. Timothy, Casadaga is a town of Psychics, not that far from where you live! A once Utopian community that has been settled by palmists, tarot card readers, etc. Doubt you'll find much Physics there! But it is worth a side trip if you're ever in the area. I have friends who wouldn't miss the place when visiting our neck of the woods.


That doesn't sound like my cup of tea, Claire. I'm more into real science, not Pseudo Science. I did look up that town. It's hard for me to believe that a town could dedicate itself to that type of thing.


----------



## Timothy

Claire said:


> Right now I'm looking for an "Orphan Train" trilogy. Started my research at Amazon and was surprised to realize there are at least two of them. So went further and the one I want is by Robert Noonan. It strongly features Galena. Surprisingly, my library doesn't have it. I'm not sure I want to buy it, but might go ahead. I just don't often buy books, especially novels.


 
Claire, you might want to ask your library if they can get those books for you on the Inter-Library-Loan-Service (ILLS). Mine has always found every book I've wanted using that service. I never buy books any more unless it's a book I want as a reference later.


----------



## Timothy

Zhizara said:


> I did even better. Someone here at DC turned me on to Abe Used Books (Alix?). $5.56 with free shipping!


 
That's an awesome buy, Zhizara! You found quite a deal.


----------



## Zhizara

Timothy said:


> That's an awesome buy, Zhizara! You found quite a deal.



I've been buying from them for over a year now.  It usually costs me $3.95 for used paperbacks, which I prefer because most hard bound books are too tall for my bookcases.  Hard bound books are usually the same price.  I love it that it's delivered.


----------



## vitauta

barnes and noble has announced that it will not stock amazon published books on its shelves.  i could be wrong but it seems to me that whenever large corporations turn against each other, the consumer reaps benefits from the inevitable price wars....


----------



## Timothy

vitauta said:


> barnes and noble has announced that it will not stock amazon published books on its shelves. i could be wrong but it seems to me that whenever large corporations turn against each other, the consumer reaps benefits from the inevitable price wars....


 
I didn't know that Amazon published anything. I've never noticed, anyway. 

Or are you saying that B&N won't stock any books *sold* on Amazon?

If it's the latter, B&N is nuts.


----------



## Zhizara

Timothy said:


> I didn't know that Amazon published anything. I've never noticed, anyway.
> 
> Or are you saying that B&N won't stock any books *sold* on Amazon?
> 
> If it's the latter, B&N is nuts.



I agree.  They would profit from selling those books since many people would prefer not to have to pay for shipping.


----------



## vitauta

amazon apparently has a number of exclusive publishing contracts.  b&n states specifically that it will not be shelving (selling) any books published--released by amazon.  this is intended to hurt amazon's book sales more than it does b&n.


----------



## Timothy

One more reason to NOT go to B&N again. 

Maybe they'll meet Elvis at K-Mart or Food Lion.

Reminds me of the old Slap-Stchick line; "Shoot me...Please!"

Senior Management people are pretty far out there. None of them are in touch with reality. I saw and heard some pretty strange stuff at the plant I worked on here in St. Augustine. To be upper management, I think you have to pass an "I'm an idiot" test. They all have thier collective noses jammed into so many presentations and spreadsheets that they've forgotten what the real world looks like.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

It seems to me that satisfying customers is a better business plan than snubbing the competition. I expect some B&N customers may become alienated by B&N's policy and depart for Amazon just out of spite.

I wonder whatever happened to positive values. It seems like too often now that people want to go negative, perhaps because they perceive negativity has more benefits than positivity, perhaps a reflection on the world's present negative zeitgeist.

Oh well, I don't buy from B&N anyway. I always buy from Amazon, and just save up my book wants until I've got $25 for free shipping. That's even easier than figuring out where the nearest brick and mortar bookstore is. And cheaper. Amazon has seriously good prices (but mostly when you shop around).

More often than not I buy my books used on Amazon, usually picking sellers with good rep and books with "like new" descriptions, with about a 97% success rate. The very few that didn't satisfy were either easy to return for a full refund or got a reduced charge.

I mostly buy just cookbooks and a few "how to" hobby (art) books. I get all my fiction at the public library. I don't want to buy books I'll read only once. I prefer to buy reference books, like cookbooks, books that I'll refer to time and time again. Julia lives on!


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Meanwhile I completed J.V. Jones "A Cavern of Black Ice" and "A Fortress of Grey Ice" and I'm waiting for the library to send me the 3rd and 4th ("A Sword from Red Ice" and "Watcher of the Dead") in this Sword of Shadows series. I'm fairly new to reading fantasy and not usually a "sword and sorcerer" fan but the characters and drama in this series are really good IMO.

And now reading "When True Night Falls" by C.S. Friedman (Coldfire trilogy #2 after "Black Sun Rising") yet another sword and sorcery series, very very dark, and I think I'm going to be full up on S&S fantasy when I'm done with this and the other series. (I prefer Jones' series.)

And waiting for "A Game of Thrones" (#1 in the Song of Ice and Fire series) by George R.R. Martin, and I'll be damned surprised if it's anything but more S&S fantasy. I'll be burned out in this sub-genre for sure and probably ready to return to my usual suspense-mystery-thriller fare soon.

I'm waiting for Kim Harrison's "A Perfect Blood" (The Hollows Series) which series is much much lighter! I bet everybody thinks I'm a total fantasy fan but in truth I've only read much fantasy in the last year or so.

I've mentioned my fantasy genre experiences because I'm sure other forum members are fantasy fans, and I'm interested if any have enjoyed any of these series. Or any to recommend. Particularly something lighter. I particularly enjoy fantasy set in our current modern era.


----------



## SharonT

Gourmet Greg said:


> Oh well, I don't buy from B&N anyway.


 
ME TOO.   Recently I stopped by the B&N at the mall because I wanted to get a couple of things for my niece who was in hospital... also of course picked up something else and then saw the next book I needed for book club...   When I got home, just out of curiosity, I looked up all the same books at Amazon... and I would have spent almost exactly HALF as much as I did in the B&N store.


----------



## SharonT

Gourmet Greg said:


> I've mentioned my fantasy genre experiences because I'm sure other forum members are fantasy fans, and I'm interested if any have enjoyed any of these series. Or any to recommend. Particularly something lighter. I particularly enjoy fantasy set in our current modern era.


 
You've probably read The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher?


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Gourmet Greg said:


> I've mentioned my fantasy genre experiences because I'm sure other forum members are fantasy fans, and I'm interested if any have enjoyed any of these series. Or any to recommend. Particularly something lighter. I particularly enjoy fantasy set in our current modern era.



Look up "Urban Fantasy"  Neil Gaiman is an excellent choice.


----------



## JoshuaNY

I am now onto _Princeps Fury_ by Jim Butcher. The more I read the series the more I like them. 

A few time the characters do things that are against their nature(i.e. A great archer missing a routine shot), which really irritates me. But they are few and far between and would not change the outcome of the story.


----------



## SharonT

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Look up "Urban Fantasy"  Neil Gaiman is an excellent choice.



Oh, Yes.  "American Gods" is really good too.


----------



## pacanis

MAUSER Military Rifles of the World, by Robert Ball.
It's available for Kindle, but you'll miss out on all the pictures if you don't have a Fire.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

SharonT said:


> ME TOO.   Recently I stopped by the B&N at the mall because I wanted to get a couple of things for my niece who was in hospital... also of course picked up something else and then saw the next book I needed for book club...   When I got home, just out of curiosity, I looked up all the same books at Amazon... and I would have spent almost exactly HALF as much as I did in the B&N store.



I've compared local bookstore prices and Amazon prices several times and Amazon always worked out better, usually much better. If not I would have bought at the local store and had my book right away. I've always preferred to save money over instant gratification.

I just wait until I have $25 of purchases before ordering so I can get free shipping. I usually get my books on the same day of the following week, and it gives me something to look forward to.



SharonT said:


> You've probably read The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher?



I did, recently, and for whatever reason the series just didn't stick with me.



PrincessFiona60 said:


> Look up "Urban Fantasy"  Neil Gaiman is an excellent choice.



Okay thanks! I'll check it out.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Look up "Urban Fantasy"  Neil Gaiman is an excellent choice.




That's really vague...

Google the genre "Urban Fantasy," Neil Gaiman is a writer of "Urban Fantasy."    As Sharon T said, "American Gods" is an excellent choice, as is "Anasazi Boys."


----------



## Claire

In the Amazon vs large chain bookstores vs small, personally owned book stores, I'm stymied.  The fact is, I've always read a lot more than I (or my parents when I was young) could possibly afford.  My reading is, #1 - from the library; #2 - from used book sales, and very lastly, #3 - new, from a book store.  As much as I love the concept of book stores, there is no way I can buy 3+ books a week from an individual bookseller, even if I wait for everything to come out in paperback.  

A couple of times, recently, I bought books from Amazon, paying only for the shipping.  A book for a penny, literally, $0.01.  And both times they were in new condition.  

I don't much care how pretty a book is.  As long as all the pages are there and it is in one piece.  I buy them for reading, not for decor.  They usually do not live in my house for very long (although you might not believe that if you saw the 100s of books in this house).  I have, over the years, had friends who cannot part with a book.  If I did that, I could build this house and probably the others on my block,  using the books for bricks.  And that's just the books I've owned, not library books. 

Gourmet Greg really said it when it comes to not buying fiction.  I have a couple shelves of classics I keep thinking I might re-read some day (so many books, so little time, why re-read when there is so much I've never read?).  So my purchases tend to be nonfiction.  Reference, history, some bio, and let's not forget, a hundred or so cook books and related (food bios, food history, food encyclopedias).  

Anyway, if I was rich and had a mansion, yes, I'd buy from an individual bookseller.  Dubuque's big box bookseller crashed this past year (not B&N, the other one, mind not functioning).  

That said, the art of reading a book is not going away.  When I was a kid, I never saw a book store.  I didn't live in a big city (well, Wiesbaden, but reading German when I was 11?  American library for me!).  By the time I was 30, even relatively small town strip malls had one of the chains; Brentanos, etc.  You'd never see that in a small town when I was younger.  I work my library's annual used book sale, and every year it gets bigger and bigger.  We've had to change venues twice since I moved here ten years ago, because we get more book donations .... and more and more buyers.  Individuals, very small town/school libraries, seniors, and families.  Small-town used book sellers.  There are people like me .... I buy a couple of sacks of books ... then re-donate them the next year, after reading most of them.  So the library makes out both ways.  Reading a book isn't going away any time soon.


----------



## Soma

I just ordered two books from Amazon:

1) 'The Universe is a Green Dragon' by Brian Swimme (Love this scientist's  videos)
2) 'Don't Take Your Life Personally' by Ajahn Sumedho


----------



## vitauta

so who is it that's reading all those books in this country?   how many claires do we have out there?  lots and lots, i hope.  but most of the people who have populated my world have not been serious readers--unless they were keeping it a secret for some reason...could it be there's a whole subculture of closet readers out there that none of us knows about?  who IS buying all those kindles anyway, i wonder....


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Actually, DC is the biggest collection of readers I've ever seen or been around.  I've known people who were proud of the fact they never read a whole book, I don't tend to spend much time with them, we have almost nothing in common, aside from breathing oxygen.


----------



## Alix

pacanis said:


> MAUSER Military Rifles of the World, by Robert Ball.
> It's available for Kindle, but you'll miss out on all the pictures if you don't have a Fire.



Are you enjoying your Fire? Any glitches?


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

PrincessFiona60 said:


> That's really vague...
> 
> Google the genre "Urban Fantasy," Neil Gaiman is a writer of "Urban Fantasy."    As Sharon T said, "American Gods" is an excellent choice, as is "Anasazi Boys."



Actually I had been having a bit of trouble pinning it down, except the anthology by that title. The additional titles will be very helpful. Thanks!


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I think that most people don't read books of any kind. I believe they'd rather watch TV or movies. Of those who do read books it appears to me that many are switching over to e-books. Myself, I'd rather read a nice hard cover edition.

As I said I don't buy fiction. I get my fiction at the public library. I have a few souvenir fictions (Tolkien's _Lord of the Rings_) but most of my books are reference, either "how to" books related to my various hobbies, or cookbooks. I figure out which ones I want to buy by checking them out at the library first, read them and use them a while, and then the ones that turn out to be most useful I buy either new or used on Amazon.


----------



## Addie

Back in the late 70's I given to me as a gift, the complete hard copy set of the Kent Chronicles Series by John Jakes. The first book was _The Bastards._ This series was written for the Bi-Centennial. I loved these books. And I still have them. About every other year I read them again.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Neil Gaiman is a writer of "Urban Fantasy."    As Sharon T said, "American Gods" is an excellent choice, as is "Anasazi Boys."


Okay, thanks! I located them at my public library and reserved them to be sent to my local branch.


----------



## Steve Kroll

SharonT said:


> Oh, Yes.  "American Gods" is really good too.


What a coincidence. I picked up "American Gods" last week and am now about 3 chapters in.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Steve Kroll said:


> What a coincidence. I picked up "American Gods" last week and am now about 3 chapters in.



When you get done with that, pick up a copy of "Good Omens" by Gaiman and Terry Pratchett...never laughed so hard in my life!!!  It was an accidentla purchase and started my love affair with BOTH authors.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Gourmet Greg said:


> Okay, thanks! I located them at my public library and reserved them to be sent to my local branch.



Urban fantasy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a comprehensive list of Urban Fantasy authors...check it out.  If you have any questions let me know, I've read at least 25% of these authors.


----------



## Claire

vitauta said:


> so who is it that's reading all those books in this country?   how many claires do we have out there?  lots and lots, i hope.  but most of the people who have populated my world have not been serious readers--unless they were keeping it a secret for some reason...could it be there's a whole subculture of closet readers out there that none of us knows about?  who IS buying all those kindles anyway, i wonder....


 
Ha!  You aren't going to find too many "Claires" out there -- believe it or not, when I was in 4th grade the school system I was in (Reno, NV) took a dozen or so of us kids who got high scores on some test and taught us speed reading.  I don't use the skill much, not sure if I even can do it effectively.  But I do read pretty fast. 

My husband never read just to read before he retired.  Now he still doesn't read fiction; he was a history major, and in retirement he chooses an epoch for study.  With the advent of the internet (in our house it was ten years ago), he'll tell me what his new era of study is, and I go on Amazon and get a bunch of titles for him.  Then he goes on Netflix and finds out if there's a BBC series on that era (you'd be surprised how often there is!) so that whatever era he's reading about, we're watching as well.  

Over the years, for a man who doesn't really enjoy reading, when we visit people for the first time, he zeroes in on whether or not there are any books lying around.  He's suspect of anyone who doesn't have a full bookshelf within sight.


----------



## Margi Cintrano

*Multi lingual Newspapers & Magazines*

Firstly, I am an avid reader, however, of epicurean, travel, enological and entertainment ( the arts ) magazines and newspaper sections focusing on these subjects in several Latin Root Languages. 

In English:  I read the London Times every Sunday and when possible, the NY or LA Times if I can purchase it;  In Spanish, I read Comer y Beber Magazine and El Mundo and / or EL Pais Newspaper; In Italian, Portuguese and French, I read a variety of magazines which focus on my favorite topics as well; L´Art d´Vivre, House & Garden French Edition and Club Gourmet Magazine.   

Last year, I had re-read all of Ernest Hemmingway´s works which focused on Spain, Cuba and the Spanish Civil War 1936 - 1939. 

Truly enjoyed his works. I hadn´t read his works since Secondary ( high school ).


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Claire said:


> Ha!  You aren't going to find too many "Claires" out there -- believe it or not, when I was in 4th grade the school system I was in (Reno, NV) took a dozen or so of us kids who got high scores on some test and taught us speed reading.  I don't use the skill much, not sure if I even can do it effectively.  But I do read pretty fast.
> 
> My husband never read just to read before he retired.  Now he still doesn't read fiction; he was a history major, and in retirement he chooses an epoch for study.  With the advent of the internet (in our house it was ten years ago), he'll tell me what his new era of study is, and I go on Amazon and get a bunch of titles for him.  Then he goes on Netflix and finds out if there's a BBC series on that era (you'd be surprised how often there is!) so that whatever era he's reading about, we're watching as well.
> 
> Over the years, for a man who doesn't really enjoy reading, when we visit people for the first time, he zeroes in on whether or not there are any books lying around.  He's suspect of anyone who doesn't have a full bookshelf within sight.



I was singled out for speed reading, too...


----------



## SharonT

Gourmet Greg said:


> I've always preferred to save money over instant gratification.


 
I want both.      I debated for about a month whether to use the $200 I was ready to spend to upgrade my phone or get a Kindle Fire.  I am so glad I opted for the latter.   Oh my word - that instant click thing is dangerous.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Urban fantasy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> 
> This is a comprehensive list of Urban Fantasy authors...check it out.  If you have any questions let me know, I've read at least 25% of these authors.



Thank you! I'll read Gaiman's books and decide if I like the sub-genre, and then check out the article, and ask you if I have any questions.


----------



## Steve Kroll

PrincessFiona60 said:


> When you get done with that, pick up a copy of "Good Omens" by Gaiman and Terry Pratchett...never laughed so hard in my life!!!  It was an accidentla purchase and started my love affair with BOTH authors.


I'm surprised so far at how funny a book "American Gods" is. I was expecting a serious book, but it doesn't take itself very seriously at all. I like it.

From what I understand, HBO is filming it as a series, due to be released next year.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Steve Kroll said:


> I'm surprised so far at how funny a book "American Gods" is. I was expecting a serious book, but it doesn't take itself very seriously at all. I like it.
> 
> From what I understand, HBO is filming it as a series, due to be released next year.



The first Terry Pratchett I read after "Good Omens" was "Small Gods." Another very thought provoking and funny book.


----------



## TATTRAT

Been back on a David Sedaris kick, and re-reading naked. Also, Mike Bribiglia, funny stuff! Sleepwalk With Me(now a movie that did well at Sundance)was a great read.


----------



## Zhizara

I'm up to page 680 of _The Shelters of Stone_ by Jean Auel (out of 883 pages).  _

The Land of the Painted Caves _arrived in the mail yesterday, so I'll be in reader's heaven for a good while.


----------



## Margi Cintrano

SharonT said:


> I want both.      I debated for about a month whether to use the $200 I was ready to spend to upgrade my phone or get a Kindle Fire.  I am so glad I opted for the latter.   Oh my word - that instant click thing is dangerous.


I am writing in reference to your antique Logo. Surprisingly, your chosen Logo is an original painting from Galicia, Spain, ( northwestern Spain ) and represents: The Diverse Agricultural Mosiac of the Iberian Peninisula. 

It is also the cover symbology of an author who wrote a book on the diverse " fruits and vegetables " in Spain, giving each a personality and human characteristics ... It is a most heart warming literature account ... I am not aware that it has been translated. However, I shall check if you are interested and provide the author´s name and title of the book. 

Interesting. 

Margi Cintrano


----------



## Addie

I was reading before I went into the first grade. So I had a leg up on the other kids. Book One of the Dick and Jane series was old stuff for me. By the time I reached the fourth grade I was an accomplished reader. The teacher would have each of us read a paragraph until every one had a turn. If the paragraph was short, they got two. One day when it was my turn my paragraph was a long one. I finished my paragraph and the teacher didn't stop me. She gave me a nod to continue. I ended up reading the whole chapter to the class. She set up a program whereby come the last hour on Friday, she would choose the book, and I would read to the class until the end of the hour. She would be sitting at her desk doing paper work. The very first book she chose was _My Friend Flicker_ by Mary O'Hara. The next one was _Thunderhead_, the sequel. This practice sealed my love of reading.


----------



## Claire

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I was singled out for speed reading, too...



That's interesting.  In my case it was in the mid-sixties in Nevada.  I'm just wondering because I've never heard of anyone else being taught speed-reading in elementary school.  It really was neat.  There was a projector and one line at a time would be put up.  Then certain words would be highlighted.  Eventually there'd be a paragraph with certain words highlighted so you learned to pick out the entire concept of the paragraph in seconds.  Like I said, I don't use the skill often, so am rusty, but I can still, if I want something from a book and don't want to read it completely, scan it paragraph at a time and get what I want from it.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Claire said:


> That's interesting.  In my case it was in the mid-sixties in Nevada.  I'm just wondering because I've never heard of anyone else being taught speed-reading in elementary school.  It really was neat.  There was a projector and one line at a time would be put up.  Then certain words would be highlighted.  Eventually there'd be a paragraph with certain words highlighted so you learned to pick out the entire concept of the paragraph in seconds.  Like I said, I don't use the skill often, so am rusty, but I can still, if I want something from a book and don't want to read it completely, scan it paragraph at a time and get what I want from it.



It was in '66 for me, I remember that exercise well.  I can get through most books, non-fiction, by reading only the first and last sentences of a paragraph.  I also read by the "shape" of the word, sometimes making it easy for me to miss a misspelling.

In fifth grade, one of our neighbors in Student Housing, was learning how to "test" kids for her education degree.  She picked me to test for reading comprehension. She did the age appropriate test first and I blew it out of the water.  By the time she reached the College-Age comprehension tests, her instructor was involved and they were still trying to figure out where my comprehension level fell off...they never did find a test for me to establish a reading level.   I was always a difficult child.


----------



## Claire

Pretty much the same story here.  Unfortunately, with all the moving and shaking, I lost out on math.  As a ten year old, I could read way, way out of my league.  On the other hand, I was floundering in the dust in math.  Still am not great.  Other people have pre-nups about who gets what money wise.  We have a pre-nup (verbal) that I'll do a lot of crap, but will not balance the check-book!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Claire said:


> Pretty much the same story here.  Unfortunately, with all the moving and shaking, I lost out on math.  As a ten year old, I could read way, way out of my league.  On the other hand, I was floundering in the dust in math.  Still am not great.  Other people have pre-nups about who gets what money wise.  We have a pre-nup (verbal) that I'll do a lot of crap, but will not balance the check-book!



Yeah, math stinks!

But, I think more has stuck than I realize...even if I can't multiply in my head, I CAN do it on paper, better than most of the folks I work with, who only use calculators.  Had someone the other day surprised that I had the answer before she did, me with pencil and paper, she had a calculator.


----------



## SharonT

Margi Cintrano said:


> I am writing in reference to your antique Logo. Surprisingly, your chosen Logo is an original painting from Galicia, Spain, ( northwestern Spain ) and represents: The Diverse Agricultural Mosiac of the Iberian Peninisula.
> 
> It is also the cover symbology of an author who wrote a book on the diverse " fruits and vegetables " in Spain, giving each a personality and human characteristics ... It is a most heart warming literature account ... I am not aware that it has been translated. However, I shall check if you are interested and provide the author´s name and title of the book.
> 
> Interesting.
> 
> Margi Cintrano


 
Yes!  Thanks, Margi -- I would be very interested to know of any literary interpretations of the art... which is the work of an Italian artist, actually...  Gieuseppe Arcimboldo...16th century... grotesque, fascinating ...


----------



## babetoo

have read to many lately to list. just finished 7th heaven by james patterson. it is an exciting read. i don't care for the ones he wrote starring alex cross. this one was good.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I've acquired copies of Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" and "Anasazi Boys" from my local library. Is either of these a sequel to the other? Is there any particular order I should read them in?


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Gourmet Greg said:


> I've acquired copies of Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" and "Anasazi Boys" from my local library. Is either of these a sequel to the other? Is there any particular order I should read them in?



Check the original publications dates...it's been a while since I read them and can't remember if they are connected.  I'm thinking AG is before AB.


----------



## SharonT

Gourmet Greg said:


> I've acquired copies of Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" and "Anasazi Boys" from my local library. Is either of these a sequel to the other? Is there any particular order I should read them in?


 
"American Gods" came first; "Anansi Boys" is not a sequel...  but involves some characters from "American Gods"...


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Thanks PF. I checked the pub dates and apparently AG is before AB, still not sure if they are a series or independent novels. I guess I'll know more later after I read a bit. Was just hoping for a quick answer...

Anyway looks like one of them is next up in the reading hopper. 

ETA: Oh thanks Sharon (near simultaneous post). I guess I'll crack _American Gods_ then. Thanks again!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

SharonT said:


> "American Gods" came first; "Anansi Boys" is not a sequel...  but involves some characters from "American Gods"...



Thanks, Sharon!


----------



## Alix

I have two on the go right now. One is a reread, Voyager by Diana Gabaldon. The other is for BAR, I'm reading Hound of the Baskervilles. Technically, its a reread too, but since it was so long ago that I read it, I am finding it all new and fresh. Still not grabbing me though.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

PF and Sharon, I'm sorry to say that "American Gods" isn't working for me after reading about 100 pages. PF I guess it's like your recent Crais novel, I'm just not in the right kind of mood for it. Thanks both of you!

In a slight way AG sort of reminds me of the novels of Carlos Castaneda.


----------



## Steve Kroll

Just finished "American Gods" (I liked it) and have now moved on to "Doomsday Book" by Connie Willis.

It seems a little dated so far. It was written in 1992 and takes place in 2053. There are many technologies we take for granted today that weren't commonplace in 1992 - cell phones and the internet, for instance. So they aren't even mentioned in the story. I also found it amusing that the author describes a 2 Gb hard drive as if it is an impressive piece of equipment. I'm sitting here with 4 terabytes of storage on my home computer.


----------



## BBQ Mikey

Finishing Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, but its pretty much word for word with the movie.


----------



## SharonT

Gourmet Greg said:


> PF and Sharon, I'm sorry to say that "American Gods" isn't working for me after reading about 100 pages. PF I guess it's like your recent Crais novel, I'm just not in the right kind of mood for it. Thanks both of you!
> 
> In a slight way AG sort of reminds me of the novels of Carlos Castaneda.



Oh - too bad.  At least they were library books!   Did I hear somewhere (here?) that _American Gods_ is going to be a movie (or HBO series?)... Once or twice I've had trouble with a book, saw its movie, then went back and read it avidly.


----------



## SharonT

Alix said:


> The other is for BAR, I'm reading Hound of the Baskervilles...  Still not grabbing me though.


BAR?
If it's a case of "have to read it," do what I just wrote to Gourmet Greg -- rent one of the movies - that might get you into it!


----------



## Claire

I'm now reading a new Sherlock Holmes mystery, _The House of Silk_ by Anthony Horowitz.  Not far enough into it to decide if I like it.  I did see that it's approved by the Arthur Connan Doyle estate (which I assume means the author paid to use the name).  There are several Holmes books out there, some I like, some not so much.  I just finished_Cold Vengeance_ by Preston & Child.  It was OK.  One I've got on hand and haven't really felt like tackling yet is a translation from a Korean novel.  Translations for me are tricky.  Some I love, some I just cannot wade through.  I almost universally dislike Russian novels.  Just too much angst.  I've had no luck with Japanese novelists.  There's a Turkish author who's a Nobel prize winner who I really don't like, but more frivolous murder mystery writers I like.  I've like most Chinese novels I've read.  This is the first Korean.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

SharonT said:


> Oh - too bad.  At least they were library books!   Did I hear somewhere (here?) that _American Gods_ is going to be a movie (or HBO series?)... Once or twice I've had trouble with a book, saw its movie, then went back and read it avidly.



The book just wasn't clicking with me. I read so much that I have a system to make sure I don't spend too much time on novels that aren't going to work for me. I read 50-100 pages and then I sit for a while and think it over and compare to other novels I've enjoyed. If the novel isn't somewhere in my middle range I just forget it and move on to the next book. It's difficult to set it down and wonder what the ending will be but I just steel myself and move on. It's a good thing I get all my novels at the public library, and a good reason to get them there.

I have accepted the fact that I will not appreciate every good novel. The sooner I figure out which ones aren't going to work for me the better off I am not spending my time completing them.


----------



## Zhizara

SharonT said:


> BAR?
> If it's a case of "have to read it," do what I just wrote to Gourmet Greg -- rent one of the movies - that might get you into it!



BAR is Book & Reader, another Social Knowledge forum.

Book & Reader Forums


----------



## Alix

SharonT said:


> BAR?
> If it's a case of "have to read it," do what I just wrote to Gourmet Greg -- rent one of the movies - that might get you into it!



Oops, sorry I missed this Sharon. I see Zhizara has provided a link. I've already read Hound but its just not grabbing me on the reread either. This months Book of the Month discussion is books that have been made into movies. I'm reading Hound and Princess Bride.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

BBQ Mikey said:


> Finishing Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, but its pretty much word for word with the movie.



The book came first...


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Gourmet Greg said:


> PF and Sharon, I'm sorry to say that "American Gods" isn't working for me after reading about 100 pages. PF I guess it's like your recent Crais novel, I'm just not in the right kind of mood for it. Thanks both of you!
> 
> In a slight way AG sort of reminds me of the novels of Carlos Castaneda.



Sorry about that, it is a real good story.  But, I also understand that not all stories are readable to others.  Love Gaiman and his stories.



Steve Kroll said:


> Just finished "American Gods" (I liked it) and have now moved on to "Doomsday Book" by Connie Willis.
> 
> It seems a little dated so far. It was written in 1992 and takes place in 2053. There are many technologies we take for granted today that weren't commonplace in 1992 - cell phones and the internet, for instance. So they aren't even mentioned in the story. I also found it amusing that the author describes a 2 Gb hard drive as if it is an impressive piece of equipment. I'm sitting here with 4 terabytes of storage on my home computer.



I really like the Connie Willis books, _The Bellwether_ is another good one.  Yes, a bit dated, but that's why a good imagination is so much fun to feed.  I forget, have you read To Say Nothing of the Dog ?  That one is lots of fun.


----------



## SharonT

Gourmet Greg said:


> The book just wasn't clicking with me. I read so much that I have a system to make sure I don't spend too much time on novels that aren't going to work for me.


 
I agree with that, mostly...  if I'm having to read a book for a book club meeting, though, I power through it, and I'm usually glad.  Most recently, "Mr. Fox" by Helen Oyeyemi.   Anyone who's into fairy tales and legends will probably like it more than I did.   I had to Google a lot to figure out what was going on.   In the end, I was glad I did all that.   But reading for my own enjoyment, I wouldn't bother to go past page 100 if I'm not captivated, just as you said.


----------



## SharonT

Books and movies... I don't know if anyone has already mentioned "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" but I thought the book and the movie were both very good.   On a rare occasion for me, the movie surpasses the book.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Sorry about that, it is a real good story.  But, I also understand that not all stories are readable to others.  Love Gaiman and his stories.



It was a good idea!  Have you read any Carlos Castaneda? I'm pretty sure I read them all when they first came out, and have them as trade paperbacks in my collection of very few novels and lots of cookbooks!

I'm not sure my Castenadas and your Gaiman are related at all. Both seem mystic to me.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Gourmet Greg said:


> It was a good idea!  Have you read any Carlos Castaneda? I'm pretty sure I read them all when they first came out, and have them as trade paperbacks in my collection of very few novels and lots of cookbooks!
> 
> I'm not sure my Castenadas and your Gaiman are related at all. Both seem mystic to me.



No I haven't, but sounds right up my alley.  Thanks!


----------



## SharonT

*The Night Circus*

I'm currently listening to The Night Circus Audio Book | Erin Morgenstern | Download The Night Circus
It's read by Jim Dale, who recorded the Harry Potter tales to such great effect.
It's captured me so far.  Fits into that "modern fantasy" category sort of.


----------



## tinlizzie

There's a feisty little chihuahua named Kinky in _The Fall Girl_ by Kaye C. Hill.  It's a light-weight mystery that's a nice trade-off from heavier stuff.  Not that it's heavier - it's not; but still dipping into _The Salmon of Doubt_.


----------



## Margi Cintrano

*Sangre Nuestra Tierra Ajena - Ventura Rocha Criollas*

Sangre Nuestra Tierra Ajena and its English Translation: Immigrant Named America by Ventura Rocha Criollas, is a beautiful historical saga of his forebearers set against their experiences fleeing and immigrating from Spain to Mexico, and from Mexico to San Antonio, Texas. 

Ventura who was a former USA Air Force Engineer, stationed in Torrejón De Ardóz, Madrid had been the first person to open a Mexican Taquería in continental Europe and Spain in 1960. 

Thus, today, Ventura is the owner of Todo a Mejico in Madrid. 

His historical saga is absolutely fascinating. Cannot put the book down. 

M.C.


----------



## Alix




----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

I just started Tom Clancy's newest book, Against All Enemies. It's over 700 pages, so this is gonna take a while.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I have a new book from Amazon arriving this week, _The Way To Cook_ by Julia Child.  I was all set to get _Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vols 1&2_, but decided TWTC was a better entré into her world.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I have a new book from Amazon arriving this week, _The Way To Cook_ by Julia Child.  I was all set to get _Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vols 1&2_, but decided TWTC was a better entré into her world.



Yep. TWTC is another winner! I have it too. If you like her enough to get the other book you mentioned then consider the Julia & Jacques cookbook too.


----------



## Zhizara

I'm still working on The Land of the Painted Caves.  There is a _lot_ of repetition, not just background from previous books.  I'm finding myself doing a lot of skipping.  I'm also not a fan of the "soft porn" details 3 or 4 pages at a time.  TMI.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Zhizara you reminded me of my criticisms of _Land of the Painted Caves_. I too don't appreciate "soft porn" details in any novel, not because I'm any sort of prude but because I just don't want to read that stuff, it doesn't entertain me. I prefer the "implied sex" sort where a few words set up what's going to happen and then they cut to a new scene "much later." I appreciate being spared the details and I skip over that stuff too.

I had to skip over the endless descriptions of cave paintings too, which I'm sure were the product of the author's actually visiting those caves. I've seen that stuff in documentary films. I'm not ever going to visit those caves in person. The details went on too long for me.

Also had to skim the song verses. There is some sort of plot relevance to one specific song but skimming suited me just fine.

And I'm glad to not be totally negative, the novel picked up in the last 150-200 pages and made up for some of the dragging earlier. I suspect you'll agree with me, the author is done with the series, I'm done with the series, I'm glad I read it because I just couldn't resist reading the conclusion. I think we're all done!


----------



## SharonT

One more word about the Earth's Children series... I listened to the Audible versions of all but the last... By the time of the 5th one, Shelters of Stone, there was nothing new happening.   Ayla and J... ? traveled about and shared with everyone their adventures from the first four books.  Insult to injury... the reader began to give Ayla the strangest (Russian?) accent.  Sounded like Natasha on Bullwinkle.   I really enjoyed listening to the first three, though.


----------



## wilkette

A Clash of Kings (2nd book of the Game of Thrones series)


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

SharonT said:


> One more word about the Earth's Children series... I listened to the Audible versions of all but the last... By the time of the 5th one, Shelters of Stone, there was nothing new happening.   Ayla and J... ? traveled about and shared with everyone their adventures from the first four books.  Insult to injury... the reader began to give Ayla the strangest (Russian?) accent.  Sounded like Natasha on Bullwinkle.   I really enjoyed listening to the first three, though.



I can fully understand why that would be distracting and detract from enjoyment of the novel. A primary principle of fiction is the reader's willing _suspension of disbelief_, which allows you to reach a state where you accept the novel's reality even if it contracts the real world. But to have a prehistoric character speaking with a Russian accent would be jarring, could (probably would) constantly have you thinking about the reader rather than the story.

One can only wonder if in the Russian audio book they would have Ayla speaking with an English accent. 



wilkette said:


> A Clash of Kings (2nd book of the Game of Thrones series)



I'm still waiting on my copy of _Game of Thrones_ (book 1) from my public library. I'm down to the bottom of my book barrel and starting to worry that I may have to face reality!


----------



## Zhizara

Thanks, Greg.  At least it's not just me.  I don't like poetry (except limericks) and don't read it.  I especially hate those chapter intros in books that have nothing to do with the story.

If she introduces Ayla to one more person...  The last one was almost a whole page!

Thanks for letting me know it will pick up again.  I'll pick it back up after I finish Anne McCaffrey's Planet Pirates that I interrupted to read these last two Earth's Children books.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Zhizara, no it's not you at all, or at bare minimum it's you and me and perhaps Sharon... And that's just here on the DC forum, probably many others share our opinion not on this forum.

That introduction thing really wore me out too, the introduction involving all the person's past and accomplishments and relations and tribal affiliation and clan status... Honestly I suspect that what Auel relates is probably what was life was like in a prehistoric era, where we didn't have first, middle and surnames, and SSNs etc. But the author beats it to death with a club.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I finished the series, I'm glad I read the final novel, the conclusion. I'm glad I wasn't left hanging wondering how it all ended. I think the author ended it well. We can perhaps discuss this when you've finished reading. I'm glad the author chose a good climatic idea. You know Ayla invented everything from fire to the atlatl to medicine to birth control to domesticating animals. (A process that probably took 10,000 years. She must have had a very long and prolific life...) Let's discuss it when you're done and I hope I won't spoil the subject for any future DC members

Auel is now 75. I think in the book and online she's made it clear that this is her final novel. I'm glad I read them all. Think about it, what, 7 novels of several hundred pages each? It was perhaps 5,000-6,000 pages of Auel's fiction. I enjoyed most of it, particularly the earliest novels. If anybody wants to read just one, and has the self-discipline to eat just one, then read _Clan of the Cave Bear_. Understand that the slope gets steeper with every sequel, and that only true fans will not fall off the edge with the final in the series. I'm still glad I read them all.

_Clan of the Cave Bear_ was IMO "knock you dead" good! 



All: I've really enjoyed discussing books here with all you DC members. It's not often that I can find people who have read and enjoyed the same books as I have. I hope some of my comments have helped y'all too!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

It took me 4 tries to start _Clan of the Cave Bear_, I'd heard so many rave reviews, I just knew it had to be good...eventually.I finally forced it one summer and fell in love with the story...I lost that enjoyment at about the 4th book and have not even desired to finish the series.

I was lucky this morning, found _The Food of a Younger Land_, by Mark Kurlansky, in hardcover for $5.99 as a used book.  Also picked up a used copy of_ Hunger Games_ (Suzanne Collins) for $4.50, I was able to use credit for that one.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

PF I was worried when I began reading your reply until I found that you evidently enjoyed _Clan of the Cave Bear_. I'm sorry to agree that the series seemed to decline as it progressed. I think many of us fans will be glad that Ms. Auel has evidently retired after completing the series. I'm glad I made it to the end, and was relieved that as I've previously stated it picked up in the final few hundred pages. I'm glad the author retired. I hope she takes up cooking, or perhaps is already accomplished in that. 

I read much of Kurlansky's _Salt_. I had to return it to the shelf and intend to complete it in the future. Although his style is IMO a bit dry I feel that he has very much to communicate to chefs, both professional chefs and to amateurs like myself.

I'm curious what you have to say about _Hunger Games_, or will say when you've read it. I've been flirting with the idea of reading it, being it's featured on many top seller lists, but I've been a bit reluctant having read synopsis/summaries of the theme. If you enjoy it then I'd be very much influenced to get it and read it. Please review it when you can.


And from another topic I want to recommend _Darkly Dreaming Dexter_ by Jeff Lindsay, which many will recognize as the basis for the HBO series _Dexter_. It's not anything like the TV program, and if you've seen the program then it probably ruined you and maybe you should just leave well enough alone. The novel is a very dark comedy about the funny side of being a serial killer, normally a subject I would never touch, but this novel is so darkly satirically funny that nobody should miss it--unless you've already been ruined by the TV program. And don't bother with Lindsay's sequels either. The first was best and it was IMO all down hill after that, still funny but not screamingly funny, and a bit increasingly gruesome. I think Lindsay succumbed to his initial humor. It's hard to follow up a novel that good, and unfortunately he failed. But _Darkly Dreaming Dexter_ was seriously, satirically funny! I give it a strong thumbs up! (But not the TV series and not the sequels, just the debut.)


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Gourmet Greg said:


> PF I was worried when I began reading your reply until I found that you evidently enjoyed _Clan of the Cave Bear_. I'm sorry to agree that the series seemed to decline as it progressed. I think many of us fans will be glad that Ms. Auel has evidently retired after completing the series. I'm glad I made it to the end, and was relieved that as I've previously stated it picked up in the final few hundred pages. I'm glad the author retired. I hope she takes up cooking, or perhaps is already accomplished in that.
> 
> I read much of Kurlansky's _Salt_. I had to return it to the shelf and intend to complete it in the future. Although his style is IMO a bit dry I feel that he has very much to communicate to chefs, both professional chefs and to amateurs like myself.
> 
> I'm curious what you have to say about _Hunger Games_, or will say when you've read it. I've been flirting with the idea of reading it, being it's featured on many top seller lists, but I've been a bit reluctant having read synopsis/summaries of the theme. If you enjoy it then I'd be very much influenced to get it and read it. Please review it when you can.



I loved _Salt_ and _Cod_.  I was very excited to find _The Food of a Younger Land_.  I picked up the used paperback and found it was priced $2 higher than the hardcover...SCORE!

_Hunger Games _is found in the Young Adult section, published by Scholastic.  It was a impulse buy for me, mostly because I know a movie is being made.  I do enjoy many of the young adult titles and authors, some good things being written.  I'll let you know how it turns out.  Dystopia stories are fun for me.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I'm building up a good list of food/cooking references to read in the near future when I hope to turn from escapism to more practical preferences. I'll look forward to completing Kurlansky's _Salt_ and reading his various other tomes.

Upon your suggestion I was encouraged enough to reserve a copy of _Hunger Games_ at my local public library (LAPL) and I'm #377 for 271 copies, an indication that it will be a very few weeks before I can have my hands on a copy, probably enough time that I will be able to benefit from your review. One benefit of living in such a large city as I do (as opposed to all the liabilities) is that we have pretty good library access to most books, both past and present. I'm usually surprised when I want a book and can't find it in the system.


And having edited my post during your reply, I wonder if anybody else enjoyed reading _Darkly Dreaming Dexter_ (see above).


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Added the Dexter book to my Amazon wish list...


----------



## Claire

I, too, don't like to read poetry.  Don't know why, just don't.  More "Clan of the Cave ..." series?  don't really want to do more of that, especially after reading this line.  I guess I'm getting old, but reading about sex is nowhere near as fun as doing it was!  Right now I'm not sure why I'm wading through two books that for some reason aren't really capturing my attention.  _The Dovekeepers_ by Alice Hoffman and another book that's translated from Korean.  "Dovekeepers" just has too much in symbolism and dream sequences for my taste.  Probably won't finish it, although in the past I've really enjoyed biblical novels.  The Korean book (sorry, it is upstairs, it is 3 a.m. and I don't want to wake hubby) I may finish, simply because I'm almost half was through it and it offers, to me, an insight into a culture I've spent much of my life around.


----------



## Zhizara

Claire, don't let the comment about poetry keep you from enjoying Auel's books.  It's just a "prayer" to the Mother of All, repeated at least once during the last book, and can be skipped easily.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Just skim that Mother of All stuff. It's repeated throughout the book. Read the first and last few verses. The final verses will become more important in the final chapters of the book, so read the final 2-3 verses at least once to get the idea.


I just wanted to say one more thing about _Darkly Dreaming Dexter_ by Jeff Lindsay, a warning: It's not for the squeamish. It's darkly funny but it's pretty squeamy too. The novelty wore off in the sequels but the squeamish continued on, which is why I'm not recommending the sequels.


----------



## SharonT

Just to say...  I HIGHLY recommend the Hunger Games trilogy.   My whole family (all ages) enjoyed them and can't wait for the movie.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Does each novel in the _Hunger Games_ trilogy have a definite conclusion? In other words, would the debut novel work as a stand alone read without feeling like it's necessary to continue on to 2 and 3 to find out the real ending?

I've been annoyed with a few series that have virtually no end other than to read the next in the series to find out what happens next. That's not so bad if the series is good and all the sequels have been published, so that you can read right through if you want to. I'm particularly annoyed with one good series I've just completed four of the novels but the final volume won't be published for a year or two.

In the case of _Hunger Games_ I just want to be sure that the debut novel stands on its own in case I don't like it so much that I want to read the two sequels.


----------



## rozz

^^^It can stand on its own. I've been reading The Obamas.


----------



## FrankZ

wilkette said:


> A Clash of Kings (2nd book of the Game of Thrones series)




I may just have to reread the available books... good stuff.


----------



## SharonT

Gourmet Greg said:


> Does each novel in the _Hunger Games_ trilogy have a definite conclusion? In other words, would the debut novel work as a stand alone read without feeling like it's necessary to continue on to 2 and 3 to find out the real ending?   Yes and Yes
> 
> I've been annoyed with a few series that have virtually no end other than to read the next in the series to find out what happens next. That's not so bad if the series is good and all the sequels have been published, so that you can read right through if you want to. I'm particularly annoyed with one good series I've just completed four of the novels but the final volume won't be published for a year or two.  What series?   It can be extremely infuriating.  I once read a mystery by Tami Hoag which ended on a cliff hanger that was picked up in the next book.   I've boycotted her ever since.
> 
> In the case of _Hunger Games_ I just want to be sure that the debut novel stands on its own in case I don't like it so much that I want to read the two sequels.


It does stand alone, as does the second one.  The first one is the best, IMO.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Oh, okay Sharon. I'll take that as wanting to know which series I've found had annoying cliff hangers.

The series I had in mind was the Sword of Shadows series by J.V. Jones:  _A Cavern of Black Ice_, _A Fortress of Grey Ice_, _A Sword  from Red Ice_, and _Watcher of the Dead_. The author stated on  her website in 2008 (just after book 3 was published) that there will be  five books in the series. Extrapolation tells me the finale may be  published about 2013-2014. (_Watcher_ was published in 2010. I just completed reading it last week.)

I've enjoyed this series more than many I've read, but every single  volume had an indeterminate ending, not exactly cliff hangers but there  were many plot lines that did not get resolved and were continued into  the next volume. I just hope that Jones delivers on her commitment and I  hope she doesn't decide to extend the series to 6 books!


Now a different sort of fantasy--I'd call Jones' books sword & sorcery--that I would recommend more is Kim Harrison's Hollows series:  witch, demon, vampires & werewolves sub-genre. (Probably fits urban fantasy sub-genre too.) Each volume would be  enjoyable as a stand alone novel, and each had a satisfying plot  resolution. Anybody interested in reading this series should start with  the debut novel and read in publishing date order to get maximum  appreciation and enjoyment of the series concept.

It's also amusing that the author has chosen to poke fun at Hollywood and at spaghetti Western films:

_Dead Witch Walking
The Good, The Bad & The Undead
Every Which Way But Dead
A Fistful of Charms
For a Few Demons More
The Outlaw Demon Wails
White Witch, Black Curse
Black Magic Sanction
Pale Demon
A Perfect Blood_ (coming 2/21/2012)

I recommend Harrison's Hollows series for anybody who enjoys this  fantasy sub-genre. I like that each volume has a satisfying ending and I  plan on reading her Hollows novels for as long as she keeps writing  them.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Gourmet Greg said:


> Just skim that Mother of All stuff. It's repeated throughout the book. Read the first and last few verses. The final verses will become more important in the final chapters of the book, so read the final 2-3 verses at least once to get the idea.
> 
> 
> I just wanted to say one more thing about _Darkly Dreaming Dexter_ by Jeff Lindsay, a warning: It's not for the squeamish. It's darkly funny but it's pretty squeamy too. The novelty wore off in the sequels but the squeamish continued on, which is why I'm not recommending the sequels.



I can read squeam...can't watch it, unless it's Vampires and Werewolves.  Reality Squeam TV...don't want it.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Gourmet Greg said:


> Oh, okay Sharon. I'll take that as wanting to know which series I've found had annoying cliff hangers.
> 
> The series I had in mind was the Sword of Shadows series by J.V. Jones:  _A Cavern of Black Ice_, _A Fortress of Grey Ice_, _A Sword  from Red Ice_, and _Watcher of the Dead_. The author stated on  her website in 2008 (just after book 3 was published) that there will be  five books in the series. Extrapolation tells me the finale may be  published about 2013-2014. (_Watcher_ was published in 2010. I just completed reading it last week.)
> 
> I've enjoyed this series more than many I've read, but every single  volume had an indeterminate ending, not exactly cliff hangers but there  were many plot lines that did not get resolved and were continued into  the next volume. I just hope that Jones delivers on her commitment and I  hope she doesn't decide to extend the series to 6 books!
> 
> 
> Now a different sort of fantasy--I'd call Jones' books sword & sorcery--that I would recommend more is Kim Harrison's Hollows series:  witch, demon, vampires & werewolves sub-genre. (Probably fits urban fantasy sub-genre too.) Each volume would be  enjoyable as a stand alone novel, and each had a satisfying plot  resolution. Anybody interested in reading this series should start with  the debut novel and read in publishing date order to get maximum  appreciation and enjoyment of the series concept.
> 
> It's also amusing that the author has chosen to poke fun at Hollywood and at spaghetti Western films:
> 
> _Dead Witch Walking
> The Good, The Bad & The Undead
> Every Which Way But Dead
> A Fistful of Charms
> For a Few Demons More
> The Outlaw Demon Wails
> White Witch, Black Curse
> Black Magic Sanction
> Pale Demon
> A Perfect Blood_ (coming 2/21/2012)
> 
> I recommend Harrison's Hollows series for anybody who enjoys this  fantasy sub-genre. I like that each volume has a satisfying ending and I  plan on reading her Hollows novels for as long as she keeps writing  them.




She's really poking fun at Clint Eastwood...I'm going to have to start picking these up...I hope they are at the used book store...I have plenty of credit there.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Ah good PF. Well I'm glad I cautioned you on _Darkly Dreaming Dexter_. A bit of squeam there, yes.

And I encourage you to read _Dead Witch Walking_. Start there and if you enjoy the series debut I can assure you that you'll like all the sequels. I'll reveal that there is some degree of sexual innuendo about witch Rachel and her vampire roommate Ivy. It's more of a blood vs. sex issue, and didn't annoy me as much as the stuff in Auel's books. I just wanted to make that clear in case you find that objectionable. It's not a big plot thing but it's a plot undercurrent. The Wikipedia Hollows link I posted earlier says this about Ivy: "She is bisexual and harbors a deep longing and affection for Rachel." So there you go. It didn't bother me and I didn't have to skim it. The Internet abbreviation is appropriate: YMMV.

Yeah, maybe Eastwood. I presume he starred in all those movies? I wonder if she knows him...

I'm so excited that I'll be reading the new Hollows novel in only a very few weeks!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Sex in books doesn't bother me...I've always assumed that the characters were off having a good time at some point, even if it's not mentioned in the book.   I'm a nurse, I've delivered one baby and assisted at several other births...I do understand how they got here.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Kim Harrison has good judgement in this respect. It's not gratuitous but rather supports the concept of living with a werewolf and blood attraction, and complications of living with were.


----------



## Addie

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Sex in books doesn't bother me...I've always assumed that the characters were off having a good time at some point, even if it's not mentioned in the book. I'm a nurse, *I've delivered one baby and assisted at several other births*...I do understand how they got here.


 
I lived in Aransas Pass in Texas. The town had a 12 bed hospital. I was there with my fifth baby and a bad case of bursitis in my shoulder. I couldn't hold him because of my arm so I had to stay there for over a week until it subsided. The Mexican girls would come in, in labor and just about to deliver. They would bring the baby's clothing, and blankets. They would have the baby, rest for 30 minutes and then get up and go home with the baby. The next day they were back to work.


----------



## SharonT

Gourmet Greg said:


> Oh, okay Sharon. I'll take that as wanting to know which series I've found had annoying cliff hangers.


Yes - thanks - and for the list of the Hollows series.  To be read in that order?  Just as PF said, it's great to have a new list to take to the paperback trader!

Did you read the S. King Dark Tower series?  One disgruntled fan once sent him a photo of a cute little teddy bear - with a gun to its head.  The caption read, in kidnapper style with letters cut from newspaper, "Publish the next Dark Tower book NOW - or the bear gets it."


----------



## SharonT

Ah - never mind question.   Looked at your post more carefully and went to the wiki page.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Yes, as I'm sure you already discovered. My list is in order of publishing date (unless I made a mistake) and they should be read in order of publishing date. Read the series debut novel and then continue with the series if you enjoyed it.

No on the S. King. I read a few of his many years ago and for whatever reason I'm not a big fan. I enjoyed your description of the fan mail!


----------



## Claire

Hunger Games?  I just got an email from a  friend (school teacher) who said she's reading it because it is hot with her kids.  Guess that's another one I need to request from my library.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I picked up _Dead Witch Walking_, today.  Couldn't find a new movie, so I got the book.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I'm thrilled that you took my suggestion. I'm nervous you won't like it. I'll be waiting with baited breath* to hear your reaction once you've got into the book.

*baited breath: I've sometimes been trout fishing using cheese as bait, and when things are slow I've nibbled the cheese, thus resulting in baited breath.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Gourmet Greg said:


> I'm thrilled that you took my suggestion. I'm nervous you won't like it. I'll be waiting with baited breath* to hear your reaction once you've got into the book.
> 
> *baited breath: I've sometimes been trout fishing using cheese as bait, and when things are slow I've nibbled the cheese, thus resulting in baited breath.



I was thinking you had been munching on worms...

I'll let you know, looks like something I will definitely enjoy!  I've always liked vampires, zombies, werewolves...I like reading zombie books when I am in the hospital...


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Just completed "_Call After Midnight_" by Tess Gerritsen, and why oh why didn't I quit this one at page 50 or 100? The woman's newlywed (6 months) husband dies or disappears in Germany, and this State Department guy helps her what happened, and there's romance, and CIA, and romance, and FBI, and romance, and spies, and romance, and violence... and even one scene that went way deeper into sex than I want to read in books. (I went into my ultra-skim mode at that point.) I don't know what's wrong with me, I didn't see any mention of romance on the jacket book summary and IIRC I've read Gerritsen before, but you can be sure that's a mistake I won't be repeating in the future. Thumbs down.


----------



## tinlizzie

Got a couple going -- _A Cold Touch of Ice_, a Mamur Zapt Mystery, by Michael Pearce.  Easy reading of politics in turn of the century (19th-20th) Cairo.  From the jacket:  "Witty, intelligent, and charming..."  I agree.

And Asa Larsson's _The Blood Spilt_.  Only 30 pages in; so far, so good.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I just finished _To Say Nothing of the Dog_ by Connie Willis, and sorry to say I didn't enjoy it as much as her _Blackout_ and _All Clear_. It seems reasonable that the latter were written a dozen years later and the author's writing probably improved. The setting of  _Blackout_ and _All Clear_ (mostly WWII London) was far more dramatic than the 1888 London of _To Say Nothing...._ with a boat ride along a river plus a stay at a country manor. I'll be interested in following possible future books but I think I'll decline reading any more of her earlier works.


----------



## Margi Cintrano

*Portuguese Historical Novel: Isaura Escrava*

The leading lady of Isaura Escrava, the historical novel, which had become a Brazilian based soap opera in Portuguese in 2004; is called Isabel Esclava or Isabel the Slave ...

It takes place during the mid 1800s when Brazilian Slavery was the way of life; however, Isaura is white. However, why is she condemned to being a slave ?  Very profoundly written historical account. 

I am uncertain if the story or CD was copied into English. However, it is available in Spanish as well as Portuguese. 

Read 11 chapters in one evening ... cannot put it down ... 

www.amazon.com 

Margi.


----------



## JoshuaNY

I just read "Hunger Games" in 2 days. I just could not put it down. I thought it was an outstanding story and well written. I am looking forward to the next book.


----------



## SharonT

My turn came round at last at the library and I read "Death Comes to Pemberley."  I enjoyed it and don't understand the ruinously bad reviews of this book.   The plot wasn't thrilling, but P.D. James' plots are always subtle.  I thought it was a very clever weaving of "Pride and Prejudice" with her imagining of later events involving the P & P characters.    
If you like P.D. James and Jane Austen, you'll probably like this book.
At least there weren't any zombies in it...   (not that I mind a good zombie story - I just don't get the weaving of the classic literature with modern horror that's happening now).


----------



## SharonT

For "Hunger Games" fans - you might like "Divergent" by Veronica Roth.   The second book in the planned trilogy, "Insurgent," comes out May 1.


----------



## Steve Kroll

Just started "Hard Magic: Book #1 of the Grimnoir Chronicles" by Larry Correia. Awesome book so far. Kind of a cross between a 1930's detective novel and X-men.

One other note. It's in audio book format, and the narrator is Bronson Pinchot, whom you might remember for playing goofy immigrant Balki Bartokomous in the 80's sitcom "Perfect Strangers". Turns out he's a terrific narrator and does a nice job of breathing life into the various characters.


----------



## SharonT

Steve Kroll said:


> Just started "Hard Magic: Book #1 of the Grimnoir Chronicles" by Larry Correia. Awesome book so far. Kind of a cross between a 1930's detective novel and X-men.
> 
> One other note. It's in audio book format, and the narrator is Bronson Pinchot, whom you might remember for playing goofy immigrant Balki Bartokomous in the 80's sitcom "Perfect Strangers". Turns out he's a terrific narrator and does a nice job of breathing life into the various characters.



That sounds like fun.  Added to my Audible wishlist so I won't forget.   I'm listening to The Stand right now and don't anticipate needing another audio book for a WHILE.


----------



## vitauta

a fist in the hornet's nest, on the ground in baghdad before, during and after the war by richard engel.  fascinating read--i'm a big fan of richard engel through his news reports as a foreign war correspondent in the middle east.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I've just started reading Louis L'Amour's _Haunted Mesa_. This is my second time reading it, and it was the very first L'Amour novel I had read--probably 20 years ago--and I went on to read every novel he had written. _Haunted Mesa_ isn't typical of his usual westerns because it is set in modern times, a mystery novel set in the Four Corners (UT, AZ, NM, CO). No, I don't intend to reread all the rest of them too, although perhaps I may reread one or two of them some time in the future.

He wrote a lot of books! One website says 126 of them!


----------



## Claire

Gourmet Greg said:


> I've just started reading Louis L'Amour's _Haunted Mesa_. This is my second time reading it, and it was the very first L'Amour novel I had read--probably 20 years ago--and I went on to read every novel he had written. _Haunted Mesa_ isn't typical of his usual westerns because it is set in modern times, a mystery novel set in the Four Corners (UT, AZ, NM, CO). No, I don't intend to reread all the rest of them too, although perhaps I may reread one or two of them some time in the future.
> 
> He wrote a lot of books! One website says 126 of them!



How Funny.  _Haunted Mesa_ was the first L'Amour novel I read as well, and I loved it, then someone told me it wasn't like any of his other novels, and it wasn't.  

I rarely (and then usually by accident) re-read at all.  Too many books, so little time!  

But one time we were traveling through the Four Corners area and my husband couldn't resist getting our doggie out of the car, and placing her four paws in four states.  How corny!  

I do have a L'Amour book upstairs somewhere that I haven't read.  I'm not sure if it is even fiction.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

When I was in the area of the setting of the book I actually tried to drive to _Haunted Mesa_ which IIRC I pretty much figured it was Nokai Dome, or maybe it was the mesa just across the river from Nokai Dome... Anyway I got to where I was within 5-6 miles of "Haunted Mesa" at the turnoff I figured was the correct one, and a few dozen yards in somebody had dug a big ditch right across the road, obviously intended to prevent anybody using the road, more than enough to stop my modest 4x4. I decided probably others had driven to or tried to drive to "Haunted Mesa" and the people who live in the area (mostly Navajos) didn't like that, so they fixed the road to keep people out. It was good enough for me and was an interesting trip in spite of not being able to reach the destination. That's pretty country.

The funny thing about Four Corners Monument, they mistakenly put it in the wrong spot. The story is a bit complicated and I'm not going to go into it here, but anybody who doubts me can look at their GPS. The latitude and longitude readout clearly shows that you're several miles away from where the four states intersect. IIRC the correct intersection is a few miles east and about a mile north of the monument.

I've traveled and camped a lot in the four corners states, particularly northern AZ and most of UT. That's really pretty country!


----------



## Aunt Bea

I am reading Jewish Cooking in America by Joan Nathan.  It covers the early settlers up through the second world war and into the 1990's!  Very interesting.


----------



## Siegal

Aunt Bea said:
			
		

> I am reading Jewish Cooking in America by Joan Nathan.  It covers the early settlers up through the second world war and into the 1990's!  Very interesting.



If you like culinary Jewish history I have a cookbook by Claudia Rodan called the book of Jewish food - it has several hundred pages of history and makes yummy things......


----------



## Aunt Bea

Siegal said:


> If you like culinary Jewish history I have a cookbook by Claudia Rodan called the book of Jewish food - it has several hundred pages of history and makes yummy things......




I like all culinary history!

I will check it out thanks!


----------



## JoAnn L.

I'm reading Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None.


----------



## TATTRAT

Finally finished My Song, A memoir. life story of Harry Belafonte, was a really great, and interesting read.

Back to re-reading some Bill Bryson. Just finished(Again) A Walk In The Woods, and wrapping up Sun Burnt Country.

Next on the agenda is Living Buddha, Living Christ. Picked it up in the book swap area of a little Latino eatery I try to go to once a week or so, heard good things about it, and it's something new.


----------



## tinlizzie

Although the library only lists one other of her books, I'm looking forward to Stef Penney again.  Just finished _The Tenderness of Wolves_, set in 1867 on the northern shore of Georgian Bay.  Lots of characters, lots of plots, lots of cruel weather.  A reviewer at my library called it "a rattling good yarn."  Hudson Bay Company, fur trappers, Norwegian settlers, perhaps the first written Indian language; had less talk of wolves than I expected, but they were central to a story line -- a couple of young girls out to gather berries disappeared completely; wolves were blamed.


----------



## tinlizzie

TATTRAT said:


> Back to re-reading some Bill Bryson. Just finished(Again) A Walk In The Woods, and wrapping up Sun Burnt Country.


 
Bill Bryson can wrestle a laugh out of just about anything.  I liked his _Notes From a Small Island._  Do I recall correctly that he once gave a description of giant worms on display in Australia?  Someone did that had me almost literally rolling on the floor, and I think he was the culprit.  Have made note of Sun Burnt - wait; was that Australia?  Thanks for the happy recalls.


----------



## TATTRAT

tinlizzie said:


> Bill Bryson can wrestle a laugh out of just about anything.  I liked his _Notes From a Small Island._  Do I recall correctly that he once gave a description of giant worms on display in Australia?  Someone did that had me almost literally rolling on the floor, and I think he was the culprit.  Have made note of Sun Burnt - wait; was that Australia?  Thanks for the happy recalls.




yeah, it was in  A Sunburned Country, perhaps one of my favorites from him, by far.


----------



## Zhizara

I'm reading John Grisham's The Client after catching the last half of the movie and loving the story.  It won't last long at the rate I'm reading it.  I really am enjoying the Reggie Love character.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I've read plenty of Grisham's novels, particularly his earlier ones. If you enjoy _The Client_ be sure to read _A Time to Kill_, _The Firm_ and _The Pelican Brief_, the three that preceded the one you're reading.

I enjoyed his earlier works more than his later works and haven't read many of the ones he's written in the last several years. I see he's scheduled to release three new novels this year, very prolific!


----------



## Zhizara

I've already read the three you mentioned, Greg.  I'm a voracious reader.  I hadn't even heard about _The Client,_ and was kind of tired of Grisham anyway, but this story really grabbed my attention.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Z, or anybody else, have you ever started reading a book and then realized you read the same book years before? For that reason about 20 years ago I started keeping a log of each book I read (title and author), date finished and a one word rating (fair, good, excellent, etc.). I've found my list useful when recommending books to friends because I can tell them which of an author's novels I liked best. It's also helpful since I can access it from the library online to ensure I'm not checking out a book I've already read.

I've read over 3,000 books in the last two decades, about 60 a year. I guess my reading is a bit voracious too. 

Ironically I'm currently reading L'Amour's _Haunted Mesa_ for the second time, but on purpose!


----------



## Aunt Bea

tinlizzie said:


> Although the library only lists one other of her books, I'm looking forward to Stef Penney again.  Just finished _The Tenderness of Wolves_, set in 1867 on the northern shore of Georgian Bay.  Lots of characters, lots of plots, lots of cruel weather.  A reviewer at my library called it "a rattling good yarn."  Hudson Bay Company, fur trappers, Norwegian settlers, perhaps the first written Indian language; had less talk of wolves than I expected, but they were central to a story line -- a couple of young girls out to gather berries disappeared completely; wolves were blamed.



tinlizzie,

See if your library has a copy of The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin.  It is the true story of the 1888 blizzard that was the basis of the Laura Ingalls Wilder book The Long Winter.  It is a very interesting little piece of history.


----------



## vitauta

thank you, aunt bea.  the children's blizzard is also available in ebook form from amazon or b&n for only $2.99....


----------



## Soma

I found a little book in our local secondhand bookstore, just started reading it - looks good so far. 
 'The Island', by Victoria Hislop....a historical fiction about an island named Spinalonga, off Crete. I love travel and history fiction.


----------



## tinlizzie

Yes, thank you Aunt Bea, and Soma, too.  I have requested both titles from my library.  Oh boy! Two new books & authors!


----------



## Claire

Love Bryson ... a soft spot in my heart since whenever I read something of his I think of being on a bus in Slovenia, meeting an Aussie (he, my husband, and I were the only English speakers for miles around) and him telling me I obviously love the English language (I'd never thought of myself that way) and recommending one of his books for me.  I rarely re-read, but that one I do once in awhile.


----------



## Claire

Right now I'm reading _river of Smoke_ by Amitav Ghosh.  It's the sequel to _Sea of Poppies_ which I read a few weeks ago.  It's easier going than the latter was.  I don't know if I'm getting used to the pidgin or what!  But obviously I must have gotten caught up in the characters enough to pick up the sequel.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I am 2/3's of the way through _Hunger Games_.  I am enjoying the story, it does keep moving.  We picked up the second two at Costco last weekend.


----------



## vitauta

hunger games is a compelling story based on an utterly abhorrent premise.  suzanne collins deftly shepherds us through repeated scenes of human exploitation and carnage, still *hungering* for that romantic and happy storybook ending.  suzanne collins is truly a modern day literary wizard.

additionally, suzanne wizard is giving the green light to the upcoming movie of her book, praising both the director and actors for bringing an honest and faithful portrayal of her story to the screen.  she reserves a special commendation for the female lead actor of the hunger games, and credits the film for bringing an extra visual layer of reality to her story.  

i don't know about you, but this is the first time i'm hearing an author warmly embracing the handling of her work by the movie-makers.  sweet....


----------



## DampCharcoal

I'm reading "St. Peter's" by James Lees-Milne. 

It's a comprehensive history of Vatican City which is entertaining, fascinating and dizzying all at the same. He presents the facts and stories at a furious pace and I find myself re-reading sentences but thus far it's a very cool read.


----------



## Margi Cintrano

*People, Places & Glorious Food*

The Saturday daily newspapers, in Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and French ... The English language USA Magazine: Saveur March Edition ...

Margi.


----------



## Aunt Bea

I am reading How to Cook a Wolf by MFK Fisher.  

Her take on how to deal with shortages and rationing during WWII.  

Dated but, interesting


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I've heard of "eating crow" but I've also heard that the meat of meat eaters can be rather distasteful. I recall that's what Jane Auel said in her Clan of the Cave Bear ("Earth's Children" ???) series.

I can't think of any predator that we humans favor eating, at least not in the mammal category.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

This was a reply in a different topic but I've re-posted this in the current topic because I didn't want any book worms to miss the subject:



Gourmet Greg said:


> OMG I'm glad there are other John D. MacDonald fans of his Travis McGee mystery/action series!  There are 21 novels in the series, each named after a color: _The Deep Blue Goodbye_, _Nightmare in Pink_, _A Purple Place for Dying_,  ... -- the first three in the series, the whole series published  between 1964 and 1985. I've realized there are probably more MacDonald  novels not in the McGee series that I haven't read--and looking forward  to researching which they are and reading them. (MacDonald died in '86  not long after his last McGee novel was published.)



I highly recommend John D. MacDonald's series about Travis McGee, a sort of self employed private detective who always seemed to be more about setting things right than making any money, but somehow his exploits always seemed to be cash productive--and his policy was to split the proceeds between whoever he was helping and himself--enough to keep his personally financed PI career going without paying clients. Think about it as fleecing bad guys and helping their victims.


----------



## vitauta

speaking of john d. macdonald...i stumbled across ROSS macdonald's books when i picked one up by mistake in a stack of travis mcgee novels i as buying at a used book store one day.  i never bought another ross macdonald book by mistake again.  his lew archer detective (read hard-boiled) stories are great reading fun.  there are about twenty of them, and they are all offered as ebooks.  i see that there are very few john d. macdonald books on kindle, however--SO unfair!!!  c'mon now, amazon....


----------



## Claire

Aunt Bea said:


> I am reading How to Cook a Wolf by MFK Fisher.
> 
> Her take on how to deal with shortages and rationing during WWII.
> 
> Dated but, interesting



I read this years ago and it was interesting.  MFK, by the way, is Mary Frances Kennedy if I remember right.


----------



## jonnyjonny_uk

I'm reading National Geographic Travel Magazine April edition, all about Cuba and some fine food from there too


----------



## Alix

jonnyjonny_uk said:


> I'm reading National Geographic Travel Magazine April edition, all about Cuba and some fine food from there too


Did you say fine food from Cuba? I think there must be some mistake. Cuban food is about as bland as it comes.


----------



## jonnyjonny_uk

Alix said:


> Did you say fine food from Cuba? I think there must be some mistake. Cuban food is about as bland as it comes.



Are you serious?? I've not been there so can't say for sure but given that Cuban cuisine is a fusion of Spanish, African and Caribbean I thought it sounded very exotic?? Maybe they just dress it up well


----------



## Barbara

If you liked The Help read The Kitchen House and Mudbound


----------



## Alix

jonnyjonny_uk said:


> Are you serious?? I've not been there so can't say for sure but given that Cuban cuisine is a fusion of Spanish, African and Caribbean I thought it sounded very exotic?? Maybe they just dress it up well



They must! Its common knowledge that if you are traveling to Cuba you need to bring any spice you might want. They have salt and pepper but that's about it. They have to import about 50% of their food from elsewhere too. Our experience is that the food is plain, but edible.


----------



## jonnyjonny_uk

Alix said:


> They must! Its common knowledge that if you are traveling to Cuba you need to bring any spice you might want. They have salt and pepper but that's about it. They have to import about 50% of their food from elsewhere too. Our experience is that the food is plain, but edible.



It's not common to me but then you could say that makes me common No, seriously I'm really surprised! I honestly thought of creole cooking and tropical dishes etc etc. I guess being a small island they can't grow so much stuff there. Oh well, I'm glad you told me and it just goes to show how they can dress up these places in magazines!!


----------



## Alix

jonnyjonny_uk said:


> It's not common to me but then you could say that makes me common No, seriously I'm really surprised! I honestly thought of creole cooking and tropical dishes etc etc. I guess being a small island they can't grow so much stuff there. Oh well, I'm glad you told me and it just goes to show how they can dress up these places in magazines!!



Sorry jonnyjonny, I was not clear. I meant it is common knowledge amongst Canadian tourists traveling to Cuba. Check some of the Tripadvisor sites about the Cuban resorts. Cuba is stunningly beautiful, and probably one of the safest places we have traveled to, but the food is NOT the draw.


----------



## jonnyjonny_uk

Alix said:


> Sorry jonnyjonny, I was not clear. I meant it is common knowledge amongst Canadian tourists traveling to Cuba. Check some of the Tripadvisor sites about the Cuban resorts. Cuba is stunningly beautiful, and probably one of the safest places we have traveled to, but the food is NOT the draw.



Hey no worries Alix, I understood you wasn't being personal, I guessed it was because your closer to the place and it's probably like your Spain to us. I'm glad you mentioned it because I've always wanted to go there but along with how nice a place looks the food is very important to me. I like to sample the local cuisines and learn about other countries foods and if it's bland then I will choose another destination. Would you say this is common for most caribbean islands or just Cuba?


----------



## Barbara

Typo in my book list The Help, not Helo. Can I not edit my own post?


----------



## Alix

jonnyjonny_uk said:


> Would you say this is common for most caribbean islands or just Cuba?



Just Cuba. But don't miss out on this little gem because the food is bland. Cuba is an amazing island. Havana's cemetary, history and nightlife are legendary. Metaxas (sp) is gorgeous and so are the other cities we stopped in. Varadero is the "tourist" spot with the most pristine white beaches and calm water I've ever seen. The food is plentiful, and tasty, just not Creole or Caribbean fare at all. Think down home cooking. They make the most of what they have, there just isn't a huge variety, nor are there many spices. The other Caribbean islands I've been to have their own specialties and they are all lovely. Although its not a Caribbean island, I think my favorite place to visit and eat was Costa Rica. Mmmmmm! Who would guess red beans and rice could taste so good???



Barbara said:


> Typo in my book list The Help, not Helo. Can I not edit my own post?


You have a short time frame to edit your post. After about 5-10 minutes your window is closed. You can ask any Mod to edit for you though, just hit the report post button and someone will be happy to help you. That's why they get paid the big bucks!


----------



## vitauta

where is the report post button located?


----------



## Alix

vitauta said:


> where is the report post button located?



Its the little triangle with the exclamation mark in it. Its on the left hand side, under the poster's name. Its right next to the little green or orange light that tells you if the poster is online at the time.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Alix said:


> You have a short time frame to edit your post. After about 5-10 minutes your window is closed. You can ask any Mod to edit for you though, just hit the report post button and someone will be happy to help you. That's why they get paid the big bucks!



Yeah, I'm considering quitting my day job...


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I've started "Catching Fire" the book after "Hunger Games," I'm enjoying this one, too but, I'm not that far into it right now.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I'm just starting this evening (after Internet) Kim Harrison's _A Perfect Blood_, her latest in her Hollows series. Although from my public library and this novel was published (released) in just the last 1-2 weeks I'm certain I'm either the first or if not that at least only the second person to read this copy. I've been on the reserve list only a few days after my public library made the title available on their reservation system. I've been waiting for this novel for months!!!



> _From the cover jacket flyleaf:
> _
> Ritually murdered corpses are appearing across Cincinnati, terrifying amalgams of human and _other_. Pulled in to help investigate by the I.S. and the FIB, former witch turned day-walking demon Rachel Morgan soon realizes a horrifying truth: a human hate group is trying to create its own demons to destroy all Interlanders, and to do so, it needs her blood.
> 
> She's faced vampires, witches, werewolves, demons, and more, but humanity itself might be her toughest challenge yet.


read this: Wikipedia: Hollows Series

So anyway I've read the previous 9 in the series of this 10th sequel and I'm happy that I know for sure I'll enjoy this new sequel too.

I'm curious if anybody has accepted my recommendation to read Kim Harrison's novels.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Gourmet Greg said:


> I'm curious if anybody has accepted my recommendation to read Kim Harrison's novels.



I've purchased the first three, but am reading the Suzanne Collins _Hunger Games_ series right now.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Well good PF! I think particularly the first three in the series were very good and if you like her particular take on the genre you should be hooked by the first or second in the series. I'll particularly appreciate knowing what you think of her novels since I've recommended them so highly.

Meanwhile I'm #13 on the wait list for LAPL's 278 copies of _Hunger Games_, so I should have it within a mere week or so. I'm looking forward to reading it. And the debut of the movie is so soon!


----------



## TATTRAT

Again, I find myself in the process of re-reading a book, instead of starting a new one(of which I now have a damn bag full of, but it is stuff I am unfamiliar with) . 

Honeymoon with My Brother

I LOVE this book. For real. When life gives you lemons, forget lemonade, smash the lemons, and reinvent yourself, lol!


----------



## Claire

I have a tendency to toss things in a basket when cleaning up for company.  My husband's 65th was Tuesday and I threw a party.  Cannot find my library book and I know it is over-due.  It's about the opium wars .... _River of Smoke _... I think it is called.  Where can it be?  Under stacks of junk mail?  Under a bed?  Luckily (I usually read 3+ books a week) I have a very good relationship with my librarians.  I had 5 books out and returned the other four well before their due date, but where could this book be?


----------



## tinlizzie

I'm almost at the end of _The Long Walk, The True Story of a Trek to Freedom,_ by Slavomir Rawicz.  Set in the early 1940's, escapees from a Siberian labor camp make their way on foot to Tibet.  Grueling is the word here.  Impossible for someone like me to actually comprehend.  Two take-aways from the book -- the cruelty of Siberian winters and the warmth of Tibetan hospitality.

Waiting are a couple of "what are you reading" recommendations:  John D. MacDonald's _The Deep Blue Good-by_ and _The Children's Blizzard_.  I'll do the _Deep Blue_ first - Siberia was too cold to follow up so soon with more snow.  Thank you, recommenders.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Just FYI, I've reviewed the following book in a different DC topic ("Knock You Naked Brownies" in DC's dessert section, and I'm quoting it here for those of you who may not be following that topic:



Gourmet Greg said:


> I finally got a copy of Pioneer Woman's cookbook _The Pioneer Woman Cooks: recipes from an accidental country girl_  (by Ree Drummond) from the public library. After going through a couple  dozen recipes all I can say is that I'm impressed! None of these are  recipes you haven't heard before but PW has them done perfectly, with  directions complete enough that only a total newbie would have any  trouble following them.
> 
> Here's several of her recipes that I reviewed and want to try soon:
> 
> 
> BBQ Jalapeno Poppersb (jalapeno halves stuffed with cream cheese & cheddar cheese, bacon wrapped and baked)
> Pico  de Gallo (her version looks good, although conventional, makes the  point that tomato, onion & cilantro must be in equal parts)
> Guacamole (just avocados + pico de gallo, and don't over mash them, definitely don't process it!)
> PW's Potato Skins (almost like mine but + bacon)
> Katie's Roasted Corn Salad (just a bunch of grilled vegies, chopped, plus a dressing)
> Hot Artichoke Dip (from canned artichokes, seasoned with cayenne)
> Cinnamon Rolls (looks like a killer recipe!)
> Pizza Crust (very basic but I want to try her version)
> Potato-Leek Pizza (with bacon of course!)
> Perfect Pot Roast (very basic and conventional, but concise)
> Chicken Pot Pie (again, very basic, uses following crust)
> Perfect Pie Crust (with an egg and 1 T vinegar? I'll try it)
> Chicken  Fried Steak (conventional, simple, looks delicious! egg + milk dip,  seasoned flour dip, egg/milk dip again, flour dip again, pan fry them,  make sauce from some drippings + milk)
> Meatloaf (she lays bacon slices over the top, then sauce & bake it)
> Twice-Baked Potatoes (I think mine are better but I wanna know, both very similar)
> Fried Chicken (again, basic and conventional, but it's simple and looks perfect)
> I've  looked at perhaps only one-eighth of the recipes and almost every one  looks worth cooking, even the ones that resemble things I already have  my own recipes for.
> 
> Her style is a bit too cutesy for me. I'm not interested in the  non-cooking, biographical or philosophical stuff either. Nor the family  pictures, but I _am_ interested in the food pictures! Pure hard core food porn!
> 
> I've made up my mind that I will definitely buy my own copy of this  book. It's only $16.50 at Amazon and all I need is my next coveted book  to push it over the $25 free shipping threshold.
> 
> Note: Do not confuse this with _The Pioneer Woman Cooks: food from my frontier_  which is her new book going to be released just this March 13th,  Tuesday next week. Obviously I haven't reviewed it yet, but I intend to,  and I bet it'll have some good recipes too!
> 
> So take that you PW scoffers! I give the book a hearty thumbs up!


----------



## vitauta

SharonT said:


> For "Hunger Games" fans - you might like "Divergent" by Veronica Roth.   The second book in the planned trilogy, "Insurgent," comes out May 1.




sharon, where did you hear of veronica roth?


----------



## SharonT

vitauta said:


> sharon, where did you hear of veronica roth?


 
Amazon.com


----------



## Margi Cintrano

*www.audible.com*

I am listening to " Our Magnificant Bastard Tongue " written by: John Mc Whorter ... 

It is a factual read on the English language and its´ components, origins, linguistic issues, its connection to Norwegian, Swedish, Icelandic, Dutch and German. Fascinating for those who are linguistically inclined and curious to delve into what makes the English language tick. 

Kindest.
Margaux Cintrano.


----------



## vitauta

vitauta said:


> hunger games is a compelling story based on an utterly abhorrent premise.  suzanne collins deftly shepherds us through repeated scenes of human exploitation and carnage, still *hungering* for that romantic and happy storybook ending.  suzanne collins is truly a modern day literary wizard.
> 
> additionally, suzanne wizard is giving the green light to the upcoming movie of her book, praising both the director and actors for bringing an honest and faithful portrayal of her story to the screen.  she reserves a special commendation for the female lead actor of the hunger games, and credits the film for bringing an extra visual layer of reality to her story.
> 
> i don't know about you, but this is the first time i'm hearing an author warmly embracing the handling of her work by the movie-makers.  sweet....





hunger games might just get me back into a movie theater for the first time in ten years or more.  this movie, i expect, will be a phenom like none other in this century....

i just wanted, also, to respond to those book reviewers who are comparing suzanne collins to stephenie meyer as being similarly outstanding contemporary authors.  NOT!!!  suzanne collins has a rare gift for descriptive writing that has captured the imagination and attention of millions of readers widely ranging in age and interests.  imho, stephenie meyer, while insanely popular, mainly with the vampire obsessed tween reader market, seems incapable of putting together a respectably literate paragraph in her twilight saga....


----------



## Alix

Hmmm. I enjoyed all three of the Hunger Games trilogy. I found Mockingjay a bit preachy toward the end though. I also thought it ended rather precipitously and was not as well done as it could have been. Maybe I'm the only one with anything remotely negative to say about that. If so, I'll take my lumps as they come. 

I enjoyed the Twilight series. I think you need to take it for what it is though. It was written with teen girls in mind. YOUNG teen girls. The "rescue me I'm a tragic heroine" syndrome is in full swing at that age. 

I am thoroughly enjoying lots of teen fiction these days. I have high praise for Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Power's trilogy. She blends the paranormal stuff in with some excellent teen angst. Group home, magic, romance...its a winner.


----------



## Barbara

Coming Apart by Charles Murray. A compelling read after I got through the statistics. He is the author of Bell Curve.


----------



## Addie

I know the Kindle and other ones like it are the latest rage. But one of the things I really enjoyed in my working days was listening to books on my way to and from work each day. I need to get back into that. I still have my casette player and head set. Time for a trip to the library. Maybe I should invest in a CD player instead. It would be a lot easier. All my clothes have pockets and I could put the player in there while I am working around the house.


----------



## Barbara

I listen to books on my ipod. Audible.com has great selection and it is easy to download.


----------



## Addie

Barbara said:


> I listen to books on my ipod. Audible.com has great selection and it is easy to download.


 
Thank you. I will look into it.


----------



## Rocklobster

I have started reading a book called "What they'll never tell you about the music business". I can't believe some of the stuff I am reading. I am amazed at how greedy and sleazy some of these practices are.


----------



## Steve Kroll

Barbara said:


> I listen to books on my ipod. Audible.com has great selection and it is easy to download.


I do the same thing with my smartphone. I plug it into the car radio, so it plays through the speakers on the way to work. Everywhere else, I use a set of wireless bluetooth headphones. No matter where I go, I'm never without my books or music.

I love Audible.com, but it can get a little spendy, since I sometimes listen to 5 or 6 books a month.

I've been looking at AudioBooks.com. You pay a monthly fee of $24.95 and it gives you access to unlimited books. Has anyone tried this service?


----------



## Barbara

Yes, audible can get expensive I hope someone on here can recommend.


----------



## SharonT

*John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee*


*One of the most praised series ever comes to Audible*

The list of authors who are also fans of John D. MacDonald and his Travis McGee series reads like a who's who of modern and contemporary mystery and thriller writers. "The great entertainer of our age, and a mesmerizing storyteller," raves Stephen King. Jonathan Kellerman calls MacDonald "the consummate pro, a master storyteller, and witty observer", while Sue Grafton suggests he has had "a dominant influence on writers crafting the continuing series character." And forget about the genre of mystery, Dean Koontz has said that MacDonald is his "favorite novelist of all time." Audible is excited to present the first seven titles in this extraordinary series. More titles are coming soon, so stay tuned.

Oh, Yay.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Wow! And I've been a John D. MacDonald fan for decades. I recall my sadness when I discovered he would be writing any more novels...

Sue Grafton is another interesting author, with her "Kinsey Milhone" AKA "alphabet" series, starting out with _A is for Alibi_, then _B is for Burglar_, etc. up to her latest _V is for Vengeance_. I'm caught up to _U is for Undertow_ but after 21 of her novels I'm afraid I'm getting a bit jaded. Maybe I'll wait for "X" to come out, just because I'm curious what she'll pick for _X is for _________.  I presume she'll retire after "Z"... (Although in the engineering documentation field the next version would be AA. I guess that would obviously be _AA is for Aardvark_. )

But still, I stuck through 21 novels because each interested me enough to read the sequel.

Sharon, please post if you discover who the reader will be for the McGee novels. I'm not a fan of audio books but I believe the reader could make a very big difference.

I'm a big Hayao Miyazaki anime fan and it's astonishing who voices the various characters in his movies, some of our top actors and actresses.


----------



## Orryette

Gourmet Greg said:
			
		

> Sue Grafton is another interesting author, with her "Kinsey Milhone" AKA "alphabet" series, starting out with A is for Alibi, then B is for Burglar, etc. up to her latest V is for Vengeance. I'm caught up to U is for Undertow but after 21 of her novels I'm afraid I'm getting a bit jaded.



I'm up to J. There not a bad series but I find myself skipping the discriptions of all the main characters now. But still cant stop reading them


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm very close to finishing "Catching Fire" in the "Hunger Games" series...this one is reading much faster than the first.  One more to go and then I have to attack the formidable stack of unread books...2 boxes and books stacked on top, that I have yet to read.

But, this weekend's reading will be centered on The Pioneer Woman Cooks...


----------



## SharonT

Gourmet Greg said:


> Sharon, please post if you discover who the reader will be for the McGee novels. I'm not a fan of audio books but I believe the reader could make a very big difference.


I love audio books...  That's all I have on my iPod.  It is always wonderful to see new ones from a favorite author (Macdonald).   Previously there were only a few on cassettes recorded by Darren McGavin which were okay, but were _abridged_ = anathema, IMO.  
Here you can Listen to Sample of one of the newly recorded Travis McGee novels.  The reader DOES make a difference.   At Audible you can search for books read by your favorite readers, a nice feature.  
Sue Grafton's books are recorded (mostly) by Judy Kaye, who is very good.  
MY FAVORITE reader is Michael Prichard, who reads the Rex Stout Nero Wolfe novels.  He's also recorded some Tom Clancy and Robert Ludlum.  I've listened to all the available Rex Stout books more than once.


----------



## SharonT

Steve Kroll said:


> I do the same thing with my smartphone. I plug it into the car radio, so it plays through the speakers on the way to work. Everywhere else, I use a set of wireless bluetooth headphones. No matter where I go, I'm never without my books or music.
> 
> I love Audible.com, but it can get a little spendy, since I sometimes listen to 5 or 6 books a month.
> 
> I've been looking at AudioBooks.com. You pay a monthly fee of $24.95 and it gives you access to unlimited books. Has anyone tried this service?



Audible is worth it, for me!  There are several different membership plans, with the cost per audio book ranging from $9.56 to $14.95.   I'm currently on the "2 credits per month" @ $22.95.  They have periodic promotions where you can "buy extra credits" for about $11.** each.  At other times they feature 100's of books on sale for $4.95 each.  I recently bought T.H. White's "Once and Future King" for $4.95.   So I save my credits for the pricey books and watch for the sales.  They also have a member freebie each month (usually a short story or sample chapter).   In Dec. the freebie was a recording of "A Christmas Carol" read by Tim Curry. 
You can also download each book you buy to up to three computers and up to three other devices [it may be three other devices for each computer, not sure]...  so my husband and I can both listen.  You can also burn them to cds.   For us, that's preferable to paying the $24.95 a month for streaming an unlimited number of books one at a time.
P. S.  I don't work for Audible.com.   Just a very happy customer.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

Well, I've started Northhanger Abby, The Magic of Windlier Wood, A Princess from Mars, Dracula's Guest, The Island of Doctor Moreau, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Labrynth, The Call of Sage and Kindred, Migrations Volume I: Don't Forget to Breathe, and The People of the mist. I've gotten about 50 pages into each and none of them are holding my interest, even though I know they should. I can tell that the stories are interesting, I just can't focus on any of them. I think the warm weather is making me restless. On the other hand, I have a strange urge to do math problems.


----------



## Vanitas

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> Well, I've started Northhanger Abby, The Magic of Windlier Wood, A Princess from Mars, Dracula's Guest, *The Island of Doctor Moreau*, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Labrynth, The Call of Sage and Kindred, Migrations Volume I: Don't Forget to Breathe, and The People of the mist. I've gotten about 50 pages into each and none of them are holding my interest, even though I know they should. I can tell that the stories are interesting, I just can't focus on any of them. I think the warm weather is making me restless. On the other hand, I have a strange urge to do math problems.


I recently read The Island of Dr Moreau. It is rather slow to start - I almost stopped reading it. But I promise it picks up! It turns out to be a really interesting book. After I finished reading it, I discovered there was a movie based on the book starring Marlon Brando. I'm usually leery of books made into movies (they seem to almost always disappoint). Sorry to say this movie was no exception. It was just too different from the book.

As usual, I have several books on the go right now:

1. The Trigger by Arthur C. Clarke : a very thought-provoking story about the implications of an incredible scientific discovery

2. The Demon Haunted World by Carl Sagan : one of my favourite authors, I always enjoy his books

3. The Quantum Ten by Sheilla Jones : an interesting book documenting the personal lives and relationships of the physicists present at the 1927 Solvay Conference


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Orryette said:


> I'm up to J. There not a bad series but I find myself skipping the discriptions of all the main characters now. But still cant stop reading them



I think I know what you mean. I do believe that Grafton is very good at inventing interesting characters, some of them very complex. However there are a few characters that were beginning to finger nail scratch my chalk board, 1. her retired landlord who is always baking something, and 2. the annoying Hungarian woman who runs the bad Hungarian food joint up the street.

I guess I'm damning Grafton with faint praise. I'm going to wait a few years until a few more novels come out before deciding to catch up.



PrincessFiona60 said:


> I'm very close to finishing "Catching Fire" in the "Hunger Games" series...this one is reading much faster than the first.  One more to go and then I have to attack the formidable stack of unread books...2 boxes and books stacked on top, that I have yet to read.
> 
> But, this weekend's reading will be centered on The Pioneer Woman Cooks...



My copy of _Hunger Games_ is waiting at my public library to pick up any time in the next week! 

I'll really like to hear your review. Meanwhile I'm going to take notes on a few recipes before returning mine to the library. I'll buy my copy after I've moved to my next house.



SharonT said:


> I love audio books...  That's all I have on my iPod.  It is always wonderful to see new ones from a favorite author (Macdonald).   Previously there were only a few on cassettes recorded by Darren McGavin which were okay, but were _abridged_ = anathema, IMO.



I kind of wonder about how much abridging goes on in audio books. I don't see how they can include every single word in all but the shorter novels.



purple.alien.giraffe said:


> Well, I've started Northhanger Abby, The Magic of Windlier Wood, A Princess from Mars, Dracula's Guest, The Island of Doctor Moreau, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Labrynth, The Call of Sage and Kindred, Migrations Volume I: Don't Forget to Breathe, and The People of the mist. I've gotten about 50 pages into each and none of them are holding my interest, even though I know they should. I can tell that the stories are interesting, I just can't focus on any of them. I think the warm weather is making me restless. On the other hand, I have a strange urge to do math problems.



I think you start too many books and don't know if you want to finish them. My suggestion: read some amount of pages, 50 pages? 100 pages? an hour? And then decide if the book is grabbing you. If not, make a note and then move on. At that point I return mine to the library. I don't know if you've purchased yours or not...

I've sometimes read two, and very rarely three, novels at the same time but I'd rather just give up and move on if a novel isn't doing it for me. And if I like the novel I want to read it uninterrupted to its conclusion.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Gourmet Greg said:


> My copy of _Hunger Games_ is waiting at my public library to pick up any time in the next week!
> 
> I'll really like to hear your review. Meanwhile I'm going to take notes on a few recipes before returning mine to the library. I'll buy my copy after I've moved to my next house.



What kind of review do you want?  I do not analyze books like so many do.  I am very enthusiastic about this series and I loved the first story.  An excellent offering for the Young Adult audience and a galloping good read for Adults.  This Old Kid thinks it's the best book she's read in quite a while.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I was referring to Pioneer Woman's new book.

I'll know soon enough on _Hunger Games_ and I'll post my review.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Gourmet Greg said:


> I was referring to Pioneer Woman's new book.
> 
> I'll know soon enough on _Hunger Games_ and I'll post my review.



OOOOH!

Tomorrow, right now we are watching _TinTin_.


----------



## SharonT

Gourmet Greg said:


> I kind of wonder about how much abridging goes on in audio books.


Well, not any in the unabridged ones... 

...The Once and Future King is 33 hours and 3 minutes of listening.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Well that's what made me wonder. It usually takes me several hours to read the typical novel, a dozen hours for a long one. I can't see how that can be reduced into a few hours... unless the reader talks faster than I can read, a possibility I find difficult to accept.


----------



## Orryette

Gourmet Greg said:
			
		

> I think I know what you mean. I do believe that Grafton is very good at inventing interesting characters, some of them very complex. However there are a few characters that were beginning to finger nail scratch my chalk board, 1. her retired landlord who is always baking something, and 2. the annoying Hungarian woman who runs the bad Hungarian food joint up the street.



I know! And her apartment that was blown and redecorated in a naval look! Sheesh! I know already ' flick flick flick' where's the interesting part start again!?


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Aw come on! Tell me you didn't enjoy several or a dozen of Grafton's novels.  She's a pretty talented author. I'm sticking with her to see if she'll make it to "Z" and what she'll do then.


----------



## tinlizzie

I like Sue Grafton's series, although the 'set-ups' did get to be a bit much.  I've not read the last few yet; maybe with more time in between them I won't mind reading about Henry again.

Just finished a recommended book, The Children's Blizzard.  Thanks for the tip, Aunt Bea and, I apologize, one other person whose name has flown from my mind at the moment.  Boy, that was some storm in 1888 -- some _tough_ period in the midwest's history.  Those hardy, hardy people.


----------



## vitauta

matterhorn, by karl mariantes is the best book i've read about the viet nam war.  some great insights into the soldier bonding that occurs in times of war.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

"Ghost Story" by Jim Butcher, another Harry Dresden Story.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

tinlizzie said:


> I like Sue Grafton's series, although the 'set-ups' did get to be a bit much.  I've not read the last few yet; maybe with more time in between them I won't mind reading about Henry again.



Haha! I'm sick of reading about Henry too. Grafton should write "Y is for Y Not Kill Henry?," a novel about a Grafton fan who kills Henry because he or she is sick of reading about him. 

I've just started _Taken_ by Robert Crais and I can understand why PF was a bit put off. It's a very intense book with lots of violence and is probably not for the squeamish, nor for those in a squeamy mood.

I've had slow reading lately because I just haven't been able get involved. This Crais novel has me really involved and I'll probably blow through it in another two days of 2-3 hours reading per evening.

Next up: _The Hunger Games_ by Suzanne Collins! I've already got #2 reserved!


----------



## tinlizzie

Gourmet Greg said:


> Haha! I'm sick of reading about Henry too. Grafton should write "Y is for Y Not Kill Henry?," a novel about a Grafton fan who kills Henry because he or she is sick of reading about him.
> 
> I've just started _Taken_ by Robert Crais and I can understand why PF was a bit put off. It's a very intense book with lots of violence and is probably not for the squeamish, nor for those in a squeamy mood.
> 
> I've had slow reading lately because I just haven't been able get involved. This Crais novel has me really involved and I'll probably blow through it in another two days of 2-3 hours reading per evening.
> 
> Next up: _The Hunger Games_ by Suzanne Collins! I've already got #2 reserved!


 
Y Not Kill Henry sounds like the perfect next project!   The crazy Hungarian restaurant lady can be the perp.

My last trip to the library I took back two books I hadn't finished - I used to always finish a book once started, on principle, I thought.  Halfway through these two books, principle be darned, I thought.  I either just didn't like the characters or the subject hit too close to home emotionally.  Couldn't see the benefit in subjecting myself to uncomfortable subject matter.    There's plenty of that on TV news from day to day.  So this time I'm off to a "quiet Yorkshire village" in Dying in the Wool.  And a new-for-me duo of Harpur & Iles in Vacuum by Bill James.


----------



## Zhizara

I'm currently reading Sandra Brown's Smokescreen.  She always keeps me interested.  

I ordered the Patrick Lee trilogy which was mentioned earlier:  The Breach, Ghost Country, and Deep Sky.  

I probably won't have them by the time I finish Smokescreen so I'll have a chance to finally finish Jane Auel's Land of the Painted Caves.


----------



## SharonT

Recently finished "Matched" by Ally Condie - yet another YA dystopian future novel - it's the first of a trilogy also.  I enjoyed reading it and gave it three stars on Goodreads, though some comments there say it's VERY like a much earlier book, "The Giver" by Lois Lowry, which my daughter says she read in high school (she's 26 now).


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

tinlizzie said:


> Y Not Kill Henry sounds like the perfect next project!   The crazy Hungarian restaurant lady can be the perp.



I love the idea of the annoying Hungarian woman taking the fall! Then maybe Kinsey's old cop boyfriend could retire and turn the joint into a good barbecue place! 

I think Grafton stole the annoying Hungarian woman character from Steinfeld's "Soup Nazi' character... (A whole TV series about annoying nothings.)


----------



## SharonT

Just to say... I really LIKE the characters of Henry and Rosie in the Sue Grafton novels.   Super-cool 80-somethings.  I know a few of those myself.


----------



## tinlizzie

It's not that I dislike them, it's a matter of over-familiarity.  They're like the little kid next door who comes over so often he becomes a pest.  As the Pythons would say, "give it a rest."


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

tinlizzie said:


> It's not that I dislike them, it's a matter of over-familiarity.  They're like the little kid next door who comes over so often he becomes a pest.  As the Pythons would say, "give it a rest."


+1


----------



## kadesma

I'm reading War Horse. I have never read a book after seeing a movie but since my grandson spent money he received from his teacher for work well done I couldn't refuse. He is my heart and it thrills me that he would do this for me.So War Horse it is then, on to Hunger games.
kades


----------



## simonbaker

Hi. This is SimonBaker's daughter Dani.
I'm reading Treasure Island at the moment for school it isnt that interesting. I am also reading stories on a website called Wattpad.com. The books on there are great. You can even write your own book!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Hello Dani,

I agree, right now "Treasure Island," might not be that exciting but, it is a good book to learn writing styles.  It can teach you about writing descriptions and dialogue.  You can also compare it to the "Pirates of The Caribbean" stories and see where a lot of the ideas for that came from.  It was written very long ago (1883) and it is interesting to see how writing styles have changed since then.

Have fun with it!


----------



## Margi Cintrano

The Allure of Apulia 

I am writing an article, for the magazine ... so we are re-reading, re-editing, proofing etcetra ... Here we are, the 3 boys, my younger daughter Nathalia, my son in law and the Vet. 

Have a Happy Holiday and nice wkend. 

Margi


----------



## SharonT

tinlizzie said:


> It's not that I dislike them, it's a matter of over-familiarity.  They're like the little kid next door who comes over so often he becomes a pest.  As the Pythons would say, "give it a rest."



Yes, I got it...  I should have put the word "still" in front of LIKE in previous post...  I agree that it's a problem sometimes with series.  Some writers are more awkward about repeating information about characters than others...  Yet that has to happen a little in case someone picks up "S is for Silence" (my favorite) before "A is for Alibi."   (At least with Sue Grafton it's dead easy to see the proper order in which to read the books.)   

I was just saying I DO still like reading about Henry and his family and Rosie... 

The best one at smoothly repeating characters (IMO) was Ed McBain, who wrote more than 50 novels about recurring characters of the 87th Precinct... I never got tired of those.


----------



## vitauta

here's a fun fact for all of you sue grafton readers:  influenced not only by her detective author dad, c.w. grafton, but also ross macdonald and john d. macdonald--good company indeed....


----------



## Steve Kroll

Finished books 1 and 2 of the "Gray Man" series by Mark Greaney, and just started book 3 ("Ballistic"). If you're not familiar with the series, it's about a rogue CIA operative turned assassin.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I've finished _Taken_ by Robert Crais, and enjoyed it. It is action-suspense genre and may have a bit too much graphic violence for some readers.

Next up: _The Hunger Games_


----------



## Zhizara

I picked up a book from the apartments' library, Kurt Eichenwald's _Informant.  _


----------



## SharonT

Zhizara said:


> I picked up a book from the apartments' library, Kurt Eichenwald's _Informant. _


 
The apartments' library...   that's cool.   How does it work?


----------



## Zhizara

There is a computer room with bookshelves lining one wall.  When I moved in nearly 3 years ago, there were only a few books.  It's grown quite a bit since then.  Recently I cleaned out my bookcase of books I had read and moved them there to make room for more.  You just take any you're interested in, keep them as long as you like.  No checkout or anything like that.

I'm just glad to be able to make room on my bookshelves, and pass them along to other readers.


----------



## SharonT

It reminded me of this:  Little Free Libraries


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Gourmet Greg said:


> Next up: _The Hunger Games_



I'm enjoying _The Hunger Games_ (pg. 133--just when the real games begin) and have already reserved _Catching Fire_ and _Mockingjay_ at my public library.

I can tell already that I will enjoy all three of the trilogy. It will be interesting to see the movie but I already know I will enjoy the books more.


----------



## Zhizara

I got Patrick Lee's _The Breach_ in the mail yesterday.  This is my kind of sci-fi.  I'm already over 1/3 of the way through.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Jefferson Bass, _The Bone Yard_, I love these books!

and yes, I know Jefferson Bass is two people...


----------



## vitauta

trying kathy reichs on for size. i think it's going to be a good fit.  her death du jour is the book i'm reading right now.  she has written 16 crime novels to choose from.  she seems to be something of a modern day patricia cornwell of scarpetta fame.  so far, i like her style of writing.... 

it's always a plus when an author you like has a good sized reservoir of work to return to.


----------



## Margi Cintrano

Buongiorno,

I take great enjoyment in my Friday and Sunday newspaper no matter, where I am or which language it is in, as I can read in 6 languages ... Speak 5. The 6th, is a toughy and would have to take an intensive course ...  

The weekend edition of the Apulia - Puglia Daily Friday Newspaper. 

Ciao.
Margi.


----------



## SharonT

Zhizara said:


> I got Patrick Lee's _The Breach_ in the mail yesterday.  This is my kind of sci-fi.  I'm already over 1/3 of the way through.



What are some other titles are your kind of sci-fi list?


----------



## SharonT

vitauta said:


> trying kathy reichs on for size. i think it's going to be a good fit.  her death du jour is the book i'm reading right now.  she has written 16 crime novels to choose from.  she seems to be something of a modern day patricia cornwell of scarpetta fame.  so far, i like her style of writing....
> 
> it's always a plus when an author you like has a good sized reservoir of work to return to.


Are the characters much like those in the TV series?


----------



## Alix

vitauta said:


> trying kathy reichs on for size. i think it's going to be a good fit.  her death du jour is the book i'm reading right now.  she has written 16 crime novels to choose from.  she seems to be something of a modern day patricia cornwell of scarpetta fame.  so far, i like her style of writing....
> 
> it's always a plus when an author you like has a good sized reservoir of work to return to.



Kathy Reichs is better in some respects than Patricia Cornwell. I found the Scarpetta books got dark and the characters became almost caricatures after a bit. Enjoy your new author!

I'm reading Death Benefits right now and am quite enjoying it.


