Jim's comments
(member since Nov 12, 2007)
Jim's comments from the BOOK-A-HOLICS group.
(showing 1-20 of 96)
COSMOPOLIS by Dom DeLillo and THE SAVAGE DETECTIVES by Roberto Bolano
I didn't really understand what the point of COSMOPOLIS was - if anyone does, please enlighten me
As for THE SAVAGE DETECTIVES, I really liked it but am not sure what it was about - again if anyone does, let me know what you think about that book
THEN WE CAME TO THE END by Joshua Ferris
this book about downsizing is so funny that I can't read a few pages without laughing to the point of tears
at the same time it's a very poignant and sad commentary on the modern work world in the US --maybe the world today
so the tears are both from belly busting humor and existential sadness at the same time
Just finished LIFE OF PI by Martell - Iteresting book throughout and thought provoking
I like Cliff's Rule but what if You reach 100?
THEN WE CAME TO THE END BY Joshua Ferris
tremendously funny book about working at a company where downsizing is going on
hard to get through a page without laughing out loud and sometimes have to take break to regain reading focus
I'm reading ADLAND by James Ohmer - I like the book so far about being in advertising but I don't know it it's going to be the book I hoped it would be as advertising is so much a part of our culture
Life of Pi by Martell for my local book club
I just finished 2 books quite different but both very good
LIFE ASCENDING - about various evolution inventions from DNA to Consciousness - very good/interesting
THE JAMES DEANS by Reed Coleman - a mystery where the wrting and the story are 1st rate
deleted user wrote: "I quited "Eat, Prey, Love ..." by Elizabeth Gilbert. Probably I wasn't in the right mood for starting it. I took it due to some friends that advocated me the book much intense. When I told them tha..."
I started this book but just couldn't get into story and put it down quickly
Overall, I think knowing when to cut your losses whether in life or when to give up on a book and put it down is a very difficult to do but will free up your life to enjoy it more or your reading time for more worthwhile books
LIFE ASCENDIING by Nick Lane
it's about the key steps in evolution for the origins of life,DNA, movement, complex cells all the way through death
very interesting but takes a lot of attention
LaTrica wrote: "I'm about halfway through The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England and enjoying it more than expected. I'm on the search for a similar sort of book on the Tsars of Russia."
although not only about Tsars of Russia, THE GREAT UPHEAVAL by Jay Winik has a lot about Catherine The Great that migh interest You LaTricia
it has a lot more information than I ever knew about her even after taking a class in Russian history
Among the many worlds which man did not receive as a gift of nature, but which he created with his own spirit, the world of books is greatest.
Every child scrawling his first letters on his slate and attempting to read for the first time, in so doing, enters an artificial and most complicated world; to know the laws and rules of this world completely and to practice them perfectly, no single human life is long enough.
Without words, without writing and without books there would be no history, there could be no concept of humanity.
Hermann Hesse
Ashley wrote: "September 10, 2009
On Terrorism-
This is possibly the one book to read about extreme Islamic terrorism. Lawrence Wright's research is exhaustive, and he has written a gripping, character-driv..."
It's a great book and I learned more about terrorism's roots and the US security failures concerning 9-11 than I ever knew existed
GUNS OF AUGUST by Barbara Tuchman
a little more detailed than I like but great history as always with Tuchman especially when she connects past events with future outcomes
STONE'S FALL by Iain Pears
excellent book about England/finance/times from mid 1800s forward - interesting characters tied together well
I started a local book club a year ago here in Columbus -
there's almost an equal mix with people going in and out for some reason
we have the new members pick one book and there has been great selections (MNAHUNT, THE 12 DAY CHASE FOR LINCOLN'S KILLER - WHEN YOU ARE ENGULPHED BY FLAMES - THE OMNIVORE'S DILEMMA -THE WOMAN IN WHITE) but sometimes the new members don't show
we meet at a tea salon which is a great place to meet
next month we're going to meet at a place called Northstar Cafe which is a health food restaurant and has an outdoor patio
I think Goodreads is just great - I get a lot of great book recommendations and have expanded the number of authors exposed to exponentially but in person even just 1x/month is well --a little more personal
Kat wrote: "Jim, I definitely agree about Long Way Home by Ishamel Beah. It has to be one of the best books that I have read in the past year."
glad you liked it -how'd You like the resolution of shooting/not shooting riddle?
2 other books - PEOPLE OF THE BOOK -by Gearldine Brooks - very powerful fiction but probably more informative and impacting than a non fiction book on same topics
VANISHED SMILE by R. Scotti - interesting book about actual theft of Mona Lisa in 1911
PEOPLE OF THE BOOK by Geraldine Brooks
very interesting and excellent so far
ALL THE COLORS OF DARKNESS by Peter Robinson
very good as usual with Robinson's books
CASE OF THE EXPLODING MANGOES
ANGELS AND AGES- A SHORT BOOK ABOUT DARWIN, LINCOLN AND MODERN LIFE by Adam Gopnick
ALL THE COLORS OF DARKENESS by Peter Robinson
good so far as all his books have been
where would anyone rate him vis-a-vie Rankin/Connelly?
