Tanya's comments (member since May 20, 2009)

Tanya's comments from the Books on the Nightstand group.

Today, I've got only one book in hand, RECIPES 1-2-3 MENU COOKBOOK by Rozanne Gold! It contains a 15 ingredient Thanksgiving dinner that has been the basis of my Thanksgiving dinners for the past 10 years. The pages are stained, heavily annotated and there are computer printout of complementary dishes from Rozanne Gold's other menu cookbook, ENTERTAINMENT 1-2-3. The spine is completely shot and the whole of it is held together with a giant rubber band! Each menu in both books also has a wine recommendation. This year my notes are mostly about adjustments being made to the instructions as I'm now using an electric range and oven (in the past I've always used a gas range and oven.)

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Grrr! My shipment of books is late! I was "without" a book last night, so I started CATCHING FIRE (by Suzanne Collins.) It's the second title in the Hunger Games planned trilogy and will be my second entry in my DystopYA effort.

I was listening to THE SECRET SCRIPTURE (by Sebastian Barry; narrated by Wanda McCaddon) but I have to put it aside for now. The writing is gorgeous and the narration superb and, that's the very unusual reason I have to put it down! The narrator certainly knows how to drive and shape the text and, even though I was only on the first file, I could sense the inexorable pull towards The Tragic Thing in Roseanne's life. Psychologically, I was finding it unbearable.

So I've switched to a very light audiobook mystery, BURY THE LEAD (by David Rosenfelt; narrated by Grover Gardner.) It's only available in an abridged format but I understand that the difference between the unabridged text and the abridged audiobook is very slight (but of course that begs the question, "Why did they abridge at all?")

In print, I just finished A CASE OF EXPLODING MANGOES (by Mohammed Hanif,) a political satire about the plane explosion that killed General Zia in the 1980's. While I was reading it, I was very much entertained. Afterwards, I discovered that many of the incidents in the book were very much based in fact, which lent another level of irony to the novel.

Today, I'm expecting a shipment of books, among which is A BED OF ROSES (by Nora Roberts.)I do not read modern romance novels, but I decided to try something new. It's the second in the Bride Quartet and has been getting a lot of exposure in the bookstores and on various bloggers' sites. I did pick up VISION IN WHITE, the first in the series last week, in preparation. I wasn't terribly impressed by it (if it's a romance novel and the sex is only so-so, you can't really expect me to rate it above a "C")but I'm willing to give the second novel a chance as I heard it's better that the first.

Tanya wrote: "I finished THE NEON RAIN by James Lee Burke; narrated by Will Patton. ..."

A Foodie Follow-Up:

In THE NEON RAIN (by James Lee Burke; narrated by Will Patton), Dr. Nut, a soft drink apparently popular in New Orleans is mentioned a couple of times (It is also the favored drink of Ignatius in A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole.) By the time The Neon Rain was written, Dr Nut had already stopped being made, though it did not officially cease as an entity until the year 2000 (squirrel trademark invalidated.) In searching the internet, I came across a bar drink that is apparently close in taste to a Dr. Nut: 4 oz Amaraetto and 2 oz Dr. Pepper.

So today, whilst grocery shopping, I picked up a bottle of Amaretto and a Dr. Pepper. A few minutes ago, I mixed myself a Dr. Nut cocktail and poured it over crushed ice. It's very sweet and "thick," but oddly appealing and I'm enjoying it very much! I suspect, like the novel, it's not to everyone's taste, but if you ever get a chance, you should try it!

Next week, I'm out to find candied cherries (NOT Maraschino cherries,) a Mexican Coke (it's made with sugar instead of High Fructose Corn Syrup) and a fresh lime; all so I can try another drink recipe from the book.

Last night I did go out for dinner at a fish house and order the Jumbalaya, but even though I wasn't expecting much here in Southern Oregon, I was still a bit disappointed. Perhaps I should have gone with the "Cajun" oyster shooter and the catfish instead!

Booksexy wrote: "Tanya wrote: "Also, there are a number of sequels or derivative works of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (search "Mr Darcy" at amazon.com and there's a slew of them!) as well as works heavily in..."