----------



## SharonT

Alix said:


> I'm reading Death Benefits right now and am quite enjoying it.



Amazon'ed it... and found that title by 5 different authors... more if you leave off the "s".      which one?


----------



## Zhizara

SharonT said:


> What are some other titles are your kind of sci-fi list?




Authors are easier:

Elizabeth Moon 
David Weber 
Keith Laumer
Anne McCaffrey
Eric Flint

Old favorites:

Robert Heinlein
Edgar Rice Burroughs

If you google the authors' names and bibliography, you'll get a list of their books.

Elizabeth Moon writes fantasy as well, so if you're not a fan, you might have to sort through them.  Two series she wrote that I enjoyed were Herris Serrano (3 books available as omnibus) and Sassinak (also 3 books and available in an omnibus volume).


----------



## PrincessFiona60

The original Sassinak story was by Anne McCaffrey, wasn't it? Or was it co-written with Elizabeth Moon, too?

Man it's been a while since I thought of Sassinak...


----------



## Zhizara

PrincessFiona60 said:


> The original Sassinak story was by Anne McCaffrey, wasn't it? Or was it co-written with Elizabeth Moon, too?
> 
> Man it's been a while since I thought of Sassinak...



I believe so, that's how I started looking for books by Elizabeth Moon.


----------



## SharonT

Zhizara said:


> Authors are easier:
> 
> Elizabeth Moon
> David Weber
> Keith Laumer
> Anne McCaffrey
> Eric Flint
> 
> Old favorites:
> 
> Robert Heinlein
> Edgar Rice Burroughs
> 
> If you google the authors' names and bibliography, you'll get a list of their books.
> 
> Elizabeth Moon writes fantasy as well, so if you're not a fan, you might have to sort through them.  Two series she wrote that I enjoyed were Herris Serrano (3 books available as omnibus) and Sassinak (also 3 books and available in an omnibus volume).



Thanks - I haven't read any of those (except for the Old Favorites).


----------



## SharonT

I recommend Joe Haldeman to the Sci Fi fans.   One of my favorites was "The Accidental Time Machine"

Also John Varley - "Millennium" and others ...the Gaean Trilogy.  Tons of great short stories


----------



## PrincessFiona60

SharonT said:


> I recommend Joe Haldeman to the Sci Fi fans.   One of my favorites was "The Accidental Time Machine"
> 
> Also John Varley - "Millennium" and others ...the Gaean Trilogy.  Tons of great short stories



Heh!  When you come across a NEW Sci Fi author let me know.  Seems I've read all the books you have


----------



## SharonT

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Heh!  When you come across a NEW Sci Fi author let me know.  Seems I've read all the books you have



have you read any Neal Stephenson?   (I have not... I'm wondering whether to try one and if so which one to start with)


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I have read Stephenson, I started with _Cryptonomicon_.  Not really my cup of tea.  He's more into the technical side of things and I was quickly overwhelmed, I do much better if I can understand the concepts an author is writing about.


----------



## SharonT

That's what I was afraid you'd say...  
His latest book "Reamde" sounds like it might be a little more accessible... all 1,056 pages of it?  
There is a series of YA novels I read and enjoyed last year... (fairly new) by Michael Grant.  "GONE" et al


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Don't allow my understanding of math deter you from at least trying one!  But, that is my problem with some authors.  Biology concepts are intuitive to me, I at least understand the concepts and can extrapolate.

Michael Grant, thanks, adding to my list to look for.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

PrincessFiona60 said:
			
		

> I have read Stephenson, I started with Cryptonomicon.  Not really my cup of tea.  He's more into the technical side of things and I was quickly overwhelmed, I do much better if I can understand the concepts an author is writing about.



This is on my list of books to read "someday". Has been for quite some time.


----------



## Zhizara

I've moved on to _Ghost Country_ by Patrick Lee.  _The Breach_ was great, I really enjoyed it.


----------



## FluffyAngel

Mostly this forum. I have a book. I think. Just joking. The last books I read was the Sookie Stackhouse novels.  I have taken a reading break. I have a couple of books lined up at home to read.  Gotta get the reading fever again.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I've finished _The Hunger Games_ and enjoyed it, and I'm on the reserve list for the two sequels.


----------



## jabbur

Gourmet Greg said:


> I've finished _The Hunger Games_ and enjoyed it, and I'm on the reserve list for the two sequels.



The Hunger Games was on sale at Amazon this weekend.  I got it for my Kindle for only $5.  I thought that was a good deal since the paperback at WalMart was $7.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I got _The Hunger Games_ free at my public library, only I had to wait 3-4 weeks to read it. I prefer killing trees to killing electrons.


----------



## TATTRAT

Just started "Escape From Camp 14"



> The shocking story of one of the few people born in a North Korean political prison to have escaped and survived.
> 
> North Korea is isolated and hungry, bankrupt and belligerent. It is also armed with nuclear weapons. Between 150,000 and 200,000 people are being held in its political prison camps, which have existed twice as long as Stalin's Soviet gulags and twelve times as long as the Nazi concentration camps. Very few born and raised in these camps have escaped. But Shin Donghyuk did.
> 
> In Escape from Camp 14, acclaimed journalist Blaine Harden tells the story of Shin Dong-hyuk and through the lens of Shin's life unlocks the secrets of the world's most repressive totalitarian state. Shin knew nothing of civilized existence-he saw his mother as a competitor for food, guards raised him to be a snitch, and he witnessed the execution of his own family. Through Harden's harrowing narrative of Shin's life and remarkable escape, he offers an unequaled inside account of one of the world's darkest nations and a riveting tale of endurance, courage, and survival.



So far, just riveting. Really, really thought provoking, and humbling.


----------



## Zhizara

I finished _Ghost Country_ and moved on to _Deep Sky _Patrick Lee.  I'll be sad to finish this trilogy.  I searched, but couldn't find any more books by him.  Good reading!


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Has anybody read _1Q84_ by Haruki Murakami?



> “Murakami is like a magician who explains what he’s doing as he performs the trick and still makes you believe he has supernatural powers . . . But while anyone can tell a story that resembles a dream, it's the rare artist, like this one, who can make us feel that we are dreaming it ourselves.” —The New York Times Book Review
> 
> The year is 1984 and the city is Tokyo.
> 
> A young woman named Aomame follows a taxi driver’s enigmatic suggestion and begins to notice puzzling discrepancies in the world around her. She has entered, she realizes, a parallel existence, which she calls 1Q84 —“Q is for ‘question mark.’ A world that bears a question.” Meanwhile, an aspiring writer named Tengo takes on a suspect ghostwriting project. He becomes so wrapped up with the work and its unusual author that, soon, his previously placid life begins to come unraveled.
> 
> As Aomame’s and Tengo’s narratives converge over the course of this single year, we learn of the profound and tangled connections that bind them ever closer: a beautiful, dyslexic teenage girl with a unique vision; a mysterious religious cult that instigated a shoot-out with the metropolitan police; a reclusive, wealthy dowager who runs a shelter for abused women; a hideously ugly private investigator; a mild-mannered yet ruthlessly efficient bodyguard; and a peculiarly insistent television-fee collector.
> 
> A love story, a mystery, a fantasy, a novel of self-discovery, a dystopia to rival George Orwell’s—1Q84 is Haruki Murakami’s most ambitious undertaking yet: an instant best seller in his native Japan, and a tremendous feat of imagination from one of our most revered contemporary writers.
> 
> source: Amazon.com



I'm on the public library reserve list and hoping to read it soon. Our library purchased almost 80 copies so it must very popular. It looks like I'll have to wait about 2 months to read it. (I'm about #230 for 80 copies at three weeks until you have to return it. Maybe sooner if everybody reads them quickly then returns them so others can have at them.)


----------



## Zhizara

I finished the Patrick Lee trilogy.  Excellent sci-fi reading, I was sorry it ended; it was hard to put down.  

I'm starting Greg Iles _Footprints of God.  _


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I've read and enjoyed several books by Greg Iles, particularly one of his first books: _Black Cross_, which was extremely suspenseful.


----------



## FrankZ

So I decided to start back at the beginning and Just started rereading Game of Thrones.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

FrankZ said:


> So I decided to start back at the beginning and Just started rereading Game of Thrones.


It's funny, that's my "next up," currently sitting on the hold shelf at my public library waiting my pick-up. I'll get is as soon as I finish my current read.


----------



## Zhizara

I just finished _In God's Footsteps_ by Greg Iles.  I also ordered and received a couple more by him:  _The Quiet Game_ and _True Evil._ 

But first, I'm reading _Titan_ by John Varley.  I received both _Titan_ and _Wizard. Demon _has been shipped and should arrive today.  I'm going to enjoy this series.  Thanks, SharonT!


----------



## Aunt Bea

I am just finishing up A Cape Cod Journal by Erma J. Fisk.

Erma was an interesting person.  She wrote a couple of books about her life and her work tracking various kinds of birds in Arizona and Costa Rica.  The Journal talks about the last few years of her life on Cape Cod.


----------



## Alix

Just finished Poison Flower by Thomas Perry. A good wrap up to the Jane Whitefield books.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Just starting up _The Return_ by Buzz Aldrin and John Barnes.  It is Science Fiction, but with Mr. Aldrin's knowledge of space should be a good read.


----------



## SharonT

Zhizara said:


> I just finished _In God's Footsteps_ by Greg Iles.  I also ordered and received a couple more by him:  _The Quiet Game_ and _True Evil._
> 
> But first, I'm reading _Titan_ by John Varley.  I received both _Titan_ and _Wizard. Demon _has been shipped and should arrive today.  I'm going to enjoy this series.  Thanks, SharonT!


You're welcome 
Next science fiction up for me has to be "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline.  My daughter read that and asks me every day if I've started it yet.   She says it's amazing.  
I have one Greg Iles book on my shelves that I need to pick up again - I couldn't get into first time:  "The Devil's Punchbowl"  Anybody read that?


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

SharonT said:


> I have one Greg Iles book on my shelves that I need to pick up again - I couldn't get into first time:  "The Devil's Punchbowl"  Anybody read that?


I read it about three years ago and I thought it was very good! Good enough to recommend to others.


----------



## Max Sutton

*To Kill A Mockingbird*

I'm currently reading, for the first time, *TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD* (1960) by Harper Lee.

I've seen the movie many times and really enjoy it. I decided to give the book a try and it is great reading.

This is the author's only published book.


----------



## Addie

Max Sutton said:


> I'm currently reading, for the first time, *TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD* (1960) by Harper Lee.
> 
> I've seen the movie many times and really enjoy it. I decided to give the book a try and it is great reading.
> 
> This is the author's only published book.


 
Our local PBS stations are currently an "_American Masters"_ and Harper Lee is the subject. It was really interesting. The other one they are running is on Margaret Mitchell. _"Gone With The Wind_"_"_ She was one rebel by Southern standards. No "Belle of the Ball" for her.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Max Sutton said:


> I'm currently reading, for the first time, *TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD* (1960) by Harper Lee.



It's shocking to discover that they wrote good books even back in the middle of the last century! 

I'm ready to start _A Game of Thrones_ by George R.R. Martin, just got my hands on a copy today.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

SharonT said:


> You're welcome
> Next science fiction up for me has to be "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline.  My daughter read that and asks me every day if I've started it yet.   She says it's amazing.
> I have one Greg Iles book on my shelves that I need to pick up again - I couldn't get into first time:  "The Devil's Punchbowl"  Anybody read that?



Yes!  It was a slow starter, but really picked up.  It was a great story!


----------



## simonbaker

Has anyone ever read " Screwtape letters" by C.S. Lewis?  They are starting a book club at our group at church & this book was suggested.


----------



## Zhizara

SharonT said:


> You're welcome
> Next science fiction up for me has to be "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline.  My daughter read that and asks me every day if I've started it yet.   She says it's amazing.
> I have one Greg Iles book on my shelves that I need to pick up again - I couldn't get into first time:  "The Devil's Punchbowl"  Anybody read that?



I did.  It's a little of a hard read, but good.  He's not all about SF.  _In God's Footsteps _was just a little slow starting, but got moving quicklly and I couldn't put it down.  More like SF.  Great thought provoking subject.


----------



## jabbur

simonbaker said:


> Has anyone ever read " Screwtape letters" by C.S. Lewis?  They are starting a book club at our group at church & this book was suggested.



I've read part of it.  It's a quite interesting concept.  I was about halfway through when life threw me a curve and I stopped reading for a while as I dealt with some life and death family issues.  I never got back to finish it but I enjoyed what I read.  It will make for some animated discussions for sure!


----------



## Margi Cintrano

*Lorenza de´Medici´s The Renaissance of Italian Cooking*

A culinary book of note, is a treasure and I have been skimming the contents ... 

Though it is not a new edition, it is a coffee table treasure with lots of photos. 

Nice post.
Margi.


----------



## Aunt Bea

I went looking for a recipe and pulled out my copy of The Breakfast Book by Marion Cunningham, I had forgotten what a great little book it is and now I find myself  reading it again!


----------



## Addie

I love reading cook books. When I had to severely downsize, I had to get rid of all my cookbooks. My favorite recipes are now in my computer. My heart broke when I had to get rid of my signed copy of _"Baking With Julia"._ It was quite by accident that I bumped into her right after I bought the book at Borders. I was sitting outside on one of the benches and got up and started to walk while I was reading the book. Not watching where I was going, I bumped right into her. She saw me reading her new book and offered to sign it right there for me. I treasured that book. Every so often I would take it off the book shelf and look at her signature before I would start to read it again. I have made the Gale Gand 'Different Lemon Meringue'. And I picked up some bread making tips from the owners of "When Pigs Fly' bakery here in Massachusetts.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Oh Addie, I would be in tears giving up something like that.


----------



## Addie

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Oh Addie, I would be in tears giving up something like that.


 
Believe me I was. When I was cleaning out the bookcase, I just hugged and hugged that book before I could put it in the box. I am welling up just thinking about it. Whoever ended up with it can say they have a first edition with her signature in it.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I've begun _A Game of Thrones_ by George R.R. Martin, and it's really good but I'm finding that the complexity makes for really slow reading. I'll be lucky to finish this book before it's due back at the library (3 weeks) unless I go into overtime and pay the fines (probably worth it). I'm pleased that I already know I'll enjoy this novel and the sequels too, so there's plenty of good reading ahead.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Addie said:


> Believe me I was. When I was cleaning out the bookcase, I just hugged and hugged that book before I could put it in the box. I am welling up just thinking about it. Whoever ended up with it can say they have a first edition with her signature in it.



I'm so sorry you had to do this.  I hope that I am not put in that position and if I am, someone would get my collection who loves it as much as I do.


----------



## Addie

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I'm so sorry you had to do this. I hope that I am not put in that position and if I am, someone would get my collection who loves it as much as I do.


 
Thank you. All my cookbooks were first editions. I donated them to the big Salvation Army store up on Route #1. I didn't mention the signature inside of Julia's book. I figured it would be a surprise for someone.


----------



## Addie

Gourmet Greg said:


> I've finished _The Hunger Games_ and enjoyed it, and I'm on the reserve list for the two sequels.


 
Are any of you aware that the American Assocation of Libraries has decided to ban the book _The Hunger Games?". _


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Addie said:


> Are any of you aware that the American Assocation of Libraries has decided to ban the book _The Hunger Games?". _



I just searched their website and did not find anything that suggests they are Banning _The Hunger Games_.  Can you point me to where you read this, Addie?  Thanks!


----------



## Addie

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I just searched their website and did not find anything that suggests they are Banning _The Hunger Games_. Can you point me to where you read this, Addie? Thanks!


 
It was a little blurb of news on the net the week the movie came out. Only two or three sentences. But where, I can't remember.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Addie said:


> It was a little blurb of news on the net the week the movie came out. Only two or three sentences. But where, I can't remember.



According to the website the author, Suzanne Collins, is one of the top authors that have been challenged (by others) to be banned, but they themselves are not considering it.  The American Association of Libraries is an advocate for non-censorship...they are opposed to banning books.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Addie said:


> Are any of you aware that the American Assocation of Libraries has decided to ban the book _The Hunger Games?". _



I read the book and I enjoyed it, and if anybody wants to ban it then IMO they are nuts!

Perhaps part of the issue is that in some respects this is considered "youth fiction" and subject to more stringent standards. However I believe that parents should supervise reading and all other activities of their children. I see no reason to ban this book, although parents of pre-teen children might have cause for concern due to the violence. After all, the book is about a dystopian society with a ritual involving children killing children. That's a concept that would require a certain level of maturity of the reader and could be unsuitable for younger readers.

I think the level of violence in movies that parents often allow their children to view far exceeds the violence depicted in the books. I haven't seen the movie but I'll bet the impact of violence from the movie far exceeds that in the book. It's a far different impact to be actually shown violence than merely have it described in narrative.


----------



## Zhizara

I've switched to Greg Iles _True Evil.  _Very exciting and fast paced.

John Varney's _Titan _is a bit much.  I've read about half, but wanted something more conventional.  I'll get back to it later.


----------



## vitauta

Gourmet Greg said:


> I read the book and I enjoyed it, and if anybody wants to ban it then IMO they are nuts!
> 
> Perhaps part of the issue is that in some respects this is considered "youth fiction" and subject to more stringent standards. However I believe that parents should supervise reading and all other activities of their children. I see no reason to ban this book, although parents of pre-teen children might have cause for concern due to the violence. After all, the book is about a dystopian society with a ritual involving children killing children. That's a concept that would require a certain level of maturity of the reader and could be unsuitable for younger readers.
> 
> I think the level of violence in movies that parents often allow their children to view far exceeds the violence depicted in the books. I haven't seen the movie but I'll bet the impact of violence from the movie far exceeds that in the book. It's a far different impact to be actually shown violence than merely have it described in narrative.




movie renditions of violence usually pale when compared to what my mind is capable of creating from the violence found in any book i'm reading.


----------



## justplainbill

The exchange rate for Columbian Pesos - .06 US cents per COP.


----------



## Max Sutton

*Truman Capote short stories*

I'm now reading THE COMPLETE STORIES OF TRUMAN CAPOTE.


----------



## SharonT

Max Sutton said:


> I'm now reading THE COMPLETE STORIES OF TRUMAN CAPOTE.


 A logical choice, after "To Kill a Mockingbird"   
Did you see the movie "Capote"?   I thought Philip Seymour Hoffman was brilliant, but the portrayal of Harper Lee by Catherine Keener was so fascinating - I wonder if their relationship was like that.  
Some say that Capote may have written To Kill a Mockingbird, at least in part.   After seeing "Capote" I figure Truman Capote himself started that rumor...


----------



## PrincessFiona60

SharonT said:


> A logical choice, after "To Kill a Mockingbird"
> Did you see the movie "Capote"?   I thought Philip Seymour Hoffman was brilliant, but the portrayal of Harper Lee by Catherine Keener was so fascinating - I wonder if their relationship was like that.
> Some say that Capote may have written To Kill a Mockingbird, at least in part.   After seeing "Capote" I figure Truman Capote himself started that rumor...



I loved PS Hoffman in "Capote." It's about time it read, "In Cold Blood," again.


----------



## Zhizara

I'm reading another Greg Iles book, _The Quiet Game_.


----------



## vitauta

anne rice recently broke off her decade's old affair with organized religion, and i am once again spellbound by her velvety prose.  god help me, twenty years ago i willingly followed her into her world of vampires.  so here i go again, only this time it is werewolves instead of vampires.  the book, the wolf gift, is the same age old tug-of-war between good and evil which anne rice does so masterfully well.  i am such an unlikely fan of vampires, werewolves and supernatural romance, but i'm thrilled to see anne back in her element and practicing her craft again....


----------



## Merlot

I finished The Hunger Games and Catching Fire over the weekend.  I started Mockingjay last night but didnt get very far.  Like them so far!


----------



## Merlot

vitauta said:


> anne rice recently broke off her decade's old affair with organized religion, and i am once again spellbound by her velvety prose. god help me, twenty years ago i willingly followed her into her world of vampires. so here i go again, only this time it is werewolves instead of vampires. the book, the wolf gift, is the same age old tug-of-war between good and evil which anne rice does so masterfully well. i am such an unlikely fan of vampires, werewolves and supernatural romance, but i'm thrilled to see anne back in her element and practicing her craft again....


 

I read some Anne Rice quite a few years back and her books terrified me. I'm serious... everytime I would read about Lestat, it would start storming outside. I finally gave up, threw the book under the bed, couldn't sleep so I got up and threw it outside.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Merlot said:


> I read some Anne Rice quite a few years back and her books terrified me. I'm serious... everytime I would read about Lestat, it would start storming outside. I finally gave up, threw the book under the bed, couldn't sleep so I got up and threw it outside.



Reminds me of when I was reading "Cujo" by Stephen King.  I had to remove the front cover of the book...probably wouldn't have been as hair raising for me if our new neighbors upstairs didn't have a baby blue Pinto and a St. Bernard


----------



## Merlot

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Reminds me of when I was reading "Cujo" by Stephen King. I had to remove the front cover of the book...probably wouldn't have been as hair raising for me if our new neighbors upstairs didn't have a baby blue Pinto and a St. Bernard


----------



## Dawgluver

PrincessFiona60 said:
			
		

> Reminds me of when I was reading "Cujo" by Stephen King.  I had to remove the front cover of the book...probably wouldn't have been as hair raising for me if our new neighbors upstairs didn't have a baby blue Pinto and a St. Bernard





When I read "The Exorcist" in high school, I had to put it in a drawer in another room before I went to bed.  Creeped me out big time.


----------



## Merlot

Dawgluver said:


> When I read "The Exorcist" in high school, I had to put it in a drawer in another room before I went to bed. Creeped me out big time.


 
If I ever tried to read that, I would never sleep again


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Forgot if I said, finished and enjoyed _Hunger Games_ (got the sequels on the way), finished and enjoyed _A Game of Thrones_ (got the sequels on the way), finished and enjoyed _The Drop_ by Michael Connell (his latest Harry Bosch novel), and currently reading and enjoying _Hard Magic_ by Larry Correia. _Hard Magic_ was recommended here in this topic, thanks whoever suggested it!  I also have the sequel on the way. (On the way = reserved at local public library.)

Also thanks to those in the topic I think next time I run out of ideas perhaps I'll read a few classics, perhaps Dickens or Tolstoy.


----------



## Merlot

Gourmet Greg said:


> Forgot if I said, finished and enjoyed _Hunger Games_ (got the sequels on the way), finished and enjoyed _A Game of Thrones_ (got the sequels on the way), finished and enjoyed _The Drop_ by Michael Connell (his latest Harry Bosch novel), and currently reading and enjoying _Hard Magic_ by Larry Correia. _Hard Magic_ was recommended here in this topic, thanks whoever suggested it!  I also have the sequel on the way. (On the way = reserved at local public library.)
> 
> Also thanks to those in the topic I think next time I run out of ideas perhaps I'll read a few classics, perhaps Dickens or Tolstoy.


 
I have had Game of Thrones sitting here since it first came out, just haven't got around to it!  I need to go back through this thread and make a list of the books recommended that I haven't read yet.  (and probably re- read a few that I had forgotten about!)


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Not everybody will enjoy _A Game of Thrones_. I did and I'm looking forward to the sequels, but I'm somewhat put off knowing that it will be several years before the series is concluded, and much longer if the author meets his demise before the final is published.

Those who enjoyed _A Game of Thrones_ should consider reading the _Sword of Shadows_ series by J.V. Jones, currently 4 in a series of 5 completed. Jones's novels are the closest I've read to Martin's novels.

With either or both you gotta hope the author doesn't get hit by a bus before the series is completed, or have a heart attack like Stieg Larsson. Although admittedly much harder on the authors than on the readers.


----------



## vitauta

oh greg, you can be so funny sometimes....


----------



## CWS4322

_Death by China: Confronting the Dragon. _A thought-provoking read.


----------



## FrankZ

As the TV series is going to run 7 years and mirror the books (except 4 & 5 since those books run concurrently with split character sets) I think Martin will step up his game some.  I do hope it doesn't cause him to rush it and put out something he isn't happy with.  But I suspect HBO is not one to sit and wait on you...


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

It makes sense that as long as the TV series remains popular and assuming the number of seasons equals the number of volumes, and since the TV series started in 2011 then the final season will be 2018. So Martin probably has to finish the 7th volume and presumably publish it in 2017 (soon enough that he doesn't hinder shooting the final season).

1. Game of Thrones (1996)
2. Clash of Kings (1999) 3 years
3. Storm of Swords (2000) 1 year
4. Feast for Crows (2005) 5 years
5. Dance with Dragons (2011) 6 years
6. Winds of Winter (2014?) 3 years?
7. Dream of Spring (2017?) 3 years?

It looks like he lost a little momentum for #4 and #5 but I think we can count on the pressure of TV production to motivate him to finish #6 and #7 by 2017.

OTOH factors may conspire to extend the series to 8 novels. Nobody wants the golden goose dead.


----------



## Zhizara

I just finished _The Quiet Game _by Greg Iles and am moving on the Sandra Brown's _Play Dirty._


----------



## CWS4322

Zhizara said:


> I just finished _The Quiet Game _by Greg Iles and am moving on the Sandra Brown's _Play Dirty._


I love Greg Iles! Did you like it?


----------



## Zhizara

Yes, I like his books.  They're all very good.  Some are even outstanding.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm trying to finish up the book I've been reading so I can start the one I picked up today.  "Fuzzy Nation," by John Scalzi.  Looks like a great tribute to H. Beam Piper who brought us the original "Little Fuzzy" half a century ago.  Absolutely one of my favorite stories.


----------



## Zhizara

I loved _Little Fuzzy.  _


----------



## radhuni

Blink by malcolm Gladwell. Very interesting book.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I went to the used book store this morning and was fortunate to find the third in a series of books by Rennie Airth. The titles are River Of Darkness, The Blood-Dimmed Tide and The Dead Of Winter.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

JoAnn L. said:


> I went to the used book store this morning and was fortunate to find the third in a series of books by Rennie Airth. The titles are River Of Darkness...



It appears to be a post WW I mystery novel (series) and it looked interesting enough that I reserved the first in the series at my public library.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_The Black Order_, by James Rollins.  New author for Shrek and I, he's read the 2 we got and enjoyed them very much.  Too early for me to tell, yet, but so far so good!

Somehow we ended up with two copies of his_ Devil's Colony_.  I wonder how that happened...


----------



## JoAnn L.

Gourmet Greg said:


> It appears to be a post WW I mystery novel (series) and it looked interesting enough that I reserved the first in the series at my public library.



I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.


----------



## Steve Kroll

Decided to take a break from fiction. Just started "Before the Dawn: Recovering the Lost History of Our Ancestors" by Nicholas Wade. In it, the author discusses the evolution of man, based on recent findings brought to light through the Human Genome Project.


----------



## Claire

I just finished "Jewel of Medina".  I thought it was pretty good, with some interesting insights into the history of the Islamic world (keeping in mind, of course, that it is a novel).


----------



## Margi Cintrano

*Los Olivos de Belchite = The Olive Groves of Belchite*

 Good Morning,

About to start: 

This is a historical novel which takes place during Spain´s Civil War 1936 - 1939. 

It focuses on life and relationships of this period under the former dictator Franco. 

It comes in English too: www.amazon.com 

The author is:  Elena Moya

Have nice wkend,
Margi.


----------



## vitauta

i am reading bomber, possibly the best ant-war novel i've come across (including catch 22)  len deighton is the author.  what a strange little curve my reading has taken me lately--i'm also reading manhunt, by peter bergen, a book about our ten year search for osama bin laden.  after this i'm going to have to lighten up with some summer reading--beach novels, that sort of thing....


----------



## Margi Cintrano

*May In Madrid, Spain´s Interntl. Book Month Fairs*

  Good Afternoon,

May is international book month in many countries in The E.U. including Spain ... All the book shops offer huge discounts and there are open air kiosks and stalls throughout all the main arteries of the city.

Terribly addicted ... I had gone on Friday morning and purchased:

1. 100 Years of Fashion 1900 - 2000 ( C. Blackmann ) 

2. Florencia Arte y Arquitectura in Spanish 

3. Chocolatier Oriol Balaguerñs La Cocina De Los Postres ( Oriol is a fine chocolate baker and retailer who studied under Ferrán Adriá ) 

When I return from Italia on the 19th, I shall cover the kiosks and stalls, I had not yet gone to. 

Have nice wkend. 
Margi Cintrano.


----------



## Kayelle

I just finished a historical novel called "The Last Van Gogh" and enjoyed it very much.
I'm about to start another historical novel called "Claude & Camille" about Claude Monet.

We will be in France next month and I want to get in the mood.


----------



## vitauta

now that got my attention, kayelle!  i just ordered up a sample of the van gogh book to my nook reader.  thanks.  now if you happen to come across an historical novel about paul cezanne that you like, please let me know.  love his sensual, chunky art....


----------



## jabbur

I'm reading several at the moment.  First is The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Conan Arthur Doyle.  I'm also reading Conservatize Me by John Moe.  He's a liberal who went in search of the conservative mindset.  While the writing is humorous, some of the things he did to try to understand the conservative thought process were stereotyped.  No wonder he had a hard time figuring it out!  I also just started Night Sins by Tami Hoag.  Still in the first chapter though.


----------



## Kayelle

vitauta said:


> now that got my attention, kayelle!  i just ordered up a sample of the van gogh book to my nook reader.  thanks.  now if you happen to come across an historical novel about paul cezanne that you like, please let me know.  love his sensual, chunky art....



Check out "Cezanne's Quarry" Vit.  I haven't read it yet, but it's on my list.
*
*


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I finished _Hunger Games_ trilogy and I rate the three volume series as "good." Note that I am a very harsh grader. My only higher rating is "excellent."

I'm currently on _Game of Thrones_ volume 2, _A Clash of Kings_. Actually I'm on about page 5 or 6, and finding the prologue very hard to get into. I rated the initial volume "good" too.


----------



## FluffyAngel

I've been trying to start Pirates of Savannah by Tarrin P. Lupo. A little history, a little fiction. I think it will be a good read if I can make the jump and get started.


----------



## Alix

I just read 4 books by Elle Casey. They started with Changeling (which was free) and I laughed so hard at that one I bought the other 3 for my Kindle. They were YA books and I thought they were quite an entertaining read. The descriptor starts with, "A potty-mouthed teenager..." and oh she is such a potty mouth! But oh so funny!


----------



## FrankZ

I am almost done with A Clash of Kings and I am also reading Take Your Eyes Off the Ball: How to Watch Football by Knowing Where to Look. (This is in its DTB form)


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I've just started _A Clash of Kings_ a few days ago.


----------



## FrankZ

This is my second time through on it.


----------



## Barbara L

We had just ordered "The Sugar Blockers Diet" by Rob Thompson, MD, and it came today. I have read the first chapter and am on the second, and it is fascinating! This is not the Sugar Buster thing that was popular a few years ago. This doctor is a cardiologist, and he suddenly found himself diagnosed with diabetes, so he decided to study it and this book is the result. I don't know if it will be worth the read or not, but so far he is making a lot of sense.


----------



## Zhizara

I waited too late to keep my book supply going, so I'm waiting for some more Jack Reacher novels, and I bought a Karin Slaughter (Fallen) to keep me entertained until then.

I'm thinking about ordering the whole Incarnations of Immortality series to re-read - has anyone else enjoyed them?

Alix, you enjoy fantasy.  Have you read these books?


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I finished my first Jack Rollins book and headed to the used bookstore for the rest.  I think I got 8 of them.


----------



## Zhizara

I went shopping yesterday, so I picked up a Karen Slaughter (_Fallen)_ to tide me over.


----------



## NikitaLysytskiy

Danish cookbook


----------



## Barbara

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. Just started it. Novel about Chinese snd Japanese communities after ww2 in Seattle.


----------



## Margi Cintrano

*Fairytale Interrupted - Author: Rosemarie Terenzio*

Buongiorno, 

Rosemarie Ternzio, was the former Right Arm to then John F. Kennedy Jr. at the George Magazine in the 1990s. 

This is a non fiction work by Rosemarie, who covered the inside story behind the life of John F. Kennedy Jr. 

Have nice afternoon,
Ciao,
Margaux Cintrano.


----------



## tinlizzie

I'm reading _Charlatan_ - the nonfiction story of a very successful flim-flam doctor who specialized in goat glands.  Set in the early 1900's.  I can hardly believe it's nonfiction.


----------



## FrankZ

I have moved on to rereading A Storm of Swords.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I have moved on to reading A Feast for Crows (#4). I'm somewhat bummed out knowing that I'll hit a hard wall after finishing #5 because the final two volumes are not intended to be out before another few or several years.

I guess I'll wait a few years and then rent the TV series on DVD and see how it translates to television, while I'm waiting for #6 to get published.


----------



## vitauta

i'm sorry, but i feel i must speak out against this author of fifty shades of grey that has somehow managed to go viral in the soft-porn book world in this country.  e. l. james, the author of fifty shades of grey, makes stephenie meyer look like a pulizer prize author.  if your interest is in erotic literature, there are authors who are true artists of this genre of books.  take a look at anais nin, for example.  but if anyone has a theory or explanation for the wild popularity of james's abysmally poorly written shades of grey, i'd be most eager to hear it....


----------



## tinlizzie

vitauta said:


> i'm sorry, but i feel i must speak out against this author of fifty shades of grey that has somehow managed to go viral in the soft-porn book world in this country. e. l. james, the author of fifty shades of grey, makes stephenie meyer look like a pulizer prize author. if your interest is in erotic literature, there are authors who are true artists of this genre of books. take a look at anais nin, for example. but if anyone has a theory or explanation for the wild popularity of james's abysmally poorly written shades of grey, i'd be most eager to hear it....


 
theory:  could it be the same as for piercings, tatts, 32 oz. drinks, etc., meaning we're dealing with human beans and their usual discriminating tastes, here.


----------



## CWS4322

Zhizara said:


> I went shopping yesterday, so I picked up a Karen Slaughter (_Fallen)_ to tide me over.


+1


----------



## jabbur

I got "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" for free on my kindle.  I'm also reading Murder at Ford's Theatre by Margaret Truman.  I have the next 2 Hunger Games books on tap for when I'm done with Mr. Holmes.


----------



## Margi Cintrano

*The Lonely Planet Guide Book & Frommer´s Guide*

  I am re-browsing and skimming the Switzerland Lonely Planet Guide Book and the Frommer´s Guide to Italy. 

I am still actually reading a book on John F. Kennedy Jr. which I mentioned a fews ago.

Ciao, Have nice wkend.
Margi.


----------



## Steve Kroll

I've just started book #3 of a military sci-fi series called "The Lost Fleet". Mindless stuff, really, but kind of fun. It's full of space heroes, villains, distant worlds, and epic shoot-em-up battles. I'm hoping it will carry me into vacation in another week.


----------



## simonbaker

I'm reading a boof "Out of the blue" by Scott Thoma. It's about a devastating tornado that ripped through a small minnesota town where I grew up.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm just about finished with the book I am on and have not decided what I want to read next.  I have a huge choice, about 40 books to decide from.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Reading "The Haunting Of Torre Abby". It is a novel of Sherlock Holmes by CAROLE BUGG'E.


----------



## Margi Cintrano

*Madrid Capital International Book Fair Weekend*

 Buongiorno,

Every year, from the end of May through the 1st weekend of June, Madrid Capital holds its´ International Book Fair.

Last night, The Vet and I had gone for a lovely light dinner of Greek Meze at Delfo´s and browsed the book stalls ... 

 Our Purchases: 

1.  In the Garlic: A delightful bilingual book about the hurdles of cultural differences filled with whimiscal froth in English and Spanish and how to manage these differences in language ... 

2. The Meaning of Tingo : This is about the oddities of our language and the potpourri of Linguistic useful terms in English and Spanish. 

3. Silver Spoon :  A phenomenal Cookbook on the numerous regional cuisines of Italia. 

4.  Focaccia :  A lovely edition specialising in this Italian basic. 

5.  The Foods of Greece :  This wonderful book contains terrific dishes from a favorite land and the cultural insights with authentic traditional recipes. 

All were marked down 50% ... This was the best part ...

Have a lovely Sunday.
Ciao,
Margi.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter_, by Seth Grahame-Smith.  Should be some fun.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

Reading The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. It's free for the kindle app so I figured why not? Considering when it was written, it's pretty darn clever.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> Reading The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. It's free for the kindle app so I figured why not? Considering when it was written, it's pretty darn clever.



I read that about once a year, love the stories.


----------



## jabbur

PrincessFiona60 said:


> _Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter_, by Seth Grahame-Smith.  Should be some fun.



Princess, I just saw an ad on tv for the movie based on that book!  Not sure if I want to get into the whole vampire/zombie meets classic characters or not.  I know there's a book out that blends zombies with Jane Austen.  Just seems cheesy.  Let me know how you like it.


----------



## lifesaver

The Birds and The Bees...   Not really! Actually I'm reading the daily news paper... Just browsing through it as usual.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

jabbur said:


> Princess, I just saw an ad on tv for the movie based on that book!  Not sure if I want to get into the whole vampire/zombie meets classic characters or not.  I know there's a book out that blends zombies with Jane Austen.  Just seems cheesy.  Let me know how you like it.



So far, it's pretty good.  It's the same author who did _Pride and Prejudice and Zombies_.  I tried to read that one but didn't care for it.  The Abraham Lincoln one is much better.  But I am a sucker for good vampire stories.


----------



## Zhizara

I just finished Lee Child's _Persuader_ and am moving on to his _Gone Tomorrow.  _After that I've got 3 more Lisa Gardner books to read.


----------



## vagriller

The Monk and the Merchant


----------



## tinlizzie

_Tricky Business_ by Dave Barry.  Boy, is he skewering Florida!  This one's about the off-shore gambling boats.

Just finished _There Goes the Bride_ by M. C. Beaton.  I enjoy her Agatha Raisin series for quick, fun reads in between more serious stuff.


----------



## Hoot

_Social Life of Virginia in the 17th Century_ by Philip Alexander Bruce


----------



## Aunt Bea

I found a copy of Elizabeth David's Christmas in the thrift store.

The book was stitched together after she died and it is an interesting look at Christmas in England through the years.  It is also kind of a mild rant against many of the traditions involving excessive spending, eating and drinking during the holidays.   One interesting idea that I need to try was an omelet filled with mincemeat.  I am happy to have it in my collection at a bargain price but, I would have been disappointed if I had paid full price.


----------



## Margi Cintrano

*James Beard: Delights & Prejudices*

 Buon Giorno,

The way James Beard had talked about gastronomy and food inspires me. He is considered a master of traditional American Cuisine. 

I enjoy pulling out the cookbooks to stimulate the thought process for the weekend coming.

Ciao,
Margaux Cintrano.


----------



## Katie H

At the recommendation of my best friend, I picked up a copy of _The Secret Life of Bees_ at the library last week.

I started reading it a few days ago and am enjoying it very much.  I'd been aware of the book but was unfamiliar with the subject until Suzanne told me about it.  She and I have been best friends for over 58 years and have many of the same reading tastes, so I trusted her suggestion.


----------



## JoAnn L.

tinlizzie said:


> _Tricky Business_ by Dave Barry.  Boy, is he skewering Florida!  This one's about the off-shore gambling boats.
> 
> Just finished _There Goes the Bride_ by M. C. Beaton.  I enjoy her Agatha Raisin series for quick, fun reads in between more serious stuff.



I have read all of M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin mysteries. Enjoyed them all.


----------



## jabbur

Started Catching Fire this week.  It's the second in the Hunger Games trilogy.  Also reading Bill O'Reilly's "Culture Warrior" that DH picked up at the thrift store for $0.25.  An interesting look at the factions of American culture fighting for dominance.  And I've got a David Baldacci book "The Winner" going too!  In case you are wondering, I have a book downstairs, one upstairs and one goes to work.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I enjoyed the _Hunger Games_ trilogy. I hope perhaps somebody will tell us this author is working on some new novels.

I'm on #5 of 5 out of 7 of _The Throne Game_ septology (seven novels projected, right, a septology... I bet nobody else noticed that yet the novel relying on one sect where 7 is the favorite number). I'm a bit saddened since I know that the next (#6) in this series is not expected until about 2013-2015, and that the series may not culminate until about 2016-2017.

If anybody has the occasion to see George R.R. Martin step out in front of a bus, please throw yourself on him and drag him back out of the path. If you have to sacrifice yourself then we'll love you for it!


----------



## Margi Cintrano

*Authoress Donatella Arpania*

New York City Restaurateur and authoress Donatella Arpania: Her book in Italian is a stunning enchanting historical and awesome account of her ancestors in Puglia ... 

Her restaurant is: Mia Dona, Kefie & Anthos ... 

" The beauty of the Puglia Table is its´ simplicity " ... 

Lovely photos too ...

Ciao,
Margi.


----------



## Katie H

Katie H said:


> At the recommendation of my best friend, I picked up a copy of _The Secret Life of Bees_ at the library last week.
> 
> I started reading it a few days ago and am enjoying it very much.  I'd been aware of the book but was unfamiliar with the subject until Suzanne told me about it.  She and I have been best friends for over 58 years and have many of the same reading tastes, so I trusted her suggestion.



When I put this book down last night, I'd read about a third of it.  Well, I just polished off the rest this afternoon.  What a super book!

I just put it on my Netflix order.  Hope the movie is as good as the book.


----------



## Dawgluver

Katie H said:
			
		

> When I put this book down last night, I'd read about a third of it.  Well, I just polished off the rest this afternoon.  What a super book!
> 
> I just put it on my Netflix order.  Hope the movie is as good as the book.



Loved the book, really enjoyed the movie.  I think you'll like it too.


----------



## Claire

Loved _The Secret Life of Bees,_ both the book and the movie.  

Just finished the Kathy Reichs' _Spider Bones_.  I always like her novels, but really appreciated this one because when my husband was assigned to Hawaii, I worked at Hickam Air Force Base, and worked with one of the officers who was in the field, trying to collect and validate MIA remains for this organization.  DNA testing didn't yet exist, at least not to the degree we know now, and my husband took a tour of the facility.  One of the ways they'd do identification, then, was to reproduce the skull, then build on it to create a face, then compare it to photos of the missing.  It was amazing what they could do.  In the novel, she talks about stopping everything to attend a repatriation of remains.  My husband and I participated in one, and it is a real tear-jerker.  

There were always locals who were hoping to get money and would bring bones to this guy (he was an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel), claiming they were bones of an MIA military man.  Sometimes they wouldn't even be human -- he told me of monkey, pig, and even chicken bones.  Needless to say, those didn't even make it out of country, they could figure it out fast.  

The ceremony I participated in was that of the man who was determined to be the "unknown soldier" of the Vietnam War.  

I found this book to be very interesting because her facts seemed solid and she accorded respect where it is due.


----------



## vitauta

fllaubert's salammbo, balzac's father periot and zola's germinal.  it all started with kayelle's mention of pope's cezanne's quarry.  so, your fault, kayelle--and thank you, btw...hope you are living your dreams this month in paris....


----------



## vitauta

am enjoying gregg allman's rocker memoir, my cross to bear....


----------



## FrankZ

Last week I read The Hunger Games and started Catching Fire.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> Last week I read The Hunger Games and started Catching Fire.



You are turning the pages too fast, paper burns easily you know...


----------



## FrankZ

PrincessFiona60 said:


> You are turning the pages too fast, paper burns easily you know...



Even worse... on the Kindle.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> Even worse... on the Kindle.



LOL!!!!


----------



## Zhizara

I finally donated more than half of my books to the apartments' library downstairs, hoping that a bunch more enjoyable books would encourage others to donate more also.  It's working.  I got a bunch of books that I've been whizzing through, including one by Greg Iles, _Blood Memory_, the original J.D. Robb series, _Naked in Death_, and _Boneyard_ by Michelle Gagnon that I'm about to finish.  

I hadn't read any Michelle Gagnon before, but will definitely be looking for more.


----------



## Claire

When my husband and I were on the road, almost every organized campground had a "library" of books that were donated.  You could exchange them one for one.  These were my life-line.  I had a milk crate in the back of the pickup, and it was always full of already-read books.  Sometimes I'd take them to the day room or laundry room, and just exchange.  Sometimes I'd find a town with a real used book store and exchange them there.  I still have some towns where I know where to find a good used book store (I very rarely buy new books, when you read 3-5 books a week, new isn't much of an option)(By the way, if you're ever in Edgewater, FL, Brown's is the place to go, but I also found some good books for $1 at the Family Dollar store, and a "Book Rack" has opened a branch there, which I haven't had time to visit).  

The book I most recently read was _Carry the One_ by Carol Anshaw.  Wasn't much impressed.  All the action takes place in the first chapter, then the rest of the book is about how the various people involved were affected by it.  Lots of angst and not much to move it forward.  So now I'm going for goofy and reading _Bones in High Places_ by Suzette Hill.  Just looking for light right now, with father in the hospital, and good friend laid up with a torn tendon.  Don't want any brain food, just looking for brain candy.


----------



## Margi Cintrano

*A Few More Older Edition Cookbook Bargains*

 Buon Giorno,

It is a rarity that I read fiction ... I have an unquenchable thirst for world history, geography, oenology, gastronomy, culture, business and the sciences ...

Here are a few of my latest 2nd hand finds which I encountered at the Madrid´s American Club Book Fair ...

1) BEARD ON FOOD: this James Beard edition focuses on his favourite newspaper columns that he had published. 

2) THE COUNTRY COOKING OF FRANCE: This Culinary Institute La Varenne, features some technical as well as Stunning French recipes by Ann Willan. 

3) MY LAST SUPPER: This is an interesting take on 50 different modern Chefs who create their final meals. Chefs Mario Batali and Chef Jaime Oliver have provided their Amalfi Coast, Campagnia, Italy recipes ... Written by: M. Dunea.

4) BERGHOFF FAMILY COOKBOOK: This Chicago based renowned restaurant family and their recipes is the theme of this edition.

5) PURE DESSERT: This covers European and North American artisianal chocolates and fresh cheese and fruit desserts rather than the traditional elaborations. Written by: Alice Medrich. 

Have nice day,
Ciao, Margi.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

My next foray will be George RR Martin's _Fevre Dream_, it's about VAMPIRES!!!   You see that Frank??? He wrote about VAMPIRES!!!!!!


----------



## jabbur

I'm currently working through a Dean Koontz novel "Seize the Night" which is sufficiently creepy with nuggets of inspirational insight into the human condition.  Some of the things his main character believes and says are quite profound and can get me thinking.


----------



## FrankZ

PrincessFiona60 said:


> My next foray will be George RR Martin's _Fevre Dream_, it's about VAMPIRES!!!   You see that Frank??? He wrote about VAMPIRES!!!!!!




Hopefully they don't sparkle in the *&(*^^%^%*(*& sun like some other recent vampires.  

When I get done with The Hunger Games stuff I might have to look into those.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I've finished the _Hunger Games_ series, finished the 5 available volumes of _Game of Thrones_ series...

Currently reading _The Mists of Avalon_ which is Marion Zimmer Bradley's take on the Arthuruan legend/fantasy presented from a female point of view (main character is Morgaine le Fey, King Arthur's sister). The novel has been surprisingly good. In some ways it resembles Martin's series, although _Avalon_ is set in about 5th century England, and the main fantasy part is mostly related to Seeing (remote viewing or seeing the future)... It's about the wars between English and Saxons, and about the contest between Christianity and Druidism, presented mostly from the Druid point of view (Morgaine). I recommend the book, particularly to women.


----------



## Barbara

I am reading The Forgotten Garden bt Kate Morton. A little hard to follow as she jumps from three different times. She wrote The House at Riverton, which is on my Kindle to read next, if I get through this one. Paris Wife after that


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> Hopefully they don't sparkle in the *&(*^^%^%*(*& sun like some other recent vampires.
> 
> When I get done with The Hunger Games stuff I might have to look into those.



Just came out in paper yesterday.  Looks like he might try a series with this one, too.  The Fevre Dream is a riverboat...


----------



## Claire

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Just came out in paper yesterday.  Looks like he might try a series with this one, too.  The Fevre Dream is a riverboat...



The Fevre Dream?  A riverboat?  I'll have to go to my library's web site and see ...  The Galena River (where I live) was once called the Fevre and used to have river boats (wasn't dredged for years and now is way too shallow for all but canoes and pontoons and such).  I wonder if it's set around here.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Claire said:


> The Fevre Dream?  A riverboat?  I'll have to go to my library's web site and see ...  The Galena River (where I live) was once called the Fevre and used to have river boats (wasn't dredged for years and now is way too shallow for all but canoes and pontoons and such).  I wonder if it's set around here.



The blurb on the back says The Mississippi.


----------



## Claire

I looked it up and it says the Mississippi, but we are about 12 miles from the Ms., the Galena (formally the Fevre) is a tributary.  So I'll probably see if I can get the book anyway (heck, I'll read anything.


----------



## Katie H

After a discussion a week or so ago with one of Glenn's little granddaughters about _Alice in Wonderland_, I've begun reading it again.  Oh, what fun.  I'm about to enjoy the croquet game with the queen.

Hannah Beth had not read it and had little knowledge of the story so I hope to, at least, be able to tell her a short version of it sometime soon.  In the meantime I'm enjoying the story myself.


----------



## JSadler

I just got through reading 2 Seconds Late by Eric Wilson. It was a good read. The story of Job with a modern and inverted twist. He's also the gentleman who novelized Fireproof, Facing The Giants, etc.


----------



## Kylie1969

At the moment, hubby and I are both reading the same thing on our kindles 

The author is G Norman Lippert and he has written some books that follow on from the Harry Potter books. The books have the children of the original Harry Potter novels in them.

James Potter book 1 is brilliant, I am halfway through it and it is so like reading a Harry Potter novel, the writing is fabulous and there are so many familiarities with refernce to all things Harry...I definitely recommend these books for anyone who is a fan of the Harry Potter books 

He is not selling his books, they are free

*Books Are Here*


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Recently finished _The Mists of Avalon_ by Marion Zimmer Bradley (fantasy and King Arthur legend) and enjoyed it. A bit slow at end but well worth the read. I think particularly women would enjoy this treatment of the legend which is presented from a feminine point of view (Morgaine le Fey is the principal narrative character.)

Just finished _V is for Vengeance_, Sue Grafton's 22nd outing with her Kinsey Millhone mystery P.I. series.

Currently perusing _Ratio_ while deciding which novel to dig into next. The choices are T. Jefferson Parker (_The Jaguar_), W.E.B. Griffin (_Covert Warriors_) and Sebastian Rotella(_Triple Crossing_) but honestly my heart just isn't into reading some adrenaline pounding thriller at the present time, so I may return all these to the library and hit the shelves again.

I've been enjoying a fair amount of fantasy the last several months, probably partly because they typically aren't as adrenaline pounding as the mystery/action/suspense that I have enjoyed for so many years.


I'm planning on reading the entire Harry Potter series at some point in the future. I've seen most of the Harry Potter movies and enjoyed the ones I saw.


----------



## Kylie1969

Greg, you must read the Harry Potter series...they really are wonderful books and such an easy read. JK Rowling is so fluent and such a wonderful writer, her books are a pleasure to read 

I noticed too that G Norman Lippert too has such good writing ability. While I am reading his books you could easily think you were reading a novel by JK Rowling 

I too like mystery/thriller novels


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Kylie1969 said:


> At the moment, hubby and I are both reading the same thing on our kindles
> 
> The author is G Norman Lippert and he has written some books that follow on from the Harry Potter books. The books have the children of the original Harry Potter novels in them.
> 
> James Potter book 1 is brilliant, I am halfway through it and it is so like reading a Harry Potter novel, the writing is fabulous and there are so many familiarities with refernce to all things Harry...I definitely recommend these books for anyone who is a fan of the Harry Potter books
> 
> He is not selling his books, they are free
> 
> *Books Are Here*



Thanks, Kylie, I just downloaded them and will be adding them to the Kindle.


----------



## Kylie1969

Your very welcome Fiona 

They really are so good so far...hubby is onto the last book and he said he has throughly enjoyed them


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Don't want the Potterverse to end...


----------



## Katie H

Oh yes, Greg, I endorse reading all the Harry Potter books.  They're fabulous and far better than the movies.  I love the pictures J.K. Rowling paints in my mind as I read.  She's, to use an appropriate word, a real wizard in the literary world.

Just finished _Alice in Wonderland Down the Rabbit Hole_ and _Through the Looking Glass._  What fun!!!!  I wish Glenn's granddaughters would endeavor to read them.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

No need to worry about me tackling the Harry Potter series. I just finished reading all the known (5/7) George RR Martin _Game of Thrones_ series. I'm not ready to tackle any new series at present, no matter how light or how ponderous. At present I need some light reading "one off" novels. I don't want any new commitments at present.

It boggles my mind that we may need to wait 5-6 years for Martin to finish his medieval fantasy series. I sometimes wonder why I even got into this. (I've enjoyed the existing 5 novels out of the 7 projected total.)

I got into Stieg Larsson's _Girl With the Dragon Tattoo_ knowing that the author was gone, and it all worked out well (for we fans, not for the author) in that the final volume of the trilogy gave us closure.

Whatever did Rowling decide? Terminate the series? Write more? Move on to something else? Or not specified yet?


----------



## PrincessFiona60

The Harry Potter series has ended with the last book.  If she writes more in the Potterverse, it will have to be a tangential story, Harry did what he was born to do.


----------



## Cindercat

PrincessFiona60 said:
			
		

> Thanks, Kylie, I just downloaded them and will be adding them to the Kindle.



How do I download them? I went to the link & clicked on the book name under Kindle,  but all I got was jibberish. I'm using my phone to download it but I also have Kindle on my phone.  Thanks.


----------



## Margi Cintrano

*Isabel, La Reina & Steve Jobs*

I have just borrowed from the Library: 

1. Isabel, La Reina Católica ( Isabel, The Catholic Queen ), written by:

Ms. Ángeles de Irisarrí ... Queen Isabel of the Catholic Reign was one of the most powerful women in her time, in  a world of male rulers ... She had funded Cristobal Colon´s expeditions to the New World, known as Christopher Colombus ... Exemplary reading. 

Actress Sigourney Weaver had done a portrayal of her reign in a film called: 1492 ... 

2. Steve Jobs - Written by: Walter Isaacson 

Steve Jobs was brilliant ... and quite a revolutionary in his own right. I shall begin it at the weekend. 

Have a wonderful Tuesday.
Ciao, Margi.


----------



## FrankZ

Greg Who Cooks said:


> It boggles my mind that we may need to wait 5-6 years for Martin to finish his medieval fantasy series. I sometimes wonder why I even got into this. (I've enjoyed the existing 5 novels out of the 7 projected total.)




I suppose he could have waited until all 7 books (7-10K pages) were written, edited, and ready before releasing anything.  Books of this stature take time, no way around it.  

I am ready for the next one, but I will have to wait.  

Try reading the Dark Tower cycle.  It's finished... and that took much longer.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

PrincessFiona60 said:


> The Harry Potter series has ended with the last book.  If she writes more in the Potterverse....


I've been speculating for years that she might move on to an adult novel or series, probably also fantasy. Not related to Potter series.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

FrankZ said:


> I suppose he could have waited until all 7 books (7-10K pages) were written, edited, and ready before releasing anything.  Books of this stature take time, no way around it.
> 
> I am ready for the next one, but I will have to wait.
> 
> Try reading the Dark Tower cycle.  It's finished... and that took much longer.



No, of course it would have made no sense to wait until the series was complete. I wasn't complaining about having to wait for #6-#7, just recognizing that they won't be available anytime soon. I'm guessing 2-3 years soonest for #6.

I will try the Dark Tower, when I feel ready for such heavy reading again. I need a bit of time to recover from _A Game of Thrones_ since I read #1-#5 with practically no break, almost 5,000 pages.

Waiting for #6 and #7 will give me something to look forward to.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Cindercat said:


> How do I download them? I went to the link & clicked on the book name under Kindle,  but all I got was jibberish. I'm using my phone to download it but I also have Kindle on my phone.  Thanks.



I know nothing about phone apps, asking the wrong person here.  I downloaded them as Mobi files to my laptop, then I will load them onto my Kindle.  Sorry, no help.


----------



## tinlizzie

Just finished _Geyser Life_, about 3 grown siblings and their runaway Dad.  Lots of food for thought, e.g., how I can't measure your corn in my half-bushel.

Now I'm going to Google that expression and see if it means what I think it does.


----------



## Margi Cintrano

*www.phaidon.com*

Buonasera,

Deciding which books to tote over to Puglia Condo ...

I shall take over :

1. Vefa´s Kitchen ( Greek cuisine ) written by: Vefa Alexiadou 
Regional Greek specialties from the sea and the mountains ... 

2. The Silver Spoon for Children : Italian Regional dedicated to childrens palates 

3. Recipes from an Italian Summer 

4. The Silver Spoon ( a classic and traditional Italian regional bible )

5. Tuscany ( the specialties of Tuscana ) 

6. The silver spoon Pasta 


Have lovely evening,
Margi.


----------



## Kylie1969

Greg Who Cooks said:


> I will try the Dark Tower, when I feel ready for such heavy reading again.



Greg, my husband has read all the Dark Tower series and he loved it...I am sure you will too


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Thanks Kylie. I'm a bit overloaded by heavy novels, and need a break, and unfortunately I've started some adrenaline loaded US Border Patrol vs. Mexican crime lords novel. (_Triple Crossing_ by Sebastian Rotella)

I think I'll be back to fantasy soon. It's just that George R.R. Martin was a pretty heavy dose, particularly after reading the first 5 in series, about 4500 pages, in sequence.

I think what I need even better is a break from all fiction. I've been reading _Ratio_ in my lighter moments.


----------



## Kylie1969

Yes, I can see that you certainly have done some heavy reading...nice to have a bit of a break and read something a little lighter

As far as fantasy novels, have you read any Tad Williams?


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Nope, no Tad Williams, never heard of the author.

My fantasy recommendations:

Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan series ("The Hollows" series). Good on so many levels. Each novel can be appreciated on its own and each has a satisfying ending, although they should be read in order of publishing date.

Karen Moning's Fever series (now complete). Novels do not stand alone, or only loosely, but the series is complete so you can read this series from debut to conclusion without any hitch. This series is what really hooked me on fantasy, although Harrison shares the blame too.


----------



## Kylie1969

I have made a note of your recommendations, cheers Greg 

Hubby just said, when you have time, try the Tad Williams fantasy series, that they are a fabulous read 

It is the Shadowmarch Series


----------



## jabbur

Just started "The Dog who Knew too Much" by Spencer Quinn.  I like this series (this is #4) about a private detective and his dog.  The stories are told from the dog's point of view.  Good light reading.  A little mystery-thriller, a little comedy.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

Kylie1969 said:
			
		

> I have made a note of your recommendations, cheers Greg
> 
> Hubby just said, when you have time, try the Tad Williams fantasy series, that they are a fabulous read
> 
> It is the Shadowmarch Series



His trilogy "Memory, Sorrow and Thorn" is pretty good too if you haven't read it.


----------



## Katie H

jabbur said:


> Just started "The Dog who Knew too Much" by Spencer Quinn.  I like this series (this is #4) about a private detective and his dog.  The stories are told from the dog's point of view.  Good light reading.  A little mystery-thriller, a little comedy.



Sounds interesting, jabbur.  I'll have to see if our library has the books.  Thanks for the recommendation.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Greg Who Cooks said:


> My fantasy recommendations:
> 
> Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan series ("The Hollows" series). Good on so many levels. Each novel can be appreciated on its own and each has a satisfying ending, although they should be read in order of publishing date.
> 
> Karen Moning's Fever series (now complete). Novels do not stand alone, or only loosely, but the series is complete so you can read this series from debut to conclusion without any hitch. This series is what really hooked me on fantasy, although Harrison shares the blame too.


BTW these two series are what I would call urban fantasy, IOW set in the present era of cellphones, cars and air travel, etc.


Kylie1969 said:


> I have made a note of your recommendations, cheers Greg
> 
> Hubby just said, when you have time, try the Tad Williams fantasy series, that they are a fabulous read
> 
> It is the Shadowmarch Series



Okay, you convinced me. I've reserved the first of the series at my public library. Thanks!


----------



## jabbur

Katie H said:


> Sounds interesting, jabbur.  I'll have to see if our library has the books.  Thanks for the recommendation.



The first one is "Dog On It".  I bought it on a whim and fell in love with Chet (the dog).  Have been collecting them now.  Chet The Dog : Buy my book


----------



## tinlizzie

I'm about 50 pages into _Tinkers _by Paul Harding.  Big surprise this morning on NPR's Diane Rehm show -- by sheer coincidence that's the book they were discussing.  She and her panel like it a lot, but all agreed that it's slow reading, as valuable for the author's lyrical prose as for the story that's told.  I was getting tired of the jumps in time back and forth from the old man who's dying and his memories of his father.  It will probably be worth the effort to soldier on.  Good bedtime reading anyway.


----------



## Zhizara

I ran out of books on order and went to the "library" downstairs.  I had donated many of my books, to make room for more, and to hopefully inspire others to donate theirs.

It worked, and I found a bunch of new authors that I'm gradually trying out.

A bunch of new (to me) authors are Jan Coffrey, Eileen Dryer, and Linda Howard.  I have ordered more of their books, because they caught my attention and kept me spellbound.  

Right now, I'm reading another one of Iris Johansen's novels.  She keeps me in thrall and there are plenty more I haven't read yet.


----------



## Kylie1969

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> His trilogy "Memory, Sorrow and Thorn" is pretty good too if you haven't read it.



Yes Purple, that is another series that hubby has read and enjoyed 



Greg Who Cooks said:


> Okay, you convinced me. I've reserved the first of the series at my public library. Thanks!



I am so pleased Greg, I have no doubt you will enjoy them...and if you dont, we will blame Steve


----------



## taxlady

I just finished _Wintersmith_. I had already read the other three in this four book, Disk World, "juvenile" subset, by Terry Pratchett. Loved it. I want more. I love the Nac Mac Feegles - the Wee Free Men, also known as Pictsies (yes, that is spelled correctly).


----------



## Alix

Oh the Wee Free Men are my FAVORITE! I LMAO for most of those books. I envy you being at the start of some fun reads.


----------



## taxlady

Alix said:
			
		

> Oh the Wee Free Men are my FAVORITE! I LMAO for most of those books. I envy you being at the start of some fun reads.



Unfortunately, I just finished them.


----------



## Alix

Oh lordy. I clearly had too much wine with dinner. I completely misread that post. Sorry TL!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Pratchett makes me laugh all the time.  The first one I ever read was "Small Gods" and Shrek thought I was having conniption fits.  Took two more Pratchetts before I convinced him he was missing out on some good stories.  I gave him "Soul Music" to read first.


----------



## vitauta

the belly of paris, or otherwise known as the fat and the thin, by emile zola.  a book about rich versus poor in nineteenth century france.  remarkable food descriptions throughout!!!  from fish auctions to fish markets to luscious fruit and vegetable displays, to the ever tempting pork shop....who knew zola was a foodie?!  i loved this book, and was sorry to have it end.  when/if i'm ever flush with money i may come back and buy mark kurlansky's translation of this remarkable novel.  the 95 cent version i read is said to be a terrible translation.  still, a great read.  the main problem as i see it is very poor editing, not the writing.  funny how kurlansky keeps popping up now and again at the mention of food and history....


----------



## vagriller

The Strongest Tribe by Bing West. It was written by a combat reporter embedded with the troops in Iraq.


----------



## taxlady

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Pratchett makes me laugh all the time.  The first one I ever read was "Small Gods" and Shrek thought I was having conniption fits.  Took two more Pratchetts before I convinced him he was missing out on some good stories.  I gave him "Soul Music" to read first.


I started reading the Disk World series when there was only _The Colour of Magic. _I have read most of them in order.


----------



## Claire

_Forgotten Country_ by Catherine Chung.  Just started it.  I've known a lot of Korean people in my life, both immigrants and 2nd generation.  So think I'll enjoy it.  

In the past couple of weeks I've read _The Impossible Dead_ (Ian Rankin), _Beastly Things_ (Donna Leon)(almost enough to turn you vegetarian), _A Room of Bones_ (Elly Griffiths), _Bones in High Places_ (Suzette Hill)(I don't know why, but I have an ongoing affection for comfy mysteries centered around clergy), _Carry the One  _(Carol Anshaw) (didn't like it, don't care for novels where something happens in the first chapter and the whole novel is about the angst everyone suffers afterwards), and  _Death of a Kingfisher_ (M.C. Beaton) (love those mysteries from across the pond!).


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

*"THe Casual Vacancy" -- by J.K. Rowling -- her first adult novel!*

I have been predicting this since the J.K. Rowling "Potter" franchise was completed. We all speculated where she would go next. Some thought she would eke in another Potter. I disagreed. I opined that she would move to adult fiction and depart juvenile fiction (nothing wrong with that, she just did all that, and succeeded beyond all but the wildest imaginations).

Now the shape of her future has come out. As I predicted, Rowling decided to try her hand at adult fiction.

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling (Amazon link)

From my public library site:



> When Barry Fairweather dies unexpectedly in his early forties,  the little town of Pagford is left in shock. Pagford is, seemingly, an  English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but  what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war. Rich at war with  poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their  husbands, teachers at war with their pupils--Pagford is not what it  first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the town’s council soon  becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who  will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and  unexpected revelations? The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling’s first novel  for adults


(they didn't credit the source)

I _knew_ this was coming!  I just found out about the new novel about an hour ago. I've reserved my copy at my local library. I know they'll buy literally hundreds of copies, and my own reservation is in the mid-80s. I'll get my own copy the first week after publication (according to Amazon, September 27, 2012). In my past experience with our excellent public library I will be the very first person to read the library copy that I'll get, probably about a week after the publication date. (The libraries get the copies sooner than publication date, but they are forbidden to distribute the copies early--except for librarian reads of course--and due to the delay in any government agency it will take them probably a week to ship all the copies within the system to any branch other than the one that got the copy originally).

So any of you who want to read this book quickly should either order your copy or should make a reservation at your local public library, soon.


----------



## Kylie1969

Excellent, thanks for that information Greg 

We will certainly try to get this on the Kindle, as it will be interesting to see her writing for adults


----------



## Dawgluver

Saw an interview with Michael Wigge, author of "How to Travel the World for Free" on the Today Show this morn.  I ordered the Kindle edition for around $4, it's really interesting!


----------



## taxlady

I'm reading, off and on, _Anne of Green Gables_ on my iPhone. I never read it before. It is really well written. I am enjoying it a lot.


----------



## Dawgluver

taxlady said:
			
		

> I'm reading, off and on, Anne of Green Gables on my iPhone. I never read it before. It is really well written. I am enjoying it a lot.



I loved the whole series.  L.M. Montgomery was a wonderful author.


----------



## Margi Cintrano

*Guantánamo 10 Years After: By: Emma Reverter*

Buon Giorno,

This is a non fiction work based on the prison that was created under the Bush Administration after the September 11th, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centres. 

Journalist Emma Reverter reveals the secrets behind this concentration camp. 

I about to begin the book in Spanish and it is called: 

Guantánamo Diez Años Despues

Have nice wkend.,
Ciao, Margaux.


----------



## jabbur

I'm reading a kindle freebie "Don't Let Me Go" about a young girl whose mom is going through drug and alcohol addiction.  The girl makes friends with a ragtag group of folks in her apartment building who band together to take care of the girl.  One of the folks is agoraphobic.  The girl bonds with him and seems to help him with his anxieties.  I'm about 1/3 into it.  Really good.


----------



## Zhizara

I haven't been keeping up with this thread lately as I've been reading so much.  I'm now working on the Eve Duncan series by Iris Johansen.  It's stand alone stories, but I got tired of reading about happenings from other books so I finally looked up the order they were written and am working my through my latest batch.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Funny I just finished Iris Johansen's _What Doesn't Kill You_ which was a bit better than her _And Then You Die..._ and _Eight Days to Live_, but I made a note to never read another of her novels. Not exactly bodice rippers but I think there are plenty of better novels out there.

Recommendation: Stephen White's latest "Alan Gregory" novel is out next month, _Line of Fire_. Gregory is a psychologist, just like the author, and White has unusual perceptions about psychological characters and psychological thrillers. Sadly this is the planned penultimate volume of the 21 novel series. White says he will be writing new projects that do not involve the Alan Gregory character.

The release announcement must have been well hidden (or I'm the only White fan awake in Los Angeles) because I reserved my copy at the LA Public Library in a sub-20 spot, and if LAPL buys as many copies as previous Steven White novels then I expect them to buy 200+ copies, so I'll get to read the novel within about a week of the publishing date.

The publishing date of this novel is August 7, 2012, mere weeks from today. Are there any other White enthusiasts here on the forum? ... Any who read the reviews and are attracted to the series should begin with the first published volume and should continue in chronological (publishing date) order. Although the novels can be enjoyed separately, but there is a progressive character ensemble development.


----------



## Dawgluver

jabbur said:
			
		

> I'm reading a kindle freebie "Don't Let Me Go" about a young girl whose mom is going through drug and alcohol addiction.  The girl makes friends with a ragtag group of folks in her apartment building who band together to take care of the girl.  One of the folks is agoraphobic.  The girl bonds with him and seems to help him with his anxieties.  I'm about 1/3 into it.  Really good.



Thanks for the rec, Jabbur!  It was $3.99 without Prime, but I ordered it anyway.  Reviews are stellar.


----------



## Claire

Right now, because it is hot and not something that inspires me to read anything intellectual, I'm going for the latest #1 Ladies' Detective Agency novel.  I love them.


----------



## Gravy Queen

I'm a woman. What do you think I'm reading right now?


----------



## Kylie1969

GQ...you have me stumped


----------



## Gravy Queen

Kyles, google 50 Shades of Grey....

I downloaded it to my Kindle for only two quid odd. I dont know what that is in real money but its cheap here!


----------



## Zhizara

My latest books hadn't arrived yet, so I checked the downstairs community library and someone else has donated a whole shelf of murder mysteries.  I grabbed a bunch!  These are authors I don't recognize, but I've been finding a lot of new favorites this way.


----------



## Four String Chef

Just started -Ender in Exile- by Orson Scott Card. The second timeline book in the Ender saga. Great si-fi series. I recommend it to everyone.


----------



## Alix

Just about to start City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

I am currently in the middle of The Litigators by John Grisham, with James Patterson's Private Games waiting in the wings.


----------



## Steve Kroll

Steve Kroll said:


> I've just started book #3 of a military sci-fi series called "The Lost Fleet". Mindless stuff, really, but kind of fun. It's full of space heroes, villains, distant worlds, and epic shoot-em-up battles. I'm hoping it will carry me into vacation in another week.


I'm now up to book #6 of this series, which is the final book. The characters and story pick up in another series called "Beyond the Frontier". So that's next on my reading list.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I just started a new series, 26 books.  It's by E. Britannica, the first book is "A".


----------



## tinlizzie

I'm reading Deep Creek by Dana Hand; tells the story of Chinese miners back in Gold Rush days.  Coincidentally, last night a radio program told of gold miners in the Peruvian Amazon jungle, who are apparently living the same hardscrabble existence today as those 1800's miners.


----------



## Steve Kroll

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I just started a new series, 26 books.  It's by E. Britannica, the first book is "A".


Fun! When I was a kid, my parents bought World Book Encyclopedias. Over the course of two years, I read all of them from cover-to-cover. I just love that sort of stuff.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Steve Kroll said:


> Fun! When I was a kid, my parents bought World Book Encyclopedias. Over the course of two years, I read all of them from cover-to-cover. I just love that sort of stuff.



Actually, I did too!  Dad couldn't bring a reference book home without me sitting down to read it cover to cover.


----------



## Cindercat

Claire said:
			
		

> Right now, because it is hot and not something that inspires me to read anything intellectual, I'm going for the latest #1 Ladies' Detective Agency novel.  I love them.


I've been listening to those books on CD while I'm driving. I drive an hour one way to my weekly chiropractor appointment so I have 2 hours to listen. I've been enjoying those stories. I'm listening to "Tea Time for the Traditionally Built."  I accidentally picked up an audiobook by the same author with similar box design but it wasn't part of the detective series. I got bored listening to it. Maybe it is better in print. I'll have to check for it at the library.  I don't remember the full title but it has "Muddy Saturday " in it.


----------



## Four String Chef

Picking up Tao Te Ching again. I've needed some inspiration this past week. The teachings haven't let me down yet so I'ma crack this open once again.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Just starting Jane Eyre.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

The free version if Arabian Nights for the kindle. The witer's/witers' idea of a hero is every bit as strange to me as the greeks. I mean, Sindbad stole from corpses. Many of the heros are a bit shady or incredibly foolish. 

A lot of the stories don't have heros, which is kind of cool. They seem to be about average people who have extrodinary things happen to them. What's interesting is that in most mythology, if an average person has something extrodinary happen to him, he becomes a hero of some sort. In these stories though, the average person just remains an average person. 

It's also strange to me how disposable the women in the story are, even though not all of the women are treated as second class citzens and some are powerful sorceresses, or great thinkers, or noteworthy in some other manner. I mean, women are second class, disposable and property in a lot of mythology. The difference in these stories is that in general, women aren't second class or owned, just disposable. It's an odd juxtaposition. I mean, it fits with the over-arching story of a king who kills his bride every morning after a single night of marriage and the bride who is trying to stop the practice. It's still just really diffrent.

I'm also not sure how great this compilation of the stories is. It states that it cut out the poetry and lengthy philosiphizing and other "uninteresting" bits, and put in just the stories. I find at times the narrative jumps abruptly and I wonder how much of that is because things were cut out.


----------



## Alix

I got City of Bones for $1.99 earlier this week and just finished it. I thoroughly enjoyed it and decided to go get City of Ashes (book #2). Well, its $15 dang it all. So, I requested it at the library and I will just have to go peruse my Kindle freebies til it comes in. I think I have one called Squeaky Clean that sounds fun.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> The free version if Arabian Nights for the kindle. The witer's/witers' idea of a hero is every bit as strange to me as the greeks. I mean, Sindbad stole from corpses. Many of the heros are a bit shady or incredibly foolish.
> 
> A lot of the stories don't have heros, which is kind of cool. They seem to be about average people who have extrodinary things happen to them. What's interesting is that in most mythology, if an average person has something extrodinary happen to him, he becomes a hero of some sort. In these stories though, the average person just remains an average person.
> 
> It's also strange to me how disposable the women in the story are, even though not all of the women are treated as second class citzens and some are powerful sorceresses, or great thinkers, or noteworthy in some other manner. I mean, women are second class, disposable and property in a lot of mythology. The difference in these stories is that in general, women aren't second class or owned, just disposable. It's an odd juxtaposition. I mean, it fits with the over-arching story of a king who kills his bride every morning after a single night of marriage and the bride who is trying to stop the practice. It's still just really diffrent.
> 
> I'm also not sure how great this compilation of the stories is. It states that it cut out the poetry and lengthy philosiphizing and other "uninteresting" bits, and put in just the stories. I find at times the narrative jumps abruptly and I wonder how much of that is because things were cut out.



I can't imagine reading those stories without the poems.  They are as integral to the story as the narrative.  It's been a long time since I read them, at least 30 years.  May have to revisit.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I am reading "Don't Breathe A Word," by Jennifer McMahon.  The story of a 12 year old who is stolen by the Fairy King and her brother and his wife 15 years later, delving into the mystery.


----------



## Kylie1969

I am now reading a book from the author Lindsey Kelk, it is one in her I Heart series...this one is I Heart London


----------



## taxlady

I'm reading _7th Annual Edition, The Year's Best S-F_, published in 1963. I love old SF. It is usually dated, but enjoyable. This is surprisingly, mostly not that dated.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

taxlady said:
			
		

> I'm reading 7th Annual Edition, The Year's Best S-F, published in 1963. I love old SF. It is usually dated, but enjoyable. This is surprisingly, mostly not that dated.



One of my favorite collections of SF is an anthology of Hugo award wining SF from the 60's. Isaac Asimov rights a little blurb introducing each story. The entire thing is a great read.


----------



## Zhizara

I've been reading like crazy lately.  A lot of Iris Johansen, Eileen Dreyer, Jeffrey Deaver.  

I've got another barrage on order.  Havin' fun!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> One of my favorite collections of SF is an anthology of Hugo award wining SF from the 60's. Isaac Asimov rights a little blurb introducing each story. The entire thing is a great read.



I miss my Dad's pulp collection from the 50's.  It lives in Wyoming.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

If anybody wants to read pulp fiction they should read Mickey Spillane. I cut my "mystery" teeth on his novels, loaned to me in my early teens by my gramma, and I bet my mom and dad would have objected if they had known what I was reading (me as a 13 year old). Pretty tame by today's standards.

As a great follow-up to Mickey Spillane's novels I recommend John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee novels. Both authors were awesome, and IMO they plowed the same fields. Sadly, both authors are "of the past."


----------



## Cindercat

I just got "The Hunger Games" from the library. I had to sign up for the wait list for it.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Science fiction magazine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


----------



## taxlady

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Science fiction magazine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


+1


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

I would get every one of these if I could. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hugo_Winners#section_1


----------



## PrincessFiona60

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> I would get every one of these if I could. The Hugo Winners - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



Here is the list for the Hugo Winners and Nominees for Best Novel:
Hugo Award for Best Novel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

PrincessFiona60 said:
			
		

> Here is the list for the Hugo Winners and Nominees for Best Novel:
> Hugo Award for Best Novel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



Right, so I was born in 1978, so it would seem logical that I wouldn't recognize the names of a lot of the authors from the mid 80's on and be more familiar with authors from the 90's onward. I'm sort of backward though. From the beginning of the list through 1986 there were very few authors listed whose works were completely unknown to me. I've read at least a short story or two by most of them, although I haven't read many of the works actually listed. From '86 - '93 I recognized about half the authors. After that I recognized the ones that have a more mainstream pressence (JK Roweling, Neil Geiman, George RR Martin) or were mentioned previously in the list (Greg Bear) or I recognized one or two novels that I was like, "Oh, that's who wrote that," but I haven't heard of most of them. So from a litterary perspective I'm stuck in the past from before I was born and not the part that was worth an award... I'm weird Marcy.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> Right, so I was born in 1978, so it would seem logical that I wouldn't recognize the names of a lot of the authors from the mid 80's on and be more familiar with authors from the 90's onward. I'm sort of backward though. From the beginning of the list through 1986 there were very few authors listed whose works were completely unknown to me. I've read at least a short story or two by most of them, although I haven't read many of the works actually listed. From '86 - '93 I recognized about half the authors. After that I recognized the ones that have a more mainstream pressence (JK Roweling, Neil Geiman, George RR Martin) or were mentioned previously in the list (Greg Bear) or I recognized one or two novels that I was like, "Oh, that's who wrote that," but I haven't heard of most of them. So from a litterary perspective I'm stuck in the past from before I was born and not the part that was worth an award... I'm weird Marcy.



LOL!  I took a copy of the list and I have most of the winners and nominees.

I love SF, have since I was 5...that was in 1965....I read many of these BEFORE they hit the Hugo list.


----------



## taxlady

PrincessFiona60 said:


> LOL!  I took a copy of the list and I have most of the winners and nominees.
> 
> I love SF, have since I was 5...that was in 1965....I read many of these BEFORE they hit the Hugo list.


I think I started reading SF when I was 7 or 8. I learned very quickly that there was a picture of a rocket on the spine of SF books at the library.

But, back then, SF was considered crap literature. It wasn't something you talked about. Then between my junior and senior years of high school (11th & 12th grades, 1966) I took a summer course called "Honours Radiation Biology". Two smart, science oriented kids from each of about 15 high schools were chosen to attend.

The teacher mentioned a voder. The girl sitting next to me said, "I didn't think that was real." She had read the same SF story as me, about a Martian who whistled, but spoke English using a voder. Then, the topic of SF came up with the rest of the kids. *All* of us were SF fans. 

I never kept my mouth shut about SF to English teachers again. I challenged them to read it if they thought it was crap.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

taxlady said:
			
		

> I think I started reading SF when I was 7 or 8. I learned very quickly that there was a picture of a rocket on the spine of SF books at the library.
> 
> But, back then, SF was considered crap literature. It wasn't something you talked about. Then between my junior and senior years of high school (11th & 12th grades, 1966) I took a summer course called "Honours Radiation Biology". Two smart, science oriented kids from each of about 15 high schools were chosen to attend.
> 
> The teacher mentioned a voder. The girl sitting next to me said, "I didn't think that was real." She had read the same SF story as me, about a Martian who whistled, but spoke English using a voder. Then, the topic of SF came up with the rest of the kids. All of us were SF fans.
> 
> I never kept my mouth shut about SF to English teachers again. I challenged them to read it if they thought it was crap.



By the ninth grade I'd gotten so tired of hearing from english teachers that SF & F were worthless that I wrote my research paper on why SF & F were valid forms of litterary expression. I had to write it out in cursive pen. It had to be at least six pages, one side only thankfully, long. It was ten. I hated writing in cursive and I still hate writing in pen, but I was determined. Fortunately I had a really cool ninth grade english teacher and she thought it was great.


----------



## taxlady

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> By the ninth grade I'd gotten so tired of hearing from english teachers that SF & F were worthless that I wrote my research paper on why SF & F were valid forms of litterary expression. I had to write it out in cursive pen. It had to be at least six pages, one side only thankfully, long. It was ten. I hated writing in cursive and I still hate writing in pen, but I was determined. Fortunately I had a really cool ninth grade english teacher and she thought it was great.



My first thought was that I was surprised that this attitude was still around when you were in ninth grade. Then, I realized that it still exists to some extent. There is even an attitude in "media" about SF. Some really good actors can't get jobs outside of SF, once they start doing SF. Patrick Stewart come to mind, as does Claudia Christian. Sigourney Weaver is the exception to the rule, but she was well known when she starred in _Alien._


----------



## Cindercat

I started reading The Hunger Games at about 7pm yesterday. I finally put it down and went to sleep at 4:30 this morning. Woke up at 10:30am and was finished with the book by 12:30pm. It obviously kept my attention. I have this feeling in the back of my mind that there's an OLD movie with a similar concept but nothing in the book triggered a solid memory. Now I have to see if the library has the second book that continues the story.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

taxlady said:


> I think I started reading SF when I was 7 or 8. I learned very quickly that there was a picture of a rocket on the spine of SF books at the library.
> 
> But, back then, SF was considered crap literature. It wasn't something you talked about. Then between my junior and senior years of high school (11th & 12th grades, 1966) I took a summer course called "Honours Radiation Biology". Two smart, science oriented kids from each of about 15 high schools were chosen to attend.
> 
> _The teacher mentioned a voder. The girl sitting next to me said, "I didn't think that was real." She had read the same SF story as me, about a Martian who whistled, but spoke English using a voder. Then, the topic of SF came up with the rest of the kids. *All* of us were SF fans._
> 
> I never kept my mouth shut about SF to English teachers again. I challenged them to read it if they thought it was crap.




Voder - "Star Beast" by Robert A. Heinlein...


----------



## taxlady

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Voder - "Star Beast" by Robert A. Heinlein...


Right author, wrong novel. I was mistaken, the alien was from Venus. It was Between Planets - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


----------



## PrincessFiona60

taxlady said:


> Right author, wrong novel. I was mistaken, the alien was from Venus. It was Between Planets - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



That's right...it was an interpreter for Lummox's race that had a voder.  Time to start re-reading for nth time.

I love this description: _"Initially, no one associates Lummox with the newcomers, in part due to  the size difference (Lummox was overfed). Lummox is identified as  royalty, complicating the already-tense negotiations. It is discovered  that, from her viewpoint, the young Lummox has been pursuing her only  hobby and principal interest: the raising of John Thomases. She makes it  clear that she intends to continue doing so."_


----------



## taxlady

PrincessFiona60 said:


> That's right...it was an interpreter for Lummox's race that had a voder.  Time to start re-reading for nth time.
> 
> I love this description: _"Initially, no one associates Lummox with the newcomers, in part due to  the size difference (Lummox was overfed). Lummox is identified as  royalty, complicating the already-tense negotiations. It is discovered  that, from her viewpoint, the young Lummox has been pursuing her only  hobby and principal interest: the raising of John Thomases. She makes it  clear that she intends to continue doing so."_


I looked at the summary of the plot of _Star Beast_ and I don't think I ever read that one! I can't imagine how that happened. I guess I better find it and read it.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

taxlady said:


> I looked at the summary of the plot of _Star Beast_ and I don't think I ever read that one! I can't imagine how that happened. I guess I better find it and read it.



I can mail you a copy if you can't find it.  A new Heinlein...I'm jealous.


----------



## Zhizara

Thanks for the link, Princess.   I found a lot of formerly favorite authors and will be working on reading them again.


----------



## Claire

Purple alien, I've become convinced that the entire purpose of lit classes (at least up to grade 12, never took college level) was to make kids hate to read.  For me, "reading" (in elementary), then "English" (in middle and early high school, lit was encompassed along with spelling, grammar, etc) were really a drag.  Once a teacher (I think I was a HS sophomore) made us keep journals, and though goody-two shoes I was, i finally wrote in it that I was incredibly bored by the class.  She called me after class, sat me down, and gave me the final, which I aced.  She thought I was just being snotty.  She couldn't get me into an advanced class (I'd tried when signing up for classes, but newbie students, which I always was, were low on the totem pole).  Gave in and gave me a reading list to do reports on, and told me during class I was to tutor other students.  Yay!  But even the instructor I liked a lot, at my last high school, well, the way the curriculum was set up you over-analyzed a book to death (and this was the hippie days) looking for stuff that just wasn't there!  Then I never understood how you could possibly take a poem from one language, translate to English, and it rhymed?  How is that?  

But it was an Easy A, so I took all of the lit classes, BS'd my way through the greater meaning of the novels, and swore never to take literature again.  I mean, whoever decided we had to read Shakespeare every darned year?


----------



## Claire

_Afterwards_ by Rosamund Lupton.  Picked it up with trepidation, knowing in was paranormal in genre.  Once I "got it" after the first 30-50 pages I really got into it.  Mushy at the end, but enjoyable.

I don't read a lot of Sci-Fi, and when I do it is because a Sci-Fi loving friends sends it to me.  I like her selections, but don't go looking on my own, except that there are a couple of mystery (my favorite frivolous genre, with some authors I can go through a book or more a day) authors who have Sci-Fi settings (can't think of the authors off-hand) that I really like.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

Claire said:
			
		

> Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton.  Picked it up with trepidation, knowing in was paranormal in genre.  Once I "got it" after the first 30-50 pages I really got into it.  Mushy at the end, but enjoyable.
> 
> I don't read a lot of Sci-Fi, and when I do it is because a Sci-Fi loving friends sends it to me.  I like her selections, but don't go looking on my own, except that there are a couple of mystery (my favorite frivolous genre, with some authors I can go through a book or more a day) authors who have Sci-Fi settings (can't think of the authors off-hand) that I really like.



Oooh, if you think of them let me know. Mystery in a Sci-fi setting sounds interesting.


----------



## tinlizzie

Just started The White Company - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.


----------



## Rocklobster

Jagger.


----------



## Alix

City of Ashes


----------



## Steve Kroll

Just finishing up book 8 of Jack Campbell's series "The Lost Fleet". Good military-themed sci-fi, in the spirit of Bradbury or Asimov. I've been reading this series since March. Problem is this is the last book for now. The next one is not due out until May of next year.


----------



## taxlady

Steve Kroll said:


> Just finishing up book 8 of Jack Campbell's series "The Lost Fleet". Good military-themed sci-fi, in the spirit of Bradbury or Asimov. I've been reading this series since March. Problem is this is the last book for now. The next one is not due out until May of next year.


Is there a lot of description of battles?


----------



## Steve Kroll

taxlady said:


> Is there a lot of description of battles?


Yes, the battle scenes in his books are very descriptive. The author is a retired naval commander, so he apparently has some experience to draw on.


----------



## taxlady

Steve Kroll said:


> Yes, the battle scenes in his books are very descriptive. The author is a retired naval commander, so he apparently has some experience to draw on.


Aw phooey. I hate long battle descriptions. I find them tedious.


----------



## Steve Kroll

taxlady said:


> Aw phooey. I hate long battle descriptions. I find them tedious.


Hah...and that's probably my favorite part!


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I'm reading the last of 4 volumes of the _Shadowmarch_ fantasy series, by Tad Williams.

I've enjoyed it and it's well worth reading but I enjoyed the _Game of Thrones_ series by George R.R. Martin more. Alas, Martin has yet to finish the last two volumes of the 7 volume series, probably won't happen for 3-5 years. At least the _Shadowmarch_ series is complete and I'll soon get to see how it ends.

Thanks to Kylie who recommended _Shadowmarch_ in this topic!


----------



## tinlizzie

Still working on The White Company, A. C. Doyle, written in the 1890's, set in England, and taking place during the 1300's Hundred Years' War.  This on page 220 in describing a nobleman's castle:

"The days had gone by when a nobleman's hall was but a barnlike, rush-strewn enclosure........The Crusaders had brought back with them experiences of domestic luxuries, of Damascus carpets and rugs of Aleppo....."

How sad that my frame of reference for Damascus and Aleppo is the current bitter conflict.


----------



## jabbur

I seem to have a love/hate relationship with Pixel of Ink!  I have so many books in my kindle waiting to be read!  I'm currently reading "The Volunteer" which is very good.  A man on death row gives up all his appeals yet his family continues to try to save him from the execution.  About 1/3 of the way through and looking forward to how it ends.  There's a lot of "reminiscing" in flashbacks so you know how he ended up there and how it has affected his family.


----------



## Margi Cintrano

*The Italian Newspapers: The National & The Regional*

Good for improving vocab and keeping up with what is going on inside the the country.

Ciao, Buonasera.
Margi.


----------



## FrankZ

I am reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks


----------



## jabbur

FrankZ said:


> I am reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks



Isn't that about genetic research or something like that?  They've kept cells from this woman going for a long time I think.  Let me know how you like it Frank.  It sounded interesting but I don't always like books that get too technical.


----------



## simonbaker

Miss Peregreines Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. Just started getting into reading it, my 13 year old daughter recomended it.


----------



## FrankZ

jabbur said:
			
		

> Isn't that about genetic research or something like that?  They've kept cells from this woman going for a long time I think.  Let me know how you like it Frank.  It sounded interesting but I don't always like books that get too technical.



Yes, it is about the HeLa strain. 

It is well written and not very technical.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> Yes, it is about the HeLa strain.
> 
> It is well written and not very technical.



Sounds like my kind of book...I saw it at Costco.


----------



## tinlizzie

tinlizzie said:


> Still working on The White Company, A. C. Doyle, written in the 1890's, set in England, and taking place during the 1300's Hundred Years' War. QUOTE]
> 
> Describing a dinner at the Abbey of St. Andrews at Bordeaux:
> 
> "Roasted peacocks, with the feathers all carefully replaced, so that the bird lay upon the dish even as it had strutted in life, boars' heads with the tusks gilded and the mouth lined with silver foil, jellies in the shape of the Twelve Apostles, and a great pasty which formed an exact model of the king's new castle at Windsor..."


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Currently reading _Culinary Reactions_ by Simon Quellen Field. It's really interesting but also quite technical. I took two years of chemistry classes as part of my BS degree, and yet I still find some of the sections quite difficult to follow. Although I'll admit it's been a long time since I took those chem classes and I've probably forgotten more than I remember. I'll probably reread some of the sections for greater comprehension. In fact I think I'll return to this book from time to time in the future.


----------



## Kylie1969

Greg Who Cooks said:


> I'm reading the last of 4 volumes of the _Shadowmarch_ fantasy series, by Tad Williams.
> 
> I've enjoyed it and it's well worth reading but I enjoyed the _Game of Thrones_ series by George R.R. Martin more. Alas, Martin has yet to finish the last two volumes of the 7 volume series, probably won't happen for 3-5 years. At least the _Shadowmarch_ series is complete and I'll soon get to see how it ends.
> 
> Thanks to Kylie who recommended _Shadowmarch_ in this topic!



I am so pleased that you enjoyed the series Greg


----------



## Kylie1969

I have just started reading the 4 book in the Shopoholic series...a nice light fluffy read


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Kylie1969 said:


> I am so pleased that you enjoyed the series Greg



Thanks again! I liked _Game of Thrones_ better but _Shadowmarch_ saved me from a couple dozen hours of being bored spitless.

I think I've had enough of multi-volume fantasy novels. I ain't readin' nothin' that can't get the entire job done in one book anytime soon.


----------



## Kylie1969

Yes, multi volumes can drag on a bit and also you have to wait a fair while between volumes sometimes

Steve has about 5 multi volumed books going on right now..all at the same time 

I like to have one story and that is it


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I'm still waiting for the last two volumes of _Game of Thrones_. Prolly won't have to wait much past 2016 or 2017...


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Just picked up:

_The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Brothers Grimm - 101 Stories_

and a Grammar book...


----------



## FrankZ

Just started 1831: Year of Eclipse.


----------



## SharonT

_Ready Player One_ by Ernest Cline.  A VERY fun book, especially if you've ever been into video games... or 1980s pop culture... or dystopian future novels.   Read it even if you're not into any of that!   

_What Alice Forgot_ by Liane Moriarty.  I really enjoyed this one, too.  Story of a woman who loses her memory of the last ten years of her life.  She thinks she 29 and expecting her first child... wakes up after a head injury to discover she's 39 with 3 children... and that she seems to be exactly the sort of person she doesn't like.

_Gone Girl_ by Gillian Flynn.  Not like anything I've ever read and completely engaging!   The suspense will keep you reading and reading...

_Off Balance_ by Dominque Moceanu.  A memoir by the youngest member of the 1996 women's Olympic gymnastic team (last US team to win gold until this year).  Very interesting look inside the world of elite gymnastics - and a very powerful personal story.

_World Made by Hand_ - James Howard Kuntsler.  A speculative novel about what happens to a small town in upstate New York after collapse of civilization when a devastating war, oil depletion, disease and climate change all converge.   I thought the narrative was a little strange, but the story was so compelling and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, _The Witch of Hebron_ .

I also finished the last two Repairman Jack novels recently (F. Paul Wilson).  Sad that there won't be more of those.

_Sister_ by Rosamund Lupton.  Really good mystery with a stunning twist.


----------



## jabbur

Starting a novelization of the assassination of Lincoln.  Read the introduction which the author explained his approach and gave a quick synopsis of the last few months of the Civil War so the reader can have the proper references to what happens in his story. That was enough for one night!  Hope the rest is good.


----------



## tinlizzie

SharonT said:


> _Ready Player One_ by Ernest Cline. A VERY fun book, especially if you've ever been into video games... or 1980s pop culture... or dystopian future novels. Read it even if you're not into any of that!
> 
> _What Alice Forgot_ by Liane Moriarty. I really enjoyed this one, too. Story of a woman who loses her memory of the last ten years of her life. She thinks she 29 and expecting her first child... wakes up after a head injury to discover she's 39 with 3 children... and that she seems to be exactly the sort of person she doesn't like.
> 
> _Gone Girl_ by Gillian Flynn. Not like anything I've ever read and completely engaging! The suspense will keep you reading and reading...
> 
> _Off Balance_ by Dominque Moceanu. A memoir by the youngest member of the 1996 women's Olympic gymnastic team (last US team to win gold until this year). Very interesting look inside the world of elite gymnastics - and a very powerful personal story.
> 
> _World Made by Hand_ - James Howard Kuntsler. A speculative novel about what happens to a small town in upstate New York after collapse of civilization when a devastating war, oil depletion, disease and climate change all converge. I thought the narrative was a little strange, but the story was so compelling and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, _The Witch of Hebron_ .
> 
> I also finished the last two Repairman Jack novels recently (F. Paul Wilson). Sad that there won't be more of those.
> 
> _Sister_ by Rosamund Lupton. Really good mystery with a stunning twist.


 
Thanks for the titles and thumbnails.  All sound good - they're added to my list.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_Blood Line_, by James Rollins...another Sigma story.  These books are addicting.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

PrincessFiona60 said:


> _Blood Line_, by James Rollins...another Sigma story.  These books are addicting.



TYVM! I've read them all to date and I hadn't realized he had published a new one. I've just reserved a copy at my local public library. From past experience (# copies, my # in the hold queue) I should see it in about a month.

They are addicting!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Greg Who Cooks said:


> TYVM! I've read them all to date and I hadn't realized he had published a new one. I've just reserved a copy at my local public library. From past experience (# copies, my # in the hold queue) I should see it in about a month.
> 
> They are addicting!



It just came out last week. Or the week before...my brain is fried...


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Just checked, June 26. I'm surprised I wasn't #100 in the queue since his books are very popular. My library buys many copies of all the best selling authors and the queues are often 300-400. I periodically research all my favorite authors and note new publications coming out, then check my library on a daily basis until they've added that book pre-publication, and reserve my copy. Best I've done is #2 but I'm often in the top 10 in the queue, assuring me of a copy the first day the book is released. (Actually a few days later because it takes them a few days to get all the right books to the right branches. In the case of the Rollins novel they've got about 40 copies and they're all checked out, but as soon as those 40 people have returned their books I'll get mine.

In fact I just noticed that _Line of Fire_ by Stephen White is being released today. I'm in the top 10 in the queue and they bought about 25 copies, so I'll have my hands on my copy probably by the weekend. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if my local branch has a copy that they're shipping cross town on the bookmobile, and somewhere cross town they're preparing to ship my copy to my local library. They do stuff like that. I reserved one of the Tad Williams _Shadowmarch_ volumes and they sent it from downtown, but 4-5 days later I had finished the previous volume and noted that my second closest branch had a copy not checked out, so I just drove over and got it. Then when the reserved copy reached my local branch I told them to send it back...

I'm waiting for _The Casual Vacancy_ by JK Rowling - Sept. 27 publication date. I'm around #80 and I'm pretty sure they'll be buying more than 80 copies. In some cases they buy hundreds of copies. Like they've got almost 200 copies of _Girl With the Dragon Tattoo_.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Told you my brain was fried...I spent all last week doing Data Entry...not something I am comfortable with and it was exhausting.  So basically I lost a week, but it was all physician's orders and had to be entered by nurses and I am one of the most comfortable with a computer.  We go live with Electronic Medication Administration on Thursday...


----------



## Margi Cintrano

*Non Fiction: Cracco - Italian Chef & Restaurateur*

Whenever, I have the opportunity, I like to practice reading my Italian, and thus, my fave subject, gastronomy ... 

Cracco, is on the top 10 List from the World´s Best List from London Restaurant Magazine Awards.

Very fascinating ...

Margaux.


----------



## SharonT

tinlizzie - You're welcome!


----------



## tinlizzie

Just finished The Penny-Pinchers' Club by Sarah Strohmeyer.  I thought it would be full of tips to try, and it was.  But mostly it was about d-i-v-o-r-c-e.  Pretty good read.  I'll try her again.  Meanwhile, back to the wars with the White Company.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Went to the library today and got Agatha Christies, Miss Marple- The Complete Short Stories. Love her books, movies and all of the TV series.


----------



## Kylie1969

JoAnn that will be a good read


----------



## Claire

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Told you my brain was fried...I spent all last week doing Data Entry...not something I am comfortable with and it was exhausting.  So basically I lost a week, but it was all physician's orders and had to be entered by nurses and I am one of the most comfortable with a computer.  We go live with Electronic Medication Administration on Thursday...



Doesn't have much to do with literature, but this reminds me the time I worked for the Entomology Department of the Bishop Museum.  For most of my life, up to that point, I'd worked for the military, and people gave me grief about the abbreviations, acronyms, etc.  Well, I since learned that just about every place has them.  Medical-ese can be like a foreign language.  But Entomology was unusual in that I was typing documents in foreign languages that no one in my office knew!  Most often it was German, which I know maybe 25 words of (lived there as a child), which had my coworkers beat (I think they knew Danke Schoen but only because of the song!).  So it took three of us to proof read the darned things.  I almost went blind doing the job (literally).


----------



## Claire

Right now I'm most involved in Craig Johnson's _As the Crow Flies_.  I loved Tony Hillerman, so am enjoying this.  There are also 2 or three other books lying around that I'm reading in bits and spurts.  I recently finished _Apron Anxiety_ by Alyssa Shelasky.  I usually like food-and-cooking based memoirs but didn't really like this one.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Claire said:


> Right now I'm most involved in Craig Johnson's _As the Crow Flies_.  I loved Tony Hillerman, so am enjoying this.



I'm trying to figure this out. I really liked the Tony Hillerman novels, partly because I've camped so much in the area his novels are set in.

I looked up Craig Johnson's _As the Crow Flies_ on Amazon and the review seemingly has no relationship to Hillerman's novels. I presume the two comments quoted above were just separate thoughts?


I'm in between novels but I have a copy of the latest James Rollins Sigma Force novel _Bloodline_ waiting at my local library for pick up (which I'll do tomorrow). Rollins isn't my favorite author but I've found all his Sigma novels enjoyable and well worth reading.


----------



## simonbaker

Fifty shades of grey.


----------



## jabbur

I'm reading "Those who Save us" by Jenna Blum.  It's about a mother and daughter at the end of the mother's life.  The two of them survived in Weimar Germany during the War but it has affected their relationship.  It tells the mother's story of living in war-torn Germany (she is not Jewish so you get "the other side of the story") as well as their relationship now from the daughter's viewpoint.  Very gripping.


----------



## Somebunny

"50 Shades of Grey", just because......


----------



## Dawgluver

Somebunny said:
			
		

> "50 Shades of Grey", just because......



All right.  All my friends and colleagues have been raving about it, may have to give it a go.

Got a big kick out of the SNL parody....


----------



## PrincessFiona60

"How To Survive The End of The World As We Know It"  by James Wesley, Rawles and
"Subterranean" by James Rollins.


----------



## Somebunny

Dawgluver said:
			
		

> All right.  All my friends and colleagues have been raving about it, may have to give it a go.
> 
> Got a big kick out of the SNL parody....



I didn't see the SNL parody.  Dang,  I bet it was hilarious.  Maybe I can find it somewhere  on the net.  ;-)


----------



## simonbaker

Somebunny said:


> "50 Shades of Grey", just because......


 I just finished the first book now I'm on the 2nd one in the 3 part series "
"Fifty shades darker"


----------



## taxlady

Somebunny said:


> I didn't see the SNL parody.  Dang,  I bet it was hilarious.  Maybe I can find it somewhere  on the net.  ;-)


If you do find it, let us know the URL.


----------



## Kayelle

I just finished the much acclaimed  *Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

Holy cow, what a ride!  It had me from the start to the very last page. It's been a very long time since I've been so wrapped up in a book, and it's like nothing I've ever read before.  To tell anything about it would be a disservice.  All I can say, is read it!!
*


----------



## Dawgluver

Kayelle said:
			
		

> I just finished the much acclaimed  Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.
> 
> Holy cow, what a ride!  It had me from the start to the very last page. It's been a very long time since I've been so wrapped up in a book, and it's like nothing I've ever read before.  To tell anything about it would be a disservice.  All I can say, is read it!!



I'm looking it up now!


----------



## tinlizzie

I'm reading Pandora's Daughter by Iris Johansen.  I guess I'll finish it.


----------



## Claire

PrincessFiona60 said:


> "How To Survive The End of The World As We Know It"  by James Wesley, Rawles and
> "Subterranean" by James Rollins.



Wow, sounds heavy.  Haven't been able to get into serious since I broke the hip.  Did read one about love and elephants (it was OK) and one food memoir which genre I usually love, but wasn't crazy about it.  Both were library books (most my reading is), so I don't have the titles/authors at my finger tips.  The gal who wrote it seemed very wrapped up in herself and name-dropping.  But maybe it was just my attitude; with the injury I was looking for escapism and frivolous!  

