Carolyn (in SC) C234D's comments (member since Jan 30, 2009)

Carolyn (in SC) C234D's comments from the Readers and Reading group.

I've written myself a note and shall try to remember to check out this show when it debuts. Sounds like something I would enjoy. Thanks for the tip.

I remember John Gilstrap's posts, JoAnn. I have one of his books on my shelf, I forget the title. I should pick it up soon, just because....

I just went to look--it's At All Costs.

Schmerguls wrote: "Looking at the blog "A commonplace Blog" I found a list of the 10 most depressing novels:

The Road - I agree it's depressing, but I like McCarthy's work;
Atlas Shrugged -- read it many years ago in college and don't really remember it well;
The Bluest Eye -- Read for book group a few years ago; it was depressing and I'm not a fan;
Lord of the Flies -- also read many years ago; my recollection is not of a depressing book, but perhaps I would feel that way now.

I would add A Fine Balance to this group. I thought it was well done but extremely sad and depressing.

This has no doubt been covered before, but could someone tell me how to fix it so I don't have to go through all the posts in a thread in order to read the newest? Or can't we?

"I mean, if something is not the truth, it's a lie, right?"

I don't think this is necessarily true, Joanne. People don't all remember events in the same way. If someone makes a mistake in the retelling, I don't consider it a lie; it's a mistake. Members of the same family have different recollections, because everyone has a different perspective. Denial may cause some to disagree about what happened. Some people who say Frank McCourt wasn't telling the truth may have reason to muddy the waters. Or they may just not know exactly what happened in particular instances, and find it hard to believe. Look at what has been coming out recently about schools and homes in Ireland years ago. People are shocked. Perhaps Frank wasn't so far off the mark after all.

Richiesheff wrote: "I have never read My Antonia, and to be honest am not even sure who wrote it!! I guess my reading has been a little sheltered."
I remember reading Willa Cather's My Antonia in high school (many, many years ago!). A couple of years ago my book group read her O Pioneers! I enjoyed her writing, and her portrait of the Nebraska plains as well as the strong spirit of the main character.

My June reads (not a big month for me, we were on the road a bit and had a 4-year-old for a few days):

Hot Six -- by Janet Evanovich. I took this off the shelf because my daughter has discovered this series and asked if I had any to give her. I've read several in this series over the years, and they really are funny.

Like Water for Chocolate -- by Laura Esquivel. This was interesting, not great. Utilized magical realism.

Twice Dead -- by Paul Bishop. Good police procedural featuring a female LAPD homicide detective heading a squad searching for a serial killer. I'm trying to get to some of the books that have been sitting on the shelves for a long time, but I still want to read them. This one was well done.

The Friday Night Knitting Club -- by Kate Jacobs. This is for our July book group discussion. Pretty good, but I was disappointed with the ending. It seemed to be put together in a rush, and it was not logical to me.

>I actually had a friend who years ago caught her DH >cheating on her, because he and one of her friends >had poison ivy all over them! And I mean everywhere. >Serves them right.

You have quite a circle of friends, Leslie! Many interesting stories over the years.

My May reads:

The Club Dumas by Arturo Perez-Reverte -- This was chosen by my local book group. I wasn't too thrilled by the choice (I hadn't voted for it) but I actually liked it quite a lot. A well-written novel about a book detective, and what develops as he looks for a particular rare book on the occult. Complex but interesting.

Welcome to the World, Baby Girl by Fannie Flagg -- Not as funny as I expected from this author, but a very readable book about a (fictional) popular TV news personality who had been abandoned by her mother when she was fifteen. Her story is told by hopping back and forth through the years and between Dena and her southern relatives. I found this a bit confusing early on. And there's quite a surprise near the end.

Cold Quarry by Andy Straka -- Interesting story about a Virginia private detective who is a falconer. This is the third in a series, and I would like to read the first two as well.

Trouble for Lucia: Part VI Make Way for Lucia by E.F. Benson -- I enjoy this type of book, about English characters back in the 20s and 30s. This is the first in this series for me, but it was a hoot. Lucia is quite a character--bright, manipulating, and the new mayor of their little town. She may have trouble, primarily from the conniving Elizabeth, but she's never down for long.

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah -- This was another book group choice that I didn't vote for. A light, way too long novel about two "best friends forever"--from their teens till forty-something. I stuck with it, but really wasn't happy to have to spend so much time (about 500 pages worth) on something so unsubstantial. There are too many unread books on my shelves that I really want to read. However, there were some members who just loved it. It would make a good Lifetime movie, I guess.

Just finished Martin Walker's Bruno, Chief of Police, and enjoyed it very much. Bruno is the only police officer in little St Denis, in the Dordogne region of France. A bachelor, he has made a comfortable home for himself in this small town, and enjoys teaching the children tennis and rugby. But when an old man is murdered,a crime which is possibly racially motivated, Bruno is up to the task of finding out who did it, as well as protecting St Denis from bad publicity, which will damage the vital tourist trade. This book is charming.

JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "Thanks for the "inside info" Meredith. When I first read about Kitchen Privileges recently, I thought it was a new book."

I've had this on my shelf for quite a while now. Just checked--it's dated 2002. One of these days I'll pluck it off the shelf and read it.

In April I read:

A Thousand Splendid Suns, by K. Hosseini--At least as good as The Kite Runner.

A Noble Radiance, by Donna Leon--I enjoy this series about Venetian police commissario Guido Brunetti.

About Alice, by Calvin Trillin--a lovely book about his beautiful wife who died too young.

Weekend in Paris, by Robyn Sisman--a frothy, unrealistic story about a naive English girl (just needed something light and quick).

Gone, by Jonathan Kellerman--An Alex Delaware murder mystery, not light.

I'm reading The Club Dumas by Arturo Perez-Reverte for my book group discussion. It was published in 1993. Not something I would have picked up on my own, I think, but not bad... That's one thing I enjoy about a book group, reading books that I otherwise would never have chosen. I don't enjoy all the books, but it doesn't hurt me. This one is about a European book detective (a mercenary hired to hunt down rare editions for wealthy clients). It involves the world of Alexandre Dumas's The Three Musketeers, and book collections about devil worship and the occult. A well-written book, becoming more suspenseful as it nears the end.

JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "The reason I did not want those names, Carolyn, was not because I disliked them but because they were what all of the dead grandmothers in my life were called. It would feel odd to me to have one o..."

I understand, JoAnn. My daughter's two little ones call us PopPop and Grandma; I'm not sure how they settled on those names. They have different names for their father's parents. I called my mother's mother, whom I saw frequently, Grandmother, or Gram. My father's mother, who came from Northern Ireland, was Nana. Unfortunately, I was able to see her only once or twice a year.

Congratulations, JoAnn! Being a grandparent is wonderful! I have no problem with being called Grandma; "Granny" I wouldn't care for. To each his own, right?

Baked Sweet Potato "Fries"

JoAnn, I made these last weekend when my daughter and her family stopped by on their way to Disney--they were delicious! Will definitely make again.

These do sound good, JoAnn. I'll have to remember to buy some sweet potatoes next time I shop.

JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "Leslie, I just made reservations for Easter too. Our plans have been up in the air as to where we would be and decided to stay home. I am busy packing for my move to the beach on Monday. So I made ..."

Oh, what a mess that must have been! What a shame!

I really must be an idiot. When I first signed up on Goodreads, I put a few books on my shelf. Now, when I want to add more, I can't figure out how to do it! I keep getting the book search function. What am I missing? This can't be that difficult.

That's one reason that I would never want to be a "snowbird". I'd always be looking for something that was in the other place.