I agree, I'm not a fan of what I see as the corruption of the original texts. There's one making the rounds now, Dr Darcy, Vampyre, which is triply offensive to me: 1) it corrupts P&P; 2) It's another vampire novel; 3) it's a knock-off of P&P& Zombies. It doesn't get much more derivative than that!

I finished THE NEON RAIN by James Lee Burke; narrated by Will Patton. It's the first title in the Dave Robicheaux series and I really loved the viscous, evocative imagery, the realistically portrayed characters and, the uncertainty as to how the whole of the situation and the characters' fates will be dispositioned until the very end. The narrator sounds a wee bit too long in the tooth to be the protag; On the other hand, his character delineation and cadence of the text is masterful. The only thing about the novel that may trouble some, is that the violence, while it emerges from the narrative and chokes you like a silk garrote, is also truly graphic and horrific in a Dali-esque way. It entrances and repels at the same time.

Unfortunately, the next title in the series is available in audio as abridged cassette format only. Even if I could get my hands on a copy, I would have to go dig up an old Walkman to play it! So, I'll probably read it in print and that means, with my current stack, it may be awhile!

Next up on my iPod, THE SECRET SCRIPTURE by Sebastian Barry; narrated by Wanda McCaddon. The book was a 2008 MAN Booker shortlist title and its been in my queue for over a year!

Lmj wrote: "How could I forget my favorite! The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka. Also, one of the first I thought about (besides the Jan Austen w/ zombies) was [book:March|13..."

I wasn't counting The Janeites, The Jane Austen Book Club or, Bridget Jones' Diary as retellings, but as works heavily influenced by P&P, adding to the "fad."

Also, there are a number of sequels or derivative works of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (search "Mr Darcy" at amazon.com and there's a slew of them!) as well as works heavily influenced by P&P/Jane Austen like The Janeites by Rudyard Kiplilng, The Jane Austen Book Club (by Karen Joy Fowler) and even Bridget Jones' Diary (by Helen Fielding.) And let's not forget Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith!)

I'm not particularly interested, but for those who may be, perhaps a link? or details?

Dottie wrote: "A suggestion for everyone who is requesting books and being overwhelmed when they all show up at once. ..."

The weird thing is, when I check the lists and do the math, the books I have on hold shouldn't be coming in all at once! I think the "problem" arises when someone returns a book early! Then the math and arrival dates get all messed up. But thanks for reminding me about the librarian's workload. I think I'll cool off on putting things on hold for a while. After all, I still have plenty of 2009 (and older!) backlist material to get through...

Currently finishing up ROUNDING THE MARK (an Inspector Montalbano mystery by Andrea Camilleri) which is a cozy, but a little disturbing as this title deals with illegal child immigration.

Also reading A CASE OF EXPLODING MANGOES by Mohammed Hanif for a Man Booker reading group (the book was a longlist title in 2008.)

And I swear I'm going to get LIFE AS WE KNEW IT and THE DEAD AND THE GONE (by Susan Beth Pfeffer) read before the next week is out!

In audio, I'm listening to THE NEON RAIN by James Lee Burke; narrated by Will Patton. I also happen to have a cold. I find myself rewinding a lot to re-listen to sections. I can't figure out if my attention is wandering because I have a cold or; if the descriptive language is giving my brain permission to take a little daydream walk!

Vanessa wrote: "I also have problems with my holds coming due and discovering they are 2 week holds. I usually give those right back. I rarely am able to dovetail my reads that neatly. "

I'm in the same boat! I used to think I was so clever in placing New Releases on Hold! I even thought they would be staggered in arriving and I would have plenty of time to read each as it came out, along with my regular reading load. Now, I'm returning most of them unread. It was getting to the point that I would look at a stack of library books as a chore to finish off, rather than an indulgence into an author's world.

I finished THE BLOOMSDAY DEAD (by Adrian McKinty; narrated by Gerard Doyle) and THE WINGS OF THE SPHINX (an Inspector Montalbano mystery by Andrea Camilleri.)