Right now I'm reading _Garment of Shadows_ by Laurie R. King, and the latest book by McCall Smith (one is upstairs by the bed, the other where I sit during the day, still avoid bringing things down the stairs!).  Both are just my level at this time.


----------



## justplainbill

Analyst reports on Spectra Energy Corp.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

"How to Survive..." is a survivalist resource...I have a fetish for end of the world stories and thought this would be a good research item.  It is.  It's hard to say I enjoyed it, let's say I was not disappointed.


----------



## taxlady

I'm reading Vernor Vinge's _The Children Of The Sky_. Can't say how much I like it yet. It's in the same universe as _A Fire Upon The Deep._


----------



## Dawgluver

I just read Outdoor Life's "The Ultimate Survival Manual", about surviving all sorts of stuff like animal attacks, tsunamis, forest fires, getting lost at sea, etc.   A fun read, and some good info!


----------



## tinlizzie

Kayelle said:


> I just finished the much acclaimed *Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.*
> 
> *Holy cow, what a ride! It had me from the start to the very last page. It's been a very long time since I've been so wrapped up in a book, and it's like nothing I've ever read before. To tell anything about it would be a disservice. All I can say, is read it!!*


 
Thanks, Kayelle.  I hope to read it some day -- checking my library site I find there are 394 holds on it.   Must be pretty darned good!


----------



## Kayelle

tinlizzie said:


> Thanks, Kayelle.  I hope to read it some day -- checking my library site I find there are 394 holds on it.   Must be pretty darned good!



Dang it Lizzie!  If you had a Nook, I think I could loan it to you.   I never dreamed I would enjoy my Nook so much but it was a wonderful Christmas gift from my kids. The price of the book "Gone Girl" was what I would have spent on a lunch out with the girls, or a movie, so it was well worth it for the sheer entertainment.


----------



## Alix

Kayelle, do you borrow library books on your Nook?


----------



## Kayelle

No, I haven't Alix, in fact I didn't know you could.  I have to look into that!  Thanks!


----------



## tinlizzie

Kayelle said:


> Dang it Lizzie! If you had a Nook, I think I could loan it to you. I never dreamed I would enjoy my Nook so much but it was a wonderful Christmas gift from my kids. The price of the book "Gone Girl" was what I would have spent on a lunch out with the girls, or a movie, so it was well worth it for the sheer entertainment.


 
Fortunately for me, iGone Girl sounds like one of those books with staying power that will still be good by the time it gets to me.  Regarding e-readers, shades of Charleton Heston -- they'll probably have to pry an actual library book out of my cold dead fingers.


----------



## Kayelle

tinlizzie said:


> Fortunately for me, iGone Girl sounds like one of those books with staying power that will still be good by the time it gets to me.  Regarding e-readers, shades of Charleton Heston -- they'll probably have to pry an actual library book out of my cold dead fingers.



I understand Lizzie, and would have never bought the Nook Tablet for myself, but I have become a believer.  These old eyes need the "perfect" light to read these days so my reading was limited to perfect conditions.  With the Nook being back lit with varying degrees of light and the ability to change the font to larger, I'm enjoying reading more than I have in years. 

By the way, I just finished another book called "Sharp Objects" also by Gillian Flynn and it was *terrible.   *I hated every disgusting minute of it, so it goes to prove how unpredictable an author can be.  "Gone Girl" was certainly edgy and twisted, but "Sharp Objects" is so profoundly disturbing I wish I had never read it.


----------



## tinlizzie

Kayelle said:


> I understand Lizzie, and would have never bought the Nook Tablet for myself, but I have become a believer. These old eyes need the "perfect" light to read these days so my reading was limited to perfect conditions. With the Nook being back lit with varying degrees of light and the ability to change the font to larger, I'm enjoying reading more than I have in years.
> 
> By the way, I just finished another book called "Sharp Objects" also by Gillian Flynn and it was *terrible. *I hated every disgusting minute of it, so it goes to prove how unpredictable an author can be. "Gone Girl" was certainly edgy and twisted, but "Sharp Objects" is so profoundly disturbing I wish I had never read it.


 
Duly noted.  Thanks.  BTW, the "i" in front of Gone Girl was due to my typing in a poorly lit room.  And not reading it over before posting.  My bad.


----------



## SharonT

These last five that I've read are all very different sorts of reading experiences, but I recommend all:

14 – by Peter Clines
Dare Me by Megan Abbott
The Age of Miracles by Karen Walker
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt


----------



## jabbur

I'm currently reading "Waking Lazarus" by T.L. Hines.  Can't wait to finish it so I can start "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman that I snagged for my kindle for $3.


----------



## tinlizzie

SharonT said:


> These last five that I've read are all very different sorts of reading experiences, but I recommend all:
> 
> 14 – by Peter Clines
> Dare Me by Megan Abbott
> The Age of Miracles by Karen Walker
> The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
> Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt


 
When you have the time, Sharon, would you mind giving us brief thumbnails? TIA.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

jabbur said:


> I'm currently reading "Waking Lazarus" by T.L. Hines.  Can't wait to finish it so I can start "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman that I snagged for my kindle for $3.



I hope you love "American Gods" as much as I did!


----------



## Kayelle

Right now I'm enthralled with and old epic book of nearly a thousand pages, called "From Sea to Shining Sea" by James Alexander Thom, one of my favorite authors.  I can hardly put it down. Here's something about it.

In one generation, the Clark family of Virginia fought for our nation's  independence, and explored, conquered, and settled the continent from  sea to shining sea. This powerfully written book recreates the warm life  of the family, the dangers of the battlefield, the grueling journeys  across an untamed wilderness, and the soul-stirring Lewis and Clark  Expedition. This mighty epic is a fitting tribute to the wisdom and  courage of Ann Rogers Clark, her husband John, and the ten sons and  daughters they nurtured and inspired.


----------



## tinlizzie

Kayelle said:


> Right now I'm enthralled with and old epic book of nearly a thousand pages, called "From Sea to Shining Sea" by James Alexander Thom, one of my favorite authors. I can hardly put it down. Here's something about it.
> 
> In one generation, the Clark family of Virginia fought for our nation's independence, and explored, conquered, and settled the continent from sea to shining sea. This powerfully written book recreates the warm life of the family, the dangers of the battlefield, the grueling journeys across an untamed wilderness, and the soul-stirring Lewis and Clark Expedition. This mighty epic is a fitting tribute to the wisdom and courage of Ann Rogers Clark, her husband John, and the ten sons and daughters they nurtured and inspired.


 
Thanks a lot, Kayelle - that sounds really good.  The Lewis & Clark expedition in particular is always fascinating.


----------



## Zhizara

I'm currently reading another Iris Johansen, _Chasing the Night_.  I'm working through the whole series, and this was the first book had I read.  There are three more books that I'll be ordering soon, and maybe I can take a break from the whole series.

I'm also taking a break, reading  _Sacred Tru_st by Meg O'Brien.

I haven't been posting about my reading lately as I'm going through books like crazy.


----------



## Claire

Sharon T and Tinlizzie, thanks for a good idea.  I read a lot, picking up a half-dozen or so books from the library every two weeks.  I pretty much forget one upon reading the next (unless I'm reading nonfiction for the  purpose of learning something, then I take my time and try to remember the salient points).  But writing the titles, then going back and giving a thumbnail sketch and a thumbs-up-thumbs-down might help me remember better, and you guys might enjoy.  

Just got back from the library:

_An Unmarked Grave_ by Charles Todd
_the Dog Stars_ by Peter Heller
_NW_ by Zadie Smith
_Criminal_ by Karin Slaughter
_Odd Apocolypse_ by Dean Koontz
_Breakdown_ by Sara Paretsky

The latter I won't bother with a thumbnail sketch, if you're a mystery lover, you probably have read the V.I. Warshawski novels and know they're set in Chicago.  I've already started this one, because I usually start with the "lightest" novels and work up to the ones that require more thought!


----------



## tinlizzie

Claire said:


> Sharon T and Tinlizzie, thanks for a good idea. I read a lot, picking up a half-dozen or so books from the library every two weeks. I pretty much forget one upon reading the next (unless I'm reading nonfiction for the purpose of learning something, then I take my time and try to remember the salient points). But writing the titles, then going back and giving a thumbnail sketch and a thumbs-up-thumbs-down might help me remember better, and you guys might enjoy.
> 
> Just got back from the library:
> 
> _An Unmarked Grave_ by Charles Todd
> _the Dog Stars_ by Peter Heller
> _NW_ by Zadie Smith
> _Criminal_ by Karin Slaughter
> _Odd Apocolypse_ by Dean Koontz
> _Breakdown_ by Sara Paretsky
> 
> The latter I won't bother with a thumbnail sketch, if you're a mystery lover, you probably have read the V.I. Warshawski novels and know they're set in Chicago. I've already started this one, because I usually start with the "lightest" novels and work up to the ones that require more thought!


 
And thank you, Claire & Zhizara - the more books, the merrier.


----------



## ThePunkHippie

I've been reading (well, listening to - I like audiobooks) My Lobotomy by Howard Dully

I haven't decided if I'm going to finish it yet, so far it's pretty annoying (all it is is him going on about how his childhood wasn't fair & how his step brother never got in trouble & had all these awesome things he didn't have.)
I'm hoping it picks up


----------



## PattY1

The Road Through Wonderland: Surviving John Holmes
by Dawn Schiller


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Excavation by James Rollins, not a Sigma Novel.  Great fun for a stand alone.


----------



## tinlizzie

Just finished A Grave Talent by Laurie R. King.  I thought it was very well written.  This is the first of hers I have read, but it won't be the last.


----------



## Kylie1969

I will have to look into that one Lizzie


----------



## Claire

Isn't Laurie King the woman who writes the Sherlock Holmes and his wife series?  I love them!


----------



## tinlizzie

Claire said:


> Isn't Laurie King the woman who writes the Sherlock Holmes and his wife series? I love them!


 
I believe you're right, Claire.  So, sounds like you think Kylie and I should give that series a try.  Thanks.


----------



## kezlehan

Flashback by Dan Simmons. I'm just under halfway through and already ready for it to be over. It's decent, just holding my attention do well.


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

I'm about half-way through Ken Follet's Fall of Giants.


----------



## Kylie1969

kezlehan said:


> Flashback by Dan Simmons. I'm just under halfway through and already ready for it to be over. It's decent, just holding my attention do well.



We have that one stored on the Kindles to read...good to hear it is not bad


----------



## JoAnn L.

Am reading Maigret In Holland. I have always loved Georges Simenon's Inspector Maigret mysteries.


----------



## PattY1

"People Trying To Be Good", Sanford Phippen.
Easy, Entertaining, Free read from Amazon.


----------



## SharonT

tinlizzie said:


> When you have the time, Sharon, would you mind giving us brief thumbnails? TIA.



Here are some thumbnail descriptions, but really you'd do better to look up the descriptions on Amazon or Goodreads or such!   Just wanted to share what I've been reading...    
14 – by Peter Clines - Another reviewer labeled this one "A riveting apocalyptic mystery in the style of LOST" - which is what made ME read it.  It's a little comic-book like (but it's not a graphic novel) - just a fun, fast read.

Dare Me by Megan Abbott - This one was a rather disturbing look into the hearts of American teenage girls on a cheerleading team.  I kept saying, 'Oh, THAT would never happen..." and kept on reading to see how it would be resolved.

The Age of Miracles by Karen Walker - This one is particularly good - about what happens to a 10-year-old girl and her family and friends when the rotation of the earth suddenly begins to slow.   It is an unusually realistic narrative, as end-of-the world novels go ...

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - I've known for a while that teenagers love to read John Green's books - now I now why.   It's about teenagers with cancer - and so much more.

Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt - The narrator of this story is a teenager, too.  Set in the 80's, it's a beautiful story of 14-yr-old Hazel, who loses the person who understands her best - her uncle Finn, a famous artist, who dies of Aids.  This book is about art and love and loneliness and redemption...


----------



## SharonT

Claire said:


> Just got back from the library:
> 
> _An Unmarked Grave_ by Charles Todd
> _the Dog Stars_ by Peter Heller
> _NW_ by Zadie Smith
> _Criminal_ by Karin Slaughter
> _Odd Apocolypse_ by Dean Koontz
> _Breakdown_ by Sara Paretsky


Nothing quite like a pile of books from the library!  Thanks for sharing your list.   I've read Paretsky and Slaughter and have just downloaded the Koontz book to listen to - I like those Odd Thomas books!  I've added the others to my list of books to "look into"!   Thanks.


----------



## SharonT

Just finished listening to "Garlic and Sapphires" by Ruth Reichl.  It was fun to listen to, tho got a little repetitive...  anyone else like that one?


----------



## SharonT

Also listened to Robert Heinlein's "Farnham's Freehold"... which I read many years ago... I still enjoyed the story, but it sure seemed dated.   Some have mentioned reading Heinlein lately.   Can't remember when I've heard  characters in a book use the word "shan't" so much...


----------



## PrincessFiona60

SharonT said:


> Also listened to Robert Heinlein's "Farnham's Freehold"... which I read many years ago... I still enjoyed the story, but it sure seemed dated.   Some have mentioned reading Heinlein lately.   Can't remember when I've heard  characters in a book use the word "shan't" so much...



Heinlein is an annual favorite in this house.  Shrek and I never get tired of the stories.  I would say, "Farnham's Freehold" is a favorite, but actually it's Heinlein that is the favorite.


----------



## tinlizzie

Sharon:  "Here are some thumbnail descriptions, but really you'd do better to look up the descriptions on Amazon or Goodreads or such!"

I usually read the descriptions on my local library website.  Ditto Amazon.  I didn't know about Goodreads, so thanks for the tip.  And more titles 'n stuff - goody!


----------



## Kylie1969

I have just started reading The Casual Vacancy by J K Rowling


----------



## jabbur

Kylie1969 said:


> I have just started reading The Casual Vacancy by J K Rowling



Let me know how you like it.  I know it is selling well but some of the reviews say it is a ho-hum book.  Okay but not great.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

jabbur said:


> Let me know how you like it.  I know it is selling well but some of the reviews say it is a ho-hum book.  Okay but not great.



I'm waiting for Shrek to finish it.


----------



## lyndaW

Nora Roberts new book   The Witness


----------



## Claire

_An Unmarked Grave_ by Charles Todd
_the Dog Stars_ by Peter Heller
_NW_ by Zadie Smith
_Criminal_ by Karin Slaughter
_Odd Apocolypse_ by Dean Koontz
_Breakdown_ by Sara Paretsky

OK, finished (well, kind of) all but one.  _NW  _was one of those very few books I just could not get into.  It doesn't happen often, but when I got to a page where the words were just scattered across the page I gave up.

_Dog Stars_ I thought I wasn't going to like, but wound up liking, if that makes any sense.  I really have a dislike of books where you can't see, very plainly, who is saying what in dialogue. but in the end I liked the book and was glad I persevered.

_Odd Apocalypse _is part of a series.  I'm normally not into the paranormal or extra-sensory or whatever you want to call it, but I like Koontz's take usually and have developed a liking for poor Odd.  It wasn't my favorite of the Odd books, and I'd recommend taking this series from the start, or at least earlier in the series, or you probably won't like it.  

Karin Slaughter and Sara Paretsky's novels are just what I want from series mysteries.  You know the characters and style and are reading for the pure enjoyment of getting lost in the story.  

I've just started _An Unmarked Grave_, called to renew the books and found that the computer crashed and I can have the books as long as I want.  Huh.  Not a problem anyway, I'm such a library lover and they know it.  So the books will go back probably on Monday and I'll tell you about the next batch!


----------



## Kylie1969

jabbur said:


> Let me know how you like it.  I know it is selling well but some of the reviews say it is a ho-hum book.  Okay but not great.



I will Jab 

So far, it is ho-hum...not really getting into it as yet, about a quarter way through it!

Does not seem to flow as well as her HP books


----------



## SharonT

Claire said:


> _An Unmarked Grave_ by Charles Todd



Have you read any of the other books by Charles Todd?  I see there are quite a few by this mother-son writing team - and new to me...  It's always great fun to find a new series of books.   

If you like "historical mysteries" you might enjoy the Maisie Dobbs novels by Jacqueline Winspear.  I just discovered her and really enjoyed the first one (titled _Maisie Dobbs_)  It reminded me a little bit of Dorothy Sayers.


----------



## Kylie1969

jabbur said:


> Let me know how you like it.  I know it is selling well but some of the reviews say it is a ho-hum book.  Okay but not great.



Jab, I have stopped reading it...I could not get into it and the storyline did not interest me either


----------



## Claire

SharonT said:


> Have you read any of the other books by Charles Todd?  I see there are quite a few by this mother-son writing team - and new to me...  It's always great fun to find a new series of books.
> 
> If you like "historical mysteries" you might enjoy the Maisie Dobbs novels by Jacqueline Winspear.  I just discovered her and really enjoyed the first one (titled _Maisie Dobbs_)  It reminded me a little bit of Dorothy Sayers.



No, I hadn't read others by Todd.  But yes, I love _Maisie Dobbs_, have read them all.  I can see the Sayers thought.  I really do love mystery series; they are, for the most part, my "brain candy".  I mean, you know the characters and can just slide into them.  But then, I was a huge fan of Trixie Beldon and Nancy Drew!


----------



## jabbur

Kylie1969 said:


> Jab, I have stopped reading it...I could not get into it and the storyline did not interest me either



Thanks for the input Kylie.  I've been curious about it but didn't want to spend the money!  If it ever comes up as a freebie for the kindle, MAYBE then I'll tackle it.

I just finished Neil Gaiman's "American Gods".  Quite interesting.  I had read Good Omens that he wrote with Terry Pratchett and it is in a similar vein to that so I enjoyed it.  

Currently reading "The Last Justice" by Anthony Franze (a freebie from Amazon) about an attack on the Supreme Court with 6 of 9 Justices killed.  Just getting started but can see many threads that will have to come together in the end.


----------



## tinlizzie

lyndaW said:


> Nora Roberts new book The Witness


 
It's probably hard to find time to read when those wonderful north Georgia apples are in season.  Been there and wish I could visit again.


----------



## tinlizzie

Claire said:


> No, I hadn't read others by Todd. But yes, I love _Maisie Dobbs_, have read them all. I can see the Sayers thought. I really do love mystery series; they are, for the most part, my "brain candy". I mean, you know the characters and can just slide into them. But then, I was a huge fan of Trixie Beldon and Nancy Drew!


 
Coincidentally, I'm about 2/3 through Charles Todd's _A Long Shadow_.  It's an Inspector Rutledge, and I like it a lot.  So _An Unmarked Grave_ goes onto my list, too.  Thanks, Sharon & Claire.  Oh, and I'll see if my library has the Ruth Reichl.  And _Maisie Dobbs_.


----------



## tinlizzie

One more thing -- I enjoyed reading _Salt_ and would like a recommendation for something similar.  Suggestions, anyone?


----------



## taxlady

jabbur said:


> ...
> I just finished Neil Gaiman's "American Gods".  Quite interesting.  I had read Good Omens that he wrote with Terry Pratchett and it is in a similar vein to that so I enjoyed it. ...


Ever read The Sandman (Vertigo) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia graphic novels by Neil Gaiman?


----------



## jabbur

taxlady said:


> Ever read The Sandman (Vertigo) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia graphic novels by Neil Gaiman?



Not yet.  The American Gods was a special edition and Neil wrote a chapter about how the book came to be and mentioned The Sandman so guess that goes on the waiting list!


----------



## taxlady

jabbur said:


> Not yet.  The American Gods was a special edition and Neil wrote a chapter about how the book came to be and mentioned The Sandman so guess that goes on the waiting list!


I loved it. We have all of them in hard cover.


----------



## sugarbrown

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one reading 3 or 4 books at once.
Right now it's the third 'Hunger Games', 'Pride and Prejudice' on my Kobo because I'm seeing the play soon, and also a very interesting book called 'A Train in Winter - An Extraordinary Story of Women, Friendship and Survival in World War Two'. Extremely interesting - just wish I had scads more time to keep up! Got some more ideas from you all now! Thanks!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

jabbur said:


> Thanks for the input Kylie.  I've been curious about it but didn't want to spend the money!  If it ever comes up as a freebie for the kindle, MAYBE then I'll tackle it.
> 
> I just finished Neil Gaiman's "American Gods".  Quite interesting.  I had read Good Omens that he wrote with Terry Pratchett and it is in a similar vein to that so I enjoyed it.
> 
> Currently reading "The Last Justice" by Anthony Franze (a freebie from Amazon) about an attack on the Supreme Court with 6 of 9 Justices killed.  Just getting started but can see many threads that will have to come together in the end.




I am so glad you liked "American Gods", it's a favorite of mine and the same thread runs through his book "_Anansi Boys_" loved that one, too!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

tinlizzie said:


> One more thing -- I enjoyed reading _Salt_ and would like a recommendation for something similar.  Suggestions, anyone?



Have you tried, _Cod_, by Kurlansky?  It's good, too!


----------



## tinlizzie

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Have you tried, _Cod_, by Kurlansky? It's good, too!


 
No, I haven't, but I will.  Funny, a friend just recommended _Four Fish: the future of the last wild food_ by Paul Greenberg.  TY, PF.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

tinlizzie said:


> No, I haven't, but I will.  Funny, a friend just recommended _Four Fish: the future of the last wild food_ by Paul Greenberg.  TY, PF.



_Salt_ was my first Kurlansky, now I will read anything by him.


----------



## Kylie1969

jabbur said:


> Thanks for the input Kylie.  I've been curious about it but didn't want to spend the money!  If it ever comes up as a freebie for the kindle, MAYBE then I'll tackle it.



Your very welcome Jab 

I thought it was going to flow like her HP books did, but it felt all jerky, going from one character/group of characters to another, it just didnt feel right to me and I had a really hard time trying to enjoy it

Yes, a freebie on the Kindle may be a good idea to try it out


----------



## tinlizzie

I heard a radio interview today with Emma Thompson, who has written a new Peter Rabbit book, following up in Beatrix Potter's style.  She read portions of it aloud, and actually I would like for her to read it to me tonight for a bedtime story.  So sweet!  I'd probably sleep better than with the murder mysteries I usually read before I hit the hay.


----------



## Phocaena

"The Big Bang -A history of explosives" by G.Brown. A fascinating book that traces how explosives have been of great benefit to mankind as well as being used for warfare. From Greek fire to nuclear fusion.


----------



## Claire

Phocaena said:


> "The Big Bang -A history of explosives" by G.Brown. A fascinating book that traces how explosives have been of great benefit to mankind as well as being used for warfare. From Greek fire to nuclear fusion.



This is a must buy for my husband!  Thanks for the hint.


----------



## Claire

tinlizzie said:


> Coincidentally, I'm about 2/3 through Charles Todd's _A Long Shadow_.  It's an Inspector Rutledge, and I like it a lot.  So _An Unmarked Grave_ goes onto my list, too.  Thanks, Sharon & Claire.  Oh, and I'll see if my library has the Ruth Reichl.  And _Maisie Dobbs_.



I didn't realize that I have, in fact, read other books by "Todd", just the Rutledge ones, not the other series.


----------



## Claire

OK, I wasn't able to get to the library for a few days, so went into my own "stash" of books and read _Preaching to the Corpse_ by Roberta Isleib, Mary Stewart's _The Ivy Tree_ (revisiting an old favorite from childhood!), and started Ian Rankin's  _Set in Darkness._ 

The books I picked up at the library were:

_Telegraph Avenue _(Michael Chabon)
_San Miguel _(T.C. Boyle)
_The Lower River _(Paul Theroux)
_You Might as Well Die (_J.J. Murphy)
_A Sunless Sea _(Anne Perry)
_Salvation of a Saint _(Keigo Higashino)
_The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken_ (Tarquin Hall)

I usually start with the book that seems the most easy and frivolous, then work up to ones that might be more challenging (this is a 2-3 week progression).  I'm not sure about Higashino's book.  I read several series that are translations, and some I love, and some I find, well, for lack of a better word, dense.  I haven't really enjoyed books translated from Russian or Japanese.  Turkish ... a couple of authors I like, but some are rather, well, like the Russian books (let's all go out and commit suicide).  The rash of Scandinavian authors I rather like, except for the last book (I don't feel like searching right now for the author's name, but it is, if memory which isn't much serves me, is something like a girl kicking a hornet's nest.  I really didn't like it, although I liked the author's previous books.  Maybe I'll try it again, after all, it isn't like he's going to write another book!


----------



## tinlizzie

Claire said:


> I didn't realize that I have, in fact, read other books by "Todd", just the Rutledge ones, not the other series.


 
The Todd book had lots of twists & turns at the end.  Good book, and I look forward to more Rutledge tales.

A big thank you also to Sharon for Jacqueline Winspear's _The Mapping of Love and Death_, which introduced me to Maisie Dobbs.  I'm about one third into it.  I have borrowed a couple of characters (actors) from Downton Abbey --  I picture Downton's Mary for Maisie and Matthew for James, even if the physical descriptions in "Mapping" don't necessarily match.  I'm the casting director for movies in my head, so I get my pick.


----------



## Claire

Oh, my own stash of books?  I went to the library's annual book sale.  I usually work the sale, but wasn't sure if my hip would let me this year.  So I went from physical therapy to the book sale and bought 22 books for $20.  Other women may dream of designer clothes or sports equipment, but I toted home a huge stack of books.  There are usually three categories of books; hard-back, regular paper-back, and I've heard them called trade books (why?) or book club editions, that is to say, better paper-backs.  Most of what I bought were in the latter category.  Obviously, I'm well-known with the library, and it is a fun social event as well.  So there are 20 books in my guest room, just waiting for me.  I only read them when I can't get to the library, or am travelling.  Books, books, and more books!


----------



## Claire

tinlizzie said:


> The Todd book had lots of twists & turns at the end.  Good book, and I look forward to more Rutledge tales.
> 
> A big thank you also to Sharon for Jacqueline Winspear's _The Mapping of Love and Death_, which introduced me to Maisie Dobbs.  I'm about one third into it.  I have borrowed a couple of characters (actors) from Downton Abbey --  I picture Downton's Mary for Maisie and Matthew for James, even if the physical descriptions in "Mapping" don't necessarily match.  I'm the casting director for movies in my head, so I get my pick.



I really like Maisie Dobbs.  Like Rutledge, it is interesting to read books of an era that is largely forgotten, the WWI and between the wars.


----------



## tinlizzie

Claire said:


> OK, I wasn't able to get to the library for a few days, so went into my own "stash" of books and read _Preaching to the Corpse_ by Roberta Isleib, Mary Stewart's _The Ivy Tree_ (revisiting an old favorite from childhood!), and started Ian Rankin's _Set in Darkness._
> 
> The books I picked up at the library were:
> 
> _Telegraph Avenue _(Michael Chabon)
> _San Miguel _(T.C. Boyle)
> _The Lower River _(Paul Theroux)
> _You Might as Well Die (_J.J. Murphy)
> _A Sunless Sea _(Anne Perry)
> _Salvation of a Saint _(Keigo Higashino)
> _The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken_ (Tarquin Hall)
> 
> I usually start with the book that seems the most easy and frivolous, then work up to ones that might be more challenging (this is a 2-3 week progression). I'm not sure about Higashino's book. I read several series that are translations, and some I love, and some I find, well, for lack of a better word, dense. I haven't really enjoyed books translated from Russian or Japanese. Turkish ... a couple of authors I like, but some are rather, well, like the Russian books (let's all go out and commit suicide). The rash of Scandinavian authors I rather like, except for the last book (I don't feel like searching right now for the author's name, but it is, if memory which isn't much serves me, is something like a girl kicking a hornet's nest. I really didn't like it, although I liked the author's previous books. Maybe I'll try it again, after all, it isn't like he's going to write another book!


 
My goodness, Claire!  More names to put on my to-read list.  Have you ever looked at Nancy Pearl's _Book Lust_?  So many books, so little time.


----------



## tinlizzie

Although technically I can't say I'm reading these (yet) because I began the Winspear book first, my last trip to the library also netted these:

*Loon Lake* by E. L. Doctorow
*Mr. Fox* by Helen Oyeyemi
*The Wives of Henry Oades* by Johanna Moran
*Birds of America* - a collection of short stories by Lorrie Moore

A few pages into *Mr. Fox* shows it to be odd, quirky, and fairly entertaining so far.


----------



## Claire

tinlizzie said:


> Although technically I can't say I'm reading these (yet) because I began the Winspear book first, my last trip to the library also netted these:
> 
> *Loon Lake* by E. L. Doctorow
> *Mr. Fox* by Helen Oyeyemi
> *The Wives of Henry Oades* by Johanna Moran
> *Birds of America* - a collection of short stories by Lorrie Moore
> 
> A few pages into *Mr. Fox* shows it to be odd, quirky, and fairly entertaining so far.



Doctorow is still writing?  I never used to be into short stories, but am thinking about it.  Haven't much read the past few days, but, then, haven't had a few real insomniac nights.  That said, I have no idea what time it is, I think maybe 3 a.m. and I've been up for a couple of hours.  Staying off the computer is a really, really, good idea for insomniacs who actually would like to sleep!


----------



## tinlizzie

Claire said:


> Doctorow is still writing? I never used to be into short stories, but am thinking about it. Haven't much read the past few days, but, then, haven't had a few real insomniac nights. That said, I have no idea what time it is, I think maybe 3 a.m. and I've been up for a couple of hours. Staying off the computer is a really, really, good idea for insomniacs who actually would like to sleep!


 
Loon Lake was copyrighted by Doctorow in 1979.  There are 9 other titles listed as written by him - I don't know which one is "freshest."

I don't usually get short story collections either, but thought I'd try out the author since that was the only one of hers on the shelf right now.


----------



## vitauta

can someone give me a review of j.k.rowling's new book, the casual vacancy?  anyone read it already?  it's $14.99 for the kindle copy at amazon, so i'm holding off for a bit....


----------



## Snip 13

I'm about to read Sheila O'Flanagan- Someone Special. I buy most books at fleamarkets and garage sales. I read the back of this one and I think I may have already read it! Hate it when that happens


----------



## jabbur

vitauta said:


> can someone give me a review of j.k.rowling's new book, the casual vacancy?  anyone read it already?  it's $14.99 for the kindle copy at amazon, so i'm holding off for a bit....



Kylie got it and she couldn't finish it.  Look back a few posts and you'll find her comments.


----------



## vitauta

Kylie1969 said:


> Your very welcome Jab
> 
> I thought it was going to flow like her HP books did, but it felt all jerky, going from one character/group of characters to another, it just didnt feel right to me and I had a really hard time trying to enjoy it
> 
> Yes, a freebie on the Kindle may be a good idea to try it out





aw, kylie, sorry to hear about your disappointment with j.k rowling's new novel.--makes it easier for me to wait awhile for it though.

as i've not read a single one of her hp books, (WhAT?) i shouldn't have any particular problems with a deviation in her writing style or rhythms as compared to her previous work.  so anyhow, no rush now.  thanks kylie.


----------



## Kylie1969

Your most welcome V 

I must admit, as you have not read any HP novels, it may be a better read for you for sure


----------



## Claire

I just finished _The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken _and _You Might as Well Die_.  (yes, my reprieve from insomnia is over ... read both of these in less that 48 hours.)  These are both books that are in mystery series.  The former takes place in India and Pakistan.  It was a slow start, even though it was a simple, straightforward murder mystery, then I took a second to go to the back of the book and find a glossary, which I skimmed, then re-started the book!  I was trying to read it and figure out the Hindi and Urdu and .... whatever words by their use in the sentence (the food words were easy!).  

The latter is a series featuring the Algonquin Round Table, with Dorothy Parker as the main protaganist and Robert Benchly as her sidekick.  Since this group has always fascinated me, I loved it, with all their cynical jokes and plays on words.  I like that the author (J.J. Murphy) did as many historical novelists do, that is to say, at the end and beginning clarified what the real people did, the timeline, and the settings so you learn a bit about the real thing, enjoy the fictional story, but can separate history from fiction.  

Both were the first I've read in their series and I'll definitely keep my eyes open for more (plus will go to Amazon to see if I can find a recommended book about the Algonquin round table).


----------



## vitauta

i would far rather read than sleep any day

pete townshend's memoir, who i am, is finally out and i'm dying to read it!  barnes & noble wants an impossible $18.99 for it though!--good thing about that law suit against a few publishers--who knows how high ebook prices would have spiked if these big publishing houses were left to continue running amok with their obscene profits unchecked....


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Claire said:


> There are usually three categories of books; hard-back, regular paper-back, and I've heard them called trade books (why?) or book club editions, that is to say, better paper-backs.



As you said, there are three categories of books: hardcover, trade paperback, and mass market paperback. Trade paperbacks are generally printed on better paper than mass market paperbacks, but have the same size, pagination and type as the hardcover edition. They exist for two reasons.

(1) Practically all advance copies sent to reviewers and other promotional purposes are trade paperbacks. These go to book reviewers and other people in the publishing trade, including the publisher's stable of best selling writers in the same genre.

That's where the cover jacket recommendations from reviewers and best selling authors comes from. I presume best selling authors working for the same publisher are expected to put in a plug when it's called for, and they can expect the same plugs when their next novel comes out.

Since both reviewers and authors are in the trade, they're reading the books for technical reasons, not for enjoyment, the outside of the book doesn't matter so the publisher economizes by not binding the book in an expensive cover. Presumably the trade paperbacks will be tossed out or donated once their business purpose has been accomplished.

The reviewers and the authors who provide quotes for recommendations are in the book publishing trade so that is why these books are called trade paperbacks.

(2) Book clubs are able to sell brand new popular books at a great discount by buying in large volume, and by buying the less expensive trade paperback editions. They pass the savings on to book club members. They are a secondary group who benefits from trade paperbacks.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

vitauta said:


> can someone give me a review of j.k.rowling's new book, the casual vacancy?  anyone read it already?  it's $14.99 for the kindle copy at amazon, so i'm holding off for a bit....



I caught a few discouraging words above so I'm not going to read the rest of the posts until after I've read Rowling's new book. My expectation is that I am going to enjoy it and that I will provide a good review.

I reserved my copy months ago at the Los Angeles Public Library, and got very near to the head of the line. I monitor new releases from best selling authors and then check LAPL's website every day until they create a listing and then I place my hold. It's not unusual for me to get in the top 10 of the queue but Rowling's popularity caused the queue to fill up so quickly that I got #32 spot. Since LAPL was sure to purchase more than 32 copies that means I'll be the first person to read the copy I get.

Unfortunately there was a SNAFU in their system (first time I've seen this in perhaps 3 dozen similar situations) and only the first dozen or so in the queue got their books. After 2 weeks of seeing the queue not move at all I finally called downtown and talked to one of the high level managers about the problem. It seems that they are short on staff due to budgetary reasons, and that the book had sort of inadvertently been pushed off to the side. The manager promised me she would send out an emergency message to all librarians to get the books labeled and put them into the system, and sure enough 24 hours later another 8-10 were moving along (the queue hadn't moved at all for 10 days) and now my copy is in transit and sure to arrive at my local branch by Monday or Tuesday.

Since there are over 400 people in the queue behind me I have exactly 3 weeks to read the book before it is forceably ripped from my fingers and handed to the next person in line behind me.


----------



## Claire

Thanks for the clarification, Greg.  I kinda figured the "book club" part because being in a book club would be pretty expensive otherwise.  I like them because I find them easier to read and tote around compared to either the full edition or the standard paperback editions.  I'm not a person who needs to read a book when it's hot off the presses or cares if it is new or used (all pages intact is all I care about, and when I'm through with a book I own it goes back into the library for their annual sale).


----------



## Steve Kroll

Currently reading (or rather, listening to) "Kicking and Dreaming", which is a memoir by Ann and Nancy Wilson of the rock band "Heart".

I don't know what possessed me to buy it, but it's actually fairly entertaining thus far. And the audio version is probably better because it's read by the sisters.


----------



## Kylie1969

I am now reading I Heart London by Lindsey Kelk 

I have loved all of her "I Heart" series


----------



## jabbur

For those with kindles, I just got my Book Bub email this morning and they have one of my favorites on sale for $0.99!  If you enjoy mysteries with humor and animals you'll love "Dog on it" by Spencer Quinn.  I suggest you go check it out at Amazon.  Even though I have the DTB version, I'm seriously considering getting the digital version also.


----------



## GotGarlic

I just finished "Prey" by Michael Crichton - it was a re-read, but I enjoyed it again  Now I'm re-reading "Poland" by James Michener. I love Michener.


----------



## Dawgluver

jabbur said:
			
		

> For those with kindles, I just got my Book Bub email this morning and they have one of my favorites on sale for $0.99!  If you enjoy mysteries with humor and animals you'll love "Dog on it" by Spencer Quinn.  I suggest you go check it out at Amazon.  Even though I have the DTB version, I'm seriously considering getting the digital version also.



Thanks for the heads-up, Jabbur!  I scored both the 99 cent ones.


----------



## jabbur

Being a Dawgluver, this will be right up your ally!  It's told from the dog's point of view!  I can so see my own pup doing this stuff while I'm reading.


----------



## taxlady

I'm rereading _Glory Road_ by Robert Heinlein. It's holding up really well for SF published in 1963 - the writing that is, the book, not so much.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

taxlady said:


> I'm rereading _Glory Road_ by Robert Heinlein. It's holding up really well for SF published in 1963 - the writing that is, the book, not so much.



It's been a while since I read _Glory Road_.  Say Hi to Oscar and Star for me.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Steve Kroll said:


> Currently reading (or rather, listening to) "Kicking and Dreaming", which is a memoir by Ann and Nancy Wilson of the rock band "Heart".
> 
> I don't know what possessed me to buy it, but it's actually fairly entertaining thus far. And the audio version is probably better because it's read by the sisters.


Please post a review when you've read the whole book. I'm a big Heart fan and I have all their studio albums and a few of their live albums. Also recently got Ann Wilson's solo album. She does some really nice covers of The Youngbloods (Darkness, Darkness), The Animals (We've Gotta Get Out Of This Place), Led Zeppelin (Heart has done several covers of Zep in their concerts), and more, and has some interesting guests playing/singing in some of the songs including Elton John, Wynonna, and more. I hadn't expected much of the album Ann without Heart but I was pleasantly surprised.


----------



## Alix

The Cardturner - Louis Sachar. Loving it!


----------



## Kayelle

Kayelle said:


> Right now I'm enthralled with and old epic book of nearly a thousand pages, called "From Sea to Shining Sea" by James Alexander Thom, one of my favorite authors.  I can hardly put it down. Here's something about it.
> 
> In one generation, the Clark family of Virginia fought for our nation's  independence, and explored, conquered, and settled the continent from  sea to shining sea. This powerfully written book recreates the warm life  of the family, the dangers of the battlefield, the grueling journeys  across an untamed wilderness, and the soul-stirring Lewis and Clark  Expedition. This mighty epic is a fitting tribute to the wisdom and  courage of Ann Rogers Clark, her husband John, and the ten sons and  daughters they nurtured and inspired.



I just wanted to re-visit this by saying I just finished *From sea to Shining Sea, by Thom *and it will go down in my memory as one of the top favorite books of my life.  I'm overwhelmed by the power of this remarkable family in our American history.  For me, there was not one boring part in nearly a thousand pages and I hated to have it end.
If historical novels interest you, this one is golden.


----------



## Steve Kroll

Greg Who Cooks said:


> Please post a review when you've read the whole book. I'm a big Heart fan and I have all their studio albums and a few of their live albums. Also recently got Ann Wilson's solo album. She does some really nice covers of The Youngbloods (Darkness, Darkness), The Animals (We've Gotta Get Out Of This Place), Led Zeppelin (Heart has done several covers of Zep in their concerts), and more, and has some interesting guests playing/singing in some of the songs including Elton John, Wynonna, and more. I hadn't expected much of the album Ann without Heart but I was pleasantly surprised.


Will do, Greg. I'm a fan myself. DW and I have seen them three times in the last 10 years, and it's amazing that Ann, who is now in her 60s, is still able to hit all those high notes so effortlessly. If anything, the band is as good now as they were when I first saw them 35 years ago.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Kayelle said:


> I just wanted to re-visit this by saying I just finished *From sea to Shining Sea, by Thom *and it will go down in my memory as one of the top favorite books of my life.  I'm overwhelmed by the power of this remarkable family in our American history.  For me, there was not one boring part in nearly a thousand pages and I hated to have it end.
> If historical novels interest you, this one is golden.



Thanks, Kayelle.  I have this one marked down.

I'm picking up an EA Poe book next.  Time for some classics.


----------



## Kylie1969

I have just started a book called Ripper


----------



## jabbur

Thanks for the recommendation Kayelle.  I just bought the book for my kindle.  Normally I try to stick to the "cheapies" for free or less than $5 but I recently bought another book that was recommended highly so thought I would try this one too.


----------



## Kayelle

PF and Jabbur, at nearly 1.000 pages I was glad to have it on my Nook Tablet.  Although it's an old book, it was not available at our library for some reason. 

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did !


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'll check the used bookstore first...I have scads of credit there.  Then I'll check the Kindle.


----------



## Claire

Claire said:


> OK, I wasn't able to get to the library for a few days, so went into my own "stash" of books and read _Preaching to the Corpse_ by Roberta Isleib, Mary Stewart's _The Ivy Tree_ (revisiting an old favorite from childhood!), and started Ian Rankin's  _Set in Darkness._
> 
> The books I picked up at the library were:
> 
> _Telegraph Avenue _(Michael Chabon)
> _San Miguel _(T.C. Boyle)
> _The Lower River _(Paul Theroux)
> _You Might as Well Die (_J.J. Murphy)
> _A Sunless Sea _(Anne Perry)
> _Salvation of a Saint _(Keigo Higashino)
> _The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken_ (Tarquin Hall)
> 
> I usually start with the book that seems the most easy and frivolous, then work up to ones that might be more challenging (this is a 2-3 week progression).  I'm not sure about Higashino's book.  I read several series that are translations, and some I love, and some I find, well, for lack of a better word, dense.  I haven't really enjoyed books translated from Russian or Japanese.  Turkish ... a couple of authors I like, but some are rather, well, like the Russian books (let's all go out and commit suicide).  The rash of Scandinavian authors I rather like, except for the last book (I don't feel like searching right now for the author's name, but it is, if memory which isn't much serves me, is something like a girl kicking a hornet's nest.  I really didn't like it, although I liked the author's previous books.  Maybe I'll try it again, after all, it isn't like he's going to write another book!



I went to renew a couple of these books, only to find out my library didn't have me recorded as having any books checked out.  Said I'm on my honor.  (this isn't the first time, I'm on very good terms with my library).  

_The Deadly Butter Chicken_ was fun once I realized there was a glossary at the back. 
_The Lower River_.  Not so much.  Very Conrad and Greene -ish and depressing.
_A Sunless Sea_  Very much like her other novels.  I love them all (there are three series).  She does tend to prosthetilize a bit, but the stories are good enough that I can get past it. 
_You Might as well Die_ a lot of fun.  I've always rather liked the concept of the Algonquin Round Table, and this is a fun fictional version.


----------



## Kylie1969

The book I am reading now "ripper" by Amy Carol Reeves is brilliant!

It is her debut novel and is a twist of Jack The Ripper...it flows so well and keeps me so interested that I cant wat to get into bed every night to read it 

I can see more wonderful novel coming from this lady and I intend to read them all....I am very impressed with her story and her writing


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am reading M.C. Beaton's - A Highland Christmas. I have enjoyed all of M.C. Beaton's books with Police Constable Hamish Macbeth of Lochdubh, Scotland.


----------



## Dawgluver

Kylie1969 said:
			
		

> The book I am reading now "ripper" by Amy Carol Reeves is brilliant!
> 
> It is her debut novel and is a twist of Jack The Ripper...it flows so well and keeps me so interested that I cant wat to get into bed every night to read it
> 
> I can see more wonderful novel coming from this lady and I intend to read them all....I am very impressed with her story and her writing



I will have to look that up, Kylie!

Right now I'm on "Dog On It."

Hmm, will have to look up your books too, JoAnn.

I just got the new Kindle Paperwhite, it's a beaut!  Sprung for the purple cover.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Just started the first Jack Reacher novel by Lee Child.  Shrek says I growled at him when he tried to get my attention.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

PrincessFiona60 said:
			
		

> Just started the first Jack Reacher novel by Lee Child.  Shrek says I growled at him when he tried to get my attention.



Growled? Must be a good book.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I am unaware of my response, I was reading...yes, very good.


----------



## tinlizzie

JoAnn L. said:


> I am reading M.C. Beaton's - A Highland Christmas. I have enjoyed all of M.C. Beaton's books with Police Constable Hamish Macbeth of Lochdubh, Scotland.



To me, the only bad thing about the Hamish Macbeth series is that I've read all the ones my library has.  And her Agatha Raisins, too.  Now I've begun to ask for Marion Chesney titles (the M. C. in M. C. Beaton).  I enjoy her sense of humor.


----------



## JoAnn L.

tinlizzie said:


> To me, the only bad thing about the Hamish Macbeth series is that I've read all the ones my library has.  And her Agatha Raisins, too.  Now I've begun to ask for Marion Chesney titles (the M. C. in M. C. Beaton).  I enjoy her sense of humor.



I have also read all of her Agatha Raisin stories too. That is the sad part when you have read all of her books. I feel the same about Hazel Holt and her Mrs. Malory mysteries. I am even starting to read some of her earlier stories again.


----------



## GrillingFool

Just finished Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Slayer.
Better than I thought it would be, interesting 
twist on history.
Starting second Jack Reacher novel now.


----------



## jabbur

I'm working my way through "From Sea to Shining Sea" that was recommended here.  It is a wonderful read.  I find myself googling things that come up in the book, looking for old maps and other historical references when I"m not reading the book.  Great stuff!


----------



## tinlizzie

JoAnn L. said:


> I have also read all of her Agatha Raisin stories too. That is the sad part when you have read all of her books. I feel the same about Hazel Holt and her Mrs. Malory mysteries. I am even starting to read some of her earlier stories again.



Thanks for another "new to me" author. 

I think I'll see if my library has the Macbeth Highlands Christmas for a repeat reading close to the holiday; it's been several years since I first read it.


----------



## Kylie1969

I have finished "Ripper" by Amy Carol Reeves...it was brilliant, I loved it!

Love the flow of the writing, the storyline, everything...it is her first novel but will certainly read more of them once she writes them


----------



## mmyap

I just finished The Crossing Places (Ruth Galloway Series #1) by Elly Griffiths.  Excellent mystery read.  I am going to start on her second in the series, The Janus Stone tonight.  I really enjoyed the Ruth Galloway character and look forward to the rest of the series.


----------



## babetoo

re=reading "one shining moment" quite approparate this time of year. wish i could find that pesky spell check.


----------



## Kayelle

jabbur said:


> I'm working my way through "From Sea to Shining Sea" that was recommended here.  It is a wonderful read.  I find myself googling things that come up in the book, looking for old maps and other historical references when I"m not reading the book.  Great stuff!



I'm so pleased you're enjoying it jabbur!  I found myself doing the same.  I think it would be wonderful extra credit reading in an American History class.
Since I finished it I'm having a hard time finding anything that holds my interest like that did.  Sometimes reading a really remarkable book can spoil you!


----------



## SharonT

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Just started the first Jack Reacher novel by Lee Child.  Shrek says I growled at him when he tried to get my attention.


I envy you, having that series yet to read!   "Gone Tomorrow" is one of the best, but I enjoyed every one of them.   AND I'll probably watch the movie... but Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher is such a STRETCH.  so to speak


----------



## taxlady

I'm reading George Takei's new ebook, _*Oh Myyy! *There Goes the Internet_. I'm really enjoying it and glad I got the pre-sale version. It's quite funny.


----------



## Dawgluver

taxlady said:


> I'm reading George Takei's new ebook, Oh Myyy! There Goes the Internet. I'm really enjoying it and glad I got the pre-sale version. It's quite funny.



I was gonna order it, is it still presale?

I'm on "Dog On It".


----------



## taxlady

Dawgluver said:


> I was gonna order it, is it still presale?
> 
> I'm on "Dog On It".


Nope, but I think you can order it for Kindle or Nook now.


----------



## Dawgluver

Shoot.  I think it comes out in a couple weeks for Kindle.


----------



## Zhizara

SharonT said:


> I envy you, having that series yet to read!   "Gone Tomorrow" is one of the best, but I enjoyed every one of them.   AND I'll probably watch the movie... but Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher is such a STRETCH.  so to speak



My thoughts exactly, especially considering the book's description of him.  I was thinking someone more like Daniel Craig.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

SharonT said:


> I envy you, having that series yet to read!   "Gone Tomorrow" is one of the best, but I enjoyed every one of them.   AND I'll probably watch the movie... but Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher is such a STRETCH.  so to speak



Shrek is reading, _Gone Tomorrow_, right now.  He's enjoying it.  Thanks so much for responding, now I know who to thank for the suggestion.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

And Tom Cruise was a very poor choice...


----------



## Kylie1969

taxlady said:


> I'm reading George Takei's new ebook, _*Oh Myyy! *There Goes the Internet_. I'm really enjoying it and glad I got the pre-sale version. It's quite funny.



What is that one about Taxy?


----------



## taxlady

Kylie1969 said:


> What is that one about Taxy?


It's mostly about his experience using Twitter and Facebook. He writes about the effect of having a lot of followers and his surprise.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am reading "A Christmas Story" by Jean Shepherd. It's the book that inspired the film.


----------



## Kylie1969

taxlady said:


> It's mostly about his experience using Twitter and Facebook. He writes about the effect of having a lot of followers and his surprise.



Cheers, that one sounds interesting


----------



## chopper

JoAnn L. said:
			
		

> I am reading "A Christmas Story" by Jean Shepherd. It's the book that inspired the film.



I love the movie and the book, "in God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash". It was my understanding that this is the book that the movie was based on.


----------



## taxlady

Kylie1969 said:


> Cheers, that one sounds interesting


Some of it is kinda slow, but other places I have laughed out loud.


----------



## JoAnn L.

chopper said:


> I love the movie and the book, "in God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash". It was my understanding that this is the book that the movie was based on.



On the inside back cover of this book it says--Jean Shepherd was the creator of the popular film A CHRISTMAS STORY, which is based on his books IN GOD WE TRUST: ALL OTHERS PAY CASH and WANDA HICKEY'S NIGHT OF GOLDEN MEMORIES  and OTHER DIASTERS. Jean Shepherd passed away in 1999.


----------



## chopper

JoAnn L. said:
			
		

> On the inside back cover of this book it says--Jean Shepherd was the creator of the popular film A CHRISTMAS STORY, which is based on his books IN GOD WE TRUST: ALL OTHERS PAY CASH and WANDA HICKEY'S NIGHT OF GOLDEN MEMORIES  and OTHER DIASTERS. Jean Shepherd passed away in 1999.



Ok. Thanks. I thought I was loosing my mind.


----------



## taxlady

Dawgluver said:


> I was gonna order it, is it still presale?
> 
> I'm on "Dog On It".


I just got an email saying that _Oh Myyy!_ is now available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.


----------



## jabbur

I just started The Last Temptation of Clarence Oddbody.  It' a take on the movie It's a Wonderful Life. Thought it would be good for Christmas.


----------



## Zhizara

With all this talk about George Takei, I checked my used book seller, and found 2 of his books to order.  He has such a great sense of humor.  I received one, a scifi story written with Asprin, but picked up a David Baldacci _Absolute Power _and got hooked.

The other George Takei book is an autobiography, which I'm hoping will be in my mailbox today.  I'm really looking forward to reading that one.


----------



## Dawgluver

taxlady said:


> I just got an email saying that Oh Myyy! is now available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.



Yes, I ordered it!  Thanks!


----------



## Claire

Just got back from a family emergency.  We drove for three days coming and going.  In the 3+weeks we were gone I read:

_The Hot Kid_ by Elmore Leonard.  Don't think it's one of his best, but still good.
Ian Rankin's _Fleshmarket Close_  Pretty good
_Deadly Advice _by Roberta Isleib.  I like "cozy" mysteries for brain junk food, and this fit the bill.
_A Reliable Wife_.  by Robert Goolrick.  Very interesting
_The September Society_ by Charles Finch.  This is a cross between Sherlock Holmes and Sir Peter Whimsley.  Great fun.  

These are all books I bought at the library guild's annual used book sale.  I usually work it, but wasn't sure my leg was up to it.  As it was, I bought 22 books for $20.  Obviously I went through half of them this trip.  A friend in California and I exchange books we think we'd like, and a couple of these qualify.  She sent me a half-dozen books when I was laid up with a broken hip.  Book friends are the best friends!


----------



## taxlady

Dawgluver said:


> Yes, I ordered it!  Thanks!


Hope you like it.


----------



## Dawgluver

taxlady said:


> Hope you like it.



I just like him as a person.  I enjoy reading his FB page, lots of funnies, and the guy is in his 70's!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Just started _The Innocent_, David Baldacci.  Good so far!


----------



## Kylie1969

I am currently reading some airy fairy stuff, Bicoastal Babe..it is pretty good though


----------



## jabbur

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Just started _The Innocent_, David Baldacci.  Good so far!



I have yet to read a bad book by Baldacci.  The first one of his I read was _Wish You Well_ set in the Virginia mountains.  Not his usual mystery/thriller genre but then I had nothing to go on since I hadn't read any of his other books.  I then started reading more of his works and have enjoyed every one I've read.  Complex characters, compelling story lines, wonderful settings.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

jabbur said:


> I have yet to read a bad book by Baldacci.  The first one of his I read was _Wish You Well_ set in the Virginia mountains.  Not his usual mystery/thriller genre but then I had nothing to go on since I hadn't read any of his other books.  I then started reading more of his works and have enjoyed every one I've read.  Complex characters, compelling story lines, wonderful settings.



I just have to see his name on a book...have to be careful I don't buy a second copy.


----------



## jabbur

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I just have to see his name on a book...have to be careful I don't buy a second copy.



I know!  I have to find a summary of the story line somewhere first!  I think I've read all the Camel Club ones finally.


----------



## vitauta

jabbur said:


> I have yet to read a bad book by Baldacci.  The first one of his I read was _Wish You Well_ set in the Virginia mountains.  Not his usual mystery/thriller genre but then I had nothing to go on since I hadn't read any of his other books.  I then started reading more of his works and have enjoyed every one I've read.  Complex characters, compelling story lines, wonderful settings.




jabbur, interesting that you should mention baldacci's wish you well. i've been a longtime fan of baldacci.  i was thrilled at finally be able to share a book of his with my aging mother.  she liked the book a great deal--was probably surprised at such a fine author never publishing another book.  sorry mom, david. as a fellow virginian, i am proud and pleased to share a  "residence" with such a great talent as baldacci.  i'm also proud that john grisham is a fellow virginian-- holds frequent local book-signings, and such.  i have read about half of his writings, but i'm afraid it has been mostly out of a rather perverse sense of loyalty...in contrast, ii picked up my addiction to baldacci before ever knowing that he was from virginia, and before i myself lived here.


----------



## jabbur

Vitauta - I was introduced to his writing through the UVA magazine. My son was a student there and the magazine did a short blurb on him (he got a degree from UVA and usually mentions the University in some fashion).  I picked up Wish You Well first and have been hooked ever since.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Claire said:


> Just got back from a family emergency.  We drove for three days coming and going.  In the 3+weeks we were gone I read:
> 
> _The Hot Kid_ by Elmore Leonard.  Don't think it's one of his best, but still good.
> Ian Rankin's _Fleshmarket Close_  Pretty good
> _Deadly Advice _by Roberta Isleib.  I like "cozy" mysteries for brain junk food, and this fit the bill.
> _A Reliable Wife_.  by Robert Goolrick.  Very interesting
> _The September Society_ by Charles Finch.  This is a cross between Sherlock Holmes and Sir Peter Whimsley.  Great fun.
> 
> These are all books I bought at the library guild's annual used book sale.  I usually work it, but wasn't sure my leg was up to it.  As it was, I bought 22 books for $20.  Obviously I went through half of them this trip.  A friend in California and I exchange books we think we'd like, and a couple of these qualify.  She sent me a half-dozen books when I was laid up with a broken hip.  Book friends are the best friends!



Welcome back. I missed your post.


----------



## vitauta

jabbur said:


> Vitauta - I was introduced to his writing through the UVA magazine. My son was a student there and the magazine did a short blurb on him (he got a degree from UVA and usually mentions the University in some fashion).  I picked up Wish You Well first and have been hooked ever since.





that's so cool, jabbur!  i suppose we dedicated baldacci followers have taken many different paths to get to him, but i'll bet most of us ultimately reach the same destination, and catch a severe baldacci habit.

...all roads lead to rome


----------



## PrincessFiona60

My first Baldacci was the first Camel Club story.  _The Innocent_ is breaking my wrist...I highly recommend this title.


----------



## jabbur

After reading Wish You Well and seeing all the comments about how different it was from Baldacci's usual stories, I had to go get one to see the contrast!  True Blue was the next one I read.


----------



## GrillingFool

Reading Lee Child's Jack Reacher books now.
If you like that genre, I highly recommend them.

And I just don't see Tom Cruise in the title role...


----------



## sparrowgrass

Any Stephen King fans out there?  You will love Let the Right One In, by John Ajvide Lindqvist.  Scary, scary, hard to put down vampire story.


----------



## Kylie1969

Sparrow, my hubby loves Stephen King 

I dont think he is into vampires though...but I am, will look into it, thanks


----------



## taxlady

I'm still on a Heinlein kick. I'm currently read _The Moon is a Harsh Mistress._ It's fun seeing how most of his books take place in the same "universe".


----------



## JoAnn L.

sparrowgrass said:


> Any Stephen King fans out there?  You will love Let the Right One In, by John Ajvide Lindqvist.  Scary, scary, hard to put down vampire story.



Thanks for the information. My daughter loves Stephen King and vampire stories.


----------



## vitauta

JP, Chrissie & The Fairground Boys - "If You Let Me" La Mina / Rocket Science Ventures - YouTube


----------



## vitauta

vitauta said:


> JP, Chrissie & The Fairground Boys - "If You Let Me" La Mina / Rocket Science Ventures - YouTube



chrissie hynde, the lead singer of the pretenders, wrote this song in cuba, together with her young scottish(?) lover/singer, after seeing the swedish vampire movie, let the right one in, about two years ago.  i don't know if this video was used in the movie trailer.  pretty intense song, as much about crissie's fresh new love affair as it is about this dark vampire movie.


----------



## jabbur

I just started "The Baritone wore Chiffon" by Mark Schweizer.  I read his first "The Alto wore Tweed" and really enjoyed it so got the next in the series.  It's kind of light reading which I needed after the Clark family saga.  The main character is a "character"!  Chief of Police in a rural town along with being the Episcopal Church organist and choir director and wannabe writer.  He writes outlandish stories ala Raymond Chandler that he adds to the choir folders.  There's always a mystery for the detective side of him while the church side is busy with all the intricacies of church.  Funny stuff!  Lots of classical music references also.


----------



## Zhizara

Another Baldacci fan here.  I finished _Absolute Power_ and am already half way through _The Whole Truth_.  I've got another two on the way, as well.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I have one chapter left of _The Innocent_, I believe I am avoiding it because I don't want it to end.


----------



## vitauta

parting with a good book is much like having to say goodbye to a friend who is moving away, permanently.  it's not quite death, but....

b&n is advertising ebooks for $6.99--cook books, some really good ones, with many well-known chefs.  fifty titles in all.  can kindle people read nook books as readily as i can buy and read kindle ebooks?


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am reading M.C. Beaton's book - Hiss and Hers, the lastest Agatha Raisin mystery. Love all of her books.


----------



## Kylie1969

I have started reading Marian Keyes latest book


----------



## tinlizzie

JoAnn L. said:


> I am reading M.C. Beaton's book - Hiss and Hers, the lastest Agatha Raisin mystery. Love all of her books.



I just finished _A Spoonful of Poison_ -- the one about the LSD-spiked jam.  I didn't recognize having read it before when I brought it home from the library, but it had been quite a while ago and she was fun all over again.  I'm happy to hear there's a new one to read.


----------



## JoAnn L.

tinlizzie said:


> I just finished _A Spoonful of Poison_ -- the one about the LSD-spiked jam.  I didn't recognize having read it before when I brought it home from the library, but it had been quite a while ago and she was fun all over again.  I'm happy to hear there's a new one to read.



I was on the waiting list at the library for about two months for Hiss and Hers and was glad to finally get it. When I am done reading this I am going to reread The Deadly Dance , another Agatha Reisin mystery. Poor Agatha she is having such a hard time growing older.


----------



## tinlizzie

JoAnn L. said:


> I was on the waiting list at the library for about two months for Hiss and Hers and was glad to finally get it. When I am done reading this I am going to reread The Deadly Dance , another Agatha Reisin mystery. Poor Agatha she is having such a hard time growing older.



Yes, but at least she has good legs and glossy hair.


----------



## Addie

I am reading the balance of my bank account. "$0"


----------



## Kayelle

This afternoon I finished Baldacci's "Christmas Train".  Nice time of year to read it it..very enjoyable listening to Christmas music in front of the tree.


----------



## Kylie1969

I have just started reading the next book in the Shopoholic series...love them!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_Toxin_ by Robin Cook.


----------



## tinlizzie

Map of the World by Jane Hamilton.


----------



## Steve Kroll

Just started the "Pendergast" series, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. I finished "Relic" and am now halfway through "Reliquary".

Creepy good.


----------



## Barbara L

I recently (and finally!) read _The Hunger Games_ Trilogy. Now I am reading _The Brotherhood (A Precinct 11 Novel)_, by Jerry B. Jenkins.


----------



## LPBeier

I am currently reading "The 1,000 Gift Dare".  It is very soul searching.  I am finding good in things I never thought I would....right down to my migraine yesterday - a chance to rest, block out everything and just concentrate on my breathing and my faith.  It worked too!


----------



## Barbara L

LPBeier said:


> I am currently reading "The 1,000 Gift Dare".  It is very soul searching.  I am finding good in things I never thought I would....right down to my migraine yesterday - a chance to rest, block out everything and just concentrate on my breathing and my faith.  It worked too!


Have you read _The Hiding Place_, by Corrie Ten Boom? Her sister sure taught her a lesson about finding the good in all situations! Even the fleas!


----------



## LPBeier

Yes, I read that years ago.  You should check out the 1,000 gift dare.  I will send you the info on it.  There is a devo for it too.


----------



## Zereh

_The Demi-Monde (Winter)_ by Rod Rees


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Steve Kroll said:


> Just started the "Pendergast" series, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. I finished "Relic" and am now halfway through "Reliquary".
> 
> Creepy good.




Love Pendergast!  I wish I had them to read the first time again!  Lucky you!


----------



## babetoo

worth more dead--------------ann rule


----------



## Claire

Just finished "Hiss and Hers" by M.C.Beaton, and almost am done with "Never say Pie" by Carol Culver.  Next in the chute are "Delusion in Death" bye J.D. Robb, "Invisible Murder" by Lene Kaqaberbol & Agnet Friis (the latest in authors in the Scandinavian translation murder mysteries) and "The 100-year Old Man Who Climbed out of the Window and Disappeared" by Jonas Jonasson, and Cop to Corpse by Peter Lovesey.  My "modus operendus" is to start with the lightest book and work up to the darker/heavier ones.  Then when I next hit the library, I'm ready for light again.  Since Dad and Godmother died over holidays, I simply don't do much serious anyway for the time being.  Pure escape is the name of the game!  Anyway the Pie and Hiss books were what you'd expect, the "cozy" mysteries; and I always enjoy the food-oriented ones.


----------



## taxlady

I'm reading _The Easy Way for Women to Stop Smoking_ by Allen Carr with Francesca Cesati. I friend of mine read it seven years ago and hasn't smoked since. It's looking good.


----------



## Barbara L

LPBeier said:


> Yes, I read that years ago.  You should check out the 1,000 gift dare.  I will send you the info on it.  There is a devo for it too.


Thanks!


----------



## JoAnn L.

Was very lucky this morning to find two of Veronica Black mysteries at the used book store. A Vow Of Obedience and A Vow Of Penance, both of them are a Sister Joan mystery. They take place in and around the Cornwall Convent in England.


----------



## tinlizzie

Oh boy!  Quite a few unread authors to try out.  Thanks to everyone for taking the time to chime in on this always-interesting thread.

I'm just beginning Tracy Chevalier's _Remarkable Creatures_ - she wrote _Girl_ _With a Pearl Earring_.  Good so far.

Finished an M.C. Beaton Edwardian novel written under her real name, Marion Chesney.  Already took it back and don't remember the name well enough to try it here.

Also read a collection of William Inge plays:  Come Back, Little Sheba (the movie version starred Burt Lancaster and Shirley Booth); The Dark at the Top of the Stairs; Picnic (Paul Newman was in the original Broadway cast those many moons ago); and Bus Stop (the movie version starred Marilyn Monroe and Don Murray).  Also, The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds - don't remember the playwright's name, it's gone already, too.  On tap is Carson McCuller's Member of the Wedding; and Is He Dead? by Mark Twain.  I didn't know he wrote plays.

And one more novel, _Swimming_, by Joanna Hershon.

Interesting how you prioritize them, Claire.  I usually have several going at once and the one I pick up for bedtime reading will depend on what kind of day it's been.  The Beaton/Chesneys smooth out the bumps of a hard day.  I really love the self-checkouts now in use at the library -- no need to be embarrassed if I decide to check out Fifty Shades.


----------



## Snip 13

I used to read a lot but stopped for a while. I'm always busy.
We just joined the Library and I've started reading Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich. Not bad so far. I've read lots of her other books and loved them all, hopefully this one just as good!


----------



## Claire

I just received my Amazon order for the orphan train trilogy by Noonan (seems there are two or  three trilogies; I wanted the one that features Galena).  This is for my twice weekly reading to a blind friend.  I'm hoping it is good, she usually isn't one who's big on fiction.  I just finished reading "Cat Chat" to her and left it for her daughter to read when she visits from France this summer.  For myself I'm on "Cop to Corpse".


----------



## Barbara L

I am reading a book a friend loaned us, "Islam and the Jews," by Mark A. Gabriel.


----------



## tinlizzie

Barbara L said:


> I am reading a book a friend loaned us, "Islam and the Jews," by Mark A. Gabriel.



Isn't there a signature somewhere here on DC that's something like, how little we know.  Isn't that the truth?  Educating ourselves, reading broadly can only do us good.


----------



## jabbur

I've got 2 going at the time.  I'm reading Bonhoffer by Eric Metaxas.  It's interesting reading about his family history and upbringing.  It's just now getting to his interest in theology.  I'm also reading The Two Crosses by Ernie Lindsey about two men empowered with healing people.


----------



## Snip 13

I'm on chapter 8 of Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich. Loving it! It such a light and funny read.


----------



## Kylie1969

I am currently reading the 5th book in the series of Confessions of a Shopoholic...love this series


----------



## Snip 13

Kylie1969 said:


> I am currently reading the 5th book in the series of Confessions of a Shopoholic...love this series


 
I've read that  It's cute. I'm on a Janet Evanovich mission at the moment. I need some laughs!


----------



## Claire

Snip 13 said:


> I'm on chapter 8 of Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich. Loving it! It such a light and funny read.



I read an interview with her once.  The interviewer commented that all of her characters were believable except the grandmother.  Evanovich replied that all the characters were products of her imagiination .. except the grandmother, who is actually her aunt, a real person.


----------



## menumaker

' No great Mischief ' by Alistair MacLeod. A wonderful story of a Scottish family of immigrants to Cape Breton from 1779 until the present.


----------



## Snip 13

Claire said:


> I read an interview with her once. The interviewer commented that all of her characters were believable except the grandmother. Evanovich replied that all the characters were products of her imagiination .. except the grandmother, who is actually her aunt, a real person.


 
I didn't know that. The grandmother in the Stephanie Plum series was my favourite character! I could just imagine a crazy old lady with flame red hair that wants to shoot everyone


----------



## tinlizzie

menumaker said:


> ' No great Mischief ' by Alistair MacLeod. A wonderful story of a Scottish family of immigrants to Cape Breton from 1779 until the present.



Although it's impossible to ever know the number, no doubt many a reader will read your post, say "Oooo.  _That _sounds good," and grab up a pencil to add this selection to their list of future reads, as I will.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

tinlizzie said:


> Although it's impossible to ever know the number, no doubt many a reader will read your post, say "Oooo.  _That _sounds good," and grab up a pencil to add this selection to their list of future reads, as I will.



Now where did that list of books go???


----------



## vitauta

i'm quite astonished at the sheer lyrical beauty of the book recently authored by a good friend of mine.  it's probably as well written as anything i've read in the past year.  i'm referring to mike romeling's "tale of the taconic mountains".  and, in his own words, "hey, did i mention that it goes for less than a gallon of gas today?  just sayin.'  the book is equal parts mystery, history and paranormal, and the kindle version is a bargain at under four dollars....


----------



## Katie H

At the recommendation of my best friend, I just began reading _Fifty Shades of Grey_ by E.L. James.  Apparently it caused quite a stir within the literary community but, so far, I don't see any reason for any uproar.  If it doesn't pick up very soon, I may return it to the library.


----------



## simonbaker

Katie H said:


> At the recommendation of my best friend, I just began reading _Fifty Shades of Grey_ by E.L. James. Apparently it caused quite a stir within the literary community but, so far, I don't see any reason for any uproar. If it doesn't pick up very soon, I may return it to the library.


 It is worth the read once you get into it. I am on the 2nd book right now Fifty shades darker. I am almost done & ready for the 3rd book


----------



## tinlizzie

*Hey Mystery Fans*

An article in the newspaper announced this year's Edgar Allan Poe Awards (Edgars) winners.  Details & more at the website mysterywriters.org; if you're interested in Florida writers, try mwaflorida.org.


----------



## Kylie1969

Snip 13 said:


> I've read that  It's cute. I'm on a Janet Evanovich mission at the moment. I need some laughs!



Snip, have you read all of her Shopaholic series?


----------



## Snip 13

Kylie1969 said:


> Snip, have you read all of her Shopaholic series?


 
Don't think I've read them all. The Confession of a Shopaholic Series was co authored by Sophie Kinsella wasn't it? I read it long ago, can't remember all the details.
I read Confessions of a shopaholic, Shopaholic Takes Manhattan and Shopaholic ties the knot.

I've read the Stephanie Plum series completely, Metro Girl and finished Motor Mouth last night. Love them all so far


----------



## tinlizzie

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Now where did that list of books go???



Just noticed that the Princess is listless.  Maybe she should visit the Klatch room - there's a hot tub going in.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

tinlizzie said:


> Just noticed that the Princess is listless.  Maybe she should visit the Klatch room - there's a hot tub going in.



I know...I've been watching Thor...err, Bubba putting it in.


----------



## vitauta

did you catch that fancy cross-referencing move of tin's this morning?  love that!  makes everybody scramble to see what they've been missing.

alix and pf must have season seats for that bay window... and they claim that watching construction work on the back deck is the main attraction--yeah, right....


----------



## PrincessFiona60

vitauta said:


> did you catch that fancy cross-referencing move of tin's this morning?  love that!  makes everybody scramble to see what they've been missing.
> 
> alix and pf must have season seats for that bay window... and they claim that watching construction work on the back deck is the main attraction--yeah, right....



We like hollering work suggestions to Thor, like..."take off your shirt"


----------



## vitauta

PrincessFiona60 said:


> We like hollering work suggestions to Thor, like..."take off your shirt"




we must make sure to invite the work crew to our big spring bar-b-que that's in the works for when all of this work is over and done with. can't you just see Thor working that grill, putting his brand marks on some big juicy rib and strip steaks, lord, sucking on a beer can, hot doggg....


----------



## Claire

tinlizzie said:


> An article in the newspaper announced this year's Edgar Allan Poe Awards (Edgars) winners.  Details & more at the website mysterywriters.org; if you're interested in Florida writers, try mwaflorida.org.


Will look this up!


----------



## Claire

Snip 13 said:


> I used to read a lot but stopped for a while. I'm always busy.
> We just joined the Library and I've started reading Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich. Not bad so far. I've read lots of her other books and loved them all, hopefully this one just as good!



Snip, when my sister had her children, she stopped reading for awhile, because she said that she got so involved with the book, that it was one or the other.  Her kids are now in their teens and she can now relax a bit and read!


----------



## Claire

Claire said:


> Just finished "Hiss and Hers" by M.C.Beaton, and almost am done with "Never say Pie" by Carol Culver.  Next in the chute are "Delusion in Death" bye J.D. Robb, "Invisible Murder" by Lene Kaqaberbol & Agnet Friis (the latest in authors in the Scandinavian translation murder mysteries) and "The 100-year Old Man Who Climbed out of the Window and Disappeared" by Jonas Jonasson, and Cop to Corpse by Peter Lovesey.  My "modus operendus" is to start with the lightest book and work up to the darker/heavier ones.  Then when I next hit the library, I'm ready for light again.  Since Dad and Godmother died over holidays, I simply don't do much serious anyway for the time being.  Pure escape is the name of the game!  Anyway the Pie and Hiss books were what you'd expect, the "cozy" mysteries; and I always enjoy the food-oriented ones.




All of these books, except one, turned out to be exactly what I expected over the past few weeks.  But I have to say that "The 100 year old man..." was the most engaging, just because it was so very unusual.  I guess it started when I checked it out.  I was approaching the checkout counter and overheard a librarian say that his father would be 100 years old today if he'd lived that long.  Then I brought the book up and he laughed.  Good humor

Turned out to be an interesting and fun book if you're into a bit of dark humor.  Think Forest Gump, the sixties movie, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World" and both versions of "the Lady Killers" movies rolled into one.  A little too long, but fun.


----------



## Kylie1969

Snip 13 said:


> Don't think I've read them all. The Confession of a Shopaholic Series was co authored by Sophie Kinsella wasn't it? I read it long ago, can't remember all the details.
> I read Confessions of a shopaholic, Shopaholic Takes Manhattan and Shopaholic ties the knot.



Sophie Kinsella wrote them all as far as I am aware Snip


----------



## tinlizzie

_Remarkable Creatures_ by Tracy Chevalier.  She brings the true-life story of a young woman, Mary Anning, who finds amazing fossils on the English coast near Lyme Regis in 1823. Most important were the first ever discovered fossilized remains of a "Loch Ness monster," as we think of this creature. This exhibit, a plesiosaurus, is still in the British Museum in London.  Check it out on Wikipedia, and try this book.  It's only a couple of years old - 2010.


----------



## Snip 13

Claire said:


> Snip, when my sister had her children, she stopped reading for awhile, because she said that she got so involved with the book, that it was one or the other. Her kids are now in their teens and she can now relax a bit and read!


 
That's the same reason why I don't read much. I get too involved and ignore my kids


----------



## mmyap

I picked up _White Nights_ by Ann Cleeves from the library.  Its part of a mystery series that takes place on Shetland Island.  I'm looking forward to starting it.


----------



## Katie H

tinlizzie said:


> _Remarkable Creatures_ by Tracy Chevalier.  She brings the true-life story of a young woman, Mary Anning, who finds amazing fossils on the English coast near Lyme Regis in 1823. Most important were the first ever discovered fossilized remains of a "Loch Ness monster," as we think of this creature. This exhibit, a plesiosaurus, is still in the British Museum in London.  Check it out on Wikipedia, and try this book.  It's only a couple of years old - 2010.



If this is the first book you've read by Tracy Chevalier, I encourage you to read her other works.  She's wonderful.


----------



## Andy M.

I just started, "The Red Sox Years" by Terry Francona and Dan Shaughnessy.  Francona is a former Red Sox manager.

I also have the complete Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Both Nook books.

All set for vacation.


----------



## Katie H

simonbaker said:


> It is worth the read once you get into it. I am on the 2nd book right now Fifty shades darker. I am almost done & ready for the 3rd book



Yep, I persevered and read the whole book.  Wow!  Certainly addictive and I've just begun _Fifty Shades Darker_.  Wonder if there'll be more than three in the series.  Or if the third one ties things up like a nice package.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am reading a cookbook, with lots of great stories in it. It's called Southern Living "Off The Eaten Path" by Morgan Murphy. Fannie Flagg worte the Foreward, she says she wishes she could go back in time to the little out of the way Cafe's that she went to with her mom and dad. Don't we all.


----------



## jabbur

I just snagged the next 2 books in the Grimm Curse series for under $5 for my kindle.  The original was free on pixel of ink (I think or maybe book bub) so I checked it out to make sure it was the same one I read and saw the other two.  Can't wait to dig into them!  I'm enjoying the Bonhoeffer book but it is heavy reading so I only get a few pages done each day.  He's a remarkable man and was a classic overachiever and super intelligent.  Makes me tired reading about everything he was doing during college!


----------



## Kylie1969

I want to read The Hobbit next but since I have not read it before and I have seen the first Hobbit movie, I don't want to read it yet as I don't kpwant to know what is going to happen it the 2nd and 3rd hobbit films


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Kylie1969 said:


> I want to read The Hobbit next but since I have not read it before and I have seen the first Hobbit movie, I don't want to read it yet as I don't kpwant to know what is going to happen it the 2nd and 3rd hobbit films



Read, read....it is the best story ever and the book will not ruin your enjoyment of the movies, if nothing else you will get some of the back story and enjoy the movies more.


----------



## Kylie1969

You are tempting me Fi


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Kylie1969 said:


> You are tempting me Fi



It's one of those books I think everyone should read...it makes me wish I was reading it again for the first time.


----------



## Kylie1969

Okay Fi, you have convinced me, it is already on my kindle and I will read it when I finish the book I am on now


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Kylie1969 said:


> Okay Fi, you have convinced me, it is already on my kindle and I will read it when I finish the book I am on now



Make sure you show everyone your broken arm from when I convinced you...


----------



## radhuni

I am very fond of classics I am rereading 'Hunchback of Notre Dame'


----------



## Addie

radhuni said:


> I am very fond of classics I am rereading 'Hunchback of Notre Dame'


 
One of my H.S. must reads. Never sorry I did. From that I went to the school library and must have read every book they had. I started to really enjoy reading in the fourth grade. Faded off somewhat, and H.S. brought me back to the book shelf.


----------



## Steve Kroll

I'm still making my way through the Pendergast novels. I just started book four, "Still Life with Crows". "Cabinet of Curiosities" was excellent, although I have to admit I found the ending just a little unsatisfying.


----------



## Zhizara

When I was in Jr. High School, my free period was the first period.  Since I had already done my homework, I was bored to death.  A teacher offered me the opportunity to work in the library instead.  She turned me on to books, and I'm an avid reader still.

It was also a wonderful preparation for office work, filing, checking books in and out, and even book repairs.  It taught me at a young age to be organized.

I've been on a David Baldacci binge, with some Jeffrey Deaver and Greg Iles in the mix.  Right now, I'm reading _Devil's Teardrop_ by Jeffrey Deaver, with 4 more David Baldacci books behind it.  Heaven!


----------



## tinlizzie

radhuni said:


> I am very fond of classics I am rereading 'Hunchback of Notre Dame'



I've no excuse, but I've not read it.  Yet.  Thank you for the poke.

If I may stray off France for a minute -- did you hear that they have found the remains of Richard III in England?  They partially identified it by the curvature of the spine (we term it scoliosis), giving him the 'hunchback.'  They also used DNA of a living descendant of the family to confirm the identification.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Steve Kroll said:


> I'm still making my way through the Pendergast novels. I just started book four, "Still Life with Crows". "Cabinet of Curiosities" was excellent, although I have to admit I found the ending just a little unsatisfying.



They just leave you wanting more.  "Still Life" was a wrist breaker for me, I couldn't read it fast enough.



Zhizara said:


> When I was in Jr. High School, my free period was the first period.  Since I had already done my homework, I was bored to death.  A teacher offered me the opportunity to work in the library instead.  She turned me on to books, and I'm an avid reader still.
> 
> It was also a wonderful preparation for office work, filing, checking books in and out, and even book repairs.  It taught me at a young age to be organized.
> 
> I've been on a David Baldacci binge, with some Jeffrey Deaver and Greg Iles in the mix.  Right now, I'm reading _Devil's Teardrop_ by Jeffrey Deaver, with 4 more David Baldacci books behind it.  Heaven!



I worked in the Library too, in High School and the Front Office.  I just finished Robert Crais' "Suspect"...have a box of tissues handy.  I think it's his best, yet. Just started another Baldacci, "Zero Day."



tinlizzie said:


> I've no excuse, but I've not read it.  Yet.  Thank you for the poke.
> 
> If I may stray off France for a minute -- did you hear that they have found the remains of Richard III in England?  They partially identified it by the curvature of the spine (we term it scoliosis), giving him the 'hunchback.'  They also used DNA of a living descendant of the family to confirm the identification.



Found Richard III, cool!!  Don't forget "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "The Three Musketeers" all worth the read.

So many books, so little time...


----------



## Steve Kroll

tinlizzie said:


> If I may stray off France for a minute -- did you hear that they have found the remains of Richard III in England?  They partially identified it by the curvature of the spine (we term it scoliosis), giving him the 'hunchback.'  They also used DNA of a living descendant of the family to confirm the identification.


What I find amazing is the uncanny family resemblance of the descendant. Even though they are separated by 500 years, you can see the same gaunt frame and similar facial features.


----------



## Kylie1969

I have just started reading The Hobbit


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet  hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry,  bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a  hobbit-hole, and that means comfort."        _


----------



## radhuni

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Don't forget "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "The Three Musketeers" all worth the read.
> 
> So many books, so little time...



Both are very favorite to me. I read original English translation of both. I wish someday I will learn French and will able to read the originals.

"So many books, so little time" - very true.


----------



## radhuni

Kylie1969 said:


> I have just started reading The Hobbit



I have just the book but haven't started yet. 

Now I am reading ' The sparkling cyanide' by Agatha Christie.


----------



## mmyap

I'm half way through "White Knights" by Ann Cleeves.  A Shetland Island mystery.  And I'm a quarter of the way through a audible book called "A Fatal Winter,"  the main character is a vicar named Max Tudor.  Very english country house murder.  Perfect for my noctural rambling/insomnia episodes.  

Kylie1969, if this is your virgin reading of the Hobbit I envy you.  I think the Hobbit is one of the reasons why I'm such an evid reader.  Wonderful book.  (BTW, I have it on audible too.  Can't wait to get to that one.  I think I've read it like 6 times.)  Enjoy. =o)


----------



## Kylie1969

Yes MM, this is the first time for me and I am really enjoying it and having recently seen The Hobbit at the pictures....twice.....I am noticing that they have closely stuck to the book for the film as when I am reading some lines, it is exactly what the actors have said for example


----------



## Kylie1969

radhuni said:


> I have just the book but haven't started yet.
> 
> Now I am reading ' The sparkling cyanide' by Agatha Christie.



Rad, I hope you enjoy The Hobbit


----------



## JoAnn L.

Reading THE MILLS OF GOD by Deryn Lake. In a sleepy village in England it becomes a place of terror and night shadows. The new vicar and Inspector Tennant try to find a serial killer.


----------



## Snip 13

I just started reading The Indian Clerk by David Levitt.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Went to the library and got Gooseberry Patch's BIG BOOK OF HOLIDAY COOKING. There are recipes for year round celebrating. It is a beautiful cookbook, with lots of great tips along with the recipes.


----------



## vitauta

citizenville, by gavin newsom.  also, jose baez's book, presumed guilty:  casey anthony.


----------



## GrillingFool

I'm reading the Charlie Parker series by John Connolly.
Ex-cop turned private investigator, with a very interesting
meta-physical, evil incarnate on earth twist.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_The Inquisitor's Key_-A Body Farm Novel, by Jefferson Bass (yes, I know they are two people).  In the UK the book title is, _The Bones of Avignon_.


----------



## SharonT

I just read "The Queen's Gambit" by Walter Tevis for the 3rd... maybe 4th... time.   Read about it!  From a review by "HeadButler" Jesse Kornbluth:
"I believe that you will care about Beth Harmon more than any fictional character you've encountered in years and years.
I believe that you will grasp the wrench of loneliness --- and the power of love --- as if this book were happening to you.
And I believe that you will weep, and cheer, and, at the end, raise your fist like a fool for a little girl who never existed and a game only nerds play."
the complete review


----------



## SharonT

vitauta said:


> jose baez's book, presumed guilty:  casey anthony.


I just read the prosecutor's book:  "Imperfect Justice."   Such a sad and fascinating case.


----------



## vitauta

i'm, like, not a junkie for every big scandalous murder trial that comes along, truly i'm not.  but i got all caught up with this very sad and bizarre case of casey anthony's. i followed it closely while the trial was ongoing, and now, 1 1/2 years later, i couldn't help but return to the scene of the crime. 
sharon--too bad we can't trade books when we're done....


----------



## SharonT

I'm sure neither book can say "what really happened" - which is what we want to know!  I didn't know many of the details before reading the book - just that the verdict was a shock to many.  I thought the Ashton book was not particularly well written.  He really didn't hide his disdain for Baez.  Don't know if I'll opt for another $4.99 for "Presumed Guilty" (the Kindle price for both books).  Let me know if you think I should!


----------



## radhuni

I am reading 'Mordants need' by Stephen Donaldson. I never read stephen Donaldson before


----------



## Claire

I have a thing for mysteries (I guess the proper term is crime fiction).  I like both the "cozies" and the darker ones.  In the latter category are the Scandinavian authors who seem to be coming out of the woodwork.  Right now I'm reading "Phantom" by Jo Nesbo (Norwegian), and just finished "Lethal Investments"  by k.o. dahl (another Norwegian).  But there seem to be a lot of Scandinavian authors in this genre lately.  And I like most of them, so far.


----------



## DouglasMB

Duma Key    Steven king...  I am almost finished then I am going to read the last book in the Wheel of time series started by the late Robert Jordan.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Claire said:


> I have a thing for mysteries (I guess the proper term is crime fiction).  I like both the "cozies" and the darker ones.  In the latter category are the Scandinavian authors who seem to be coming out of the woodwork.  Right now I'm reading "Phantom" by Jo Nesbo (Norwegian), and just finished "Lethal Investments"  by k.o. dahl (another Norwegian).  But there seem to be a lot of Scandinavian authors in this genre lately.  And I like most of them, so far.



Claire; These are two of my favorite authors from Sweden: 

Henning Mankell- all of his Insp. Kurt Wallander (they have made for TV some mysteries from his books on PBS).

Hakan Nesser- Insp. VanVeeteren


----------



## Claire

JoAnn L. said:


> Claire; These are two of my favorite authors from Sweden:
> 
> Henning Mankell- all of his Insp. Kurt Wallander (they have made for TV some mysteries from his books on PBS).
> 
> Hakan Nesser- Insp. VanVeeteren



I've read (and seen, on BBC/PBS the Mankell/Wallander series.  Not read anything by Nesser.  I particularly like to keep up with the Swedish, since I have a Swedish friend.


----------



## vitauta

SharonT said:


> I'm sure neither book can say "what really happened" - which is what we want to know!  I didn't know many of the details before reading the book - just that the verdict was a shock to many.  I thought the Ashton book was not particularly well written.  He really didn't hide his disdain for Baez.  Don't know if I'll opt for another $4.99 for "Presumed Guilty" (the Kindle price for both books).  Let me know if you think I should!



Yow, sharon, i owe you a big apology!  my intention was to get back to you right after finishing the baez book, but i forgot, and it's probably a moot question for you by now.
just in case you are still interested, of the two poorly written books about the casey anthony trial, the baez one was by far the more interesting one.  

what made the reading of both books especially tedious was that neither baez or ashton seemed able to resist the temptation of retrying their lengthy, ponderous cases for a second time in their books.  and both were guilty of attacking each other voraciously through character assassination and petty one-upsmanship.  as a result, neither one came across as very credible when it really counted.

i must say, one thing resulting from my reading 'presumed guilty', was that my opinion about the verdict in this case underwent--not a reversal, but a major change.  the reason being that i learned quite a bit of  information about casey, her family, and about case evidence in general, to which i had not been privy at the time of the trial.

eventually, i imagine a 'casey' book will find its way into print, but as you already stated, we will likely never know the true facts regarding this tragic death.


----------



## tinlizzie

On my nighttable is _The Book of Salt_ by Monique Truong.  It concerns the Vietnamese private cook of Alice B. Toklas & Gertrude Stein, Paris, 1934.  The book was inspired by this from the _A_l_ice B. Toklas Cook Book,_ "Two American ladies wish to retain a cook -- 27 rue de Fleurus."


----------



## jabbur

I'm currently reading "The Blue Sweater" by Jacqueline Novogratz.  It's about her time in Africa working in microfinance and helping poor women achieve economic independence.  It's pretty compelling reading.  At first, I was worried it was going to be more ideological but it's turning out to be more about how she learned to navigate her way through other cultures.


----------



## Kylie1969

Started a new ebook last night but couldn't get into it...so must select one tonight...maybe a Marian Keyes one


----------



## vitauta

i just finished maziar bahari's book, then they came for me.  it's the story of bahari's abuse and torture in an iranian prison, as a political prisoner after the 'free' election in iran that reinstated ahmadinejad as its ruler.  not an easy book to digest, but i feel a connection and kinship with the iranian people who i previously knew next to nothing about.


----------



## jharris

The Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War 1861-1865 
Leander Stillwell

A personal story detailing events in the American Civil War through the eyes of a Union enlisted man.


----------



## Kylie1969

I have started reading The Vault by Ruth Rendell


----------



## tinlizzie

Finally picked up _Hiss & Hers,_ an Agatha Raisin, by M. C. Beaton.

Still must finish _The Book of Salt_.  A Randy Wayne White paperback is on the stack - _Captiva_.  The location is Captiva Island, a sister island to Sanibel, both nearby local spots - not surprisingly, the book is well-thumbed and kind of beat up.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Kylie1969 said:


> I have started reading The Vault by Ruth Rendell



Ruth Rendell is one of my favorite authors, I especially like all of her Chief Inspector Wexford series of which The Vault is one. Have you read all of the others?


----------



## Kylie1969

JoAnn, I have read a fair few of her novels and lots of the Wexford series...I am really enjoying this one too


----------



## mmyap

I picked up an Aaron Elkins / Make No Bones.  Its a Gideon Oliver book.  I don't believe I've read any previously.  Looking forward a nice murder mystery.

I recently finished a book titled Honolulu by Alan Brennert.  It was a really good read and gives a fictional account of the history of Oahu through the eyes of a Korean mail order bride.  If you plan a trip to the islands I'd recommend this book.  You'll get a peek at all the different racial influences that make our island home a unique and wonderful place.

I'm sorry, I don't mean to dump but I want to also mention a mystery series by Ellie Griffiths, first book is The Crossing Places.  I love her main character, Ruth Galloway.  Excellent reading.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

mmyap said:


> I picked up an Aaron Elkins / Make No Bones.  Its a Gideon Oliver book.  I don't believe I've read any previously.  Looking forward a nice murder mystery.
> 
> I recently finished a book titled Honolulu by Alan Brennert.  It was a really good read and gives a fictional account of the history of Oahu through the eyes of a Korean mail order bride. _* If you plan a trip to the islands *_I'd recommend this book.  You'll get a peek at all the different racial influences that make our island home a unique and wonderful place.
> 
> I'm sorry, I don't mean to dump but I want to also mention a mystery series by Ellie Griffiths, first book is The Crossing Places.  I love her main character, Ruth Galloway.  Excellent reading.



If I plan a trip to the islands, I'm telling you first...you know where all the good restaurants are...


----------



## jharris

Roughing It, Mark Twain

http://books.google.com/books/about/Roughing_It.html?id=DRv0zxqSTU4C


----------



## tinlizzie

mmyap said:


> I recently finished a book titled Honolulu by Alan Brennert.  It was a really good read and gives a fictional account of the history of Oahu through the eyes of a Korean mail order bride.  If you plan a trip to the islands I'd recommend this book.  You'll get a peek at all the different racial influences that make our island home a unique and wonderful place.



I read Michener's book _Hawaii_ many years ago and still think of parts of it, especially the contributions of different races.  I'll have to check our library for the Brennert book.  Thanks.


----------



## radhuni

Short stories of Leo Tolstoy


----------



## CharlieD

Boris Akunin. "Murder on Leviathan". Bought it for my wife and now am reading it in English, go figure.


----------



## 2old2change

I just finished 2.
Lincoln Childs & Doug Preston's new release I waited since January 3rd for: 'Two Graves' and Lisa Gardner's 'Love You More'.
I wanted to read her newest release 'Touch & Go', but I had to read this first as the second is a result of the aftermath of the first.
Both good, but not to impressed as much as I thought I would be with the Lincoln & Childs one as I was with I think was the best one; "The Cabinet of Curiousities'. Outstanding!


----------



## mmyap

PrincessFiona60 said:


> If I plan a trip to the islands, I'm telling you first...you know where all the good restaurants are...


 
It's a deal!


----------



## SharonT

The Kindle edition of Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" is available for free at Amazon...


----------



## SharonT

vitauta said:


> Yow, sharon, i owe you a big apology!



Not at all!   But I'm glad to have your impressions of "the other side of the story."   My daughter is reading "Imperfect Justice" right now, so I'll read the other one and pass it on to her.


----------



## Kylie1969

I have just started reading the 2nd latest Sophie Kinsella novel I've Got Your Number


----------



## JoAnn L.

Just got my reserved copy of Deborah Crombie's book, THE SOUND OF BROKEN GLASS from the library.


----------



## radhuni

'The oath of the Vayuputras' the final book of Shiva trilogy. The overall story is good except some loose ends but the narrative is unbearable, the English is bad sometime also wrong, full of anachronism every moment the reader have to stumble upon a totally mismatched word or concept.

And it is thoroughly influenced by Dan Brown.


----------



## 2old2change

Patricia Cornwell's _The Bone Bed _


----------



## vitauta

i would like to read a book based on patricia cornwell's life. she has emerged an even more fascinating person in real life than the character in her books.


----------



## cara

just finished Jane M. Auels Earth's Children. 
Going on with Stephen King/Peter Straub "black House", which I came across in the library..


----------



## CWS4322

I'm reading the FGI's Design and Construction Guidelines for Healthcare Facilities. I don't have time for leisure reading right now. But, I hope to in May!


----------



## Kylie1969

I have started reading a Marian Keyes ebook...Anybody Out There


----------



## SharonT

Just starting "Beautiful Ruins" by Jess Walter


----------



## Steve Kroll

"Dimension of Miracles" by Robert Sheckley


----------



## Zereh




----------



## Claire

Just finished _The Paris Wife_ and _The Kingmaker's Daughter_.  I think I've had enough historical fiction for now.  Don't get me wrong, both were good.  But when you know how a book ends when you start reading, and it ain't good, it can get a bit depressing.  I mean, I knew that Richard killed a couple of nephews, and I knew Hemmingway came from a line of suicides (I didn't know his first wife did as well).  But, Gee.  Way too depressing.  I need something cheerful.


----------



## SharonT

Claire said:


> I need something cheerful.


You should read "Beautiful Ruins," which I just finished a few minutes ago.   It's delightful.  There are some real life historical characters who make brief appearances.


----------



## Claire

Well, it wasn't cheerful, but a recent book was "Her Fearful Symmetry".  Talk about creepy, especially since a couple of my friends are identical twins.  It happened to be one of the few books I actually bought (I rarely buy books, usually am a library person, but will pick them up used at book sales and on Amazon), so asked my twin friends if they read it.  Nope.  Interested?  YES!  I'm going to be curious to see their reaction.  They both like anything about twins and anything about ghosts, so it should be fun.


----------



## Claire

mmyap & tinlizzie:  I lived on Oahu off & on for 10 years.  I read Michener's _Hawaii_ en route and when I first got there.  As always whenever we moved I hit the local literature section of the library and read and read and read some more, and was pleased that Michener's book was actually pretty fairly true to life (I mean, after all, a novel is a novel).  I still have a few friends left in the islands and will find this book, since we had some friends in the Korean/Hawaiian/American community (actually, still do).  I don't often buy books, but may look this one up on Amazon and pass it on to my --- well, Korean/Hawaiian/American friend!


----------



## mmyap

Claire said:


> mmyap & tinlizzie:  I lived on Oahu off & on for 10 years.  I read Michener's _Hawaii_ en route and when I first got there.  As always whenever we moved I hit the local literature section of the library and read and read and read some more, and was pleased that Michener's book was actually pretty fairly true to life (I mean, after all, a novel is a novel).  I still have a few friends left in the islands and will find this book, since we had some friends in the Korean/Hawaiian/American community (actually, still do).  I don't often buy books, but may look this one up on Amazon and pass it on to my --- well, Korean/Hawaiian/American friend!



You are going to find yourself saying "I been there!" and "I ate that!"


----------



## mmyap

I just finished Ian Rankin "Standing In Another Man's Grave."  One of the Inspector Rebus books.  Loved it.  I thought that when Inspector Rebus retired that would be the end of the series but apparently not.  Still lots of mischief for him to get into.


----------



## desertwillow

"Corpse - Nature, Forensics, and the Struggle to Pinpoint Time of Death." Really neat if you're into forensic entomology and forensic botony. Or just science/nature/biology in general. It's not as gross/morbid as I was prepared for it to be.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

desertwillow said:


> "Corpse - Nature, Forensics, and the Struggle to Pinpoint Time of Death." Really neat if you're into forensic entomology and forensic botony. Or just science/nature/biology in general. It's not as gross/morbid as I was prepared for it to be.




That sounds interesting!  Who is the author?  I love things like that, as long as I don't have to watch it on screen.


----------



## jharris

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Tennessee_Anthropological_Research_Facility


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Yes, The Body Farm, have read all the books by Jon Jefferson & Bill Bass.  Even looked into donating myself when the time comes.


----------



## Addie

I brought up that subject with my kids PF. They were horrified. My youngest who while in training worked on cadavers, was the most vocal. I didn't even get a chance to tell them that when the facility is through with the body, it is returned to the family for buriel.


----------



## Claire

desertwillow said:


> "Corpse - Nature, Forensics, and the Struggle to Pinpoint Time of Death." Really neat if you're into forensic entomology and forensic botony. Or just science/nature/biology in general. It's not as gross/morbid as I was prepared for it to be.



I used to work for the entomology department of the Bishop Museum in Hawaii.  Weird stuff.


----------



## GotGarlic

Addie said:


> I brought up that subject with my kids PF. They were horrified. My youngest who while in training worked on cadavers, was the most vocal. I didn't even get a chance to tell them that when the facility is through with the body, it is returned to the family for buriel.



I found out from working at the medical school that if you've had a lot of surgery, they don't necessarily want your body. It's a teaching tool so it's best if everything is intact. lol


----------



## PrincessFiona60

GotGarlic said:


> I found out from working at the medical school that if you've had a lot of surgery, they don't necessarily want your body. It's a teaching tool so it's best if everything is intact. lol



That's why The Body Farm is a good alternative. It is used for teaching forensics, not anatomy.


----------



## Addie

GotGarlic said:


> I found out from working at the medical school that if you've had a lot of surgery, they don't necessarily want your body. It's a teaching tool so it's best if everything is intact. lol


 
That leaves me out. I have more missing than intact.


----------



## Kylie1969

Soon I will be starting Marco Pierre White's book "The Devil in the Kitchen: Sex, Pain, Madness, and the Making of a Great Chef"

I am looking forward to reading all about his career


----------



## tinlizzie

A random pick off the library shelf -- I'm midway through _Cooking the Books_ by Kerry Greenwood.  Turns out she's from Australia and there's a character named Kylie in the book.   It's subbed "A Corinna Chapman Mystery;" she's the plus-sized caterer/main character.  The dust jacket promised recipes as well; I cheated and looked in the back to see what they are -- first was a Medieval recipe for "Gyngerbrede" which began with "1 jar honey."  Not to worry, though, the book is set in today's world.

Another Wilkie Collins mystery waiting in the wings, this after having finished_ The Lady in_ _White_ and _The Moonstone_, both of which I liked a lot.  

And the paperback I took along on my recent short trip was "Captiva," by local author Randy Wayne White.  The barrier islands of Captiva and Sanibel are places we always take out-of-town guests; they're both beautiful and less than an hour away.


----------



## Claire

I just finished Jonathan Kellerman's _Victim._  I have a Kingsolver novel in the chute, so to speak.  But _Honolu_ just struck my mood and for some reason Kingsolver just didn't.  So I'll send her back to the library and read _Honolulu_ so I can send it on to my Korean/Hawaiian/American friend!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_The Forgotten_ by David Baldacci...I love his new character, CWO John Puller, Jr.  This is the second book he's been in.


----------



## Max Sutton

*Woodrow Wilson biography*

I'm reading *WOODROW WILSON* (2009) by John Milton Cooper, Jr..


----------



## Kylie1969

tinlizzie said:


> A random pick off the library shelf -- I'm midway through _Cooking the Books_ by Kerry Greenwood.  Turns out she's from Australia and there's a character named Kylie in the book.



Must be a good book


----------



## JoAnn L.

Claire said:


> I just finished Jonathan Kellerman's _Victim._  I have a Kingsolver novel in the chute, so to speak.  But _Honolu_ just struck my mood and for some reason Kingsolver just didn't.  So I'll send her back to the library and read _Honolulu_ so I can send it on to my Korean/Hawaiian/American friend!



Claire, just thought I would tell you that I just found a mystery book called "MURDER IN GALENA" by Sandra Principe. Have you read it?


----------



## cjmmytunes

I'm reading the first book in one of the Beverly Lewis Amish series - the book is titled "The Thorn".  I have the other two sitting by the couch ready for me when I finish the first one.


----------



## Claire

JoAnn L. said:


> Claire, just thought I would tell you that I just found a mystery book called "MURDER IN GALENA" by Sandra Principe. Have you read it?



Yup.  I have a shelf of "local interest" books and bought this as soon as it came out.  Wasn't terribly impressed, which makes me feel bad to say because I've met Ms. Principe and think she's a nice lady.  And I LOVE murder mysteries.  But I live in Galena and didn't think she portrayed the town very accurately.  I mean, I know a novel is a novel, not a factual portrayal.  But I felt bad that I know quite well some of the law enforcement personnel in this town and she made them look like stupid yokels.  I'm not sure why she needed to do that.  Plus she obviously was viewing Galena as a wealthy Chicagoan.  We're all just hicks.


----------



## Addie

Claire said:


> Yup. I have a shelf of "local interest" books and bought this as soon as it came out. Wasn't terribly impressed, which makes me feel bad to say because I've met Ms. Principe and think she's a nice lady. And I LOVE murder mysteries. But I live in Galena and didn't think she portrayed the town very accurately. I mean, I know a novel is a novel, not a factual portrayal. But I felt bad that I know quite well some of the law enforcement personnel in this town and she made them look like stupid yokels. I'm not sure why she needed to do that. Plus she obviously was viewing Galena as a wealthy Chicagoan. We're all just hicks.


 
When the author of Peyton Place wrote her book, she was villified by the town she lived in up in NH up to the day she died. They swore they all could each recognize themselves and that she was airing all the dirty laundry. If you are going to write about the town you live in, you better make it sugar sweet if you expect to live there after the book comes out.


----------



## tinlizzie

Kylie1969 said:


> Must be a good book



Re _Cooking the Books_ -- It's pretty good so far, Kylie, but I need some clarification if you would.  One of the characters is described as having a "Portsea bob."  What's that?

And a character took her book, her cat, and esky...what's an esky?

These aren't vital clues in the mystery or anything, I'm just curious and would rather ask you than Mr. Google.  TIA.


----------



## cjmmytunes

Does anyone in here read anything by J. R. Ward?  My mom just got the latest Black Dagger Brotherhood book "Lover At Last" and she's already started reading it.  I'm going to see if I can find it for my Kindle because it's so thick and heavy in hardback that it makes my wrist hurt to try to hold it.  I broke my wrist in 2007 and have had problems with it ever since.


