Sara wrote: "Joy, maybe another discussion could be recommending good comedies. These really are hard to find. And I do find them necessary and helpful in my stressful, busy life. I'm sure others might agree(?). Sara"

Sara, I think that's a great idea.
So I've started the new discussion topic for you.
See the following link in this Books & Reading section: ====>
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1079...
The topic is entitled:
"Recommend a humorous book or author?"

I hope others will go to that topic with their replies.

I admit that I am a sucker for P.G. Wodehouse, so when I recently discovered some of his books that I haven't yet read in my local library I snatched them up. I am currently reading Love Among the Chickens. Wodehouse's stories are generally short and they always leave you wanting more. And, as difficult as it is to write comedy, he is the best. Admittedly, if you read more than three in a row (again, they are so short that it is easy to do this in a few days) it can get a little tiresome. Nevertheless, I always go back to him when I need a good laugh.

Joy, maybe another discussion could be recommending good comedies. These really are hard to find. And I do find them necessary and helpful in my stressful, busy life. I'm sure others might agree(?).

Sara

That's one of the best things about goodreads, sharing great authors with each other. I have The First Chronicles of Amber which has the first five chronicles. I still have to read it. Too many books, not enough time.

Jackie wrote: "I finished the Patterson book, it was good. I figured out what was happening early on, but not the why of it.

Hi Jackie, Glad you enjoyed Patterson. I like his books too. However, the reason for this post is to thank you and Jim for sparking my interest in the author, Roger Zelazny! I have never read anything by him before but after reading your earlier post and Jim's regarding him I had our local library do a search for Zalazny and they were able to get me, The Great Book of Amber". I am now starting "Book Three, Sign of the Unicorn" and I'm hooked! I can see that I'm not going to get much done until I finally get to the end - and as you can see I am only at the third chronicle I have seven more to go! Thanks for sharing!
Dianne

Jackie wrote: "Started Demon Moon by Jack Williamson..."

I looked at Williamson's page. It says:
"John Stewart Williamson who wrote as Jack Williamson (and occasionally under the pseudonym Will Stewart) was a U.S. writer often referred to as the 'Dean of Science Fiction'".

Have you read anything written under Williamson's pseudonym, "Will Stewart"?

I finished the Patterson book, it was good. I figured out what was happening early on, but not the why of it.

Started Demon Moon by Jack Williamson. As I read the inside sleeve, I wonder how I never read anything by this guy before. He's been writing for a very long time in sci-fi/fantasy. How did I miss this author? I'm betting Jim has read him and can recommend other books by him that I would like. What do you say, Jim?

Jim wrote: One of the best things about GR is getting to chat with authors & read their books.

Jim, thanks for pointing that out. I hadn't thought of that particular advantage, but it's true. GR gives us a window on authors which can be very enlightening.

When I read William Goldman's _Adventures in the Screen Trade_, he gave me many insights into the world of writing. It isn't just sitting down at a keyboard. There are so many things which go into finally getting a story published.

Eric's grandparents are coming today for a week. I won't be able to read much. Or get on the computer. I love having them here but it upsets my routine.
I decided to finish An American Psycho, since I was close to the end anyway. It was OK. I didn't like the main character so it was difficult to really care about any of it. I just kept thinking to myself, What an a$$ this guy is.
I had heard rave reviews for the movie which I never got around to renting, so I expected more I guess, but I won't be renting it.

Erin & I both read Werner's book & enjoyed it. It's a quick read, but good. My copy is signed by the author to me, so I won't lend it out. Sorry, but it means too much to me to get lost in the mail.

One of the best things about GR is getting to chat with authors & read their books. Sue S.A. Rule's 2d book just came out & I so want to read it. Leslie Ann Moore signed a copy of Griffin's Daughter for Erin & now has a sequel out. Another GR friend, Henrik S. Harksen just published an horror anthology. <sigh> So many good books to read & so little time!

I just finished the 6th Sookie Stackhouse book last night Definitely Dead & started in on the 7th, All Together Dead. They're VERY entertaining, light reading. I'm hooked on paranormal romances, especially this one.

It is now also an HBO show called "True Blood". The TV show & the books share a lot in common, but they're like alternate universes or something. Same character names & some of the same story elements, but otherwise they're pretty different. They're both really good, though.

Jackie, thanks for all your reviews on the books. You truly are a reader! I've been doing very poorly in the reading department lately. Now with the family visiting, there isn't a chance. Will have to get busy reading as soon as they go home, but I'll miss having the family around.

Werner wrote: "Yes, Joy, I have a few feelers out to publishers for a reprint edition, including The Writers Cafe' Press and Marcher Lord Press. But there's no guarantee that any of them will say yes; and even i..."

Good luck, Werner!

My son Eric came home with The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne. He knows I like Verne. I just read 35 pages and I'm pleased so far.
I've also started The Quiet American by Graham Greene for my title challenge but I'm not liking it yet. I've only read about 20 pages, so I can't really judge, but it hasn't caught me yet. Hopefully, it will.
I usually don't have 4 books going at once, but I know the Patterson book will be finished tonight or tomorrow at the latest. He's such an easy read. Short chapters that leave you hanging, so you have to go on to the next. I like his format style. His books never take more than a day or two. I call them fodder, chew 'em up and spit 'em out, LOL but they are entertaining.

That's too bad. Maybe we'll get lucky and find it at our library.

I finished The Gypsy Morph, the final novel in the Genesis of Shannara trilogy. I gave it a rare 5 star rating. It was awesome. You'd definitely have to read The Word and the Void Omnibus because it sets the stage for Armageddon's Children, The Elves of Cintra, and The Gypsy Morph.