THE BLOOMSDAY DEAD was the final title in the "Dead" trilogy and I I loved the experience! For anyone else who might be interested in an Irish vendetta tale, there is actually very little mystery, but a lot of suspense. In fact, the last words on the next to the last file/CD were such a shocker, that I had to pull my iPod from the car and finish the book inside the house! I would rate each of the books a B/B+; but as a whole, the trilogy gets an A, a rare case where the sum is greater than its parts. I probably mentioned this before but its bears repeating: There are passages of poetic phrases that are tattooed upon one's imagination and; other scenes of horrific violence that rape and mug that same imagination. But throughout it all, the characters are very realistic and it all makes for a compelling listening experience. The narrator, Gerard Doyle is so very deeply integrated into the role of Michael Forsythe, that you forget that you are not listening to Michael himself!

The Inspector Montalbano mysteries are cozies, generally not my thing, but I've developed a certain affection for European mysteries (like Iain Pears' Art History Mysteries.) I always come across some cultural item that I have to look up and I feel a teensy bit smarter by the time I've finished! In the Inspector Montalbano series, which take place in Sicily, there are these constant references to food that make your mouth water (if you're into Italian food AND seafood, which I am.)

Now I start another Inspector Montalbano mystery, ROUNDING THE MARK and; an audiobook narrated by Will Patton, THE NEON RAIN (by James Lee Burke.) This is my first foray into JLB so we'll see...

I'm currently juggling three books and an audiobook:

LIFE AS WE KNEW IT (by Susan Beth Pfeffer)
A CASE OF EXPLODING MANGOES (by Mohammed Hanif)
THE WINGS OF THE SPHINX (by Andrea Camilleri)
THE BLOOMSDAY DEAD (by Adrian McKinty; narrated by Gerard Doyle)

I cannot remember who said it, but I'm pretty sure it was on the BOTN/Goodreads thread about reading more than one book at a time, but s/he said that for them, being a polygamus reader was about as difficult as watching two-three shows on TV in one evening. With that in mind, it put reading multiple books into perspective and I find I can handle more titles that way!

Suzanne wrote: "TI like the library as buffet analogy -- I just put THE CHILDREN'S BOOK by A.S. Byatt and JULIET, NAKED by Nick Hornby on hold yesterday and they will probably be available at the same time"

I canceled my hold on THE CHILDREN'S BOOK as it turns out the MAN Booker Group I belong to will be reading it in February. I'll probably end up buying a copy of that one as I won't be able to control WHEN the book comes in for me if I place a request for it at the library and; I like to read a group selection as a close to the actual discussion date as possible.

SIGH, I also just returned WOLF HALL (by Hilary Mantel.) It's 550+ pages of historical fiction and I could never just "breeze" through that! I love to wallow in historical fictions and trying to cram that all in, with everything else going on, seemed like a bad idea.

I finished DIRTY MARTINI (by J.A. Konrath) and I have to admit that it's the best Jack Daniels title so far! It deals with a terrorist who is contaminating Chicago's food supplies and though there is a lot of throwing up and dying, it wasn't as gratuitous as the scatological descriptions and violence of the previous books in the series. Jack Daniels and Harry McGlade actually show a teesny bit of depth too. This is the perfect place for me to stop reading the series. I understand, from a mystery group that I belong to, the J.A. Konrath reverts to (bad) form in Fuzzy Navel and Cherry Bomb.

Like a buffet where "my eyes are bigger than my belly," the library has been offering up a number of delicious new releases and I'm overwhelmed with choices! Unfortunately, as I have to be realistic, I'm going to have to return a number of them unread as I can't possibly read them in the time alloted (no renewals on new releases or books with holds on them.) So, even though NOCTURNES, by Kazuo Ishiguro is beckoning, I'm going to read the next DystopYA picks on my list, LIFE AS WE KNEW IT and THE DEAD AND THE GONE (by Susan Beth Pfeffer.)