----------



## mmyap

I'm reading _A Dying Fall_ by Ellie Griffiths, book four of the Ruth Galloway series.  One of my favorites.  I'm looking forward to spending my weekend with my nose stuck to  my kindle.  (That just doesn't sound right.  You know what I mean.lol)


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm finishing a Baldacci..._The Forgotten_ and then starting another called, _The Hit_.  I'm going to finish it if I have to duct tape myself to my chair.


----------



## radhuni

'Harry Potter and Philosophers' stone' although I enjoyed the movie I never read it. I also enjoyed the book.


----------



## Kylie1969

Steve and I have seen and read all Harry Potters, they are really good...glad you enjoyed the 1st book Rad


----------



## Zhizara

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I'm finishing a Baldacci..._The Forgotten_ and then starting another called, _The Hit_.  I'm going to finish it if I have to duct tape myself to my chair.



You probably won't need duct tape.  His books are hard to put down.  I've been on a Baldacci binge for awhile now.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> You probably won't need duct tape.  His books are hard to put down.  I've been on a Baldacci binge for awhile now.



My problem is I have places to be all weekend...so I'm only getting in small amounts of time to read.  I can see three Baldacci's I need to read "next".

And I found an Andre Norton I hadn't heard of, two stories in one volume - _The Forerunner Factor_.


----------



## vitauta

i just 'bought' the first eight chapters of db's 'the hit' in kindle, for FREE.  in effect, i have constructively delayed payment for this ebook by at least 24 hours, possibly longer.  sometimes i even amaze myself with my clever financial maneuverings....


----------



## jharris

I just finished this...

http://www.bookrags.com/Roughing_It/

And started this last night...

http://www.bookrags.com/Life_on_the_Mississippi/

I love the history in these books and Twain's humorous approach to storytelling.


----------



## jabbur

I recently finished "The Last Election" which was about the Mayan calendar and how it affected the US election of 2012.  The characters initially were described very much like current folk in DC but taken just a hair more exaggerated.  But it veered into novelization pretty quickly. 

Right now I'm reading "The Ex Who wouldn't Die"  kind of a humorous murder mystery.


----------



## Addie

I am curious. Have any of you read any books in the far past that have stayed in your memory to this day? For me the first one was _My Friend Flicka_ by M. O'Hara. That book turned me on to reading during my early school years. And the next one was _Five Smooth Stones_ . A story of an interracial relationship during the fifties. The ending left me stunned. It goes into the 60's and the last sentence was the main character being shot at the same moment Kennedy was shot in Dallas and at that very same moment the interracial baby of his was born. That book has stayed in my mind all these years. There have been others, but not like these two.


----------



## Aunt Bea

jharris said:


> I love the history in these books and Twain's humorous approach to storytelling.



You should enjoy this! 

Mark Twain quotations


----------



## tinlizzie

Addie said:


> I am curious. Have any of you read any books in the far past that have stayed in your memory to this day? For me the first one was _My Friend Flicka_ by M. O'Hara. That book turned me on to reading during my early school years. And the next one was _Five Smooth Stones_ . A story of an interracial relationship during the fifties. The ending left me stunned. It goes into the 60's and the last sentence was the main character being shot at the same moment Kennedy was shot in Dallas and at that very same moment the interracial baby of his was born. That book has stayed in my mind all these years. There have been others, but not like these two.



As a youngster I loved _The Biography of a Grizzly_ by Ernest Thompson Seton.  And all the _Tarzan_ series by Edgar Rice Burroughs.


----------



## Aunt Bea

Addie said:


> I am curious. Have any of you read any books in the far past that have stayed in your memory to this day? For me the first one was _My Friend Flicka_ by M. O'Hara. That book turned me on to reading during my early school years. And the next one was _Five Smooth Stones_ . A story of an interracial relationship during the fifties. The ending left me stunned. It goes into the 60's and the last sentence was the main character being shot at the same moment Kennedy was shot in Dallas and at that very same moment the interracial baby of his was born. That book has stayed in my mind all these years. There have been others, but not like these two.



The Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. 

At the time I thought Huckleberry Finn had a pretty wild life.  Being allowed to read it made me feel pretty grownup.  Maybe that was my Grandmother's idea when she told me that it contained some things that a child my age might not understand.  I got my nose in that book and started turning pages!


----------



## vitauta

Addie said:


> I am curious. Have any of you read any books in the far past that have stayed in your memory to this day? For me the first one was _My Friend Flicka_ by M. O'Hara. That book turned me on to reading during my early school years. And the next one was _Five Smooth Stones_ . A story of an interracial relationship during the fifties. The ending left me stunned. It goes into the 60's and the last sentence was the main character being shot at the same moment Kennedy was shot in Dallas and at that very same moment the interracial baby of his was born. That book has stayed in my mind all these years. There have been others, but not like these two.



five smooth stones--one helluva book, addie.  i found myself searching for a book as good as fss for a long while after, not finding one....


----------



## PrincessFiona60

tinlizzie said:


> As a youngster I loved _The Biography of a Grizzly_ by Ernest Thompson Seton.  And all the _Tarzan_ series by Edgar Rice Burroughs.



I'm sure I read all of ER Burroughs when I was in 7th and 8th grade...Tarzans and the Mars books.  Loved them.  I know I spent a year reading all the Louis L'Amour books, too.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Addie said:


> I am curious. Have any of you read any books in the far past that have stayed in your memory to this day? For me the first one was _My Friend Flicka_ by M. O'Hara. That book turned me on to reading during my early school years. And the next one was _Five Smooth Stones_ . A story of an interracial relationship during the fifties. The ending left me stunned. It goes into the 60's and the last sentence was the main character being shot at the same moment Kennedy was shot in Dallas and at that very same moment the interracial baby of his was born. That book has stayed in my mind all these years. There have been others, but not like these two.



I remember reading all the stories made into movies by Disney, "My Side of the Mountain", "Charlie the Lonesome Cougar" etc.  Many of the books you mention, Addie, I read so long ago I don't remember the stories that well.  At a young age (6-9) I was reading 2-3 books (novels) a week, more in the summer months. The books I remember the most have some aspect of Science Fiction in them.


----------



## Addie

vitauta said:


> five smooth stones--one helluva book, addie. i found myself searching for a book as good as fss for a long while after, not finding one....


 
The ending left me stunned.


----------



## jabbur

Addie said:


> I am curious. Have any of you read any books in the far past that have stayed in your memory to this day? For me the first one was _My Friend Flicka_ by M. O'Hara. That book turned me on to reading during my early school years. And the next one was _Five Smooth Stones_ . A story of an interracial relationship during the fifties. The ending left me stunned. It goes into the 60's and the last sentence was the main character being shot at the same moment Kennedy was shot in Dallas and at that very same moment the interracial baby of his was born. That book has stayed in my mind all these years. There have been others, but not like these two.



"Gone with the Wind" will always hold a special place in my heart.  I read that book one summer in junior high school.  Mom said it was a good book for me to read.  It was the longest book I had read up to that point.  Coincidentally, just as I finished the book, a movie house near by was showing the 1939 movie.  Mom decided we needed to go see it.  We left Dad home with the little kids and just Mom and I went.  What a special memory that is.


----------



## Addie

vitauta said:


> five smooth stones--one helluva book, addie. i found myself searching for a book as good as fss for a long while after, not finding one....


 
Ann Fairbairn wrote only two books. The other one is _That Man Cartwright_. Amazon has it and you can get it on Kindle. Again she tackles one of life's unjustices. Immigrant farmers. I am going to have to get it myself.


----------



## Addie

jabbur said:


> "Gone with the Wind" will always hold a special place in my heart. I read that book one summer in junior high school. Mom said it was a good book for me to read. It was the longest book I had read up to that point. Coincidentally, just as I finished the book, a movie house near by was showing the 1939 movie. Mom decided we needed to go see it. We left Dad home with the little kids and just Mom and I went. What a special memory that is.


 
As good as the movie was in an effort to stick to the book, there is nothing like reading it. To bad she only wrote that one book.


----------



## Dawgluver

jabbur said:


> "Gone with the Wind" will always hold a special place in my heart.  I read that book one summer in junior high school.  Mom said it was a good book for me to read.  It was the longest book I had read up to that point.  Coincidentally, just as I finished the book, a movie house near by was showing the 1939 movie.  Mom decided we needed to go see it.  We left Dad home with the little kids and just Mom and I went.  What a special memory that is.



GWTW was Mom's and my fave too, Jabbur, and we went to see it together at our home theatre with my good girlfriend and her mom.  Will always remember that, it was really special.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Dawgluver said:


> GWTW was Mom's and my fave too, Jabbur, and we went to see it together at our home theatre with my good girlfriend and her mom.  Will always remember that, it was really special.



What movies do you go to with your bad girlfriend?


----------



## vitauta

same movie, dropped the mom, hiked up our skirts, stuffed our bras, sat way in the back, picked up boys, and spiked our cokes with sloe gin....


----------



## Dawgluver

PrincessFiona60 said:


> What movies do you go to with your bad girlfriend?



  We tried to see "Coffee, Tea or Me", but we got kicked out.


----------



## Dawgluver

vitauta said:


> same movie, dropped the mom, hiked up our skirts, stuffed our bras, sat way in the back, picked up boys, and spiked our cokes with sloe gin....





We actually saw "Woodstock" at the drivein with our moms!  Couldn't bring the beer that time though.


----------



## Kylie1969

jabbur said:


> "Gone with the Wind" will always hold a special place in my heart.  I read that book one summer in junior high school.  Mom said it was a good book for me to read.  It was the longest book I had read up to that point.  Coincidentally, just as I finished the book, a movie house near by was showing the 1939 movie.  Mom decided we needed to go see it.  We left Dad home with the little kids and just Mom and I went.  What a special memory that is.



I have never read it, but have seen the film


----------



## Zhizara

PrincessFiona60 said:


> My problem is I have places to be all weekend...so I'm only getting in small amounts of time to read.  I can see three Baldacci's I need to read "next".
> 
> And I found an Andre Norton I hadn't heard of, two stories in one volume - _The Forerunner Factor_.



Thanks for the tip on Andre Norton.  My kind of book.  I love telepathic pets.  

The only reason I haven't been reading science fiction lately, is that I pretty much have read them already.

I ordered a copy of this one from Abe Books.  It's paperback and cost $8.50 including shipping.  About the cost if I'd found in in a store.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> Thanks for the tip on Andre Norton.  My kind of book.  I love telepathic pets.
> 
> The only reason I haven't been reading science fiction lately, is that I pretty much have read them already.
> 
> I ordered a copy of this one from Abe Books.  It's paperback and cost $8.50 including shipping.  About the cost if I'd found in in a store.



It's getting harder to find the kind of SF I like to read.  Now it's all computers and such, nothing on exploration and discovery.


----------



## Zhizara

The last time I was able to find any quality SF was online at Baen Free Library, but they rarely add new free ones, and I've read everything there that I was interested in.

However, that left me free to get into crime fiction that I'm really enjoying.

I just received a couple of Jeffrey Deaver books, and put aside my Baldacci for later, while starting one of JD's stories with Kathryn Dance, the kinesics expert (body language) as a main character.

This character was introduced in one of the Lincoln Rhyme books, and I found her character fascinating, so I found one of his books with her as a main character.  I'm psyched!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> The last time I was able to find any quality SF was online at Baen Free Library, but they rarely add new free ones, and I've read everything there that I was interested in.
> 
> However, that left me free to get into crime fiction that I'm really enjoying.
> 
> I just received a couple of Jeffrey Deaver books, and put aside my Baldacci for later, while starting one of JD's stories with Kathryn Dance, the kinesics expert (body language) as a main character.
> 
> This character was introduced in one of the Lincoln Rhyme books, and I found her character fascinating, so I found one of his books with her as a main character.  I'm psyched!



Love Deaver...just finished _Edg_e, very good.


----------



## jharris

Addie said:
			
		

> I am curious. Have any of you read any books in the far past that have stayed in your memory to this day?



For me it was Alive...

http://www.amazon.com/Alive-Survivors-Piers-Paul-Read/dp/038000321X

and Silence of the Lambs.

The stories were so compelling that I read each of them in one night.

I could not put them down.


----------



## jabbur

Kylie1969 said:


> I have never read it, but have seen the film



You really need to read the book Kylie.  The movie was good but there was a whole lot that got left out.  It was great seeing the movie but I still liked the book better.


----------



## Kylie1969

Will do Jab, it will go on my list


----------



## Kylie1969

Last night I started reading Marco Pierre White's The Devil in the Kitchen: Sex, Pain, Madness, and the Making of a Great Chef 

I am getting right into it and loving it


----------



## jabbur

I just started "The Princess Bride."  I love the movie to death and when it came up for $.99 for my kindle I snapped it up.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Am reading another of Sally Spencer's mystery's. This one is THE WITCH MAKER.


----------



## Claire

Addie said:


> I am curious. Have any of you read any books in the far past that have stayed in your memory to this day? For me the first one was _My Friend Flicka_ by M. O'Hara. That book turned me on to reading during my early school years. And the next one was _Five Smooth Stones_ . A story of an interracial relationship during the fifties. The ending left me stunned. It goes into the 60's and the last sentence was the main character being shot at the same moment Kennedy was shot in Dallas and at that very same moment the interracial baby of his was born. That book has stayed in my mind all these years. There have been others, but not like these two.



My two from  childhood were _The Secret Garden_ and _Anne of Green Gables._


----------



## chopper

Oh Claire, those are my favorites too. I just love them!


----------



## Zhizara

I'm just about to finish Jeffrey Deaver's  _The Bodies Left Behind._ (44 pages left)

I got the Andre Norton suggested by the Princess, and am excited to have that next.

Back to the Science Fiction/Fantasy again, I just ordered all of the _Incarnations of Immortality.  _A 7 book series by Piers Anthony, a personal favorite of mine.  

Abe Books had all of them available.  I'll be ready when I finish the Andre Norton.  

Not a bad score for 7 books for a total of less than $15.

If I'm not around much I'll have my nose stuck in a book!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> I'm just about to finish Jeffrey Deaver's  _The Bodies Left Behind._ (44 pages left)
> 
> I got the Andre Norton suggested by the Princess, and am excited to have that next.
> 
> Back to the Science Fiction/Fantasy again, I just ordered all of the _Incarnations of Immortality.  _A 7 book series by Piers Anthony, a personal favorite of mine.
> 
> Abe Books had all of them available.  I'll be ready when I finish the Andre Norton.
> 
> Not a bad score for 7 books for a total of less than $15.
> 
> If I'm not around much I'll have my nose stuck in a book!



I just found an A.E. Van Vogt compilation called, "Transgalactic" edited by Eric Flint and David Drake.  Sounds really good and I have not read these stories before.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I'm mostly a cozy mysteries reader.  Love the ones that include recipes (natch'  ) and have tried quite a few of them.  Love peoples' reactions when they ask where I got the recipe and I say "oh, a murder mystery".  Usually stops their fork mid-air!   I assure them none of the recipes includes any poison.   There are so many authors I follow that have great character development but I've run out of their currently written books.  Gotta start expanding my search to others.  Having enjoyed the Margaret Truman books I'm thinking it's about time I worked my way through David Baldacci - his books are always flying off our library's shelves.  Also want to read  Patterson's "Women's Murder Club" series because I enjoyed the short-lived series so much.  Never could get into his Alex Cross books though.  Maybe those two series will be my "light reading" for this summer! 

I'll pick up a non-fiction to break up the killings.  Currently reading "Francona: The Red Sox Years" since we've lived here all his Red Sox managerial time and now he's the manager for my hometown Cleveland Indians.  During his tenure up here Himself (not a big baseball fan but puts up with me) would say "why can't we get a manager like that?" when Francona's post-game presser was shown during the news.  Needless to say I was thrilled when I could tell him "we did!".  Being a real sports nut (at neighborhood parties I'm usually the only girl in the room with the guys talking sports...) I followed a lot of the inside stuff up here when Tito was running the Red Sox.  Glad to see he's with a team that has a lot less drama that goes with it.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

CG, the Baldacci's are great!  I have never been disappointed.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Well they're on my list!  Along with a bunch of other books.  If you don't die until you complete your reading wish list I should make it to 100.  Would still be 2 or 3 years shy of the family record (Great Aunt Rose made it to 102 or 103) but in my family long lives with decent brains is a trait.  Then again, my brain is getting toasted already.


----------



## Claire

chopper said:


> Oh Claire, those are my favorites too. I just love them!



I read aloud to a couple of elderly friends, one is blind, the other is almost immobile (RA).  A few years ago I mentioned _The Secret Garden_ and neither of them had read it!  You bet I corrected that missing brick in their wall of reading.  I really think it might have been their favorite of all the books I've read to them over the decade or so I've been doing this.  Right now I'm reading them the orphan train trilogy by Robert Noonan, mostly because much of it takes place in our little town.  I know I got _Garden_ almost for the cost of shipping because I didn't care if it had illustrations or was a ragged paperback, as long as all its pages were intact (Amazon).  Maybe I'll see what _Anne_ goes for and put that on the read-aloud list.


----------



## Claire

For  myself I just started "Z".  Many moons ago I read her (that is to say, Zelda Fitzgerald) biography, and a few months ago I read _The Paris Wife_ about Hemmingway's first wife.  But for some reason "Z" seems to wind up upstairs when I'm down, or vice versa.

I, too, love "cozy" mysteries.  It is my brain candy, what I want to read when I just don't want to think too hard!

For some reason I wound up with two books back-to-back that were "message" books.  Not that I disagreed with the message, just that it seemed the books had a story built around the message rather than standing on its own.  They were OK, but i don't like to be preached at.


----------



## Zhizara

I finished the Jeffrey Deaver book, _The Bodies left behind, _and started the Andre Norton's _Forerunner, _which arrived just in time. I only had to finish about 50 pages first.

Thanks, Princess!  I'm enjoying Andre.  It's been a long time since I had quality SF. and he's always been a good read.  Plus, I see he's been busy, there a more I've missed.


----------



## tinlizzie

1, 2, 3:

One is _The Law and the Lady _(1875)by Wilkie Collins, following up on his _Moonstone._

Two, _In the Merde for Love_ by Stephen Clarke, about an Englishman who opens an English tearoom in Paris.  Noted on the page that follows the title page (not the frontispiece, which my dictionary says is an illustration page that precedes the title - so what's the one _after_ called??), anyway on this page is noted "Hell is other people."  A well-known quote from Sartre

Three, nonfiction -- _Quiet,_ _The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking _by Susan Cain.  It's a fine time, at this late date, to wonder in my and my family's lives who we all were, who we all are now, and whether I should have done things differently had I been better informed.

Gonna need a cozy after this.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> I finished the Jeffrey Deaver book, _The Bodies left behind, _and started the Andre Norton's _Forerunner, _which arrived just in time. I only had to finish about 50 pages first.
> 
> Thanks, Princess!  I'm enjoying Andre.  It's been a long time since I had quality SF. and he's always been a good read.  Plus, I see he's been busy, there a more I've missed.



Andre was female...I don't know where they are digging up these stories, but I hope they keep finding them.  I look at the books carefully to make sure they are not written  by another author based on the famous author's ideas.

I'm reading a book called _Partials_ by Dan Wells, very good story.  It's a Young Adult book, I'm enjoying the heck out of it.


----------



## Zhizara

Woops!  I never knew that.

I remember reading a few of her books, but when I read the list of other titles, I didn't recognize any.  

There were quite a few books listed, so I guess I can have someone new to get obsessed with. 

I'm really enjoying _Forerunner Factor._


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> Woops!  I never knew that.
> 
> I remember reading a few of her books, but when I read the list of other titles, I didn't recognize any.
> 
> There were quite a few books listed, so I guess I can have someone new to get obsessed with.
> 
> I'm really enjoying _Forerunner Factor._



No problem, same mistake made by lots of people.  I just found this: "Andre Alice Norton was an American writer of science fiction and fantasy  under the pen names Andre Norton, Andrew North and Allen Weston." Wikipedia

I wonder if the stories that are "new" were written under her other pen names.


----------



## jabbur

CG - you'll like Baldacci and The Women's Murder Club series.  Both well written.  I enjoyed Baldacci's Camel Club series a lot.  His stand alone stories are good too.  If you want something other than murder mysteries, try his "Wish You Well" about a young girl in the Shenandoah mountains.  No murder or governmental conspiracies involved.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

jabbur said:


> CG - you'll like Baldacci...try his "Wish You Well" about a young girl in the Shenandoah mountains.  No murder or governmental conspiracies involved.



And as a bonus, the Shenandoah Mountains!  Love it along the Blue Ridge, love all of VA.  Two of my favorite series (Mrs. Murphy series by Rita Mae Brown and Donna Andrews series featuring a lady blacksmith) are set in VA.  Would _retire_ to VA if it weren't a little far from our kids.


----------



## vitauta

Cooking Goddess said:


> And as a bonus, the Shenandoah Mountains!  Love it along the Blue Ridge, love all of VA.  Two of my favorite series (Mrs. Murphy series by Rita Mae Brown and Donna Andrews series featuring a lady blacksmith) are set in VA.  Would _retire_ to VA if it weren't a little far from our kids.




bring 'em with, goddess!  virginia has something for everyone....


----------



## PrincessFiona60

vitauta said:


> bring 'em with, goddess!  virginia has something for everyone....



Sounds like Vit is offering a crash pad for anyone who shows up!


----------



## Cooking Goddess

They're happy in OH vit.  Most days I wish I could be a turtle - just pick up my house and move somewhere else until I tired of it, then move on again.  Himself hates to move, so this next one might be our last until we leave the next place feet first.   Gotta make it a good one - and I *SO* miss the kids. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  So it will probably be OH.


----------



## jharris

Cooking Goddess said:
			
		

> They're happy in OH vit.  Most days I wish I could be a turtle - just pick up my house and move somewhere else until I tired of it, then move on again....



My dream is to eventually sell my home, buy a modest RV and travel the US and Canada.

So much road, so little time.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's: John Elder Robison: 9780307396181: Amazon.com: Books  This is the next book in my pile.


----------



## jabbur

It's a very eye opening book PF.  I read it shortly after my niece was diagnosed with Asperger's.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

jabbur said:


> It's a very eye opening book PF.  I read it shortly after my niece was diagnosed with Asperger's.



My nephew had Asperger's, I was the one who led folks in the right direction from a Psych chapter in nursing school.  Unfortunately we were too late to make his childhood easier.  We found the book at Costco, a lady saw Shrek looking at it and told us how much it meant to her and how good it was.  If Shrek had put it back I would have put it in the cart.  He's been asking me some very insightful questions about my nephew just from reading the book.


----------



## Dawgluver

jabbur said:


> It's a very eye opening book PF.  I read it shortly after my niece was diagnosed with Asperger's.



I want to read this.  I work with a lot of kids on the spectrum, and it seems like we are seeing more every year.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Dawgluver said:


> I want to read this.  I work with a lot of kids on the spectrum, and it seems like we are seeing more every year.



I think it's about half price at Costco.


----------



## Dawgluver

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I think it's about half price at Costco.



Thanks for the tip!  The Kindle version is more than the paperback!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Dawgluver said:


> Thanks for the tip!  The Kindle version is more than the paperback!



Shrek says Robison wrote another book that's a "How to" for Aspergians written by a person with Asperger's.


----------



## jabbur

PrincessFiona60 said:


> My nephew had Asperger's, I was the one who led folks in the right direction from a Psych chapter in nursing school.  Unfortunately we were too late to make his childhood easier.  We found the book at Costco, a lady saw Shrek looking at it and told us how much it meant to her and how good it was.  If Shrek had put it back I would have put it in the cart.  He's been asking me some very insightful questions about my nephew just from reading the book.



My niece didn't get diagnosed until her mid 20's.  We always knew she was different and had some repetitive behaviors.  She seemed to function well in school academically but was always socially awkward.  It was sometime during her junior year of college things came to a head and she was asked to leave school.  I'd guess it was about a year later she finally got her diagnosis and proper therapy.  After reading the book, I could see so much of her in the author.  I think if her mother hadn't died of cancer when she was 13, she may have gotten diagnosed sooner.


----------



## vitauta

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Sounds like Vit is offering a crash pad for anyone who shows up!





ultimately, virginia made room even for tamerlan tsarnaev....


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Nephew made it three years in college before he had his meltdown, we never found the right med combo for him and the headaches he had.  The dots connected for us when he was in Junior High and had failed at being re-integrated into the normal classroom.


----------



## Dawgluver

I find it interesting when teachers and administrators find out a kid has a spectrum diagnosis.  They automatically think the kid belongs in special ed, because they have a "diagnosis" and are a bit odd.  Not always the case.  We've always had odd kids, they just think differently, and that's not a bad thing!  These kids need support, routine, knowlege of expectations and what's coming next.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Some are better at finding ways to cope than others.


----------



## Kylie1969

I just got Dan Brown's new ebook "Inferno" for Steve, he loves that author


----------



## Kayelle

I just finished *The Legacy *by Katherine Webb. 
The Legacy by Katherine Webb | 9780062077301 | Paperback | Barnes & Noble

 I love historical fiction and this book had the added benefit of  knowing what happened generations later in present day. It's really  unlike anything I've read before, although it takes some time to get  into the swing of that. This was a very satisfying read, and one I'll  long remember.


----------



## Kylie1969

I have just started reading a new ebook by Marian Keyes called Sushi For Beginners


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I've decided I just can't read a book during baseball season.  Any other time I can sit down and read for a couple hours and in a few days a book is done.  When "play ball" starts it seems my reading time becomes my baseball time.  Guess I'll stick with magazines and newspapers until the end of the season...


----------



## Kylie1969

Steve has just started reading the new Dan Brown ebook Inferno..he said it is very good thus far, I may have to read it too


----------



## menumaker

'Game of Thrones' by George R R Martin. I am on book 3 of 7!! Loving' them. There is a TV series of them but don't want to see that as the characters in my head are always different to someone else don't you think??


----------



## jabbur

Right now I'm reading "The Hangman's Daughter" which is a murder mystery set in the 1600's Germany/Bavaria.  A midwife is accused of the murder and is tried as a witch.  The hangman and a physician are trying to prove she's not a witch.  Very interesting reading.


----------



## GotGarlic

Jabbur,  that sounds really good.  I love books like that. 

I just finished "The Salt Bride," a Georgian romance. Very good. Yesterday I downloaded "Sh*t My Dad Says." It's just like it sounds  It started as a Twitter feed and is now a book. I read a sample and laughed out loud a couple of times, so I had to buy it.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

menumaker said:


> 'Game of Thrones' by George R R Martin. I am on book 3 of 7!! Loving' them. There is a TV series of them but *don't want to see that as the characters in my head are always different* to someone else don't you think??



I agree with you on that menumaker.  I watched one movie based on a Rita Mae Brown; when I saw who they cast for the lead all I could think of every time she was onscreen was "Really?".   This is also the reason I don't listen to books on disc.  When I read a book I "hear" the characters' voices.  Even if the author themself reads his/her own book they never sound like "my" character sounds!


----------



## mmyap

Jar City: A Reykjavi­k Thriller [Paperback] Arnaldur Indridason

A crime novel that takes place in Iceland.  The first of the series.  I think this author has won the Golden Dagger Award for mysteries for this series.  I'm going to crank up my a/c and pretend that its not so hot outside!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

mmyap said:


> Jar City: A Reykjavi*k Thriller [Paperback] Arnaldur Indridason
> 
> A crime novel that takes place in Iceland.  The first of the series.  I think this author has won the Golden Dagger Award for mysteries for this series.  I'm going to crank up my a/c and pretend that its not so hot outside!



I usually read _Pillars of the Earth, _by Ken Follett in the summer when it's hot...thanks for something else to read on a hot day!


----------



## Dawgluver

Just finished "Flatscreen", weirdly interesting,  and restarted "The Devil in the Kitchen", which is proving to be fun.

I ordered "Bad Monkey" by Hiassen, but I'm saving it.  All are Kindle.


----------



## mysterychef

I am reading a crime novel '' Helsinki Blood'' by James Thompson. It's very good .It's the fourth book by this author I have read.All take place in Finland but author is American so the translation waiting time is eliminated. [Sometimes it takes several years]The first book is set farther north from Helsinki in the arctic circle of Lapland. I seem to be reading a lot of Scandinavian crime novels lately.I Also  like Arn. Indridason from Iceland. I used to like the'' Jesse Stone'' novels, but since Robert B. Parker passed, the new authors first book was not quite as good. Also liked the Steig Larsson 3 part series. mysterychef


----------



## jabbur

Right now I'm reading Tempest at Dawn.  It's about the convention in Philadelphia when our constitution was created.  It's a novelization of the facts but so far it's been interesting reading.


----------



## Zhizara

_The Broker _by John Grisham.


----------



## tinlizzie

From my local newspaper:  "If Ray Bradbury and Shirley Jackson had a love-child, it would be Neil Gaiman."  He has a new book out,_ The Ocean at the End of the Land._  If I'm not mistaken, there are several Gaiman fans here at DC who'll be interested.  I'm thinking particularly of a certain Princess named Fiona.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

tinlizzie said:


> From my local newspaper:  "If Ray Bradbury and Shirley Jackson had a love-child, it would be Neil Gaiman."  He has a new book out,_ The Ocean at the End of the Land._  If I'm not mistaken, there are several Gaiman fans here at DC who'll be interested.  I'm thinking particularly of a certain Princess named Fiona.



Most definitely!  Thanks for the heads up!  I have a bookstore gift card


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I have been reading my way through old, stacked up newspapers.  The news is no longer current - well, except a couple of items seem new to me at times.  There are columnists and food pages and things I keep up with.  Those things aren't priority, though, and I have a batch from when I had lots of other things to do.  Slowly, I'll see the bottom of the stack again.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

That's how I read my magazine subscriptions.


----------



## Mad Cook

Just finished Kate Mosse's "Labyrinth" and started the first in the "Tales of the City" series. It was televised over here some years ago and I loved it so when I saw the books on that website named after a South American river I had to invest.


----------



## Mad Cook

menumaker said:


> 'Game of Thrones' by George R R Martin. I am on book 3 of 7!! Loving' them. There is a TV series of them but don't want to see that as the characters in my head are always different to someone else don't you think??


I always find that with radio plays and series. It's always a shock when an actor or actress from a series on the radio appears in a television programme and looks completely different fom my mind's eye idea of what they should look like.


----------



## scotty71

Spanish tense tutor--


----------



## Mad Cook

scotty71 said:


> Spanish tense tutor--


 ??????


----------



## scotty71

Mad Cook said:


> ??????


 
A  book to tutor me on the uses of the tenses  but in the Spanish language


----------



## Kylie1969

scotty71 said:


> A  book to tutor me on the uses of the tenses  but in the Spanish language



That sounds interesting Scotty


----------



## Kylie1969

I have just started a new ebook...Patricia Cornwell "Scarpetta"

Love all her books


----------



## Mad Cook

scotty71 said:


> A book to tutor me on the uses of the tenses but in the Spanish language


Sorry, of course. I think I was being dense!


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Kylie1969 said:


> I have just started a new ebook...Patricia Cornwell "Scarpetta"
> 
> Love all her books



Kay Scarpetta (based on a real-life M.E. from VA, Marcella Fierro) is the character use as the basis to create TV's "Bones" character Dr. Temperance 'Bones' Brennan , portrayed by Emily Deschanel.  (Yup, I'm good in Trivia  .)


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Cooking Goddess said:


> Kay Scarpetta (based on a real-life M.E. from VA, Marcella Fierro) is the character use as the basis to create TV's "Bones" character Dr. Temperance 'Bones' Brennan , portrayed by Emily Deschanel.  (Yup, I'm good in Trivia  .)



Sorry, Sorry...the "Bones" character is based on books written by Kathy Reichs...different writers..."_Kay Scarpetta is a fictional character and protagonist in a series of crime novels written by Patricia Cornwell_"


----------



## Cooking Goddess

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Sorry, Sorry...the "Bones" character is based on books written by Kathy Reichs....



You're right.  I knew that.  Misinformation is what I get when I check with Himself to make sure I remember something correctly.  Guess my rememberer is better than his.  That ain't sayin' much.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Cooking Goddess said:


> You're right.  I knew that.  Misinformation is what I get when I check with Himself to make sure I remember something correctly.  Guess my rememberer is better than his.  That ain't sayin' much.



LOL!!!  I'm more of a Temperance Brennan fan than Kay Scarpetta...of course the draw for the TV show is David Boreanaz...I'd watch him do anything.


----------



## Kylie1969

Cooking Goddess said:


> Kay Scarpetta (based on a real-life M.E. from VA, Marcella Fierro) is the character use as the basis to create TV's "Bones" character Dr. Temperance 'Bones' Brennan , portrayed by Emily Deschanel.  (Yup, I'm good in Trivia  .)



Dr Temperance is the Kathy Reichs books CG


----------



## Kylie1969

I have all of both Patricia's and Kathy's ebooks 

I have read nearly all of Patricia's but only a couple of Kathy's, finding Kathy's harder to get into, I prefer Patricia's way of writing


----------



## Gravy Queen

I am a Scarpetta fan too , have read all of them , couldn't get into Kathy Reichs .


----------



## vitauta

Gravy Queen said:


> I am a Scarpetta fan too , have read all of them , couldn't get into Kathy Reichs .


 

couldn't get into her, huh goddess? yeah, well what about carol O'Connell? what about MALLORY, of Mallory's oracle? what about HER?
oh, what's the connection, my point, you want to know--I dunno, just characters you can really get into, I guess. and, that I began reading and loving cornwell and O'Connell at about the same time....

oops, sorry, gq. I thought I was talking to goddess. so, just take out the flippant parts, 'right?


----------



## Gravy Queen

Goddess ?

Nope never heard of  Carol O'Connell.


----------



## GotGarlic

Yesterday on our drive back from the beach trip, I started listening to an audiobook - "Luncheon of the Boating Party" by Susan Vreeland. It's a historical novel about the making of Auguste Renoir's masterpiece painting by the same name. My aunt had already listened to it and we have a copy of the painting in our bedroom, so I was enjoying listening to it. Now I'm going to have to put it on my phone so I can finish it


----------



## Zereh

Just getting started on this one:


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Gravy Queen said:


> Goddess ?



That would be me GQ, "Cooking Goddess".  Vit and I have a special (some might call it snarky) relationship. 




vitauta said:


> ............oops, sorry, gq. I thought I was talking to goddess. so, just take out the flippant parts, 'right?



   SO glad we understand each other!


----------



## Gravy Queen

That's ok I thought I was the goddess . I am deluded though .


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Gravy Queen said:


> That's ok I thought I was the goddess . I am deluded though .



No...we are all goddesses...Cooking Goddess is just making sure we remember...


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Gravy Queen said:


> That's ok I thought I was the goddess . I am deluded though .



Well actually it WAS a lower-case "g" so vit was probably addressing you as such.  Like PF said, we're all goddesses.  As you can see, I find my bliss in Cooking.


----------



## GotGarlic

Cooking Goddess said:


> Well actually it WAS a lower-case "g" so vit was probably addressing you as such.  Like PF said, we're all goddesses.  As you can see, I find my bliss in Cooking.



vit uses lower case for everything


----------



## Cooking Goddess

But vit does use punctuation.  Otherwise should could be our own personal ee cummings.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am reading Karin Fossum's, Inspector Sejer Mysteries.


----------



## Kayelle

This book I'm reading has me by the throat...."The Serial Killers  Wife"........holy chit, I never thought of what one of those wives goes  through..I can hardly put it down. It's just fascinating and  terrifying!  Shudder...

http://www.robertswartwood.com/ebooks/the-serial-killers


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm reading _World War Z_ by Max Brooks.  Fun with zombies...I'll have to look at the one you are reading, Kayelle, author?


----------



## Kayelle

Robert Swartwood is this author PF.....the link I left gives more details.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Thank you!  Downloaded!


----------



## Kayelle

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Thank you!  Downloaded!



You're so welcome PF. Holy cow, hold on to your seat.....whata ride!!

Pop some popcorn...it will grab you on the first few pages......sheesh!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Kayelle said:


> You're so welcome PF. Holy cow, hold on to your seat.....whata ride!!
> 
> Pop some popcorn...it will grab you on the first few pages......sheesh!



LOL!  I'll finish up the Zombie book first and save this one for the weekend when I won't have to put it down.


----------



## Kayelle

Just finished another book I couldn't put down. *The Last Queen.  

Check this out.....*
The Last Queen by C. W. Gortner - book trailer - YouTube


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am reading J.M. Gregson's Just Desserts.


----------



## Kylie1969

I have just recently started reading Scarpetta, Patricia Cornwell


----------



## Zhizara

My latest order thru Abe Books was screwed up (again).  They advised me to contact the dealer directly and perhaps mail the books back, which is not going to happen.

I realized that I had received 4 books by J.D. Robb, instead of 4 books by Linda Fairstein.  I like J.D. Robb so I just decided to enjoy them and forget about it.

Besides going to the Post Office would cost me about $14 in taxi fare, plus I'd have to buy packaging and postage.  All because someone goofed and put the shipping label on the wrong package.  Like I said - Not going to happen.  Good thing I like J.D. Robb and so far, 3rd book, none that I've read before.


----------



## Kylie1969

I have just finished reading Gordon Ramsays Humble Pie...very short book but good!

I have just started the new one by JK Rowling The Cuckoo’s Calling...her alias Robert Galbraith


----------



## jabbur

It's not often that characters from a book stay with you after you finish reading but I have to say that is the case with Almost Heaven by Chris Fabry.  It was a lovely book.  Lots of drama but simply told.  Takes place in the West Virginia mountains and includes the main character's guardian angel's observations as well.  It is a beautiful story and very thought provoking getting you think about God's relationship with us.  I'll be getting the sequel June Bug as soon as my new credit card arrives!


----------



## Addie

jabbur said:


> It's not often that characters from a book stay with you after you finish reading but I have to say that is the case with Almost Heaven by Chris Fabry. It was a lovely book. Lots of drama but simply told. Takes place in the West Virginia mountains and includes the main character's guardian angel's observations as well. It is a beautiful story and very thought provoking getting you think about God's relationship with us. I'll be getting the sequel June Bug as soon as my new credit card arrives!


 
Their are several series that will always be with me. The first one is "_My Friend Flicka"_ by Mary O'Hara. The sequel was _ "Thunderhead_." The Bicentennial Series by John Jakes. The "Exiles" and all the eight sequels that followed. And Barbara Braddock has had some great series. These make you impatient for the next book to follow to become available. 

When the Bicentennial Series was in the making, every morning going to work, you could see every one on the subway had a book in hand and was intently reading it. The whole train car was totally silent. Same going home at night. During the lunch hour, parks and any benches in the area had readers sitting there intently reading. It was a series that grabbed the nation and made readers of a lot of folks that would never think of picking up a book.


----------



## Dawgluver

I'm reading the Kindle edition of "Seriously, I'm Kidding," by Ellen DeGeneres.  Thankfully, there haven't been many people at the pool lately, cuz I'm laughing out loud!

Just finished "Bad Monkey" by Carl Hiassen, another fun read.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

jabbur said:


> It's not often that characters from a book stay with you after you finish reading but I have to say that is the case with Almost Heaven by Chris Fabry.... I'll be getting the sequel June Bug as soon as my new credit card arrives!



Unless you absolutely want a hard copy for your own personal collection, why not head to the library and get a copy there?  Even my library system has it, so EVERYBODY must have it by now!   I'm a terrific library patron...after baseball season is over.


----------



## mysterychef

I am currently reading a crime novel by Robert Crais called ''Suspect''. I thought when I picked it up it would be another ''Joe pike'' hero  book. This is about a German Shepard ''Maggie'' who was a military dog that has just returned  from Afghanistan. Her and a L.A.P.D. officer meet at a K-9 training center. Both have many physical and physiological problems to overcome. Her military training becomes a great asset to solving a case that involves murder and corruption.''Interesting and informative''


----------



## tinlizzie

I was just introduced to Robert Crais by Vitauta -- the book was _Two_ _Minutes, _which I thought was a cracking good read.  A fast-paced page-turner.  I'm eager to try another, so thanks!


----------



## Hoot

Thanks to Kindle I am re-reading a book I read when I was very young. "Tales of Secret Egypt", by Sax Rohmer.
It 's almost like traveling back in time. Not sure what happened to that book. 
Strange how things like that can get away from you.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I love Robert Crais books.  I've read everything he has written and I think _Suspect_ is his best ever.


----------



## simonbaker

"The Story" by Max Lucado & Randy Frazee


----------



## Dawgluver

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I love Robert Crais books.  I've read everything he has written and I think Suspect is his best ever.



Thanks for the tip, guys!  Just got the Kindle version.


----------



## Mad Cook

Hoot said:


> Thanks to Kindle I am re-reading a book I read when I was very young. "Tales of Secret Egypt", by Sax Rohmer.
> It 's almost like traveling back in time. Not sure what happened to that book.
> Strange how things like that can get away from you.


While sorting out my books to send to the charity shop I re-read all of the "Romney Marsh" stories by Monica Edwards which I had collected in my childhood and teens. They were written between the late 1940s and the 1960s but I was surprised to see how well they have stood the test of time. The plots the books were structured round have relevance today and the activities of the children in the books were very believable. They also read very well to an adult (not just because of nostalgia) and, as a former teacher, I think this is the test of a good children's book.

Didn't Sax Rohmer write the Dr Fu Manchu stories? I used to terrify myself by reading them under the bedcovers with a torch when I was about 11. Later, in my teens, a Sunday afternoon radio comedy show on the BBC - "Round the Horne" - had sketches involving a fiendish Oriental criminal mastermind Dr Chu En Ginsberg MA (Failed), played by the unforgettable Kenneth Williams (he of the "Carry On" films doing his best to be sinister in one of his usual silly voices), accompanied by his concubine Lotus Blossom, played in a deep cockney voice by Hugh Paddick. Appearing in the show in short sketches he was the villain in adventures such as "The Man with the Golden Thunderball", which also spoofed James Bond. (Sorry, this will probably be lost on the non-Brits around here.)


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Yes, Sax Rohmer wrote the Dr. Fu Manchu stories.  Been awhile since I read any of those.


----------



## Dawgluver

Hoot said:


> Thanks to Kindle I am re-reading a book I read when I was very young. "Tales of Secret Egypt", by Sax Rohmer.
> It 's almost like traveling back in time. Not sure what happened to that book.
> Strange how things like that can get away from you.



Thanks, Hoot.  I checked Amazon, it's free for Kindle!


----------



## LPBeier

I'm reading "Become a Frugalista in 30 Days-Money-Saving Secrets for the Frugal Family Manager" by Susan Heid via the Kindle app on my tablet.  It is a great read.  Many things you already know, but as a package it is quite enlightening.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Do any of you participate in BookCrossing?   Ran across a little blurb about the organization when going through old magazines.  Sounds a little like a scavenger hunt, or Geocaching for bookworms.  I like it!  Haven't joined up yet though...


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Things have gone way to far along for me to have any hope to catch up to this topic. In May I signed the deal to move into my new house, I moved in June (cleared out my storage unit on the first day of summer), I was fixing things in July and now starting to slow down in August. (I had my first day off from heavy labor earlier this month.)

Each night I would read a few more pages from my first purchased ebook: _Unholy Ghosts_ by Stacia Kane. It's an urban fantasy and I really enjoyed this book! Although I totally destroyed it by reading it over a period of about 6 weeks, 8-10 pages at a time. I kept thinking I might restart at page 1 and read as I usually do, an hour or two at a time... but didn't. Instead I worked hard every day and then read some of the novel when I went to bed, and since I was so tired I rarely lasted more than 15-20 minutes.

Now reading my first J.K. Rowling novel, _The Cuckoo's Calling_ by Robert Gailbraith. That's right, Rowling wrote the novel under a pen name. And I'm enjoying it!!! (Also in Kindle format.) It's ironic that I tried to read Rowling's first non-Harry Potter novel _The Casual Vacancy_ in June (during escrow) but just couldn't focus, and had to return it to the library because there was a long wait list.

So I'm treating _Cuckoo_ a bit better and seem to get about 20-30 minutes per night, as I am settling into my new life in my new home, and as my new home settles down.

I hope to read all the Harry Potter novels one day, and as far as that goes, catch up to the final movies too. And then read _The Casual Vacancy_, just to see what book she came up with. As soon as Rowling announced her latest and last Potter novel would end the series I predicted she would turn to adult fiction, just because I knew that such a prolific author couldn't just wind down and grow gardenias for the rest of her life. I'm pleased that my prediction was accurate.

So I'm enjoying  _The Cuckoo's Calling_ and after about 100 pages I know my faith Rowling could write adult novels was accurate.

Also, I know Stacia Kane has several sequels to _Unholy Ghosts_ and I'm not going to even consider reading them until I get my concentration back. I'm looking forward to reading a great series!

I've been interested in lots of genres during my reading career and lately I'm really enjoying urban fantasy. (Rowling's novel is a suspense genre, not even a hint of fantasy.) Kane looks like she's got a great series going (according to my Internet friend who recommended it) and I'll have plenty to read until my next urban fantasy favorite author releases a new novel.

Now if only George R.R. Martin could get busy on the 6th (of 7 planned) _Game of Thrones_ novel... Fantasy of a different sort...


----------



## Addie

Greg, I can relate completely. If you can't concentrate you find yourself reading the same paragraph over and over. I have also had some books that I just couldn't get into. After ten pages or so I just give up. 

One time I got a book from the library about the Krupp Family in Germany. They were the ones that provided all the arms for WWI and WWII. They also built "Big Bertha". This book had over 1,500 pages. I would take it to work and read it on the subway. Man, that book was so heavy. But I really got into it. Folks would look at me like I was a real nut. Folks even would ask me what was I reading. The answer always surprised them. The only answer I ever got was "Oh". But you could not distract me while I was reading that book.


----------



## mysterychef

I'm reading a crime mystery novel ''Her Last Breath'' by Linda Castillo. Police Chief Kate Burkholder is investigating a tragic fatal car accident. It takes place in the largely Amish town of Painters Mill Ohio.  I have read an other book by Castillo called ''Breaking Silence''. Kate being from an Amish family herself makes for an interesting situation. I like the atmosphere and tension between Kate and  Her community. Linda Castillo has written Eight more books I hope to read in the future.


----------



## Fos87

Addie said:


> One time I got a book from the library about the Krupp Family in Germany. They were the ones that provided all the arms for WWI and WWII. They also built "Big Bertha". This book had over 1,500 pages. I would take it to work and read it on the subway. Man, that book was so heavy. But I really got into it. Folks would look at me like I was a real nut. Folks even would ask me what was I reading. The answer always surprised them. The only answer I ever got was "Oh". But you could not distract me while I was reading that book.


E-Readers are a great resource in these cases.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

mysterychef, I'll have to look for those at our library when my reading season returns (after baseball season).  Our daughter lives about 5 miles outside the edge of Amish Country.  Every time we're back home to see our kids we take off for the butcher and cheese shops that we like, bringing home a bounty of yummy things we cook for dinners when we're there.  Unfortunately, the Shearer's factory outlet is in the same area.  Dangerous when you can stop and buy a 3# bag of bulk calories chips. More dangerous when you walk out with more than one.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

Furies of Calderon, by Jim Butcher. I read hal of it and then had to take a break from it because I'm trying to read it without "cheating". The need to know if any of my ideas or predictions were correct was getting painful. I just picked it back up a couple nights ago. Hoping to finish it tonight. Then it's on to the next book in the series, although I need to finish reading The Surrogates. It's much shorter though and has far less actual reading so should go pretty quickly.


----------



## Katie H

At the urging of my best friend, who has nearly identical reading tastes as I, I'm trying to get into _Clan of the Cave Bear_.  Not sure it's going to fly.  So far it is laborious.  Yes, I know characters have to be established, etc., but I'm ready to get some sort of story going. It's a little like watching paint dry.   I'll give it some more time but I'm not holding out a lot of hope I'll finish it.


----------



## mmyap

I've come upon two series. The Joe Pickett series by C.J. Boxx, I've just finished Open Season and have the second in the series, Savage Run waiting. And an author I have yet to try by the name of Deborah Crombie / Jemma something, british detective series.  I think the book is titled "Now You May Weep."


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Katie H said:


> At the urging of my best friend, who has nearly identical reading tastes as I, I'm trying to get into _Clan of the Cave Bear_.  Not sure it's going to fly.  So far it is laborious.  Yes, I know characters have to be established, etc., but I'm ready to get some sort of story going. It's a little like watching paint dry.   I'll give it some more time but I'm not holding out a lot of hope I'll finish it.



I really liked the whole series, except for the most recent (hopefully final) sequel where the author seemed to be hitting the cash register and writing a travelogue at the same time.

But really, I enjoyed all the series except the finale (hopefully it's the finale).

My advice: if you don't like it by page 100, move on. That's my advice on all books.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

mmyap said:


> I've come upon two series. The Joe Pickett series by C.J. Boxx, I've just finished Open Season and have the second in the series, Savage Run waiting. And an author I have yet to try by the name of Deborah Crombie / Jemma something, british detective series.  I think the book is titled "Now You May Weep."



The earlier Pickett novels were very good (first 5?) but I burned out at some point and bailed out of the series.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Katie H said:


> At the urging of my best friend, who has nearly identical reading tastes as I, I'm trying to get into _Clan of the Cave Bear_.  Not sure it's going to fly.  So far it is laborious.  Yes, I know characters have to be established, etc., but I'm ready to get some sort of story going. It's a little like watching paint dry.   I'll give it some more time but I'm not holding out a lot of hope I'll finish it.



It took me 3 or 4 tries before i got over that first part of the b ook, Katie.  Once I got past it, I couldn't put it down.  Took me 2 years to get it read.


----------



## Dawgluver

PrincessFiona60 said:


> It took me 3 or 4 tries before i got over that first part of the b ook, Katie.  Once I got past it, I couldn't put it down.  Took me 2 years to get it read.



I did the same thing, then got the next in the series.


----------



## mysterychef

Cooking Goddess said:


> mysterychef, I'll have to look for those at our library when my reading season returns (after baseball season).  Our daughter lives about 5 miles outside the edge of Amish Country.  Every time we're back home to see our kids we take off for the butcher and cheese shops that we like, bringing home a bounty of yummy things we cook for dinners when we're there.  Unfortunately, the Shearer's factory outlet is in the same area.  Dangerous when you can stop and buy a 3# bag of bulk calories chips. More dangerous when you walk out with more than one.



Many years ago we traveled through the ''Amish'' community in Ohio, but we didn't stop.[regretfully]  On the way back while traveling we stayed in Lancaster Pa. It was mid Sept.and we had a motel in the middle of a cornfield. We watched them cut and bale cornstalks with a team of horses. It was nice to see the families work together. We went back last year and I couldn't believe all the commercialization. We still had a wonderful vacation. Nice pace, good people, and excellent food.


----------



## Kylie1969

I am really enjoying the ebook I am reading, JK Rowling's alias, very good writing


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Kylie1969 said:


> I am really enjoying the ebook I am reading, JK Rowling's alias, very good writing



I can't wait to read her _Casual Vacancy_ and her Harry Potter books. This is my first Rowling read. I'm still fairly early in the novel, and really enjoying it.


----------



## Kylie1969

Greg, so you are reading Cuckoo's Calling right now too?


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Yeppers Kylie.  In fact it's just before 6 p.m. here and I expect to hit my bedroom and continue _Cuckoo_ in about 4 hours.

I've been exercising a lot more lately and found (as I already knew) that the more exercise I get during the day the more energy I have in the evening. I'm now up to about 30-40 pages a night.

And I have Stephen White's latest novel and series finale _Compound Fractures_ queued up (I reserved a library hardcover copy early on, nimble enough to get a single digit reserve number when LAPL will probably buy 40 copies), and planning on reading Stacia Kane's second in her series I mentioned above after I finish _Compound Fractures_. (I expect to get White's last Alan Gregory novel in about 2 weeks, just long enough to finish Rowling's _Cuckoo_.)

My life has had great tumult lately and that has made it very hard for me to focus on reading novels, but now that things are settling down I've found it so much easier to focus and enjoy reading.

Believe me, not knowing where you will live next month makes it very hard to focus on enjoying fiction. Now I know where I will live for the next 20-30 years, and that's a great settling factor in my life. Now I can just sit down and read a novel and know that anything I put off is nothing important.

I finally have time to enjoy reading. I don't have to scurry to the home buying bidding wars any more. You have only to win one round, and I won mine. Now I can focus on reading and cooking and relationships.

I'm very much looking forward to continue Stacia Kane's series, and I have a few other urban fantasy authors queued up too, and I'll mention them soon.


----------



## tinlizzie

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I love Robert Crais books.  I've read everything he has written and I think _Suspect_ is his best ever.



When the new book arrives at our library, soon I hope, my name is first on the list - I'm really looking forward to it.

Right now I'm reading a new one by M. C. Beaton - The Death of Yesterday.  Hers always zip right along, giving just enough details, like the names of the cat and dog -- Nonsie and Lugs.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

OMG Lizzie, I totally forgot about Crais! I've read all his novels up to _Taken_.

Actually, almost all his novels. The entire Cole/Pike series is awesome. His non-series novels _Demolition Angel_ and _Two Minute Rule_ were fair. I just noticed I haven't read _Hostage_ (1981) so no comment about that.

I see that _Suspect_ is also not a Cole/Pike series novel but I'll give it a read as soon as my reading schedule is free. I'm currently reading Rowling's _Cukoo_ novel, and I'm queued up as #12 for 17 copies, all of them "in process" which is how they show until the publisher releases them for distribution (Aug. 20th in this case). LAPL is such a large library I'm sure they'll buy much more than the current 17, they probably have another couple dozen copies that haven't been logged into the system yet. So I should probably have _Compound Fractures_ in my hands in about a week.

For people who buy books it's much simpler: you order them, you get them, and then you can read them whenever you want. People like me who would rather read library books for free (not really free, my taxes pay for it) have to manage their reading very carefully when they seek popular books because there is brisk competition and long wait lists for the most popular, most recent books. When you get your copy you have 3 weeks to finish it or you return it and go back to the end of the wait list. (I sometimes go into late fees if I'm near the end of a heavily reserved novel.)

I'm glad you and Fi reminded me to check up on Crais. I'm intrigued since Fi says its his best book ever. I particularly liked the one (or was there more than one) written from Pike's point of view.

By the way, when I'm up on my game I check all my favorite authors every month or two, and then when they announce a forthcoming novel I make a note of the release date then several weeks before that date I check my library (LAPL) every day or two and as soon as they add a place holder entry I put in my reserve. I often end up in the mid teens or even single digit place. I'm #12 on the Stephen White list but I bet there's at least 400 behind me! (You can't see how long the hold list is unless you are placing a hold, and the number you get is how long the list is.)

I have long thought that my city tax money spent on libraries is the best spent part of my tax dollars, considering all the wasteful things they do with most of my taxes. In these times of tight budgets I'm surprised LAPL continues to buy 30-40 copies each of all the popular authors. When these popular books hit the shelves on publishing date it's not at all unusual to have wait lists of 300-500 people!


----------



## tinlizzie

*Robert Crais Books*

Wow, Greg!  I recently finished The Two Minute Rule (thanks, Vitauta); it was my first Crais and I thought it was super.  Now I can't wait to try some others.  Guess I'd better hang onto my socks.


----------



## Addie

Katie H said:


> At the urging of my best friend, who has nearly identical reading tastes as I, I'm trying to get into _Clan of the Cave Bear_. Not sure it's going to fly. So far it is laborious. Yes, I know characters have to be established, etc., but I'm ready to get some sort of story going. It's a little like watching paint dry. I'll give it some more time but I'm not holding out a lot of hope I'll finish it.


 
When that first came out, I tried and tried to get through it. I gave up and have never given it a second thought.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

tinlizzie said:


> Wow, Greg!  I recently finished The Two Minute Rule (thanks, Vitauta); it was my first Crais and I thought it was super.  Now I can't wait to try some others.  Guess I'd better hang onto my socks.



Definitely read _Demolition Angel_ and _Hostage_...fair warning...buy yourself a box of kleenex for _Suspect_.  When you get to the Pike and Cole books...fasten your seatbelt!

Shrek and I just hit the used bookstore...we used up $80 of our trade credit, got a book or 20. Now I don't have any excuse (except lack of attention span) to not read.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Greg Who Cooks said:


> I'm glad you and Fi reminded me to check up on Crais. I'm intrigued since Fi says its his best book ever. I particularly liked the one (or was there more than one) written from Pike's point of view.



_Suspect_ is a different type of story, easily his best for evoking honest caring emotion, not just blood and guts.


----------



## Dawgluver

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Suspect is a different type of story, easily his best for evoking honest caring emotion, not just blood and guts.



I just started Suspect today, and am having a hard time putting it down!  Love it!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I recently purchased two books:

_Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children_, by Ransom Riggs

_Apocalypse Cow_, by Michael Logan

Both odd books, the children one is based on old photos with a supernatural twist and then there are zombie cows in the other.  I don't know how long this zombie fascination is going to last, but I am having fun with it.


----------



## FrankZ

I started War of the Worlds today.


----------



## Max Sutton

I'm reading LET IT BURN (2013) by Steve Hamilton. This is the latest Alex McKnight book in a crime fiction series set in Michigan.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

tinlizzie said:


> Wow, Greg!  I recently finished The Two Minute Rule (thanks, Vitauta); it was my first Crais and I thought it was super.  Now I can't wait to try some others.  Guess I'd better hang onto my socks.



Read them in order of publishing date! In other words, read them as the author wrote/published them. The series has a progression.

Report back! 

I hope you like Pike as much as I do. The series initially focused on Cole with Pike as his back-up, but when the Pike as protagonist novel came out it really blew me away.

I wish I knew these people. That's why you/I like these Crais novels. We wanna be friends with the main characters.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

PrincessFiona60 said:


> _Suspect_ is a different type of story, easily his best for evoking honest caring emotion, not just blood and guts.



Yeah, I figured that but thanks for the waring Fi. I take it as really solid advice when you recommended the book. I know I'll like because I know you would not recommend a book lightly, because I know you! 

I'll admit it took a bit of work to like you!  (I hope you feel the same about me...)


----------



## Cooking Goddess

mysterychef said:


> I'm reading a crime mystery novel ''Her Last Breath'' by Linda Castillo.....



mysterychef, I picked up one of Catillo's books at the library on Friday.  Started to read "Sworn to Silence" today and !  Not like my usual "cozy mysteries".  It seems a bit....graphic.  I don't know how far I'll get.  Castillo writes captivatingly, BUT I'm used to warm and fuzzy killings.   And laughs.  Don't think I'll get fuzzy or laughs...


----------



## mysterychef

Cooking Goddess said:


> mysterychef, I picked up one of Catillo's books at the library on Friday.  Started to read "Sworn to Silence" today and !  Not like my usual "cozy mysteries".  It seems a bit....graphic.  I don't know how far I'll get.  Castillo writes captivatingly, BUT I'm used to warm and fuzzy killings.   And laughs.  Don't think I'll get fuzzy or laughs...


I just finished a mystery ''Judgment Call'' by J.A.Jance.  Stars out with a bang then puts the brakes on until the last 50 pages.  Had trouble staying with it maybe because  I've never read one of her books before. All in all very good story just a little to long.  More used to Castillo or Crais writing. They Keep you interested from cover to cover.  I've just started the Thomas Jefferson book you recommended. So far very interesting. Thanks again.


----------



## jabbur

I'm currently reading Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy.  Didn't see the movie either so really didn't have any idea about the book but knew it was a pretty popular story.  It's very rich story-telling so I don't get very far each night.  I've been reading it for nearly a week and am not even a quarter through the book.  

I see mysterychef just started a book about Thomas Jefferson.  Which one is that?  I love Mr. Jefferson.  His life is so amazing!  My son graduated from his University so my family has a great affection for the man!


----------



## Katie H

Still wading my way through _Clan of the Cave Bear_.  It's laborious but I can't stop something I've already begun.  I don't think I'll go on to read any of the rest of the series.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

jabbur said:


> ...I see mysterychef just started a book about Thomas Jefferson.  Which one is that?  I love Mr. Jefferson.  His life is so amazing!  My son graduated from his University so my family has a great affection for the man!



jabbur, that would be "Thomas Jefferson's créme brûlee : how a founding father and his slave James Hemings introduced French cuisine to America / by Thomas J. Craughwell."  The library call numbers are:  973.4609 CRA 2012.  It was a great book from a personal as well as historical perspective, taking place during his years in France as the US emissary.  It also includes a few copies of his recipes...in his own writing.  I didn't bother trying to decipher, just enjoyed the "view".


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Cooking Goddess said:


> mysterychef, I picked up one of Catillo's books at the library on Friday.  Started to read "Sworn to Silence" today and !  Not like my usual "cozy mysteries".  It seems a bit....graphic.  I don't know how far I'll get.  Castillo writes captivatingly, BUT I'm used to warm and fuzzy killings.   And laughs.  Don't think I'll get fuzzy or laughs...



In my opinion it's very difficult to write mystery books where somebody doesn't die. About the only exception is the "heist" mystery novels involving a huge theft, and even in many of them murder is involved. But don't worry, they're only fictional characters.

I had to call quits on the Hannibal Lechter series by Thomas Harris, because they were just too graphic for me, way too graphic. So now I know what my queasiness threshold is.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Katie H said:


> Still wading my way through _Clan of the Cave Bear_.  It's laborious but I can't stop something I've already begun.  I don't think I'll go on to read any of the rest of the series.



If you can't get past page 100 (in any book) you're better off giving it up and moving on to a (hopefully) better book.

There's so many books, so little time. Think about it: watch a movie that wasn't that good and you've wasted 90 minutes to 2 hours. Read a book that wasn't that good and you've wasted 8-12 hours.

I have my 100 page rule. If I'm not hooked by 100 pages I log the novel into my reading log and move on to the next book.


----------



## jabbur

Cooking Goddess said:


> mysterychef, I picked up one of Catillo's books at the library on Friday.  Started to read "Sworn to Silence" today and !  Not like my usual "cozy mysteries".  It seems a bit....graphic.  I don't know how far I'll get.  Castillo writes captivatingly, BUT I'm used to warm and fuzzy killings.   And laughs.  Don't think I'll get fuzzy or laughs...



Have you read the Chet and Bernie books by Spencer Quinn?  They'd be just up your alley.  The first one is Dog on It.  Also the Liturgical Mystery series by Mark Schweizer.  Set in an Episcopal church in North Carolina.  The church choir director is also the chief of police.  Lots of quirky characters. The first one is The Alto Wore Tweed.


----------



## Dawgluver

jabbur said:


> Have you read the Chet and Bernie books by Spencer Quinn?  They'd be just up your alley.  The first one is Dog on It.  Also the Liturgical Mystery series by Mark Schweizer.  Set in an Episcopal church in North Carolina.  The church choir director is also the chief of police.  Lots of quirky characters. The first one is The Alto Wore Tweed.



Love Chet and Bernie.  And I'm loving Crais' Suspect.


----------



## Mad Cook

Katie H said:


> Still wading my way through _Clan of the Cave Bear_. It's laborious but I can't stop something I've already begun. I don't think I'll go on to read any of the rest of the series.


Life's too short to read rubbish.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Mad Cook said:


> Life's too short to read rubbish.



Someone's rubbish is another person's treasure.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Greg Who Cooks said:


> In my opinion it's very difficult to write mystery books where somebody doesn't die. .....



Greg, I'm not protesting people dying.  If it's a murder mystery, there MUST be a murder!  There are couple of authors I follow where I actually root for some of the annoying characters to get knocked off.  What was difficult to read in this book (and, thankfully, appeared to be just in the prologue) was a detailed description of the slaughterhouse practice of exsanguination...performed on humans.  Detailed. *shudders*  Plus your garden-variety of torture treatments.  Since I didn't have nightmares I've continued reading on. Thankfully, the book has now reduced itself to your standard thriller as opposed to a medical textbook.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Not quite sure your point CG, but there's interesting ways to describe murder (in first, second or third person) and there's ways to do it that just gross me out (Thomas Harris: _Silence of the Lambs_ which was a very good read but I just couldn't take anything this explicit (okay I read 1-2 of his later novels, but I called it quits after that). Good author, great novels, but just too explicit for my taste.

It's easy for novelists to kill off objectionable (or even sympathetic) characters, they can always accomplish the deed in a paragraph or two. These aren't real people they're just story book characters that advance the plot of a novel.

As I said, as a general rule somebody has to die (often more than one person) to get the business of a mystery novel going, although there are exceptions (e.g. the "heist" novels) but I think most of us mystery/suspense fans want characters to die to advance the plot of our thrillers.

There's nothing wrong with imaginary people dying. It's just how the author handles it.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Cooking Goddess said:


> Greg, I'm not protesting people dying.  If it's a murder mystery, there MUST be a murder!  There are couple of authors I follow where I actually root for some of the annoying characters to get knocked off.  What was difficult to read in this book (and, thankfully, appeared to be just in the prologue) was a detailed description of the slaughterhouse practice of exsanguination...performed on humans.  Detailed. *shudders*  Plus your garden-variety of torture treatments.  Since I didn't have nightmares I've continued reading on. Thankfully, the book has now reduced itself to your standard thriller as opposed to a medical textbook.



Gee and I was going to make sure you had an invitation to the next open heart surgery I am allowed to watch.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

jabbur said:


> Have you read the Chet and Bernie books by Spencer Quinn?  They'd be just up your alley.  The first one is Dog on It.  Also the Liturgical Mystery series by Mark Schweizer.  Set in an Episcopal church in North Carolina.  The church choir director is also the chief of police.  Lots of quirky characters. The first one is The Alto Wore Tweed.



Those sound like I need to add them to my list!  At the present time I'm caught up with all the books the authors of my favorite series have written, and the dear writers are not writing books as fast as I can read them.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Gee and I was going to make sure you had an invitation to the next open heart surgery I am allowed to watch.



But that surgery isn't killing, it's life-saving.  Unless the surgeon makes an "oops".


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Cooking Goddess said:


> But that surgery isn't killing, it's life-saving.  Unless the surgeon makes an "oops".



I was going for the gore factor...


----------



## mysterychef

jabbur said:


> I'm currently reading Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy.  Didn't see the movie either so really didn't have any idea about the book but knew it was a pretty popular story.  It's very rich story-telling so I don't get very far each night.  I've been reading it for nearly a week and am not even a quarter through the book.
> 
> I see mysterychef just started a book about Thomas Jefferson.  Which one is that?  I love Mr. Jefferson.  His life is so amazing!  My son graduated from his University so my family has a great affection for the man!


I saw ''Prince of Tides in the theater many years ago. I remember great performances by Barbara Streisand, and Nick Nolte. [Before his mugshot photo  for a D.U.I. became a joke] My wife read the book and said the movie did a good job capturing life in the Carolina's .Kleenex optional. Particularly like the Jefferson book because of its culinary interest.


----------



## jabbur

So far in Prince of Tides, I can see 3 movies!  After I finish I'll have to netflix the movie to see what they included! I've added the Jefferson book to my wish list.  I try to keep my ebooks to under $5.  It has to be a compelling book to buy it for more than that!  I read a bit with the "look inside" feature on Amazon and it sounds intriguing.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am reading M.C.Beaton's Death Of Yesterday. I love all of her Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin mysteries.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Finished the Linda Castillo book "Sworn to Silence" Tuesday night.  In spite of it's little bit of shockingly gruesome details I'm very glad I stuck it out.  It was a really good read.  I'll have to pick the series up again later this year.


----------



## tinlizzie

JoAnn L. said:


> I am reading M.C.Beaton's Death Of Yesterday. I love all of her Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin mysteries.



I knew that M.C. Beaton also wrote under her maiden name of Marion Chesney, but take a look at her Wikipedia page; it is astounding.  She's used several names and has written oodles of books.  I've read the Macbeth and Raisin titles our library has -- I wish they stocked every one of them.  I've read several of her Edwardian novels but don't like the characters nearly as well as those two.


----------



## tinlizzie

Greg Who Cooks said:


> Read them in order of publishing date! In other words, read them as the author wrote/published them. The series has a progression.
> 
> Report back!
> 
> I hope you like Pike as much as I do. The series initially focused on Cole with Pike as his back-up, but when the Pike as protagonist novel came out it really blew me away.
> 
> I wish I knew these people. That's why you/I like these Crais novels. We wanna be friends with the main characters.



The first Crais I read was _The Two Minute Rule_ - nonstop page-turner for me.  Vitauta had recommended this one and it didn't disappoint.  So I got in line at the library for _Suspect _and just finished it.  Really good in a different way.  There was so much interesting info on the extraordinary ability of the canine nose, in this case a K-9 German Shepherd, and PTSD, both human and dog.

I like your suggestion of going back to the very beginning of Crais' writing history and following the progression forward.  My DIL chides herself on, after finding a new author she likes, devouring all of his/her work.  I used to resist doing this but find myself bringing home books I have already read because there was no method to my choosing.  I can't remember all the titles, but the situations usually ring a bell.  Sometimes I'll go ahead and re-read it, but as has been mentioned, there are so many books, so little time -- too little to be re-reading just because... 

Did you say you have a listing of what you read?


----------



## Addie

tinlizzie said:


> I knew that M.C. Beaton also wrote under her maiden name of Marion Chesney, but take a look at her Wikipedia page; it is astounding.  She's used several names and has written oodles of books.  I've read the Macbeth and Raisin titles our library has -- I wish they stocked every one of them.  I've read several of her Edwardian novels but don't like the characters nearly as well as those two.



I don't understand why authors change their names over and over. I would think you would lose some followers if they don't know your new name.


----------



## tinlizzie

Addie, I can think of a couple of reasons.  They may not be valid reasons, but...e.g., they might gain new followers under a different name; perhaps this author knows some people don't care for the two named series but will try books of a different genre or style without prejudging, not having preconceived ideas of what that book will be.

Or maybe the author assumes the role of a different writer when she assumes a different name.  Maybe she feels more free to go off in a new direction, deviate from what her fans are accustomed to.  Maybe it's just fun.

Maybe it's a business decision -- can't think of a reason here, but I'm not in business.  Stephen King has published under another name but I've never heard him give a reason.


----------



## Addie

tinlizzie said:


> Addie, I can think of a couple of reasons.  They may not be valid reasons, but...e.g., they might gain new followers under a different name; perhaps this author knows some people don't care for the two named series but will try books of a different genre or style without prejudging, not having preconceived ideas of what that book will be.
> 
> Or maybe the author assumes the role of a different writer when she assumes a different name.  Maybe she feels more free to go off in a new direction, deviate from what her fans are accustomed to.  Maybe it's just fun.
> 
> Maybe it's a business decision -- can't think of a reason here, but I'm not in business.  Stephen King has published under another name but I've never heard him give a reason.



Hmmm.... Food for thought.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

tinlizzie said:


> ...I like your suggestion of going back to the very beginning of Crais' writing history and following the progression forward.  My DIL chides herself on, after finding a new author she likes, devouring all of his/her work.  I used to resist doing this but find myself bringing home books I have already read because there was no method to my choosing.  I can't remember all the titles, but the situations usually ring a bell....


If you're getting the books at the library check your account online to see if they have a reading history.  When our system switched over to the Evergreen System you actually had to set your account to save your history.  Under our old system the reading history was the default setting.

I definitely start an author's series with book one.  If I see something more recent in the library that looks like a good one I'll save the title in my account folder and request the first (and second and, sometimes third...) book in the series.  I find it interesting to watch the characters develop personalities!


----------



## tinlizzie

I'm really ticked with the people in charge of our County right now -- everybody's got budget troubles; I understand that.  But they're going to reduce bus routes and library hours to save money.  There is currently a program to order books out of our system; that will be cut, too, to save money.  That is just so short-sighted imo.

I'll go look to see if I have a title history I can access on-line; but, shhhh, don't tell them or they'll cut that out, too.


----------



## Addie

tinlizzie said:


> I'm really ticked with the people in charge of our County right now -- everybody's got budget troubles; I understand that.  But they're going to reduce bus routes and library hours to save money.  There is currently a program to order books out of our system; that will be cut, too, to save money.  That is just so short-sighted imo.
> 
> I'll go look to see if I have a title history I can access on-line; but, shhhh, don't tell them or they'll cut that out, too.



Someday the physical building will no longer exists. You will have one giant Kindle at hand on the internet. Who is going to read to the little ones during story hour? A big favorite here at my local branch. And we are going to be losing more than 1000 slots for HeadStart kids next year due to Federal Budget cuts. With working mothers, who is going to take them to their story time and read to them? 

Here in Mass. we don't remove bus routes, just the number of runs in the day. Some routes only run during rush hours. Hope not many folks work overtime.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

tinlizzie said:


> I like your suggestion of going back to the very beginning of Crais' writing history and following the progression forward.  My DIL chides herself on, after finding a new author she likes, devouring all of his/her work.  I used to resist doing this but find myself bringing home books I have already read because there was no method to my choosing.  I can't remember all the titles, but the situations usually ring a bell.  Sometimes I'll go ahead and re-read it, but as has been mentioned, there are so many books, so little time -- too little to be re-reading just because...
> 
> Did you say you have a listing of what you read?



I would rather knowingly re-read a novel I've previously read than do it accidentally. I have my reading priorities an a previously read novel would be lowered in my queue.

I've listed all the books I've read in the last 20 years. I'm looking into making my list accessible to the public (obviously just my friends).


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Addie said:


> I don't understand why authors change their names over and over. I would think you would lose some followers if they don't know your new name.



I'm amused because of a different genre. Explicit models change their names every time they go to a different nude photography publisher. For both, (1) it's a way to appear fresh and novel, and (2) it's a means to attract a different audience.

I'm not sure this proves my point but I'm currently reading (and I had better finish it tomorrow because it's going to disappear off my iPad), JK Rowling's latest novel "The Cuckoo's Calling" (by Robert Gailraith, uh.... yeah...)

I don't understand why Rowling didn't just use her real name (is her name really JK Rowling?). But it's a really good book. In fact I have to cut my 'Net sessions short tonight because my library is going to suck it back tomorrow and I'll have to wait for weeks to finish it unless I finish it tomorrow. (on page 293 of 488 right now)

I guess whether you're a porn queen or a novelist it helps to run multiple product lines so that your previous work doesn't compete with your new work and detract from the new works' successes.

BTW I'm giving a + rating to "The Cuckoo's Calling" even though I haven't finished it. It's a really good read!


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Cooking Goddess said:


> I definitely start an author's series with book one.  If I see something more recent in the library that looks like a good one I'll save the title in my account folder and request the first (and second and, sometimes third...) book in the series.  I find it interesting to watch the characters develop personalities!



That never works because you never know if you'll like a series until you've read an exemplar, usually the latest new release. At that point you research the artist and series, and if you liked it a lot and the series has a decent history, that's when you go back to #1 and read them in order..\

I've done that countless times...

And then you find the author has another series under another pen name and you start that one out with the series debut. I've had that happen often.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

tinlizzie said:


> I'm really ticked with the people in charge of our County right now -- everybody's got budget troubles; I understand that.  But they're going to reduce bus routes and library hours to save money.  There is currently a program to order books out of our system; that will be cut, too, to save money.  That is just so short-sighted imo.
> 
> I'll go look to see if I have a title history I can access on-line; but, shhhh, don't tell them or they'll cut that out, too.



I'm very fortunate that my Los Angeles Public Library has been very well funded. We get loads of all the popular new releases. On a sadder note (and I've discussed this with my favorite librarians often) the LA City gets all the fines. You would think LAPL would get to keep the fine money and use it to buy new books, but alas, not. All fines go directly to the city fund.

But I have no reason to complain. We have a damn fine library system here in LA.

Put that in the perspective that they buy 20-40 copies of every best seller. I reserved Stephen White's latest novel (and series finale) _Compound Fractures_, released just a few days ago, and my copy is waiting at my local library (I had a reserve number of something like #12). With my limited access to their database it appears they bought only 20 copies (so far) but I bet they'll be up to 40 copies in a few weeks.

I have to pick up my copy in a few days, and I'm sure if I can't read it in the allowed 3 weeks it will take months for me to get back to it.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Greg Who Cooks said:


> *That never works* because you never know if you'll like a series until you've read an exemplar, usually the latest new release...



Painting with a rather broad brush there, aren't you?   When running across a new-to-me author I'll skim the short summary in the jacket flap.  If it sounds interesting I look for Book One in a series.  If it isn't on the shelf I request a copy.  Then I go home and read Book One.  Have never failed to go on through all the subsequent books in that series.  It works for me, so don't pull the rug out from under my feet...I'm clumsy enough on my own.


----------



## radhuni

Inferno, the latest book of Dan Brown. Not very good.


----------



## Dawgluver

radhuni said:


> Inferno, the latest book of Dan Brown. Not very good.



I heard that too.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Cooking Goddess said:


> Painting with a rather broad brush there, aren't you?   When running across a new-to-me author I'll skim the short summary in the jacket flap.  If it sounds interesting I look for Book One in a series.  If it isn't on the shelf I request a copy.  Then I go home and read Book One.  Have never failed to go on through all the subsequent books in that series.  It works for me, so don't pull the rug out from under my feet...I'm clumsy enough on my own.



You didn't quote enough of my post for me to understand what you mean.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I finished _The Cuckoo's Calling_ by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling pseudonym) and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've never read any of Rowling's books (particularly her Harry Potter series) and only started her _Casual Vacancy_ post-Potter novel which I couldn't compete due to being otherwise occupied with too many personal problems to deal with recreational reading at the time.

So anyway it's a biog thumbs up for _The Cuckoo's Calling_ and I totally recommend the mystery / private eye novel. Rowling's one POV character is a temp secretary who got hired by a PI, and her main POV character is the PI himself, a rahter damaged Afghan war vet (from war injuries involving loss of a leg) who is also the bastard whelp of a rock groupie and a famous rock musician (psychological injuries or at least a sensitivity to the mockery of celebrity). His murder investigation involves an adopted famous fashion half-black model, which crosses the paths of many pop celebrities, some who know who the protagonist is, some who do not. The big joke is that the PI met his father only once or twice, and was totally isolated from the celeb demi-monde. He couldn't give a sh** who was famous and who was not. Oh and I didn't say he's on the down and outs, sleeping in a cot in his office. Maybe this case will change his circumstances?

I won't spoil the book by telling you who done it, but only in the final chapter(s) does it become clear who the surprising murderer is. Rowling did a great job of providing all the clues yet surprising the reader in the final pages by revealing "who done it."

I recommend it as a very good read.


----------



## Katie H

Finished _Clan of the Cave Bear_.  Kept waiting for it to "go" somewhere.  I guess it did but it "got" there so slowly that I won't be reading any others in the series.

After that disappointment I took up the latest in James Patterson's "woman's murder club" series, _Twelfth of Never_.  As expected, Patterson spun a great tale and, surprisingly this time, left me hanging.  Can't wait for the next one.  Love the 4 main characters.

Now I'm into a relatively new, to me, author...Michael Connelly.  I've come to really like his character, Harry Bosch.  Just began _Trunk Music_, which is just what I've come to expect of Connelly...a great story.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Katie H said:


> Finished _Clan of the Cave Bear_.  Kept waiting for it to "go" somewhere.  I guess it did but it "got" there so slowly that I won't be reading any others in the series.
> 
> After that disappointment I took up the latest in James Patterson's "woman's murder club" series, _Twelfth of Never_.  As expected, Patterson spun a great tale and, surprisingly this time, left me hanging.  Can't wait for the next one.  Love the 4 main characters.
> 
> Now I'm into a relatively new, to me, author...Michael Connelly.  I've come to really like his character, Harry Bosch.  Just began _Trunk Music_, which is just what I've come to expect of Connelly...a great story.




Love Michael Connelly books and Harry Bosch.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Greg Who Cooks said:


> You didn't quote enough of my post for me to understand what you mean.



Sorry.  I thought I summarized the rest of your post enough to jog your memory.   Point was if I find a new-to-me author and the book in my hand looks appealing but isn't Book One I always start reading the series with Book One.  You said *"That never works because you never know if you'll like a series until you've read an exemplar, usually the latest new release. ..."*  Hence my "broad brush" comment.  Except that doing it MY way works for *me*.  I've never not continued on with a series when I've gone ahead and started with the initial book.  I enjoy the character development that ensues as the author adds titles to the series.

If you want to read the entire exchange your original post is the link above, my reply is the second post below yours.


----------



## Zhizara

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Love Michael Connelly books and Harry Bosch.



I just went to the resident's library yesterday and found my first Michael Connelly book.  I started it last night and was immediately caught up in the story.  I looked at the list of books he's written and realized I've got a new author (to me) and lots of good reading to come.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> I just went to the resident's library yesterday and found my first Michael Connelly book.  I started it last night and was immediately caught up in the story.  I looked at the list of books he's written and realized I've got a new author (to me) and lots of good reading to come.



LOL!  Glad to help...I've have so many authors I have read and enjoyed, but have been all the way through their series and I'm on to the next author.  It's hard to remember all their names until someone else mentions them.


----------



## Dawgluver

Just started "A Dog's Purpose".  What a charming book!  I think I'll eventually have to break out the tissues, though.


----------



## tinlizzie

That disturbing current news story about digging up remains at the boys' school in the Florida panhandle jogged my memory.  Jefferson Bass, the two-man team who write the _Body Farm_  books, put one out a couple of years ago called _The_ _Bone Yard_, based on this sorry chapter from the past.  Their books are always well done and this one is no exception, but I don't think I could bear reading it again even to compare it with what they may find up there.

I just picked up a book by Annie Dillard -her writing has been compared to Thoreau.  This one is Pilgrim at _Tinker Creek_.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Katie H said:


> Finished _Clan of the Cave Bear_.  Kept waiting for it to "go" somewhere.  I guess it did but it "got" there so slowly that I won't be reading any others in the series.
> 
> After that disappointment I took up the latest in James Patterson's "woman's murder club" series, _Twelfth of Never_.  As expected, Patterson spun a great tale and, surprisingly this time, left me hanging.  Can't wait for the next one.  Love the 4 main characters.
> 
> Now I'm into a relatively new, to me, author...Michael Connelly.  I've come to really like his character, Harry Bosch.  Just began _Trunk Music_, which is just what I've come to expect of Connelly...a great story.



I've always been amused on how poeples' tastes can differ, and no reason can be defined.

I loved the _Clan of the Cave Bear_ series except (hopefully) the finale (which IMO was the author hitting the cash register one last time.)

I've read a few Patterson novels but just never caught on with me.

Now Michael Connelly... I read every damned book he ever wrote, and _Trunk Music_ was one of his better novels. If he wrote a supermarket shopping list I'd enjoy it!!! He's on my "must read" novelist list. My advice to you is that if you liked _Trunk Music_ you should start with his first novel and read them all in order. (That's what I did.)

I better check and make sure he didn't sneak in a novel I've missed...


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Cooking Goddess said:


> Sorry.  I thought I summarized the rest of your post enough to jog your memory.   Point was if I find a new-to-me author and the book in my hand looks appealing but isn't Book One I always start reading the series with Book One.  You said *"That never works because you never know if you'll like a series until you've read an exemplar, usually the latest new release. ..."*  Hence my "broad brush" comment.  Except that doing it MY way works for *me*.  I've never not continued on with a series when I've gone ahead and started with the initial book.  I enjoy the character development that ensues as the author adds titles to the series.
> 
> If you want to read the entire exchange your original post is the link above, my reply is the second post below yours.



Please give me a hint. Tell me what author and what series you are referring to. I do not have ESP.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Zhizara said:


> I just went to the resident's library yesterday and found my first Michael Connelly book.  I started it last night and was immediately caught up in the story.  I looked at the list of books he's written and realized I've got a new author (to me) and lots of good reading to come.



Yeah you do! I've read a dozen+ novels by Connelly and really enjoyed them all. He's a "must read" author for me.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Greg Who Cooks said:


> Please give me a hint. Tell me what author and what series you are referring to. I do not have ESP.



There WAS no particular author.  Just "authors" in general. 

 Check your personal messages.  Getting to be too long of an explanation to post to the thread.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I started and finished "Bones Are Forever" by Kathy Reichs...another excellent story.  The first three pages are tough to get through, but worth the discomfort.


----------



## mmyap

I've gone off C.J. Boxx / Joe Pickett.  Too much animal cruelty for my cup of tea.  

I have discovered Deborah Crombie / Duncan Kinkaid and Gemma James is more to my liking.  I have to wait for my next two of that series to be transferred to my library so I can pick up.  Until then I picked up "The Sweetness At The Bottom Of The Pie" and a swedish crime novel titled "Borkmann's Point."


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I have a heavy reading assignment that I intend to start tonight. Stephen White has stated in his blog that he feels that authors are losing control of their literary works, and losing control how they are sold to the public, or whether they will be sold at all (him a best selling author). In his blog he stated that he will issue the series finale to his Alan Gregory series where the protagonist is a Ph.D. in Boulder, Colorado, in a stunning psychological thriller series that lasted more than a dozen novels.

In White's blog he has stated that he feels that due to changes in the publishing industry he feels that authors are losing control of their intellectual works, and he made the decision to close out his Alan Gregory series with "_Compound Fractures_" as the series finale. Evidently it is a continuation of "_Line of Fire_", his most recent novel.

I've checked both both books from Los Angeles Public Library and I intend to re-read LOF then read CF, to satisfy my enjoyment of this author's great contributions to the literary world, and recognizing his unique contribution that White is an active Ph.D. clinical psychologist whose protagonist is also a Ph.D. clinical psychologist in the same city. IMO nobody knows people better than Ph.D. clinical psychologists, and White has been unique from my perspective in creating believable characters who act real, who are real people with real motives.

I'm pleased that White has affirmed that he will continue to publish stand-alone, non-series novels in the future. He stated (in his blog) that he felt authors are losing control of their works, and he wrote this final Alan Gregory novel "_Compound Fracures_" to satisfy his followers and enthusiasts by providing a satisfying conclusion to the series before the publishers could wrest control from him.

So I now have in my possession "Line of Fire" and "Compound Fractures," intending to fast read both in the next 3 weeks (before they are due back at LAPL).

At some point I hope to post a link to his blog where he explains why he believes authors are losing control of their novels, even NY best seller authors.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

mmyap said:


> I've gone off C.J. Boxx / Joe Pickett.  Too much animal cruelty for my cup of tea.



Box became too formulaic when I quit the series, perhaps several books back. Heck, it's a great way to get paid for typing while sitting in your nice office and living in a beautiful house. I'd do it too.


----------



## FrankZ

I am reading that book about androids and electric sheep..


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> I am reading that book about androids and electric sheep..



That is such a good book, love PKD.  Had an argument with Dad once about _Bladerunner_, he said it was Harlan Ellison and I corrected him (a very unusual situation). Then I proved it by getting the book off his own bookshelf, it was the one I had read.  He stopped arguing with me about SF books and authors.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am reading a DCI Monika Paniatowski Mystery, she was a protege of DCI Charlie Woodends. He retired and she is now on her own. The books are by Sally Spencer.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Just started reading "The Taste of Country Cooking" by Edna Lewis.  It's a cookbook that reads like a novel, written in 1976.  I'd been going through old magazines.  Some of them had moved with us over a decade ago when we moved from OH, and I refuse to move them back.  But I ran across an article in an old Country Living/Home that talked about Edna Lewis and she sounded interesting, so I got a book of hers from the library.  Magazines will have to wait...


----------



## JoAnn L.

The Party~A guide to Adventurous Entertaining by Sally Quinn. Lots of interesting stories.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_The Darwin Elevator,_ by Jason M. Hough...post apocalyptic fun.


----------



## CatPat

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. This is an excellent book by William L. Shirer.

Your friend,
~Cat


----------



## Rocket_J_Dawg

CatPat said:


> The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. This is an excellent book by William L. Shirer.
> 
> Your friend,
> ~Cat



I won't spoil it for you Cat.....I know how it ends.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I just finished Stephen White's series conclusion to his Alan Gregory series of 20 novels about a protagonist who is a clinical psychologist (Psy.D.) in Boulder Colorado (by an author who is also a Psy.D. in Boulder). It was a great series!!!

I highly recommend it, but start with #1, not in the middle of the series. And be warned, the 19th (_Line of Fire_) and 20th concluding sequel (_Compound Fractures_) are part 1 and part 2, with the 19th novel leaving things up in the air.

Anybody who is interested in this psychological suspense series should start with _Privileged Information_ (1991) and then continue in order of publishing date.

The two book series conclusion was one of the best novels I've ever read!


----------



## radhuni

The source of magic by Anthony Piers


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

radhuni said:


> The source of magic by Anthony Piers



I've read that one! Although not since junior high. Hmmm. I should see if I can find it and read it again. I remember liking it and I think I remember the general storyline but it's all pretty foggy. I do remeber it was before the series became more about how many puns could be crammed into the book than telling a story. Let us know how you like it.


----------



## CatPat

Rocket_J_Dawg said:


> I won't spoil it for you Cat.....I know how it ends.



Oh you do know of this? Wait a minute. I think I do also!

Perhaps a simple lucky guess, yes? Ha!

Your friend,
~Cat


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_The Exodus Towers_, by Jason Hough,


----------



## JoAnn L.

Reading another Sally Spencer mystery~ Echoes Of The Dead


----------



## tinlizzie

The memoir from Amanda Knox, 'Waiting to be Heard.' 

Also 'Don't Make a Scene' by Valerie Block.  The leading character runs a small, boutique-sized cinema in NYC where she chooses a weekly theme and features usually old, sometimes b&w movies to fit the theme.  Many clever references to filmdom.

Also in my book bag is the second novel by an author new to me, but not new by any means.  This one is 'Cutthroat Gulch' by Richard Wheeler - he writes stories that take place in the not-too-Old West but (IMHO) are a cut above the usual.  The cutthroats here are trout; the detective work is done on horseback.


----------



## CarolPa

I am reading "Long Time No See" by Susan Isaacs.  

I just noticed this thread and will no doubt read through the whole thing to see who read what I read.  I am always reading something.  I prefer mysteries, with a romantic twist.


----------



## Mad Cook

I picked up Bill Bryson's "One Summer : America 1927" in Tesco today.

Non-fiction and very entertaining. I started to read it while still in the car park and eventually put it down to go home an hour later. I enjoy his writing and I'm not disappointed in this one. I recommend it


----------



## radhuni

The source of magic by Piers Anthony.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

tinlizzie said:


> The memoir from Amanda Knox, 'Waiting to be Heard.'



My GF was reading that and I haven't been able to drag out a final opinion from her yet.

What be yours?


----------



## PrincessFiona60

radhuni said:


> The source of magic by Piers Anthony.



I should read those again, it's been a long time.  Are you enjoying it Radhuni?


----------



## Zhizara

I'm rereading The Rowan by Anne McCaffrey (to be followed by the rest of the series).


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I love that series, too!


----------



## CarolPa

Greg Who Cooks said:


> My GF was reading that and I haven't been able to drag out a final opinion from her yet.
> 
> What be yours?




I am on a waiting list at the library with 2 people ahead of me.  I will give you my opinion when I'm finished.  I read Fatal Beauty and that left me with the opinion that she is not guilty, but these books are written from Amanda's point of view.  I would imagine a book written from the Kercher family's camp would make her appear very guilty.


----------



## CarolPa

This is such a long shot.  Back in the 80's I read a book about a young woman who had a relationship with a guy from a wealthy family.  She got pregnant.  He talked her into having an abortion which left her unable to have children, then he dumped her.  She made up her mind to get revenge.  She worked her way up to become head of her own corporation and little by little brought his family's company down, without him knowing her identity, until the end when she let her identity be known.  This was back when I first got into serious reading and didn't really pay attention to authors names.  I don't recall the title of the book or the author, but something makes me think the title of the book was just one word.  

Maybe someone recalls that story.


----------



## tinlizzie

Greg Who Cooks said:


> My GF was reading that and I haven't been able to drag out a final opinion from her yet.
> 
> What be yours?



Haven't finished it yet, Greg, and do admit that I waver back and forth as I read.  I think Casey Anthony's case (and O.J.'s) re-established a worm of disbelief or at least suspicion in court decisions and, yes, pretty faces as well.  I'll report back when the book is done, but I may not have a firm decision as to guilt even then.  Please post your GF's thoughts when she has decided, if she doesn't mind.

I think the post about whose point of view we're hearing is well taken.

Carol, there were several dozen people ahead of me on the library's waiting list.  It didn't take very long, but then I don't know how many copies were circulating.  Hope yours is available soon.


----------



## CarolPa

tinlizzie said:


> Carol, there were several dozen people ahead of me on the library's waiting list.  It didn't take very long, but then I don't know how many copies were circulating.  Hope yours is available soon.




My waiting list is for an e-book from the library's website.  The bad part about that is each person can have the book for 14 days.  At that point, the library just takes it back.  Because you don't have to actually go into the e-book and return it, most people don't do it.  They just let it go until the library takes it.  I usually return them when I'm finished in case someone else is waiting for it, but then I am just a nice, considerate person.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Thanks for the comments about the Amanda book. My GF is involved in the health care insurance business (including Obamacare) and she hasn't even had time to chat with me, let alone about books...


----------



## Zhizara

I'm still working on the Anne McCaffrey series _The Rowan.  _I'm  a couple of pages from finishing book 4 and will probably start book 5 before going to bed tonight.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm on the last book of the Dire Earth Cycle...good books if you like apocalyptic type books.  I better hurry, Shrek is almost done with the second one and will be anxious to start the third.  I love finding a new author.


----------



## tinlizzie

Greg Who Cooks said:


> Thanks for the comments about the Amanda book. My GF is involved in the health care insurance business (including Obamacare) and she hasn't even had time to chat with me, let alone about books...



Hey, Greg - been wondering about how it's going re your settling into your new house.  Is there an update in another thread I can check on?  I imagine everything is out of boxes by now.  You know . . . . inquiring minds (and nosy people).


----------



## tinlizzie

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I'm on the last book of the Dire Earth Cycle...good books if you like apocalyptic type books.  I better hurry, Shrek is almost done with the second one and will be anxious to start the third.  I love finding a new author.



I've started The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood.  It's the second book of a trilogy, beginning with Oryx and Krake (she has just published the third book, so I'm trying to get ready for it).  Grim, grim.  I'm balancing it with chapters of David Sedaris' Aesop's-Fables-like small book, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk.  Crazy, man.

I know Atwood isn't new, (did you know she is Canadian), but this book is surely apocalyptic.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

tinlizzie said:


> I've started The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood.  It's the second book of a trilogy, beginning with Oryx and Krake (she has just published the third book, so I'm trying to get ready for it).  Grim, grim.  I'm balancing it with chapters of David Sedaris' Aesop's-Fables-like small book, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk.  Crazy, man.
> 
> I know Atwood isn't new, (did you know she is Canadian), but this book is surely apocalyptic.



Thanks, Lizzie...I'll certainly look Atwood up.


----------



## CarolPa

I just finished Safe Harbor by Luanne Rice.  First book in a long time that made me cry.


----------



## Zhizara

Well, I thought I'd read a few pages of the 5th of the Rowan series, _Lyon's Pride_, last night, and didn't get to bed until 1:30 AM.  Exciting stuff.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zhizara said:


> Well, I thought I'd read a few pages of the 5th of the Rowan series, _Lyon's Pride_, last night, and didn't get to bed until 1:30 AM.  Exciting stuff.



That's how I read that series, giant gulps.


----------



## CarolPa

I was on the waiting list for  "Waiting To Be Heard" on the library's e-book website.  I received an email stating that the ebook is available and on hold for me, but when I went to the website this morning, it is down.  So I went on the regular website and reserved the actual book, and another one.  I will go to the library some time today to get them, and also ask them when the website will be back up.  I get nervous about this because I fear that at some point, lending e-books will not be permitted.  Social Security does not provide enough money to be paying for ebooks.  I will be shattered!!!


----------



## Zhizara

I'm half way through the last of the Rowan series.  My latest order for used books arrived so I'll be following up with 4 more Jeffrey Deaver books.


----------



## tinlizzie

CarolPa said:


> I was on the waiting list for  "Waiting To Be Heard" on the library's e-book website.  I received an email stating that the ebook is available and on hold for me, but when I went to the website this morning, it is down.  So I went on the regular website and reserved the actual book, and another one.  I will go to the library some time today to get them, and also ask them when the website will be back up.  I get nervous about this because I fear that at some point, lending e-books will not be permitted.  Social Security does not provide enough money to be paying for ebooks.  I will be shattered!!!



I hope you get to read it before the finish of the new trial that is ongoing in Italy.  A 'guilty' verdict this time would muddle the whole matter.


----------



## CarolPa

tinlizzie said:


> I hope you get to read it before the finish of the new trial that is ongoing in Italy.  A 'guilty' verdict this time would muddle the whole matter.



I called the library and they were not aware that their website is down.  They are now "working on it."

I should have it today or tomorrow.  I would expect any book coming from the Knox side of the story will make her appear innocent, and any book coming from the Kercher side to make her appear guilty.  I read reviews on Amazon for both books, and even the people reviewing the Kercher family book seem to feel that Amanda is innocent.  It's really a tough call.  I tend to think she's innocent.


----------



## CharlieD

Just finished: Orphan Train: A Novel: Christina Baker Kline: 9780061950728: Amazon.com: Books, exelent read.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm in between books.  Trying to read some oldBen Bova stories, but they are so dated they are ridiculous.  Back to the stacks...


----------



## Cooking Goddess

There are three authors whose books I read long ago.  There are a couple at the end of each of their series still waiting for me.  For the last two winters I've not gotten around to it.  Decided rather than find someone new to read I'll pick between the three previous series and load up with the first few books from one of them.  Now to decide between Rita Mae Brown, Lilian Jackson Braun, or Margaret Truman.  Decisions, decisions...


----------



## jabbur

I just finished the first Stephanie Plum book "One for the Money" by Janet Evanovich.  Really enjoyed it.  I don't have any others in that series and with the wedding coming up next month, can't afford to spend money on books!  I went back to my stash of ebooks on my kindle and picked up the Liturgical Mysteries Series with "The Diva wore Diamonds" by Mark Schweizer.  Light mystery, comical characters in the Northern Exposure vein of small towns.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I ditched the Bova.  Started the second book of a series by Hugh Howey, _Shift_.  I was hooked by the second sentence and resent having to put it down.


----------



## Zhizara

I finally fnished the Rowan series and started on the Jeffrey Deaver:  _The Sleeping Doll_.  It's another Kathryn Dance novel.  I love that character.  I'm already up to page 206!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Love Jeffrey Deaver books...


----------



## GotGarlic

A few friends and I formed a book club; we're on our second book: "The Red Tent," by Anita Diamant, and I just finished Part I. Really, really good. It's putatively the story of Dinah, daughter of Jacob, from the Bible. I gather she is just mentioned in the Bible and this describes her and her family and what their lives were like. The red tent is where the women stayed during menstruation and childbirth, and of course, talked about womanly things away from the men


----------



## Rocket_J_Dawg

I just finished Steven King's Mile 81. It's a toss up on what to start next. Either Gordon Ramsay's Humble Pie or Racketeer by John Grisham.


----------



## jabbur

GotGarlic said:


> A few friends and I formed a book club; we're on our second book: "The Red Tent," by Anita Diamant, and I just finished Part I. Really, really good. It's putatively the story of Dinah, daughter of Jacob, from the Bible. I gather she is just mentioned in the Bible and this describes her and her family and what their lives were like. The red tent is where the women stayed during menstruation and childbirth, and of course, talked about womanly things away from the men



I really enjoyed that book.  Even though it is a novel, I think the research had to be pretty good to make you feel like you were there.  Gives you a look into the way the people lived during that time.  Loved it!


----------



## GotGarlic

jabbur said:


> I really enjoyed that book.  Even though it is a novel, I think the research had to be pretty good to make you feel like you were there.  Gives you a look into the way the people lived during that time.  Loved it!



I love good historical novels, too. Michener is one of my favorite authors.


----------



## vitauta

i'm reading '12 years a slave' by solomon northrup.  the book has been made into a movie, which will very possibly be this gen's 'roots'.  '12 years' is based on a true-life story about a free negro man, living in new york state in the 1840s, who is captured and sold back into slavery in the south.  i highly recommend it. amazingly, amazon is selling the kindle version for just 99 cents!


----------



## Dawgluver

vitauta said:


> i'm reading '12 years a slave' by solomon northrup.  the book has been made into a movie, which will very possibly be this gen's 'roots'.  '12 years' is based on a true-life story about a free negro man, living in new york state in the 1840s, who is captured and sold back into slavery in the south.  i highly recommend it. amazingly, amazon is selling the kindle version for just 99 cents!



Oooh, Vit, thanks for the tip!  Just scored it.  The movie sounded very interesting, happy to get the Kindle book!


----------



## vitauta

Dawgluver said:


> Oooh, Vit, thanks for the tip!  Just scored it.  The movie sounded very interesting, happy to get the Kindle book!




yes, the movie, a british film, is getting sensational reviews.  i'm glad you picked it up, dawg.  shoot, i think i'll go and post this on the new 'bargain' thread i just started, so even more interested dc readers can get in on this bargain book buy!


----------



## CarolPa

I am now reading Amanda Knox Waiting to be Heard.  It goes into a lot more detail about the murder than Fatal Beauty.  As it is being told by Amanda, it indicates that she is innocent, not involved at all.  But it makes me go hmmmmm.  I don't know if being grilled by the police could ever stress me out enough to sign a confession to a murder I did not commit. Twice. What was she thinking?  But then I have never been in that position so I really don't know.

According to an article I read online, the new trial is going on right now in Italy and it all comes down to a trace of Merediths DNA found on a knife in the kitchen of Rafaele, the boyfriend.


----------



## Zhizara

I recently read _Ender's Game_ by Orson Scott Card.  I thought I had read it before, but it was all new to me.  I enjoyed it so much, I ordered the Ender's Shadow series to read more about Bean.  

However, during the 3rd of this series, _Shadow Puppets_, I found a Sandra Brown book I haven't read before at Walmart today, and decided to take a break.  

Man!  She can capture my attention so quickly!  The book is _French Silk_ and she's caught me in her spell again, so quickly.  I really enjoy anything Sandra Brown has written.  Hooked again!


----------



## CarolPa

I also like Sandra Brown.  A friend gave me a few of her books I have not read yet.  Lately everything I've read has bored me.  I think it's time to take a break from reading for a while.


----------



## CatPat

Right now I'm working on my Sunday School lesson, so I'm reading the Bible. I took a break from it to come here.

Otherwise, I'm reading Hitler's Mein Kampf.

Don't ask.

With love,
~Cat


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm on the third and final book in the Hugh Howey Silo series, _Dust_.  Excellent books.


----------



## cave76

Currently reading Michael McGarrity's "Hard Country"

" Packed with an honest portrayal of the people and events that set into motion range wars, Indian raids, cattle rustling, rough justice, long-standing feuds, murder, and the final closing of the frontier, Hard Country resonates with a hard-bitten, atmospheric reality. It is the Western reinvented and enlarged into an historic family saga that above all celebrates the people and the land of the great Southwest"

McGarrity follows Tony Hillerman's place in my reading stack. (Hillerman is deceased). He writes about the same geographic area, for the most part. His novels are similar but different than Hillerman's tales and if you liked/loved Hillerman then you'll feel the same about McGarrity. Although each book is a stand alone there is a loose connection between them that I find better if read in order---- but that's not necessary.


----------



## CharlieD

Just finished Froyd's mistress.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Got three fluff books to read in the car on the drive to FL - the "Wine Lover's Mystery" series by Michele Scott.  Quick, easy, fun reads.  The next one is waiting for me at the library but it can cool its heels until its two siblings show up too.  Then I'll hole up in my chair and read until my eyes fall out!


----------



## tinlizzie

On the bedtable:  a piece of fluff like CG's, fast, easy -- _Frozen_ _Stiff _by Annelise Ryan (a new-to-me author)

The last in a trilogy, _MaddAddam_ by Margaret Atwood.  Recently finished the second, _The Year of the Flood_.

And my first Elmore Leonard - _Maximum Bob.  _Only a few pages in, trying it out -- having read several failed fluffs lately, it's almost startling how fresh and good his writing is.  I should have been a serious fan by now.  Lots of quality catching-up to do.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Not reading, yet but hit the motherlode at Hastings last night.   Purchased: _ Winter Fire_, by Preston & Child; _King and Maxwell_, by Baldacci and _To Live and Let Drood _, by Green.


----------



## cave76

tinlizzie said:


> And my first Elmore Leonard - .



Elmore Leonard's books are some of the absolutely pleasure-reading best I've ever read.  I hope you enjoy his wit as much as I did. Maybe it's time for me to reread them.


----------



## msmofet

I thought I had posted that I read Stephen King's (sequel to The Shining) Doctor Sleep. Was great!


----------



## tinlizzie

cave76 said:


> Elmore Leonard's books are some of the absolutely pleasure-reading best I've ever read.  I hope you enjoy his wit as much as I did. Maybe it's time for me to reread them.



Do you have a favorite title?  I'd like to check at my library.  Thanks.


----------



## jabbur

Got two going right now.  The first is "Imperfect Harmony" by Stacy Horn.  It's about her experiences in a volunteer community choir in NYC and how it has affected her life.  There's a lot of research in there too on how singing affects our bodies and emotions.  Interesting stuff to this fellow community choir member.  The other is "The Countertenor wore Garlic" by Mark Schweizer about a small Appalachian town in NC and the quirky townspeople.  There is usually a murder but it's light reading.


----------



## Mad Cook

CatPat said:


> Right now I'm working on my Sunday School lesson, so I'm reading the Bible. I took a break from it to come here.
> 
> Otherwise, I'm reading Hitler's Mein Kampf.
> 
> Don't ask.
> 
> With love,
> ~Cat


My Father read it when he was a young man (he was never in anyway a fan of Hitler, he just thought he ought to know what it was all about). I was going to read it when in my teens but the librarian said it was unsuitable reading for a schoolgirl and wouldn't let me take it out. I've never had the time or the inclination since.

 I'm currently working my way through the "Tales of the City" series and waiting for volume 4 to arrive. And I'm looking forward to the latest in the "No 1 Ladies Detective Agency" series. Nothing on the go at the moment as I'm busily knitting for Christmas and I haven't quite cracked how to read and knit at the same time. I'm afraid the requests for hand-knitted socks won't be fulfilled this year but I bought some rather beautiful handmade shawl pins at a craft fair earlier in the year so I'm knitting some silky smooth knobbly yarn into scarves to go with them as gifts for female relatives.


----------



## Rocket_J_Dawg

CatPat said:


> Right now I'm working on my Sunday School lesson, so I'm reading the Bible. I took a break from it to come here.
> 
> Otherwise, I'm reading Hitler's Mein Kampf.
> 
> Don't ask.
> 
> With love,
> ~Cat



I would be interested on your thoughts after you read Mein Kampf. I wrote a thesis on it when I was writing my officers exams in the RCAF. It was forbidden reading when I was growing up.


----------



## cara

It's till forbidden here in G... and even if not, I'm not sure it's the kind of book I want to read.. 

Just reading through the trilogy of four again... Got the Hitchhiker out of the shelf again after 20 years 

and also Laini Taylors Days of Blood and Starlight as an Audiobook on the MacBook.


----------



## Zhizara

I just found the second of three books by Iris Johansen about Eve Duncan.  The first was _Taking Eve, _this one is _Hunting Eve, _which picks up where the first book left off.  I'm already engrossed in the story and hope the last one of this series comes out as quickly as this one did.

Off to be engrossed (again).


----------



## LPBeier

I have been reading "How to be a Frugalista".  It is really a good read with a lot of good tips.  I have been trying to put it into practice.


----------



## bethzaring

I've recently discovered the architect, Mary Colter, on a PBS show about Fred Harvey.  I am reading two biographys on her.


----------



## Aunt Bea

I am reading a cooking book titled "If You Must Cook" by Jennette Lee, it was published in 1926.

Ms. Lee started cooking when she was in her 50's because she could not find competent household help.  The book gives a wonderful glimpse of daily life at a time when people were just beginning to use refrigeration.  She explains how she composes her menus using leftovers from previous meals so that the majority of cooked foods can be used within 24 hours.  Also some interesting tips on preventing spoilage of other foods.  Many great tips and recipes for setting a good table without great expense.


----------



## tinlizzie

Aunt Bea said:


> I am reading a cooking book titled "If You Must Cook" by Jennette Lee, it was published in 1926.
> 
> Ms. Lee started cooking when she was in her 50's because she could not find competent household help.  The book gives a wonderful glimpse of daily life at a time when people were just beginning to use refrigeration.  She explains how she composes her menus using leftovers from previous meals so that the majority of cooked foods can be used within 24 hours.  Also some interesting tips on preventing spoilage of other foods.  Many great tips and recipes for setting a good table without great expense.



Since the chances of our ever finding a copy to read ourselves, and if the thread-master doesn't nix it for digressing from the thread topic, would you mind sharing some of the interesting tips/recipes here?  Sounds fascinating.


----------



## GotGarlic

tinlizzie said:


> Since the chances of our ever finding a copy to read ourselves, and if the thread-master doesn't nix it for digressing from the thread topic, would you mind sharing some of the interesting tips/recipes here?  Sounds fascinating.



Or you could start a new thread for it.


----------



## cave76

TinLizzie----- I just saw your post asking for my favorite Elmore Leonard book--- sorry. 

I'm truly at a loss to recommend any one book-----Get Shorty is one I remember--- but I've read most of them long ago. I'd say pick one like Get Shorty and see if you like it--- then move on. Wiki has a list, in case you didn't know.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Finished reading book 4 in the "Wine Lovers Mystery" series Monday...at 5:45AM!   I have two more to read, but all three books will be dropped off at the library later this week.  I'll put the titles of the unread books in my futures folder on the library website, then request them again when we are headed back from spending Christmas with our kids.  Christmas with our kids!   Can't wait!


----------



## phinz

I'm currently reading James W. Hall's _Buzz Cut_. I have a writing class with him in January at the Key West Literary Seminar and am currently trying to prepare for it.


----------



## phinz

Finished _Buzz Cut_. Now I'm reading _Darkness My Old Friend_ by Lisa Unger. She'll be at the Literary Seminar too, so I'm trying to get a feel for her style.


----------



## GotGarlic

I just started "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire." After seeing the movie at a girls' night out a couple weeks ago, a friend loaned me the trilogy. I already read the first one.


----------



## cave76

I read the Hunger Games trilogy when it first out (on my Kindle) and loved them. Maybe it's time to re-read them.


----------



## FrankZ

I just started The SIN of Addison Hall


----------



## Zhizara

I've been going through books like toilet paper lately.  I had read the Ender's Game series, then after a couple of Jeffery Deaver and David Baldacci, I finally got _Speaker For The dead_ also by Orson Scott Card.  Thoughful reading.  

Right now, I'm momentarily between books, but not for long.  What do they call it?

I know, bookworm!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Been too distracted to read lately...need to get back in the mode.


----------



## Zhizara

I just finished _Speaker for the dead_, a sequel to _Ender's Game.  _I've got a few books on order, but none have arrived yet.  On deck, I've got a book by Michael Connely, _The Brass Verdict. _John Grisham's _The Last Juror, _and Sara Paretsy's _Windy City Blues.

_Decisions, decisions.

I think Sara, I haven't read one of her books for awhile.


----------



## CWS4322

Wheat  Belly by William Davis, MD. I stopped eating white wheat products 18 months ago, shrunk 4 sizes. Now I've cut wheat out of my diet--appetite is down, and I feel great. Interesting read if you've got that spare tire syndrome going.


----------



## Zhizara

I've been going through books like crazy lately.  Last night I started _Hell's Corner _by David Balducci.


----------



## mmyap

I just finished *How The Light Gets In* by Louise Penny.  The most recent in the Armand Gamache / Three Pines mystery series.  Excellent, excellent, excellent!


----------



## tinlizzie

I've just started  Aku Aku by Thor Heyerdahl, nonfiction telling of his voyage to explore Easter Island.  A sort of follow-up to  Kon-Tiki.  Found it in a thrift store for $5.  Lots of color photos.  

Aunt Bea, I know you're a sharper shopper and probably wouldn't have paid so much for it, but sometimes ya just gotta.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_King & Maxwell_ by Balducci.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Brought a stack of old magazines to read and leave with Loverly. Since we didn't know how long we'd be here I didn't want to get library books.


----------



## phinz

Hit Lit by James W. Hall


----------



## CharlieD

Just finished The Alienist: Caleb Carr: 9780812976144: Amazon.com: Books. My wife thought it was one of the best books she’s ever read, and she doesn't even like “detective stories”. 
  I think the only reason she liked it so much was because it was written in the very proper language of the time the story is about. Personally the same proper language made very hard for me to read. Having hard time reading it I was forced paying closer attention to the story line witch I found fantastic, no not “great” but fantastic as a fantasy. Not going to into details, I would rate this book as poor at best.


----------



## Mad Cook

Just starting "The Cairo Trilogy" by  Naguib Mafouz.

 I read the first book in the trilogy about 30 years ago but never found books 2 and 3. Recently came across a combined edition on Amazon so I'm starting again.


----------



## phinz

Just started Dark Places by Gillian Flynn


----------



## jabbur

phinz said:


> Just started Dark Places by Gillian Flynn



Just finished "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn.  It was very intriguing.  Not sure how they were able to do the movie.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Two books found their way home with me from the library when I stopped to get my videos: "Dinner With the Smileys" (I read an excerpt in Parade Magazine this past summer and found the mom's process delightful), and "Goodnight Mind: Turn Of Your Noisy Thoughts and Get a Good Night's Sleep" (because the symptom descriptions on the jacket are SO our son). Don't know which to start first, so they'll probably end up tag-teaming until theyre both finished.


----------



## FrankZ

I had to sit and wait for jury duty on Wednesday (I wasn't called to a jury but I did sit from 8Am to 4PM) so I started Wild Card I.  It is now on the Kindle!


----------



## cave76

Mad Cook said:


> Just starting "The Cairo Trilogy" by  Naguib Mafouz.
> 
> I read the first book in the trilogy about 30 years ago but never found books 2 and 3. Recently came across a combined edition on Amazon so I'm starting again.



I'd like to read that, but it isn't available for Kindle. Oh, pooh!

Which reminded me of different trilogies,  different time and place, I read (and re-read) years ago.

The Balkan Trilogy by Olivia Manning.
The Levant Trilogy , same author


----------



## cara

Days of Blood and Starlight - Laini Taylor.
Second book of Daughter of smoke and bones.. and looong time to wait for the third in german....


----------



## phinz

jabbur said:


> Just finished "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn.  It was very intriguing.  Not sure how they were able to do the movie.



You would have loved Gillian's discussion with Carl Hiaasen. I loved the book. My sister-in-law hated it. I can't wait to see the movie. 

Here is a hysterically fun discussion between Gillian Flynn, Megan Abbott and Laura Lippman about their love for Lifetime Movies. It was one of the major highlights of the past weekend.

Audio Archives | Megan Abbott, Gillian Flynn, Laura LippmanFatal Vision: The Imprint of True-Crime Movies | Key West Literary Seminar


----------



## Dawgluver

phinz said:


> You would have loved Gillian's discussion with Carl Hiaasen. I loved the book. My sister-in-law hated it. I can't wait to see the movie.
> 
> Here is a hysterically fun discussion between Gillian Flynn, Megan Abbott and Laura Lippman about their love for Lifetime Movies. It was one of the major highlights of the past weekend.
> 
> Audio Archives | Megan Abbott, Gillian Flynn, Laura LippmanFatal Vision: The Imprint of True-Crime Movies | Key West Literary Seminar



Thanks for this, Phinz!  I do plan to listen to it in its entirety!


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

I just finished the latest James Patterson Women's Murder Club offering, 12th of Never, and I have started Alex Cross, Run by the same author. I have NYPD Red and Private: Berlin waiting in the wings.

When I get down to the last one, I will probably order a bunch of Clive Cussler books, and by that time Dan Brown's Inferno should be available in paperback


----------



## Mad Cook

I was listening to "Open Book" (a book review programme on BBC Radio 4) this afternoon. The programme has a snippet at the end where writers are asked to name "The book I'd never lend". Today it was Jeffrey Deaver ("The Bone Collector"). His choices were Robert Frost's poems and (of more interest to DC) the other was his grandmother's 1936 edition of "The Joy of Cooking".

 A sensible man of very good taste​


----------



## Mad Cook

cave76 said:


> I'd like to read that, but it isn't available for Kindle. Oh, pooh!
> 
> Which reminded me of different trilogies, different time and place, I read (and re-read) years ago.
> 
> The Balkan Trilogy by Olivia Manning.
> The Levant Trilogy , same author



Read them many years ago and they were serialised on the radio fairly recently. Enjoyed both but felt that if I'd been Harriet I might have murdered Guy quite early in the proceedings!


----------



## cave76

Mad Cook said:


> Read them many years ago and they were serialised on the radio fairly recently. Enjoyed both but felt that if I'd been Harriet I might have murdered Guy quite early in the proceedings!


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Finished up "Dinner With the Smileys" last night. Delightful, warm, and real. Enjoyed every chapter, sniffled through a few stories. Now I want to start inviting people I know of but don't know over for dinner...except Himself hates to socialize, especially with people he doesn't know. What a wet blanket!


----------



## LPBeier

I'm just about to start "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone".  I gave TB the movie bundle for Christmas and we just have the last two left to watch (for the third time, but this time in a shorter period of time so they flow better).  The commentaries with the writers and JK Rowling got me interested in reading the books.  I know they are skewed to a much younger audience than me, but I just love reading!  I was able to get the whole series of books on my tablet's Kindle app.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

LPBeier said:


> I'm just about to start "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone".  I gave TB the movie bundle for Christmas and we just have the last two left to watch (for the third time, but this time in a shorter period of time so they flow better).  The commentaries with the writers and JK Rowling got me interested in reading the books.  I know they are skewed to a much younger audience than me, but I just love reading!  I was able to get the whole series of books on my tablet's Kindle app.



The books "grow up" LP, and they are worth the read.


----------



## LPBeier

PrincessFiona60 said:


> The books "grow up" LP, and they are worth the read.



Oh, I'm not worried.  I am really looking forward to them.  I have the Chronicles of Narnia in both book and audio form and still go through them once in awhile.  Good literature is not age exclusive!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

LPBeier said:


> Oh, I'm not worried.  I am really looking forward to them.  I have the Chronicles of Narnia in both book and audio form and still go through them once in awhile.  Good literature is not age exclusive!



Perfect, you will enjoy the stories, then.


----------



## jabbur

Laurie, even though the Harry Potter series started for young readers, the characters and plot are good enough that many adults enjoyed them as well.  I know I did!

I'm currently reading an Agatha Christie mystery starring Hercule Poirot "Hallowe'en Party" which I'm slogging through.  After the fast paced mysteries that are written today, this one is fairly pedestrian.  Interesting plot though.  Just tough sitting through all of the interrogations Poirot does.


----------



## GotGarlic

When the first Harry Potter book came out, I read an excerpt in Newsweek magazine and was hooked. Loved them all. 

One of our exchange students gave me JK Rowling's latest for Christmas - "The Casual Vacancy." So far, pretty interesting .


----------



## cara

I like youth books. just finished Days of Blood and Starlight as Audiobook and now Dustlands waits for me - both books for the young readers...


----------



## Kayelle

I seldom write a review for books but I just did at B&N. Just thought I'd pass it on.

I  just read the last page, and I'm forever changed by this trilogy of  books so beautifully told about a remarkable woman. I'm nearly in tears  and missing her already. Nancy E Turner painted such a rich picture of Sarah  Agnes Prine that I'll be forever affected by the memory of her. Don't  miss reading these episodes in order..."These is My Words", "Sarah's Quilt"  and "The Star Garden". If there were 10 stars to rate these books I would  have used them. 

If you like historical fiction these books are a really great read.


----------



## Dawgluver

Kayelle said:


> I seldom write a review for books but I just did at B&N. Just thought I'd pass it on.
> 
> I  just read the last page, and I'm forever changed by this trilogy of  books so beautifully told about a remarkable woman. I'm nearly in tears  and missing her already. Nancy E Turner painted such a rich picture of Sarah  Agnes Prine that I'll be forever affected by the memory of her. Don't  miss reading these episodes in order..."These is My Words", "Sarah's Quilt"  and "The Star Garden". If there were 10 stars to rate these books I would  have used them.
> 
> If you like historical fiction these books are a really great read.



These sound fascinating, will look for them.  Thanks Kayelle!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I just started 1356 by Bernard Cornwell.


----------



## Kayelle

Dawgluver said:


> These sound fascinating, will look for them.  Thanks Kayelle!



My favorite reading matter is American historical novels Dawg. These books will go down as some of my very favorites like "The Proud Breed", "Follow the River","From Sea to Shining Sea".


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I'm on the second Cassie Palmer novel "Claimed by Shadow" by Karen Chance. I'm really loving urban fantasy!


----------



## phinz

A Big Little Life: A Memoir of a Joyful Dog Named Trixie


----------



## PrincessFiona60

phinz said:


> A Big Little Life: A Memoir of a Joyful Dog Named Trixie



No more doggie stories for me.  They mess me up.


----------



## phinz

PrincessFiona60 said:


> No more doggie stories for me.  They mess me up.



This one doesn't seem like it's going to be the Marley-type story, and my wife has said as much. She read it first and she would not  have put it in my lap so soon after losing our beloved Havana if she didn't feel it was uplifting.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

phinz said:


> This one doesn't seem like it's going to be the Marley-type story, and my wife has said as much. She read it first and she would not  have put it in my lap so soon after losing our beloved Havana if she didn't feel it was uplifting.



Thanks, Phinz...I'll take a look at it.


----------



## tinlizzie

Kayelle said:


> My favorite reading matter is American historical novels Dawg. These books will go down as some of my very favorites like "The Proud Breed", "Follow the River","From Sea to Shining Sea".



You might like Conrad Richter's 'Ohio Trilogy' stories of the American frontier.


----------



## phinz

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Thanks, Phinz...I'll take a look at it.



I will warn you. I know what's coming in the story (the same thing that took Havana) and it will probably upset me, but we have to deal with that every time we take another living being into our life as a companion, be they 2 or 4-legged.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

phinz said:


> I will warn you. I know what's coming in the story (the same thing that took Havana) and it will probably upset me, but we have to deal with that every time we take another living being into our life as a companion, be they 2 or 4-legged.



I will still read it...I have a need to read these kinds of books.


----------



## Kayelle

Thanks for the tip Lizzie, I'll look into them.

About dog stories..I hate to cry when I read cuz I can't see. With a movie, seeing isn't so important.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

Kayelle said:


> Thanks for the tip Lizzie, I'll look into them.
> 
> About dog stories..I hate to cry when I read cuz I can't see. With a movie, seeing isn't so important.



Unless it has subtitles...


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I do have books to read when I want to cry.  The end of _Marley and Me_ is good for that.


----------



## phinz

I finished the book last night. I cried like a baby, but the rest of the story was so much more uplifting that it was worth it.

Now I'm reading The Maltese  Falcon.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Holy Crud!  I'm running out of "time off" time.    I had so much planned...


----------



## CharlieD

phinz said:


> ...
> 
> Now I'm reading The Maltese  Falcon.



One of the best books ever. Enjoy.


----------



## jabbur

Finished the Agatha Christie book and just started 2 different books.  One is "Confessions of a Prayer Slacker" on how to improve my spiritual life and the other is James Patterson's "10th Anniversary" one of his Women's Murder Club series.


----------



## CharlieD

Just finished reading a book by Marjorie Edelson. "Malkeh and her children".
A historical novel about Russia from about the time after abolishing slavery in Russia, 1861, till about mid 1920's. An impressively well researched book. It fallows a Jewish family and everybody connected to them thru those turbulent years. If you are interested in history and that period of time. I strongly recommend you read it. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Discuss Cooking mobile app


----------



## Mad Cook

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I do have books to read when I want to cry. The end of _Marley and Me_ is good for that.


For some reason the early part of "Jane Eyre" does it for me every time I read it. Yet I _know_ it has a happy ending. How weird is that?


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

Mad Cook said:


> For some reason the early part of "Jane Eyre" does it for me every time I read it. Yet I know it has a happy ending. How weird is that?



I don't think it's weird at all. Something sad is sad, even if things end up happy later. You are empathizing with the moment of the book, not the book as a whole. Nothing weird about that.


----------



## Katie H

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I do have books to read when I want to cry.  The end of _Marley and Me_ is good for that.



Loved that book, PF.  The ending just about killed me because our dear, sweet Justin had the same condition as Marley.  Can you say, "Cried like a baby?"  It didn't help, either, that Justin looked a lot like Marley.  Double-whammy!


----------



## Katie H

I just began reading the "Sisterhood" series by Fern Michaels.  They're adventuresome stories and the characters are, well...characters.  They're "mental chewing gum" but fun reads.


----------



## Kayelle

"Tender at the Bone"........Many here would love it!
Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table (Random House Reader's Circle): Ruth Reichl: 9780812981117: Amazon.com: Books


----------



## Dawgluver

Kayelle said:


> "Tender at the Bone"........Many here would love it!
> Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table (Random House Reader's Circle): Ruth Reichl: 9780812981117: Amazon.com: Books



Thank you, Kayelle!  I just bought the Kindle version for $1.99!


----------



## Kayelle

You're welcome Dawg. I put the Amazon site here hoping you'd see it. I use B&N for my Nook and got it at the same price. Looks like a fun read!

Ruth Reichl, Gourmet's editor in chief, is the author of the  best-selling memoirs Tender at the Bone, Comfort Me with Apples, and  Garlic and Sapphires, and the forthcoming Not Becoming My Mother and  Other Things She Taught Me Along the Way. She is executive producer of   the two-time James Beard Award-winning Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie,  which airs on public television across the country, and the editor of  the Modern Library Food Series. Before coming to Gourmet, she was the  restaurant critic for the New York Times, receiving two James Beard  Awards for her work. She lectures frequently on food and culture.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Currently reading Sue Grafton's 23rd Kinsey Milhone outing _W is for Wasted_, and enjoying it. I'm about one-third through and can tell Ms. Milhone is headed for deep waters. A homeless person has died (apparently natural causes) and the only thing the coroner found was a slip of paper with Milhone Investigations and the phone number. The coroner contacted Kinsey who knew nothing about the person nor after seeing the body had never seen him. She's between cases so she decides to occupy her time trying to find out who this bum was. Questioning his friends (homeless people are loathe to give up any information about anything) she finds out his first name and that he served time, allowing the coroner to narrow it down and discover his identity. Meanwhile Kinsey has befriended one of the bums who wants her to help him recover the dead man's backpack from another group of bad bums. They recover the backpack after barely getting away from the bad bums, and discover a safe deposit key (unmarked) which lends credence to a rumor that the dead man had money. Equipped with a letter from the coroner and her PI license she starts visiting all the local banks, and finally discovers the correct bank. She and the coroner return the next day and get into the safe deposit box. To Kinsey's surprise the dead man has a deposit book with almost $600K, and a will appointing Kinsey as executor and leaving all the money to her!

It turns out that the dead man is a distant relative, perhaps a second cousin or something. Kinsey is an orphan raised by her grandmother who refused to discuss Kinsey's family so this is a complete surprise to her.

It turns out the man served about a dozen years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, and was exonerated and released, he sued and settled for the $600K. He intended to reacquaint himself with his ex-wife and children but they refused to have anything to do with him, even knowing he was innocent!

So at this point in the story Kinsey has to visit the man's ex-family and inform them they have been disinherited of $600K which has instead been left to Kinsey. Pretty awkward, eh? 

Sue Grafton started her Kinsey Milhone series with _A is for Alibi_ and has followed the title format up to now her 23rd novel in the series. I'll admit the series isn't for everybody but if you're interested, start with _A_ although _W_ seems to stand on its own except you won't know the back story of the other recurring characters.

I'll bet money Grafton will write _X_, _Y_ and _Z_ in the next few years, and retire.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I started reading those ages ago Greg. Made it about half-way through the series and then found them to be too predicable and quit somewhere around the M-N-Os. Our son got me the Q one for Christmas the year it came out and it sits unread on my bookshelf. I bet you find them interesting no matter what the story though since you live much closer to where they are set than I do. I know that is part of the reason I love the Les Roberts "Milan Jakovich" books because of their Cleveland setting. Another is that they are just darned entertaining.

I also quit with the Janet Evanovich "Stephanie Plum" books because of their predictability...except every one in a while I wonder if Max is still alive.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I too got bored in the middle of the series, perhaps M-N-O, but IMO Grafton started writing better as the series progressed past that, she got better at plot twists, better at subtly increasing the element of danger and suspense as the novel progressed.

The current novel is progressing according to that form, and the suspense gets better every page.

Now let's select another author to pick on: Patricia Cornwall. I used to be a big fan but her books got more and more stereotyped until finally I just took her off my "must read" list.

Just a heads up for you urban fantasy fans:

"_The Undead Pool_" by Kim Harrison is due for release on February 25th:







"Night Broken" by Patricia Briggs is due for release on March 46th:


----------



## jabbur

Reading a classic "Something Wicked This Way Comes" by Ray Bradbury.  After some of the "fluff" books I've recently read, this one is sufficiently creepy and the writing is of course top notch.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Ray Bradbury is on my personal "do not read" list. I read one story by him about 35 years ago. It was "There Will Come Soft Rains" and it scared the absolute crud out of me! Now with all of these electronic controls for your thermostat like the Nest "Learning" thermostat, and the fact that Google search knows what I'm looking for after I type the first two or three letter of a word, I'm afraid that my house will take over!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Cooking Goddess said:


> Ray Bradbury is on my personal "do not read" list. I read one story by him about 35 years ago. It was "There Will Come Soft Rains" and it scared the absolute crud out of me! Now with all of these electronic controls for your thermostat like the Nest "Learning" thermostat, and the fact that Google search knows what I'm looking for after I type the first two or three letter of a word, I'm afraid that my house will take over!



I so love to read Bradbury.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I'm still enjoying Sue Grafton's _W is for Wasted_.

Next up:






_Embrace the Night_ by Karen Chance, in her Cassie Palmer series book #3



> Recently  named the world's chief clairvoyant, Cassandra Palmer still has a thorn  in her side. As long as Cassie and a certain master vampire - the  sizzling-hot Mircea - are magically bound to each other, her life will  never be her own. The spell that binds them can only be broken with an  incantation found in the Codex Merlini, an ancient grimoire. The Codex's  location has been lost in the present day, so Cassie will have to seek  it out in the only place it can still be found - the past. But Cassie  soon realizes the Codex has been lost for a reason. The book is rumored  to contain dangerous spells, and retrieving it may help Cassie to deal  with Mircea, but it could also endanger the world.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Himself pointed out that I'm a little late for the season on this one, but I started Donna Andrews' "Duck the Halls" yesterday. Would have gotten it sooner but it took a while to remember Donna had a new book out this past year. It's OK, I just ran across _another_ Christmas decoration I missed when putting them away last month!


----------



## jabbur

Dad just loaned me Tim Conway's biography "What's So Funny?" Can't wait to crack it open.  He was at BGSU when my dad was there in the 50's and grew up in the same area that I did (Chagrin Falls, OH was the "next town over" from where I lived).


----------



## PrincessFiona60

jabbur said:


> Dad just loaned me Tim Conway's biography "What's So Funny?" Can't wait to crack it open.  He was at BGSU when my dad was there in the 50's and grew up in the same area that I did (Chagrin Falls, OH was the "next town over" from where I lived).



Thanks for that mention...now I know what to pick up for Shrek.  He loves Tim Conway (so do I) and he will enjoy it.


----------



## phinz




----------



## CharlieD

Sorry for posting the link, but I just do not have time to go into details:

http://www.amazon.com/Peace-Like-Ri...KFQ_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394042837&sr=1-1

Absolutely wonderful read. Loved it.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Just got done reading Aunt Dimity and The Village Witch by Nancy Atherton, now I am reading Death Of Yesterday by M.C. Beaton.


----------



## Steve Kroll

I've been reading... er.... listening to (it's an audio book) "The Road to Burgundy: The Unlikely Story of an American Making Wine and a New Life in France" by Ray Walker. 

It's a great true story about a young man whose dream is to make wine in France. He leaves his job in finance behind, packs up and starts a new life in Burgundy with a paltry $6000 in savings, no business plan, no winemaking knowledge, and knowing very little French. On top of that he also has a young family. Through a lot of persistence and dumb luck, he manages to become the first American to ever make Grand Cru Burgundy.

Wonderful story, although he also goes into painstaking detail about all the mistakes he made along the way. There are times as a reader you want to grab this fellow and shake some sense into him.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Steve, do we see a change in your "Location" from Twin Cities to Burgundy in the near future?


----------



## Steve Kroll

Cooking Goddess said:


> Steve, do we see a change in your "Location" from Twin Cities to Burgundy in the near future?


CG, at this point in my life I'm a little too pragmatic and comfortable. If I were 30 years younger, I might have considered it.

But I will say my wife has always had this dream of retiring in Italy....


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Just finished reading "To Brie or Not To Brie" by Avery Aames. Her Cheese Shop Mysteries are set in the fictional town of Providence, OH, which used to be a real town years ago. It is now a village designation, and is just across the Maumee River from Grand Rapids, OH.


----------



## mmyap

I'm trying a new author by the name of Jo Nesbo.  The Bat is the first in the Harry Hole series.  Just started the book but so far so good.

I'm intrigued by the Cheese Shop Mysteries.  That sounds like something right up my alley.  Of course, I would have to stock up on cheese to really immerse myself properly. =o)


----------



## Mad Cook

A few days ago I came across my childhood copy of "Huckleberry Finn". Read a few pages and remembered why I hated it as a child. Odd, because I loved Tom Sawyer. So Huck is now in the charity shop box.


----------



## cave76

mmyap said:


> I'm trying a new author by the name of Jo Nesbo.  The Bat is the first in the Harry Hole series.  Just started the book but so far so good.



New to you, of course.   I've 'discovered' the Nordic authors and like almost all of them, the Harry Hole character included, even though he's a bit too 'down' at times.

Enjoy.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

mmyap said:


> I'm trying a new author by the name of Jo Nesbo.  The Bat is the first in the Harry Hole series.  Just started the book but so far so good.
> 
> I'm intrigued by the Cheese Shop Mysteries.  That sounds like something right up my alley.  Of course, *I would have to stock up on cheese to really immerse myself properly*. =o)



Pure torture...  Cheese and Book Pairing Party...


----------



## Cooking Goddess

The "Cheese Shop" mysteries are tasty! Avery Aames - A Cheese Shop Mystery series

I'm back to reading my way through magazines. I was >this.close< to finishing the stack of old ones I had, some of which had moved to MA with us.  I checked out what kind of offers I could get for my Recylebank points and settled on three magazines. Since then it seems like I get a new copy sooner than once a week! Got to blow through the couple I have before my next requested book is available at the library.


----------



## phinz




----------



## simonbaker

Just going to start  a book someone gave me...It's the 1st book in a 3 book series..The first is "Six months to live" then on to "I want to live" & the final one is "So much to live for" all written by Lurlene Daniels.


----------



## cave76

I'm halfway through The Widow File by S.G. Redling.

I had a hard time getting into it (maybe that was just me) but then it started to make sense and I got caught up in it.

_"Dani, a data analyst with an elite security firm,* possesses the unnerving ability to read people by the trash they leave behind. Receipts, parking tickets, the detritus of daily life*—if you leave it behind, she will figure you out.
Her latest case involves high-tech industrial espionage at a corporation with ties to the military. But when a team of assassins sweeps through the firm, stealing all files and killing her coworkers, Dani narrowly escapes. Whoever ordered the strike thinks Dani has vital information and they put a hit man named Booker on her trail.

Armed with only her wits and a bag of random investigation materials, Dani must figure out who the enemy really is while playing a high-stakes game of cat and mouse with the cunning hit man who has an agenda of his own."_

The Widow File: S.G. Redling: 9781477808610: Amazon.com: Books

Maybe I like it because of Dani's ability to 'read' trash! Just up my alley!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I've started the _Divergent_ series by Veronica Roth, I'm hooked.


----------



## Rocket_J_Dawg

The Killing Zone by Frederick Downs Jr.


----------



## jabbur

I'm reading "Lost: Cinderella's Secret Diary" by Ron Vitale.  It is now 4 years after she married the Prince and all is not happily ever after.  It's kind of interesting reading.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Halfway through "Days of Wine and Roquefort" by Avery Aames. Which explains why I haven't been around here much lately. And...I'm off again to read some more.


----------



## jabbur

I just finished "What's so Funny?" Tim Conway's autobiography.  I really enjoyed it since he grew up in Chagrin Falls near my hometown and graduated from BGSU where my dad went to school.  In fact, they were there at the same time with Tim 2 years ahead of my dad.  Now I've gotten into "This Hallowed Ground" which is the history of Arlington National Cemetery.  I thought I'd read this since DH is currently working there on the Millennium Project.  It's been a great read so far.  Starts out with the history of the plantation and how it became the cemetery and moves through history all the way to today.  There are lots of interesting stories.  The chapter on Kennedy gave a lot of insight into the planning for that funeral.  Also, the part I'm reading now dealt with 9/11 and the Pentagon attack.  Very good stuff.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

jabbur said:


> I just finished "What's so Funny?" Tim Conway's autobiography.  I really enjoyed it since he grew up in Chagrin Falls near my hometown and graduated from BGSU where my dad went to school.  In fact, they were there at the same time with Tim 2 years ahead of my dad.  Now I've gotten into "This Hallowed Ground" which is the history of Arlington National Cemetery.  I thought I'd read this since DH is currently working there on the Millennium Project.  It's been a great read so far.  Starts out with the history of the plantation and how it became the cemetery and moves through history all the way to today.  There are lots of interesting stories.  The chapter on Kennedy gave a lot of insight into the planning for that funeral.  Also, the part I'm reading now dealt with 9/11 and the Pentagon attack.  Very good stuff.



Jabbur, I hope you mean "On Hallowed Ground" as I went to Amazon to find the title you said and could not find that one about Arlington, enough on the Civil War.  The "On" title was about Arlington.  Any way, I got the "On" title and should have it by next Friday.


----------



## jabbur

You probably got the same one PF.  I didn't have my kindle nearby when I was typing and used my faulty memory.  Lots of stories about different soldiers too throughout history.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

It's purchase helped me use my "settlement" payment from Amazon's class action suit over e-books, all $6.57 of it.  LOL!!  The book was $6.70, I ended up adding extra stuff to my order because I was not going to pay shipping for something I only paid  13 cents for...


----------



## Dawgluver

I got a settlement from Amazon too, for $4.72, I think.  Will try to spend it wisely.  

I'm debating whether to start on "12 Years a Slave" or to finish Konrath's "The List".  Maybe both.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

80 pages to go in my cheese shop mystery, but I took a little break to spend a few minutes at DC and...snack on a small plate of cheese and fruit.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Half way through _Alligient, _the last book of the Divergence series.  I've really enjoyed this series, full of action and great storyline.


----------



## CharlieD

Just finished a short story Balzac and a Little Mistress. If you like reading, if you like a little Chinese history. This is interesting light read. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Discuss Cooking mobile app


----------



## phinz

PrincessFiona60 said:


> It's purchase helped me use my "settlement" payment from Amazon's class action suit over e-books, all $6.57 of it.  LOL!!  The book was $6.70, I ended up adding extra stuff to my order because I was not going to pay shipping for something I only paid  13 cents for...



This is why I love Amazon Prime. I spend enough on shipping with Amazon every year to justify the membership, and the movies are an added bonus.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

phinz said:


> This is why I love Amazon Prime. I spend enough on shipping with Amazon every year to justify the membership, and the movies are an added bonus.



Actually got 3 Blue-Ray Movies for a really good price to get me up over $35.  We got a new DVD/Blue-Ray last weekend since our DVD player finally went 4 paws up.  I guess I will have to look at Amazon Prime a bit more closely.


----------



## cjmmytunes

Getting ready to start Divergent, after that going to read my next chapter in my Medical Coding book.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I finally took my coding book to work, figured they may as well pay me while I am setting up the coding class for them.  My first class is in two weeks, I'll be teaching.


----------



## cjmmytunes

I'm taking my classes online.  It helps because I can do stuff around the house during the day then study at night.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

cjmmytunes said:


> I'm taking my classes online.  It helps because I can do stuff around the house during the day then study at night.



I took my class online and when our Administrator found out she asked if I would teach our Medical Records and Admissions departments the coding system.  Coding is helpful for my position, but not necessary, I just like making sure the coding is correct and believe a person with medical training should be overseeing our non-medical departments.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Finished my mystery book at mumble:00 this morning. Time to take a break from books again - two magazines came in the past couple days and I do not want to get backed up on those things again.  Also, I tend to read fewer books during baseball season. Only so many hours in the day. *sigh*


----------



## GotGarlic

I finished re-reading "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" by Mitch Albom the other day. It's a beautiful story about how people we encountered on Earth influenced our lives. I loved it again 

Sent from my GT-N8013 using Discuss Cooking mobile app


----------



## cave76

I'm reading the Jonathon's Bass *Cut to the Bone: A Body Farm Novel*

"Jefferson Bass’s Cut to the Bone, the long-awaited *prequel* to his New York Times bestselling mystery series, turns the clock back to reveal the Body Farm's creation—and Dr. Bill Brockton's deadly duel with a serial killer."

Anything that has a high body count, a serial killer and insects chomping on corpses is all right in MY book! 
Not a great book but it fulfills my needs. (Evil laugh inserted here) 

(Only 1.99 on my Kindle)


----------



## mmyap

I'm getting ready to start _To Brie Or Not To Brie_.  A cheese shop mystery.  I'm enjoying this series.  And my frig is stocked with cheese. =o)


----------



## Cooking Goddess

mmyap, I LOOVE Avery Aames' books! And we go through a lot of cheese while I'm reading them.  I finished the last one she's written in the Cheese Shop Mysteries (with promise of more to come). I haven't read any of her Cookbook Nook books yet, written under her real name of Daryl Woods Gerber. They're next, as soon as I catch up on a couple other authors.


----------



## mmyap

Cooking Goddess said:


> mmyap, I LOOVE Avery Aames' books! And we go through a lot of cheese while I'm reading them.


 
I'm in good company then.  It goes without saying that I'm avoiding any mystery series that take place in a liquor / wine shop.  I'd need to start looking for a twelve step program.  I'm way to suggestible.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Then I suppose it goes without saying that you really don't want to know how good Michele Scott's "Wine Lovers Mystery Series" is, huh?  If it's any consolation, I haven't been drinking any more because most of the wines she mentions by name are above my pay grade. 

For anyone who loves the cozy mystery genre, I enjoy looking for authors and book selections on this website: Cozy-Mystery.Com


----------



## PrincessFiona60

cave76 said:


> I'm reading the Jonathon's Bass *Cut to the Bone: A Body Farm Novel*
> 
> "Jefferson Bass’s Cut to the Bone, the long-awaited *prequel* to his New York Times bestselling mystery series, turns the clock back to reveal the Body Farm's creation—and Dr. Bill Brockton's deadly duel with a serial killer."
> 
> Anything that has a high body count, a serial killer and insects chomping on corpses is all right in MY book!
> Not a great book but it fulfills my needs. (Evil laugh inserted here)
> 
> (Only 1.99 on my Kindle)



Thanks for the reminder, I've been waiting for this book.  I love the Body Farm Books.  I've actually considered taking some Forensic Nursing courses.


----------



## mmyap

Cooking Goddess said:


> Then I suppose it goes without saying that you really don't want to know how good Michele Scott's "Wine Lovers Mystery Series" is, huh?  If it's any consolation, I haven't been drinking any more because most of the wines she mentions by name are above my pay grade.
> 
> For anyone who loves the cozy mystery genre, I enjoy looking for authors and book selections on this website: Cozy-Mystery.Com



Thank you for the website info!  I'll definitely be visiting there soon.

I love wine but I manage to enjoy modestly priced ones just fine.  Don't want to develope a taste for the high muckety-muck kind.  I'm on a low muckety-muck budget.


----------



## cave76

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Thanks for the reminder, I've been waiting for this book.  I love the Body Farm Books.  I've actually considered *taking some Forensic Nursing courses*.



I would think a Forensic Nursing course would be great! When taking microbiology for Dental Hygiene, forensics was a fairly new 'thing' (at least for the public) and I considered taking Forensic Microbiology and dropping Dental Hygiene. But I didn't---- needed to make money immediately.


----------



## FrankZ

I started Aces High (Wild Cards II)


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I've started, "The Finisher", by David Baldacci, it's juvenile fiction similar to Hunger Games and Divergence.  Shrek says "The Finisher" ends like it could be continued.

Finished the Divergence Series last night, wonderful stories.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Picked up Diane Mott Davidson's latest Goldie Schulz mystery "The Whole Enchilada". First thing I do with her books is check the recipes. A couple sound good, but I especially enjoyed the first ingredient, with comments, for the "Love-Me-Tenderloin Grilled Steaks". It reads: (use prime grade *from Costco*, if at all possible).  Immediately thought of all you lucky people within reasonable distance to a Costco! If we end up moving back to the city I'd like to live in OH, we'll be about 15 miles away from a Costco.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Costco run tomorrow...new books to look at


----------



## Sprout

You liked the Divergent series, Princess Fiona? I liked the first two but really struggled with the third. The two-narrators-with-nearly-identical-mental-voices thing threw me off from the start and then the deeper I got in, the more difficult it became for me to keep reading. The book club I'm in was a 50/50 split. Half loved it, half hated it.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Sprout said:


> You liked the Divergent series, Princess Fiona? I liked the first two but really struggled with the third. The two-narrators-with-nearly-identical-mental-voices thing threw me off from the start and then the deeper I got in, the more difficult it became for me to keep reading. The book club I'm in was a 50/50 split. Half loved it, half hated it.



I agree the 2 narrators was difficult, I would have to back up and see who's name was on the chapter.  But I enjoyed the story, not wanting to make any spoilers for anyone who has not read the series, yet...hard to discuss the third book.  I was glad Shrek wouldn't talk to me about it.


----------



## Sprout

Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it.


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

I decided to revisit the Prey series by John Sandford and ordered the last 3 books in the series that are available in paperback from Amazon. I started reading them a long time ago, then stopped for some unknown reason, probably because my local bookstore quit carrying them. Now I need to find a synopsis of each book in the series to ascertain where I left off.

I would also like to start reading the reintroduced Blaine McCracken series by Jon Land. So many books, so little time.


----------



## Mad Cook

cave76 said:


> I'm reading the Jonathon's Bass *Cut to the Bone: A Body Farm Novel*
> 
> "Jefferson Bass’s Cut to the Bone, the long-awaited *prequel* to his New York Times bestselling mystery series, turns the clock back to reveal the Body Farm's creation—and Dr. Bill Brockton's deadly duel with a serial killer."
> 
> Anything that has a high body count, a serial killer and insects chomping on corpses is all right in MY book!
> Not a great book but it fulfills my needs. (Evil laugh inserted here)
> 
> (Only 1.99 on my Kindle)


Do you read Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta novels? I can't remember any titles but I read a few before getting bored.


----------



## cave76

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> I decided to revisit the Prey series by John Sandford and ordered the last 3 books in the series that are available in paperback from Amazon. I started reading them a long time ago, then stopped for some unknown reason, probably because my local bookstore quit carrying them. Now I need to find a synopsis of each book in the series to ascertain where I left off.
> 
> I would also like to start reading the reintroduced Blaine McCracken series by Jon Land. So many books, so little time.



In case you didn't know (of course you did!) Amazon has a synopsis of all his books.


----------



## cave76

Mad Cook said:


> Do you read Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta novels? I can't remember any titles but I read a few before getting bored.



I've read most of her books and loved them because they satisfied my "needs"---- mystery, anthropology, forensics, some gore, and an intelligent woman as protagonist!  

Her earlier ones were the best and I stopped reading when they got too repetitive.


----------



## Mad Cook

cave76 said:


> I've read most of her books and loved them because they satisfied my "needs"---- mystery, anthropology, forensics, some gore, and an intelligent woman as protagonist!
> 
> Her earlier ones were the best and I stopped reading when they got too repetitive.


That's exactly why I liked them and what I meant when I said I got bored with them. I started to spot the villain before the heroine did!


----------



## vitauta

cave76 said:


> I'm reading the Jonathon's Bass *Cut to the Bone: A Body Farm Novel*
> 
> "Jefferson Bass’s Cut to the Bone, the long-awaited *prequel* to his New York Times bestselling mystery series, turns the clock back to reveal the Body Farm's creation—and Dr. Bill Brockton's deadly duel with a serial killer."
> 
> Anything that has a high body count, a serial killer and insects chomping on corpses is all right in MY book!
> Not a great book but it fulfills my needs. (Evil laugh inserted here)
> 
> (Only 1.99 on my Kindle)



i'm a bass reader too, thanks to pf!  you say you like the grisly and grotesque?  well, cave, and mad cook, (and evrbody, of course) have i ever got a tv series for YOU!  it is called 'spiral' (or 'engrenages' in french.)  it is a long running french tv series, since 2005.  netflix's description calls it a 'gritty crime drama set in the dark underbelly of paris...following police officers and lawyers investigating and prosecuting crimes.'  i KNOW, right?  i just started viewing this series, and if you don't know french, there are the subtitles to contend with, but man. 'spiral' will keep you awake nights....


----------



## Cooking Goddess

vitauta said:


> ....but man. 'spiral' will keep you awake nights....


Which explains why we meet tonight, vit!

I returned my Diane Mott Davidson book...and made the mistake of looking on the "New Books" shelves. Oops. Came home with Joanne Fluke's latest, "Blackberry Pie Murder". Not gonna start it until a get a room or two cleaned, because I get nothing done once I start a book.


----------



## cave76

vitauta said:


> i'm a bass reader too, thanks to pf!  you say you like the grisly and grotesque?  well, cave, and mad cook, (and evrbody, of course) have i ever got a tv series for YOU!  it is called 'spiral' (or 'engrenages' in french.)  it is a long running french tv series, since 2005.  netflix's description calls it a 'gritty crime drama set in the dark underbelly of paris...following police officers and lawyers investigating and prosecuting crimes.'  i KNOW, right?  i just started viewing this series, and if you don't know french, there are the subtitles to contend with, but man. 'spiral' will keep you awake nights....



Subtitles are a *plus* for me! My Netflix just shows a movie (2007) with the name of Spiral. Is that the same? (I sorta doubt it)

Then I went to my library which has a huge collection of movies and TV programs and most have sub-titles/closed captioning.

Found Spiral there---- but just Season One, with four discs and English subtitles. I've reserved it (there will be a long wait) and am looking forward to  watching it and thanks for recommending it.


----------



## Somebunny

Just finished "Wild"From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, by Cheryl Strayed.  Downloaded from Amazon to the Kindle Ap on my iPhone.  Read it while we were away for a few days.  Highly recommend. It's about a young woman "finding herself"while hiking the PCT.


----------



## vitauta

cave76 said:


> Subtitles are a *plus* for me! My Netflix just shows a movie (2007) with the name of Spiral. Is that the same? (I sorta doubt it)
> 
> Then I went to my library which has a huge collection of movies and TV programs and most have sub-titles/closed captioning.
> 
> Found Spiral there---- but just Season One, with four discs and English subtitles. I've reserved it (there will be a long wait) and am looking forward to  watching it and thanks for recommending it.



huh, that's a shame, cave.  our netflix here offers four seasons of 'spiral' streaming.  i wonder if netflix's menu varies from region to region.  let me know how you like the show once you get it from the library?


----------



## cave76

vitauta said:


> huh, that's a shame, cave.  our netflix here offers four seasons of 'spiral' streaming.  i wonder if netflix's menu varies from region to region.  let me know how you like the show once you get it from the library?



 Oops---- you said *streaming*. I don't do streaming yet but I'll probably have to sign up soon since that's the way things are going. So that  may be the difference

Why I haven't gotten in the flow of streaming (yet) is I've read that streaming AND closed captioning have some problems or may just not be on all of the Netflix streams. I haven't checked recently but I'm sure the ADA (American Disability Act) is on their tail!

But at least I'll get the first season.


----------



## mmyap

I downloaded "A Week in Winter" by Maeve Binchey to my kindle.  A MIL recommendation.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Just went to the library today and got the latest Peter Robinson mystery with Inspector Alan Banks. It called Children Of The Revolution.


----------



## Somebunny

mmyap said:


> I downloaded "A Week in Winter" by Maeve Binchey to my kindle.  A MIL recommendation.




Love Maeve Binchy!  I'm going to go look for that one!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

*"On Hallowed Ground" The Story of Arlington National Cemetry, *by Robert M. Poole came in the mail from Amazon yesterday.  The print is so tiny!!!  But, I will be getting into it when I finish "The Finisher" by Baldacci.


----------



## summer22

I have just started reading Faith by Lesley Pearce.
So far so good! 

I have just finished reading her other book A Lesser Evil and it was fantastic..so pretty excited about this book!


----------



## jabbur

PrincessFiona60 said:


> *"On Hallowed Ground" The Story of Arlington National Cemetry, *by Robert M. Poole came in the mail from Amazon yesterday.  The print is so tiny!!!  But, I will be getting into it when I finish "The Finisher" by Baldacci.



Glad I had the Kindle version so I could make the print bigger! I really enjoyed the book.


----------



## mmyap

I gobbled up _A Week In Winter_ in two days.  I had forgotten how much I enjoyed Maeve Binchey.  Her books make me want to make soup and bake things my doctor would disapprove of.  To heck with her (the doctor, not Ms. Binchey).

I downloaded _Whitethorn Woods._  I'm not ready to leave the British Isles yet.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Finished up Joanne Fluke's latest "Blackberry Pie Murder" in the wee hours of Monday. THIS little poster kinda sums up some of my book reading episodes:







[/IMG]


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Cooking Goddess said:


> Finished up Joanne Fluke's latest "Blackberry Pie Murder" in the wee hours of Monday. THIS little poster kinda sums up some of my book reading episodes:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [/IMG]




Sums up most of mine, too!


----------



## cave76

I started re-reading some of the Martha Grimes mysteries (Richard Jury and Melrose Plant). Right now it's  her first  The Man with a Load of Mischief . Her piquant sense of humor appeals to me. While quite a step above Cosies she still has some of that in her books---- IOW very little bloodshed but with good and funny  characterization about 'odd' characters in an English town.

 I'm re-reading because I just came off reading a bunch of mysteries that 'seemed' to be good (according to the blurbs) but were just barely readable.
I needed a fix for some good writing.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Love Martha Grimes stories.


----------



## Somebunny

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Sums up most of mine, too!




Me three! Lol!


----------



## Somebunny

I'm reading and quite enjoying "The Space Between", by Diana Gabaldon
I'm a Gabaldon Groupie, lol!


----------



## Kayelle

Somebunny said:


> Just finished "Wild"From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, by Cheryl Strayed.  Downloaded from Amazon to the Kindle Ap on my iPhone.  Read it while we were away for a few days.  Highly recommend. It's about a young woman "finding herself"while hiking the PCT.



Thanks to you Bunny, I just ordered this for my Nook. After reading about it, I know I'll like it too. The only down side of it is that it's recommended by Oprah and wish I didn't know that. Never fear, your recommendation trumps Oprah.


----------



## phinz

Just finished Death on Eat Street. Decent little cozy, though I figured out who the murderer was within the first 30 pages or so.


----------



## phinz

Somebunny said:


> Just finished "Wild"From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, by Cheryl Strayed.  Downloaded from Amazon to the Kindle Ap on my iPhone.  Read it while we were away for a few days.  Highly recommend. It's about a young woman "finding herself"while hiking the PCT.



Read this a couple of months ago. I've probably read 20-30 different trail journals over the years. Appalachian Trail, PCT and Continental Divide Trail journals primarily. This was not one of my favorites. I got tired of her self-loathing at times, but it was a decent read.


----------



## Somebunny

Phinz, I would be interested in reading some of those trail journals, I find these people' experiences fascinating.  Do you have some titles?   I've been reading some of the blogs from the PCT website, I so recall one other book I read about a geek on the Appalachian Trail, but I don't recall the name.

Hope you are enjoying "Wild" Kayelle, btw they are making a movie.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Just started _The Target_, by Baldacci.

Slow starting...


----------



## mmyap

I found a author I really like, Vickie Delaney and her Constable Molly Smith mysteries.  Takes place in a small town in Canada. Apparently she's very prolific.  I love when I find an author that already has a large body of work that I can look forward to enjoying.


----------



## Mad Cook

Just taken delivery of "The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon" - the latest in the Ladies' Detective Agency series. Lightweight but entertaining. Not in the mood for anything too demanding at the moment,


----------



## cave76

I'm about halfway through Tatiania by Martin Cruz Smith, the same author that wrote Gorky Park and other great books----- and enjoying it very much.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_A Dog Walks into a Nursing Home_, by Sue Halpern.  Just started, no idea how I feel about it, yet.


----------



## Dawgluver

PrincessFiona60 said:


> _A Dog Walks into a Nursing Home_, by Sue Halpern.  Just started, no idea how I feel about it, yet.




  Sounds like familiar territory for you, PF!

Just finished George Takei's "Lions and Tigers and Bears".  A quick, light read.  Now I'm looking through my Kindle for the next book.


----------



## ElleShip

I'm actually in the middle of Divergent.  A couple of people I know suggested that I read it.  I have to say so far it's pretty disappointing.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Currently reading #4 in the Guild Hunter series "Archangel's Blade." The  series is a bit of a bodice ripper romance but the other parts of the  plot carry me enough to keep me interested. The romance between Dmitri  (Raphael's head vampire) and Honor (a vampire abused woman)  interestingly parallels the romance between Raphael (head archangel in  US) and Elena, one of the top Guild Hunters (who hunt down vampires who  aren't following the rules). Well it's complex.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Nalini Singh has invented an interesting urban fantasy world in this series. I have a few other urban fantasy series to switch to for a while but I'll be back for more Guild Hunter soon.


----------



## Dawgluver

Just finished Tess Gerritsen's "The Surgeon", and now I'm hooked.  On to "The Silent Girl".


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I've read and enjoyed several of Gerritsen's books. They are great thrillers!


----------



## Dawgluver

Indeed!  I'll have to order some more for Kindle.  I can't put them down.


----------



## vitauta

james webb's 'fields of fire', an unusually fine vietnam war read.


----------



## phinz

Dawgluver said:


> Just finished Tess Gerritsen's "The Surgeon", and now I'm hooked.  On to "The Silent Girl".



I really enjoyed hearing her speak at the Key West Literary Seminar this year.


----------



## Dawgluver

phinz said:


> I really enjoyed hearing her speak at the Key West Literary Seminar this year.




Oh, I would have loved that!


----------



## phinz

Dawgluver said:


> Oh, I would have loved that!



We got spoiled this year. Check out the list of authors at both seminars. I spent 2.5 weeks in Key West and had a great time. I was exhausted by the time I got home, but it was well worth the experience.

The Dark Side | Key West Literary Seminar


----------



## Dawgluver

phinz said:


> We got spoiled this year. Check out the list of authors at both seminars. I spent 2.5 weeks in Key West and had a great time. I was exhausted by the time I got home, but it was well worth the experience.
> 
> 
> 
> The Dark Side | Key West Literary Seminar




Wow!  Now THAT would be an experience!


----------



## cave76

cave76 said:


> I'm about halfway through Tatiania by Martin Cruz Smith, the same author that wrote Gorky Park and other great books----- and enjoying it very much.




I'm revising my opinion of Tatiania. It started to wander a bit, at least in my opinion, and didn't turn out as good as Gorky Park after all.

Maybe others will like it better.


----------



## Kayelle

I just ordered this.....I bet many of us would enjoy it. 

A Pig in Provence: Good Food and Simple Pleasures in the South of France by Georgeanne Brennan | 9781452119229 | NOOK Book (eBook) | Barnes & Noble


----------



## vitauta

Kayelle said:


> I just ordered this.....I bet many of us would enjoy it.
> 
> A Pig in Provence: Good Food and Simple Pleasures in the South of France by Georgeanne Brennan | 9781452119229 | NOOK Book (eBook) | Barnes & Noble



ty, ty, ty kayelle!  i just ordered my copy of PIP right here with the b&n link you so thoughtfully provided.  my piggy mouth is watering already, and a break from the vietnam war is just what i was needing this afternoon....


----------



## Kayelle

Glad I could help Vit. It looks like a really fun read doesn't it? Yep, I need a break from heavy books too. Happy reading!


----------



## Dawgluver

Bookbub has the same deal for Kindle.  Looks like a fun read!


----------



## Kayelle

Yeah Dawg!! We could have a book club with it.


----------



## GotGarlic

Kayelle said:


> Yeah Dawg!! We could have a book club with it.



Hee hee! I just bought it for my Kindle, too! I've been reading "Caribbean" by James Michener but I can see taking a break from that occasionally. 

Sent from my VS840 4G using Discuss Cooking mobile app


----------



## Kayelle

Wheee GG! Welcome to the club!


----------



## Somebunny

I just got it too!  Can I join the the "book club"?  lol!


----------



## Kayelle

You betcha Bunny....


----------



## Chief Longwind Of The North

I'm reading DC, and the critiques on an online writer's site.  Mostly, I'm working very hard to get one of my novels good enough to be published.  It's a lot of work.  Sometimes, at the end of the evening, just before bed, I feel like this - 

But it will get done.  It will be a great story.  I'm willing to put in the required amount of work.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I hadn't realized Martin Cruz Smith was writing more books. Last one I read was _Stalin's Ghost_ in 2008. Okay but not great. I'll check him out for new novels.


----------



## tinlizzie

'Mrs. Pollifax and the China Station,' by Dorothy Gilman (1983).  It's one of a series following Mrs. P to various locations in the world - she, in the guise of a tourist is working for the CIA.  This one takes her to the NW territory of China, along the ancient Silk Road including Urumchi-- recently in the world news.  Lots of interesting details on the places and people.  She and her tour group have just arrived at the site where the life-sized terra cotta warriors were unearthed.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_On Hallowed Ground - The Story Of Arlington Cemetery_, by Robert M. Poole and_ The Death Relic_, by Chris Kuzneski, it's a quest novel looking for a relic in Aztec and Mayan ruins.


----------



## cave76

Greg Who Cooks said:


> I hadn't realized Martin Cruz Smith was writing more books. Last one I read was _Stalin's Ghost_ in 2008. Okay but not great. I'll check him out for new novels.



As I updated, I took Tatiania down from possibly very good (based mainly on the fact that I loved his Renko book,_ Gorky Park_) to one where I decided it wasn't his best book. 

But I can't say if you or anyone else will like it or not so...........


----------



## Kayelle

tinlizzie said:


> 'Mrs. Pollifax and the China Station,' by Dorothy Gilman (1983).  It's one of a series following Mrs. P to various locations in the world - she, in the guise of a tourist is working for the CIA.  This one takes her to the NW territory of China, along the ancient Silk Road including Urumchi-- recently in the world news.  Lots of interesting details on the places and people.  She and her tour group have just arrived at the site where the life-sized terra cotta warriors were unearthed.



Thanks for the tip Lizzie. Since we travel so much she sounds like an author I'll really like. I just ordered the first book in her series on my Nook. So many books...so little time.


----------



## callmaker60

Don't sweat the small stuff, and it's all small stuff...by Richard Carlson


----------



## CarolPa

I'm reading an old paperback by Barbara Delinsky, Coast Road.  A couple with 2 teen daughters divorce because the husband is too tied up in his job to spend time with the family.  When the wife is left in a coma as a result of an automobile accident, the husband goes to stay with the daughters, and also spends a lot of time at the hospital with his ex-wife.  As time goes on he is leaving his work by the wayside to spend time with his wife and kids.  I'm not more than half way into it, but I think in time he will realize that family is more important to him and when she comes out of the coma they will get back together.  The writing reminds me of Nicholas Sparks.


----------



## jabbur

I just finished 2 books by M. Louisa Locke, "Maids of Misfortune" and "Uneasy Spirits". They are set in 1879 San Francisco and follow a young widow Annie Fuller who runs a boarding house.  She manages to do some sleuthing as well.  Both well written.  Now I'm starting "They came to Baghdad" by the wonderful Miss Agatha Christie.


----------



## cave76

I'm reading The Blackhouse  by Peter Mays.

From Booklist
*Starred Review* Scottish novelist May (whose series include the Enzo Files, starring a Scottish forensic scientist working in France) starts a projected trilogy, again with a Scottish sleuth, with a shotgun blast of a debut. Two bodies are found hanging from trees: one in Edinburgh, the other on the Isle of Lewis, the most northerly isle in the Outer Hebrides. Edinburgh cop Fin Macleod, originally from Lewis, is assigned to the case for no more reason than that he speaks Gaelic. Two narratives vie with each other. "

Amazon.com: The Blackhouse eBook: Peter May: Kindle Store


----------



## Dawgluver

I blew through a few Tess Gerritsens (good stuff!) and just finished Alan Parks' "Seriously Mum, What's an Alpaca?" that was a $.99 Bookbub deal.  Their life as expats in Spain with all the local quirks reminded me of Mexico.  A delightful, quick read, especially for animal lovers.  I'm now on the sequel (cheap for Kindle).


----------



## FrankZ

I started Total Recall this morning.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> I started Total Recall this morning.



Don't you mean"We'll Remember It For You Wholesale"?  I like PKD's title better.


----------



## FrankZ

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Don't you mean"We'll Remember It For You Wholesale"?  I like PKD's title better.



Newp.. I said what I said... that's on the kindle download.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> Newp.. I said what I said... that's on the kindle download.



Who write it??  Nosy people must know...


----------



## FrankZ

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Who write it??  Nosy people must know...



It lists Philip K Dick as the author.. some hack I believe.  

I didn't pay attention to length and didn't realize that was a short story.  Feh.

Been spending some time reading Absolute C++ this morning


----------



## cave76

I'm going to re-read this non-fiction (but reads like an adventure) book:* Ship of Gold *by Gary Kinder

"Ship of Gold tells the story of the sinking of the SS Central America, a side-wheel steamer carrying nearly six hundred passengers returning from the California Gold Rush, two hundred miles off the Carolina coast in September 1857. Over four hundred lives and twenty-one tons of California gold were lost. It was the worst peacetime disaster at sea in American history, a tragedy that remained lost in legend for over a century. In the 1980s, a young engineer from Ohio set out to do what no one, not even the United States Navy, had been able to do: establish a working presence on the deep-ocean floor and open it to science, archaeology, history, medicine, and recovery."

Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea: The History and Discovery of the World's Richest Shipwreck: Gary Kinder: 8601400671061: Amazon.com: Books

For people who like to know how 'things work' combined with a good story this is the book.


----------



## chiklitmanfan

As you can see by my handle I do a LOT of reading and enjoy historical romances.  Yes, I'm quite secure in my manliness and old enough to read whatever I please without fear of censure.  I'm just beginning Treasures of the North by Tracie Peterson which is a romantic adventure taking place during the Yukon gold rush.


----------



## Mad Cook

chiklitmanfan said:


> As you can see by my handle I do a LOT of reading and enjoy historical romances.  Yes, I'm quite secure in my manliness and old enough to read whatever I please without fear of censure.  I'm just beginning Treasures of the North by Tracie Peterson which is a romantic adventure taking place during the Yukon gold rush.


If you like historical romances you must try Georgette Heyer. Unlike the truly dreadful Barbara Cartland et al, GH 's novels are noted for the quality and accuracy of the historical backgrounds. She also wrote detective stories but these aren't as good (IMO) as the historical ones. 

One of my favourites of the Regency romances is "The Grand Sophy", the Sophy of the title being one of GH's most feisty (but lady-like) heroines but I think you might like "An Infamous Army" which, isn't a straight romance as such but is set around the battle of Waterloo and concerns real and imaginary characters of the time.

Don't fall into the trap of thinking GH is another Barbara Cartland. The latter actually stole a number of GH's plots and mangled them thoroughly!

Happy reading!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> It lists Philip K Dick as the author.. some hack I believe.
> 
> I didn't pay attention to length and didn't realize that was a short story.  Feh.
> 
> Been spending some time reading Absolute C++ this morning



LOL!!!  Very different from the movie.

Now you need to read, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep", and get back to me on the movie based on that title.


----------



## mmyap

I'm starting the 5th in the Vicki Delany / Constable Mollie Smith series. *Among The Departed.*  An enjoyable cozy mystery series.


----------



## Kayelle

As a big fan of historical novels, I've found a riveting keeper I'm about to finish, but alas I have to cook and go to the bathroom, seeping is optional. The story of this country's most famous traitor, and the woman who masterminded the whole thing.

*The Traitor's Wife..The Traitor's Wife: The Woman Behind Benedict Arnold and the Plan to Betray America by Allison Pataki — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists
*


----------



## FrankZ

PrincessFiona60 said:


> LOL!!!  Very different from the movie.
> 
> Now you need to read, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep", and get back to me on the movie based on that title.



Done did that one.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> Done did that one.



I'm a PKDickhead...love his stories.


----------



## tinlizzie

A Richard S. Wheeler western, 'Seven Miles to Sundown,' gold prospecting set in the deserts of the southwest.  Just the thing to counterbalance our rainy, humid Florida weather.

One I plan to read is by Sandra Grimes - 'Circle of Treason,' nonfiction about the outing of our snake-in-the-grass CIA spy Aldrich Ames.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Just starting P.D. James THE PRIVATE PATIENT.


----------



## jabbur

Rereading "Good Omens" by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. The Apocalypse handled with British humor! Loved it the first time and enjoying another visit with it.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

jabbur said:


> Rereading "Good Omens" by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. The Apocalypse handled with British humor! Loved it the first time and enjoying another visit with it.




I love that story!


----------



## mmyap

jabbur said:


> Rereading "Good Omens" by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. The Apocalypse handled with British humor! Loved it the first time and enjoying another visit with it.


 
Darn it all, I just had to go and read the synopsis of _Good Omens_ on Amazon. Another book is on its way.

I just downloaded three books to my kindle as well. 

1. Gold Digger, A Klondike Mystery/ Vicki Delany
2. A Cold White Sun, A Constable Mollie Smith Mystery / Vicki Delany
3. The Frozen Shroud, A Lake District Mystery / Martin Edwards

I have so many books on my "to be read" pile it's ridiculous. I have a number of Terry Pratchett books, Neil Gaiman books, and for some reason I just had to have the Barsetshire Chronicles by Anthony Trollope.  (What was I thinking.)

The book hoarders prayer, "Oh Lord, let me live long enough to get all my books." Amen.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

mmyap said:


> Darn it all, *I just had to go and read the synopsis of Good Omens on Amazon.* Another book is on its way.
> 
> I just downloaded three books to my kindle as well.
> 
> 1. Gold Digger, A Klondike Mystery/ Vicki Delany
> 2. A Cold White Sun, A Constable Mollie Smith Mystery / Vicki Delany
> 3. The Frozen Shroud, A Lake District Mystery / Martin Edwards
> 
> I have so many books on my "to be read" pile it's ridiculous. I have a number of Terry Pratchett books, Neil Gaiman books, and for some reason I just had to have the Barsetshire Chronicles by Anthony Trollope.  (What was I thinking.)
> 
> The book hoarders prayer, "Oh Lord, let me live long enough to get all my books." Amen.



You are going to LOVE it!


----------



## FrankZ

I have started F Paul Wilson's LaNague Federation series.


----------



## Mad Cook

Parcel came from Amazon the other day and I sat and read "The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon" (latest in Alexander McAll Smith's  "No 1 Ladies Detective Agency" series) in one sitting. Have read them all to date and love them. Not intellectually stimulating but who cares. They're a comfortable, comforting read.

Then I sat down with "The Wyndham Case" (the first of Jill Paton Walsh's "Imogen Quy" mysteries.) A bit predictable - I'd spotted both the murderer and why he killed the victim about 1/3 of the way through despite the red herrings but it was still a good read (and a quick one). Having read the first I might read more of them.

Also bought 2 Nigella Lawsons (Christmas and Summer) Wild extravagance - one penny each + £2.80 postage and packing? I used to be a bit (well, a lot, really) sniffy about her but I'm coming round. I still don't think I'd splash £20 on a copy but Amazon's secondhand sales are great. "Forever Summer" has comments in the former owner's hand writing on some of the recipes. I love that.


----------



## mmyap

Mad Cook said:


> Not intellectually stimulating but who cares. They're a comfortable, comforting read.


 
UP WITH COZY MYSTERIES!  At the end of a long day a comfortable, comforting read is just what the doctor ordered.  Something to help you escape from the daily grind.


----------



## Mad Cook

mmyap said:


> Darn it all, I just had to go and read the synopsis of _Good Omens_ on Amazon. Another book is on its way.
> 
> I just downloaded three books to my kindle as well.
> 
> 1. Gold Digger, A Klondike Mystery/ Vicki Delany
> 2. A Cold White Sun, A Constable Mollie Smith Mystery / Vicki Delany
> 3. The Frozen Shroud, A Lake District Mystery / Martin Edwards
> 
> I have so many books on my "to be read" pile it's ridiculous. I have a number of Terry Pratchett books, Neil Gaiman books, and for some reason I just had to have the Barsetshire Chronicles by Anthony Trollope.  (What was I thinking.)
> 
> The book hoarders prayer, "Oh Lord, let me live long enough to get all my books." Amen.


When reading the "Barsetshire Chronicles" think Alan Rickman as Obadiah Slope (he was the Sheriff of Nottingham in "Robin Hood Prince of Thieves"). He was just SO right in the television serialisation of the Barsetshires. PF is right you'll love them


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Mad Cook said:


> When reading the "Barsetshire Chronicles" think Alan Rickman as Obadiah Slope (he was the Sheriff of Nottingham in "Robin Hood Prince of Thieves"). He was just SO right in the television serialisation of the Barsetshires. PF is right you'll love them



I was giving Thumbs up for _Good Omens,_ by Pratchett and Gaiman.

Speaking of which, I am almost done with Gaiman's, _Ocean at the End of the Lane_.  Excellent scary story!


----------



## TATTRAT

Been on a Carl Hiaasen kick, currently re-reading Bad Monkey, I love it. The pirate monkey that is on the cover is actually getting tattooed on me in 2 weeks. I've worked my way through about a dozen of his books now, thanks to airport layovers, and have really grown to enjoy the heck out of him.


----------



## Dawgluver

Loved Bad Monkey, though not enough to get the tattoo!


----------



## TATTRAT

Dawgluver said:


> Loved Bad Monkey, though not enough to get the tattoo!



I have so many, and my folks always call me "their monkey", it's a perfect fit for me, and all of my existing tattoos, it'll just fill up space, but yeah, GREAT book/author.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

mmyap said:


> UP WITH COZY MYSTERIES!  At the end of a long day a comfortable, comforting read is just what the doctor ordered.  Something to help you escape from the daily grind.


Did someone say "daily grind"? One of my favorite Cozies series are the Coffee House Mysteries by Cleo Coyle (actually a wife/husband team). The recipes are pretty yummy too.

CoffeeHouseMystery.com


----------



## phinz

TATTRAT said:


> Been on a Carl Hiaasen kick, currently re-reading Bad Monkey, I love it. The pirate monkey that is on the cover is actually getting tattooed on me in 2 weeks. I've worked my way through about a dozen of his books now, thanks to airport layovers, and have really grown to enjoy the heck out of him.



One of the humblest, nicest men I have ever met. I thought he would be intimidating but he isn't even close to intimidating. Just absolutely genuine.







I was lucky enough to get to hear this speech that same trip that I got to hear so many other amazing writers speak. Take a listen. It's hysterical! 

Audio Archives | Carl Hiassen: Florida Freak Show | Key West Literary Seminar


----------



## TATTRAT

What a treat! Thanks for sharing your experience! I imagined he would be kind of an easy-breezy type of guy after hearing an interview with him on NPR, glad to know he lives up to the expectation!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Love Hiaasen, his older novels, _Skin Tight, Native Tongue, Double Whammy, Strip Tease..._basically, if Skink is in it I love it.  I see there is a new YA coming out this year called _Skink - No Surrender_, will have to look for it.

On edit: It comes out Sept 23rd, available for pre-order on Amazon for <$15, hardcover.


----------



## phinz

As a funny side note, I play Call of Duty - Ghosts on PS3. I have renamed my squad members the following: Doc, Skink, McGee, O'Connor, Serge and Thorn.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I'm reading on of Ruth Rendell's Inspector Wexford mysteries called Murder Being Once Done.


----------



## gabagoo

I am reading red sparrow by jason matthews.  Typical espionage novel, but what I like most is that at the end of each chapter, there is a recipe for whatever dish was eaten, or mentioned in the chapter.   In chapter one this spy escapes the kgb by ducking into a soup kitchen, wherby some old woman serves him up a bowl of beet soup.  End of chapter, recipe for old ladies beet soup...lol   cool


----------



## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

Dan Brown's Inferno


----------



## JanetMlr

I'm reading "A Discovery of Witches" by Deborah Harkness.


----------



## chiklitmanfan

The Ashford Affair by Lauren Willig.  It is an epic tale of love, betrayal, and redemption that spans an entire century and three continents.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_Skin Game_, by Jim Butcher...a Harry Dresden story.


----------



## LPBeier

A book about how to price craft items for sale. It's actually more interesting than it sounds!


----------



## Dawgluver

Body Double, another Tess Gerrettsen.


----------



## Kayelle

Somebunny said:


> Phinz, I would be interested in reading some of those trail journals, I find these people' experiences fascinating.  Do you have some titles?   I've been reading some of the blogs from the PCT website, I so recall one other book I read about a geek on the Appalachian Trail, but I don't recall the name.
> 
> Hope you are enjoying "Wild" Kayelle, btw they are making a movie.



I had several other books to get to first Bunny, but I just finished "Wild" today and really enjoyed it. Thanks for the recommendation.  The movie is supposed to be released in Dec. of this year, staring Reese Witherspoon, a great choice I think.


----------



## phinz

_Midnight Rambler_ by James Swain


----------



## cave76

*Silence of the Grave*: An Inspector Erlendur Novel 

One of several of the Icelandic mysteries by Arnaldur Indridason. The first one I read was Jar City and I'll probably read all of them.


----------



## JoAnn L.

cave76 said:


> *Silence of the Grave*: An Inspector Erlendur Novel
> 
> One of several of the Icelandic mysteries by Arnaldur Indridason. The first one I read was Jar City and I'll probably read all of them.



Great mysteries, read them all.


----------



## Kayelle

I just finished this and loved it...
This was my review..
I loved this book from the first page to the very last. Every once in a  while a book will come along that you know you'll always remember. This  is one. Don't miss it.                                                         
Last Telegram by Liz Trenow | 9781402279454 | Paperback | Barnes & Noble


----------



## cjmmytunes

Going to start the Twilight series again - want to see if the books are better than the movies, or if the movies are better than the books.


----------



## mmyap

cave76 said:


> *Silence of the Grave*: An Inspector Erlendur Novel
> 
> One of several of the Icelandic mysteries by Arnaldur Indridason. The first one I read was Jar City and I'll probably read all of them.



Good reads.  I enjoyed the ones I've read.  

I just started "Good Omens" by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.  I'm loving it.  I keep snickering out loud. I've been saving it for a long weekend.  I'm having a read-binge.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

mmyap said:


> Good reads.  I enjoyed the ones I've read.
> 
> I just started "Good Omens" by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.  I'm loving it.  I keep snickering out loud. I've been saving it for a long weekend.  I'm having a read-binge.



Have you read any Christopher Moore?  Those will make you laugh, too!


----------



## mmyap

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Have you read any Christopher Moore?  Those will make you laugh, too!



I have not.  I'll look into those.  Thanks for the recommendation.


----------



## cjmmytunes

I don't think I've heard of Christopher Moore. Will have to look him up. 

Sent from my SM-N900R4 using Discuss Cooking mobile app


----------



## PrincessFiona60

mmyap said:


> I have not.  I'll look into those.  Thanks for the recommendation.



Shrek recommends "Lamb" by Moore be read first.  I loved it too, he has read more of hisbooks than I have.


----------



## chiklitmanfan

I'm reading British Brides, a collection of short story romances that take place all over England and Scotland from the 1300's to the present day.  Yes, I know it is not something most men would read but I'm 68 years old and quite secure in my masculinity.  I'll tell on myself and declare that I'd rather read a scintillating romance than any other genre.  Who's my favorite?  Why Jane Austen of course.


----------



## cjmmytunes

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Shrek recommends "Lamb" by Moore be read first.  I loved it too, he has read more of hisbooks than I have.



I will do that. Tell Shrek I said thank you.

Sent from my SM-N900R4 using Discuss Cooking mobile app


----------



## phinz

Finished Midnight Rambler (meh. I like Swain but this one didn't do much for me.) and started on The Complete Calvin & Hobbes.


----------



## cjmmytunes

Where did you find the Calvin and Hobbs? 

Sent from my SM-N900R4 using Discuss Cooking mobile app


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I got mine at Costco.


----------



## cjmmytunes

Unfortunately, we don't have a Costco.  Do you think a Supercenter would have one?


----------



## PrincessFiona60

It's possible, I would try a bookstore first or Amazon.


----------



## phinz

cjmmytunes said:


> Where did you find the Calvin and Hobbes?



My wife got it for me from Barnes & Noble. Make sure to order it online, because you pay full price for it at the B&M B&Ns.

The Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson | 9781449433253 | Paperback | Barnes & Noble

FWIW, I have the hardcover version, not the paperback. Very solid, well-built collection. 

The Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson | 9780740748479 | Hardcover | Barnes & Noble


----------



## cjmmytunes

Phinz, I will remember that. Thanks. 

Sent from my SM-N900R4 using Discuss Cooking mobile app


----------



## cave76

Glimpses of the Moon by Edmund Crispin

"Professor Gervase Fen is in Devon working on his masterpiece critique of the modern novel, but keeps getting distracted - by the local animals (several pigs, a mildly insane cat, a horse with sleeping sickness), by the spectacular failures of the local electrical board, by the vicar's practical jokes, by the retired major yearning for another jolly war. Oh, and by the dismembered body, found in a nearby field, whose head keeps turning up in the most unlikely places."

http://www.amazon.com/Glimpses-Moon-Gervase-Fen-9/dp/1937384039

I am SO beyond tired of books that have phrases like "she stared into his steely eyes and felt something lurch in her stomach"!! (That was from a book called Hidden by Kendra Elliot that was supposed to be a mystery where the only real mystery is why was it ever published and why people gave it hundreds of 5 stars!)

So I'm going back to some real writing. Glimpses of the Moon has a piquant English sense of humor also and is a bit old fashioned. That's quite all right with me!  So far no steely eyes or lurches in the stomach.


----------



## Kayelle

cave76 said:


> Glimpses of the Moon by Edmund Crispin
> 
> "Professor Gervase Fen is in Devon working on his masterpiece critique of the modern novel, but keeps getting distracted - by the local animals (several pigs, a mildly insane cat, a horse with sleeping sickness), by the spectacular failures of the local electrical board, by the vicar's practical jokes, by the retired major yearning for another jolly war. Oh, and by the dismembered body, found in a nearby field, whose head keeps turning up in the most unlikely places."
> 
> Glimpses of the Moon: Gervase Fen #9: Edmund Crispin: 9781937384036: Amazon.com: Books
> 
> I am SO beyond tired of books that have phrases like "she stared into his steely eyes and felt something lurch in her stomach"!! (That was from a book called Hidden by Kendra Elliot that was supposed to be a mystery where the only real mystery is why was it ever published and why people gave it hundreds of 5 stars!)
> 
> So I'm going back to some real writing. Glimpses of the Moon has a piquant English sense of humor also and is a bit old fashioned. That's quite all right with me!  So far no steely eyes or lurches in the stomach.



Thanks for the nice review Cave. It's a real help when people say something about what they're reading instead of just leaving a title.


----------



## cave76

Kayelle said:


> Thanks for the nice review Cave. It's a real help when people say something about what they're reading instead of just leaving a title.


You're welcome---- it's not that hard to copy paste a review and give the url to it. Come on, guys.  

Someone on the movie thread said "I liked it." No reference to what he or she liked either. More giggles.


----------



## vitauta

just wondering if any of you are enrolling in that new kindle free book program?   i'm having a hard time determining if spending $10 a month for unrestricted access to the huge kindle library would be a practical deal for me. it sure is a mighty tempting one. if i do decide to go with a trial kindle subscription, i will cancel my hulu+ membership to help offset the cost.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I am so un-enamored with the Kindle that I wouldn't even consider it.  I just cannot give up my dead tree books.


----------



## vitauta

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I am so un-enamored with the Kindle that I wouldn't even consider it.  I just cannot give up my dead tree books.



why is that, pf?  sorry, i've probably missed some postings on the subject.


----------



## Dawgluver

vitauta said:


> just wondering if any of you are enrolling in that new kindle free book program?   i'm having a hard time determining if spending $10 a month for unrestricted access to the huge kindle library would be a practical deal for me. it sure is a mighty tempting one. if i do decide to go with a trial kindle subscription, i will cancel my hulu+ membership to help offset the cost.




I'm thinking about it, Vit.  I already get a lot of cheapies and freebies from BookBub, and just signed up for more on DigitalBookSpot.  I may look into the 30 day free trial.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Am reading Agatha Christie's Make Mine Murder! In the book there are 3 stories. Appointment With Death~Peril At End House and Sad Cypress.


----------



## FrankZ

vitauta said:


> just wondering if any of you are enrolling in that new kindle free book program?   i'm having a hard time determining if spending $10 a month for unrestricted access to the huge kindle library would be a practical deal for me. it sure is a mighty tempting one. if i do decide to go with a trial kindle subscription, i will cancel my hulu+ membership to help offset the cost.



I don't have time to make good use of it.  Plus.. do I need an actual Kindle device (not the app) like the lending library?  Cause I have a prime membership and can't use the lending thing because I don't have an actual Kindle anymore.



PrincessFiona60 said:


> I am so un-enamored with the Kindle that I wouldn't even consider it.  I just cannot give up my dead tree books.



Heretic. 

Do you listen to music on dead tree vinyl too?


----------



## vitauta

FrankZ said:


> I don't have time to make good use of it.  Plus.. do I need an actual Kindle device (not the app) like the lending library?  Cause I have a prime membership and can't use the lending thing because I don't have an actual Kindle anymore.
> 
> 
> 
> Heretic.
> 
> Do you listen to music on dead tree vinyl too?



frank, i'm quite certain that you don't need to have an actual kindle device in order to use the kindle free service.  i don't have a kindle reader myself, but have been purchasing kindle books for my pc for years.  and, the way amazon has set it up, you are actually 'buying' your kindle book selections for $00.00, not borrowing them.  i'm not sure if i will make adequate use of this kindle free feature either, but i think i'll just give it a go and find out.


----------



## mmyap

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I am so un-enamored with the Kindle that I wouldn't even consider it. I just cannot give up my dead tree books.


 
I felt the same at first and I still love my dead tree books.  Cluttered book shelves are a  necessary part of my decorating scheme. But I've warmed up to it because:

1.  Instant gratification.  I see a book I want and it's downloaded within a minute.  No need to wait for it in the mail or go out and try and hunt it down in a store.

2.  Being able to enlarge the font is really nice.  My eyes sight is declining.  I ordered a book on Amazon recently and when it came in the mail the font size was so small it was unreadable for me, unless I wanted a headache.  I donated it to Goodwill and will down load it so I can read it without a magnifying glass. 

3.  I love reading in bed but it disturbed DH when I would turn pages, etc.  Now I can just turn the page with a click of the forward button, no need to shift hands, rustle sheets, etc.

Keep it in mind, especially if you start noticing the small font issue is starting to effect your reading pleasure.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

vitauta said:


> why is that, pf?  sorry, i've probably missed some postings on the subject.



I love the smell and feel of books.  I can spend the afternoon in the bookstore, looking and touching.  Just not a fan of the Kindle, etc.


----------



## Kayelle

mmyap said:


> I felt the same at first and I still love my dead tree books.  Cluttered book shelves are a  necessary part of my decorating scheme. But I've warmed up to it because:
> 
> 1.  Instant gratification.  I see a book I want and it's downloaded within a minute.  No need to wait for it in the mail or go out and try and hunt it down in a store.
> 
> 2.  Being able to enlarge the font is really nice.  My eyes sight is declining.  I ordered a book on Amazon recently and when it came in the mail the font size was so small it was unreadable for me, unless I wanted a headache.  I donated it to Goodwill and will down load it so I can read it without a magnifying glass.
> 
> 3.  I love reading in bed but it disturbed DH when I would turn pages, etc.  Now I can just turn the page with a click of the forward button, no need to shift hands, rustle sheets, etc.
> 
> Keep it in mind, especially if you start noticing the small font issue is starting to effect your reading pleasure.



I sooo agree with all your points mm. 

Before my kids gave me my Nook Tablet, my life long reading for pleasure was over......zip, done. Although my glasses/contacts allowed me to read small print, it had become a chore rather than a  pleasure to read an interesting book. That's just bunk, when technology has given me such pleasure again, and the light is always perfect. Dead tree books hold no pleasure for me anymore and dusty book shelves are a PITA for this old gal.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm sure at some point font size may be a problem. I stopped reading in bed a couple years ago due to chronic insomnia, bed is for sleep (or sex) only, so reading in bed is out.  

You have good points, but I love my dusty books.


----------



## Kayelle

I could read the small print there.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

vitauta said:


> just wondering if any of you are enrolling in that new kindle free book program?...


Are these to buy or borrow? If all you're doing is borrowing them to read, first check with your library system. I know ours keeps adding e-books faster than the real ones.



PrincessFiona60 said:


> ... I just cannot give up my dead tree books.............I love the smell and feel of books.  I can spend the afternoon in the bookstore, looking and touching...


Me too. It's part of the reason I was a library volunteer for a few years, until my feet really crapped out on me. That, plus the fact that the director at the time I left was too...rear-thinking. She'd rather have us dust shelves than shelf books and log in new ones. She was relieved of her duties before her probationary period was up.

There is just something about the smell and the heft of a real book in the hands. However, I will issue a disclaimer: Himself just  gifted himself with a nice little Samsung Tab 4, using his Holiday Inn Priority Club points. I can see something like that being very useful to download books for reading when going on vacation. Plus, if you run out of books you really don't. I can log on to my library from anywhere with internet and get another book or two! 

That Samsung Tab is a cute little bugger, but I think I would want the 10 inch model. Looks like I need to make sure I have one heck of a garage sale this fall!


----------



## vitauta

vitauta said:


> frank, i'm quite certain that you don't need to have an actual kindle device in order to use the kindle free service.  i don't have a kindle reader myself, but have been purchasing kindle books for my pc for years.  and, the way amazon has set it up, you are actually 'buying' your kindle book selections for $00.00, not borrowing them.  i'm not sure if i will make adequate use of this kindle free feature either, but i think i'll just give it a go and find out.



when will i learn to check my facts FIRST?  instead of goofing about with my half-baked and half-cocked notions?  starting right now, let's hope.

yes, you DO need to have a device (though not necessarily a kindle reader) in order to use 'kindle unlimited'.  in fact, one of amazon's stated objectives with this program is to promote the sale of such devices.  oh well, hopefully, b&n will come up with an unlimited reading program of their own for the nook, which i do own....

oh and btw, 'only' 600,000 of the book titles at amazon are eligible for the unlimited kindle program. still, a lot of books....


----------



## PrincessFiona60

vitauta said:


> when will i learn to check my facts FIRST?  instead of goofing about with my half-baked and half-cocked notions?  starting right now, let's hope.
> 
> yes, you DO need to have a device (though not necessarily a kindle reader) in order to use 'kindle unlimited'.  in fact, one of amazon's stated objectives with this program is to promote the sale of such devices.  oh well, hopefully, b&n will come up with an unlimited reading program of their own for the nook, which i do own....
> 
> oh and btw, 'only' 600,000 of the book titles at amazon are eligible for the unlimited kindle program. still, a lot of books....



But, you providing a nice suggestion for those that do have a Kindle and it was very thoughtful of you!


----------



## Kayelle

I'm reading this..
The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax (Mrs. Pollifax Series #1) by Dorothy Gilman | 9780449208281 | Paperback | Barnes & Noble

Thanks to whoever turned me on to this...I'm really enjoying it and looking forward to the next 8 books in the series. Mrs. Pollifax is my new hero!

Now I remember who it was...Thanks Lizzy!!


----------



## mmyap

I am reading "The Warden" by A. Trollope.  I like it more then I thought I would.  Victorian literature can be a bit intimidating for me but I am managing it fine.

I was speaking with a lady at work who recommended Les Miserable by Hugo.  Holy moly, I found it at the book store and it's HUGE! I think it may be longer then the bible. That would be a kindle purchase, it's way lighter then that tome!  Way too much of an investment in time at this stage of my life.


----------



## Mad Cook

I'm afraid it's all light and entertaining at the moment. 

I've just finished the latest (I think) in the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series - "The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon" and the first three books in the "Imogen Quy" series of whodunnits by Jill Paton-Walsh - "The Wyndham Case", "A Piece of Justice" and "Debts of Dishonour". All are an easy but intelligently written entertaining afternoon's read and I can recommend them for the harrassed and stressed in need of R&R and I'm particularly fond of Mma Ramotswe and her gang in the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series.

Jill Paton-Walsh finished a last Lord Peter Wimsey novel - "Thrones, Denominations" - which was started by Dorothy L Sayers before her death  I can't remember what it was about but while I was reading it I wasn't aware of thinking it was rubbish. It certainly wasn't as bad as a lot of novels written by "XXX writing as NNN" often are.


----------



## Mad Cook

mmyap said:


> I am reading "The Warden" by A. Trollope.  I like it more then I thought I would.  Victorian literature can be a bit intimidating for me but I am managing it fine.
> 
> I was speaking with a lady at work who recommended Les Miserable by Hugo.  Holy moly, I found it at the book store and it's HUGE! I think it may be longer then the bible. That would be a kindle purchase, it's way lighter then that tome!  Way too much of an investment in time at this stage of my life.


I love the Barchester Chonicles. There are some very funny characters in them. There was a television adaptation of "The Wared" and "Barchester Towers" some about 30 years ago and Alan Rickman (Severus Snape in the "Harry Potter" films and the Sheriff of Nottingham in the Kevin Costner "Robin Hood" film) was Obadiah Slope to the nth degree! It's available on DVD and if you are enjoying "The Warden" I'm sure you'd enjoy the television series.

IMO "Les Miserables" is very well named. When the stage musical was reviewed in one of the newspapers the critic translated it as "The Glums" and having done the book at school (in French, God help me!) I can understand his point of view.


----------



## Mad Cook

Kayelle said:


> I'm reading this..
> The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax (Mrs. Pollifax Series #1) by Dorothy Gilman | 9780449208281 | Paperback | Barnes & Noble
> 
> Thanks to whoever turned me on to this...I'm really enjoying it and looking forward to the next 8 books in the series. Mrs. Pollifax is my new hero!
> 
> Now I remember who it was...Thanks Lizzy!!


I read a Mrs Pollifax years ago and had forgotten how much I enjoyed it. Thanks for reminding me, Kayelle.


----------



## CarolPa

I looked on our library website and they have the Mrs Pollifax books in paper books, but not in e-books.  The only e-books I read are the ones I borrow from the library.  Occasionally I will check out a paper book.  Right now I have 2 boxes and a shopping bag full of paperback books my friend gave me.  It's going to take me a very long time to read all those.  After I'm finished with them I will donate them to the library used book sale.  For some reason, I can read a paperback book much faster than I read an e-book.  These paperback books are mostly older books, but if I haven't read them, they are new to me.  The only time I get to read newer books is if I borrow the e-books from the library.

I have a Pandigital e-reader, but the battery doesn't last very long.  Then I got a Nook because the battery lasts much longer, and then I got another Nook because I wanted a 10 inch screen to use for going online.  Somewhere along the line I should have bought a Kindle so I could get the free Kindle books.  I do have a Kindle Cloud account and can get free e-books with that, but I have to read them online.


----------



## phinz

I'm dual-reading both of these:

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer







And The Age of Odin


----------



## Zhizara

I know I've been away from this thread for awhile.  

i've been on a reading jag that just won't quit.

Lately, I found and am devouring Allison Brennan's books.

It seems I'm reading a book in a day and a half or less.  The resident's library downstairs is getting full with my discards.  If I kept them here in my apartment, I wouldn't be able to move.

One book I got from a neighbor is called _Lara_, by Bertrice Small.

I don't usually like magical fantasy like that, but I loved the book and just received the two sequels, _A Distant Tomorrow_, and _The Twilight Lord_.


----------



## tinlizzie

Kayelle said:


> I'm reading this..
> The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax (Mrs. Pollifax Series #1) by Dorothy Gilman | 9780449208281 | Paperback | Barnes & Noble
> 
> Thanks to whoever turned me on to this...I'm really enjoying it and looking forward to the next 8 books in the series. Mrs. Pollifax is my new hero!
> 
> Now I remember who it was...Thanks Lizzy!!



My pleasure, K.  It's always nice to share good things like that series.

At present I'm reading Cold Storage, Alaska, by John Straley.  Helps to beat the heat down here, with a nod to a little backwoods philosophy.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm in the middle of the Bright Empires novels by Stephen Lawhead.  They are great!


----------



## Mad Cook

I'm reading my "new" "Joy of Cooking". Fascinating! I like cookery books with plenty of reading attached to the recipes. It came very quickly too, considering Amazon had given 18th August as the earliest date that it would get here from teh US. 

Harumph! I'm still waiting for a book that's coming from 50 miles away that I ordered a week before "JoC"


----------



## Mad Cook

Mad Cook said:


> I'm reading my "new" "Joy of Cooking". Fascinating! I like cookery books with plenty of reading attached to the recipes. It came very quickly too, considering Amazon had given 18th August as the earliest date that it would get here from teh US.
> 
> Harumph! I'm still waiting for a book that's coming from 50 miles away that I ordered a week before "JoC"


And it arrived this am. "The Bad Quarto" by Jill Paton-Walsh. It's the 4th and last in the Imogen Quy mysteries. A an intelligent who-dunnit and a quick but rivetting read. The series is set around a fictional Cambridge college where Our Heroine is the college nurse so plenty of scope for things to happen. Sadly there are only four in the series and I've read them all now.

I'm not getting involved in anything very deep at the moment as I have a lot on my plate and the Imogen Quy novels just hit the spot.


----------



## Katie H

Just finishing a James Patterson book, _Mistress.

_Next in line _The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, _and _A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.

_I was inspired by a PBS series on Samuel Clements.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I just got "Corked by Cabernet", the next Michele Scott " Wine Lovers Series. A couple after that and I should be caught up. For now, anyway!


----------



## Katie H

Just finished _The Adventures of Tom Sawyer._  Oh, what fun!  I'd never read it, even as a child, and enjoyed every bit of it.  It was lovely to be transported back to a simpler time and revel in Tom's world and his adventures.

Tonight, I'll begin _The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_.  More adventures and more fun.  I'm looking forward to it.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Katie, I wish I still had the chance to read those stories again for the first time.


----------



## Katie H

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Katie, I wish I still had the chance to read those stories again for the first time.



I think, as an adult, I am appreciating the stories more than I would have had I read them in my youth.  They are so delightful and I love Mark Twain/Samuel Clements anyway.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

That's why I re-read so many books, they change as the years go by.


----------



## Somebunny

I'm reading a series spun off from Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. 


Sent from my iPhone using Discuss Cooking


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Jeffrey Deaver's _XO_, a Kathryn Dance novel.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Just after I drop off the previous Wine Lover's Mystery, I get a notification that the next book (and, so far, last written) is waiting for me at the library. After I'm done with A Toast to Murder I'll have to put a stop to books for a while. My tower of magazines is close to unwieldy and close to sliding out of its basket.


----------



## Mad Cook

Katie H said:


> Just finishing a James Patterson book, _Mistress.
> 
> _Next in line _The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, _and _A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.
> 
> _I was inspired by a PBS series on Samuel Clements.


We read Tom Sawyer in English class at school and as I enjoyed it I asked for Huck Finn for Christmas. I was really disappointed. I found it rather tiresome. I re-discovered my copy when I was sorting out stuff of my mother's. Didn't know she'd kept it. Had another go at it and didn't enjoy it anymore than when I was 12. 
It's gone in the charity shop bag.


----------



## Kaneohegirlinaz

I just finished Diana Gabaldon's eighth book in the Outlander Serires, Written in My Own Heart's Blood, great author.
Her books grab you and hold you, well, they do me anyways...
Now I see that the book is a series on the Starz network
WOW!
Only wish we got that channel 
Sadder yet, now I'll have to wait another 4-5 years for the next "Big Book"


----------



## JoAnn L.

Went to our local used book store (were they are having a special on Tuesday and Thursdays) buy one get one free. So I stocked up on some Dorothy Simpson mysteries in hard cover. They seem to be making the print in those paperbacks smaller and smaller.


----------



## FrankZ

I have started The Providence Rider by Robert McCammon.  I have enjoyed the Matthew Corbett stories.


----------



## Katie H

Mad Cook said:


> We read Tom Sawyer in English class at school and as I enjoyed it I asked for Huck Finn for Christmas. I was really disappointed. I found it rather tiresome. I re-discovered my copy when I was sorting out stuff of my mother's. Didn't know she'd kept it. Had another go at it and didn't enjoy it anymore than when I was 12.
> It's gone in the charity shop bag.



Just beginning Huck Finn's adventures and am finding it a bit tedious.  Isn't holding my interest like Tom's story did.

I'm trying to remember what the PBS program said about Twain's life at the time he wrote about good old Huck Finn.  Could be a reflection of that.  He did have a few challenges personally and financially.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Huck Finn is a bit drier/serious, it has more social commentary than Tom does. Tow Sawyer is a kids story, Huck Finn is for the adults.


----------



## FrankZ

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Huck Finn is a bit drier/serious, it has more social commentary than Tom does. Tow Sawyer is a kids story, Huck Finn is for the adults.



So you didnt read Huck Finn?


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Nope, I have Peter Pan Syndrome...


----------



## FrankZ

I'd think it is more like The Wizard of Oz


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I will bite you on the ankle...


----------



## Katie H

FrankZ said:


> I'd think it is more like The Wizard of Oz




Oh, respectful leader, I think you're totally off base.  Since PF is a member of the medical community, Peter Pan IS the appropriate reference.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

He was calling me a Munchkin...I might even bite both ankles.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I've been reading various urban fantasy series:

Jeaniene Frost's _Night Huntress _series
Karen Chance's _Dorina Basarab / Damphir_ series
Nalini Singh's _Guild Hunter_ series
Karen Chance's _Cassie Palmer_ series
Stacia Kane's _Downside_ series

If anybody is interested in urban fantasy that's over 2 dozen books right there. In some ways they're like SciFi except that fantasy is no longer constrained by the laws of science -- yet they still need an internal logic of their own, interesting characters, suspense...

My other favorite urban fantasy authors include Kim Harrison, Patricia Briggs, Karen Marie Moning...


----------



## Somebunny

Kaneohegirlinaz said:


> I just finished Diana Gabaldon's eighth book in the Outlander Serires, Written in My Own Heart's Blood, great author.
> 
> Her books grab you and hold you, well, they do me anyways...
> 
> Now I see that the book is a series on the Starz network
> 
> WOW!
> 
> Only wish we got that channel
> 
> Sadder yet, now I'll have to wait another 4-5 years for the next "Big Book"




Kgirl, I love the Outlander series as well as Diana Gabaldon's other books.  I've been reading them for years.  I am also watching the TV series on Starz.  I haven't begun The newest book yet. I'm reading one of her Lord John Grey books right now.


Sent from my iPhone using Discuss Cooking


----------



## LPBeier

A book on a Low Glycemic Index Diet.  It is a natural way to deal with diabetes suggested by my Naturopath.


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

FrankZ said:


> So you didnt read Huck Finn?



(late to the discussion, I know)

I guess I'm the odd one out here. I greatly prefered Huck Finn to Tom Sawyer. The characters in Huck were real to me, and he seemed like the kind of kid I could have been friends with. I could sympathize with Huck, and empathize. I found him very likeable.

Tom's adventures just seemed obnoxious and I spent a lot of the book being glad he wasn't my little brother or someone I had to go to school with. And Becky (I think that was her name, the girl who liked Tom) annoyed me, although I don't remember why. The charachters didn't seem as alive to me either. 

Huck Finn and To Kill a Mockingbird are the only two books I had to read in high school that I remember actually liking. Well, and some of Shakespere's plays but they're plays, not books.


----------



## CWS4322

I snagged a copy of Professional Cooking by Wayne Glisslen at a thrift store awhile back. I'm on chapter 3.


----------



## Katie H

Well, near the end of last week I finished Huck Finn's tales and really did get into his shenanigans and adventures.  It was a fun story and I enjoyed all the characters.

After Huck was put on the shelf, I devoured a book entitled _Lone Survivor_, which was written by Marcus Luttrell.  He _was_ the lone survivor of an operation called Operation Redwing, which ended up being the worst disaster of casualties in our country's SEAL team history.

I was riveted from start to finish and could picture every moment he describes in the book.  Just...WOW!

Now, for a total and complete about face, I'm reading Mark Twain's _A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.  _I've just scratched the surface and I don't know how many times I've laughed out loud.  This is gonna be fun!!!!


----------



## mmyap

I just downloaded to kindle Louise Penney, _The Long Way Home_.  I have been looking forward to this book and its right in time for my three day weekend.  Barchester Towers will have to step aside momentarily.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I have banned myself from the library until I work my way through my stack of magazines. At least all three of those subscriptions were free.  

And off I go to read...


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Snoopy looks "hang dog" about no library time.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Snoopy looked hang dog because the light was keeping him awake. The sticker on the bottom of the dog house reads "I'm allergic to morning" but, like me, Snoopy will sleep any chance he gets.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Cooking Goddess said:


> Snoopy looked hang dog because the light was keeping him awake. The sticker on the bottom of the dog house reads "I'm allergic to morning" but, like me, Snoopy will sleep any chance he gets.



I'm pretty sure I am allergic to mornings, too!  I'm with Snoopy.


----------



## mmyap

I have gone amazon/kindle shopping for creepy, halloween-ie type reads.  Not everyone's cup of tea but it's my October tradition. 

1.  The Purge of Babylon / Sam Sisavath - Zombie Apocalypse
2.  The Colony / F.G. Cottam - Supernatural / Horror
3.  The Lazarus Prophecy / F.G. Cottam - Supernatural / Horror / Slasher
4.  Ghost Song / Sarah Rayne - Supernatural

We are all the normal people reading these days?


----------



## Katie H

Finished my last Mark Twain book and am now about 3/4 of the way through _Don Quixote de la Mancha_ by Cervantes.

Boy, oh, boy, has good old Don Quixote had some adventures.  His sidekick, squire, Sancho Panza is a piece of work, too.

I'm really enjoying it.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm reading _The Maze Runner_, by James Dashner, waiting to pick up the rest of the books.  Really enjoying it.


----------



## GotGarlic

I'm reading "A Pig in Provence." Fun read, with recipes.