Danelle wrote: "So a while ago I decided to read more classic novels. I love vampires, and i was ashamed to say i never read Dracula. Now I have! But after reading the book I was mad. The Dracula in movies, is nothing like Bram Strokers Dracula. In movies, I feel as if Dracula should be pitied. Yet I don't pity him in the book. I want him to die. Over all I enjoyed the book. Anyone else read it? How did you feel about it? "

It's been a few years since I've read it and it may be time for a re-read, but from what I recall, you are absolutely right in that the Dracula from the novel is nothing like most movie versions. I say "most" because, one film, "Nosferatu," is closer to the spirit and intent of the novel. The filmmakers wanted to make a movie called "Dracula," based on the book, but they were denied permission, so they renamed their effort "Nosferatu." It's a b&w silent film which I saw at Wolf Trap (near Washington, DC) with the National Symphony Orchestra playing along (live) and large fans playing over the crowd during the shipboard scenes. It was a blast!

Anyway, the transformation from the vampire from one of monster and pariah to that of romantic figure has largely been at the hands of Hollywood filmmakers and modern derivatists (writers who write their own versions of vampires.) Personally, I'm not fond of the romantic or sympathetic vampire figure. By removing the moral and ethical pathos and reducing the vampire to a bodice ripping sex god who "promises" immortality through corporeal death (as opposed to threatening the same) the vampire has lost its menace.

More interestingly, it's commonly accepted that "Dracula" was based upon the Romanian prince, Vlad the Impaler whose surname was Dracula/Drakulya/Draculea. His reputation for torture was perhaps exacerbated by propaganda, perhaps not. It's hard to say after 600 years. Nonetheless, even if a fraction of what he was reputed to have done were true, one would have to admit that truth is not only stranger, but even more terrifying than, fiction. His reputation, coupled with English Gothic superstition and customs were the driving influences of Bram Stoker's work.

I'm currently reading DIRTY MARTINI by J.A. Konrath. Yes, I know it's adolescent humor and more than likely has plot holes you could drive a Mack truck through, but uts a quick and dirty interstitial read beofre I get back into the thick of things!

Next up, definitely LIFE AS WE KNEW IT (and its sequel, THE DEAD AND THE GONE) by Susan Beth Pfeffer) for the DystopYA Reading Challenge.

Tanya wrote: "Anyway, I'm pretty much avoiding finishing Her Fearful Symmetry (by Audrey Niffenegger.) I won't officially DNF it for at least another two weeks, during which I'll clean my house, my car, and the dog as procrastinating measures. I know I'm definitely the outlier opinion on the novel, but I'm really hating it. I think the only reason I may finish it is a certain masochistic tendency to prove I'm right."

I'm officially giving myself permission to let Her Fearful Symmetry go. The inanity of it was poisoning my love of reading. Three other books have done this in the past: THE ISLAND OF THE DAY BEFORE (by Umberto Eco,) THE DAVINCI CODE (by Dan Brown) and ECLIPSE (by Stephenie Meyer.) In each case, I realized that there were better things I could be doing with my time and a "reading slump" ensued. The shortest slump lasted 4 months ("Eclipse") and the longest was two years ("The Island of the Day Before" (I (snow) skied a LOT those years and prepped for skiing in the off-season)) Anyway, I'm returning the book early. Tonight I'm going to go see Macbeth at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and tomorrow I'll probably start LIFE AS WE KNEW IT (by Susan Beth Pfeffer) for the DystopYA Reading Challenge.

This morning, I picked up an old ARC of MISS MANNERS' GUIDE TO A SURPRISINGLY DIGNIFIED WEDDING (by Judith Martin and her daughter, Jacobina Martin.) I am not getting married, but I gravitated towards this book in anticipation of my sister getting engaged again (She's been engaged 5 times; but married 0 times. One day I'm going to write a book about my experience as a 5X Maid of Honor and call it "Always a Bridesmaid." Anyway, that's another story for another time...) As I was saying, I picked up this book and it wasn't anything what I had expected. I've been reading sections out of order and it has an amazingly high entertainment value! I've been laughing over the letters to Miss Manners and her replies all day. The only thing that concerns me, is that one or both of the Miss Manners seems to spend a lot of time having dropped to the floor in a faint of astonishment! You have to wonder why they wouldn't have figured out the need to read letters on a chaise lounge or a bed by now...

I've been noticing that after a couple of years, a number of blogs, discussion groups and/or book clubs will fall into indifference and low participation. Since you've been discussing book clubs on your podcast & blog, the topic of how to jump start a flagging book club might be timely. What have other successful groups done to re-energize their memberships?