----------



## Max Sutton

*A farewell to arms*

I'm currently reading A FAREWELL TO ARMS (1929) by Ernest Hemingway. I'm a senior citizen catching up on classic 20th Century novels that I didn't read when I was younger. Reading GRAPES OF WRATH got me started on catching up. You are never to old to improve your mind.


----------



## jabbur

I've been working my way through Christy Barritt- Award-Winning Suspense and Mystery Author  Squeaky Clean Mysteries.  These are interesting mystery stories and the characters are wonderful.  Not too violent, not too bloody gross, just fun to read!  I'm on book 8 right now which is the latest in the series.


----------



## Katie H

Max Sutton said:


> I'm currently reading A FAREWELL TO ARMS (1929) by Ernest Hemingway. I'm a senior citizen catching up on classic 20th Century novels that I didn't read when I was younger. Reading GRAPES OF WRATH got me started on catching up. You are never to old to improve your mind.



Guess that's what I'm doing, too, Max.  I began with some of Mark Twain's works after enjoying a recent PBS series about him.  That sort of got the ball rolling and I've really had a good time reading things I've heard about all my life but never read.


----------



## GotGarlic

Katie H said:


> Guess that's what I'm doing, too, Max.  I began with some of Mark Twain's works after enjoying a recent PBS series about him.  That sort of got the ball rolling and I've really had a good time reading things I've heard about all my life but never read.



One cool thing about classics is that they're out of copyright, so you can download them for free to read on an electronic device. I started reading the complete Sherlock Holmes last winter, then got away from it for a while. I'll get back to it when it's colder and I have more time for uninterrupted reading.


----------



## Katie H

GotGarlic said:


> One cool thing about classics is that they're out of copyright, so you can download them for free to read on an electronic device. I started reading the complete Sherlock Holmes last winter, then got away from it for a while. I'll get back to it when it's colder and I have more time for uninterrupted reading.



I doubt that I'll ever succumb to reading by way of an electronic device.  I much, much prefer turning a page.  I've just given in to audio books and only because listening to a book via audio I can pursue another of my favorite activities, such as knitting or crocheting.

Fortunately, too, our regional library is quite good and I have no trouble acquiring any book I might wish to read.


----------



## buckytom

i'm reading the u.s. army's fm 21-76 survival manual.

pretty neat stuff. i can't wait to start survival training with the scouts in a year or so.

i remember earning my survival merit badge. i was given a knife, a wool blanket, and a pound of ground beef and was dropped off in the woods by myself for a day and a night. we had to make fire, build a shelter, find water, and cook the meat.


----------



## Souschef

Katie H said:


> I doubt that I'll ever succumb to reading by way of an electronic device.  I much, much prefer turning a page.  I've just given in to audio books and only because listening to a book via audio I can pursue another of my favorite activities, such as knitting or crocheting.
> 
> Fortunately, too, our regional library is quite good and I have no trouble acquiring any book I might wish to read.


I used to feel that way until I bought my Kindle. There are a number of sites to get books free or at low cost and I have about 70 books backed up right now.


----------



## Katie H

Souschef said:


> I used to feel that way until I bought my Kindle. There are a number of sites to get books free or at low cost and I have about 70 books backed up right now.



I'm not resistant to change and, in fact, my best friend loaned me her Kindle a while back.  I was curious and she was kind enough to share hers.  I just flat out didn't like it.

Then, there's the frugal part of me that just cannot purchase something, not necessary for life, that I'll just let sit or dispose of after one use.  I don't even buy "regular" books, with the exception of a cookbook now and then.  That's why I enjoy the library so much.

One of my greatest pleasures in life is to look around me and see all the books that are awaiting my hands and mind.  Sometimes I feel like a child in a candy store.  Omigosh, which book do I pick up to read today?!

I do have a very limited personal library of hardback books that represent my very, very most favorite reads.  I cherish them as I do an old friend.


----------



## Katie H

Just finished _Don Quixote de la Mancha_ and thoroughly enjoyed every tale and adventure.  My only regret is that I hadn't read it sooner.

Now I'm devouring _The Kitchen House_ by Kathleen Grissom.  Don't know why I picked it up at the library but it just seemed to call to me.  It is fantastic and is Grissom's first novel.  Boy!  I hope she writes more.

If you read and enjoyed _The Secret Life of Bees_ and/or _The Help_, you'll love this book.  I started it yesterday morning and, by mid-afternoon, I'd read more than half of its 350+ pages.  I just could not put it down.  I want to consume the rest of it but I also don't want it to end.  What a delicious dilemma!


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Just finished up "The Good, the Bad, and the Emus" by Donna Andrews. I'll be returning Meg Langslow and her crazy crew to the library later today and now have to wait until the next book comes out. I think it's in December. Yay!


----------



## GotGarlic

I just finished "Micro" by Michael Crichton. If you like thrillers and gardening (specifically botany and entomology), you'll love this. Weird-sounding combo, I know, but the detail on the interactions of plants and bugs is terrific.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

GotGarlic said:


> I just finished "Micro" by Michael Crichton. If you like thrillers and gardening (specifically botany and entomology), you'll love this. Weird-sounding combo, I know, but the detail on the interactions of plants and bugs is terrific.



I have that in a "To Read" box somewhere.  Problem is with all the books that keep following me home, my "To Read" box is really about 6 boxes.


----------



## Mad Cook

Just about to start "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche. It's set around the Nigerian civil war in the 1960s. I've had it on the shelf for a few years but have never got round to reading it.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

In the last several months, plenty of urban fantasy:

Harrison, Kim "Ever After"  (Hollows #11)
Harrison, Kim "Once Dead, Twice Shy" (Madison Avery series vol. 1)
Harrison, Kim "Something Deadly This Way Comes (M. A. ser. vol. 3)
Harrison, Kim "Early to Death, Early to Rise" (M. A. series vol. 2
Harrison, Kim "Into The Woods"
Briggs, Patricia "Frost Burned" (Mercy Thompson #)
Kane, Stacia "Unholy Ghosts" (Downside #1)
Moning, Karen Marie "Iced" (A Fever Novel #1)
Kane, Stacia "Unholy Magic" (Downside #2)
Kane, Stacia "City of Ghosts" (Downsie #3)
Ward, J. R. "Covet" (Fallen Angels #1)
Ward, J. R. "Crave" (fallen Angels #2)
Kane, Stacia "Sacrificial Magic (Downside #4)
Kane, Stacia "Chasing Magic (Downside #5)
Kane, Stacia "Finding Magic - novella" (Downside: prequel)
Chance, Karen "Touch the Dark" (Cassie Palmer #1)
Chance, Karen "Claimed by Shadow" (Cassie Palmer #2)
Chance, Karen "Embrace the Night" (Cassie Palmer #3)
Chance, Karen "Curse the Dawn" (Cassie Palmer #4)
Chance, Karen "Hunt the Moon" (Cassie Palmer #5)
Chance, Karen "Tempt The Stars" (Cassie Palmer #6)
Briggs, Patricia "Night Broken" (Mercy Thompson #8)
Frost, Jeaniene" Halfway to the Grave" (Night Huntress #1)
Singh, Nalini "Angels' Blood" (Guild Hunter #1)
Harrison, Kim "The Undead Pool"  (Hollows #12)
Singh, Nalini "Archangel's Kiss" (Guild Hunter #2)
Singh, Nalini "Archangel's Consort" (Guild Hunter #3)
Chance, Karen "Midnight's Daughter" (Dorina Basarab, Damphir #1)
Singh, Nalini "Archangel's Blade" (Guild Hunter #4)
Singh, Nalini "Archangel's Storm" (Guild Hunter #5)
Frost, Jeaniene "One Foot in the Grave" (Night Huntress #2)
Singh, Nalini "Archangel's Legion" (Guild Hunter #6)
Frost, Jeaniene "At Grave's End" (Night Huntress #3)
Frost, Jeaniene "This Side of the Grave" (Night Huntress #4)
Chance, Karen "Death's Mistress" (Dorina Basarab, Damphir #2)
Frost, Jeaniene "One Grave at a Time" (Night Huntress #4)
Chance, Karen "Fury's Kiss" (Dorina Basarab, Damphir #3)
Briggs, Patricia "Masques" (Sianim Series #1)
Frost, Jeaniene "Up From the Grave" (Night Huntress #5)
Maas, Sarah J. "Throne of Glass" (Throne of Glass #1)
Maas, Sarah J. "Crown of Midnight" (Throne of Glass #2)
Harrison, Kim "The Witch with No Name" (Hollows #13)
Briggs, Patricia "Steal the Dragon" (Sianim Series #2)
Briggs, Patricia "When Demons Walk" (Sianim Series #3)

To me they are the new SciFi. I used to love SciFi but science caught up with SciFi and I no longer enjoy the novels. Fantasy is a refreshing change of pace because it's impossible to ever catch up because really there is no magic.

As you can see they run in series. It's nice because if you like one (the debut?) you are likely to enjoy the sequels.

However I notice that Lee Child has published 3 books since I forgot about tracking him, his Jack Reacher series, so it's back to mystery/suspense/action for me soon.

Meanwhile I'm waiting for my reserves Nalini Singh's and Karen Marie Moning's recently published novels--I'm in the wait queue at the library.

Lately I'm getting almost all my books as ebooks from public libraries. It's really nice to find the book online (Overdrive Media Console app) and be reading it a few minutes later. I have accounts at 7-8 libraries so I often find the books I want quickly, including 5-6 in California, and Santa Fe NM and Phoenix AZ. I collect libraries.

Good cookbooks on the other hand I buy hard covers!


----------



## purple.alien.giraffe

Greg Who Cooks said:


> In the last several months, plenty of urban fantasy:
> 
> Harrison, Kim "Ever After"  (Hollows #11)
> Harrison, Kim "Once Dead, Twice Shy" (Madison Avery series vol. 1)
> Harrison, Kim "Something Deadly This Way Comes (M. A. ser. vol. 3)
> Harrison, Kim "Early to Death, Early to Rise" (M. A. series vol. 2
> Harrison, Kim "Into The Woods"
> Briggs, Patricia "Frost Burned" (Mercy Thompson #)
> Kane, Stacia "Unholy Ghosts" (Downside #1)
> Moning, Karen Marie "Iced" (A Fever Novel #1)
> Kane, Stacia "Unholy Magic" (Downside #2)
> Kane, Stacia "City of Ghosts" (Downsie #3)
> Ward, J. R. "Covet" (Fallen Angels #1)
> Ward, J. R. "Crave" (fallen Angels #2)
> Kane, Stacia "Sacrificial Magic (Downside #4)
> Kane, Stacia "Chasing Magic (Downside #5)
> Kane, Stacia "Finding Magic - novella" (Downside: prequel)
> Chance, Karen "Touch the Dark" (Cassie Palmer #1)
> Chance, Karen "Claimed by Shadow" (Cassie Palmer #2)
> Chance, Karen "Embrace the Night" (Cassie Palmer #3)
> Chance, Karen "Curse the Dawn" (Cassie Palmer #4)
> Chance, Karen "Hunt the Moon" (Cassie Palmer #5)
> Chance, Karen "Tempt The Stars" (Cassie Palmer #6)
> Briggs, Patricia "Night Broken" (Mercy Thompson #8)
> Frost, Jeaniene" Halfway to the Grave" (Night Huntress #1)
> Singh, Nalini "Angels' Blood" (Guild Hunter #1)
> Harrison, Kim "The Undead Pool"  (Hollows #12)
> Singh, Nalini "Archangel's Kiss" (Guild Hunter #2)
> Singh, Nalini "Archangel's Consort" (Guild Hunter #3)
> Chance, Karen "Midnight's Daughter" (Dorina Basarab, Damphir #1)
> Singh, Nalini "Archangel's Blade" (Guild Hunter #4)
> Singh, Nalini "Archangel's Storm" (Guild Hunter #5)
> Frost, Jeaniene "One Foot in the Grave" (Night Huntress #2)
> Singh, Nalini "Archangel's Legion" (Guild Hunter #6)
> Frost, Jeaniene "At Grave's End" (Night Huntress #3)
> Frost, Jeaniene "This Side of the Grave" (Night Huntress #4)
> Chance, Karen "Death's Mistress" (Dorina Basarab, Damphir #2)
> Frost, Jeaniene "One Grave at a Time" (Night Huntress #4)
> Chance, Karen "Fury's Kiss" (Dorina Basarab, Damphir #3)
> Briggs, Patricia "Masques" (Sianim Series #1)
> Frost, Jeaniene "Up From the Grave" (Night Huntress #5)
> Maas, Sarah J. "Throne of Glass" (Throne of Glass #1)
> Maas, Sarah J. "Crown of Midnight" (Throne of Glass #2)
> Harrison, Kim "The Witch with No Name" (Hollows #13)
> Briggs, Patricia "Steal the Dragon" (Sianim Series #2)
> Briggs, Patricia "When Demons Walk" (Sianim Series #3)
> 
> To me they are the new SciFi. I used to love SciFi but science caught up with SciFi and I no longer enjoy the novels. Fantasy is a refreshing change of pace because it's impossible to ever catch up because really there is no magic.
> 
> As you can see they run in series. It's nice because if you like one (the debut?) you are likely to enjoy the sequels.
> 
> However I notice that Lee Child has published 3 books since I forgot about tracking him, his Jack Reacher series, so it's back to mystery/suspense/action for me soon.
> 
> Meanwhile I'm waiting for my reserves Nalini Singh's and Karen Marie Moning's recently published novels--I'm in the wait queue at the library.
> 
> Lately I'm getting almost all my books as ebooks from public libraries. It's really nice to find the book online (Overdrive Media Console app) and be reading it a few minutes later. I have accounts at 7-8 libraries so I often find the books I want quickly, including 5-6 in California, and Santa Fe NM and Phoenix AZ. I collect libraries.
> 
> Good cookbooks on the other hand I buy hard covers!



Good heavens that's a lot of books. I used to read like that. I need to start spending the occasional day off reading again.


----------



## jabbur

I started Sophie's choice but had to put it down.  DH ended up in the hospital this weekend (he's better) and it was just too dense to hold my attention.  Needed something light.  So I'm reading "Magic Mirror" by Micheala Thompson.  It's about a museum in France that supposedly has the mirror of Nostradamus and it gets stolen.  So far an interesting read.


----------



## Dawgluver

jabbur said:


> I started Sophie's choice but had to put it down.  DH ended up in the hospital this weekend (he's better) and it was just too dense to hold my attention.  Needed something light.  So I'm reading "Magic Mirror" by Micheala Thompson.  It's about a museum in France that supposedly has the mirror of Nostradamus and it gets stolen.  So far an interesting read.




Oh no!  Hoping your DH recovers quickly, Jabbur!


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> Good heavens that's a lot of books. I used to read like that. I need to start spending the occasional day off reading again.



It's most of a year! I read every night beginning about 8-9 p.m. until I get sleepy and put away my iPad. (I read mostly ebooks now.)

I posted the list in case anybody is interested in urban fantasy, which as I said is mostly what I've been reading lately.

However I just began catching up with Lee Child's Jack Reacher series, _A Wanted Man_ (#17). It turned out to be so suspenseful that I stayed up until around 2 a.m. and only put it down because I didn't want to feel crappy today from staying up too late and not getting enough sleep.

I have the next two Reacher novels to catch up to being current in the series, but I think I'll throw some more urban fantasy in between so as to not glut myself. Lee Child's books are so intense and suspenseful that they are difficult to put down!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

jabbur said:


> I started Sophie's choice but had to put it down.  DH ended up in the hospital this weekend (he's better) and it was just too dense to hold my attention.  Needed something light.  So I'm reading "Magic Mirror" by Micheala Thompson.  It's about a museum in France that supposedly has the mirror of Nostradamus and it gets stolen.  So far an interesting read.



I hope DH is doing well.


----------



## Katie H

Can't say enough good about _The Kitchen House_.  It was soooo good.

Also read _Anne of Green Gables_ and have the next two "Anne" books on reserve at the library to be picked up on Wednesday.  In the meantime I am well into another of James Patterson's Women's Murder Club series,_ Unlucky Thirteen._  It's nice to rekindle my "friendship" with the ladies of this group.  I love them all.  I'll have it done by Wednesday so I can meet back up with Anne.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Just returned the first four books in Laura Child's series "The Cackleberry Club". Not your typical "beach reads", but they worked for me. The series revolves around three 40-something women who run a small cafe serving breakfast and lunch. Although Suzanne doesn't raise chickens or "grow' her own eggs, I can't help but not think of CWS when reading these books.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

"A Sudden Light", by Garth Stein who wrote, "The Art of Racing In the Rain".  Just started it last night!


----------



## JoAnn L.

I just got done reading, Lilian Jackson Braun's  "The Cat Who Talked To Ghost".


----------



## Katie H

Finishing up the last two books of the _Anne of Green Gables_ series.  There are seven books but I won't be able to read the last one.  None of the libraries in my area have it.  Oh, well.

They're wonderful stories and it's so enjoyable to follow Anne from being a little girl to becoming a delightful woman.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Katie, maybe you could ask for the last book as a Christmas gift.  Then after you read it, you could donate it to your local library. I've done that in the past, and our library really appreciates it.


----------



## Dawgluver

Katie, do you have an e-reader?  You can get The Anne Stories: 12 books, 142 short stories.


----------



## jabbur

I recently finished Stephen King's "11/22/63" and really enjoyed it.  It's a time travel story about a guy going back in time to prevent Kennedy's assassination.  Very interesting read and wonderful story lines.

Currently working on "the Book Thief" set in Nazi Germany 1939-1940.  Also very good.


----------



## CharlieD

Just finished We the living by Ayn Rand. If you are interested in Soviet History the portrayal of the after revolution Russia is very accurate.


----------



## Katie H

Dawgluver said:


> Katie, do you have an e-reader?  You can get The Anne Stories: 12 books, 142 short stories.



No, Dawg, I don't have any kind of electronic reading device so that's out but I like Cooking Goddess's idea.  I might just do that.


----------



## Zhizara

I'm sitting here spellbound reading the first book from Drew Chapman, called _The Ascendant_.

Today is supposed to be a cooking day, but I can't seem to put it down.  This author is really good.  I'm excited and already hoping for more.  

There is a blurb in the front of the book to be waiting for another book, _The Conjurer King._.  Gee, I hope he writes fast.  I would gobble them up.


----------



## Mad Cook

*"Eat, Pray, Love"*

Just finished "Unnatural Death" by Dorothy L Sayers and "Pardonable Lies" (The third "Maisie Dobbs" novel. Mysteries with a difference) Both good.

About to start (when it arrives) "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything." by Elizabeth Gilbert, which is our February book group choice. I've made the mistake of reading the Amazon reviews both on _.co.uk_ and _.com _and there are some real humdingers!

Has anyone read it and what did you think of it?


----------



## Kayelle

I just started reading this, and it had me *hooked *with the first chapter....very rare for me.

https://mynook.barnesandnoble.com/r...e-Nomad/Rita-Golden-Gelman&ean=9780307421746#


----------



## Kayelle

Mad Cook said:


> Just finished "Unnatural Death" by Dorothy L Sayers and "Pardonable Lies" (The third "Maisie Dobbs" novel. Mysteries with a difference) Both good.
> 
> About to start (when it arrives) *"Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything." by Elizabeth Gilbert,* which is our February book group choice. I've made the mistake of reading the Amazon reviews both on _.co.uk_ and _.com _and there are some real humdingers!
> 
> Has anyone read it and what did you think of it?



I have not read it MC but it sure sounds like something I'd like..I just ordered it, and thanks... 
Here's more about it.

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert | 9781101010914 | NOOK Book (eBook) | Barnes & Noble


----------



## jabbur

Having skipped "Modern Novels" class in favor of Shakespeare, there are many classic books I've not read.  I'm trying to read them now.  I'm currently reading "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou.  I'm enjoying it.


----------



## Zereh

Thoroughly enjoying this one! It's fiction written around how a fairy-tale (Rapunzel) came to be.


----------



## Zagut

John Grisham. Sycamore Row.
Almost done.
Good read.
Next up....
David Baldacci. The Hit.
I read a lot of books I find at the grocery store.


----------



## Cheryl J

Mad Cook said:


> Just finished "Unnatural Death" by Dorothy L Sayers and "Pardonable Lies" (The third "Maisie Dobbs" novel. Mysteries with a difference) Both good.
> 
> About to start (when it arrives) *"Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything."* by Elizabeth Gilbert, which is our February book group choice. I've made the mistake of reading the Amazon reviews both on _.co.uk_ and _.com _and there are some real humdingers!
> 
> Has anyone read it and what did you think of it?


 
I've been wanting to read that.  I saw the movie and it was somewhat underwhelming, but I'm not a Julia Roberts fan.   I can imagine the book is a lot better.


----------



## Cheryl J

I just ordered "Wild".  Can't wait till it gets here.  Much of the locale is near where I live and play, and close to my daughter and SIL's cabin up in Kennedy Meadows. It should be a fantastic read. Also want to see the movie, but I want to read the book first.


----------



## GotGarlic

My BIL gave DH a book for Christmas, but he doesn't have much patience to sit and read, so I picked it up. It's true story called "In the Kingdom of Ice" by Hampton Sides about a Navy ship's crew stranded in the Arctic and how they get home. It takes place in the 1880s. Good so far.


----------



## Kayelle

Cheryl J said:


> I just ordered "Wild".  Can't wait till it gets here.  Much of the locale is near where I live and play, and close to my daughter and SIL's cabin up in Kennedy Meadows. It should be a fantastic read. Also want to see the movie, but I want to read the book first.



I think you'll really enjoy "Wild" Cheryl. I liked the movie a lot too, but like you, I'm glad I read the book first. Reese Witherspoon did a fantastic job with the movie, but as always the movie lacked the details.


----------



## Mad Cook

Mad Cook said:


> Just finished "Unnatural Death" by Dorothy L Sayers and "Pardonable Lies" (The third "Maisie Dobbs" novel. Mysteries with a difference) Both good.
> 
> About to start (when it arrives) "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything." by Elizabeth Gilbert, which is our February book group choice. I've made the mistake of reading the Amazon reviews both on _.co.uk_ and _.com _and there are some real humdingers!
> 
> Has anyone read it and what did you think of it?


Just finished the 5th "Maisie Dobbs" mystery, "An Incomplete Revenge" by Jacqueline Winspear. Can't wait for number 6. The author was born and brought up in Kent in the south of England but is now based in the USA.

The books are set in the 1920s and 30s and her detective is a young Englishwoman who was severely affected by her service as a nurse in France during the 1914-18 war. She's also a psychologist and this and the long term effects of the war in some part affect her cases. Don't expect a warm and cuddly Miss Marple.

The author portrays the England of the time very well with only the occasional minor lapses reflecting the writer's American background - mostly they don't affect the plot. I'd recommend reading "Maisie Dobbs" the first book in the series as, whilst it is a stand-alone read, it does set the scene for the following books but it isn't essential.

I've just started the next choice for our book group. "Eat, Pray, Love : One Woman's Search for Everything" by Elizabeth Gilbert. The Amazon reviews included some really awful ones and I'm beginning to see what they mean. Self-obsession and navel-gazing seems to be a strong thread so far! I have a feeling it will need a deal of determination not to throw it through the nearest window!


----------



## Cheryl J

Kayelle said:


> I think you'll really enjoy "Wild" Cheryl. I liked the movie a lot too, but like you, I'm glad I read the book first. Reese Witherspoon did a fantastic job with the movie, but as always the movie lacked the details.


 
I can hardly wait till my book arrives, Kay.  It isn't playing yet in the theater here, so I should have plenty of time to read it before I go see it.


----------



## Cheryl J

"Wild" arrived today, so I've been doing a lot of reading on this gray and cloudy day.  Love it so far.


----------



## CharlieD

Warning: Spoiler alert.

If you have teenagers at home, steer them clear away from reading "Every Day" by D. Levithan. My DW picked up one for our daughter, unfortunately I only found out latter about the book, after I picked it up in the bathroom. Ok, I am a religious man and my views are slanted, I will admit that. And it is not that I am against parents talking to children about sex, or kids reading about sex from the scientific point of view. But I hate books that promote sex, promote promiscuity. Hate books where kids that are having sex are consider "the cool crowd" and those of our children who are innocent enough to simply have fun with their friends, to have fun playing sports or music, doing their homework and work hard in school are considered "not cool".


----------



## Zagut

David Baldacci.  "The Target".

Finished "The Hit". and this was next in line.


----------



## Mad Cook

CharlieD said:


> Warning: Spoiler alert.
> 
> If you have teenagers at home, steer them clear away from reading "Every Day" by D. Levithan. My DW picked up one for our daughter, unfortunately I only found out latter about the book, after I picked it up in the bathroom. Ok, I am a religious man and my views are slanted, I will admit that. And it is not that I am against parents talking to children about sex, or kids reading about sex from the scientific point of view. But I hate books that promote sex, promote promiscuity. Hate books where kids that are having sex are consider "the cool crowd" and those of our children who are innocent enough to simply have fun with their friends, to have fun playing sports or music, doing their homework and work hard in school are considered "not cool".


I haven't heard of this one. What age of child is it aimed at? Hopefully the "cool Crowd" will get their come-uppance.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zagut said:


> David Baldacci.  "The Target".
> 
> Finished "The Hit". and this was next in line.



Those were both good books.  Love the characters.


----------



## GotGarlic

My mom gave need the first three novels of the Earth's Children series, starting with The Clan of the Cave Bear. I've read that and I am halfway through The Valley of Horses. I'm really enjoying the series. Has anyone else read these books?


----------



## Dawgluver

GotGarlic said:


> My mom gave need the first three novels of the Earth's Children series, starting with The Clan of the Cave Bear. I've read that and I am halfway through The Valley of Horses. I'm really enjoying the series. Has anyone else read these books?




I read them milleniums ago, when I was in college.  Really enjoyed them.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Yes, read them about 30 years ago.  Have probably read the whole series about 4-5 times over the years.  Love it!


----------



## GotGarlic

I understand there was a movie made from the books starring Darryl Hannah that didn't do very well. Has anyone seen it? I've been looking up some of the animals, plants and tools, etc. A good movie with this material would be great. I wish there were color plates in the books.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

The movie was poorly thought out.


----------



## Mad Cook

The March choice for Book Group is "Jonathan Livingstone Seagull". Now there's a blast from the past. I didn't read it back in the '70s so I'm looking forward to it.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Sped through the latest Joanne Fluke book "Double Fudge Brownie Murder". It's coming up on the time of year a get a lot of reading done. Nice days in the sun room, taking a break from some sort of housework inside or out. I like most to sit there late at night in the summer, just me, listening to the crickets outside, and reading. Best way to unwind after a day of gardening - after taking a nice shower. *sigh*


----------



## tinlizzie

Deadwood by Pete Dexter - Wild Bill Hickok done to a turn.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_Wastelands_, a collection of short stories on "end of civilization", how it happened and how humans continue on.  No zombies or vampires...good Science-Fiction.


----------



## jabbur

Just finished The Escape by David Baldacci.  Wonderful!


----------



## Kayelle

This...Minding the Manor: The Memoir of a 1930s English Kitchen Maid: Mollie Moran, Veida Dehmlow: 9781494505301: Amazon.com: Books

I'm really enjoying it.


----------



## Mad Cook

Mad Cook said:


> The March choice for Book Group is "Jonathan Livingstone Seagull". Now there's a blast from the past. I didn't read it back in the '70s so I'm looking forward to it.


I didn't read "JLS" in MArch. It took longer to arrive from Amazon than it should have done and then stuff got in the way - Tetley wasn't well and I was worrying about him and running about giving him medicine and taking him for walks on the lead rein so JLS got pushed to the bottom of the list. I will read it though.

The April choice at book group is Wilkie Collins' "The Woman in White", a Victorian thriller - it's often described as the first "sensational novel" (in the sense that it was a bit of a shocker and created a sensation). I read it years ago and heard it serialised both as a drama and as a novel read on "Book at Bedtime" on the radio. I'm looking forward to reading it again. 

Have just finished "Among the Mad" by Jacqueline Winspear. It's a "Maisie Dobbs" mystery. The series is excellent. "Maisie", the protagonist, is a psychologist and private investigator and the story lines are intelligent and always more than just a "whodunit". The author is an English woman who has lived in the US for many years although the "MD" series is set in England in the late 1920s-ealrier 1930s. Highly recommended.


----------



## Wyshiepoo

The Portable Atheist, Christopher Hitchens.


Finding it slow reading.


----------



## Zagut

jabbur said:


> Just finished The Escape by David Baldacci. Wonderful!


 

Shhh... Jabbur. I'm at page 276 so don't spoil it for me.


----------



## Zagut

Since I last posted on this thread it's been....

Tami Hoag - The 9th Girl.

Karin Slaughter - Cop Town.

Harlan Coben -Missing You.

Dan Fesperman - The Arms Maker of Berlin.

J.A. Jance - Moving Target.


----------



## Zagut

Wyshiepoo said:


> The Portable Atheist, Christopher Hitchens.
> 
> 
> Finding it slow reading.


 

Wyshiepoo, Sometimes I find the slowest reading books are the best ones.  

That's not always the case but they seem to make you think as you read. 

Or it could be one of those you simply don't care for.


----------



## CWS4322

I'm reading several textbooks for students in culinary school; a book on diseases passed from wildlife to humans and domestic animals, and a book on effective social media techniques. For pleasure I am reading the Norwegian author Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series on my Kindle... The translator who translated his books is really good--hard to believe the books weren't written in English.


----------



## Zagut

Finished Baldacci's "The Escape" 


Lisa Jackson's "Hot Blooded"


Started Greg Iles "Natchez Burning"


----------



## tinlizzie

Kayelle said:


> This...Minding the Manor: The Memoir of a 1930s English Kitchen Maid: Mollie Moran, Veida Dehmlow: 9781494505301: Amazon.com: Books
> 
> I'm really enjoying it.



I ordered it from my local library and have just finished it.  Such an interesting true story -- a fast read, and an all-too-rare these days happy ending to a well-lived life.  Thanks, Kayelle!


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I like Greg Iles's first book, "Black Cross." It is a real suspense thriller, his best book IMO. It's about WW II and poison gas. "Black cross" was the code word for the most deadly gas.

I've just finished Anne Bishop's Black Jewels trilogy - now extended, decided to try her "The Others" series and I am totally enchanted by the series debut "Written in Red."

Note the Anne Bishop books are hardcore fantasy. I'm loving this Others series because I know if the rest are as good as the debut I won't have any problems finding reading material for some time...


----------



## JoAnn L.

Just got done reading the whole series ( 29 books ) of Lilian Jackson Braun's The Cat Who. Loved every one and hated to see the series end.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Himself and I were just talking about "The Cat Who..." yesterday. He's reading one of Donna Andrews' mysteries and said her writing reminds him of Lilian Jackson Braun. Every winter I figure I should start all over from book one, and every spring the chance has passed me by.

I grabbed "Born With Teeth" by Kate Mulgrew off the New Books shelf when I returned a couple books on Friday. Interesting read...


----------



## Kayelle

tinlizzie said:


> I ordered it from my local library and have just finished it.  Such an interesting true story -- a fast read, and an all-too-rare these days happy ending to a well-lived life.  Thanks, Kayelle!



You're so welcome Lizzie, I'm glad you enjoyed Minding the Manor also. 

Now I'm reading "Twisted Vine" the 5th book in the Lei Crime Series by Toby Neal. You might want to take a look. The interesting series is set in Hawaii.

Lei Crime Series - Toby Neal

Just got home from Hawaii last night, and I miss it already.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Welcome back, Kayelle! Let us know when Souschef gets the blog updated with pictures and story of your latest adventure, will you please?


----------



## Kayelle

Thanks for the welcome back CG. SC isn't doing a story of this trip as we've been there several times, and didn't really do anything new, just enjoyed the magic of the island.


----------



## Cheryl J

Another welcome back from me, Kay!  Sorry to hear you won't be sharing pics this time, but that's understandable since you've been there so many times before.   Anything you'd like to share though, we'd love to hear! 

As far as reading...I started reading Sacajawea again after decades, but put it down as I'm just not that into reading it again, even though I love that period in history.  

I think I need a good crime/mystery novel, so will look into some of the ones recommended above.


----------



## Kayelle

Here's a slide show of some of the pictures from the last time we were on beautiful Kauai...Kauai 2012 Slideshow by Kayelle | Photobucket

*I'm with you on Sacajawea Cheryl. I've tried to read it three times and always give up. I too love that period in history so much.

Cheryl, I highly recommend this if you haven't read it. It will be in my heart forever.......
http://www.jamesalexanderthom.com/sea.html
*


----------



## Cheryl J

Kayelle said:


> Here's a slide show of some of the pictures from the last time we were on beautiful Kauai...Kauai 2012 Slideshow by Kayelle | Photobucket
> 
> *I'm with you on Sacajawea Cheryl. I've tried to read it three times and always give up. I too love that period in history so much.*
> 
> *Cheryl, I highly recommend this if you haven't read it. It will be in my heart forever.......*
> *jamesthom*


Beautiful pics, Kay, thanks for sharing your slideshow.  Gorgeous scenery!

I looked up your link and just spent the last hour reading 25+ pages from "From Sea To Shining Sea" on Amazon.  Wow...now that is my kind of reading!  Thanks so much for the recommendation - I've always been fascinated with anything Lewis and Clark.   

I'm going to go to our little used bookstore tomorrow to see if they have it.  If not, I'll order it.  


By the way, Sacajawea is a great read - it is long, though.


----------



## Kayelle

Cheryl J said:


> Beautiful pics, Kay, thanks for sharing your slideshow.  Gorgeous scenery!
> 
> I looked up your link and just spent the last hour reading 25+ pages from "From Sea To Shining Sea" on Amazon.  Wow...now that is my kind of reading!  Thanks so much for the recommendation - I've always been fascinated with anything Lewis and Clark.
> 
> I'm going to go to our little used bookstore tomorrow to see if they have it.  If not, I'll order it.
> 
> 
> *By the way, Sacajawea is a great read - it is long, though. *



*Now* I remember why I could never get through *Sacajawea* Cheryl.
The font in the paperback 5" thick book was so tiny my eyes couldn't take it, even when I was decades younger. 

You inspired me to order it for my Nook reader (the renewal of my old love for books.) Now I know that a book I've *always* wanted to read is possible at last. The light is always perfect, the font just the way I like it and my "old love of holding a book" just isn't that important anymore. 

That Nook Tablet is the best gift my sons *ever *gave me!

I can't wait to get started on the 1,424 pages again!

Sacajawea by Anna L. Waldo | 9780380842933 | Paperback | Barnes & Noble


----------



## Cheryl J

Kayelle said:


> *Now* I remember why I could never get through *Sacajawea* Cheryl.
> The font in the paperback 5" thick book was so tiny my eyes couldn't take it, even when I was decades younger.
> 
> *You inspired me to order it for my Nook reader (the renewal of my old love for books.) Now I know that a book I've always wanted to read is possible at last. The light is always perfect, the font just the way I like it and my "old love of holding a book" just isn't that important anymore. *
> 
> That Nook Tablet is the best gift my sons *ever *gave me!
> 
> I can't wait to get started on the 1,424 pages again!
> 
> Sacajawea by Anna L. Waldo | 9780380842933 | Paperback | Barnes & Noble


 
Good...I'm glad you've been inspired, Kay!  It's such a great read - not always pleasant but such an important part of American history.  

I may have to look into one of those Nook readers.  I too love to sit and read a real book and turn real pages, but these eyes aren't what they used to be.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I'm in the middle of the third of Anne Bishop's "The Others" fantasy series.

Anne Bishop: Novels of Dark Fantasy
https://www.goodreads.com/series/99557-the-others
http://www.amazon.com/Written-Red-Others-Anne-Bishop-ebook/dp/B008RD34VO

In this fascinating series the world was created with two species, humans and the _terra indigene_, shape shifters, and they are the dominant species. In the beginning the humans were separate but as they explored the world they discovered most of it was owned by the others. These others are wolves, crows, bears, etc. who can assume human forms when necessary. The species live in an uneasy truce, but humans live or die if the others are displeased. Oh, they eat humans they don't like. 

Our protagonist Meg is a _Cassandra sangue_ or "blood prophet," a special kind of human who can see the future, but only if she is cut deep enough to scar. She was raised as property of a home for such women, ostensibly to protect the women, but in reality they are treated as cattle and their predictions sold to customers (and often prostituted too).

The catch is that if somebody cuts her and allows her to speak the future, she goes into an euphoric almost sexual trance and remembers nothing. But if she can't speak she feels great pain but remembers her prophesies. 

The story begins as she escapes The Controller (owner of the asylum) and at the end of her endurance she lands on the doorstep of one of the Others' "courtyards" (islands of Others in the cities they control) where she is taken by Simon Wolfgard, what we wold call a werewolf, and head Other at the courtyard.

As the story develops Simon Wolfgard (who is equally intelligent as humans) realizes she has been imprisoned and takes pity on her and gives her a job as more or less their shipment receiving department, where the members of the courtyard get goods purchased from humans.

The Others own all the land and all the resources, and lease some of it to humans who live only if the Others let them. The Others often refer to humans as "clever meat." Oh, and the Others are telepathic. 

I'll leave you off here to say that Meg becomes a focal point of the struggles between the humans and Others. The Controller wants her back. The Others are angry with the uppity humans, and Simon takes pity that the only life Meg has ever known is as the property known as cs759, her designation to The Controller who doesn't even bother to name his properties.

--

I'm really enjoying my transition into the "new science fiction," replacing my love of SciFi which has mostly become just plain old reality. Ho hum, space ships to the moon, been there done that. SciFi has drawn its well dry IMO, where fantasy has to make sense (so that you can maintain your suspension of disbelief) but as long as it's self consistent it suffices as the new SciFi, except it is not limited by the laws of science, only by the rules of logic. Build a good world and fantasy lovers will flock to it!

(I'm now on the third of three novels published, another scheduled for March 2016 and a fifth at a yet to be announced date.)


----------



## jabbur

I just started Vince Flynn's "Term Limits".  It was published in 1997 but you'd swear it was written about Obama's presidency.  So far very interesting thriller.


----------



## Zagut

Greg Who Cooks said:


> I like Greg Iles's first book, "Black Cross." It is a real suspense thriller, his best book IMO. It's about WW II and poison gas. "Black cross" was the code word for the most deadly gas.
> 
> I've just finished Anne Bishop's Black Jewels trilogy - now extended, decided to try her "The Others" series and I am totally enchanted by the series debut "Written in Red."
> 
> Note the Anne Bishop books are hardcore fantasy. I'm loving this Others series because I know if the rest are as good as the debut I won't have any problems finding reading material for some time


 

I thought Spandau Phoenix was his first book.

It's the one that got me hooked.

Black Cross was good too.

Word to the wise. Don't read Natchez Burning as it's the first of a trilogy and you will want to read the next one before it's a paperback. I'm going to go against my "frugal" (cheap) nature and buy The Bone Tree in hardcover. 

Haven't read any Anne Bishop but if you like Greg Iles I guess I'd better check her out.


----------



## ardchoille

I'm currently reading Containment (Children of Occam, book 1) - by Christian Cantrell.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm not reading anything, too busy packing boxes.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Finished Kate Mulgrew's "Born with Teeth". 

After a few PMs back and forth with Cheryl about "true crime", I'll be starting a book about the Neil Entwistle case. I've read one other book by the author, Michele McPhee, so I don't expect anything better than a middle-school essay, but reading the details of the case all at once (as opposed to snippets in newspaper articles) should be interesting.


----------



## Zagut

Started Lee Child's "Personal"

It's another Jack Reacher novel but once you get hooked on a character you have to read it.


----------



## ardchoille

Cooking Goddess said:


> Finished Kate Mulgrew's "Born with Teeth".
> 
> After a few PMs back and forth with Cheryl about "true crime", I'll be starting a book about the Neil Entwistle case. I've read one other book by the author, Michele McPhee, so I don't expect anything better than a middle-school essay, but reading the details of the case all at once (as opposed to snippets in newspaper articles) should be interesting.



I was unaware that Kate Mulgrew wrote any books. She remains one of my favorite actresses, I enjoyed her work on Star Trek: Voyager and Warehouse 13.. I'll have to check out this book.

Thank you for posting about this


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I think it's the only book she's written, *ardchoille*. It's an autobiography. Although I didn't watch too many of the Voyager episodes, at one time Mulgrew was married to a Cleveland/Cuyahoga county politician. I guess I was interested in the book because I'm from Cleveland originally. It was a good read, but nothing deep. I guess it could be considered a Beach Read if I actually went to the beach.


----------



## Cheryl J

I was wondering if it was THAT Kate Mulgrew!  Dating myself here, but I remember her as Mary Ryan from years back on the soap series "Ryan's Hope". Loved her then, and loved her in Star Trek.


----------



## Cheryl J

Cooking Goddess said:


> Finished Kate Mulgrew's "Born with Teeth".
> 
> *After a few PMs back and forth with Cheryl about "true crime", I'll be starting a book about the Neil Entwistle case. *I've read one other book by the author, Michele McPhee, so I don't expect anything better than a middle-school essay, but reading the details of the case all at once (as opposed to snippets in newspaper articles) should be interesting.


 
Yeah, we've gone back and forth with the crime story PM's... Let me know what you think about the book, CG.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I'm halfway through it, *Chery*. All I found so far were two grammar errors.  It looks like Michele pulled her writing style a little tighter, and it has been reading better than the first one I read. Lots of little details I don't remember from the news reports from back then. Boy, Neil was one evil...guy.


----------



## radhuni

I am rereading short stories of Anton Chekhov


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Finished Michele McPhee's book on Neil Entwistle. Not much better than the first one of hers that I had read. I won't be wasting anymore time with her.

Now on to knocking down the stack of magazines again.


----------



## Zagut

Finished ""Personal""


Read Mary Higgins Clark "I've Got You Under My Skin"


About to finish Tom Brokaw "The Greatest Generation"


Hmmmm.... What to read next?? 


Got a box of books a customer was tossing so I'll have to pick one.


----------



## Katie H

Just finished a book by one of my favorite authors, Erik Larson.  The book was entitled _Dead Wake_ and was about the sinking of the Lusitania.  Larson is a fantastic author and I've enjoyed every book he's written.  _Isaac's Storm _was amazing.  I recommend anything he's written.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Finished up another silly little Laura Childs Cackleberry Club cozy mystery, "Eggs in a Casket". Started the most recent one, "Scorched Eggs", last night. When I'm done with that one I will be all caught up on that series. On to the next cozy!


----------



## JoAnn L.

Am reading Ruth Rendell's  A Judgement In Stone. I love all of her mysteries.


----------



## phinz

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Shor...&sr=8-1&keywords=hemingway+short+stores+finca


----------



## Kayelle

At 50 pages in, "The Good Girl" has me hooked. 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Good-Girl-Mary-Kubica-ebook/dp/B00IB5BSBG


----------



## Zagut

In the box was The DaVinci Code.


I started with that one.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I'll appreciate an opinion on whether anybody has enjoyed my comments and reviews in this section. I had hoped to influence people to read some of the books I enjoy but I have the feeling I am not succeeding. There is no point in me typing if nobody is reading.


----------



## Dawgluver

I've always enjoyed your book reviews, Greg, whether I read the books or not right this minute!  Keep on reviewing!


----------



## Zagut

Greg Who Cooks said:


> I'll appreciate an opinion on whether anybody has enjoyed my comments and reviews in this section. I had hoped to influence people to read some of the books I enjoy but I have the feeling I am not succeeding. There is no point in me typing if nobody is reading.


 
Keep on typing Mr. Greg. 

I see this thread as a place to tell others what they are reading and they are free to take it from there.

Every new author and or title is something to investigate for me.

I don't see this as a book discussion thread.

If you'd like to debate the books start a thread on discussing what books you feel you'd like to discuss.

I'm always looking for new reading material and seeing what others read points me in different directions.

I do pay attention to your posts and would like to see you continue.

It's the Internet my friend. And most of the time we don't get things as we might want to believe they should be.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Zagut said:


> Keep on typing Mr. Greg.
> 
> I see this thread as a place to tell others what they are reading and they are free to take it from there.
> 
> Every new author and or title is something to investigate for me...


What Zagut said. We all have different tastes and likes in what we read. I enjoy reading your posts, but after each very thorough summary I think to myself "yup, still don't like sci-fi/fantasy". Different strokes for different folks.


----------



## jabbur

I just finished "Pavilion of Women" by Pearl Buck.  Wonderful read.  Now I'm trying to decide what to read next.  Got a lot on my kindle and a few DTBs to choose from.


----------



## Katie H

Just finished _Invisible_ by James Patterson.  Holy Christmas, Batman!  Can that man ever weave a tale!!  I'm usually pretty good at figuring out complex plots but this one was a real brain-bender.  I must've thought I had it figured out 14 times before I finished it.  Each time I knew I had it, he threw me a huge curve!


Highly recommend!!!!  I give it a gazillion thumbs up!


----------



## BakersDozen

Hi Jabbar...I'm a member here, but mostly lurk cause I'm too busy reading!   I do read all the posts, and yours caught my eye because I loved Pavilion of Women too. I also saw the movie based on the book, and it was good, even though most aren't that are based on books. Just my two cents worth today.

I'm reading Margaret Maron's "Judge Deborah Knott series"...number 17 and enjoying them, they are set in N.Carolina.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Thanks for the comments. I only discuss books if I think others will enjoy them. I get book ideas from reading topics like this.

Invisible by James Patterson sounds good, I'll add it to my list.


----------



## jabbur

BakersDozen said:


> Hi Jabbar...I'm a member here, but mostly lurk cause I'm too busy reading!   I do read all the posts, and yours caught my eye because I loved Pavilion of Women too. I also saw the movie based on the book, and it was good, even though most aren't that are based on books. Just my two cents worth today.
> 
> I'm reading Margaret Maron's "Judge Deborah Knott series"...number 17 and enjoying them, they are set in N.Carolina.



I didn't know there was a movie.  I'll have to check it out.  I'm currently reading "Miracle at Higher Grounds Cafe" by  Max Lucado.  He usually writes inspirational/educational books about faith. This is a novel.  I'm enjoying the positive vibes coming from the story for a change.


----------



## Kayelle

Greg Who Cooks said:


> I'll appreciate an opinion on whether anybody has enjoyed my comments and reviews in this section. *I had hoped to influence people to read some of the books I enjoy but I have the feeling I am not succeeding. *There is no point in me typing if nobody is reading.





Cooking Goddess said:


> What Zagut said. We all have different tastes and likes in what we read. I enjoy reading your posts, but after each very thorough summary I think to myself *"yup, still don't like sci-fi/fantasy". Different strokes for different folks.*



For me, I'll never be influenced to read your choices Greg, but others could be interested. What I find most helpful on this thread is to offer a link for the book where we can learn more about it to see if it sounds personally interesting. I certainly don't expect to influence anyone to like my choices.


----------



## BakersDozen

Your new book sounds good, I've added the title to my books to read list. Hope you get to see the movie...I liked it alot. I finished the Margaret Maron book, and have started "Empire of the Sun" by Julie Otsuka...pretty good so far. Its set in 1942 and I have the second book "The Buddha in the Attic" to follow it. Both are short reads.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

My last two-day read was another Laura Childs book, "Ming Tea Murder". She writes three different cozy mysteries. Ming Tea is set in Charleston. We've been there a couple of times, so it's rather easy for me to picture the scenes that she's writing. Sadly, there is no sweet little tea shop like the one Theodosia runs.

Next up is a spoof book, a riff on "The Cat Who..." books by Lilian Braun. This one is called "The Cat Who Killed Lilian Jackson Braun".  Won't start it till tomorrow since I have a basketball game to watch tonight.


----------



## Zagut

Finished "The Da Vinci Code"
Not what I expected after all the hype. 
I enjoyed it but now I'll have to read "Angels & Demons". 
One book leads to another. 

Read "Remains of Innocence" by J.A. Jance 
Another good read and it was one of those had to reads for me because of being hooked on the characters.
Guess you can call a lot of what I read Paperback Soap Operas. 

Also finished another from the box that I'd never have picked up myself.
"Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrant.
Now I want to read "Seabiscuit".

Keep on telling us what you read folks. 
Sometimes reading what you don't think would interest you turns out to be a good read and makes you seek more.

I'm going to start a new book from the box.
It's (If you knew me.) one I'd never consider since it say's it's an Oprah's Book Club book.
"The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver.
Nothing ventured nothing gained and it's cover notes sound interesting just like they are supposed to.


----------



## jabbur

Zagut, you're going to like Poison wood  Bible. It's  good. I didn't know that  it was an Oprah book when I  read it.  I personally prefer Angels and Demons over DaVinci Code too.  Technically, A&D was written first. Much better story.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Kayelle said:


> What I find most helpful on this thread is to offer a link for the book where we can learn more about it to see if it sounds personally interesting. I certainly don't expect to influence anyone to like my choices.



That's a good idea. I'll try to include them in the future.

Myself, I hope somebody enjoys one of my selections, maybe one they would have never tried without my positive comments. I do expect to influence somebody, or get influenced by somebody, or I wouldn't post in this topic.


----------



## Zagut

Jabbur, You were right. I like it. It's a very good read. 

Whoda thunk I'd like an Oprah book?  

Next up from the box is. "Ride The Wind" by Lucia St. Clair Robson.


----------



## Kayelle

Although I'm not a hiker, after falling in love with Yosemite as a young woman, for a time, I entertained thoughts of walking the John Muir trail. It never happened except in my mind. I discovered this book recently and it's really held my attention on the opposite side of the country. At this age, this hike will never happen for me either, although it's a *very good read* ......



http://www.amazon.com/AWOL-Appalachian-Trail-David-Miller/dp/0547745524


----------



## vitauta

Kayelle said:


> For me, I'll never be influenced to read your choices Greg, but others could be interested. What I find most helpful on this thread is to offer a link for the book where we can learn more about it to see if it sounds personally interesting. I certainly don't expect to influence anyone to like my choices.



well, intended or not, kayelle, a couple of years ago your intrigue with gillian flynn's 'gone girl' influenced me to read it, too.  and you've done it again recently with another girl this time, a 'good girl'.  i wonder what sort of girl will it be that you introduce me to next....


----------



## Aunt Bea

Cooking Goddess said:


> My last two-day read was another Laura Childs book, "Ming Tea Murder". She writes three different cozy mysteries. Ming Tea is set in Charleston. We've been there a couple of times, so it's rather easy for me to picture the scenes that she's writing. Sadly, there is no sweet little tea shop like the one Theodosia runs.
> 
> Next up is a spoof book, a riff on "The Cat Who..." books by Lilian Braun. This one is called "The Cat Who Killed Lilian Jackson Braun".  Won't start it till tomorrow since I have a basketball game to watch tonight.



I'm a big fan of those quick little page turners!

I will look for a copy of "The Cat Who Killed Lilian Jackson Braun" by Robert Kaplow.

Look for Virginia Rich and the Eugenia Potter books.  I think Virginia Rich only finished three before she died.  "The Cooking School Murders",  "The Nantucket Diet Murders", and "The Baked Bean Supper Murders".


----------



## Katie H

Just finished _Dead Wake:  The Last Crossing of the Lusitania _by Erik Larson.  Amazing story and, as usual, Larson didn't disappoint.  I love his books.  Others of his I've read include _Devil in the White City_ and _Isaac's Storm.  _Can't remember the others.

Larson can take facts and make them mesmerizing.  He's one of those "magic" writers who can paint pictures in your head as you read.  I couldn't put _Isaac's Storm_ down.  Read it in less than 2 days.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am reading P. D. James, Adam Dalgliesh mysteries.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Aunt Bea said:


> ...Look for Virginia Rich and the Eugenia Potter books.  I think Virginia Rich only finished three before she died.  "The Cooking School Murders",  "The Nantucket Diet Murders", and "The Baked Bean Supper Murders".


I read those years ago! I enjoyed them so much. Even copied a couple of the recipes that were printed inside the covers, intending to make them some day. Did I ever tell you that my road to hell is very well paved???


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Started reading my next "White House Chef" mystery in the series - I'm a book behind! Last night I sat down with "Home of the Braised", intending to read just a couple of chapters. By the time I closed the book I was nearly half-done!


----------



## jabbur

I'm reading "The Sound and the Furry" by Spencer Quinn.  I have "Paw and Order" up next.  I enjoy Chet and Bernie.


----------



## Zagut

"Last Night in Twisted River" by John Irving.

It was in the box and it's a keeper.


----------



## Dawgluver

jabbur said:


> I'm reading "The Sound and the Furry" by Spencer Quinn.  I have "Paw and Order" up next.  I enjoy Chet and Bernie.




Love Chet and Bernie.  Will have to check out "Paw and Order".

I'm reading "Just the Pits", by Jinx Schwartz.  She writes a mystery series with a lot of humor, and has a great understanding of the Mexican culture.


----------



## Kayelle

I just finished the last page of the first book... Amazon.com: North and South (North and South Trilogy Part One) (9780451200815): John Jakes: Books
It was a very long read but *I'm blown away by the power of this unforgettable and remarkable historical novel.* I could hardly put it down.  I expect the same with the next two volumes.


----------



## Souschef

i jut finished "Home Sweet Everywhere" by Lynne Martin. This couple sold their house, put stuff in storage, and lived in apartments in Europe and North Africa for 3 years.
It is a fascinating book. I can relate to the downsizing-when Kayelle and I got married we had to take all the stuff in 2 1800 sq foot houses we had each lived in for 30 years and get it into one 1400 sq ft home. Needless to say, there were piles of stuff for Salvation Army.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

*jabbur*, I never heard of the Spencer Quinn books (I tend to read books featuring cats and/or recipes). After looking over a few on Goodreads I added Quinn to my authors list. I have more TBR books and ideas than I have years left to read, I'm afraid. 

After starting "Home of the Braised" on Sunday, I finished it up Monday night. The next book in the series ("All the President's Menus") is waiting for me in my book basket. I intend to do a fair amount of garage sale pricing tomorrow and Thursday before I'll allow myself to open it up.


----------



## jabbur

When I first read Dog On It, I could see our dog Ollie very clearly as the Chet character.  I had to put off reading these latest 2 books since putting Ollie down this spring.  Now that we have Abby, I felt I could read them now.  He has a new one just released called "Scents and Sensibilities"  that I'll put on my list to get when it comes out in paperback.


----------



## CWS4322

Nothing too exciting here. I tend to read about food. I have been reading a lot of various chapters in various culinary textbooks on layering flavors and flavor enhancers,  Cheese pairings, and what format works for written recipes best. Oh, when not reading about food, I've been taking the mystery basket contents on Chopped and figuring out what I'd make, what flavor profile,  what I would grab from the pantry, and how I would plate it. I've come up with some interesting ideas. Does anyone else cook along? I've almost filled a notebook with ideas and partial recipes (no measurements/weights).


----------



## Kayelle

vitauta said:


> well, intended or not, kayelle, a couple of years ago your intrigue with gillian flynn's 'gone girl' influenced me to read it, too.  and you've done it again recently with another girl this time, a 'good girl'.  i wonder what sort of girl will it be that you introduce me to next....



 Here you go Vit...I just ordered this girl and can't wait to get started. It looks like another doozie..."The Girl on the Train"....

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22557272-the-girl-on-the-train


----------



## Cooking Goddess

The write-up on it sounds interesting, *Kayelle*, but there were mixed reviews. Looking forward to what you think of it, just in case I'm in the mood for something other than a cozy mystery.


----------



## Kayelle

Cooking Goddess said:


> The write-up on it sounds interesting, *Kayelle*, but there were mixed reviews. Looking forward to what you think of it, just in case I'm in the mood for something other than a cozy mystery.



Yep, there's always mixed reviews on every book CG. However, this one seems to have at least four stars from all the sources I've checked. It's next on my list, and I'll let you know.
I'm just finishing up The Reluctant Midwife (Hope River Series #2) by Patricia Harman | 9780062358240 | Paperback | Barnes & Noble
and I've enjoyed ever single page, as I did her first book.


----------



## Kayelle

Cooking Goddess said:


> The write-up on it sounds interesting, *Kayelle*, but there were mixed reviews. Looking forward to what you think of it, just in case I'm in the mood for something other than a cozy mystery.



"The Girl on the Train" in all was worth the read CG. It would have been nice if just one of the characters were at least likable though. 
It was indeed a mystery, but it sure wasn't "cozy".


----------



## Katie H

I just finished _The Book Thief_ by Markus Zusak.  WOW!  What a story and I'm amazed that one his age wrote it.  He was around 30!  A very, very talented writer.

It's the story of a young orphaned girl in Nazi Germany during WWII and, in some ways, reminiscent of Anne Frank.  Great story and the real surprise is the narrator.  I won't give it away.  It blew me away.


----------



## tinlizzie

Kayelle said:


> "The Girl on the Train" in all was worth the read CG. It would have been nice if just one of the characters were at least likable though.
> It was indeed a mystery, but it sure wasn't "cozy".



A relative loaned me 'Girl' and I'm trying to read it, but don't much like it.


----------



## Kayelle

tinlizzie said:


> A relative loaned me 'Girl' and I'm trying to read it, but don't much like it.



Lizzie, I can't say that I've actually "liked" any of the three "Girl" books I've read. All of them were an interesting visit to the dark side.."Gone Girl", "The Good Girl", and "Girl on the Train". I'm ready for something happy and normal.

Lizzie, check out the Hope River series I mentioned......*I loved them!*


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Katie H said:


> I just finished _The Book Thief_ by Markus Zusak.  WOW!  What a story and I'm amazed that one his age wrote it.  He was around 30!  A very, very talented writer.
> 
> It's the story of a young orphaned girl in Nazi Germany during WWII and, in some ways, reminiscent of Anne Frank.  Great story and the real surprise is the narrator.  I won't give it away.  It blew me away.



That book is in my TBR stack. Thanks for no spoilers!


----------



## tinlizzie

Kayelle said:


> Lizzie, I can't say that I've actually "liked" any of the three "Girl" books I've read. All of them were an interesting visit to the dark side.."Gone Girl", "The Good Girl", and "Girl on the Train". I'm ready for something happy and normal.
> 
> Lizzie, check out the Hope River series I mentioned......*I loved them!*



I'm sorry I missed that, K, but who's the author of that series?

I have two authors to suggest in the happy and normal category:

Jennifer Chiaverini, who's written lots - the series I have in mind is The Elm Creek Quilters.

Another is Adriana Trigiani, with the Big Stone Gap series.

Beg your pardon if you're the one who recommended these in the first place.

I'm not sure Trigiani's is a series.


----------



## Kayelle

Lizzy, the author is Patrica Harman....This is what I just read...
http://www.amazon.com/The-Reluctant-Midwife-River-Novel/dp/0062358243
The first one is just as good.

Thanks for the tips for "happy and normal"....


----------



## tinlizzie

Kayelle said:


> Lizzy, the author is Patrica Harman....This is what I just read...
> http://www.amazon.com/The-Reluctant-Midwife-River-Novel/dp/0062358243
> The first one is just as good.
> 
> Thanks for the tips for "happy and normal"....



Thank you, K.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

And here's an author for Cooking Goddess, who dotes on food mysteries or anyone else (yes - you, too, K) looking for light entertainment:

Avery Aames, who wrote 'The Long Quiche Goodbye' (I've read; nice light read) and 'Days of Wine and Roquefort' (I've not read yet)


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am reading Scandinavian mystery series with Detective Irene Huss. The author is Helene Tursten.


----------



## Kayelle

tinlizzie said:


> I'm sorry I missed that, K, but who's the author of that series?
> 
> I have two authors to suggest in the happy and normal category:
> 
> Jennifer Chiaverini, who's written lots - the series I have in mind is The Elm Creek Quilters.
> 
> *Another is Adriana Trigiani, with the Big Stone Gap series.
> *
> Beg your pardon if you're the one who recommended these in the first place.
> 
> I'm not sure Trigiani's is a series.



Thanks for turning me on to *Adriana Trigiani *Lizzy. I just finished an epic book of hers and really enjoyed it. It met my need for getting out of the rut of  the "dark" side. This fit the bill very well..a wonderful story.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Shoemakers-Wife-A-Novel/dp/0061257109


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I've run out of library books again, having finished another two-day read last night. It was the most recent edition of the White House Chef Mystery series. Before I return the book to the library I need to remember to copy a recipe or two. The pork tenderloin coated with chopped pecans before cooking and then drizzled with an "orange and something else" sauce afterward sounds especially good.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Just dropped off my latest read at the library today. Another cozy mystery, you figure, right? Nope, something very far away from a beach read. The page-turner was "The Wrong Man: The Final Verdict on the Sam Sheppard Murder Case". I was a 3-year-old in Cleveland when this happened, yet I still have vague memories of my Mom pouring over the newspapers every day, saying that she just didn't believe he could kill his wife. I do remember the second trial, as I was a high schooler at the time. I really enjoyed the book for what is was - probably because I'm a native Clevelander and was born at Bay View Hospital, the one started by Sam Sheppard's dad. He, however, was NOT Mom's doctor, nor did she ever have any contact with him or any other family member. Still, she always thought he was innocent. No matter how much evidence is uncovered, I believe  no one will every be able to give a definitive answer.


----------



## Cheryl J

Drat, I forgot to pick that book up today CG, and I drove right past the book store on my way to have the car washed.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

That's why God had someone invent Post-It Notes.


----------



## tinlizzie

Cooking Goddess said:


> Just dropped off my latest read at the library today. Another cozy mystery, you figure, right? Nope, something very far away from a beach read. The page-turner was "The Wrong Man: The Final Verdict on the Sam Sheppard Murder Case". I was a 3-year-old in Cleveland when this happened, yet I still have vague memories of my Mom pouring over the newspapers every day, saying that she just didn't believe he could kill his wife. I do remember the second trial, as I was a high schooler at the time. I really enjoyed the book for what is was - probably because I'm a native Clevelander and was born at Bay View Hospital, the one started by Sam Sheppard's dad. He, however, was NOT Mom's doctor, nor did she ever have any contact with him or any other family member. Still, she always thought he was innocent. No matter how much evidence is uncovered, I believe  no one will every be able to give a definitive answer.



CG, I was living just South of Akron when this case broke.  Wasn't the killer said to be a mysterious one-armed man?  Or did I get that from the Hollywooded-up 'Fugitive'?

I have ordered from the library but haven't gotten yet a 'true-crime novel' by Vincent Bugliosi, who has written several others of its kind as well.  I read it years ago but got the itch to re-read.  Title: "And the Sea Will Tell."  You might like it since it's a similar treatment of the murders, events and clues, leaving a question in the mind.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

tinlizzie said:


> CG, I was living just South of Akron when this case broke.  Wasn't the killer said to be a mysterious one-armed man?  Or did I get that from the Hollywooded-up 'Fugitive'?
> 
> I have ordered from the library but haven't gotten yet a 'true-crime novel' by Vincent Bugliosi, who has written several others of its kind as well.  I read it years ago but got the itch to re-read.  Title: "And the Sea Will Tell."  You might like it since it's a similar treatment of the murders, events and clues, leaving a question in the mind.


The one-armed man is from the Fugitive. The intruder that Dr. Sam said he chased was a bushy-haired man. Not sure, but I though I had read that the idea for The Fugitive was presented before Marilyn Sheppard was murdered and the network thought it wasn't believable to use for a series.

"And the Sea Will Tell". Hmm, sounds promising. But right now I'll be doing little reading until my garage sale is done and done. Probably not something I would want to read while relaxing at FMB, either.  It IS on my TBR (To Be Read) list on my library page, though. Thanks for the suggestion!


----------



## Cheryl J

There's a true crime book "Small Sacrifices" by Ann Rule about Diane Downs, who was convicted of shooting her three children.  Downs must have read about the Dr. Sam case, because she claimed a 'bushy haired stranger' shot her children.  It's been many years since I read it, but I remember she stuck to that story throughout her trial.


----------



## FoodieFanatic

Have never been into novels, mysteries, or books that tell stories. Right now I'm reading The Big Idea by Danny Deutsch. It's about entrepreneurial dreams and making them happen. He use to have a show years ago on this which was really interesting.


----------



## LPBeier

I am currently reading a Kindle book on how to write Kindle books . Seriously, I have been encouraged for quite awhile now to write about my experiences with bipolar and chronic pain and electronic publishing seems to be the way to go these days. The book gives a 15 day program, but I have spent half of that just on the first two "days"!

But it is a very interesting read.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am reading Peter Robinson's, In The Dark Places. It's an Inspector Alan Banks mystery.


----------



## BakersDozen

*I'm reading...*

Good Morning!
   Its been awhile since I've posted something, so thought I'd add my two-cents worth about a book I just finished this morning. I'm a huge fan of author Elly Griffiths, love her mystery series with Ruth Galloway, an archeologist (s) and now she has a new mystery series. Its called A Magic Men Mystery and the book I just finished is titled, "The Zig-Zag Girl", set in postwar Brighton, and takes readers on a wild ride full of mayhem, magic and murder. I didn't think I would like it when I first started it, but it sweeps you in and grabs you.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I just finished up the latest Scrapbooking Mystery, "Parchment and Old Lace". Now I'm working my way through a memoir book that looked intriguing when I glanced through it my last trip to the library, Titled "Life from Scratch", most of the book reads like an autobiography with a few recipes tossed in. Surprisingly, I'm rather enjoying it!


----------



## cinisajoy

Spooky Stories of the Southwest. 
Tomorrow I will start Black in the Box by Russell Blake.


----------



## Katie H

Over the last several months I have been captivated by a series of books by Fern Michaels.  Three in particular have caught my interest and they all intertwine, with the characters being woven from series to series.  Makes for interesting reading and I am fascinated with the personalities of the characters.

They are specifically the _Texas, Vegas _and _Kentucky_ ones.  The _Vegas_ series is comprised of 4 books, the other two have 3 books each.  I'm just now finishing up the last one of the _Kentucky_ grouping.

All the stories are good and I am especially enjoying this last series because it is set in my home state so I can relate to the geography, etc.  The Kentucky Derby plays an important part in all three, which is great fun for me because I can envision all the gorgeous horse farms in and around Lexington, along with the beautiful horses.  I'm going to be a just a little bit sad when I finish this last book.


----------



## creative

My extensive Lenovo manual for my new laptop!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

*The Martian*, by Andy Weir.  Almost finished and loving the heck out of it.


----------



## Cheryl J

Katie H said:


> Over the last several months I have been captivated by a series of books by Fern Michaels. Three in particular have caught my interest and they all intertwine, with the characters being woven from series to series. Makes for interesting reading and I am fascinated with the personalities of the characters.
> 
> They are specifically the _Texas, Vegas _and _Kentucky_ ones. The _Vegas_ series is comprised of 4 books, the other two have 3 books each. I'm just now finishing up the last one of the _Kentucky_ grouping.
> 
> All the stories are good and I am especially enjoying this last series because it is set in my home state so I can relate to the geography, etc. The Kentucky Derby plays an important part in all three, which is great fun for me because I can envision all the gorgeous horse farms in and around Lexington, along with the beautiful horses. I'm going to be a just a little bit sad when I finish this last book.


 
Like you Katie, I was completely captivated by this series!  It made such an impression on me, and I still remember the Coleman family even though its been over 20 years since I read the series.  I might have to read them again - I think I'll stop by the used book store today. 

"The Sisterhood" series by Fern Michaels are good reads, too.  There are about 10 if I recall, it should say on her website.  None of her books have topped the Texas, etc. series though, IMO.  I too remember being disappointed when I finished the last in that series - I wanted it to go on....


----------



## Kayelle

I must look into those, Katie and Cheryl.

Speaking of good reads, I loved the series by KB Ryan of Nell Sweeney..
https://www.goodreads.com/series/41279

I actually just finished a book I hated, so I'm off shopping...

I'm back to my rule if it doesn't grab me in the first 50 pages, the author is fired. Book closed.


----------



## CarolPa

Kayelle, so many times I have started a book and it was terrible.  I just couldn't get interested in it.  But by some miracle, by the time I reached the middle of the book it grabbed me and I couldn't put it down.  

Right now I am reading Me Before You by JoJo Moyes.  Very good!!


----------



## GotGarlic

I'm reading "The Great Train Robbery" by Michael Crichton. Love his work.


----------



## cinisajoy

All the President's Men.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Recently read the latest Donna Andrews' book "Lord of the Wings". Easy-read cozy mysteries that usually surprise me with who the guilty party ended up being.


----------



## JoAnn L.

River Of Darkness
The Blood Dimmed Tide
The Dead Of Winter
The Reckoning

The author is Rennie Airth. He wrote this spellbinding series of mysteries set in England. I really enjoyed reading these.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I'm inishing up the "Wolf Within" series (6 novels) by Amy Lee Burgess, an urban fantasy series uncomplicated by the fact there are (were)wolves and the Others (humans). In her were world the weres do NOT feed on the humans nor do they prey on them, and they are separate species and the only way you can become were is to have were parents. (Actually she never broached the subject of species cross fertility nor half-breeds.)

I found the first 3 novels free at public libraries and purchased the last three novels at about $3 at Amazon, a very reasonable fee considering you could probably read the series of 6 for about $20 on Amazon.

As I said, in Burgess' series the weres are not much more than a secret society among humans, no preying, no biting and turning humans into weres. Born were you are were, born human you are human, nothing changes it. Burgess' series is set in the modern world, Internet, cellphones, jet aircraft, but ah... were life is not so simple. And to make it worse -- and the contention of the entire series -- there are two factions which are minorities amongst the weres.

One of the factions wants to maintain the old ways, hiding amongst humans, performing unremarkable professions that allows them to stay underground, while the opposing faction wants to "come out" and inform humans of their existence, presuming that the were superiority will eventually become the predominant species. The conservatives are convinced that the humans will hunt the down and kill them. (The protagonist Constance -- "Stanzie" -- and I agree that humans would want to kill out the weres.)

(Aside: in one of Amy's afterwards she says one of her rules is to not mix supernaturals, no were-vampire lovers, and all I can say is it works for her. But the opposite works for notable authorial competitors like Patricia Briggs.)

As I said this is urban fantasy, the definition being "the modern world except we have supernatural beings too." In addition it is of course like much urban fantasy also romantic fiction, and a large part of the plotting involves Stanzie (an American) and her Irish Liam Murphy lover, the two who are thrown together in the series opener. Murphy who often seem to be an antagonist too, but can they be lovers?

There is mild graphic sex (the weres have to have sex to enable their change to wolves) and middling romance (not so much to turn off me who is not a romantic novel enthusiast). On the other hand the plot twists and suspense make me wonder if my image or impression of the author is a bit naive because Burgess pulls it off as a consummate professional! Her portrayal of the folly of human misunderstandings is a great contributory factor to the emotional tension of her novels too. "He said, she said" but will they ever realize they misunderstand they are really on the same page???

What I mean is a whole lot of suspense and intrigue, not so much graphic sex to turn off prudes, not so much romance to turn off people like me who aren't interested in romantic novels unless the romance is a sub-plot. (Romance is nice but IMO not the subject that amuses me in a novel.)

So I give Amy Lee Burgess' "The Wolf Within" (6 novels) a thumbs up for those who either enjoy or are willing to try urban fantasy, her novels are romantic but not too romantic for me this "gag me with a spoon romance" guy, not offensively graphic to offend all but the most sensitive prudes -- and her explicit scenes are not gratuitous nor irrelevant -- so they were not thrown in just to satisfy some publisher's formula for a bodice ripper.

Just furthermore to make it all clear, many of the recent urban fantasy novels I've read were aimed for the young adult market, but in no way did I feel that Burgess' Wolf Within was YA material. The protagonist Stanzie (Constance) is in her 30s yet weres live to about 150 so she's young yet not so young compared to we mere humans. (Well I was young at 30 and still young in my 60s.) This is not a kid series, and the plotting is definitely sophisticated, adult and heavy on the suspense, a deft hand on the romance and explicitness, and Ms. Burgess presents a unique, new view about the wolves within us, maybe yet real and hidden among our society.

Although I am reading the series finale (#6) or at least the most recently published in the series (2013) I hope she will right more sequels... Um, news flash!!! ---- In researching this review I discovered she just published/released her latest (7th) Wolf Within novel "_One Step Ahead_" which I just purchased with Amazon one-click Kildle feature. Published just yesterday and I thought I would be finishing the closer tonight or tomorrow night. Sweet sorrow, I get to start #7 in the next day or two, but now I have to wait ... a year? ... for #8? Amy said she wrote the opener in ... 18 hours? (Yes Amy I read your afterwards.) So I hope she will come out with #8 soon!

To be honest I'm a bit on edge with #6 "Across The Line" and was worried it could be a series closer, just the fact that #7 is there was enough to cause me to grab #7 right this instant!  If Stanzie (nickname for Constance which long name she hates) is guaranteed to last to book #7 then put me in line for book #8!

Just to put this in perspective, I read her series debut beginning about December 1st (maybe November 30th) and here I am half way through novel #6 only 10 days later, and already bought #7 because I'll doubtless finish #6 tomorrow night (I'm a night reader) and can go right on to #7!

Cute chick too:






Sorry Amy, I hope you don't mind being called a "cute chick." If I had a wolf within, my wolf would be very attracted to you and your wolf! I'd love to be in your Pack! Would you be my alpha?   From her biography she currently lives in Houston (after a disastrous affair with Katrina New Orleans) so maybe Houston is not my cup of tea (I've visited there) yet Santa Fe my cup of tea turned out to not be my cup of tea either. (At least we in Santa Fe had good and/or interesting weather, but small town life was not for me.) My visits to Houston have all been in good weather but I hear stories... Monsoon in Santa Fe was a thriller, the only thing I miss more about Santa Fe is when Hatch chilis are in season and they sell them in the stores and roast them to your taste in rotary grilles outside! I can only imagine Monsoon in Houston, hope it isn't as bad as I imagine. Oh well, at least it isn't Katrina!

To finish up, I'm in book #6 and evidently reading #7 since I already bought it. All I can say is that Amy appeared to me to be a new author but after reading her books I could only call her a master, along with my favorites Patricia Briggs, M.J. Scott, Anne Bishop, Karen Marie Moning, Faith Hunter, Kelly Armstrong, Karen Chance, Nalini Singh, Kim Harrison, and not to mention (as I mention them) J.R.R. Tolkein and George R.R. Martin, to whom both which Amy may aspire to some day as she perfects her writing skills. (Tolkein and Martin are arguably the preeminent fantasy authors, almost like gods.)

All I can say is Amy has a good start, and I hope she keeps on going, because as long as she keeps on going I'll keep on buying! I'm headed for her other novels once I finish #7.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I have just started reading a different series by one of my favorite cozy mystery writers, Julie Hyzy. "Grace Under Pressure" is the first in the Manor House Mysteries. The main character is a curator in a historic manor which is in a small town that mentions Chicago as the "big city". 

I sadly learned that Hyzy's other cozy series, The White House Chef, will be ending-ish with the next book. I added the "-ish" because even though Hyzy won't be continuing on with the books, the publisher does own the rights and would have the ability to hire on a new author and continue it. Somehow I have the feeling that the 9th book in the series may be my last that I'll read.

If you want a little insight into an area of publishing that involves "Work-for-Hire" writing, *Julie's December 16th blog post is for you*. With royalties at 21 cents per book sold, I guess writing isn't always the road to riches.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I'm a published author myself and the idea of selling the rights to continue your series without you strikes me as really crazy.

Pick an author like George R.R. Martin and maybe so, considering his _Game of Thrones_ franchise and relationship with HBO. It is publicly known that he has furnished the TV series producers with outlines of the 6th and 7th (final) novel in the series, in case he meets his demise before the series has completed filming.

Speaking of Martin, he has just announced that he missed his 12/31 deadline for GOT #6 and that the studio will have to begin filming before his manuscripts for the season are complete. One can only assume that they are confident in his authorial competence (well deserved) and he must be close to completing the current season even if he didn't have a wrap.

One can hope that the #6 novel will be released this year. As far as I'm concerned novels are always better than teleproductions of the same novels.

However this bodes poorly for #7 since if you analyze his authorial performance vis a vis GOT you will see he's never come close to one sequel/year.

And yet worse, it's already clear (see my previous posts in this topic regarding Martin's writing performance) that even if he does finish #7 -- note that in his and many novels in the genre the "sept" based upon the number 7 is sacred, and Martin has always admitted he intends GOT to run 7 total in the series.

I said it before and I'll say it again: my prediction. Not only will Martin *NOT* finish #7 by 12/31/2016 (in time for the next season to be started with the scripts "in the can") but furthermore Martin will IMO not be able to finish GOT within his "sept" precept but that while he may finish #7 by 12/31/2016 he will not be able to finish the series with the 7th sequel. His novels run 700-850 pages each, and #7 will run longer than that until he has to cut it off and ship it, and begin GOT #8 where #7 left off, for another several hundred pages in the series finale.

This is not necessarily bad, and in fact by all means I see it as good. HBO squeezes another season out of GOT, Martin and his publisher get paid for yet another installment, and readers (presumably who enjoy his works) will get another hit of GOT!i

Just remember my prophesy that GOT will run 8 not 7 novels (unless Martin dies before his work is complete).

In any case this is good whether or not my speculations prove out.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Greg Who Cooks said:


> I'm a published author myself and the idea of selling the rights to continue your series without you strikes me as really crazy...


I guess you didn't read Julie's blog, since she didn't "sell the rights to continue". This is how her original contract was set up, when the series started about 10 years ago, maybe? She was new to writing. There is MORE in her blog. If you care to know all the facts, go ahead and click the link I supplied in my original comment.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

No I didn't read her blog. MY contracts were set up that I was selling only first NA rights (right to publish first, only in North America). I retained rights outside NA and for second publications (republications). But that didn't stop some publisher from asking me if he could republish my work, he sent me a release to sign with no offer for pay, and when I requested a fee he ignored me and published it anyway. So much for following the laws.


----------



## Kayelle

CarolPa said:


> Kayelle, so many times I have started a book and it was terrible.  I just couldn't get interested in it.  But by some miracle, by the time I reached the middle of the book it grabbed me and I couldn't put it down.
> 
> Right now I am reading Me Before You by JoJo Moyes.  Very good!!



I appreciate your views Carol but I think an author should have enough talent to grab a reader within 50 pages, or I fire them. How hard can that be? Why should we wade through drivel for half a book before they show some talent for telling the story?  I don't intend to be confrontational, but only conversational.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

Kayelle said:


> I appreciate your views Carol but I think an author should have enough talent to grab a reader within 50 pages, or I fire them. How hard can that be? Why should we wade through drivel for half a book before they show some talent for telling the story?  I don't intend to be confrontational, but only conversational.



I have the same policy, had it for years. Not a fixed number of pages but definitely 50-100 pages, either enthrall me or I forget about finding out how it ends. I already know. It ends badly, for me, bored that I wasted several ours of my limited life reading their drivel.

I have a record of all the books I've read over the last 25 years, with ratings and particularly when I quit a book. It's nice at the library because I can take my iPad and see if I read any of the author's books or read a book that looks enticing but I forgot I read it.

Hook me in 50 or so pages or you are out of here.


----------



## Littlechef

My book club is reading "The Kind Worth Killing". I just started it. So far so good. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Zagut

Just finished the series The Boy Allies- With The Navy. By Ensign Robert L. Drake.

These were my fathers books from his childhood. Written between 1915-1919. 10 in the series.

They were children's books (Ages 12-16) so an easy read but they do show a different perspective on life then we have today.

I thoroughly enjoyed them.

Had to blow the dust off of them but they are in great shape.

Now I need to tackle The Boy Allies- With The Army. by Clair W. Hayes.
I count 11 of them.
And then The Ranger Boys. by Claude A. LaBelle
5 of them.

A lot of dust to sift through for me. 

Also read one of my mothers old books.
Thunderhead by Mary O'Hara Copyright 1943.
Nice read.

As you can see I've been living in the past and sometimes that's a informative thing to do.

But don't worry. I also just finished Cold Betrayal by  J.A. Jance. and have started The Skin Collector by Jeffery Deaver. 

I needed a few cheap supermarket novels before I step back in time again.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Found a new author to try out, A.G.Riddle.  Reading his first book, _The Atlantis Gene_...so far so good.  It's a trilogy, will be getting the other two soon, nice action-packed thriller.


----------



## Zagut

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Found a new author to try out, A.G.Riddle. Reading his first book, _The Atlantis Gene_...so far so good. It's a trilogy, will be getting the other two soon, nice action-packed thriller.


 
Will I find him at the supermarket book shelf?

Always looking for a good thriller.


----------



## blissful

I just finished the 3 Hunger Games books.
It seemed like, the first two, Hunger Games and Catching Fire, were exactly like the movies, so much so, I wondered if the books were written after or during while the movies were being made. They were easy reads and there were few things different from the movies.

The third book, Mocking Jay, was much more choppy, with a different style than the first two books. It didn't seem like it had the same author to me. It was harder to follow. It was still interesting just somewhat rushed and missing information and therefore more confusing. I didn't really like the third book nearly as much. 

In the overall series, the authority using children to manipulate people, sickened me. I find it horrifying that people can be that sociopathic. 

I'd like to find a book or some books with another dystopian reality.


----------



## Katie H

Reading a piece by a new, to me, author named Anthony Doerr.  The book is called _All the Light We Cannot See._  It's a great book.  Takes place in France and Germany during WWII.  The story is centered around two young people, a blind French girl, and a German boy, both about the same age.

Doerr is a master at weaving a tale and his choices of words create wonderful and vivid images as I have been reading the story of the two young folks.  Their lives are, at the moment, running parallel but I have a feeling they will converge.

It took the author 10 years to write the book and I can understand why.  Full of such detail.  It's a great read and I highly recommend it.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zagut said:


> Will I find him at the supermarket book shelf?
> 
> Always looking for a good thriller.



Probably not, I found him while cruising Amazon for an old book I needed to replace.  Riddle is worth the read, I have ordered the other two in the series and a stand alone.  Basically everything he has published to date.

My book addiction has surpassed my food addiction...


----------



## Zagut

PrincessFiona60 said:


> .
> 
> My book addiction has surpassed my food addiction...


 




So I need to go to a bookstore.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zagut said:


> So I need to go to a bookstore.



Afraid so...I use Amazon because the nearest bookstore, worth shopping, is two hours away


----------



## Zagut

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Afraid so...I use Amazon because the nearest bookstore, worth shopping, is two hours away


 
Well a Barns & Noble is straight ahead rather then a left turn on the way home so I guess I can make the sacrifice. 

Why don't bookstores have drive through windows?


----------



## Kayelle

Kayelle said:


> I appreciate your views Carol but I think an author should have enough talent to grab a reader within 50 pages, or I fire them. How hard can that be? Why should we wade through drivel for half a book before they show some talent for telling the story?  I don't intend to be confrontational, but only conversational.



Hmm, interesting that I said that last month. This month I'm wading through a big book that was good at the start, and even half way through and has been going down hill since then. It's like the author got tired or something. It's just flat on the downhill and very frustrating. I've never found this before.
I'll finish it but I'm not happy at all. If it doesn't have a great ending, I'll tell the author what I think.


----------



## Kayelle

Katie H said:


> Reading a piece by a new, to me, author named Anthony Doerr.  The book is called _All the Light We Cannot See._  It's a great book.  Takes place in France and Germany during WWII.  The story is centered around two young people, a blind French girl, and a German boy, both about the same age.
> 
> Doerr is a master at weaving a tale and his choices of words create wonderful and vivid images as I have been reading the story of the two young folks.  Their lives are, at the moment, running parallel but I have a feeling they will converge.
> 
> It took the author 10 years to write the book and I can understand why.  Full of such detail.  It's a great read and I highly recommend it.



It has certainly received rave reviews at goodreads Katie. It sounds like my cup of tea. Thanks.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Zagut said:


> Well a Barns & Noble is straight ahead rather then a left turn on the way home so I guess I can make the sacrifice.
> 
> Why don't bookstores have drive through windows?



For the same reason a nice restaurant doesn't, you have to savor it.  I love the smell of a bookstore.


----------



## Zagut

PrincessFiona60 said:


> For the same reason a nice restaurant doesn't, you have to savor it. I love the smell of a bookstore.


 
Point taken. 

I love a good bookstore myself.

But Barns & Noble is more and more feeling like a chain like McD's. 

Well I guess that sometimes you need your fix and have to deal with reality.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I love browsing the stacks in a library. Good smells, doesn't cost me anything, I get to make a lot of new friends - both human and in books. I hope physical libraries are around forever and are not chased away by the "you can find that online" naysayers. E-readers and laptops have their places, but there is nothing like a real, "live", book.


----------



## CharlieD

Robot Check

Kitchens of the great Midwest

Being that it's all happening here in the Midwest, I liked it a lot.


----------



## Kayelle

CharlieD said:


> Robot Check
> 
> Kitchens of the great Midwest
> 
> Being that it's all happening here in the Midwest, I liked it a lot.



I really appreciate you leaving that link Charlie. I wish more people would do that. It sounds like an adorable book, and I can think of several people here who would love it!


----------



## Cheryl J

That sounds like a good read, Charlie.  Thank you for sharing the link.  Any novel that includes recipes from back in the day is my kind of book.


----------



## rodentraiser

Paper Moon, about the con man, Moses Pray, in the 30s, with his daughter helping him out.

I just finished The Phantom Filly. They made a movie based on this book back in 1944, I think it was, that starred Lon McAllister and Walter Brennan. The movie was OK, the book is an enjoyable read from start to finish.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Leaving a link IS a good idea, *Kayelle*. Thank you, *Charlie*, for giving us such a great idea!

I just picked up a book from the library, but haven't started it yet. It's called "An Everlasting Meal". The info I read online before I requested it described it as more of an essay and less of a cookbook. Sounded intriguing, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

*An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace*


----------



## gitalistyaa

Nice

Sent from my Redmi Note 2 using Tapatalk


----------



## Kayelle

Cooking Goddess said:


> Leaving a link IS a good idea, *Kayelle*. Thank you, *Charlie*, for giving us such a great idea!
> 
> I just picked up a book from the library, but haven't started it yet. It's called "An Everlasting Meal". The info I read online before I requested it described it as more of an essay and less of a cookbook. Sounded intriguing, so I thought I'd give it a shot.
> 
> *An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace*



Ahh Haa CG!! I gotta have this one also! It sound like just the thing so many cooks here strive for..cooking by "creative instinct" rather the the religion of never straying from a recipe.
Thanks for the link! Yep, I try to always leave a link for anything I read. Goodreads is a good one.


----------



## CharlieD

Actually I was afraid that I'd be told to remove the link, as it might be considered advertising. 

Also, the description is somewhat misleading. It is not all about "cute". It is about life, work, choices people make. I couldn't put it down. 


Sent from my iPhone using Discuss Cooking


----------



## Kayelle

CharlieD said:


> *Actually I was afraid that I'd be told to remove the link, as it might be considered advertising.
> *
> Also, the description is somewhat misleading. It is not all about "cute". It is about life, work, choices people make. I couldn't put it down.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Discuss Cooking



Not to worry Charlie, as long as you aren't the author. Links for Amazon for example are left all the time.


----------



## GotGarlic

Kayelle said:


> Not to worry Charlie, as long as you aren't the author. Links for Amazon for example are left all the time.



Right. It's advertising when you're trying to sell something. You're just providing a means to get further information.


----------



## 95Austin12

Great Listing!!!! Found so many new.
Had just recommend this book in one of the posts. http://doclibrary.com/MFR2808/DOC/stage4_Richs_Recipe_Book5127.pdf


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Cooking Goddess said:


> I just picked up a book from the library, but haven't started it yet. It's called "An Everlasting Meal". The info I read online before I requested it described it as more of an essay and less of a cookbook. Sounded intriguing, so I thought I'd give it a shot.


I could not make it any further than page 27 in this book. Page *27!* Let's just say most of the posts here on DC are better reading.

Returned to the library, and picked up another non-cookbook cooking book: *"My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life" by Ruth Reichl*l. I'm more hopeful for this book, since I've seen Ruth Reichl on "The Chew" and she has been interesting to watch and listen to. I should be offline for the night soon, and plan on cracking the book open for a a bit of reading before hitting the sack.


----------



## Kayelle

Cooking Goddess said:


> I could not make it any further than page 27 in this book. Page *27!* Let's just say most of the posts here on DC are better reading.
> 
> Returned to the library, and picked up another non-cookbook cooking book: *"My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life" by Ruth Reichl*l. I'm more hopeful for this book, since I've seen Ruth Reichl on "The Chew" and she has been interesting to watch and listen to. I should be offline for the night soon, and plan on cracking the book open for a a bit of reading before hitting the sack.



Thanks for that link to Goodreads CG. I read the free preview and it looks like something I'd like too.


----------



## Kayelle

This is my current read and I'm reminded again why Jeffery Archer is one of my favorite authors. I'm chomping at the bit for book number 2 of the Clifton series.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10872085-only-time-will-tell?ac=1&from_search=1&from_nav=true


----------



## Kayelle

PS...Here's more about the Clifton Chronicles..
Series Review: The Clifton Chronicles by Jeffrey Archer – Lenro Blog


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Cooking Goddess said:


> ...picked up another non-cookbook cooking book: *"My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life" by Ruth Reichl*l...


Just past the halfway point in this book, but I couldn't wait to say how absolutely delighted I am by it! I'm savoring every nuance of Ruth's writing as if it were a delicious morsel of food. If you were a subscriber, or even picked up a copy from time to time, I think you would find this book a great read.

Eons ago, when I was a sweet young home cook, I subscribed to Gourmet in hopes that I could become very proficient in the kitchen. Was a bit overwhelmed and let the subscription slide. Things like a new house, new kids, and a corporate move interrupted playing in the kitchen. Then, once we moved and and I got my kitchen settled, I started to play again. By the time I thought I was finally up to resubscribing, Goumet was gone.  This book lays out the process that Ruth used to heal from Gourmet Magazine closing on her watch. I fully understand, since I feel that cooking was what got me through the dark parts of trying to adjust to having to move.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I was enjoying that book so much that I slowed down on my reading the last couple of chapters just to make it last longer. Looking at all of the little Post-It flags sticking up from the "copy this" recipes makes me wonder if it might be cheaper to just buy my own book.

On to my next one tomorrow. It's another non-fiction, *"I ain't an athlete, lady-- "* by former baseball player John Kruk. Could be interesting...


----------



## CharlieD

What book was it? Did I miss the name and the author?


Sent from my iPhone using Discuss Cooking


----------



## Kayelle

Charlie, just click on the link she left...https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1278429._I_Ain_t_an_Athlete_Lady_

I for one, really appreciate those links to books.


----------



## rodentraiser

I had some books come in from the library that I just started: Anybody Can Do Anything and The Plague and I, both by Betty MacDonald, along with The Tracker by Ton Brown, Jr waiting in the wings. I was halfway through Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon and Reflex by Dick Francis, both of which are on hold right now since I own those two and I wanted to read the library books first.


----------



## CharlieD

Thank you.


----------



## rodentraiser

Aaaaannd.......now I'm reading The Tracker and Horse Tradin' by Ben K. Greene just arrived at the library. And wonders of wonders, I am now 25 out of 26 on the hold list to get The Big Short (book). I may end up reading that in December, the way that line is moving along.


----------



## Aunt Bea

I have been reading about the rationing in England during and after WWII.

Marguerite Patten wrote over 160 cooking books and pamphlets, many of them have been reprinted and are quite inexpensive.  I have been reading Marguerite Patten's Post-war Kitchen: Nostalgic Food and Facts from 1945-54 and The Victory Cookbook: Celebratory Food on Rations.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...s,195&rh=n:283155,k:marguerite+patten+wartime

If you decide to purchase any of her books take some time to read the descriptions, some of the reprints include the same material that appears in other books with slightly different titles.


----------



## Katie H

At the moment I have three books I'm reading, but am focusing on a Jodi Picoult novel entitled _House Rules, _which is sort of a suspense/thriller book that centers around a young boy who has Asperger's syndrome.  It's very, very good and has grabbed me to the extent that I am totally ignoring my two other books.

Can't wait to see how this turns out.


----------



## Kayelle

Katie H said:


> At the moment I have three books I'm reading, but am focusing on a Jodi Picoult novel entitled _House Rules, _which is sort of a suspense/thriller book that centers around a young boy who has Asperger's syndrome.  It's very, very good and has grabbed me to the extent that I am totally ignoring my two other books.
> 
> Can't wait to see how this turns out.



That sounds good Katie...
House Rules by Jodi Picoult — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

I need a short break from Jeffery Archer's "The Clifton Chronicles".* Wonderful series*!


----------



## Katie H

Kayelle said:


> That sounds good Katie...
> House Rules by Jodi Picoult — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists
> 
> I need a short break from Jeffery Archer's "The Clifton Chronicles".* Wonderful series*!



It is great, Kayelle.  I'm practically burning the pages I'm going through it so rapidly.


----------



## jabbur

I recently finished "Killing Lincoln" which was very good.  Now I am reading 2 books.  The first is "Velocity" by Dean Koontz.  Kinda creepy but not scary...yet.  The other is "The Great Gatsby" by F.Scott Fitzgerald.  The English class I interpret for a Deaf student is studying that one so I need to read it to know how to help her understand it!  I never read it in high school but did see the movie with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow.


----------



## Dawgluver

Katie H said:


> At the moment I have three books I'm reading, but am focusing on a Jodi Picoult novel entitled _House Rules, _which is sort of a suspense/thriller book that centers around a young boy who has Asperger's syndrome.  It's very, very good and has grabbed me to the extent that I am totally ignoring my two other books.
> 
> Can't wait to see how this turns out.




This really interests me, Katie.  Reminds me a bit of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime".


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I returned the *John Kruk book* to the library yesterday. If you like baseball, and you like stories about the game from inside the clubhouse, this would be a fun read.

Seems like a different book followed me home. My new check-out item is called *"Save Room for Pie"* by Roy Blount Jr. Seems to be another non-recipe food book. Since the writer is a frequent contributor to NPR's "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me" and our son absolutely loves that show, I figure I'd give it a chance. We'll see if I can make it through the book.


----------



## CharlieD

Just finished this:

Amazon.com: The Secret Chord: A Novel (9780670025770): Geraldine Brooks: Books


----------



## Aunt Bea

I'm reading Blessing The Hands That Feed Us (Thorndike Large Print Health, Home and Learning): Vicki Robin: 9781410468376: Amazon.com: Books

So far the book has been interesting and Vicki Robin is an interesting person.  I'm not sure it deserves a place on my bookshelf but it is a book that causes me to think about the food choices that I make.  A good example of a thrift shop "catch and release" book!


----------



## rodentraiser

I just picked up To Race the Wind, by Harold Krents, the inspiration for the blind hero of Butterflies Are Free.

The last time I read this book was in 1973, I think, the year before I left home. I'm really looking forward to reading it again.


----------



## rodentraiser

Aunt Bea said:


> I have been reading about the rationing in England during and after WWII.
> 
> Marguerite Patten wrote over 160 cooking books and pamphlets, many of them have been reprinted and are quite inexpensive.  I have been reading Marguerite Patten's Post-war Kitchen: Nostalgic Food and Facts from 1945-54 and The Victory Cookbook: Celebratory Food on Rations.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_25?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=marguerite+patten+wartime&sprefix=marguerite+patten+wartime%2Cstripbooks%2C195&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Amarguerite+patten+wartime
> 
> If you decide to purchase any of her books take some time to read the descriptions, some of the reprints include the same material that appears in other books with slightly different titles.



You would have enjoyed watching Back in Time for Dinner. It was a UK TV show that took a family and had them replicate what people were eating from the 50s to 2000. Every day was a year, so every ten days was a decade. The living room, the dining room, and especially the kitchen was changed over to reflect the decade.

I was flabbergasted to see how little people in the UK had to eat during the 50s, since rationing was still on then. I remember the mother looking at a piece of meat that I think I could have eaten in one meal and she remarked that it was all the meat she had to feed the 5 of them for a week.

That makes me very grateful for what we have today.


----------



## Addie

My first husband was from England and used to tell me and the kids how they went meatless many days. He and his brothers would go fishing so that the family would have something for supper that night. Not a pretty picture at all. I used to have to tell him to tone it down when the kids were quite small. They took the stories to heart and thought we were going to having nothing to eat also.


----------



## Kayelle

I just finished "The Butterfly and the Violin".  It was one of the most moving books I've read in a long time. Halfway through I started listening to Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto while I was reading.  I'll be thinking about this experience for a very long time. Highly recommended.. 

Read about the book here..
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show...iolin?from_new_nav=true&ac=1&from_search=true


----------



## SherryCarl

I recently read Andy and Don. The behind the scenes story of Don Knotts and Andy Griffith. It was very interesting how their lives evolved. My Husband is the reader in the family. He reads a book a week usually. He is reading 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea right now. He said it is hard to get into because it is dated.


----------



## Addie

During my working days, I used to take a book with me to read on the bus and subway. I loved the morning ride. The train was so quiet. Everyone was reading. One time I had the history of the Krupp family and their place in providing the arms for WWII. It was a really thick book and quite heavy. Everyone would look at me like I was maybe just looking at photos. 

During the Centennial everyone on the train was reading the Kent Chronicles by John Jakes. Go out for lunch and you would see them sitting in a nearby park, completely ignoring their lunch while reading. If there was only grass nearby or just some steps, there they were. Didn't need a park bench.


----------



## CatPat

I think I have of jet lag and so I shall go read of James Herriott's Cat Stories. 

Good night! I love you!


----------



## Addie

CatPat said:


> I think I have of jet lag and so I shall go read of James Herriott's Cat Stories.
> 
> Good night! I love you!



I love his animal stories. We had a show out of England called "All thing Great and Small." Or some title like that. It was about three animal vets that served the community they  lived in. I must have watched that series about three times. Now I am hooked on Dr. Po on NatGeo Wild channel on Saturday night.


----------



## Dawgluver

Just finished "Flight Attendant Memoir" by an old high school friend, Margo Anderson.  It's currently free for Kindle on Amazon.  I really enjoyed it.


----------



## rodentraiser

Addie said:


> I love his animal stories. We had a show out of England called "All thing Great and Small." Or some title like that. It was about three animal vets that served the community they  lived in. I must have watched that series about three times. Now I am hooked on Dr. Po on NatGeo Wild channel on Saturday night.



I just got The Story of English and in the first or second disc, they go through some of the accents of the UK. It was so interesting to hear some of the Yorkshire accents - they talked just like James Herriott described it. In fact, if I hadn't read his books, I wouldn't have understood what they were saying.


----------



## Addie

My first husband was from the Lakes District in the northwest part of England. He lived mostly right near the border to Scotland. So he had not only an accent that was very English, but also had a bit of a Scottish Brogue. It was quite an education learning to understand what he was saying. I learned words I didn't even know existed. I swore I wanted to get my hands on a dictionary from England. 

My husband got injured on the job. So he stayed home with the kids and I took a temporary job. Didn't make a lot of money, but enough to supplement his workman's comp. My youngest daughter was just learning to talk. She developed a brogue that would have made any Scotsman proud. You would have thought she came from way back in the hills of the highlands. He went back to work and for the next year, I worked like the devil to help her lose her brogue.


----------



## rodentraiser

Have you ever read "Bob, Son of Battle"? It's sort of a good book, but the most fun in it is the accents they use throughout the book. 

You can definitely tell the two different accents used by the main persons.


----------



## Mad Cook

In a hurry at the library yesterday. Picked up "Princess Elizabeth's Spy" by Susan Macneal. Life is too short to read this novel.

It's supposed to be a thriller set during the second world war. Written by an american (no slur intended). By page 24 I had picked up on four historically incorrect references - simple ones too, that any reasonably intelligent reader would pick up on. It's always a mistake to bring real people into fiction unless you are very good and very careful. She has an openly gay character that even the Prime Minister (yes, Winston Churchill figures on the character list!) knows about - doesn't she know that male homosexuality was a crime subject to imprisonment in Britain in the 1940s? A Spitfire fighter pilot is shot down over _Berlin_ - it was a damn'd good Spit if it could get that far on a tank of fuel! Her heroine goes to live at Windsor Castle as mathematics teacher to Princess Elizabeth (the one who is Queen now) as part of her spying activities. Lord give me strength!!!!

Turgid writing, far-fetched story line and badly written.


----------



## Mad Cook

rodentraiser said:


> You would have enjoyed watching Back in Time for Dinner. It was a UK TV show that took a family and had them replicate what people were eating from the 50s to 2000. Every day was a year, so every ten days was a decade. The living room, the dining room, and especially the kitchen was changed over to reflect the decade.
> 
> I was flabbergasted to see how little people in the UK had to eat during the 50s, since rationing was still on then. I remember the mother looking at a piece of meat that I think I could have eaten in one meal and she remarked that it was all the meat she had to feed the 5 of them for a week.
> 
> That makes me very grateful for what we have today.


Rationing in Britain finished in 1954 with the end of meat rationing. I can remember sweets coming off the ration in 1953. Oddly, bread was never rationed during the war despite much of the wheat for bread coming from Canada, but it was rationed from 1946, when bad weather destroyed the British wheat crop, until 1948.

In actual fact rationing improved the health of British people; infant mortality declined and life expectancy rose (apart from deaths caused by hostilities, of course). This was because rationing ensured that everyone had access to a varied diet with enough vitamins. If you were a fairly competent housewife you could make a little go a long way and people employed in certain types of job and with certain illnesses were allowed some extras. My mother said they never went hungry at home but then, her mother was a farmer's daughter and a very good manager. There was a lot of help in newspapers, magazines, on the radio and through organisations like the Women's Institute. All sorts of people got involved with advice and recipes to make rations go further. I still use my Grandmother's recipe for "Woolton Pie", a sort of vegetable shepherd's pie, named after the Minister of Food but created at the Savoy Hotel in London by its then Maitre Chef de Cuisine and very good it is too.

There was some cheating, of course,  including the black market, but in the main people stuck to it and there were some very ingenious ways of dealing with what was available. People were also encouraged to grow their own fruit and veg if they had a garden and local parks were dug over for allotments for growing food.


----------



## Addie

Mad Cook said:


> In a hurry at the library yesterday. Picked up "Princess Elizabeth's Spy" by Susan Macneal. Life is too short to read this novel.
> 
> It's supposed to be a thriller set during the second world war. Written by an american (no slur intended). By page 24 I had picked up on four historically incorrect references - simple ones too, that any reasonably intelligent reader would pick up on. It's always a mistake to bring real people into fiction unless you are very good and very careful. She has an openly gay character that even the Prime Minister (yes, Winston Churchill figures on the character list!) knows about - doesn't she know that male homosexuality was a crime subject to imprisonment in Britain in the 1940s? A Spitfire fighter pilot is shot down over _Berlin_ - it was a damn'd good Spit if it could get that far on a tank of fuel! Her heroine goes to live at Windsor Castle as mathematics teacher to Princess Elizabeth (the one who is Queen now) as part of her spying activities. Lord give me strength!!!!
> 
> Turgid writing, far-fetched story line and badly written.



Bad research. During our BiCentenial John Jakes (author) wrote a series of books and throughout the seven books which covered our history up to the present date, he had fictional characters interspersed with history. He also had the real people of our history in it. Such as George Washington, Paul Revere, etc. in situations that we as Americans knew to be true and how they affected our history. Excellent research. He had done his research completely. He also had a Bibliography at the back of the each book. 

When you are writing fiction and put real people into the plot, you had better have all your facts straight. Because you can bet someone will call you out on them.


----------



## jabbur

I recently finished Dean Koontz Velocity.  It was really good.  Mysterious, a little creepy and intriguing.  Now I'm reading Strangeville by Kenneth Tingle.  Also kinda creepy but also funny.  I was laughing out loud reading the first chapter which doesn't normally happen to me reading a book.  Can't wait to see how the story plays out!


----------



## CharlieD

Let the Great World Spin: A Novel: Colum McCann: 9780812973990: Amazon.com: Books


----------



## phinz

Just finished In a Dark, Dark Wood. Quick read, very predictable. Will probably make a fun movie, but it was straight out of the Gillian Flynn playbook.


----------



## jabbur

I started "Two for the Dough" by Janet Evanovich on my kindle, then today we started "Of Mice and Men" by Steinbeck in English class, AND I also have a paperback version of "Dorothy Must Die" by Danielle Paige that I started.  It's unusual for me to have 3 books going at the same time but they are all good books so I'm sure I'll be fine reading them at different times.


----------



## GotGarlic

Lately, I've been more interested in non-fiction than fiction. Right now, I'm reading How Plants Work: The Science Behind the Amazing Things Plants Do (Science for Gardeners) by a professor of horticulture at Washington State University. It's been very interesting so far.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I gave up on whatever book I had mentioned most recently. It was so boring I can't even remember the name. Anyway, right now I am thoroughly immersed in "*My Bread: The revolutionary no-work, no-knead method*" by Jim Lahey. I plan on making my maiden loaf of bread his way next this week. (Just noticed it IS already "next week" - after midnight Sunday morning.)


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Lots of websites on planting and landscaping...


----------



## Kayelle

The Souschef and I are now into the 6th book of The Clifton Chronicles Binge Read | Jeffrey Archer's The Clifton Chronicles Series of Novels
each of them are cliff hangers and the 7th book will be on the market in November. It's been really fun reading all of them together although he reads much faster than I do, and he has to let me catch up so we can talk about it. It's kinda like our own private book club.
Jeffery Archer is a genius at weaving a compelling story, and we both highly recommend this series.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Picked up a quick-and-dirty beach read at the library. "Life's a Beach" was quick, and not really dirty. Unless you count the sand.  A sweet little nothing story, which works just fine for me during baseball season. This time of year I can barely keep up with my magazines - one monthly, and one bi-monthly.

Summary and reviews from "Goodreads" - because there is no book site called "OKreads".  *Life's a Beach*


----------



## snowbeast

Currently reading 'breaking the Jewish code' forget the authors name. 
Basically it addresses how the most persecuted nation does so well in all aspects of life. Just bought 'the missing link' by Kevin Lings a South African economist and fund manager at STANLIB an investment company I use to invest clients money. 
I haven't read a story book in ages.


----------



## jabbur

I just finished the Dorothy Must Die trilogy.  Interesting take on the OZ stories.  There are 2 volumes of short stories that I have to go with the trilogy but needed a break from OZ. I read a cozy mystery by Leighann Dobbs titled "Paws and Effect" set in Mystic Notch NH. It's book 5 in a series that involves ghosts, magic, books and cats.  Really fun stories.


----------



## RPCookin

Working my way through the Joanna Brady series by J.A.Jance.  Just started reading "Skeleton Canyon" (#5 in the series).


----------



## Zagut

RPCookin said:


> Working my way through the Joanna Brady series by J.A.Jance. Just started reading "Skeleton Canyon" (#5 in the series).


 
I really enjoy J.A. Jance RP. All her series are good. My only problem is trying to remember which ones I've already read since she's written so many. 

I'm glad this thread resurfaced. I've been reading my usual cheap supermarket novels but thought of it as I read the latest grocery store find.

It was "Palace of Treason" by Jason Matthews.

Good read if you like spy thrillers. What made me think of this thread is that at the end of each chapter he includes a semi - recipe of a food mentioned in that chapter. No Tsp's of or cook this way or that involved. Just a list of ingredients and general description of preparation.
Some made me want to experiment with some of them. 

I've also been living in the past with a few old books I've kept around as the wanna read someday.

One that has gotten read was "Men and Volts at War" by John Anderson Miller.
Copyright 1947 General Electric Company.
One I'm sure my father got as an employee and I don't know if he ever read it or not.
It was rather interesting with many interesting pictures. It told in a company biased way how involved the civilian workforce was in the war effort, Some of the things they developed and to what extent they were involved in technological advancements of the times.

Keep reading folks. 
It's much better then the boob tube 
And fiction is fiction no matter what the source.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

I'm currently working my way through urban fantasy and urban romantic fantasy. That damned Nalini Singh ruined me with her Psy-changling series and now I read even the racy parts. 

I'll recommend some urban fantasy if anybody asks. In essence it is fantasy based in the present era on Earth and the cities and countries that exist in the modern world, and they have cellphones, Internet, etc. ... and one or more supernatural species/races which the humans may or may not be aware of.

I've kept a list of all the books I've read since about 1990 including author, title, how much I liked it, and date completed. I keep it on one of my websites and can access it at the library if I can't remember whether I've read a book. That's 1,600 books in 26 years = 61-62 per year. I'm currently knocking down 2-3 per week. No way to remember that many novels.

I have a wish list at the end for ideas on which to read next. Also joined GoodReads.com.

Early 2013 I switched to ebooks and since then I never looked back, almost 100% ebooks. Most public (and many private) libraries are hooked up with Overdrive Media Console which you can put on your phone, tablet or computer (best on a tablet) and get a Kindle app because Kindle is the best format.

It simply amazes me that I can be reading at night in bed, finish a novel, get on Overdrive and search my libraries until I find a book I want to read (often the next in the series), download it and start reading it -- all in less than 10 minutes! Note that Amazon acts as the delivery agent. You need an Amazon account which costs nothing and no fee is charged for the delivery service. (Must be hooked up with Overdrive.)

I have about 8-9 library cards in 3 states, so I have a huge selection of ebooks. I often reserve the same book at 2-3 libraries and take the first one I get, cancel the rest.

Lots of people say they don't like ebooks and usually they are the ones who haven't tried reading an ebook. 'Nuff said.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Gourmet Greg said:


> I'll recommend some urban fantasy if anybody asks. In essence it is fantasy based in the present era on Earth and the cities and countries that exist in the modern world, and they have cellphones, Internet, etc. ... and one or more supernatural species/races which the humans may or may not be aware of.



I'm still interested in Urban Fantasy...

I am currently reading _The Obesity Code_, by Dr. Jason Fung and _I, Zombie_, by Hugh Howie.

I highly recommend Dr. Fung's books and Videos on You Tube to anyone on the High Fat/Low Carb Diet.


----------



## BakersDozen

It's been awhile...just life in general, but I finished a really good culinary novel. The title, "Margherita's Notebook" by Elisabatta Flumeri, set in the hills and village of Tuscany, lots of recipes at the end, eccentric characters, romance and humor. I really enjoyed it.


----------



## Mad Cook

Just finished "The Postmistress" by Sarah Blake. I didn't think I'd like it and it was a bit turgid at the beginning but it was a very good read when it got going.

All about a letter that was withheld in the post during the Second world war.

Recommended.


----------



## Kayelle

Mad Cook said:


> Just finished "The Postmistress" by Sarah Blake. I didn't think I'd like it and it was a bit turgid at the beginning but it was a very good read when it got going.
> 
> All about a letter that was withheld in the post during the Second world war.
> 
> Recommended.



MC, I adore historical novels, and that looks like something I'd really like.

There's another that I'm half way through and loving it...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16127238-letters-from-skye


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I'm still interested in Urban Fantasy...



I just finished Nalini Singh's "Shards Of Hope" and I'm next in line at Los Angeles  Public Library for "Allegiance of Honor!" (her just released new novel in this series).

I liked Singh's Psy-changling series a lot more than her Guild Hunter.  Wow have I ever changed since we first started discussing urban fantasy!  As I said, I now read the racy parts too, and shamefully, enjoy them!  LOLOL!  

Have you read Jennifer Estep's Elemental Assassin series? Veronica  Roth's Divergent series? (If not, the first three were nearly the best  books I ever read but I hated the closer.) Anne Bishop's Black Jewels  series? 

And I have two killers if you haven't read them yet. Must, must read!!!  (1) Anne Bishop's The Others series, I just recently read the most  recent and I'd kill for the next one and I'm sure it's coming. (2) Amy  Lee Burke's Wolf Within series, now waiting for #8. I've actually  exchanged emails with Amy!!! She had better be typing on #8 right now!  She's got a great were series where the werewolves are only born to were  parents, and they would be as disgusted as you or I to drink blood. In  her world humans are not aware of the weres. The weres are organized  globally and the conflict is between two factions. 

Currently reading "Midnight Thief" by Livia Blackburne (just started,  has the earmarks of gonna be good) and I just checked out "Unwanted" a  novella by Jennifer Estep from her Elemental Assassin series. I have  "Allegiance of Hope" reserved in at least 3 libraries and hope to read  it by mid September latest! 

Ohhhhh! Can't believe I forgot Karen Marie Moning and her Fever series.  I just finished the latest "Feverborn" (#8) released last month I think,  and the ending makes it a FOR SURE there will be another sequel. Again,  haven't read it? Start at #1.

-----

My pardons to one of my email friends who I think I met at DC (or a soapmaking forum) but this post above is mostly a C&P of an email I recently sent her.

-----

I'm running a special on urban fantasy this week!  Read the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlane Harris. It was a basis for the HBO adaption titled "True Blood." The series is now complete (the final 13th novel) and every one totally enjoyed by me. Sookie is a Louisiana coffee shop waitress who has a very unusual handicap: she can read minds, she's telepathic! (Not to give anything away, but telepathy is so unusual that she meets only two other telepaths in the entire series. People who know she can read minds refuse to believe it or just ignore it thinking she's crazy.) In the series she gets involved in various other species (besides humans) including vampires and weres (several sub-species). There is some romance but only a miniscule amount of explicit sex, just perfect for those who can speed read the racy stuff, but anybody who wants bodice rippers will be disappointed.

Speaking of bodice rippers and romantic urban fantasy, the standard test is: "Would the novel stand on its own if you deleted the explicit parts." None of the series and books I have mentioned fail this test -- all would stand if you simply skip over or speed read the racy/explicit parts.

I have encountered only one true bodice ripper and of the 50 pages I completed if the editor ripped out the explicit parts you could read it in 5 minutes! I'll never recommend any books like that to anybody.

I've been reading urban fantasy and urban romantic fantasy for the last 3-4 years and I'll always be happy to discuss or recommend books for any forum members who request it.

For those who want to start out light, I'd recommend Jennifer Estep's Elemental Assassin series book #1 or the Stackhouse novels book #1 I just discussed. If you enjoy either novel it's a sign you have a whole genre of enjoyment waiting! And when reading urban fantasy I have yet to find a series where you would want to start anywhere but the series debut novel, then read in order of publication date.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I have read Roth's Divergent series and started Charlaine Harris' Sookie stories right before we moved and got busy.  Thanks for the recommendations.  It's hard to find where to start with new series and if they are even worth the read.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

It's easy with the Sookie Stackhouse stories, just read them in order of publication date. Google "Sookie Stackhouse reading order" for the list. I enjoyed the whole series and I'll miss Sookie since it was clear that the series finale was indeed a finale. But don't worry, Ms. Harris ended it well.

Oh my gosh Divergent was one of the best books I ever read. #2 and #3 were good too. Roth should have quit while she was ahead.

Now I'm mixed opinion if I'll ever read any more of her books. But OMG the series opener was just staggeringly wonderful, a young lady so full of life, so full of the joy of living and living on the very edge. I could almost just read #1 again just for the sheer joy of the book.

Some books/series are so potently emotional they sometimes make me cry or at least take me to tears to the degree I have to pause reading. Divergent was one of them.

Stackhouse was just fun, thriller, suspense, anticipation, exciting, intriguing, inviting, addictive, no negativity at all except as necessary as plot suspense support. Good from the first book to the last book. If you read this series and like it you are ready to graduate to being an official urban fantasy fan.

I like to think of Amy Lee Burgess as a friend. Read her "Wolf Within" series starting book #1 and you may appreciate the evolution or what we authors call "character arc" as her protagonist advances as the series progresses. I'm about to write Amy and ask her when we can expect #8. Maybe get a title if she's willing to tell me and release me to name it publicly, hopefully an expected publication date too. I'm usually cheap and get my books from the public libraries but I'm not waiting for Wolf Within #8.

I have never found an exception. Unless advised otherwise by those who know, always read fantasy series starting with book #1 and in order of publication date. I can't think of a single exception where the character and plot didn't evolve with each new sequel, and in most cases any choice in the series will be enjoyable read as a stand alone, but you will have much greater appreciation of the nuances of character arc and plot progression if you read them (usually) in order of publishing date.

Sometimes authors take partial scripts and release them as novellas and often the novellas fit between two full novels (Jane Yellowrock series for example) so you can google {series name} reading order to sleuth these ones out, although with the Yellowrock novellas it didn't matter to me.

I'd save the novellas for when you can't get any of the full novels. Really, I'm pretty sure the authors are just recycling script cuts and ideas that didn't work out as full novels but had appreciable work put in, and decided to release them on the bargain shelf as teasers for those book sharks who are circling around the next full release.

Just like I'm sharking circles around Amy Lee Burgess's Wolf Within #8. I'll let you know if she shares anything with me I can speak of, although I doubt she'd tell me unless it was okay for the public at large. She's friendly and approachable, but I am after all a mere fan although I've told her I'd like to take a shot at writing an urban fantasy novel myself.

Hey good thing, my life has shifted a lot in the last couple months, both for good and for bad, but it appears that if my business stays quiet I'll have the rest of the year for enjoying life, for new projects, for travel, for becoming once again more adventurous at my stove.

Maybe I can start designing a fantasy world of my own, create some character biographies, start working on a plot and plot twists. Gotta remember that character arc stuff, important in novels, extremely important in series. Why? You can't write the same novel several times without the main protagonist going through changes. It's a necessary element of successful series.

Best part of all, Amazon is turning out to becoming a significant player in producing new literature particularly ebooks. I know authors who have started out on Amazon and stayed with them and their works available only in ebook at Amazon.

Takeaway: read series in order of publication date unless told otherwise by knowledgeable people.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Have you read any Charles deLint?  I cut my Urban Fantasy teeth on his books.


----------



## Greg Who Cooks

No I haven' heard of him.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Greg Who Cooks said:


> No I haven' heard of him.


 
Read "Somewhere to be flying" first...


----------



## Janet H

Currently reading "My Name is Asher Lev"


----------



## expatgirl

Since I fly frequently have just finished "Plane Insanity".......a very light read and fun as well .......written by an ex flight attendant.........he "circles" through all the background drama that goes on that we have very little awareness of..........and also the nitty-gritti of the preparation that is required of their jobs.......I came away with far more respect for their jobs and how they protect us..........good, light read.........


----------



## GotGarlic

I recently finished "The Bees," by Laline Paull, a really interesting novel about life in a beehive. It's especially fascinating to me since we started two beehives this year. It describes the life cycle of the bees and how the hive functions, along with the (probably ) fictional description of their religious life and icons. The Queen Mother indeed rules the hive. 

And as a graphic designer, I love the cover design, with the hexagonal cut-outs resembling the comb.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I just got done reading the final Inspector Morse novel by Colin Dexter. The title is THE REMORSEFUL DAY. Wow, what an ending. Lots of twists and turns.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I picked up a book at the library yesterday (Thursday), then sat up late reading. Tonight I'll be starting "*Throw like a Woman*" on page 98. Written by Susan Petrone, one of the co-founders of a Cleveland Indians blog called "It's Pronounced Lajaway", I've enjoyed the articles I've read there and on her personal blog. So far, this book has not disappointed. I hope I have the good sense to go to bed earlier tonight, though.


----------



## Kayelle

I'm starting the third book in the series of five to be delivered the end of Sept. for *Davenport House. 


*


----------



## CWS4322

I'm reading Jo Nesbo's The Bat (don't know how I missed that one). Recently finished reading American Food, the Gastronomic Story by Evan Jones (I found it very interesting). Also just finished Tim O'Brien's In the Lake of the Woods.  I have Annie Proulx's Fine Just the Way it is and Louise Erdrich's La Rose waiting on deck. I have been reading a lot this summer.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Cooking Goddess said:


> ...Tonight I'll be starting "*Throw like a Woman*" on page 98. Written by Susan Petrone...


Tonight I finished "Throw Like a Woman", and all I have to say is "grrrrrrrr".  The ending...wasn't. It's not like it's a "to be continued" kind of ending, but the two, simultaneous story lines she was writing just...ended. Not finished, ended. What happens to that ball she just threw? Did she get the batter out? Does she continue to see the sportscaster in a romantic way, or is it strictly a working relationship? Arggggg!

I guess I'll say I loved the book...until the last two pages.


----------



## Kayelle

Cooking Goddess said:


> Tonight I finished "Throw Like a Woman", and all I have to say is "grrrrrrrr".  The ending...wasn't. It's not like it's a "to be continued" kind of ending, but the two, simultaneous story lines she was writing just...ended. Not finished, ended. What happens to that ball she just threw? Did she get the batter out? Does she continue to see the sportscaster in a romantic way, or is it strictly a working relationship? Arggggg!
> 
> I guess I'll say I loved the book...until the last two pages.



I'd be tempted to write to the author! Ask her if she just got tired of the story or had to meet a deadline. That's like quitting before the job is finished. Maybe she is really writing a sequel?


----------



## Cooking Goddess

*Kayelle*, I actually think this ending was exactly as the author intended. I like neat little packages of "finished" when I read. Unless it's a true crime sort of book. Those just sometimes aren't finished stories. But I go into those kinds of books knowing how it might end. The entire story leading up to the very last page gives you enough information about the make-up of the lead character, so I probably finished it off in my mind with a satisfactory ending. I'm guessing this was a one-and-done.

I did post a comment on the author's blog. It will be interesting to see if I ever get a reply. She has replied to others' comments, so there is hope.


----------



## Kayelle

Cooking Goddess said:


> *Kayelle*, I actually think this ending was exactly as the author intended. I like neat little packages of "finished" when I read. Unless it's a true crime sort of book. Those just sometimes aren't finished stories. But I go into those kinds of books knowing how it might end. The entire story leading up to the very last page gives you enough information about the make-up of the lead character, so I probably finished it off in my mind with a satisfactory ending. I'm guessing this was a one-and-done.
> 
> I did post a comment on the author's blog. It will be interesting to see if I ever get a reply. She has replied to others' comments, so there is hope.



I'd be interested to hear if you get a reply CG. The SC often emails his famous authors directly and gets direct responses from them.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Just got done reading AUNT DIMITY AND THE BURIED TREASURE, by Nancy Atherton. Always a joy to read her books. She has written twenty Aunt Dimity mysteries, I have read them all.


----------



## rodentraiser

"The Bat in My Pocket", "So That Others May Live", Mr. Monk and the New Lieutenant", and "The Long Way Home", more or less all at the same time.


----------



## Mad Cook

I've started re-reading Isaac Asimov's "The Foundation Trilogy". I bought a later pre-quel (sorry, that sounds a bit odd but I expect you know whart I mean) in a charity shop and decided I needed to read the original three first so I knew where I was.

I'm into the first of the trilogy and finding it harder going than I remember.


----------



## CharlieD

In the middle of this book: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Bookane...1473869477&sr=1-1&keywords=the+last+bookaneer


----------



## Kayelle

*I love historical fiction *and this one was excellent and unusual.
 In addition to a captivating well written story it has interesting period medicine, along with compelling character development. It was a real page turner and I will start on the sequel right away. Take a look!!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23388476-the-doctor-s-daughter


----------



## GotGarlic

That sounds like a really good story, Kayelle, and I love historical fiction, too. I added it to my Amazon wishlist for when I finish my current book. Thanks for the recommendation 

Before I left to visit my mom a couple weeks ago, I downloaded a book to read on my Amazon Fire tablet: "In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner," by Elizabeth George, a murder mystery. My mom gave me another of the books in this series last year. The primary character is an inspector at Scotland Yard. The stories are complex and really well done.


----------



## Dawgluver

This interests me too, Kay.  I subscribe to BookBub, and get many of my favorite authors free, but since I also have Amazon Prime, I'll need to look into Goodreads as well.


----------



## Kayelle

Dawg, I do Book Bub and Amazon Prime as well, but I like the Goodreads site for looking at at book without a sales motive.
I'll have to look into In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner GG!!


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Although my reading tends to skew towards cozy mysteries, I'm not averse to reading other genre. I did read a historical novel that I did enjoy. Back when I was still volunteering at the local library, I shelved and then removed a Mary Higgins Clark novel called "*Mount Vernon Love Story: A Novel of George and Martha Washington*". If I recall correctly, it was told mostly in Martha Washington's voice, and gave a very soft and engaging profile of our first president. I really enjoyed it.


Made a stop at said library today to pick up a movie DVD (I'll review "Trainwreck" after we watch it) and also came home with a new book that caught my eye. Called "*Cooking for Picasso*", it's a mix of historical information and fictional writing. Haven't started it yet, but I'll review it when I'm done.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

GotGarlic said:


> That sounds like a really good story, Kayelle, and I love historical fiction, too. I added it to my Amazon wishlist for when I finish my current book. Thanks for the recommendation
> 
> Before I left to visit my mom a couple weeks ago, I downloaded a book to read on my Amazon Fire tablet: "In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner," by Elizabeth George, a murder mystery. My mom gave me another of the books in this series last year. The primary character is an inspector at Scotland Yard. The stories are complex and really well done.



Inspector Lynley, he's fantastic!  I need to start reading E. George again.


----------



## GotGarlic

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Inspector Lynley, he's fantastic!  I need to start reading E. George again.



Quite


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I can't remember why I stopped reading George.  It sure has been awhile...


----------



## CWS4322

I am reading:

Asa Larsson's https://www.amazon.com/Second-Deadly-Sin-Asa-Larsson/dp/1623654386.

Why? This is a fictional story about my ancestor. How cool is that!!!


----------



## Kayelle

Kayelle said:


> *I love historical fiction *and this one was excellent and unusual.
> In addition to a captivating well written story it has interesting period medicine, along with compelling character development. It was a real page turner and I will start on the sequel right away. Take a look!!
> 
> https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23388476-the-doctor-s-daughter



OK, I just finished the second and final book.."the choice". Here's my review at Goodreads..


> Bravo!!! What a story! There was literally not one page that  let my attention wander. The Choice was even better than the first book,  if that's possible. I appreciated so much about both books and The  Choice was perfect in every way. What a truly talented story teller who  consistently kept my full attention packing drama into every page. I  agree with others that The Doctor's Daughter would make a captivating  mini series for television. I hope it happens!!


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Cooking Goddess said:


> ...came home with a new book that caught my eye. Called "*Cooking for Picasso*", it's a mix of historical information and fictional writing. Haven't started it yet, but I'll review it when I'm done.


The title of this book should have been "Just One More Chapter".  That is exactly how I treated it the previous two nights...and stayed up way past late-o-clock. Instead, I settled in this afternoon between lunch and baseball to finish it off.

Was this book GOOD! I thought the author was very creative by writing two parallel stories. Every few chapters, the storyline would alternate between the character Celine in modern times, and her grandma Ondine in the 1930s through the second half of the 1960s. It intertwined the two stories, with Celine's desire to find out her family history moving the story to Ondine's also being written in the present tense. Mystery and intrigue, romance and love, this book has it all. And, in spite of the title, not a recipe to be seen!


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Finished up the last book that will be written by Avery Aames (a pseudonym) in the "Cheese Shop Mysteries" series. She's decided to end it. I'll miss the characters I've come to know as if they lived in my own neighborhood, but at least I can continue to enjoy her other series, "Cookbook Nook Mysteries", written under her own name of Daryl Wood Gerber.

This last book was entitled "For Cheddar or Worse". I loved how she worked the name of a cheese or cheese-based food into the title of each of her books!


----------



## CakePoet

I'm reading  small study about food and  digestive system.   Just proof reading, but it is interesting.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Decided to read *"Heat..."* by Bill Buford after GG and a few others have mentioned it on DC before. Wow, I'm surprised that Mario Batali is still alive!


----------



## GotGarlic

Cooking Goddess said:


> Decided to read *"Heat..."* by Bill Buford after GG and a few others have mentioned it on DC before. Wow, I'm surprised that Mario Batali is still alive!



Love that book. I've read it twice.


----------



## Katie H

Just began an "impulse" book I spied on the library display shelves.  It's entitled _Kitchens of the Great Midwest_ by J. Ryan Stradal.  Has potential.  Will read more and let you know.


----------



## CharlieD

Just stated https://www.amazon.com/Gentleman-Mo...477495185&sr=8-1&keywords=gentleman+in+moscow


----------



## CharlieD

Katie H said:


> Just began an "impulse" book I spied on the library display shelves.  It's entitled _Kitchens of the Great Midwest_ by J. Ryan Stradal.  Has potential.  Will read more and let you know.



Don't want to give out any details, but I loved it and then I hated, and then I loved it again...

Good read.


----------



## Mad Cook

GotGarlic said:


> Quite


The UK television series was dire. Nathaniel Parker played the Inspector as a bad-tempered wet lettuce


----------



## GotGarlic

Mad Cook said:


> The UK television series was dire. Nathaniel Parker played the Inspector as a bad-tempered wet lettuce



Love that description


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I'll be working my way through a stack of magazines while we're on vacation. Also brought along the book "Fake Food..." in case we have a really lazy day or if we're driving boring roads.


----------



## JoAnn L.

When I used to drive out to Denver by myself (to see my son), I always use to take some sort of snack to eat to help keep me alert. It takes about 15 hours, so I would stay at a Super 8 Motel in York, Neb. (it is about half way there). It was right along Interstate 80. I would put a hat on the passenger seat head rest, to make it look like someone was with me.It made me feel a little safer. When I got to the motel and I was checking in a room for one, the clerk said what about the person in your car? I had to take them out and show them that it was only a hat.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I picked up the latest Donna Andrews "Meg Langslow Mystery" book from the library yesterday. Titled "Die Like an Eagle", I've had the Steve Miller band singing a fractured version of their song ever since.


----------



## Flour

I hit the thrift store yesterday and picked up Cowboy Slang. It will keep me occupied on an upcoming road trip.


----------



## GotGarlic

A friend invited me to join a book club; the first book is "Shine Shine Shine" by Lydia Netzer, a local author. Part of it takes place in the neighborhood where DH and I used to live in Norfolk, VA, before we bought our house, so it's interesting reading about familiar places from another perspective. It's a rather weird story, but good.


----------



## Mad Cook

"The Postmistress" by Sarah Blake. I didn't expect to like it when a friend lent it to me but I got very involved. Intriquing.


----------



## pdswife

Not reading books lately... I've developed a bad habit!  I spend what seems like hours every day looking at sites that have free Kindle books.   I spend some much time doing that that I never have time to really read!   So, silly.


----------



## Katie H

I'm always reading...something.  Plus, I pursue both audio and print material depending on where I am and/or what I'm doing.

Since the beginning of December I've had to drive to radiation treatments every day.  I travel a road I regularly drive so nothing new there. By now, my car knows the way without any help from me.  This is why audio books were invented.  I also listen to audio books when I'm sewing, knitting, crocheting, ironing, etc.  Makes all those tasks so much more pleasant.

In any given week's time, it's not unusual for me to read of listen to up to 5 books a week.

When it comes to print material, the last 10 days I have read 3 books by a young man named James Bowen, who was nothing short of a street druggie.  His story is sweet, poignant and offers hope.

In a nutshell, his books relate how his life began to change when his path crossed with a ginger tom cat (in street difficulties himself) who eventually became known as Bob.

The books are, in order, _A Street Cat Named Bob, A Gift from Bob and The World According to Bob.

_By the time I'd finished the first book I was cheering for James and Bob and couldn't wait to read the next one.   I wasn't disappointed...in any of the three.

Even if you are not a cat "person," Bob will capture your heart and you will come to love him.  He has become such a celebrity that he has his own Facebook page:  streetcatbob.  There are also tons of YouTube videos featuring this handsome feline.

If you are looking for some relatively quick reads that will lift your heart and offer proof that there is hope for someone who seems hopeless, these books will more than fit the bill.

P.S.  For our members who live in England, this is where the stories of James and Bob began.  You may even already know of them.


----------



## Lance Bushrod

I just started reading *Catcher in the Rye* having never read it in all these years.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I *sniff sniff* just read the very last book from "The White House Chef" series. Sadly, the Powers that Be have advised author Julie Hyzy that her services are no longer needed. This last book, "Foreign Eclairs", has an ending that feels both final and also like Hyzy could pick the characters up and put them into a new series smoothly and without worrying about legal backlash. After spending time with Ollie over these nine books, I'm gonna miss that girl character.


----------



## CharlieD

I almost hope somebody would pickj up this book Surrender, New York by Caleb Carr, Hardcover | Barnes & Noble® and read , and tell me what you think about.

It is a police investigation. I don't know if my English is that bad or the story in the book is so ornate (is it a word?).
But I finished with the feeling that I totally did not understand where the story was going, or where it came from, even though I almost right away realised who the guilty party was going to be. Strange feeling. It is the second book of his that i did not particularly like.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am reading THE DEATH OF KINGS by Rennie Airth. I have read all of his books. Starting with, River Of Darkness, The Blood-Dimmed Tide, The Dead Of Winter and The Reckoning. It says that Airth is at the top of his game, engaging the reader with dense plotting, page-turning narrative and expert characterization. I agree.


----------



## Just Cooking

Just finished Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand... Powerful non-fiction WWII story
about the life of Louis Zamperini.. Its been made into a movie and the reviews, of the movie, make me glad I read the book and skipped the movie..

I usually read fiction but this book drew me in.. WWII was a big deal in my family and I find stories of that time interesting..

After reading that book, I needed something easy on the mind so, I loaded a John Sanford book onto my Kindle and will enjoy that.. I go through 2 or 3 books a week (I need a life) so I'm pleased that my library has a wonderful selection..


----------



## Cooking Goddess

My current read is *"Killing Kennedy" by Bill O'Reilly*. I've heard that  his "Killing..." books are interesting AND educational. I like to learn - just don't bore me while you're doing it. I have to confess, though, that one reason I got it is because it was in my library's "Large Print" section. My SIL said it's much easier to read the large type when you're using exercise equipment. This is my "bike" book for now.


----------



## cjmmytunes

Has anyone read "Hidden Figures"?


----------



## Just Cooking

cjmmytunes said:


> Has anyone read "Hidden Figures"?




No but, I have requested it from my library.. There is a wait list for the audio version but I will wait for the Ebook..


----------



## cjmmytunes

Just Cooking said:


> No but, I have requested it from my library.. There is a wait list for the audio version but I will wait for the Ebook..



I have the book, it's just finding the time to sit down and actually start it.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Did a library run yesterday and swapped one-in-one-out. The book I returned was *"Waste-free kitchen handbook : guide to eating well and saving money by wasting less food"*. I had read an article online that said the average 4-person household tosses $120 worth of food, on average, each month. Really? I had to see what is wasted. Since there are just two of us, I "should" be tossing $60 a month, or $15 a week. I seriously believe I toss less than $15 a quarter! This begs the question: who is throwing out my share of once-consumable food? 

The book I picked up is *"Pancakes in Paris"* by Craig Carlson. It's a cute little memoir that I can pick up and put down at will. Meanwhile, I've had a cozy mystery, *Dead Cold Brew*, waiting for me to finish the food waste book. Looks like I'll be reading two books at once. No cleaning getting done for a couple of days...


----------



## blissful

A very engaging book, "The Shack", I liked it so much I sent a copy to my best friend one to my best relative. My best relative wrote back 30 hours after receiving it saying she just read the whole thing. She said she felt it was also very engaging with interesting concepts and ideas, some of which she agreed with and some not. It is a good book to read and it gives you ideas to think about, even now weeks later I'm still going over some of it. I liked it a lot.

Now I'm reading "The Host", a totally different kind of fiction. I'm enjoying it.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Cooking Goddess said:


> ...I've had a cozy mystery, *Dead Cold Brew*, waiting for me to finish the food waste book. Looks like I'll be reading two books at once. No cleaning getting done for a couple of days...


I started Dead Cold Brew late Saturday night. Kept reading "just one more chapter" until I was up way later than my usual late.  Decided on Sunday that I *would* finish it early so I didn't have to read into the wee hours of the morning. I'm happy to report that the book had a satisfying ending...and that I finished it before the sun went down.

Now it's time for ME to sunset into bed.  G'night.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I finished reading "Pancakes in Paris" a couple days ago. Today I'll do a swap at the library. Not sure yet what book or books will follow me home this time.

"Pancakes..." was a fun read. Fun for me, not so much for the author as he described all the problems he encountered while starting and maintaining his dream American-style diner in Paris.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Just got a call today from the library to pick up the copy of JOANNE FLUKES new Hannah Swensen Mystery (I was on the waiting list). Great mysteries and lots of good recipes.


----------



## Katie H

Currently listening to a couple audio books but my in-hand hard copy book is _Little Princes_ by Conor Grennan.  Very interesting book and makes me angry at times because of the subject.  The author was here last month for a speaking engagement but I wasn't able to attend.  Wish I had.  Book is very, very good.  Mr. Grennan is a very tender-hearted and caring young man.


----------



## JoAnn L.

JoAnn L. said:


> Just got a call today from the library to pick up the copy of JOANNE FLUKES new Hannah Swensen Mystery (I was on the waiting list). Great mysteries and lots of good recipes.



I forgot to mention the name of the mystery, its BANANA CREAM PIE MURDER.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

JoAnn L. said:


> I forgot to mention the name of the mystery, its BANANA CREAM PIE MURDER.


 
The clown did it...


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I had two books follow me home from the library today. One was "*The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks*", a book I've known about for years but kept forgetting to pick up. The other is selected for its large-print quality: "*The Murder of King Tut: The Plot to Kill the Child King*" by James Patterson. Unlike his novels, this one is a non-fiction thriller mystery, an investigation report. If it's not scary, I'll be able to read it in the basement while pedaling away on my recumbent bike.



JoAnn L. said:


> Just got a call today from the library to pick up the copy of JOANNE FLUKES new Hannah Swensen Mystery...





JoAnn L. said:


> I forgot to mention the name of the mystery, its BANANA CREAM PIE MURDER.


Ooo, a new one? The last of hers that I've read was "Double fudge brownie murder". I made one of her cookie recipes, but I'm not really a baker. I have, however, made quite a few recipes from Diane Mott Davidson's "Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery" series. Sadly, she hasn't written a new book in four years. I hope she continues on with Goldy again.


----------



## Whiskadoodle

Once Upon A Time

It Was The Best Of Times, it was the worst of times

It Was A Dark And Stormy Night

All good first sentences in a book.  

I read this on the internets,   so you know it's gotta be good:
Whatever book or subject you are reading,  read the first sentence out loud, and regardless of what follows,  insert as the 2nd sentence-- "And then the murders began."

Ok, I'm going back to bed now.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Whiskadoodle said:


> Once Upon A Time
> 
> It Was The Best Of Times, it was the worst of times
> 
> It Was A Dark And Stormy Night
> 
> All good first sentences in a book.
> 
> I read this on the internets, so you know it's gotta be good:
> Whatever book or subject you are reading, read the first sentence out loud, and regardless of what follows, insert as the 2nd sentence-- "And then the murders began."
> 
> Ok, I'm going back to bed now.


 
Party Pooper...


----------



## cjmmytunes

Cooking Goddess said:


> I finished reading "Pancakes in Paris" a couple days ago. Today I'll do a swap at the library. Not sure yet what book or books will follow me home this time.
> 
> "Pancakes..." was a fun read. Fun for me, not so much for the author as he described all the problems he encountered while starting and maintaining his dream American-style diner in Paris.



That sounds like an interesting read.  Think I will put it on my wish list for later reads.


----------



## Just Cooking

Me too... It isn't available at my library, in Ebook form but, I requested it..


----------



## GotGarlic

Cooking Goddess said:


> I had two books follow me home from the library today. One was "*The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks*", a book I've known about for years but kept forgetting to pick up.



Dr. Howard Jones, the gynecologist who treated her and retrieved the immortal cells, eventually came to the medical school where I used to work. He and his wife, Georgeanna, also a gynecologist, went on to pioneer in vitro fertilization in the United States and were responsible for the first "test-tube" baby born in the United States. 

I'd like to read that book, too.


----------



## Just Cooking

The Smithsonian write up is very interesting..

I imagine that the movie Oprah did is well done...  

Ross


----------



## tinlizzie

A first time out for me in the category of fun reads (Pancakes goes on my to-read list - thanks, CG) is a J. B. Stanley "Supper Club mystery" -- Carbs & Cadavers.  Some recipes are included.

It's non-stressful reading, which is very welcome from time to time.  IMO the only minus since carbs and sugar in my diet have become limited, is the color paperback cover featuring pizza and chocolate chip cookies.  groan


----------



## Just Cooking

Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart.. This is enjoyable historical fiction ...


I recommend  No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith.. Wonderful series, best read in sequence..

Ross
*
*


----------



## CWS4322

In the non-fiction genre, I recently finished:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/11/books/review/Chotiner-t.html?_r=0

Also by Elizabeth Abbott: Dogs and Underdogs https://www.amazon.com/Dogs-Underdogs-Finding-Happiness-Leash/dp/067006825X


https://www.amazon.com/Blitzed-Drugs-Third-Norman-Ohler/dp/1328663795

The Word Detective https://www.theguardian.com/books/2...-serendipity-to-selfie-by-john-simpson-review

In the fiction arena, my latest favorite Swedish author is Arne Dahl.

https://www.amazon.com/Bad-Blood-Crime-Vintage-Lizard/dp/0307388042

https://www.amazon.com/Misterioso-Crime-Novel-Vintage-Lizard/dp/0307388034

My favourite current Norwegian author is Anne Holt. Although, I must say, I am still in love with anything by Jo Nesbo.

Currently reading:

True Believer. Stalin's last American Spy by Kati Marton. 

I have a somewhat eclectic taste when it comes to what catches my eye when I go to the library.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Managing to stay ahead of the Starz series, _American Gods_, by Neil Gaiman.  Loved the story when I first read it and still love it.


----------



## TenThousandRecipes

I just finished Lone Wolf by Jodi Piccoult. I honestly can read anything written by her. Not sure what i am in the mood to read next.


----------



## GotGarlic

I just started "Feast and Sorrow: A Novel of Ancient Rome," by Crystal King. It's the story of the slave cook Thrasius to the aristocrat/epicure Apicius. It includes lots of interesting descriptions of ancient Roman houses and the foods the wealthy ate. Very interesting so far.


----------



## Addie

I learned to read before I even started school. And I loved it. I always had a book in my hand growing up. In high school, I read every novel in the school library. Then had to go to the public one. 

But since I moved in here, I have stopped doing any of my crafts, sewing, crocheting, etc. or mostly reading. And I have no excuse. I even sent for a set of Readers Digest hard cover books and there they sit, on the bookcase, waiting for me to pick up one of them.


----------



## rodentraiser

That sounds like depression, Addie.

I am halfway through Time Travel by James Gleich. Then I'm going to the other extreme. I ordered a book I hadn't read since I was in second grade and I have to go pick it up this afternoon. "Pumpkin, Ginger and Spice". All I remember is it's about three little dachshunds who wear little raincoats and leashes and collars. One dog wears red, one dog wears yellow, and one wears green.


----------



## BakersDozen

I'm reading "The Hideaway" by Lauren K. Denton, just started it and its really good so far. Its set in Alabama.


----------



## Addie

rodentraiser said:


> *That sounds like depression, Addie*.
> 
> I am halfway through Time Travel by James Gleich. Then I'm going to the other extreme. I ordered a book I hadn't read since I was in second grade and I have to go pick it up this afternoon. "Pumpkin, Ginger and Spice". All I remember is it's about three little dachshunds who wear little raincoats and leashes and collars. One dog wears red, one dog wears yellow, and one wears green.



No. I have never been depressed about anything. I get mad at myself and then I do something about what made me mad in the first place. 

I really don't have a comfortable place to sit. Poo bought me a nice chair when I first moved in here. The seat was just too big for me. I need a chair with a short depth. I didn't have the heart to tell him his error. Then Pirate came and took over the chair. Now the cover is all worn out and when he is gone, the chair goes with him. Then I can go and find a chair that fits me and has a short depth.


----------



## Sagittarius

Non fiction:   The 14 Histories of Italy: 
Imperial Rome 
Torino & Savoy
Naples & The King of Spain
Venice & The Maltese Court 
Tuscany & The Renaissance
Sicily, A Greek Island ?
To name a few of the chapters I am about to finish.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Cooking Goddess said:


> I had two books follow me home from the library today. One was "*The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks*"...


Just finished making friends with Henrietta (or more like her daughter, Deborah) and the journalist, Rebecca Skloot, who wrote this novel-like book and brought Henrietta's life to...life! It's been one of those "I laughed, I cried" kind of books. Skloot writes with tenderness when covering Henrietta's family, interesting details when explaining science and genetic biology, dismay with a touch of anger about medicine's process of using human cells with no consent from "donors" offset by understanding of the many wonderful medical processes that have developed using that process. A great read.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_Someplace To Be Flying_ by Charles de Lint.


----------



## CWS4322

Addie said:


> I learned to read before I even started school. And I loved it. I always had a book in my hand growing up. In high school, I read every novel in the school library. Then had to go to the public one.
> 
> But since I moved in here, I have stopped doing any of my crafts, sewing, crocheting, etc. or mostly reading. And I have no excuse. I even sent for a set of Readers Digest hard cover books and there they sit, on the bookcase, waiting for me to pick up one of them.


I was reading by the time I was 2 years old. I was reading in Spanish before I was 5 yrs old thanks to my uncle who lived in SA. I love to read. When my brother passed away, to keep the nightmares away, I would read. I can go through 2-4 books a day.


----------



## CWS4322

I have little notebooks that I keep--I jot down interesting phrases, etc. from books. I just love words and love to read. I will read just about anything.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

CWS4322 said:


> I have little notebooks that I keep--I jot down interesting phrases, etc. from books. I just love words and love to read. I will read just about anything.



I read anything and everything, even cereal boxes.  We MUST be related.


----------



## tinlizzie

I just finished a book that Cooking Goddess had mentioned -- Pancakes in Paris by Craig Carlson.  The author's mostly cheerful endurance reminded me of the unsinkable Molly Brown.  I was happy for his ultimate success in opening and running an American Breakfast restaurant in Paris, and enlightened and astounded at the amount of French red tape and regulations he had to conquer.  He did persist.  Thanks, CG.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I'm glad you enjoyed it, *tin*! Yes, the French red tape! Sacre Bleu!

Because of your review of the J. B. Stanley book, I checked out her books on Cozy Mysteries. That woman is busy! Apparently she writes under three different names, plus co-writes a series with another under a fourth name! I want to start reading the Supper Club series...one of these days.  I have a lot of catching up to do with four or five others, plus a rapidly growing pile of magazines. Arrgghhh!


----------



## Cooking Goddess

How is that "Feast of Sorrow" moving along, *GG*? It sounds a little bit interesting...

The time-before-last when I stopped at the library, I noticed a new "Joanne Fluke" mystery, "Banana Cream Pie Murder". I brought it home, started to read it...and thought "when did Hannah go on her honeymoon?  When did she get married? ". Back to the library it went when the two earlier books I didn't read arrived. Except I did read one of them - I guess I missed the title when I skimmed my reading history list on my library account. Either that or I accidentally scrubbed the name the last time I purged my list. Anyway, I started "Wedding Cake Murder" last night. And off to read it now. If you want me, I'll be in the sun room with Joanne, Hannah...and a glass of wine.  Cheers!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_The Great Cholesterol Con_, by Dr. Malcolm Kendrick.


----------



## GotGarlic

Cooking Goddess said:


> How is that "Feast of Sorrow" moving along, *GG*? It sounds a little bit interesting...



I finished it last week. Loved it! It was a combination history lesson, cookbook and adventure story. And I kept a list of new words so I can use them against DH in Words with Friends [emoji38]


----------



## Sagittarius

YAM Magazine,  Published By:  Multi Michelin French Chef Yannick Alleno of Stay Restaurant .. 

When I travel, I prefer magazines verses books.  They are lighter to carry !


----------



## CWS4322

I am reading Berlin (non-fiction), The Trumpet of Nordland ( Petter Dass) and The Thirst (Jo Nesbo).


----------



## Souschef

I got hooked on 2 series by CLR Dougherty. One is the Connie Berrara series, about a woman and her husband running a charter yacht in the Caribbean. The other is the Bluewater series, about two young ladies running a charter operation.
They run afoul of all kinds of people, and have a cast of island characters that is great.
All of these women "take no prisoners" and it is great to see them represented that way instead of as "shrinking violets"


----------



## Just Cooking

3 that I'm presently working on...

Heyday by Kurt Andersen..

An Impartial Witness by Charles Todd

Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson...


Ross


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Picked up three books from the library yesterday - two "Cackleberry Club" and a "Hannah Swenson Cookie Jar" mystery. Weather looks to be milder the next couple of days, so I should be spending a little time every evening with my book friends and a glass of wine.


----------



## Just Cooking

Winter at Deaths Hotel.... Kenneth Cameron
A Louisa Conan Doyle mystery

Next is 
A False Mirror.... Charles Todd
An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery





Ross


----------



## Kayelle

Just finished a "Thriller" departure from my "Historical Novels". Wow..what a ride it was!!
Never Look Away by Linwood Barclay | PenguinRandomHouse.com


----------



## Just Cooking

Historical fiction by Michelle Moran.... Madame Tussaud... 

A novel of the French Revolution.... 

Bestselling Author Michelle Moran

Ross


----------



## Snip 13

Read Stephen King - Duma Key, Stephen Dobyns - Boy in the water and my Daughters school reader ( I am David - Anne Holm) Running out of books to read so got a stack at our book exxhange.


----------



## Snip 13

Exchange omw. Tiny little keyboard on stupid smart phone.


----------



## Souschef

Souschef said:


> I got hooked on 2 series by CLR Dougherty. One is the Connie Berrara series, about a woman and her husband running a charter yacht in the Caribbean. The other is the Bluewater series, about two young ladies running a charter operation.
> They run afoul of all kinds of people, and have a cast of island characters that is great.
> All of these women "take no prisoners" and it is great to see them represented that way instead of as "shrinking violets"


I just e-mailed the author and suggested he add a diagram of the sailboat showing the names of the various sails he mentions in his books. He thanked me for the suggestion and said he would in a future book.
I also have been reading 2 series by Hope Callaghan. One is about a Mafia widow that moves to Savannah with her son and daughter. The other series is about Millie, a middle aged divorcee who is the assistant cruise director on a cruise ship and is always solving mysteries.


----------



## Souschef

CWS4322 said:


> I have little notebooks that I keep--I jot down interesting phrases, etc. from books. I just love words and love to read. I will read just about anything.


Read the Diary of Lazarus Long from Time Enough for Love by Heinlein. He has some really pithy sayings.


----------



## Snip 13

I read Liz Murray's Breaking Night. Started last night and finished this morning.


----------



## GotGarlic

I just finished "By the Numbers" by Jen Lancaster for my book club meeting Tuesday. Loved it! I laughed out loud many times and didn't want it to end. Very highly recommended.


----------



## Merlot

GotGarlic said:


> I just finished "By the Numbers" by Jen Lancaster for my book club meeting Tuesday. Loved it! I laughed out loud many times and didn't want it to end. Very highly recommended.


It looks very good, I added it to my list!


----------



## GotGarlic

Merlot said:


> It looks very good, I added it to my list!


Kewl! Enjoy!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_The Adoration of Jenna Fox, _by Mary E. Pearson.  It's my Niece's summer reading project and I swiped the book for a couple nights.  Excellent story!


----------



## Just Cooking

Working my way through the Henning Mankell Inspector Kurt Wallander series...

I've enjoyed what I have read so far...  

Ross


----------



## JoAnn L.

I just started reading a series of 19 books by Jeanne M. Dams. They are about Dorothy Martin. She is an American widow who moved to a village in England and turns to her talents of amateur sleuthing.


----------



## Just Cooking

Last week I discovered Bill Roorbach... Don't know why I hadn't seen his work before..

To date I've read  Life Among Giants and The Remedy for Love..

The way he weaves his characters in and out of his stories intrigues me..
There is a bit more sex than I am used to, in most of the books I read but, its so much a part of his story that I hope that wouldn't turn readers away from how he puts together a story... I hope to find more if not all his books in my online library..

Ross


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Before our trip to Savannah this month, I had been alerted by a friend about a book called "*Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil*". It's a true-life story (and real adventure!) about the city and some of her more colorful citizens, centered around and spun off from the main story about a murder...and the four trials that the accused went through until he was found not guilty! It was an interesting read - I'm planning on ordering up the movie from our library after the holidays.


----------



## rodentraiser

A book the movie "The Turning Point" is based on. It's called "Ballerina" by Edward Stewart and if you ever wanted to know what the ballet dancers go through to become what they are, this is the book to read.


----------



## GotGarlic

I recently finished "All the Light We Cannot See" for my book club, a beautifully written novel about two young people during World War II - a blind French girl and a German boy who is a whiz with radios. Very highly recommended. 

http://www.pulitzer.org/winners/anthony-doerr


----------



## Rocklobster

Breakfast of Champions..Vonnegut


----------



## Just Cooking

Just finished The Lucuna by Barbara Kingsolver.. Love her books..

Started something a bit lighter.. Reckless by Andrew Gross..

Ross


----------



## CWS4322

Just finished Erik Larson's In the Garden of Beasts. Non-fiction about the US Ambassador William E. Dodd and his time in Berlin from 1933 - 1935.


----------



## Just Cooking

CWS4322 said:


> Just finished Erik Larson's In the Garden of Beasts. Non-fiction about the US Ambassador William E. Dodd and his time in Berlin from 1933 - 1935.




Thank you for posting this... I've just downloaded it from my online library...  

Ross


----------



## Kayelle

GotGarlic said:


> I recently finished "All the Light We Cannot See" for my book club, a beautifully written novel about two young people during World War II - a blind French girl and a German boy who is a whiz with radios. Very highly recommended.
> 
> The Pulitzer Prizes



Thanks for that review GG. I've been looking at this book for some time, as my favorite reading is historical novels. I've been reading some lighter stuff lately as I needed a break from really heavy subjects.  This one sounds like another heartbreaker but I can't resist. Thanks.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I really recommend a book called Good-Bye to the Mermaids- A Childhood Lost In Hitlers Berlin. The author is Karin Finell.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I've been working my way through my stack of magazines. Took all of them to OH during the holidays - including a couple of old ones I found that had made the move from OH to here in 2000.  Brought home only the few recipes I clipped from them. And came home to a whole bunch more, plus a couple more that have trickled in this week. I quit!

I stopped by the library today to pick up the most recent book by Donna Andrews in her Meg Langslow series. If I'm not around for a while, it's because Meg and I are solving this latest murder.


----------



## TATTRAT

I've been back on a Carl Hiaasen kick, rereading a few of my faves.


----------



## Just Cooking

TATTRAT said:


> I've been back on a Carl Hiaasen kick, rereading a few of my faves.


I enjoy his books...  

Ross


----------



## PrincessFiona60

TATTRAT said:


> I've been back on a Carl Hiaasen kick, rereading a few of my faves.



Can't go wrong with a Carl Hiaasen.  Have you revisited _Skintight, _yet?


----------



## Just Cooking

CWS4322 said:


> Just finished Erik Larson's In the Garden of Beasts. Non-fiction about the US Ambassador William E. Dodd and his time in Berlin from 1933 - 1935.


I read this last week... I learned a lot and enjoyed reading this.. 



PrincessFiona60 said:


> Can't go wrong with a Carl Hiaasen.  Have you revisited _Skintight, _yet?



Read that last week also... Enjoyable plots he presents.. 

Just finished Life Among Giants by Bill Roorbach..

Good plot, intricately woven.. A lot of food references as the main character gets into the restaurant business which becomes essential to the story.. I like his writing..  

Ross


----------



## phinz

I read Dan Brown's Origins in a day while on our cruise a couple of weeks ago (I got quarantined with some kind of gastroenteritis). It was fairly predictable, but a good read, as Brown's books always are. Right after that I plunged into Ken Follett's newest, A Column of Fire while also still working on Demille's The Cuban Affair, Barnet's Biography of a Runaway Slave and Marlon James's A Brief History of Seven Killings.


----------



## tinlizzie

Just finished Mary Roach's Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal.  Fascinating!  And funny in unexpected places.  Many details on what happens to our food after we eat - the section on saliva was very interesting.

I'm about half-through Tarquin Hall's The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken.  Very enjoyable with lots of on-the-way-to-solving-a-murder information on Indian life, some on the eating habits of the always-hungry (it seems) detective Vish Puri.  I think someone on this thread mentioned the title, and I thank them.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Just got done reading the KATE ELLIS- Joe Plantagenet Mystery Series. Seeking the Dead - Playing With Bones - Kissing The Demons - Watching The Ghost and Walking By Night. Really enjoyed each one.


----------



## Just Cooking

I am reading interesting and informative non-fiction..


Dead Wake...The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson...

Ross


----------



## JoAnn L.

Just finished reading Joanne Flukes -  FUDGE CUPCAKE MURDER. Love her mysteries and her recipes in them.


----------



## Just Cooking

I'm in the middle of 

The Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard.. 

From the critically acclaimed author of Mr. Timothy comes an ingenious  tale of murder and revenge, featuring a retired New York City detective  and a young cadet named Edgar Allan Poe.

Interesting book...

Ross


----------



## GotGarlic

I found a book on my bookshelf that I don't remember buying. Maybe a houseguest left it. Anyway, I just finished it; not bad. Not a great novel, but it was entertaining. It's called "The Housewife and the Assassin," by Susan Trott.

Last week I finished the next book for my book club meeting Thursday. That was really good - a sci-fi thriller by John Scalzi called "Lock In."

Today, I started re-reading the Harry Potter series.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I'm reading three different books right now...at the rate I am going it will take me three years.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Picked up an old (2008) Ina Garten book from the library - Back to Basics Just a little diversion from being online or cleaning out vintage magazines.


----------



## Just Cooking

I'm reading, for the 2nd time, The Painter by Peter Heller.. All about art and mayhem.. Interesting and enjoyable..

Ross


----------



## phinz

Scrounging the Islands with the Legendary Don the Beachcomber: Host to Diplomat, Beachcomber, Prince and Pirate

So far it's interesting. Full of typos and some not-so-great grammar, but it's self-published, so they probably didn't have a copy editor at their disposal.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I was a book behind on Krista Davis' "Domestic Diva Mystery" books. She has a new one coming out next month and I haven't read the  latest yet. I picked up a copy from the library on Thursday, cracked it open late last night to read a few chapters, and after heading down the basement to day to flip laundry from the washer to the dryer and do ten minutes on the recumbent bike...I'm halfway through the book. Yeah, those 10 minutes ended up being 30.  If I keep getting large-print books (easier to read when you're on an exercise machine) and reading on the bike, I just might get a little fit! That would be a good thing...

"*The Diva Serves High Tea*" by Krista Davis


----------



## Addie

Cooking Goddess said:


> I was a book behind on Krista Davis' "Domestic Diva Mystery" books. She has a new one coming out next month and I haven't read the  latest yet. I picked up a copy from the library on Thursday, cracked it open late last night to read a few chapters, and after heading down the basement to day to flip laundry from the washer to the dryer and do ten minutes on the recumbent bike...I'm halfway through the book. Yeah, those 10 minutes ended up being 30.  If I keep getting large-print books (easier to read when you're on an exercise machine) and reading on the bike, I just might get a little fit! That would be a good thing...
> 
> "*The Diva Serves High Tea*" by Krista Davis



Due to their cliental, Winthrop has all large print books for reading. I have taken a couple home and you are right. They are easier to read. So now I know where to get my books for reading. 

Who knows. You might not only get in shape, but also lose a few u nwanted pounds.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Gonna take a lot of pedaling to lose as many pounds as I should, *Addie*. 


Well, the good news is I won't be staying up late to read more of that book. The bad news is I stayed up until I was done Saturday-into-Sunday. One should not close the book, look up, and see daybreak light in the sky.  Ah, what the heck. We're retired!


----------



## Katie H

Just Cooking said:


> I am reading interesting and informative non-fiction..
> 
> 
> Dead Wake...The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson...
> 
> Ross




Great book!  Love Erik Larson.  His works are so well researched.


----------



## Just Cooking

Reading "Flat Broke with Two Goats"..A memoir by Jennifer McGaha..

Half way through it and its seemingly an honest portrayal of a period of her life... My immediate take so far is that I'm glad I'm not her..


Ross


----------



## CubsGal

The Kafir Project by Lee Burvine. It's sort of a sci-fi thriller. And not sci-fi like in Star Wars, but through introducing technology that doesn't exist into today's world. It's really good.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_The Spice Cook Book_ by Avenelle Day and Lillie Stuckey...It's a Cook Book!!


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I stopped by my favorite bookstore, AKA the town library, and picked up the latest offering in Cleo Coyle's "Coffeehouse Mystery" series. A Shot in the Dark is the 17th book that the wife/husband team of Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini have written. Seventeen! Unless things have changed, this latest book will be just as fresh and interesting as all of the books before it.

See you guys later! I've got a mystery book and a glass of wine!


----------



## Just Cooking

I'll have to look into those, CG...  


I've read a little of this and a little of that, the past two weeks..


Longbourn by Jo Baker
TransAtlantic by Colum McCann
Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton
Robicheaux by James Lee Burke
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear



Ross


----------



## PrincessFiona60

I am reading _Tolkien's Ring_ by David Day, it's non-fiction on how J.R.R. Tolkien created his mythology and the sources he used to create the world of _The Lord of the Rings_ and _The Hobbit_.  I love mythology!


----------



## phinz

Just finished Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn.

It was a good read. Not as dark as her other books, but still plenty dark as is her wont. Made my way through it in two days and thoroughly enjoyed it. The ending was a bit predictable, but that's OK. It's not like every book's ending can be a surprise. It's her descriptive prose that keeps me enthralled.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_The Diabetes Code, _by Dr. Jason Fung.  Subtitle: Prevent and Reverse Type 2 Diabetes Naturally.


It works, I am now off all my diabetes medications and have been able to cut my blood pressure meds in half.


----------



## CubsGal

I recently finished the Rabbit in Red trilogy by Joe Chianakas. It's a thriller based on the horror genre; not really horror in and of itself, in my opinion. It's somewhat Stephen King-like, though for a younger audience. They were easy, entertaining reads.


----------



## GotGarlic

Last weekend I finished reading "The Lifeboat" by Charlotte Rogan for my book club meeting tonight. It's going to be a great discussion - this book has a lot of interesting themes: class, power, manipulation, survival and more. It's about survivors of a Titanic-like shipwreck and how they endure on an overcrowded lifeboat in the North Atlantic for three weeks. And then some are prosecuted. Excellent book, highly recommended. 

Sent from my SM-T380 using Discuss Cooking mobile app


----------



## Just Cooking

Getting settled has taken much of my time but, I have managed to read a few books in the last couple of weeks.. I seem to read, mainly, before sleeping these days..



 Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi 
 Varina by Charles Frazier 
 Thirteen Ways of Looking by Colum McCann 
 Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton 



Ross


----------



## TATTRAT

My pool book right now is A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson.


----------



## Mad Cook

I'm currently sorting through the books I haven't unpacked since I moved house. In theory I'm trying sort them for the charity shop but I end up reading them. I'm currently re-reading my collection of Nevil Shute novels. Just finished "Pastoral" and about to start on "A Town Like Alice" (the eponymous "Alice" is Alice Springs, a town in Australia, not a female character!) I read them first when I was in my teens and loved then all and have re-read them a few times. I don't think old Nevil will be going to the charity shop any time soon.

(Incidentally, don't let the 1956 film of "A Town Like Alice", with Peter Finch and Virginia McKenna, put you off the book - it's only half of the story)


----------



## cjmmytunes

I've started re-reading Charlaine Harris's "Sookie Sackhouse" series - the one that the HBO series True Blood was taken from.  I do about a chapter a night before bed.  When I have free time during the day, I'm working on Christmas presents.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

My last three reads have been two food books and a mystery. I drooled over "Everyday cooking with Jacques Pépin" and Ina Garten's "Barefoot Contessa back to basics". They are both older books, from early in their careers, but still offered good information.

The mystery was a cozy mystery (no surprise) from one of my favorite authors, Laura Childs, "Plum Tea Crazy". It's the most recent offering in her "Tea Shop Mysteries" series. Set in Charleston SC, it's so authentic to the locale that I relive our visits to Charleston every time I read her books. No real tea shop in the heart of Charleston though, alas.


----------



## Mad Cook

nicole said:


> I usually don't read books. Can never finish them


!!!!


----------



## Mad Cook

GotGarlic said:


> Last weekend I finished reading "The Lifeboat" by Charlotte Rogan for my book club meeting tonight. It's going to be a great discussion - this book has a lot of interesting themes: class, power, manipulation, survival and more. It's about survivors of a Titanic-like shipwreck and how they endure on an overcrowded lifeboat in the North Atlantic for three weeks. And then some are prosecuted. Excellent book, highly recommended.
> 
> Sent from my SM-T380 using Discuss Cooking mobile app


 Sounds like a touch of plagiarism - There was a Hitchcock film in 1944  from a John Steinbeck story with a suspiciously similar central story.


----------



## GotGarlic

Mad Cook said:


> Sounds like a touch of plagiarism - There was a Hitchcock film in 1944  from a John Steinbeck story with a suspiciously similar central story.


Not really. The circumstances may be similar, but the story lines are not even close. It's not unusual for authors to write different takes on historical events. How many World War II movies are out there? 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifeboat_(film)


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am reading Deborah Crombie "Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James Mysteries". All 17 of them.


----------



## phinz

Just picked this up. Can't wait to get into it. 

Caribbean Vegan

I'm also working on Rice, Noodle, Fish. So far I'm enjoying quite a bit.

Lastly, I cracked open Florida by Lauren Groff the other night, read about 50 pages and am intrigued.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Pretty much, when I drop a book off at the library I'm also picking one up - one that I decided about online and ordered. No different on Monday, when I said goodbye to my friends at Theo's tea shop (Plum Tea Crazy) and came home with "The Catcher Was a Spy" - and a tag-along book, "The Best Cook in the World" by Rick Bragg.

I had seen TV ads for the upcoming "The Catcher Was a Spy" movie, so I googled to find out about the story line. Like Julia Child and many others of her era, Moe Berg did a little secret agent work for the OSS during WWII. I also saw that the reviews of the movie pretty much condensed down to "read the book, it's better". The movie would be faster, though, since the book is 350 pages of tiny print.

Rick Bragg's column is the first place I go when I get my monthly copy of "Southern Living" (then the recipe section  ). His book is going to take a while to read, too. The print is a bit larger, but so is the book format. And it comes in at 481 pages.

If you guys don't see me around much, you'll know why!


----------



## Whiskadoodle

Here's a fun one for you.  I was reading a paperback shirtless in my back yard.  Felt asleep.   Wake up later,   Pure white skin shaped like the book  on my tummy, total sunburn in the surrounding area. 

Going to try lawn chair reading again this summer.   Baseball cap to cover the old bald spot,  insulated glass of  ice tea and try to stay in the shade.  The shade moves.  

After a long hiatus, I m returning to Sue Grafton's detective mysteries.  I bought an armload of her books at the 1/2 price bookstore.  I am starting with O is for Outlaw, and don't remember what the other letter titles are.


----------



## Just Cooking

This weeks books...


Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe.. Half way through this interesting story of pre-colonial life in Nigeria..



 The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson... A bit of a romance book but, well developed characters and an interesting story.. 

Tell Tale by Jeffrey Archer.. I've always liked this author and his short stories are always fun to read..


Ross


----------



## Mad Cook

Kathy Reichs - "Break No Bones". 

I didn't expect it to be like the so-called TV spin-off but neither did I expect it to be slow almost to the point of tediousness. I've tried one of her novels before (so memorable that I've forgotten the title) I did try but tedious wasn't the word and I'm beginning to think there might be better things to do with my time with this one. However, I will  persevere.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Cooking Goddess said:


> ... home with "The Catcher Was a Spy" - and a tag-along book, "The Best Cook in the World" by Rick Bragg....


Well, "The Catcher Was a Spy" might have been good to the end, but I got only half way. The author had a way of repeating and saying things over and reminding you what he had just written by saying it over... It Drove Me Nuts! (Yes, a short ride, I know.  ) Because I was taking so long with that book, the Rick Bragg book was returned without reading much of it at all. After a quick glance, however, I think I just might be satisfied enough reading his monthly column in Southern Living.

Meanwhile, I've blown through two quick, fun reads. It's a bit out of season, but I read the most recent Meg Langslow cozy mystery, "How the Finch Stole Christmas". Great, as always! I also pedaled my way (via the recumbent bike in the basement) through "The Dirty Book Club", a fun read not of dirty books, but of friendship between four women thrown together by another foursome of friends from an older generation. Touching and funny.


----------



## Kayelle

I recently read a two book thriller, the best I've read since Gone Girl. 

*Stillhouse Lake, and Killman Creek, by Rachel Caine.*


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33128934-stillhouse-lake?from_search=true


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I just read the write-ups on those books, *Kayelle*. I would so have enjoyed them a decade or two ago - they sound really good. But now, suspense books keep me awake at night!  I think I'll stick with cozy mysteries - easier on my scaredy-cat nerves.

I forgot to mention the two I picked up from the library - neither of which is cozy. I got the first book in James Patterson's "Women's Murder Club" series, "1st to Die". I loved the short-lived TV series based on the premise of these books, but this is the first print version I'm reading. It must be pretty good - I didn't even notice I had pedaled for 29 minutes when I cracked the book open to start reading while on my bike last night. Not bad!

The second book is "Sweetgrass baskets and the Gullah tradition" by Joyce V. Coakley. We've enjoyed Gullah meals when we've visited Charleston, and have admired the sweetgrass baskets. So far, though, I've resisted buying any. So far, anyway.


----------



## Just Cooking

Currently reading, Whisper Me This by Kerry Anne King
Also these past 2 weeks.
The Tenth Island by Diana Marcum
The King Tides by James Swain
Hotel Sacher by Rodica Doehnert

All a bit different, as I like them..

Ross


----------



## Kayelle

Cooking Goddess said:


> I just read the write-ups on those books, *Kayelle*. I would so have enjoyed them a decade or two ago - they sound really good. *But now, suspense books keep me awake at night!*  I think I'll stick with cozy mysteries - easier on my scaredy-cat nerves.




No kidding *CG*...those two books *scared the bejeebers outa me!!* Somehow it was worth it though. They were really well done. I'm now reading a tame cozy mystery to calm my nerves, and it's all so boring.  

Haa..keep you awake at night? When did you start sleeping at night.


----------



## Mad Cook

Finished the Nevil Shute-fest a week or so ago and now have "Break No Bones" by Kathy Reichs on the go (for the 3rd attempt. I don't like to let a novel better me but this really is badly written, turgid tripe). The blurb on the cover compares Ms Reichs to Patricia Cornwell, another writer who should have stuck to the day job.


----------



## Mad Cook

Cooking Goddess said:


> I just read the write-ups on those books, *Kayelle*. I would so have enjoyed them a decade or two ago - they sound really good. But now, suspense books keep me awake at night!  I think I'll stick with cozy mysteries - easier on my scaredy-cat nerves.
> 
> I forgot to mention the two I picked up from the library - neither of which is cozy. I got the first book in James Patterson's "Women's Murder Club" series, "1st to Die". I loved the short-lived TV series based on the premise of these books, but this is the first print version I'm reading. It must be pretty good - I didn't even notice I had pedaled for 29 minutes when I cracked the book open to start reading while on my bike last night. Not bad!
> 
> The second book is "Sweetgrass baskets and the Gullah tradition" by Joyce V. Coakley. We've enjoyed Gullah meals when we've visited Charleston, and have admired the sweetgrass baskets. So far, though, I've resisted buying any. So far, anyway.


Rather off the topic but what is "Gullah" food, please?


----------



## Cooking Goddess

*MadCook*, it's yummy. It's a southern food culture style of the East African peoples who were brought to the New World, found a similar climate, and adapted their meals to their new home with flavors from their old. Also referred to as "Low Country" because the lands these people were living on were barely higher than sea level. Simple, tasty, and economical. This post has five sample recipes. The "Gullah Cuisine Restaurant" was where we ate on a couple of occasions. Sadly, the owner closed the restaurant - but she still works as a caterer.



Kayelle said:


> ...Haa..keep you awake at night? When did you start sleeping at night.


I'm busted!  Well I guess like "it's five o'clock somewhere", it's also night somewhere. When I close the fins on the blinds, then pull down the room-darkening shade, it certainly looks like "night" in the bedroom.  I can't help it - this Eastern Time zone body is on Hawaiian time.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Cooking Goddess said:


> *MadCook*, it's yummy. It's a southern food culture style of the East African peoples...


WEST African peoples, *MC*. *WEST* African! I get my "east" and "west" mixed up sometimes, much to Himself's chagrin when we're on the road.

Seeing as I tried to edit my post a skimpy 23 minutes after first posting it, I was late. Fer cryin' out loud, you would think that by now DC would have done tweaking to allow a larger time frame to correct a mistake if you're a long-time, reasonably well-tempered member.  Nope, no 24-hour grace period for anyone. Harrumph. Some forums give you months, or a year even, once you've been there for a while. Just sayin'...


----------



## Addie

I used to stay up all night reading until the book was finished. From the third grade on, I always had a book in my hand. Where did I get lost? I have always loved historical novels. 

In 1976, John Jakes put out an eight novel list of books on American history, in order to celebrate our centennial. The series started with an immigrant that fled his country in Europe and participated in each major action of defiance in America. He was never the main character, just a participant. He eventually got old and his descendants were the main characters.  Every morning, you would see all of Boston with their heads buried in each book. There wasn't      one sound of talk. Then he became ill and had to postpone his next book. On the way home all you could hear was the chatter. Every one was waiting for the next book. He has written other series since, but I have failed to get interested in any of them.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I finished up "1st to Die" in the wee hours of the morning Friday. I'm not starting the second book in the series (2nd Chance) until I get some real work done around this house.  Meanwhile, I've been pecking away at the Sweetgrass Basket book whenever I can steal a few minutes here and there.


----------



## Just Cooking

In the midst of Beautiful Exiles by Meg Waite Clayton


A novel of journalist Martha Gellhorn meeting Ernest Hemingway in Key West, 1936. An interesting portrayal of their time together..


Fiction which reads like non-fiction..


Ross


----------



## cjmmytunes

One of our neighbors gave Mom a book where the main character is a cat named Joe Grey. I found the Megyn Kelly biography "Settle for More" at a thrift store for a quarter. I'm reading a chapter a night, read 2 last night during the storms.


----------



## Kayelle

I'm reading https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32453157-not-tonight-josephine
*"Not Tonight Josephine".*



It's really entertaining and laugh out loud funny in parts.  I highly recommend it! I can't wait to get started on the rest of his books.


----------



## GotGarlic

My book club just finished "An American Marriage" by Tayari Jones. It's about a young African-American couple and how they cope with the unjust arrest and conviction of the husband. Very well written and an interesting story.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33590210-an-american-marriage


----------



## Just Cooking

Just completed Appalachian Justice, Book 1 of the Cedar Hollow Series by Melinda Clayton..


To me, this is a very powerful book..


Ross


----------



## Vinylhanger

I've been reading D-day Through German Eyes.  Very good, and a view we rarely get to see or hear about.


----------



## Mad Cook

"The Far Country" as part of my *Nevil Shute fest. I'm working my way through my collection prior to consigning them to the charity shop. (I'm getting to the age where I feel the need to down-size.)  My father recommended them to me and I loved them as a girl and young woman but have not read them since. I find they have stood the test of time as a good read. 

*Probably the Nevil Shute titles you're most familiar with are "A Town Like Alice" and "On the Beach" - both made into terrible films. The latter centred round Australia being the last place to survive (only temporarily) after the nuclear holocaust. Fred Astaire was in the film - god only knows what he was thinking of - he must have needed the money!!).


----------



## Katie H

Been on a tear with John Grisham books recently.  Just finished _The Rooster Bar_, which I highly recommend.

Am now about halfway through _Sycamore Row_.  Great book and I've had to put my seat belt on a few times already.

One of those books I can't wait to finish but don't want it to end at the same time.  Luckily it's a long book.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I picked up two mysteries at the library on Friday, all excited to have my 3rd large-print James Patterson "Women's Murder Club" to read while pedaling on the recumbent bike. I swear I ordered a large print...

Anyway, the second book I got was the latest "Meg Langslow" mystery by Donna Andrews. I decided to read that one first. All of her books feature a bird in the title. This one is called "Toucan Keep a Secret".  I swear its subtitle should be "Just one more chapter, pleeeeeeze?" *yawn*


----------



## Katie H

Cooking Goddess said:


> I picked up two mysteries at the library on Friday, all excited to have my 3rd large-print James Patterson "Women's Murder Club" to read while pedaling on the recumbent bike. I swear I ordered a large print...



Omigosh!  Love, love, love Patterson's "Women's Murder Club."  My advice is to read them in order.  If you do this, you will learn to get acquainted with all the characters and love them like I do.  Such a fun bunch of reading.  I've finally caught up to the last one #17, I think.

Three cheers for Patterson's "Women's Murder Club!!"


----------



## Cooking Goddess

*Katie*, I fell in love with Lindsay, et al, when Women's Murder Club was a one-year series on ABC in 2007-8. Watched it every week, sorry to see it go unrenewed. Now I'll be working my way through all the books, yes, in order. That's how I like reading any series, since the characters (should) grow and develop as the series goes along. 

Get ready, it looks like #18 is on its way soon. I'm guessing it will be out just in time for Christmas. :

The 18th Abduction


----------



## Katie H

Cooking Goddess said:


> *Katie*, I fell in love with Lindsay, et al, when Women's Murder Club was a one-year series on ABC in 2007-8. Watched it every week, sorry to see it go unrenewed. Now I'll be working my way through all the books, yes, in order. That's how I like reading any series, since the characters (should) grow and develop as the series goes along.



Yes, I really have come to appreciate Lindsay and especially like Claire.  I could go on and on, but I truly like how all the characters have developed and grown.  Great bunch of writing.

Can't wait for #18 and am on my local library's waiting list.

Go James Patterson!

Now, if you haven't already looked into them, the "Maximum Ride" series is well worth investigating.

Yes, the stories are a bit unconventional but, when I completed the series, I loved, loved, loved Max.  Give these books a chance and read them with an open mind.  I don't think you'll be disappointed.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Katie H said:


> Yes, I really have come to appreciate Lindsay and especially like Claire.  I could go on and on, but I truly like how all the characters have developed and grown.  Great bunch of writing.
> 
> Can't wait for #18 and am on my local library's waiting list.
> 
> Go James Patterson!
> 
> Now, if you haven't already looked into them, the "Maximum Ride" series is well worth investigating.
> 
> Yes, the stories are a bit unconventional but, when I completed the series, I loved, loved, loved Max.  Give these books a chance and read them with an open mind.  I don't think you'll be disappointed.




I love the "Maximum Ride" series.


----------



## Katie H

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I love the "Maximum Ride" series.




I don't know about you, but I really got into all the trials and tribulations Max and his buddies had to endure.  Wonderful bunch of reading!!!  Unconventional but sooooo much fun!!!


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Max and friends were my family as I read along, I cared so much about what was happening, but then I really get into stories sometimes.


 Once, while reading the newest book in a series, I got to the part when my favorite character unexpectedly died...took me by surprise.  I cried for days, I had been reading the series since I was 9 or 10, I was in my twenties when I read that part with him dying...Shrek though I was nuts! It still makes me cry when I re-read it.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Katie H said:


> ...Now, if you haven't already looked into them, the "Maximum Ride" series is well worth investigating.
> 
> Yes, the stories are a bit unconventional but, when I completed the series, I loved, loved, loved Max.  Give these books a chance and read them with an open mind.  I don't think you'll be disappointed.


I just read the write-up for the first book. Um, it really doesn't sound like my "thing". I'm not a fan of fantasy, sci-fi, anything like that. I like cozy mysteries, cookbooks, political themed books like Allen Drury's "Advise and Consent" or Margaret Truman's D.C.-based murder mysteries. I tried *3* times to read Patterson's Alex Cross books because my bestie back home loved them, and we like a lot of the same things. Didn't do anything for me.

Thanks for the suggestion, but with the small amount of time I devote to book reading, I think I'll play it safe and stay in my rut.


----------



## cjmmytunes

Mom and I are starting a series by JA Jance.  Main character is named Joanna Brady and she is a detective in Arizona.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I think I won't be spending much time on DC for a while...


----------



## Katie H

Cooking Goddess said:


> I just read the write-up for the first book. Um, it really doesn't sound like my "thing". I'm not a fan of *fantasy, sci-fi*, anything like that. I like cozy mysteries, cookbooks, political themed books like Allen Drury's "Advise and Consent" or Margaret Truman's D.C.-based murder mysteries. I tried *3* times to read Patterson's Alex Cross books because my bestie back home loved them, and we like a lot of the same things. Didn't do anything for me.
> 
> Thanks for the suggestion, but with the small amount of time I devote to book reading, I think I'll play it safe and stay in my rut.




I understand exactly what you are saying.  I thoroughly dislike sci-fi and fantasy but, for some reason, I don't put this series of books in either category.  Max and company are characters who don't look like us and have trials and tribulations like "human" characters.

I was surprised to find that I thoroughly enjoyed the books and came to love Max et al.


----------



## Just Cooking

Read The Ragged Edge of Night by Olivia Hawker..
Germany, 1942. Franciscan friar Anton Starzmann is stripped of his place in the world when his school is seized by the Nazis.
Pretty powerful, IMO..


In the middle of The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt..
Theo Decker, a 13-year-old New Yorker, miraculously survives an accident  that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by the  family of a wealthy friend. Bewildered by his strange new home on Park  Avenue, disturbed by schoolmates who don't know how to talk to him, and  tormented above all by his longing for his mother, he clings to the one  thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating  painting that ultimately draws Theo into the underworld of art.
Really interesting so far..


Ross


----------



## Kayelle

Katie H said:


> Omigosh!  Love, love, love Patterson's "Women's Murder Club."  *My advice is to read them in order.*  If you do this, you will learn to get acquainted with all the characters and love them like I do.  Such a fun bunch of reading.  I've finally caught up to the last one #17, I think.
> 
> *Three cheers for Patterson's "Women's Murder Club!!*"




Katie, I've been wanting to get into this series for some time and since "The First to Die" is the first, I started it not long ago. It's really good so far and I'm looking forward to the long ride of the series.


----------



## Katie H

Kayelle said:


> Katie, I've been wanting to get into this series for some time and since "The First to Die" is the first, I started it not long ago. It's really good so far and I'm looking forward to the long ride of the series.



Yep, yep, yeppers. You will have a long and enjoyable ride.  As the series progresses, you will come to love some (or all) of the characters.

Happy reading!


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I just blew through Patterson's "3rd Degree" on Wednesday. Decided to read a few chapters about 2:00 AM - and quit about 3:30 AM when I got to Chapter 40.  They are very short chapters, some taking only portions of twin, facing pages,  so I read about 100 pages. Started it up again later in the afternoon, and snapped the book shut around 8:00 PM. Since dinner was leftovers, I had time on my hands while the dishwasher and laundry machines were making my life easy.

Before I read "3rd Degree", I read Joanne Fluke's "Raspberry Danish Murder". I've also been going through the two cookbooks. Need to try a couple of recipes sometime soon.


----------



## Kayelle

Cooking Goddess said:


> I just blew through Patterson's "3rd Degree" on Wednesday. Decided to read a few chapters about 2:00 AM - and quit about 3:30 AM when I got to Chapter 40. * They are very short chapters, some taking only portions of twin, facing pages,*  so I read about 100 pages. Started it up again later in the afternoon, and snapped the book shut around 8:00 PM. Since dinner was leftovers, I had time on my hands while the dishwasher and laundry machines were making my life easy.
> 
> Before I read "3rd Degree", I read Joanne Fluke's "Raspberry Danish Murder". I've also been going through the two cookbooks. Need to try a couple of recipes sometime soon.




It must be a Patterson quirk *CG*. In "First to Die" the chapters are only 2 to 4 pages. It's very odd and somewhat distracting. Beats me why he does that. I'm at page #384 and chapter 105. lol


----------



## cjmmytunes

Getting ready to read "The Final Cut" by Catherine Coulter & J. T. Ellison.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I've been re-reading the "*Haunted Bookshop Mysteries*" by Alice Kimberly. After a long absence (I believe it's been publisher problems, or some such thing like that), the sixth book in the series has just been released - I believe under her and her hubby's pen name of Cleo Coyle. I've already re-read the first three books; the next in line is showing as "in transit" through the library system to my local branch. I hope it gets there before I do tomorrow, since I have to stop and get a different book that is waiting for me.

I'm also bouncing back and forth between two other books: the aforementioned "*Eats, Shoots and Leaves*" from tenspeed's recent joke post on the Halloween Candy thread. and "*Art of the Pie*" by Kate McDermott. The photos are drool-worthy, but I like the philosophy tidbits throughout the pie lessons even more.


----------



## JustJoel

I’ve been reading _Tigana_ by Guy Gabrielle Kay. A fantasy novel about sorcery, politics, and revenge. It’s probably the third or fourth time I’ve read it. 

I’ll probably read his trilogy next, and then I’ll spend an afternoon with _Life Among the Savages_ by Shirley Jackson. An hilarious account of raising children. Another one of my top ten favorites.

Another one of my fVorited is _Contact_ by Carl Sagan. The movie with Jody Foster was amusing but didn’t do the book justice. It’s about time for me to reread it

Oh, and John Varley’s _Titan_ trilogy is due for another reading too. Now THAT’S a fascinating piece of what I like like to call “speculative fiction,” although most people would call it sci-fi.


----------



## Andy M.

Just finished “The President Is Missing” by James Patterson and Bill Clinton. 

Just downloaded “Inferno”  by Dan Brown.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I just finished pedaling my way through "The Ghost and the Femme Fatale" by Alice Kimberly. I am surprised at how fast the time goes on the recumbent bike if I'm reading. If I'm only watching TV or listening to something I'm streaming, it seems like the time drags on and on.


----------



## GotGarlic

For my book club, I'm reading "Alias Grace" by Margaret Atwood. It's about a young woman servant in Canada during the 1850s who has been convicted of murdering her former employer. It moves rather slowly, but it's interesting to read about servant life back then. Sort of like Downton Abbey.


----------



## phinz

Just started this.

https://www.amazon.com/Best-American-Food-Writing-2018/dp/1328662241


----------



## Just Cooking

No one reading since Nov??..  

I'm in the middle of " Alias Grace" by Margaret Atwood..

Just discovered that it came out as a series on Netflix in 2017..

I think we will watch it..

Ross


----------



## GotGarlic

Just Cooking said:


> No one reading since Nov??..
> 
> I'm in the middle of " Alias Grace" by Margaret Atwood..
> 
> Just discovered that it came out as a series on Netflix in 2017..
> 
> I think we will watch it..
> 
> Ross


My book club read that for November. I thought it was well-written but the ending was unsatisfying. Let me know what you think when you finish it.


----------



## Just Cooking

GotGarlic said:


> My book club read that for November. I thought it was well-written but the ending was unsatisfying. Let me know what you think when you finish it.



Will do...  
Ross


----------



## PrincessFiona60

George R.R. Martin - _Fire and Blood_
David Baldacci - Vega Jane Trilogy
David Lagercrantz - _The Girl Who Takes An Eye For An Eye_
Louise Riotte - _Carrots Love Tomatoes - Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening_

The Baldacci in order, but I have bookmarks in each book and read whatever I feel like at the time.  As I finish one I put the next in the stack into rotation.  This list will be different next week.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Just Cooking said:


> No one reading since Nov??...


If you must know, I've been working my way through magazines over the last month or so. How...exciting. Aren't you glad you asked?


----------



## Just Cooking

Cooking Goddess said:


> If you must know, I've been working my way through magazines over the last month or so. How...exciting. *Aren't you glad you asked?*



I'm always glad when you respond, even if its just magazines..  
Ross


----------



## Just Cooking

GotGarlic said:


> My book club read that for November. I thought it was well-written but the ending was unsatisfying. Let me know what you think when you finish it.



I have just finished "Alias Grace"..

Overall I thought the ending to be good.. My one disappointment was with the final characters..

I can't express that disappointment here as to not spoil anything for someone who might want to read the book.. 

I will PM you with my thoughts..

Ross


----------



## GotGarlic

Just Cooking said:


> I have just finished "Alias Grace"..
> 
> Overall I thought the ending to be good.. My one disappointment was with the final characters..
> 
> I can't express that disappointment here as to not spoil anything for someone who might want to read the book..
> 
> I will PM you with my thoughts..
> 
> Ross


Thanks [emoji2]


----------



## cookieee

I don't know if anyone else has mentioned these books.  398 pages to read here. Yikes

I just finished book #19 in the Randy Wayne White's "Doc Ford" series.  Set in Florida.

My next favorite is Stuart Woods "Stone Barrington" series. I think there are over 30 books. 

Once in a while I will read something else in between these two series. lol 

I just love to read!


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I've mentioned them, *cookieee*, but not exactly in glowing terms. I took the first couple of books with us when we went on vacation to Fort Myers Beach. After all, Sanibel is just off the north end of Estero Island! I found his writing to be...pedantic. It must have taken me the entire week to read just the first book. Never did read any others. However, if you like them, that's all that counts!

Himself had to run errands on Monday, so he stopped by the library and picked up the latest Laura Childs "Cackleberry Club Mystery" book that was waiting for me. I started "Eggs on Ice" later than night and breezed through from page one through 163. I finished the book tonight (Tuesday); it was only 274 pages, if you don't count the recipes. Now I have to wait until March, which is when the latest edition in her "Tea Shop Mysteries" will be released.


----------



## Kayelle

*CG,* I know you like food related cozy mysteries and wonder if you've read *Hillary Avis*?


 I started her first of this series and it's entertaining. 



> If you like smart  culinary mysteries with quirky characters and quaint seaside towns,  you’ll love the Death du Jour series that follows Bethany Bradstreet as  she builds her career and solves crimes with the help of her friends.



https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42616103-crime-chowder


----------



## cookieee

Cooking Goddess said:


> I've mentioned them, *cookieee*, but not exactly in glowing terms. I took the first couple of books with us when we went on vacation to Fort Myers Beach. After all, Sanibel is just off the north end of Estero Island! I found his writing to be...pedantic. It must have taken me the entire week to read just the first book. Never did read any others. However, if you like them, that's all that counts!



I know what you mean. Doc Ford could be in trouble being shot at and he goes on about something else.  I just skip those paragraphs.  I met RWW some years ago. He reminds me of my father and his picture on the back looks like my father. Also, we used to go to Sanibel Island for family vacations.  And lot of his books are entertaining and educational.


----------



## GotGarlic

I just finished "Year One: Chronicles of the One - Book One," by Nora Roberts. It's a dystopian novel about the end of the world as we know it when a virus wipes out more than half of the world's population. I received it at my book club's social event/book swap in December. I'm glad the second book has already been published, so I don't have to wait a year to read it [emoji38]

https://www.amazon.com/Year-One-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B06X6G8FKH


----------



## PrincessFiona60

GotGarlic said:


> I just finished "Year One: Chronicles of the One - Book One," by Nora Roberts. It's a dystopian novel about the end of the world as we know it when a virus wipes out more than half of the world's population. I received it at my book club's social event/book swap in December. I'm glad the second book has already been published, so I don't have to wait a year to read it [emoji38]
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Year-One-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B06X6G8FKH



I guessed right over in the survival thread!  Good read, loved it. The second is out, waiting for paperback.


----------



## GotGarlic

PrincessFiona60 said:


> [emoji38]I guessed right over in the survival thread!  Good read, loved it. The second is out, waiting for paperback.


My library has several copies. I'm going to borrow it once I finish my book club book.


----------



## Katie H

cookieee said:


> I don't know if anyone else has mentioned these books.  398 pages to read here. Yikes
> 
> I just finished book #19 in the Randy Wayne White's "Doc Ford" series.  Set in Florida.
> 
> My next favorite is Stuart Woods *"Stone Barrington"* series. I think there are over 30 books.
> 
> Once in a while I will read something else in between these two series. lol
> 
> I just love to read!




I've read the _Stone Barrington_ series.  Enjoyed them all.


Just finished _A Gentleman in Moscow_ by Amor Towles.  Wonderful book and I was so sorry when I finished it.  Love, love, loved it!  I highly recommend it.


----------



## GotGarlic

Katie H said:


> I've read the _Stone Barrington_ series.  Enjoyed them all.
> 
> 
> Just finished _A Gentleman in Moscow_ by Amor Towles.  Wonderful book and I was so sorry when I finished it.  Love, love, loved it!  I highly recommend it.


My book club read that book last year. We all loved it, too. It's so beautifully written with a fascinating story.


----------



## cookieee

Katie H said:


> I've read the _Stone Barrington_ series.  Enjoyed them all.
> 
> 
> Just finished _A Gentleman in Moscow_ by Amor Towles.  Wonderful book and I was so sorry when I finished it.  Love, love, loved it!  I highly recommend it.



Katie, in a few words, what is the book about?


----------



## GotGarlic

cookieee said:


> Katie, in a few words, what is the book about?



'A Gentleman In Moscow' Is A Grand Hotel Adventure


> Count Alexander Rostov — recipient of the Order of Saint Andrew, member of the Jockey Club, Master of the Hunt — is a "Former Person." Russia's new Soviet masters have sentenced him, improbably enough, to house arrest in Moscow's luxurious Metropol hotel, where he lives out his days decorating the dining room with his bon mots and dashing around like _Eloise_, if _Eloise_ were set in a twee version of Stalinist Russia.


----------



## cookieee

Thank you


----------



## Katie H

GotGarlic said:


> 'A Gentleman In Moscow' Is A Grand Hotel Adventure






Absolutely a wonderful book.  Yes, I know, I already said this, but it's great.  I came to love the Count and his reasonings.  Thoroughly fantastic story.


----------



## cookieee

Katie H said:


> Absolutely a wonderful book.  Yes, I know, I already said this, but it's great.  I came to love the Count and his reasonings.  Thoroughly fantastic story.


Katie, I went on Amazon to check it out. Clicked on the book and read the first 30 pages. I fast forward and saw it has over 400 pages of the book to read.  Just curious, how many pages are in the real book?


----------



## Katie H

cookieee said:


> Katie, I went on Amazon to check it out. Clicked on the book and read the first 30 pages. I fast forward and saw it has over 400 pages of the book to read.  Just curious, how many pages are in the real book?






Don't really know.  I've already returned it to the library.  Suffice it to say, every page is worth the words on it.


It's fiction, but I would have loved to have met the Count.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I picked up two books at the library last week. Just cracked the first one open. It's "The Astronaut Wives Club", a book about the wives supporting the early astronauts in the space program. So far, so good. When I'm done with that one, I'll be reading "Driving Miss Norma : one family's journey saying "yes" to living", a book about a family who, when confronted with the fact that a family's matriarch doesn't have long to live, go off adventuring rather than put Norma into hospice. A real celebration of life.


----------



## Just Cooking

Katie H said:


> Absolutely a wonderful book.  Yes, I know, I already said this, but it's great.  I came to love the Count and his reasonings.  Thoroughly fantastic story.



Seems like my kind of book.. I have it on hold through my library...  I'm eighth in line..  

Ross


----------



## GotGarlic

Cooking Goddess said:


> I picked up two books at the library last week. Just cracked the first one open. It's "The Astronaut Wives Club", a book about the wives supporting the early astronauts in the space program. So far, so good. When I'm done with that one, I'll be reading "Driving Miss Norma : one family's journey saying "yes" to living", a book about a family who, when confronted with the fact that a family's matriarch doesn't have long to live, go off adventuring rather than put Norma into hospice. A real celebration of life.


Did you know there was a mini series of "The Astronaut Wives' Club"? It was really good. I wonder if it's on Netflix.

The food played a part [emoji38]

https://www.bonappetit.com/entertai...e/slideshow/vintage-food-astronaut-wives-club


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I don't know about Netflix, *GG*, but I just checked our library system. Free videos to the rescue - they have it! We didn't watch it when it was on. I don't remember if I just didn't bother because Himself was interested, or if it conflicted with a show we really enjoy. Anyway, once I get a few more things sorted and donated or boxed, I just think I might reward myself with borrowing it and holing up in the den to watch it myself. A little cheese, a little fruit, and wine. I could feel like I'm part of the show - especially if I add a side slice of Jell-o salad.


----------



## Kayelle

GotGarlic said:


> Did you know there was a mini series of "The Astronaut Wives' Club"? It was really good. I wonder if it's on Netflix.
> 
> The food played a part [emoji38]
> 
> https://www.bonappetit.com/entertai...e/slideshow/vintage-food-astronaut-wives-club




 Thanks for that fun link GG. What struck me most, was remembering the effort most people went to in those days to make common food look pretty. It looks bizarre to most people now, and maybe it is, but it was the food fashion of mid-century America.


You can watch the series free on ABC and I will...https://abc.go.com/shows/the-astronaut-wives-club


----------



## Katie H

Just finished _The King's Curse_ by Philippa Gregory. Great read, but long.  Some great insights into England at the time.  The book ended at about 1556 or thereabouts.


I found it fascinating about how technology (or not) changed and lives were so transformed because of the rule of whomever was at rule.


----------



## cjmmytunes

Mom and I are reading the James Herriot series - I just started "All Creatures Great and Small"(#1) and Mom is reading "All Things Bright & Beautiful"(#2).


----------



## GotGarlic

cookieee said:


> Katie, I went on Amazon to check it out. Clicked on the book and read the first 30 pages. I fast forward and saw it has over 400 pages of the book to read.  Just curious, how many pages are in the real book?



It's 448 pages in the hardback copy. Definitely worth every word. It's a wonderful book.


----------



## Just Cooking

GotGarlic said:


> The food played a part [emoji38]
> 
> https://www.bonappetit.com/entertai...e/slideshow/vintage-food-astronaut-wives-club



That is great fun... I suppose I was not a part of a "modern family". Our hot dog dishes never looked that classy..  

Ross


----------



## Addie

cjmmytunes said:


> Mom and I are reading the James Herriot series - I just started "All Creatures Great and Small"(#1) and Mom is reading "All Things Bright & Beautiful"(#2).



I LOVED that show when it was on television. I faithfully even watched the reruns. I think I am just a sucker for animals. Since that is not on anymore, I am now a big fan of: _Dr. Pol._


----------



## cjmmytunes

Addie, I don't ever remember it being on TV.


Mom and I also love Dr Pol.  We also watch Dr K's Exotic Animal ER, and Dr Oakley, Yukon Vet.


----------



## Addie

cjmmytunes said:


> Addie, I don't ever remember it being on TV.
> 
> 
> Mom and I also love Dr Pol.  We also watch Dr K's Exotic Animal ER, and Dr Oakley, Yukon Vet.



In the late 60's early 70's. My kids were still very small and my youngest daughter loved to see the animals. That is how I got hung on the show.

I am not a fan of the Exotic animal show. I have a strong belief that wild animals whether the be tamed or not belong in the wild. Not caged up as some ones pet.


----------



## cjmmytunes

Addie said:


> In the late 60's early 70's. My kids were still very small and my youngest daughter loved to see the animals. That is how I got hung on the show.
> 
> I am not a fan of the Exotic animal show. I have a strong belief that wild animals whether the be tamed or not belong in the wild. Not caged up as some ones pet.




Most of the exotics I have seen in the office for Dr K are birds and lizards, turtles, ferrets, iguanas, and rodents.  Most of the "wild" animals I see are in sanctuaries that her practice oversees.


Dr Oakley does lots of traveling to farms and state wildlife preserves, places that try to keep wildlife truly wild.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I finished up with "The Astronaut Wives Club" a few days ago, and started "Driving Miss Norma". What a beautiful, uplifting book! Not sappy in the least. Norma picked the medical road less traveled for her final year on earth and had a heck of a good time. What a gal!


----------



## GotGarlic

Cooking Goddess said:


> I finished up with "The Astronaut Wives Club" a few days ago, and started "Driving Miss Norma". What a beautiful, uplifting book! Not sappy in the least. Norma picked the medical road less traveled for her final year on earth and had a heck of a good time. What a gal!


"Driving Miss Norma" sounds like a great choice for my book club.


----------



## cookieee

I have a friend that sent me a box full of "Asimov's Science Fiction" (books/mag?). I used to be more into SF some years ago. Finding maybe 1 or 2 stories that appeal to me now.  Filler while waiting for my Cooking mag's. It sucks that most of them are only published every other month.

What, if any, cooking mag. do all of you read?  (opps, is there a thread for that?) lol


----------



## cookieee

cookieee said:


> What, if any, cooking mag. do all of you read?  (opps, is there a thread for that?) lol



Wrong place for this, sorry

Too late to delete this. Please do not reply here. Will start another thread.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

GotGarlic said:


> "Driving Miss Norma" sounds like a great choice for my book club.


I bet your group would enjoy it. It was a nice break to read about how many wonderful, generous-spirited people there are in this world. Such a refreshing contrast to the news media's trend to focus on the evils in society, whether real or perceived. It also illustrates how discussing end-of-life choices can affect the quality of one's final time on earth in an uplifting, reasoned way.


----------



## Katie H

Been bingin' on Lee Child's Jack Reacher.  I'm still trying to scope out where the current book is going, but way too much fun.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I spotted a new book on the library shelves by an author I've read before, Sophie Kinsella. All of her books have been easy reads, and I ended up walking out of the library with three of her books! The first one that I read off my stack was "The Undomestic Goddess". I managed to breeze through it in two short evenings. It was a quick read because I might have read it before? Parts of the story line seemed familiar, others read like I was seeing them for the first time. Either I read it before, or ol' Sophie recycled part of a story line from a different book.  Next up, "I Owe You One". I know I haven't read that one - it's new.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

"I Owe You One" was too quick of a read. I decided that my next book had to be a bit more "more", so I'll be starting up with "*Mrs. Kennedy and Me*" by Clint Hill once I'm off of DC.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

If you are at all interested in government history, stories about members of a First Family, or the Kennedy's, I recommend "Mrs. Kennedy and Me" by Clint Hill. It's a charming, no gossip, sincere story told by the First Lady's secret service agent. Really a sweet book.


----------



## Addie

Cooking Goddess said:


> If you are at all interested in government history, stories about members of a First Family, or the Kennedy's, I recommend "Mrs. Kennedy and Me" by Clint Hill. It's a charming, no gossip, sincere story told by the First Lady's secret service agent. Really a sweet book.



Being from Massachusetts, you would think I was a Kennedy fan. Just the opposite. If you knew the truth, you knew who was pulling the strings in that family. 

But you couldn't help feeling sorry for Mrs. Kennedy while still admiring her. She was one person the old man couldn't push around. Oh, how hard he tried though.


----------



## Katie H

Finished my Jack Reacher book and am now enjoying John Grisham's _The Confession._  I have been "grabbed" from word one and am near the end.  Holy Christmas, what a wonderful tale!


----------



## Just Cooking

When available from my library, I have been reading Donna Leon's series of crime novels set in Venice, Italy, featuring the fictional hero Commissario Guido Brunetti.  There are 23 books in the series and all are stand alone novels.

In selecting a book today, I found that she has also written a cook book..

Amazon description:

Brunetti's Cookbook  
In Brunetti’s Cookbook, Leon’s best friend and favorite cook Roberta Pianaro brings to life these fabulous Venetian meals. Eggplant crostini, orrechiette with asparagus, pumpkin ravioli, roasted artichokes, baked branzino, pork ragu with porcini. These are just a few of the over ninety recipes for antipasti, primi, secondi, and dolci.

The recipes are joined by excerpts from the novels, four-color illustrations, and six original essays by Donna Leon on food and life in Venice. Charming, insightful, and full of personality, they are the perfect addition to this “enticing” volume of delicious delights (The New York Times Book Review).

I ordered the book through my Kindle and am looking forward to reading it..

Ross


----------



## GotGarlic

That sounds like a good one, Ross.

 Just yesterday I started "John Saturnall's Feast" by Lawrence Norfolk for my book club this month. It's about an orphan in 15th century England who is taken to the lord's manor to work in the scullery. He works his way up to be the primary cook, using his mother's recipes from the ancient Celts. 

Each chapter starts with a recipe. We talked at the last meeting about making a feast from the book's recipes, but they're pretty complex and sometimes use ingredients that are extinct  We might have to pretend [emoji38]

Here's an excerpt: 

"Philip led John across the flagstone floor and pulled aside a thick leather curtain. A deep hum reached John’s ears. A short passage led to some steps and a set of heavy double doors. As he followed Philip, the din got louder. Then the boy heaved on the handle and the door swung open.

“This is the kitchen.”

"A wave of noise broke over John, voices shouting, pots banging, pans clanging, knives and cleavers thudding on blocks. But he hardly heard the din. A great flood of aromas swamped the noise, thick as soup and foaming with flavors: powdery sugars and crystallized fruit, dank slabs of beef and boiling cabbage, sweating onions and steaming beets. Fronts of fresh-baked bread rolled forward, then sweeter cakes. Behind the whiffs of roasting capons and braising bacon came the great smoke-blackened hams that hung in the hearth. Fish was poaching somewhere in a savory liquor at once sweet and tart, its aromas braided in twirling spirals. . . . The sylphium, thought John. A moment later it was lost in the tangle of scents that rose from the other pots, pans and great steaming urns.

"The rich stew of smells and tastes reaching into his memory to haul up dishes and platters. For a moment he was back in the wood. His mother’s voice was reciting the dishes and the spiced wine was settling like a balm in his stomach, banishing his cold and hunger, even his anger. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scents, drawing them deeper and deeper . . ."


----------



## Just Cooking

Would like to read that one, GG..

Not available as an Ebook in my library..  

Ross


----------



## GotGarlic

It's not available in mine, either. I bought a used copy. I think I'll want to keep this one.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

*GG*, let me know if that's a really good read. My library system actually has 26 copies of that book.  Probably because some consider it contemporary reading up here...


I picked up two books at the library yesterday. My upstairs book (regular print) is the most recent entry in Laura Child's Tea Shop Mysteries, "Broken Bone China",  set in Charleston SC. My basement book (large print) is another Bill O'Reilly "Killing..." book, this time about Gen. Patton. I'm going to have to remember to start ordering large print books for when I ride my stationary bike - I've almost run through the entire non-fiction collection at the town library, and any fiction book I want *needs* to be read in chrono order - they're mysteries.


----------



## GotGarlic

Cooking Goddess said:


> *GG*, let me know if that's a really good read. My library system actually has 26 copies of that book.  Probably because some consider it contemporary reading up here...



I'm about halfway through and really enjoying it so far. I'd recommend it. It's a hefty one - about 400 pages.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

400 pages  is nothing, *GG*.  Wait, you aren't talking large print, are you...


After reading "Killing Patton", I admire my dear Dad even more. As a WWII vet, he never talked much about "the War". He was a medic and did not carry a gun. Since I've never been overly enthused about studying history, I never learned more than what was taught in grade and high school. O'Reilly goes into great detail about the Holocaust and WWII battles. I'm surprised I haven't had nightmares; those that lived through those times sure did.

I also finished up the sixth book in James Patterson's "Women's Murder Club", "The 6th Target". I'll return it when #7 shows up at my library branch - my account shows it to be "in transit". They'd better hurry up, I have a lot to read to get up to date. The most recent release is #18!


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Just started the 7th book in Patterson's Women's Murder Club series, "7th Heaven". With the way I run through these, I think I'd better order the next two from the library as soon as I log out of DC.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

And...finished it a couple hours ago. All out of books - until I make my library run on Thursday.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Next up, Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food". It's a 2008 book, so it will be interesting to see how many of the then-current fad eating is now thought to be evil. First something's good for you, then it will kill you. So tired of the nutrition teeter-totter.


----------



## GotGarlic

I'm partway through "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, for my book club. The cool thing about the book club is that I read books I probably never would have chosen myself. Sometimes that's good and sometimes not, but at least I get a girls' night out for it [emoji16]


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Michael Pollan is defending food slowly - that book is on the side table next to the reading chair in the bedroom and isn't as gripping as good, ol' James Patterson. Nor should it be, but I digress...

I had the 8th and 9th books in his "Womens Murder Club" series at home. Blew through #8 and returned it to the library yesterday. Or so I thought. Settled in to start on #9 and...I still had #8 at home. Ooops!  Silly me - took the wrong book back. Well, while I'm waiting on the library system to send it back to my home library location, I'll be reading "In Defense of Food" some more.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I've been so busy reading, I haven't been reporting! Quick Patterson status: I've now read through the 13th book, Unlucky 13. I'm also about halfway through "In Defense of Food". Still waiting at home are Women's Murder Club #14 (14th Deadly Sin) and a stand-alone Lawrence Block book, "Hit and Run".   Um, I just found out it's not a stand-alone when I went to get a link to a description of the book. It appears to be #4 in a series, of which I have not read books 1-3. Nevermind...


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Since we last met, I've read MWC #14 (14th Deadly Sin), #15 (15th Affair), and #16 (16th Seduction). I had started #15 rather late at night and found myself reading at oh-my-gosh-it's-no-longer-dark-30.  Went to sleep about sunrise, got up about 6 hours later and finished it off. I'm too old to do that!  So today, when I picked up 16th Seduction from the library, I started it earlier. All done, I'm ready for bed, and won't see the sunrise this time.


----------



## Addie

Cooking Goddess said:


> Since we last met, I've read MWC #14 (14th Deadly Sin), #15 (15th Affair), and #16 (16th Seduction). I had started #15 rather late at night and found myself reading at oh-my-gosh-it's-no-longer-dark-30.  Went to sleep about sunrise, got up about 6 hours later and finished it off. I'm too old to do that!  So today, when I picked up 16th Seduction from the library, I started it earlier. All done, I'm ready for bed, and won't see the sunrise this time.



I hear ya CG. I have a book sitting on my bed waiting for me to pick it up and finish it. But with all the medical visits, and trying to learn how to stand up with my other leg, it tends to leave me exhausted. Old age is hard work!


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Addie, books don't sit and wait for me to finish them off. When I crack open a mystery, I usually read it in two days. I read #16 in one! and still ran errands, did a load of laundry, and fixed supper. Getting old isn't as hard as reading till dawn and then getting up six hours later, no matter what your age.


----------



## Rascal

I used to read, I stopped because I know everything........according to the wife. 

Russ


----------



## Kayelle

I had planned on doing lots of reading on the cruise, but ship and shore activities kept me on the go. Now I can sit in my favorite chair and really get into *"A Gentleman in Moscow".* I got lots of recommendations from fellow passengers and the one I'm most looking forward to is *"Where the Crawdads Sing"*.  Has anyone read it?


----------



## Just Cooking

I have read and enjoyed "A Gentleman in Moscow".. 

I have placed a hold on "Where the Crawdads Sing", mainly because the author is compared to Barbara Kingsolver.. Love her books..

Unfortunately I'm #151 on my library list so, it will be a while..

Ross


----------



## Addie

I finally got a lamp for my favorite place to sit and occupied myself. _The Touch[./I] Collen McCullough is the author. She wrote The Thornbirds. She has written other books. But since the city built us a spanking brand new library, it is at the other end of town. I will have to have Spike pick up the next one of her books. 

Now where did I put my reading glasses. I found my shawl and a big hot cup of tea is waiting for me. Yes, us old ladies still use a shawl!_


----------



## BakersDozen

Hi...its been awhile since I've been on here, just wanted to reply to Kayelle's question about "Where the Crawdads Sing". I read it about a month ago, and I loved it. I hope you will give it a try. I recently finished a new book set in the hills of Kentucky..."The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek" by Kim Michele Richardson....another that I really enjoyed.


----------



## Kayelle

Thanks for the recommendation of *"Where the Crawdads Sing".* Good to see you again *BD*.



*Ross*, speaking of *"A Gentleman in Moscow"* I just came to the mention in the book of Latvian Stew and I had to know more. 

Mr. Google found me this, and I plan on making the recipe. 



https://www.bookclubcookbook.com/gentleman-moscow-latvian-stew-recipe-author-amor-towles/


----------



## GotGarlic

Kayelle said:


> Thanks for the recommendation of *"Where the Crawdads Sing".* Good to see you again *BD*.
> 
> 
> 
> *Ross*, speaking of *"A Gentleman in Moscow"* I just came to the mention in the book of Latvian Stew and I had to know more.
> 
> Mr. Google found me this, and I plan on making the recipe.
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.bookclubcookbook.com/gentleman-moscow-latvian-stew-recipe-author-amor-towles/


That was such a detailed and beautifully written book, I may have to read it again sometime. Maybe next winter when a nice pork stew would hit the spot. This sounds really good - thanks for sharing [emoji2]


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Books? I've read "a few" since my last post.  I read Patterson's "17th Suspect". I'm all caught up with the Women's Murder Club books except for #18 - waiting until I get to the top of the list on the library's waiting list. Getting closer: I'm #24 with 50 copies circulating. I hope Patterson and co-author Maxine Paetro are busy writing #19.

I also read "We Are Market Basket: The Story Of The Unlikely Grassroots Movement That Saved A Beloved Business". Some of you might remember back to 2014, when non-union employees of a local grocery store chain went on strike to have their favorite CEO put back in charge of the company after being ousted by the board and his own cousin - the majority owner at 50 1/2%. The book explains a lot of the family dynamics and history of the company that brought it to this standoff. Very interesting read.

A sweet little memoir was "Waving Back: Traveling the Roads of Life". In essays, the author looks back on his life events and takes you along for his ride. I wish I could have met Tom Locke.

Another non-fiction, "AMISH GRACE: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy" reveals and examines how the Amish community of Nickel Mines, PA dealt with the aftermath of a 2006 mass shooting of Amish girls in the community schoolhouse. There is a lot of information about the Amish way of forgiveness and how they deal with those who cause harm to the community.

I've also read the first two books in the new "Noodle Shop" cozy mystery series, "Death By Dumpling" and "Dim Sum of All Fears". The fact that they are set in the Greater Cleveland area is a nice bonus! 

I read the first couple books of Daryl Wood Gerber's Cookbook Nook Mysteries a while ago. Now that the first five are available in large print, I decided that they would be my current recumbent bike companions. I'm about halfway through book 1, "Final Sentence". The second book, "Inherit the Word" is in my on-deck basket for when I finish book 1.

Lastly, I started to read "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking" by Samin Nosrat. I knew who she was before Himself called me into the living room to see her interview on a local PBS show. I thought she was delightful. Sadly, I just couldn't see her book the same way. I read about 50 pages and gave up. I didn't even look at the recipes before it was due at the library. Shame, shame...


----------



## Kayelle

For those of you waiting on a long list for a library copy of *"Where the Crawdads Sing"*...
just buy it. You won't be sorry. It was worth every dollar, and less than the cost of restaurant lunch. Can you tell I loved it?


----------



## BakersDozen

*Where the Crawdads Sing*

Kayelle - I absolutely loved this book. It's my top pick for this year. I also enjoyed "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek" by Kim Michele Richardson.

 Its been quite awhile since I posted anything, but I do read the posts from everyone. Always enjoy hearing about a new book. I'm reading "The Truffle Underground" by Ryan Jacobs now, and its really interesting. From the front cover 
- A Tale of Mystery, Mayhem, and Manipulation in the Shadowy Market of the World's Most Expensive Fungus.


----------



## bbqcoder

I’m currently reading
On Pluto: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's – Greg O'Brien

I’m about a third of the way through.  It has good reviews but I’m not enjoying it as much as I would like so I might drop it.  It’s a slow read because I only get to read it for a half hour each day when I’m on the treadmill or elliptical machine as part of my warmup workout.

Next in my queue is:
The Great Successor: The Divinely Perfect Destiny of Brilliant Comrade Kim Jong Un by Anna Fifield

Although I don’t do a lot of book reading, I do lots of other kinds of reading that are shorter such as news (NY Times, Boston Globe, Washington Post I subscribe to) and a few forums.


----------



## rodentraiser

I'm reading Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder. 

If anyone knows anything about Morgan horses, you might be interested to know that Almanzo's mother's (Angelina Day Wilder) great-grandfather's (Ezekial Day) sister (Thankful Day) was the mother of Justin Morgan, the school master who owned Figure, the start of Morgan horses here in America, and her great-grandfather's brother (Luke Day) was the father of Justin Morgan's wife. 

Apparently the Wilder family had been involved in Morgan horses almost a hundred years by the time of Farmer Boy and probably knew the original Figure and also took along some of his colts and fillies when they moved to Malone, New York, where Almanzo grew up. 

Interesting tidbit of American history.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

It's been a while since I gave my last "book reports". Hope I don't get sent to the principal's office.  

I'm caught up on the Noodle Shop Mysteries with reading "Murder lo Mein". Vivien Chien has a fourth one out this summer, but it might take a while for the library to get copies.

I've read the first five in Daryl Wood Gerber's "Cookbook Nook Mysteries" series, but the library system doesn't have #6. Odd, since they do have several copies of #7. I need to remember to order up a copy of "Pressing the Issue" from Thriftbooks when I'm near my credit card. Once read, my copy will go to the library!

"Whiskey in a Teacup" by Reese Witherspoon was like a warm southern breeze. A quick read, it was filled with family stories, recipes, and southern advise. A bit of fluff, and a bit of substance. I was surprised at how very much I liked it!

I just finished a Fanny Flagg (of "Fried Green Tomatoes..." fame) book, "Can't Wait to Get to Heaven". It was a bit odd, different than most novels that I've read. The main character dies (temporarily) and the story revolves around her experiences in heaven and her friends and family dealing with her death, albeit a short one, back on earth.

Right now I have four library books in the house. My current reads are the large print "Mostly true : a memoir of family, food, and baseball" by Molly O'Neill, a cookbook author who had previously written for the New York Times. She recently passed away, and I found out about her in a brief bit on "Food 52" and figured I'd give the book a shot. Reading about her adventures as the only girl in a family of six kids makes me glad I'm an only child! 

My regular print book-in-progress is one I just got at the library today: "Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump". Author Rick Reilly wrote for Sports Illustrated and ESPN for decades, and has known #45 for about three decades. His take on the incumbent is...unique. I'm finding it fascinating. 

I also have two books on deck: large print is James Patterson's most recently published book in the Women's Murder Club series, "The 18th abduction" Once read, I'll be up-to-date with that series. Yay! Also waiting is "Drive-Thru Dreams: A Journey Through the Heart of America's Fast-Food Kingdom" by Adam Chandler. It has a colorful jacket that caught my eye - what can I say?


----------



## JoAnn L.

Just got reading Stephen Kings book"The Outsider". I never read any of his books before but this was hard to put down.


----------



## GotGarlic

Cooking Goddess said:


> Lastly, I started to read "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking" by Samin Nosrat. I knew who she was before Himself called me into the living room to see her interview on a local PBS show. I thought she was delightful. Sadly, I just couldn't see her book the same way. I read about 50 pages and gave up. I didn't even look at the recipes before it was due at the library. Shame, shame...


Have you watched her mini series on Netflix? That was really fun and interesting. From what I've seen of her book, it seems to be aimed at an audience of new cooks rather than experienced ones like us


----------



## CWS4322

Just finished https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40770839-the-second-worst-restaurant-in-france by (The Second Worst Restaurant in France) by Alexander McCall Smith. It was a delightful read. One my brother would have enjoyed.


----------



## GotGarlic

I read a "The Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy," a three-book series about a trio of witches by Nora Roberts. It was a really good summer read. A little Magick, some Irish history and superstition, romance and adventure, and an Irishwoman who likes to cook  - it has a little of everything. Recommended.


----------



## GotGarlic

For my book club meeting next week, I'm reading "The Power" by Naomi Alderman. It's sort of a reverse "Handmaid's Tale" where the women are stronger than the men. I'm not very far into it yet, but it's very interesting so far.


----------



## Just Cooking

CWS4322 said:


> Just finished https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40770839-the-second-worst-restaurant-in-france by (The Second Worst Restaurant in France) by Alexander McCall Smith. It was a delightful read. One my brother would have enjoyed.



This was fun..  

I enjoy his books.. First found him through his Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency series...

Presently reading his, The Department of Sensitive Crimes..

Ross


----------



## CWS4322

CWS4322 said:


> Just finished https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40770839-the-second-worst-restaurant-in-france by (The Second Worst Restaurant in France) by Alexander McCall Smith. It was a delightful read. One my brother would have enjoyed.


The reviews of this book are mixed. I found it delightful because I lived in Quebec and got the subtle "jokes" and understood the nuances behind the smattering of French. I am not a fan of the !st Ladies Detective Club series.


----------



## Kayelle

GotGarlic said:


> I read a "The Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy," a three-book series about a trio of witches by Nora Roberts. It was a really good summer read. A little Magick, some Irish history and superstition, romance and adventure, and an Irishwoman who likes to cook  - it has a little of everything. Recommended. View attachment 36019




Thanks for the tip *GG*. I just ordered the Kindle version of the first book. 

It really caught my eye as my maternal family came from County Mayo Ireland. Looking forward to the series.


----------



## CWS4322

Just Cooking said:


> This was fun..
> 
> I enjoy his books.. First found him through his Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency series...
> 
> Presently reading his, The Department of Sensitive Crimes..
> 
> Ross


I haven't read any of those. Are they similar to the 1 Ladies Detective Agency series? I couldn't get into those. Not sure why, the characters weren't developed? Plot was thin? I don't know, just couldn't get into them. Is the Department of Sensitive Crimes better?


----------



## CWS4322

Just Cooking said:


> This was fun..
> 
> I enjoy his books.. First found him through his Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency series...
> 
> Presently reading his, The Department of Sensitive Crimes..
> 
> Ross


My brother was a scribbler. I have boxes and boxes of his little notebooks dating back to 1979. He scribbled thoughts and observations, conversations he overheard, etc. He would have loved The 2nd Worst Restaurant because of the quirky characters, the waitress giving birth on the kitchen floor (he was on a bus where a tailor died and went around and around on the bus for 24 hours, even though he got off after 4 hours). There are things you can't make up. I read his scribblings and laugh and cry. He should have twisted the threads together in a book. I am working on that. But I miss him so.


----------



## Just Cooking

CWS4322 said:


> I haven't read any of those. Are they similar to the 1 Ladies Detective Agency series? I couldn't get into those. Not sure why, the characters weren't developed? Plot was thin? I don't know, just couldn't get into them. Is the Department of Sensitive Crimes better?



I would say that if you don't enjoy the Ladies Detective series, you may not enjoy some of his other offerings.. 

I find that with many authors, there is a common thread or cadence running throughout their books.. 

I like Ladies Detective series "because of" his character development.. As each character in each book is reintroduced, that character is again explained.. 

As to thin plots, I consider that to be the authors style and, to me, that is evident in most all his books.. 

I don't consider Alexander McCall Smith to be an author trying to impart any wisdom.. I read his works for simple enjoyment..   

Ross


----------



## CWS4322

Just Cooking said:


> I would say that if you don't enjoy the Ladies Detective series, you may not enjoy some of his other offerings..
> 
> I find that with many authors, there is a common thread or cadence running throughout their books..
> 
> I like Ladies Detective series "because of" his character development.. As each character in each book is reintroduced, that character is again explained..
> 
> As to thin plots, I consider that to be the authors style and, to me, that is evident in most all his books..
> 
> I don't consider Alexander McCall Smith to be an author trying to impart any wisdom.. I read his works for simple enjoyment..
> 
> Ross


Because I take care of the Elders, I read 1-2 books / day. I love authors who can twist phrases and quirky characters. I also read non-fiction.


----------



## GotGarlic

Kayelle said:


> Thanks for the tip *GG*. I just ordered the Kindle version of the first book.
> 
> It really caught my eye as my maternal family came from County Mayo Ireland. Looking forward to the series.


Let me know what you think of it.


----------



## CWS4322

Just Cooking said:


> I would say that if you don't enjoy the Ladies Detective series, you may not enjoy some of his other offerings..
> 
> I find that with many authors, there is a common thread or cadence running throughout their books..
> 
> I like Ladies Detective series "because of" his character development.. As each character in each book is reintroduced, that character is again explained..
> 
> As to thin plots, I consider that to be the authors style and, to me, that is evident in most all his books..
> 
> I don't consider Alexander McCall Smith to be an author trying to impart any wisdom.. I read his works for simple enjoyment..
> 
> Ross


When reading my brother's scribblings, I learned that he and my father called me "The Duchess". I also learned that I was always referred to as "she" or "her." "Whenever I talk to 'her' I hear clucking in the background. Does she live in a chicken coop?" Gosh, I miss him so.


----------



## JoAnn L.

Just went to the library and got Kitchen Yarns, Notes on Life, Love and Food by Ann Hood. It says on the back that it spills tales of loss and starting from scratch, family love and feasts with friends, and how the perfect meal is one that taste like home. I just got done reading about the life of Leonardo Da Vinci. I needed something to read with humor and tenderness. this seems to be the perfect book.


----------



## Just Cooking

No idea why but, I kind of lost touch with books by Elmore Leonard..

I used to read everything by him I could find..

I just ran across Kill Shot, in my library and am hooked on his books again..

Ross


----------



## CWS4322

Just finished "A Death in White Bear Lake" (non-fiction). It was an interesting read. I learned a lot about the history of battered-child syndrome and those who campaigned to get it into the legal system since most, if not all, of the evidence of such is circumstantial. Minnesota and California were the first states to recognize it as something that a parent or guardian could be charged with. It took 22 years to bring the case to trial. Not a cozy, but educational. I am now reading "Defying Hitler." I have a somewhat eclectic taste when it comes to what I read. I don't read horror or fantasy.


----------



## GotGarlic

Since I last checked in I have read "The Power" by Naomi Alderman and "The Kitchen House" by Kathleen Grissom.

The first was a book club selection. It's a dystopian novel about a future where women become dominant because they develop a superpower that allows them to be more powerful than men. How do they react? Read and find out. There are some graphic scenes.

The second book is about a young Irish girl orphaned during her parents' trip from Ireland to the United States to be indentured servants. She ends up growing up on the ship captain's Virginia plantation under the care of the slaves. It's a very good story with interesting twists.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

GotGarlic said:


> Have you watched her (Samin Nosrat) mini series on Netflix? That was really fun and interesting. From what I've seen of her book, it seems to be aimed at an audience of new cooks rather than experienced ones like us


No, haven't seen it. We don't have Netflix. But thanks for making me feel better about not getting all gaga over her book. Nice to find I'm better than a basic, new cook. I guess.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Cooking Goddess said:


> ...I also have two books on deck: large print is James Patterson's most recently published book in the Women's Murder Club series, "The 18th abduction" Once read, I'll be up-to-date with that series. Yay! Also waiting is "Drive-Thru Dreams: A Journey Through the Heart of America's Fast-Food Kingdom" by Adam Chandler. It has a colorful jacket that caught my eye - what can I say?


OK, read those two. "The 18th Abduction" was the usual fast-paced, riveting Patterson/Paetro thriller. Thankfully, it didn't end in a cliff-hanger. Just have to wait till the next one comes out.

"Drive-Thru Dreams" was an interesting history lesson on fast food restaurants and their founders. Lots of connections between all the different competitors - like who got their start at one place, then went on to found their own chain. 

Since those two books I've read three more, two of them history-heavy. The first, *D-Day Girls*, was a gripping true story of the women who worked behind the lines and along side the men who kept the underground resistance moving along in order for the standing armies of the U.S. and Britain to succeed in WWII. The other, *First They Killed My Father*, is the most uplifting and hopeful book you might ever read about a young girl's heart-wrenching and soul-crushing childhood spent under the heel of the Khmer Rouge for four years. Angelina Jolie directed a Netflix movie by the same name. Luong Ung, the author of the book, ended up marrying her college sweetheart and settled in Cleveland. Cleveland! What a small world. Next time we see the kids, we should head to their restaurant/brewery right next to West Side Market when I make my yearly pilgrimage.

The third book was a fluff "cozy" mystery, *Pressing the Issue*. It's the 6th offering in Daryl Wood Gerber's "Cookbook Nook Mystery" series. This one will be going TO the library courtesy of moi. They did not have one copy in the entire library lending system, so I bought a used copy online. Time to pass it along so they will now have ONE.


----------



## CWS4322

I am reading Greg Iles Cemetary Road.


----------



## CharlieD

https://www.amazon.com/Revolution-Marina-M-Novel/dp/0316439940

Must read to all those who think the socialism is a good thing.


----------



## Just Cooking

Cooking Goddess said:


> *D-Day Girls*[/URL], was a gripping true story of the women who worked behind the lines and along side the men who kept the underground resistance moving along in order for the standing armies of the U.S. and Britain to succeed in WWII.



This became available for my Kindle this weekend.. Only 10% into it and it seems to be quite interesting.. 

While browsing Ebooks I saw *Chocolate Cream Pie Murder* by Joanne Fluke..
I added it because of the title..   

Ross


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I really enjoy Joanne Fluke's books, Ross. If you like that one, go back to the first book in the series and read them all in order. She does a great job of character development over the years.

I hope you think D-Day Girls is a good read. Like any book about war, it gets a bit graphic.


----------



## Just Cooking

Cooking Goddess said:


> I really enjoy Joanne Fluke's books, Ross. If you like that one, go back to the first book in the series and read them all in order. She does a great job of character development over the years.
> 
> I hope you think D-Day Girls is a good read. Like any book about war, it gets a bit graphic.



Thank you, CG.. I like series..  At times I get frustrated because my library might have 1 or 2 of a series and I have to scramble reading them in order.. My most enjoyable authors do a good job of making series books stand alone too..  

I enjoy war stories which feature people who contributed to the war effort and how people coped with and survived what they went through..

Ross


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I hear you (read you?) about the library missing books from a series, *Ross*. I'm currently reading through the Cookbook Nook series by Daryl Wood Gerber. The library was missing the 6th book in the series - I found that out after I read #5. I ended up ordering a used copy online, then donated it to the library after I had read it. I think the desk clerk took it home to read first, though. It hasn't showed up on the library website as being available yet. 

My upstairs (regular print) book is from the aforementioned Cookbook Nook series - #7, "*Wreath Between the Lines*". If the baseball game doesn't go too long (10PM start time), I should be able to finish it tonight. And then the basement large-print book: *Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir* by Ruth Reichl. After reading her book "My Kitchen Year", I decided that  I liked her writing style enough that I wanted to read more of her books.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Alright, after reading both of the books mentioned above, I returned them to the library in exchange for three more - plus the "The Good Place - Season 3" DVD mentioned in the TV thread. I'm about to start my large print "*Southern Lady Code*", since I pedaled my way to the finish of "*The Puzzle of the Happy Hooligan*", a mystery first written in 1941 and recently re-released by "American Mystery Classics". It was a sweet and entertaining mystery for the most part, but apparently from a different age. It seems that the P.C. police had not reviewed it, since there were ethnic expressions in it that even I knew were inappropriate when I was a young reader in the late 1950s-early 1960s. 

My book de cuisine is "*Simple*" by Diana Henry. I have no idea why I get cook books from the library. It's not like I've made every recipe from my 150+ book collection already!  Like nuts or small candies, though, they're fun to nibble on.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

In case you all haven't noticed, I haven't been posting as much as my normal chatty self. That could be a good thing!   It's because I've been busy reading (yay) and cleaning (boo). Mostly reading. Just checking my library account, I see that I have seven (7!) books at home.  So far I've read "Today Will Be Different" by Maria Semple. Oh, this book was definitely different. Do you ever read a book and think "it certainly has to get better?" but, instead of putting it on your "DNF" list, you keep plodding along? And the book never ends up getting better? Yeah, that's how I felt about this one. IMO, the book was written either by someone on some seriously heavy drugs or the random keyboard pounding of a cat. Your choice.

Next was the first of the "Jesse Stone" mysteries by Robert B. Parker, "Night Passage". Himself and I have seen a couple of the Jesse Stone TV movies, and the books are available in large print, so I've decided that they will make good bike-riding stories. Thoroughly enjoyed this first one. The part of Jesse Stone seems written for Tom Selleck, too. Having seen a few movies first, I can hear his voice reading the lines of Jesse Stone.  I have the next two books in my TBR basket.

I'm working my way through "Goldy's Kitchen Cookbook" right now, having made the Whole Enchilada Pie for supper last night. I've actually made quite a few of Mott's/Goldy's recipes over the years. I plan on getting a used copy of this book online soon, since I never have gotten around to actually organizing all the copies I've made of random Goldy recipes. :

I have a copy of David Lebovitz's "My Paris Kitchen" to peruse when I'm done with Goldy's Kitchen. I also have "The Pecan Man" to read. It's the December selection for our library's drop-in book club. I thought I'd read ahead and see if it's something I'd like to join in on.


Is anyone else out there reading?


----------



## GotGarlic

[waving] I am! [emoji38] I feel ya about trying to finish a book that doesn't get more interesting as you get more into it. My book club was reading "Becoming Mrs. Lewis" last month, about the woman who married C.S. Lewis. I didn't like the character much, so I had a hard time continuing it. Finally, I gave up and begged off the meeting. I'm still recovering from surgery, after all 

The next book club book is "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman. I haven't started it yet. We'll see how it goes.

I finally started reading Michelle Obama's memoir "Becoming" yesterday (DH gave it to me for Christmas last year). I like it so far. She's a good writer.


----------



## bbqcoder

Cooking Goddess said:


> Do you ever read a book and think "it certainly has to get better?" but, instead of putting it on your "DNF" list, you keep plodding along?



I recently started to read Waking Up White, and Finding Myself in the Story of Race on my Kindle and got to about 21% and gave up.  I can't recall ever forcing myself to read a book.  Maybe I did but I would likely skim/speed read to the end to see if it gets better.

Another bad book that I tried to read a year or two ago was Hillary's What Happened book.  I can't describe why it was bad.  Maybe it was because Hillary was full of herself?  




Cooking Goddess said:


> Is anyone else out there reading?





I actually had written up a post about a week or two ago on my iPad but somehow accidentally closed the tab or something thereby losing my work.  So I said eff this and did something else.  I was reminded of this when I scrolled back on this page and didn't see the post.

I finished Jerry Remy's If These Walls Could Talk: Boston Red Sox.  It was an easy read about Jerry's playing days as a ball player and as a color guy for many years for NESN.  It also mentions his battles dealing with depression and having a son who murdered his wife.  

Right now, I'm reading Trevor Noah's Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood. It was recommended by a friend of mine who read it for her book club.  It's a good read so far.  Unfortunately, I only read about 40 minutes in the morning when I do the treadmill & elliptical machines.  So it will take me a while to finish a book.


----------



## GotGarlic

bbqcoder said:


> Another bad book that I tried to read a year or two ago was Hillary's What Happened book.  I can't describe why it was bad.  Maybe it was because Hillary was full of herself?



I loved it. I don't see how the most qualified person ever to run for president comes across as "full of herself." Unless that's how you describe self-confidence when you're talking about a well-educated, accomplished, successful woman.


----------



## bbqcoder

I voted for Hillary but my vote did not matter in liberal Massachusetts. I took a look at the Amazon reviews and I think this one captured my feelings best (emphasis is mine).



> That was a painful read. Instead of a book I can't put down, it was a book I couldn't pick up. It took me a month to read it. *I was expecting an inside look at the campaign: what worked, what didn't, strategies and the reasonings behind them, internal battles, successes and failures.* This book has none of that. Instead it is a book of:
> * Democrat talking points
> * I love my daughter and my mother and my grandkids. They are so wonderful. Oh, and my dad too, I guess. And Bill's really an OK guy.
> * Everyone else is a jerk: Donald, Bernie, Comey, the FBI, the Russians, the Republicans, the media, white women--make that any woman who didn't vote for me because, well, you know, because I'm a woman.
> * People who voted for Trump really are deplorable. No seriously, I mean it. Geesh, Trump groped a woman. That makes people who support him deplorable, doesn't it?
> * I wanted to talk about issues but everyone else wanted to talk about how incompetent I am with email.
> 
> There was so much in this book that had nothing to do with "What Happened" and so little to do with what actually did happen.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

*bbq*, Himself and I have default votes up our sleeves when we go to the polls and there isn't a candidate we can vote for - whether it's a big national election or a little local town vote. My choice is Snoopy (I even have a campaign button for him), while Himself votes for Montgomery Brewster*...since ballots still don't have "None of the Above" as a choice. 

*If you've never seen the movie "Brewster's Millions", get it from the library and settle in for a fun couple of hours.


----------



## Katie H

Am 'bout halfway through _The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks_ by Rebecca Skloot.  I can hardly wait to finish.  Soooooooooooo much interesting information and would love to have my physician father still be alive to discuss this information.


Much of the amazing information took place when my dad was in his medical prime.  He always kept up on medical information and was part of the historic "Three Faces of Eve" study.


Saw the movie some time ago but the book fills in so many gaps.  I learned so much about the HeLa cells and, discovered that I was a recipient of how the research impacted me with one of the chemo drugs I was treated with with my recent breast cancer treatment.


Much, much more information and I've only made it halfway through the book.


Awesome!!!!!!


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Katie, I absolutely loved that book! It made me laugh, it made me cry...and it made me truly sad - no, mad - with the way Henrietta and her family were exploited. I don't remember there being a movie, though. I'll have to hunt it down at our library.


----------



## Katie H

Yes, the more I get into the book, the more I have challenges.


I grew up in the deep south with things that had to do with black/white issues.


One of the most powerful experiences I have ever had came from an experience with my father.


I, fortunately, had the opportunity to assist him in a minor surgery...gallbladder something.  Don't remember.


He'd opened the patient, who would be considered today as morbidly obese, was on the table.  He'd opened the abdomen and had retracted the site.


One of the circulating nurses, who was known to have an "attitude" made some disgusting comment about black folks being overly fat.


He looked over his cloth-covered mask and raised his caterpillar eyebrows and said,  "You will notice we're all the same color on the inside."


I always respected my father and, at this situation, I felt he was glorious.


He taught me lessons that were wonderful!


Love you, Daddy!


----------



## bbqcoder

Katie H said:


> Am 'bout halfway through _The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks_ by Rebecca Skloot.  I can hardly wait to finish.  Soooooooooooo much interesting information and would love to have my physician father still be alive to discuss this information.



Looks interesting. I put it on my list to read.


----------



## luckytrim

Collected Works of Poe


----------



## Just Cooking

Just Cooking said:


> I have read and enjoyed "A Gentleman in Moscow"..
> 
> *I have placed a hold on "Where the Crawdads Sing"*, mainly because the author is compared to Barbara Kingsolver.. Love her books..
> 
> *Unfortunately I'm #151 on my library list so, it will be a while..*
> 
> Ross



Well... I'm a pretty patient guy and my turn to read this finally came up..

I totally enjoyed this book..  

I understand that a screen play is close to being completed and I just hope that the upcoming movie isn't a huge disappointment.. As of what I read today, stars, etc., have yet to be chosen..

Ross


----------



## Kayelle

I'm glad you really liked "Crawdad's" too *Ross*. It's the best I've read in a long time.


I just finished a book I really enjoyed also...*"The Whip" *by Karen Kondazian. I adore Historical Novels like this and it was certainly memorable. I highly recommend it.  


> The Whip is inspired by the true story of a woman, Charlotte "Charley" Parkhurst (1812-1879) who lived most of her extraordinary life as a man.
> 
> As a young woman in Rhode Island, she fell in love and had a child. Her husband was lynched and her baby killed. The destruction of her family drove her west to California, dressed as a man, to track down the murder.
> 
> Charley became a renowned stagecoach driver. She killed a famous outlaw, had a secret love affair, and lived with a housekeeper who, unaware of her true sex, fell in love with her.
> 
> Charley was the first woman to vote in America (as a man). Her grave lies in Watsonville, California.​


----------



## Just Cooking

Kayelle said:


> I'm glad you really liked "Crawdad's" too *Ross*. *It's the best I've read in a long time.
> *
> 
> I just finished a book I really enjoyed also...*"The Whip" *by Karen Kondazian. I adore Historical Novels like this and it was certainly memorable. I highly recommend it.



I agree with that in bold... 

My library doesn't have The Whip at present.. I'm certain I'd like that too.. Historical Novels are my fave..

Ross


----------



## Kayelle

Ross, I thought that much of *The Whip* taking place in Watsonville would really get your attention.  

By the way, not sure if I asked you before, but have you read *"The Proud Breed" *by Celeste De Blasis? It's just about my all time favorite historical novel, all of it taking place in California. It was first published in 1978.


----------



## Just Cooking

Kayelle said:


> Ross, I thought that much of *The Whip* taking place in Watsonville would really get your attention.
> 
> By the way, not sure if I asked you before, but have you read *"The Proud Breed" *by Celeste De Blasis? It's just about my all time favorite historical novel, all of it taking place in California. It was first published in 1978.



I would like to read The Whip and I will at some point.. I have read about "Charley Parkhurst" and find her an interesting character..

In reading about The Proud Breed, I think I'd enjoy reading that although I, generally, pass by books advertised as Romance Novels...

Ross


----------



## Kayelle

Just Cooking said:


> I would like to read The Whip and I will at some point.. I have read about "Charley Parkhurst" and find her an interesting character..
> 
> *In reading about The Proud Breed, I think I'd enjoy reading that although I, generally, pass by books advertised as Romance Novels...*
> 
> Ross




 Ross, I understand about "romance novels"...Souschef avoids them at all cost, and calls them "bodice rippers".  *The Proud Breed  *is nothing like that in reality.  I know you would really enjoy it.


----------



## BakersDozen

Hi Ross...I loved Where the Crawdads Sing, and recently read Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber, and The Secret Ingredient of Wishes by Susan Bishop Crispell. They were really good and similar in a magical way.


----------



## Kayelle

Thanks for the tips BD. I just ordered  *Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber, *and it looks like something I'll really enjoy also.


----------



## Just Cooking

Hey BD.. Thanks for the recommendations..

Just checked with my library and neither book is available..  

I do miss my California library system..

Ross


----------



## cookieee

I am halfway through David Baldacci's "The Camel Club". I understand it is the first in a series.


----------



## BakersDozen

*Where the Crawdads Sing*

Hi Kayelle...hope you enjoy the book. I loved it!


----------



## BakersDozen

Hi Ross...both books are new for this year. My library gets them earlier I guess. I know "Midnight" comes out in January. Maybe your library will get it then. I don't know about the other book, but I know its new.


----------



## BakersDozen

Ross...Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe comes out January 7, 2020. The Secret Ingredients for Wishes has been out since September 2016...which surprised me...I've never seen or heard of it before this year. I'm always browsing books and don't know how I missed it!


----------



## GotGarlic

I'm about to start this book for my book club meeting next month: "These is my words : the diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901 : Arizona territories : a novel," by Nancy E. Turner.

It's based on the author's family memoirs. Here's a review: https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-06-039225-3


----------



## bbqcoder

Just read an article in today's NYT about *Where The Crawdads Sing*.  Some interesting factoids from the article.



> As the end of 2019 approaches, “Crawdads” has sold more print copies than any other adult title this year — fiction or nonfiction — according to NPD BookScan, blowing away the combined print sales of new novels by John Grisham, Margaret Atwood and Stephen King. Putnam has returned to the printers nearly 40 times to feed a seemingly bottomless demand for the book. Foreign rights have sold in 41 countries.
> 
> Industry analysts have struggled to explain the novel’s staying power, particularly at a moment when fiction sales over all are flagging, and most blockbuster novels drop off the best-seller list after a few weeks.





> One of the most surprising things about the success of “Crawdads” is that sales began to accelerate months after it came out — an anomaly in publishing, where sales typically peak just after publication, aided by the initial advertising and marketing around a title.



I have not read this book but I guess I need to put it on my list.


----------



## Just Cooking

I am not surprised that "Crawdads" is selling so well..

As Kayelle said, and I agreed, one of the most enjoyable books in a long time.. 

Ross


----------



## Kayelle

GotGarlic said:


> I'm about to start this book for my book club meeting next month: *"These is my words : the diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901 : Arizona territories : a novel," by Nancy E. Turner.
> *
> It's based on the author's family memoirs. Here's a review: https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-06-039225-3




Ohmygosh  *GG*!! That is one of my very favorite books of all time! Don't miss the  two following books..Star Garden and Sarah's Quilt. I'm forever  changed by Sarah Prine. What a remarkable woman. I also really enjoyed Nancy Turner's writing style.
You're gonna love it!!


----------



## GotGarlic

Kayelle said:


> Ohmygosh  *GG*!! That is one of my very favorite books of all time! Don't miss the  two following books..Star Garden and Sarah's Quilt. I'm forever  changed by Sarah Prine. What a remarkable woman. I also really enjoyed Nancy Turner's writing style.
> You're gonna love it!!


Great to know, Kay! I've barely started it and I'm enjoying it so far. I didn't know there was a series. Thanks.


----------



## cjmmytunes

Mom and I are reading 2 series by Catherine Coulter that tie together.  The first is the "FBI" series, and the second is "A Brit in the FBI" series.  FBI has about 24 books and Brit so far only has about 6 books.


----------



## CWS4322

Just finished Meg Waite Clayton's book, "The Last Train to London." Very well written, highly recommend it. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43386062-the-last-train-to-london


----------



## cookieee

I am reading #28 in the "Stone Barrington" series by Stewart Woods. I think there are over 50 books in this series.  That is going to keep me busy for a long time. lol


----------



## Just Cooking

CWS4322 said:


> Just finished Meg Waite Clayton's book, "The Last Train to London." Very well written, highly recommend it. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43386062-the-last-train-to-london



Thank you... I've added this to my library "wait list".. I'm #3 so I should have it soon..

Ross


----------



## RCJoe

*My Recent Reading*

Presently reading,  "24 Hours in Ancient Rome" by Philip Matyszak.

This book is a blast with plenty of references to cooking and life centered
around food.  Descriptions of the cuisine & condiments may shock you.  But this slice of a day of a calendar year back then showcases the way Rome functioned.  Teachers of Latin or History may enjoy this too.  

Last book I enjoyed,  "The Book of Unholy Mischief"  by Elle Newmark.

This is a story about a Chef in Venice Italy, his family, his work, and some street kids at the beginning of the Renaissance.  There's loads of intrigue in this tale and I actually hated to come to the end of it.  Theological  information was woven into the books of recipes quite cleverly by the Chef's of the time where they served as a secret underground clergy to preserve what some powerful people would like to destroy.  Politicians would sack the town hunting for "The Book" (not realizing that it was disguised as a cook book) anytime rumors of it arose.  Loads of suspense here in a well written story.


----------



## GotGarlic

RCJoe said:


> Presently reading,  "24 Hours in Ancient Rome" by Philip Matyszak...
> 
> Last book I enjoyed,  "The Book of Unholy Mischief"  by Elle Newmark.


Thanks, I've made note of both of these. It looks like you like historical fiction involving food as much as I do  You might like these books by Crystal King: "Feast of Sorrow" about Apicius in ancient Rome, and "The Chef's Secret" set in medieval Venice. I loved the first one; the second one was just released, so I haven't read it yet. Looking forward to it, though.

Here's her website: https://www.crystalking.com/books-by-crystal-king


----------



## Katie H

Am thoroughly mesmerized by The Goldfinch, that is an awesome book.

Penned by Donna Tartt and has grabbed me. 

Look at this information.


----------



## Just Cooking

Katie H said:


> Am thoroughly mesmerized by The Goldfinch, that is an awesome book.
> 
> Penned by Donna Tartt and has grabbed me.
> 
> Look at this information.



Very much enjoyed this book..  

Ross


----------



## BakersDozen

I've been reading "Licking the Spoon" by Candace Walsh and enjoyed. Also "Too Many Cooks" by Dana Bate...these are older books.
 I loved "The Giver of Stars" by Jojo Moyes, and now I'm reading, "Hungry Mother Creek" by Heather Cobham. Catching up on my reading now that the holidays are over!


----------



## Just Cooking

In a Field of Blue
Novel by Gemma Liviero

England 1922. It's been four years since Rudy's brother Edgar went missing in war-torn France. Still deep in mourning and grappling with unanswered questions, Rudy and his mother struggle to move on. When the enigmatic Mariette arrives unexpectedly at the family's manor claiming to be Edgar's widow, and the mother of his child, Rudy urges her to stay, hoping she'll shed light on the missing pieces.

Captivated by Mariette, Rudy finds that their mutual loss and grief bind them...as does the possibility of new love. But Mariette's revelations bring more questions than answers about Edgar's death. Suspicions threaten to divide Rudy's already fractured family, setting him on a quest for the truth that takes him from England to France and beyond.

In his search, Rudy is forced to confront the tragedies of war and the realities of the brother he's lost and the woman he's found. Will the truth set him free to find peace, or will it forever shadow his future?

I enjoyed reading this..  

Ross


----------



## cookieee

As I mentioned earlier, reading the "Stone Barrington" series by Stuart Woods. Has or is anyone else read/reading these books?  I am dying to discuss "Stone" with someone. If you know of him, you will understand why. lol


----------



## Kayelle

Just Cooking said:


> In a Field of Blue
> Novel by Gemma Liviero
> 
> England 1922. It's been four years since Rudy's brother Edgar went missing in war-torn France. Still deep in mourning and grappling with unanswered questions, Rudy and his mother struggle to move on. When the enigmatic Mariette arrives unexpectedly at the family's manor claiming to be Edgar's widow, and the mother of his child, Rudy urges her to stay, hoping she'll shed light on the missing pieces.
> 
> Captivated by Mariette, Rudy finds that their mutual loss and grief bind them...as does the possibility of new love. But Mariette's revelations bring more questions than answers about Edgar's death. Suspicions threaten to divide Rudy's already fractured family, setting him on a quest for the truth that takes him from England to France and beyond.
> 
> In his search, Rudy is forced to confront the tragedies of war and the realities of the brother he's lost and the woman he's found. Will the truth set him free to find peace, or will it forever shadow his future?
> 
> I enjoyed reading this..
> 
> Ross




Sounds good to me Ross. I just ordered it.


----------



## CWS4322

Just Cooking said:


> Thank you... I've added this to my library "wait list".. I'm #3 so I should have it soon..
> 
> Ross


Let us know what you think of it. I didn't know anything about this. I am deeply humbled by people who were so driven by their convictions. My Norwegian cousins, one of whom ended up in a concentration camp, were part of the Norwegian résistance. Question--could I ever have the courage and faith that they had?


----------



## GotGarlic

GotGarlic said:


> I'm about to start this book for my book club meeting next month: "These is my words : the diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901 : Arizona territories : a novel," by Nancy E. Turner.
> 
> It's based on the author's family memoirs. Here's a review: https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-06-039225-3





Kayelle said:


> Ohmygosh  *GG*!! That is one of my very favorite books of all time! Don't miss the  two following books..Star Garden and Sarah's Quilt. I'm forever  changed by Sarah Prine. What a remarkable woman. I also really enjoyed Nancy Turner's writing style.
> You're gonna love it!!





GotGarlic said:


> Great to know, Kay! I've barely started it and I'm enjoying it so far. I didn't know there was a series. Thanks.


Kayelle, I finished the first one last week and ordered the next two through ThriftBooks - they arrived Friday. I really loved the first one, just started the second, and wanted to thank you again for letting me know about the sequels. It's fascinating reading.

Since I'm hosting the book club meeting on this book, I'm going to make tamales and buñuelos, in keeping with the theme [emoji2]


----------



## CWS4322

cookieee said:


> As I mentioned earlier, reading the "Stone Barrington" series by Stuart Woods. Has or is anyone else read/reading these books?  I am dying to discuss "Stone" with someone. If you know of him, you will understand why. lol


I have read a lot of them only because my Dad brings them home. Not a fan--totally not realistic and not well written.


----------



## Rocklobster

I'm reading  "Waging Heavy Peace" by Niel Young..just started it.. I fall asleep really fast..


----------



## cookieee

CWS4322 said:


> I have read a lot of them only because my Dad brings them home. Not a fan--totally not realistic and not well written.


Sorry to hear that.


----------



## CWS4322

cookieee said:


> Sorry to hear that.


Too commercialized for my taste. To each his own. Enjoy.


----------



## Kayelle

GotGarlic said:


> Kayelle, I finished the first one last week and ordered the next two through ThriftBooks - they arrived Friday. I really loved the first one, just started the second, and wanted to thank you again for letting me know about the sequels. It's fascinating reading.
> 
> Since I'm hosting the book club meeting on this book, I'm going to make tamales and buñuelos, in keeping with the theme [emoji2]




You're so very welcome *GG,* it makes me happy you really enjoyed it and I know you'll also like the next two. I'll be interested to hear what your book club thought of *"These Is My Words".* 

Good thinking on the menu selection for the ladies.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I've been working my way through Robert Parker's "Jesse Stone" series. I just finished #13, "Blind Spot", written by Reed Farrel Coleman. The last book that Robert Parker had his hand in was #9. The next three were written with/by Michael Brandman. There was little difference in writing style; possibly because Brandman had worked closely with Parker when creating the Jesse Stone movies. This first work by Coleman was a big change in style and characters. A bit jarring. The next five in the series are also written by Coleman. I hope this next book is more like the first dozen...


----------



## Just Cooking

Enjoyed all the movies but only read a few of the books.. I should revisit them..

Ross


----------



## Katie H

Just finished "The Tatooist of Auschwitz."

Omigosh!  So interesting, sad and powerful.  Unbelievable story.  No way anyone could belive the Holocaust did not occur!!

I recommend you be in a positive place before reading this true story.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Katie, I looked that book up. I'm sure it was a great book, but I'm afraid that I'd never be in a good enough place to be able to read it.

Well guys, if you don't see me around here for a while, this is why:


----------



## cookieee

You would think this thread would be pretty busy.  I had to go searching for it. Just bumping up to find later. Haven't finished my coffee yet. lol Back soon


----------



## Andy M.

I have been using Kindle and Libby on my phone to borrow library books. It’s perfect for the current situation. All the free books you can read. 

Currently reading some James Patterson and David Baldacci novels. Two prolific authors so there’s plenty to read.


----------



## cookieee

I am now reading (and probably will for quite a while lol) a big book by Lee Server. It is a biography of "Robert Mitchum". I know some of you are old enough to know who he was. lol. It was pub. in 2001,  sitting in my bookcase for quite a few years. So far, I am enjoying it. He is in his early 20's, married, and has become a pretty good actor. I was surprised to read that he was such a wild child. He left home at the age of 14 and road the rails around the country.


----------



## cookieee

Andy M. said:


> I have been using Kindle and Libby on my phone to borrow library books. It’s perfect for the current situation. All the free books you can read.
> 
> Currently reading some James Patterson and David Baldacci novels. Two prolific authors so there’s plenty to read.


I really like those two also. Have you heard about Baldacci's new book coming out soon?



This is the sixth book in the Memory Man series by David Baldacci.

Baldacci was primarily a standalone author although has tried a few series in his time.  None seem to have resonated with readers as much as the Memory Man series featuring Amos Decker.  Amos is an FBI consultant with a perfect memory and in the latest thriller, he is brought in to attempt to solve a murder in an oil town in North Dakota.

Walk the Wire is going to be released on April 21st, 2020.

Do you have a list of Patterson books? If not, here is one that I have.
https://www.orderofbooks.com/authors/james-patterson/


----------



## RCJoe

What I'm reading?

Homewreckers: How a Gang of Wall Street Kingpins, Hedge Fund Magnates, Crooked Banks, and Vulture Capitalists Suckered Millions Out of Their Homes and Demolished the American Dream. by Aaron Glantz

This book explains a lot about the past few decades and it is quite well documented as well.  .........and so many of these same Ivory Tower Criminals have now been appointed to key leadership positions.

So if you wonder how we arrived in the mess we are in now and who brought it to us, give this a read.

www.amazon.com/Homewreckers-Betting-Against-American-Dream-ebook/dp/B07CLM98K7


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Before the library closed because of the Covid-19 situation, I picked up the most recent books in two series. I've since finished Robert Parker's "The Bitterest Pill" (Jesse Stone series) and James Patterson's "The 19th Christmas" (Women's Murder Club series). I picked up two other random books. I read and enjoyed "Peculiar questions and practical answers : a little book of whimsy and wisdom from the files of the New York Public Library", which was informative and entertaining. I'm still working my way through "Friendship cure: reconnecting in the modern world". The title seemed timely considering we're all needing to keep our contacts distant. It's a bit of a slow read...

Meanwhile, I do have magazines to keep my busy, so far.


----------



## JoAnn L.

I am reading mysteries that take place in a Welsh village. Author is Rhys Bowen


----------



## Just Cooking

JoAnn L. said:


> I am reading mysteries that take place in a Welsh village. Author is Rhys Bowen



Fun series..  

Ross


----------



## GotGarlic

I'm reading "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek" by Kim Michelle Richardson for my next book club meeting, which we will hold via Zoom teleconferencing. It's about a traveling librarian in Kentucky during the Depression - part of Roosevelt's Pack Horse Library Project. She traveled by mule to deliver and retrieve books and other reading materials for people who lived in the mountains of rural eastern Kentucky. Very interesting story.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

GotGarlic said:


> I'm reading "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek" by Kim Michelle Richardson for my next book club meeting, which we will hold via Zoom teleconferencing. It's about a traveling librarian in Kentucky during the Depression - part of Roosevelt's Pack Horse Library Project. She traveled by mule to deliver and retrieve books and other reading materials for people who lived in the mountains of rural eastern Kentucky. Very interesting story.



Sounds good, I like books like that.


----------



## RCJoe

I'm reading "Dark Money" by Jane Mayer (investigative reporter with The New Yorker)

https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Money-History-Billionaires-Radical/dp/0307947904

Just the introduction alone is mind blowing.


----------



## Whiskadoodle

The public libraries are closed, of course.  You can order books that are on the shelves  in a specific branch and they will bring out curbside for pick up.  But only books avail in that particular branch, no ordering from central library or transfers from other branches (yet).   The County board got this terrific idea that since so many librarians are furloughed, they should be mandatory assigned to work in homeless shelters. One Co. employee is interchangeable with another Co worker.   Luckily, there is a Library board who vetoed that idea.   I was kinda-sorta hoping to see a duel on Main Street over that, but alas, distancing prevailed.  

I am reading a local author's series of detective/ murder mysteries all set in the Boundary Waters area.   William Kent Krueger, author.   The main character is a former County sheriff who helps the local law enforcement solve crimes, which apparently there are many.  In between he owns a burger stand, where he over-hears lots of inside information. Our own little Cabot Cove up on the northern lakes.   I made the mistake of reading one of his more recent titles before working up to it.  And found my own spoiler alert.  Sheriff is hooked up with a new woman and his first wife gets killed in some earlier title.  I hate that I found this out too  soon.


----------



## BakersDozen

I'm reading "The Dante Connection" by Estelle Ryan (no.2) and enjoying it. I'm behind on this series, I always get sidetracked by other books!

To those who are reading "The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek...loved it! Try "The Giver of Stars" by Jojo Moyes, its similar, and good too.
 Just my humble opinion...


----------



## GotGarlic

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Sounds good, I like books like that.


There's an interesting medical twist you would probably also like.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

GotGarlic said:


> There's an interesting medical twist you would probably also like.



I like medical twists!!


----------



## GotGarlic

BakersDozen said:


> I'm reading "The Dante Connection" by Estelle Ryan (no.2) and enjoying it. I'm behind on this series, I always get sidetracked by other books!
> 
> To those who are reading "The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek...loved it! Try "The Giver of Stars" by Jojo Moyes, its similar, and good too.
> Just my humble opinion...


Thanks for the suggestion. I'm looking it up now.


----------



## RCJoe

Our local TV station interviewed Librarians recently.  They were explaining how many people were lost without being able to visit the Libraries and check out books.  The purpose of the interview was to explain the Digital Libraries that exist where anyone with a Library Card (and PIN number) can download ebooks and audio books during the quarantine.  They mentioned that if a patron didn't have a PIN number they could call the library and get one assigned to their card. 

One of the reasons cited for using the Digital Public Libraries is that the local Library buildings can only house so many books.  By using these digital resources there is an exponentially larger collection available. 

These digital books "return themselves", so when the loan time is up there is never an overdue fine. 

Here in Ohio I use an ap called "Overdrive" and access the "OPLIN" (Ohio Public Library Information Network) and a lot of Library systems are affiliated with DPLA (Digital Public Libraries of America) But there are so many other Digital sources too.  Linkedin's "Lynda",  "Hoopla",  "KnowledgeCity", and.....
"A to Z Food America". 

Since I have a media tablet I can download to my laptop and then move the file to the tablet such that I can listen to an audio book thru the sound system of my car as I drive.  Even listen to it as I mow the lawn or paint around the house.

These Digital Libraries offer so much more than the old sticks & bricks Libraries ever offered.  Although it is nice to have a Library book to hold and read (provided you can get it)  our present circumstances makes the Digital realm
quite a comfort.


----------



## Just Cooking

I use Overdrive with my Kindle. Works well in these times..

My only disappointment is that, frequently, suggested authors/books are not available in my area.. 

Ross


----------



## GotGarlic

RCJoe said:


> Our local TV station interviewed Librarians recently.  They were explaining how many people were lost without being able to visit the Libraries and check out books.  The purpose of the interview was to explain the Digital Libraries that exist where anyone with a Library Card (and PIN number) can download ebooks and audio books during the quarantine.  They mentioned that if a patron didn't have a PIN number they could call the library and get one assigned to their card.
> 
> One of the reasons cited for using the Digital Public Libraries is that the local Library buildings can only house so many books.  By using these digital resources there is an exponentially larger collection available.
> 
> These digital books "return themselves", so when the loan time is up there is never an overdue fine.
> 
> Here in Ohio I use an ap called "Overdrive" and access the "OPLIN" (Ohio Public Library Information Network) and a lot of Library systems are affiliated with DPLA (Digital Public Libraries of America) But there are so many other Digital sources too.  Linkedin's "Lynda",  "Hoopla",  "KnowledgeCity", and.....
> "A to Z Food America".
> 
> Since I have a media tablet I can download to my laptop and then move the file to the tablet such that I can listen to an audio book thru the sound system of my car as I drive.  Even listen to it as I mow the lawn or paint around the house.
> 
> These Digital Libraries offer so much more than the old sticks & bricks Libraries ever offered.  Although it is nice to have a Library book to hold and read (provided you can get it)  our present circumstances makes the Digital realm
> quite a comfort.


I love libraries, especially the digital collections, but libraries have changed much from when I was growing up. I had a master gardener training a few years ago in a new library one town over. They had gaming teams - not just playing video games, but creating them. They had lots of other free programs available, too. It's not just a place to borrow books and movies anymore.

My library system uses Overdrive, too. I need to look into Hoopla.


----------



## HeyItsSara

a bunch of magazines that i would be reading on my commute but since i'm under stay at home orders, they're piling up.    i ran out of library books 2 weeks ago.

it's not pretty.


----------



## laughlaugh

Hello, all! Newbie here! Hope you're all safe and well.

I'm reading fiction and non-fiction at the moment.

Fiction: The Anthologist by Nicholson Baker. I bought this book because I really liked _The Mezzanine_, also by Baker, and I was pretty surprised--pleasantly--by his range. They're both in the first-person, but worlds apart. As always, there is plenty of wacky information to be enjoyed, and the interweaving of all this improbably true information with the narrative is one of the best things about his books. This one deals with poetry, and as you can imagine there's a lot of excellent criticism and references to music and other poems. I'm compiling a Google Doc listing poets I'd never have cared to know about if not for this book. Great book, thoroughly recommend it 

Non-Fiction: John Macionis's Society: The Basics. This is an introductory text, also a little textbook-style IMO, but it's informative and thought-provoking, which is why I read non-fiction. Although some non-fiction works are also deeply stylistic. Zeroed in on this because I've been thinking about public health expenditure and how to have decent conversations about universal healthcare with people. Realized the best way to do that is to engage the self in debate. Lol. But seriously this has helped me understand Sweden's response to the pandemic. I still think it's brave to not lockdown, but I don't think it's foolish on their part, as I used to.

Stay safe guys!


----------



## Just Cooking

Historical Fiction.. Amazon and others..

Golden Poppies by Laila Ibrahim 

It's 1894. Jordan Wallace and Sadie Wagner appear to have little in common. Jordan, a middle-aged black teacher, lives in segregated Chicago. Two thousand miles away, Sadie, the white wife of an ambitious German businessman, lives in more tolerant Oakland, California. But years ago, their families intertwined on a plantation in Virginia. There, Jordan's and Sadie's mothers developed a bond stronger than blood, despite the fact that one was enslaved and the other was the privileged daughter of the plantation's owner.

I thought this to be interesting and thought provoking..

Ross


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I have no idea when our town's library will be open for business. The last post was something about how the staff is on furlough, but the neighboring town libraries will be opening and we can always use our cards there.  Apparently, our library's board of directors (at whose discretion the library director serves and answers to) has decided to tighten the purse strings and hold off longer than anyone else around here. So...I took the plunge into reading online. Bad idea. Do you know how easy it is when you aren't flipping pages, have no idea how far you have to go before the end of the book (without having to pull up the progress bar), and keep saying "just one more chapter" for many, many chapters? 

Over the course of a bit over a week, I blew through the "Pancake House Mysteries" by author Sarah Fox. Using various online resources, I was able to find eBooks for books 1 through 4 plus book 6. I couldn't find book 5 to read, but there was a link to an audio version. I'm not a fan of audio books, so I figured I would just skip it...until I got to about page 5 in book 6. Turns out there was a big event in book 5 that made me just need to read it.  Except...I couldn't. Gave in and listened to book 5. Ugh, it was painful. This is only the second time I've tried an audio book, and I just can't do it. Mispronunciations, not noticing that there's a question mark until they're done reading the entire sentence...and then going up in pitch when they finish off with "she said?". Arrrrgggg!


----------



## Katie H

Just finished "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens.  Awesome book.  Was sorry when I finished it.


----------



## Just Cooking

Katie H said:


> Just finished "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens.  Awesome book.  Was sorry when I finished it.



+1


Ross


----------



## luckytrim




----------



## tinlizzie

*E. A. Poe*



luckytrim said:


> View attachment 41274



I've been getting around to old books on the shelf - just finished Poe's Gold Bug in his collected tales.  Was very surprised at the complicated encryption involved.  Good story.

Before this one I went to Treasure Island with Robert Louis Stevenson.  Only knew of the Hollywood movie version and was pleasantly surprised by the jolly good story. Also, Jekyll & Hyde was a far more thoughtful piece of fiction than I expected.

(Thanks for your cartoons, Trim.)


----------



## JoAnn L.

With our library you go on the site and put what books you want on hold. Then they call you and tell you to come down and pick up your books. You park outside and there is a telephone number poated out there and you call it and let them know you are out there and they bring the books for you out in a plastic bag. They put the bag on a cart outside the door and you get out of your car and pick it up. No problem, I was so glad to get the books.


----------



## RCJoe

Book:  "1959: The Year Everything Changed". 

https://www.amazon.com/1959-Everything-Changed-Fred-Kaplan/dp/0470602031

An interesting read for sure.  It was the kickoff to the 60's a decade which has been described as three decades occurring in one. Young people, those who were born just before WW2 and afterwards had grown up in such militaristic, conservative homes, where being a "conformist" was expected of them,   began to reject these old ways as they entered their young adult years. The movement had actually started a few years earlier in Britain.  And there was a lot of push back from older adults.  Why?  Those born post WW1 had little and by the time they were 10 years of age the great depression was looming. When that was over they got to fight in WW2.  Finally in the recovery post Korean War era they were nearing 45 years of age and seeking kids having lives that they could never have dreamed of, while realizing their time had robbed them of their youths.  Those who lived thru the 1960's may remember these times well.  

The movie, "The Graduate" with Dustin Hoffman showcased many examples of this.

In the book you are taken thru a tour of the times & events from the early trends were beginning which would lead into the 1960's. 

Recently Michael Cain (the actor)  embarked on a project titled, "My Generation" that described what was happening in Britain in the 1950's and how trends there transferred to the USA.  Much of it in Pop Music, fashion trends, hair styles, and youth culture. 

A trailer from "My Generation". (youtube video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXR68BjGluE

This hour long documentary had been on Youtube.  This is just the Trailer intro.

Some today feel that there are those with an agenda trying force young people back into that pre fifties conservative conformity. 

But that spirit of the 60's in the USA endures still today.  Bob Well of Cheap RV Living has in his channel a series of video's.   Today there is a growing number of people living on the road in RV's of some form.  They don't describe themselves as "homeless",  but "houseless" and happier out of the rat race than in it.

Do You Follow Your Heart or Are You a “Good Productive Citizen” Following the “American Dream”?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKcVLYnf358


----------



## Cooking Goddess

While the saying "if you remember the '60s, you weren't there" is popular, I was there and remember it, *RC*. Since I never went to college, I never ran with the crowd from "The Graduate". 


After rolling through the Sarah Fox "Pancake House" series, I started checking in on some of my favorite authors to find out if I was behind. Oh, yeah! I have to wait for the hard copies on a couple different series, but I did get to read "Lark, the Herald Angels Sing" by Donna Andrews. While I'm waiting for my turn at a couple of E-books, and for the library to open up so I can get my hands on real books, I'm currently reading "Five Presidents" by Clint Hill. Hill was a Secret Service agent during five presidencies, Eisenhower through Ford. During the Kennedy presidency, Hill was one of two agents assigned to Jackie Kennedy. Very interesting books.


----------



## RCJoe

LOL    I was in high school when the movie came out.  It was all the talk, ironically the older adults doing so much of the talking.   Then I live in the tri-state KY, OH, WV which has many Universities, Colleges, Business Schools, etc etc.  So for me it was hard to miss it...college kid or not.


----------



## CharlieD

If you are from Sweden originally, or from MN, you might want to read Swede Hollow. I enjoyed a lot. 

https://www.amazon.com/Swede-Hollow...9&s=books&sprefix=swede+hallow,aps,195&sr=1-1


----------



## Just Cooking

GotGarlic said:


> I'm reading "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek" by Kim Michelle Richardson for my next book club meeting, which we will hold via Zoom teleconferencing. It's about a traveling librarian in Kentucky during the Depression - part of Roosevelt's Pack Horse Library Project. She traveled by mule to deliver and retrieve books and other reading materials for people who lived in the mountains of rural eastern Kentucky. Very interesting story.



It took from April to now for my library to deliver this book to my Kindle.. Well worth the wait..  

I, truly enjoyed this book.. I had heard of the “blue people of Troublesome Creek” and this book, though fiction, brought them to life for me..

Ross


----------



## GotGarlic

Just Cooking said:


> It took from April to now for my library to deliver this book to my Kindle.. Well worth the wait..  [emoji2]
> 
> I, truly enjoyed this book.. I had heard of the “blue people of Troublesome Creek” and this book, though fiction, brought them to life for me..
> 
> Ross


I'm glad you liked it. I found it fascinating. I had never heard of the blue people before, so that was very interesting for me.


----------



## Bakersdozen73

There is a movie that's about blue people in Kentucky...the title is "Blue". Its on Amazon Prime and a few other film places.


----------



## Bakersdozen73

I'm reading a culinary cozy mystery, "Going Organic Can Kill You by Staci McLaughlin..so far its pretty good.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

The "Troublesome Creek" book sounds interesting. I think I added it to my library list - the list that grows longer by the day! 

I'm all caught up on the Donna Andrews mysteries that I read. This last one was "Owl be Home for Christmas". A little out of season, perhaps, but still a cool read. (Christmas - cool, get it? *groan*)

Also read a stand-alone book called "The Key to Happily Ever After" about three sisters who take over a wedding planning service from their parents. As an only child, I find books with sibling dynamics interesting. I also am grateful that I ended up an "only" at times.


----------



## Bakersdozen73

Cooking Goddess said:


> The "Troublesome Creek" book sounds interesting. I think I added it to my library list - the list that grows longer by the day! [emoji38]
> 
> I'm all caught up on the Donna Andrews mysteries that I read. This last one was "Owl be Home for Christmas". A little out of season, perhaps, but still a cool read. (Christmas - cool, get it? *groan*)
> 
> Also read a stand-alone book called "The Key to Happily Ever After" about three sisters who take over a wedding planning service from their parents. As an only child, I find books with sibling dynamics interesting. I also am grateful that I ended up an "only" at times.


Hi...I just found a new book, about the "blue people" in the Kentucky Ozarks. The title is "The Last Blue" by Isla Morley. I just downloaded it on Overdrive and reading it now.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Bakers, my interest wasn't so much about the Blue people as it was the travelling librarian. These days, some schools are delivering summer reading books by drone! So now I'm on the waiting list.


Currently reading "Recipe for the Perfect Wife". Interesting story lines as the tale follows two different wives from two different generations. One is set in 2018; the current resident wife finds a cookbook in the basement that once belonged to the previous owner. That story follows a wife in the 1940s.

I also got to walk into a real, brick-and-mortar library building yesterday!!! Not my town's, but the one next door. They're generously caring for the Orphans of Pearle. Three large print books? Yes, please! Look out stationary bike, here I come! As soon as my toe boo-boo stops hurting...


----------



## Bakersdozen73

Hi Cooking Goddess,

 I liked the stories about the horseback librarians too...real fine way to get your books. I read a lot and miss browsing in our library, I usually come home with a stack like yours. Ours is supposed to be open the end of this month, but only curbside service...you call and tell them what you want and they bring them out to you.
 I'm a cookbook nut, and usually bring home a stack of those too. I'm reading "The Words Between Us" by Erin Bartels and "Rosie's Travelling Tea Shop" by Rebecca Raisin.

Happy Reading!


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Happy reading to you, too! Our library doesn't even do pick-up. They might have been getting ready for it, but then one of the two women who are actually going in contracted Covid.  I think now the town is using that as an excuse to keep it closed even longer...as a money saving issue. *pffttt* The library one town over just opened this past Monday.


----------



## Andy M.

CG, I’ve been reading library books on my Kindle app on my phone. My local library kept putting me on waiting lists so I got an electronic library card at the Boston Public Library. The have more variety and more electronic copies to lend.


----------



## Vinylhanger

I'm reading DC.  Duh.  :grin:


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Andy M. said:


> CG, I’ve been reading library books on my Kindle app on my phone. My local library kept putting me on waiting lists so I got an electronic library card at the Boston Public Library. The have more variety and more electronic copies to lend.


I've been doing that too, Andy. But I don't read from an electronic device while riding the bike in the basement with a plain concrete floor. I have accounts at CW/MARS, Boston Public Library, and CLAMS. But there's something special about a real book.  *sigh*


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Yay, my name came up on the list to check out (electronically) "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek"! I started reading yesterday - and quickly knocked off 11 chapters. Good reading!


----------



## GotGarlic

Cooking Goddess said:


> Yay, my name came up on the list to check out (electronically) "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek"! I started reading yesterday - and quickly knocked off 11 chapters. Good reading!


I'm glad you like it. I thought it was wonderful, albeit brutal at times.


----------



## Just Cooking

For reasons I can't explain, Jeannie and I are not reading as ardently as we normally do. Maybe burned ourselves out with 6 months of staying home.

I'm reading now, The Darwin Affair by Tim Mason.

Up next, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.

Hoping to get them both read in library time allowed.

"The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek" was excellent..  

Ross


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I agree, *Ross*, an exceptional book.



GotGarlic said:


> I'm glad you like it. I thought it was wonderful, albeit brutal at times.


But life can be brutal at times.  Anyway, I finished it in four nights of reading.


Three weeks ago I checked out five books (and a DVD). Ended up reading the large print ones mostly not riding the bike since my toe is still touchy. I've since returned "The 20th Victim", and "Eggs on Ice", along with the Donal Skehan cookbook - pretty pictures but I probably wouldn't make any of the dishes. I did hang on to the "Anti-Inflationary Diet" book, but the thought of giving up whole milk products like yogurt saddens me, so I might return that one soon.  Still reading  "Mumbo Gumbo Murder", but now I'm back on my bike!

When those went back, I checked out Alison Roman's "Dining In" again. I had it once; want to look over it again because I'm thinking of getting my own copy. Also checked out a couple of cozy mysteries ("A Fatal Yarn" and "Silent Knit, Deadly Knit", both by Peggy Ehrhart), and "The Pitch That Killed" by Mike Sowell. August 17th was the 100th anniversary of the death of Ray Chapman, the only baseball player ever killed as the result of a thrown pitch. He played for the Cleveland Indians - before my time.  Still, it's something that is brought up each year; I figured it was time I read the whole story. Boy, is the print in that book tiny!


----------



## jabbur

I finally caught up on the Chet and Bernie series with Heart of Barkness and Of Mutts and Men. Both excellent as expected. Then I started another series that currently only has 3 books but I'll be anxiously awaiting the next one. "Murder at the Palace" by Margaret Dumas is the first followed Murder in the Balcony and Murder on the Silver Screen. Lots of references to classic movies and wonderful characters that you get invested in quickly. It also includes a ghost that haunts the old movie theater. Wonderful stuff!


----------



## GotGarlic

Cooking Goddess said:


> I agree, *Ross*, an exceptional book.
> 
> But life can be brutal at times.  Anyway, I finished it in four nights of reading.


Yes. I didn’t want to imply I thought the brutality was wonderful.


----------



## GotGarlic

I've been reading "Still Life" by Louise Penny. One reason I'm really enjoying it is because it's set in Montreal. I'm learning interesting things about the area and I feel like I'm getting to know some of the culture of where our friends taxlady and dragnlaw live [emoji2] It's the first of a series. 

Here's a summary. 

"Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surêté du Québec and his team of investigators are called in to the scene of a suspicious death in a rural village south of Montreal. Jane Neal, a local fixture in the tiny hamlet of Three Pines, just north of the U.S. border, has been found dead in the woods. The locals are certain it’s a tragic hunting accident and nothing more, but Gamache smells something foul in these remote woods, and is soon certain that Jane Neal died at the hands of someone much more sinister than a careless bowhunter."


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I've been reading my way through the "Wine Country" mysteries by Ellen Crosby. Just finished up the sixth book, "The Sauvignon Secret" last night. Did you know it's pretty easy to read large print books by candlelight?

*GG*, you might enjoy these for light reading; they're set in VA in Atoka, a tiny village of Middleburg, which isn't all that big itself. She throws in a little history, mostly regarding the War of Northern Aggression, that's pretty interesting.


----------



## GotGarlic

That looks interesting, thanks. 





Cooking Goddess said:


> I've been reading my way through the "Wine Country" mysteries by Ellen Crosby. Just finished up the sixth book, "The Sauvignon Secret" last night. Did you know it's pretty easy to read large print books by candlelight?
> 
> *GG*, you might enjoy these for light reading; they're set in VA in Atoka, a tiny village of Middleburg, which isn't all that big itself. She throws in a little history, mostly regarding the War of Northern Aggression, that's pretty interesting.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

....


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Cooking Goddess said:


> ....
> 
> View attachment 43609


----------



## PrincessFiona60

_A Woman of No Importance_ by Sarah Purcell. About the woman spy who helped us win WWII.


----------



## GotGarlic

"Passing" by Nella Larsen. I haven't started it yet - it's for my book club meeting next week.


----------



## Bakersdozen73

I'm reading The Haunting of Brynn Wilder by Wendy Webb. Finished The Recipe Club by Andrea Israel and Nancy Finkelman and Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Women by Vicky Zimmerman.


----------



## Bakersdozen73

Oops! That last book should be Exceptional "Ladies...not Women. Sorry!


----------



## Cooking Goddess

PrincessFiona60 said:


> _A Woman of No Importance_ by Sarah Purcell. About the woman spy who helped us win WWII.


That one sounds interesting, *PF*. I've added it to my way-too-long list of TBR books. Might I suggest a book for you? Along the same line of women helping during war efforts, I was fascinated by the book "D-Day Girld: the spies who armed the resistance, sabotaged the Nazis, and helped win World War II"


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Cooking Goddess said:


> That one sounds interesting, *PF*. I've added it to my way-too-long list of TBR books. Might I suggest a book for you? Along the same line of women helping during war efforts, I was fascinated by the book "D-Day Girld: the spies who armed the resistance, sabotaged the Nazis, and helped win World War II"



Sounds good, I'll try it when I finish the other.  The book I am currently reading is the first book I've been able to sit and read in a long time.


----------



## bbqcoder

Just picked up two books.
*Led Zeppelin - The Press Reports*

Here’s the write up:

_More than two decades' worth of press coverage for the rock phenomenon Led Zeppelin is compiled in this meticulous collection by a noted Zeppelin expert. From their first concerts in Scandinavia to their tragic dissolution in 1980, the history of the disciplined and unprecedentedly mediagenic band is traced from the perspective of hundreds of newspapers, magazines, and music tabloids from around the world_

I’m also waiting the delivery of a coffee table book that just came out:  *Jimmy Page: The Anthology.  *Here’s the write up:

_Now, in The Anthology, Jimmy Page is granting exclusive access to his archive for the first time, and telling the inside story of his phenomenal career.

In a new text of over 70,000 words, Jimmy Page guides the reader through hundreds of rare items, many of which are previously unseen, and others of mythic status, such as the Gibson double neck guitar, his dragon-emblazoned suit, his white embroidered poppy suit, and the outfit worn in the concert film The Song Remains the Same.

Also included are handwritten diaries, correspondence, rare vinyl pressings, previously unpublished photographs and much, much more. Jimmy Page has personally selected each piece to be photographed in this book, which has been created with his full participation. _


Can you tell that I’m a LZ fan?


----------



## georgevan

Schopenhauer


----------



## JoAnn L.

Reading all the traditional English mysteries by Jeanne M. Dams. Her Dorothy Martin series.


----------



## RCJoe

If you are fond of books about the South, author Rick Bragg tells some excellent stories from his youth in the 1950's in Alabama & Georgia.

A Pulitzer Prize recipient from his days as a feature writer for the New York times, Bragg was assigned to the southern bureau of the NYT  to write about current events in the southlands.  He is intimately aware of the life, culture, and traditions having grown up there and it makes for reading that will keep you up well past bed time. 

If you are fond of Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mocking Bird" told thru the eye's of Scout,  Bragg explains the plight of the adults around her that she was simply too young, if not too well born, to understand.  



> It's a common condition of being poor white thrash:  you are always afraid that the good things in your life are temporary, that someone can take them away, because you have no power beyond you own brute strength to stop them.



Bragg comes highly recommended by Tom Brokaw, Larry McMurty, and Pat Conroy.  Writers who would recognize his ability to create this work of art:

*"Ava's Man"

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Ava%27s+Man&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss*


----------



## GotGarlic

My next book club read is "The Dutch House" by Ann Patchett. 

Summary: The Dutch House is a mansion located in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. It was built in 1922 by the VanHoebeek family, a husband and wife originally from the Netherlands who made their fortune in the tobacco industry. Cyril Conroy, a self-made real estate mogul, bought the mansion in 1946 to surprise his wife Elna. Their children, Danny and Maeve, were raised in the Dutch House. Elna dislikes the Dutch House. When Danny is 3 and Maeve is 10, she falls ill and abandons the family to work with the poor in India, later relocating to New York City. After their father dies, the two siblings are forced out of their home by their stepmother, Andrea. Left with no one else, the two siblings rely on each other. Maeve discovers a scholarship trust and uses it to send Danny to Choate Rosemary Hall, Columbia University and to Columbia Medical School. He finishes medical school despite being uninterested in working as a doctor, hoping to please Maeve.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Once again, I've been so busy reading that I forget to report in. Also, since I went over to the "dark side" on vacation, that is reading and checking out books with my tablet, it's just too easy to keep on reading. I'll have to have Himself steal the tablet away from me if I want to get anything done around here. 

On my tablet, I have two book series going. One, "Home Repair is Homicide" by Sarah Graves, is set in Eastport, ME. She's an ex-financial wizard who "escaped" Wall Street and moved to a quiet town in ME with her 14-year-old son to get away from a philandering ex-husband. While that series ended in 2013 (and I thought I would be done with it after Book #16), Ms. Graves resuscitated the two main characters in 2018 by having them open a bakery. Looks like mayhem will continue for a while!

The second ebook series is the "Books by the Bay" series written by Ellery Adams. Set in coastal NC, the main character is a child of her town who was raised by rich grandparents in France after the deaths of both of her parents by the time she turned 10. Around age 30, she returns to her home town filthy rich and determined to bring her town back to life by investing in property and businesses. Of course, along the way she keeps tripping over dead people because that's what happens in murder mysteries! 

I tried reading three different autobiography/memoir books by Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, and Jenny Lawson. Too much vulgarity, too much (as my Dad would have said) navel-gazing. Guess I just can't read these kinds of books from "modern" women. *shrug* Every one was returned early. 

I've also started up again with Margaret Truman's old "Capital Crimes" mystery series, large print for riding my stationary bike. Nothing cozy about these, but really interesting with all of the insider political intrigue that a daughter of a president would know of. What I find interesting is how much things really haven't changed in the 40 years since her first book. To wit, does this not sound like something ripped from today's headlines?:

"Name someone these days who's worth being called a hero, someone to look up to, to stand for something good in America. Athletes? That's a laugh. The only thing they've left kids to look up to are the size of their contracts. Movie start? Forget it. Politicians? Those that aren't under indictment, or taping illegally, are busy getting rich in payoffs from the folks that financed their election campaigns..."  My gawd, that was written in 1983!


----------



## Just Cooking

I've read too many "meh" books lately.

Currently reading an enjoyable one.

*West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
*
"An emotional, rousing novel inspired by the incredible true story of two giraffes who made headlines and won the hearts of Depression-era America.

"Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes..."

Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the unforgettable experience he cannot take to his grave.

It's 1938. The Great Depression lingers. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. They find it in two giraffes who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic. What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to deliver Southern California's first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo. Behind the wheel is the young Dust Bowl rowdy Woodrow. Inspired by true events, the tale weaves real-life figures with fictional ones, including the world's first female zoo director, a crusty old man with a past, a young female photographer with a secret, and assorted reprobates as spotty as the giraffes.

Part adventure, part historical saga, and part coming-of-age love story, West with Giraffes explores what it means to be changed by the grace of animals, the kindness of strangers, the passing of time, and a story told before it's too late."

Ross


----------



## Cooking Goddess

PrincessFiona60 said:


> _A Woman of No Importance_ by Sarah Purcell. About the woman spy who helped us win WWII.


I just finished this book. What an amazing life! Every book I read about WW2 makes me admire my Dad more and more. Like many vets of WW2, he never spoke of his time there except for the love and adulation the French showered on the troops after liberation. I now realize the horrors he faced as a medical. He's my hero more and more.


----------



## PrincessFiona60

Cooking Goddess said:


> I just finished this book. What an amazing life! Every book I read about WW2 makes me admire my Dad more and more. Like many vets of WW2, he never spoke of his time there except for the love and adulation the French showered on the troops after liberation. I now realize the horrors he faced as a medical. He's my hero more and more.



Most of what my Dad did in the Air Force is still classified and he won't discuss it.  I was too little to notice at the time, not that he brought it home. Most of his stories are about his daily life outside of what he was doing. Yep, he is a hero!


----------



## Just Cooking

*International Book Giving Day*

Is today.

https://bookgivingday.com/

What book have you given or received which stands out to you?

Many years ago, I gave my daughter the Little House on the Prairie set. She still reads them, yearly. 

After moving to Missouri (2006) she visited us and the only thing she insisted upon was visiting Rocky Ridge Farm. https://lauraingallswilderhome.com

Ross


----------



## RCJoe

"The Hospital";  Life, Death, and Dollars in a small American Town.  By Brian Alexander.   2021 

It describes the end of the line (the Hospital)  that derives from poor health that derives from poor nutrition & eating practices, at the hand of food deserts created by highly profitable stores that have systematically exploited every channel from Government leniency to economic impoverishment.   Set in northern Ohio just below Toledo.

There is a bounty of side story here,  such as Menard's, and any chain store with "Dollar" in it's name.  (Menard's page 116 to 119)  and (Dollar stores pages 220 to 223) 

The Hospital is about a small county Hospital and the struggle to avoid being bought out by the huge Corporations that buy up small Hospitals and do the same with them the food desert industry does with their supply practices.  

A little over 100 years ago Upton Sinclair wrote "The Jungle".  (about the meat packing industry in Chicago & exploitation of immigrants working there)  This little vignette in Ohio takes on a much broader view of what has been happening in the USA since WW2.

Making America Great Again...so that 15% of the people can hold 90% of the wealth.  Great....great for whom ? 

https://www.amazon.com/Hospital-Death-Dollars-Small-American/dp/1250237351


----------



## Just Cooking

I've just finished "Tears of Amber" by Sofía Segovia - 

Based on real people and events, “Tears of Amber” is a sweeping saga of two war torn families united by a storytelling giant. Ilse and Arno are just toddlers at the start of the story with little comprehension of the war looming around them. (Goodreads teaser)

A perspective I don't usually see in the WWII books I read. 

Ross


----------



## JoAnn L.

I'm reading Elly Griffiths Ruth Galloway series.


----------



## dragnlaw

While unpacking came across an old book, 1928 Edition.  The Fourth Musketeer - The Life of Alexandre Dumas,  by J. Lucas-Dubreton.

Interesting but sometimes hard to stay with but that just could be because I'm exhausted.

But must say it has spiked my interest to read the originals. I've only seen "Comics Illustrated" (remember those!) Man with the Iron Mask. Plus a lot of movies which take a great deal of 'poet license'. I have never actually read any of these books, or if I have I don't remember.

Dumas wrote about real people as his inspirations and subjects for his stories.
Unfortunately the author bandies names about as if we knew who they all were from "yesterday" (LOL).  So I seem to spend a lot of time looking up names with Sir Google.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Years and decades ago, I had started to read the Margaret Truman "Capital Crimes" series. It was so long ago my Mom was still alive. When I told her what I was reading I remember her saying something like "I hope she's a better writer than she is a singer. She's pretty bad as a singer".  FWIW, she had a bit of an operatic style.

Anyway, books. I started reading the series all over again last fall, just finishing the 32nd book. While just her name appears alone on the first two dozen books, up to the year of her death, I think the only book she may have written alone is the first. Donald Bain "collaborated" on the next 23; after her death he was listed as the author. After he died, Jon Land has taken up the series. Book 32 was his first in the series. 

I find the series very interesting. Not so much for the story lines or the characters (although I've grown fond of Mac and Annabelle Smith...), but for the fact that so many things we complain about now involving conniving politicians and dirty dealing in D.C. has been going on since 1980...and long before. Some of the early story lines could be, to borrow from the Law & Order TV shows, "ripped from the headlines" from today's papers.   The more things change...

I also caught up with "The Womens Murder Club" by reading "21st Birthday", the almost-most-recent Donna Andrews book "Gift of the Magpie", and the most recent Knit and Nibble book, "Knitty Gritty Murder". That one might be my last, too, even if author Peggy Ehrhart keeps writing them. I think she bumps up her word count by repeating daily tasks over and over and over throughout the book. I get it! I KNOW how to make pour-over coffee by now!  There were, of course, a few random cookbooks that may have made it home from the library, too, just for fun...


Currently reading "All that she carried : the journey of Ashley's sack, a black family keepsake" by Tiya Miles. I find it helps me to appreciate all that I have and how easy my life has been when I read about how those who have dealt with real struggles come through with love and strength. I'm not sure I would have been as resilient.


----------



## cjmmytunes

I was going to read "Holding the Dream" by Nora Roberts - but my book I ordered for my birthday (recommended by my NP at the clinic I go to) called "Think Like a Pancreas".


----------



## RCJoe

I'm reading "Metabolical, the lure and lies of processed food, nutrition, and Modern Medicine" by Robert H. Lustig (this author is very well qualified) 

https://www.amazon.com/Metabolical-Processed-Nutrition-Modern-Medicine/dp/0063027712

Some time back I read a book titled, "The Chemical Feast",  by James S Turner.  Metabolical is an interesting follow up to The Chemical Feast.

20 years after processed foods began to be produced this book explains the mountains & tons of  chemical additives used in them and that we would consume and become part of our food supply.  In "Metibolical", Lustig explains where we are now 50 years after The Chemical Feast and how it has adversely influenced so many other industries we depend on.  

"][URL="https://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Feast-Report-Protection-Administration/dp/0140043764"]


----------



## cjmmytunes

RCJoe - both of those books sound interesting.  Maybe I'll see about getting them after I finish "Think Like a Pancreas".  I'm switching from a premixed insulin to a long-acting and rapid acting with separate injections, and the book I ordered is recommended by NP's, GP's, and endocrinologists to get an understanding of how the pancreas is supposed to work and how to get the most out of your insulin injections.


----------



## dragnlaw

Just finished 'The Lost Girls of Rome' .  Enjoyed it. Multiple facets of murder mystery.  

Donato Carrisi studied law and criminology before he began working as a writer for television. His first novel 'The Whisperer', I might take a peek at in the Library.

Neighbour has just loaned me 'The Books of Earthsea' by Ursula K. Le Guin. Don't know this author but we'll try it as my type of fantasy.  But almost a thousand pages...  might take me awhile.


----------



## RCJoe

CJ,   I think you will like the first.  His mantra seems to be, "protect your liver & feed your gut".  But he opens a whole different way of viewing nutrition as prevention to achieve good health and avoid diseases. As a Doctor he points out
how important it is to avoid diseases with good nutritional practices as once a disease is acquired it may never be fully cured and even reoccur later. 

The second book which speaks of chemicals as the enablers of the processed food industry and junk foods fortune is probably the one people will wish they had known about & read earlier in their lives.  

If I were to add a third it would be a "Dictionary of Food Additives" which will detail what those chemicals are (many in acronym form....like BHA or BHT common in bread)  in the fine print of the packaging label followed with some information about them.  Not the most comforting stuff to read about.


----------



## cjmmytunes

RCJoe, I can't wait to read that first one.  I've read some reviews on it also that pretty much say the same as what you did.  But, I HAVE to get my pancreas book read first - and thoroughly understand it.


----------



## dragnlaw

Just picked up the book mentioned by GG on another thread.  Already started it and looks great! 

Crystal King, "Feast of Sorrow"

*Thanks GG!*


----------



## GotGarlic

dragnlaw said:


> Just picked up the book mentioned by GG on another thread.  Already started it and looks great!
> 
> Crystal King, "Feast of Sorrow"
> 
> *Thanks GG!*


Yay! Can't wait to hear what you think of it! [emoji16]


----------



## dragnlaw

*A winner GG, thanks*

Half way thru - so far so good!  LOL  

But I gots t'go to bed now.  4th book in as many days. LOL


----------



## dragnlaw

*Good Book GG!*

Finally got back to the book late this afternoon.  Finished it! 

Great Story.  Highly recommend.  

If I were transported back in time - as long as they didn't tell me or describe what I was eating...   LOL  I know, I'm such a woos .


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I wish I could enjoy "All That She Carried" more than I do. Rather than an informative story about Ashley and her family story, it's read more like an academic book. I've made it to page 65, but...

In the meantime, I've read "The Invisible Husband of Frick Island", a fanciful little book that actually has a good message. I really enjoyed it.

I've also started a new cozy mystery series, Lucy Burdette's "Key West Food Critic". Partly because I have wanted to read these books for a while, but mostly because I can get most of them in large print. This lady needs to get on her recumbent bike more!  I read the first book in two evenings - not all while riding, sadly.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

While waiting for the fifth book in the Key West Food Critic series, I borrowed a Libby book. "Little Fires Everywhere " was a novel before becoming a TV series. It's a bit of a strange read, but I am enjoying it. Maybe because it's set in Shaker Heights,  OH, and I'm familiar with the area? I don't know, but I'm heading back to read some more.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I've been busy reading "A Gentleman in Moscow" lately. It's a bit of a left turn from my usual cozy mysteries, but I am enjoying it immensely. It's a bit of a time investment, though, clocking in at 1,017 pages on my tablet. I'm about halfway through...


----------



## GotGarlic

Cooking Goddess said:


> I've been busy reading "A Gentleman in Moscow" lately. It's a bit of a left turn from my usual cozy mysteries, but I am enjoying it immensely. It's a bit of a time investment, though, clocking in at 1,017 pages on my tablet. I'm about halfway through...


My book club read that around a year ago. We thought it was beautifully written. It is long, yes, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.


----------



## georgevan

Schopenhauer philosophy as usual


----------



## Kaneohegirlinaz

I pre-ordered the lastest Diana Gabaldon's book 
in her Outlander Series, 
Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone
 I let Mom read it first, just so long as she promised 
not discuss it with anyone, no spoilers please.

So, I have this behemoth sized novel waiting for me
to eek out some free time to sit down and read. 

And no, I have not watched Outlander on Starz!
In mind's eye, that is not how I see Claire & Jaime,
I mean the actors that are portraying them that is.


----------



## karadekoolaid

I´m reading "Pasta Grannies" - the story of dozens of Italian matriachs who still make pasta, by hand, on a daily basis, and are mostly over 80 years of age.


----------



## dragnlaw

Hmm... Pasta Grannies sounds interesting.  

Funny thing about books that go on and on and on...  
When I used to read more, and upon finishing a Trilogy, I always wanted another book.  But when it actually came to 4,5,6 and more - I would lose interest. 
Game of Thrones I read waaay before the TV series.  But quit almost at the end of Book 2 as I could see the political aspects of it and was getting too convoluted and annoying.  There was never any closure.  I may have said this before, I read to be entertained not see real life mimicked, even if there is a bit of magic mixed in.


----------



## Kaneohegirlinaz

karadekoolaid said:


> I´m reading "Pasta Grannies" - the story of dozens of Italian matriachs who still make pasta, by hand, on a daily basis, and are mostly over 80 years of age.



I follow Pasta Grannies on You Tub

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRgP17oAcNE


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I've been reading the Supper Club Mystery series by Ellery Adams, but I've gone as far as I can with e-books. The next (second to last) book is available in large print, so I will put an order next, hoping the book will be at our library for me to pick up when I have to shop next week.

In the meantime, I just charged through an engaging novel, In Five Years. It's an interesting premise that would take too long for me to describe adequately. Fortunately for you, I linked the author's website with a summary; just click on the title above where it's underlined.

The summary makes it seem like the story line is about Dannie's job and boyfriend. A large part of the second half was about Dannie dealing with the failing health and death of her very best friend. I was not prepared for that, seeing as how I just lost my best friend last month. A very good book, but a very emotional read for me. My eyelids are still a little puffy...


----------



## dragnlaw

Thanks for the link *CG!*  Sounds like my cuppa!


----------



## Cooking Goddess

After "finishing" the Supper Club mystery series (I'm unable to get my hands on the very last book, co-written a few years after the original books were written by Ellery Adams alone), I'm currently reading two different, but still food-centric, mystery series. In large print format, I'm halfway through the Gourmet Girl mysteries by Jessica Conant-Park, co-written with her Mom Susan Conant. Since the last book, #5, was written in 2010, I'm pretty sure this series is finished.

The second mystery series I'm reading on my tablet is Ellie Alexander's Bakeshop Mystery series. Set in Ashland, OR, her descriptions of the area make me want to take a trip out that way. Alas, I'll just have to "visit" the main character's bake shop in my own kitchen.

Finally, when I browsed the stacks at the library this week, I picked up a large print edition of The American experiment : dialogues on a dream by David Rubenstein. I figured with all of the fun mystery books I've got going, I probably should pick up a book with some redeeming qualities.


----------



## cookieee

Back in 1990, a new series came out, written by Randy Wayne White, starring "Doc Ford". It takes place in Florida. Being a Florida "gal", I GOT HOOKED.  And here I am, still reading them, 25 books more later.


----------



## cookieee

And shortly thereafter, in 1991, Stuart Woods came out with the "Stone Barrington" series.  And I got hooked AGAIN.  There are, at this time, a total of 61 books in the series. (that I know of lol)

One of the nice things about getting older is the memory is not all that great, so I have been having a great time RE-READING both series!!!!!!!  But, they are not the only books I have been re-reading.

In 1996, Shirley Rousseau Murphy came out with the "Joe Grey" series. The last one (of 22 books) came out in 2018. If you are not familiar with Joe, he is a cat, and he and his girlfriend help solve murders in there home town. And they can talk, but only a few humans know that. I just love the cats and people in these books.  I just wish there were more of them.


----------



## cookieee

Sorry, can't edit above. It should read....

he is a cat, and he and his girlfriend help solve murders in THEIR home town. And they can talk, but only a few humans know that.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

cookieee said:


> Back in 1990, a new series came out, written by Randy Wayne White, starring "Doc Ford". It takes place in Florida. Being a Florida "gal", I GOT HOOKED.  And here I am, still reading them, 25 books more later.


I tried, I really tried, to like his books. We've been going to that area of FL since 1974, when my inlaws were still alive. Before he died, Dad gave us the contract to his time share week, on Fort Myers Beach. Since Himself stopped working in 2011, we've spent a week almost every November in the unit, exploring the surrounding area. In fact, we pass by Doc Ford's Rum Bar & Grille each time we take the San Carlos Bridge to get onto/off the beach. So tried to like the book, but I got tired of reading six different explanations/descriptions in the same paragraph time after time.  It's what I've come to refer to "wordy-words", put there by an author to get the word count up for the day. I've given up on another one or two other authors for the same reason.



cookieee said:


> ...In 1996, Shirley Rousseau Murphy came out with the "Joe Grey" series. The last one (of 22 books) came out in 2018. If you are not familiar with Joe, he is a cat, and he and his girlfriend help solve murders in there home town. And they can talk, but only a few humans know that. I just love the cats and people in these books.  I just wish there were more of them.


Have you read any of *Rita Mae Brown*'s books that she "co-authors" with her cat, Sneaky Pie Brown?  Set in Crozet, VA (a delightful little town - we've driven through there), the main human character is the local postmistress, but the really entertaining characters are her tiger cat (Mrs. Murphy) and Welsh Corgi dog (Tucker). The pets talk to each other, with other animal life around them (I think, it's been years since I've read them), and manage to get their point across to their human to help her solve mysteries. 

I had kept up with the series when we still lived in OH, read the next few as they came to market when we first lived here, then somehow managed to get behind and never resumed reading them. Right now I'm in the process of reading the most recent book from a number of authors I like, but I need to make a point to get back to Mrs. Murphy again. Guess I'll start back at book one and just keep on reading until I run out of new ones!


----------



## Cooking Goddess

Over in the movie thread, *dragnlaw* mentioned that she had watched "Operation Mincemeat". Our library system doesn't have the movie, but they did have the book. It's a long one (531 pages, but it is large print), but so far it's a good one.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

OhKay...I'm guessing the movie was better than the book. I gave up on "Operation Mincemeat" somewhere around page 100.

Right now I'm reading James Patterson's 22nd book in the Women's Murder Club series, 22 Seconds. As always, it's another "just one more chapter" kind of *yawn* book. While I love reading these and other gripping books, I'm glad when I'm done so I don't read until...dawn.


----------



## Katie H

cookieee said:


> And shortly thereafter, in 1991, Stuart Woods came out with the "Stone Barrington" series.  And I got hooked AGAIN.  There are, at this time, a total of 61 books in the series. (that I know of lol)
> 
> One of the nice things about getting older is the memory is not all that great, so I have been having a great time RE-READING both series!!!!!!!  But, they are not the only books I have been re-reading.
> 
> In 1996, Shirley Rousseau Murphy came out with the "Joe Grey" series. The last one (of 22 books) came out in 2018. If you are not familiar with Joe, he is a cat, and he and his girlfriend help solve murders in there home town. And they can talk, but only a few humans know that. I just love the cats and people in these books.  I just wish there were more of them.



Love the Stone Barrington books.  Such fun!


----------



## Katie H

Holy Christmas, Batman!  Just finished a Karin Slaughter book entitled "The Good Daughter."  Amazing.  Had me on the edge of my seat from the beginning to the end.  Highly recommend!


----------



## Andy M.

I’m currently rereading the complete Sherlock Holmes. A couple of short stories in between the latest murder mysteries.


----------



## dragnlaw

Haven't had a chance to get to the library in ages!  But have made note of those last books mentioned - sound great.

Andy, what a good idea.  I read a lot of Holmes when younger.  Have no idea if I ever read them all, but I should find out!


----------



## Andy M.

When I got my first eReader, a Nook, I went looking for stuff to download. I came across a site that had free books. I spied the complete Sherlock Holmes in two volumes and grabbed it. It was fascinating to read. That was ten years ago and now I read on my phone with apps for Kindle, Nook and Libby. 

Now when I'm waiting for a book from the library, I just read one or the Holmes short stories.


----------



## GotGarlic

dragnlaw said:


> Haven't had a chance to get to the library in ages!  But have made note of those last books mentioned - sound great.
> 
> 
> 
> Andy, what a good idea.  I read a lot of Holmes when younger.  Have no idea if I ever read them all, but I should find out!


There are a lot of old books that are out of copyright that you can download for free, then read them with a Kindle or other app like Andy mentioned, on a smartphone or tablet.

Project Gutenberg has been providing free ebooks for decades.

https://www.gutenberg.org/


----------



## dragnlaw

wow, could be mistaken but a fairly long time ago Gutenberg asked for volunteers to proofread books that they were digitalizing. 

I did that for awhile, it was fun, got to read books not normally within my interest range but still very interesting!


----------



## GotGarlic

dragnlaw said:


> wow, could be mistaken but a fairly long time ago Gutenberg asked for volunteers to proofread books that they were digitalizing.
> 
> 
> 
> I did that for awhile, it was fun, got to read books not normally within my interest range but still very interesting!


No, you're right - they're still doing that.


----------



## LVDeb

"The Paper Wife" Pretty light reading. Historical fiction. 

Should any of you enjoy Historical fiction, look up Amanda Skenendore's books on Amazon (Earth and Sky, The Undertaker's Assistant, The Second Life of Mirrielle West). Not only is she an amazing writer, she's a good friend of mine too.

And, if this is allowed on this site, I've written six novels of my own. PM me for links if you like contemporary paranormal. Free on Kindle Unlimited.


----------



## Andy M.

dragnlaw said:


> ...Andy, what a good idea.  I read a lot of Holmes when younger.  Have no idea if I ever read them all, but I should find out!




"SHERLOCK HOLMES THE COMPLETE NOVELS AND STORIES - Vol. 1 & 2"

https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Complete-Novels-Stories/dp/0553212419


----------



## Cooking Goddess

As usual, I'm juggling a couple of books right now. In book format and small print is "Pride Against Prejudice: the biography of Larry Doby. Didn't even think about it being the 75th anniversary of his becoming the first black MLB player in the American League on July 5th when I ordered it from the library. I also picked up a cookbook, mostly for the pretty pictures. It's "Rustic Italian Food" by Marc Ventri. Saw him somewhere on TV, liked what he was cooking up, and decided to check out one of his books.

On my tablet are two. The first one is supposed to be a sorta "beach read", but it's been a little more than that. "That Summer" is by Jennifer Weiner, but it's going to be put aside for a few days. While I still have 17 days loan on it, I was just notified that the cozy mystery "Wining and Dying" was available. With only a 14 loan, and the fact that I know it will be more fun the the first, I'm starting it as soon as I log out of DC.


----------



## CharlieD

The dictionary of lost words. By Pop Williams. 
Turn of previous century, publishing of Oxford Dictionary, Suffrage. 
It’s a novel, I like it.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

When I opened up Overdrive a week or so ago I saw that they have something called "The Big Library Read" going on. There are a number of e-books being made available during the program at unlimited numbers. The idea is to offer the same book at the same time to Overdrive users everywhere to encourage dialogue about it around the world. The selection at the time was "The Girl in His Shadow", a historical novel, by Audrey Blake. I don't usually read this genre, but the premise sounded intriguing. Set in England during the cholera epidemic of the 1840's, the story follows a young girl who was orphaned at age 6(?) and is now a young adult, assisting the town doctor with his patients. Women in medicine were not allowed at that time, and it is interesting to read the evolution of thinking about their place in the medical field.

Got Garlic, you would probably love this book!


----------



## GotGarlic

Cooking Goddess said:


> When I opened up Overdrive a week or so ago I saw that they have something called "The Big Library Read" going on. There are a number of e-books being made available during the program at unlimited numbers. The idea is to offer the same book at the same time to Overdrive users everywhere to encourage dialogue about it around the world. The selection at the time was "The Girl in His Shadow", a historical novel, by Audrey Blake. I don't usually read this genre, but the premise sounded intriguing. Set in England during the cholera epidemic of the 1840's, the story follows a young girl who was orphaned at age 6(?) and is now a young adult, assisting the town doctor with his patients. Women in medicine were not allowed at that time, and it is interesting to read the evolution of thinking about their place in the medical field.
> 
> Got Garlic, you would probably love this book!


You're right - it sounds fascinating and I love historical fiction, especially when it includes medicine and food. Thanks for the recommendation.

I've been reading a series called Promises to Keep by Shayne Parkinson about a farm family in late 19th century New Zealand. This is an area of the world that I have not read much about. Reading detailed descriptions of how the women prepared five meals per day (breakfast, morning tea, a hot cooked lunch, afternoon tea and dinner) and carried water from a creek to heat up for wash day while most were having children every other year has been quite the reminder of how good most of us in this forum have it these days. Here's more information about her and her books if anyone is interested.

https://www.fantasticfiction.com/p/shayne-parkinson/


----------



## cookieee

I am now reading book #68 in the "Stone Barrington" series by Stuart Woods.


----------



## Kathleen

I'm reading _The Facemaker: A Visionary Surgeon's Battle To Mend Disfigured Soldiers Of World War I_ by Lindsey Fitzharris.  I love the premise and the background, but the writing sometimes bogs down in some areas and glosses too quickly over other parts.  Still, I am glad to be reading it.  I never realized that disfigured soldiers kick-started the field of modern plastic surgery  It makes sense.  The doctor felt strongly that someone who lost a limb was still viewed as the same person, but those with facial disfigurements lost their identity.  Something still seen today.


----------



## simonbaker

Heaven & the afterlife


----------



## thymeless

Just finished_ A Desolation Called Peace_ by Arkady Martine.

Now starting _The Art of Prophecy._


----------



## Sheetal3v

Well I have been reading this one web novel - trial husband


----------



## Marlingardener

Re-reading_ Mary Chestnut's Civil War_. She kept a journal during the war, and being highly placed in southern society, she had access to many of the main players. I find it fascinating, and she was a fine writer.


----------



## HeyItsSara

Is anyone on Goodreads and wants to be friends there? I read about a dozen books a week.


----------



## dragnlaw

I get their emails, but lately have just been deleting them.  Usually check out what they say but that's as far as it goes.  Didn't even know there was a 'Friends' button.  
When my brain does go into reading mode overdrive, I too, could do a dozen books or so a week.  But I'm in stall right now, how no idea how long it will last. LOL  probably til summer.


----------



## Cooking Goddess

I just finished the last entry in Monica Ferris' "Needlecraft Mystery series", started right around the time we were about ready to head home after Loverly's wedding. 19 books in under two months.  Not bad, I guess.


----------



## Katie H

I've become addicted to books by Fredrik Bachman and am currently into _The Winners._

We are the Bear Town Bears!  That's what I have been chanting since enjoying the Bear Town and Hed rivalry.

Ice hockey has been part of my life for a long while...not playing it but living in northern Minnesota and having a male cousin who went semi-pro.  Attended so many icy practices and games.


----------