What I liked most about this set of novels is Hope. The story of a group of children in a post apocalyptic Western US, the vision of one boy and the faith and hope of his 'family', a ragtag group of abandoned children. There's a lot more to it, saving the race of elves, battling demons who are relentless and numerous. Danger, hardship and loss.
But through it all there is always Hope for a place of safety and a better tomorrow.

I thought it was brilliant. Sheer genius by Terry Brooks. Quite an undertaking, bridging two vastly different series and he did it with perfection. Outstanding.

I finished late last night, about 2 am. I can't sleep until I've chosen and started a new book. I picked You've Been Warned by James Patterson because I'm doing a Title Challenge in the Book Challenge Group. I needed something that begins with Y, one of the letters I haven't done yet. And James Patterson is always an easy, entertaining read.
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/9076...
Started in January, I'm trying to read a book that begins with every letter of the alphabet, same idea for the Author Challenge.

Yes, Joy, I have a few feelers out to publishers for a reprint edition, including The Writers Cafe' Press and Marcher Lord Press. But there's no guarantee that any of them will say yes; and even if they do, the book publishing process doesn't move very swiftly. So I'm resigned to a long wait at best! Thanks for asking.

Werner, what a shame that your publisher went out of business. Do you have any plans to get another publisher to produce more copies of _Lifeblood_? Our library has a book by the same title written by Tom Becker and published in 2008 by Orchard Books. I'll ask them about your book.

Alice, thanks for your kind words about Lifeblood, and Joy and Jackie, thanks for your interest! I should point out, though, that right now getting a copy can pose some challenge; the publisher went out of business last year, so it's out of print. They used Ingram as a wholesaler, so as long as Ingram still had copies, you could order it through Amazon, get your local bookstore to special order it, etc. But I think Ingram is sold out now (Amazon was, the last time I checked). However, there are other possibilities.

Your local library probably won't have the book, but they can borrow it for you through interlibrary loan (ask the librariana about this). You can tell them it's in World Catalog, and a few OCLC libraries have it; they'll know what that means. Also, the campus bookstore here at Bluefield College still has a few copies, though they're going fast (Goodreads has created more demand than they've had since 2004! :-)) If you'd be interested in buying a copy from that source (while it lasts), message me for details!

I didn't get very far. It was nicer than I thought outside today so me and Juneau were out. When I finally did get to read, I had to start cooking. Oh well, maybe I'll finish it tonight.

Jackie wrote: "It's taking me longer to read books because I spend so much time on the computer."

Yes, that's a problem. I don't know which I like more... reading books or talking about them! (lol)

I'm reading An American Psycho and almost finished with Genesis of Shannara. It's taking me longer to read books because I spend so much time on the computer.

I'll have to try Lifeblood. I love the vamps and werewolves. Mostly I find the new crop of novels about them ridiculous. But if Alice likes it, I think I will too.

Alice wrote: "Yes, vampires are the rage and werewolves not far behind. I have been a fan for a long time starting with Salem's Lot I guess. (about 1977) ... Great escape from boredom!"

And a great escape it is. I'm enjoying a good book entitled _Death Straight Up_ by Fay Rownell. She has a great sense of humor and it shows throughout the book. It's a great light mystery and I recommend it. I can't stop reading it. It's not about vampires though.

Yes, vampires are the rage and werewolves not far behind. I have been a fan for a long time starting with Salem's Lot I guess. (about 1977) I also own the videos and DVD's for An American Werewolf in London, An American Werewolf in Paris, Wolfen, and Jack Nicholson in Wolf, He is perfect in that part.
Great escape from boredom!

PS-I've put the book, _Lifeblood_, on my To-Read list. All the reviews I read here at Goodreads said that this book is terrific... very suspenseful.

Alice wrote: "I just started Werner's book Lifeblood and I really like his "time traveler" point of view ... So far its riveting "

Hi Alice - Thanks for the recommendation of _Lifeblood_ by Werner A. Lind.

Isn't it fun when a book is riveting!
Vampires seem to be all the rage now.

I also liked it that Stephenie Meyer made her vampires sparkle like snow in the sunlight. It made them seem like angels to me altho maybe dark angels as I always think of angels being very sparkly and glowing.
I just started Werner's book Lifeblood and I really like his "time traveler" point of view. His vampire wears a cape and this appeals to me greatly as I just got one for Christmas but unable to wear it yet as the velvet is still outgassing some toxic chemical. So far its riveting and I just got on to create a neverending quiz question on something that fascinates me when I saw this post- what are you reading? Don't miss this book.

Hi Becky,
I read _Seabiscuit_ with my book group several years ago. I probably would never have picked it up if the book group hadn't scheduled it. I usually prefer fiction. I'm so glad I read it.

It was a fascinating account of how three people (the owner, the trainer, and the rider) came together by chance and made an unlikely horse a champion. Each person contributed the necessary talents which helped to develop Seabiscuit into a winner.

Ahhhh Seabiscuit-I forgot that on my book list!!! Took me a good 100 pages to get into it but I am so glad I stuck with it, great book.

I wonder how old that book by Walter Scott is, Jim. The bit about the underbinding sounds like an early example of recycling.

I like your idea of alternating between a fact book and a fiction book at the same time. Each genre requires a different mind-set.

Funny you should mention that Scott was addressing the intro to his grandson. I just finished reading, _Gilead_, in which an old dying preacher is addressing his words to his young 7 year old son who he hopes will read them in the future.

I'll check out your review of _Beautiful Jim Key_, which I see is by Mim Eichler Rivas. I also read at Amazon.com that the Harper Paperback edition (2006) was called: _BEAUTIFUL JIM KEY: The Lost History of the World's Smartest Horse_" (I cut and pasted that title.) Wonder why they changed it. Goodreads title is: _Beautiful Jim Key: The Lost History of a Horse and a Man Who Changed the World_, as you stated.

Would you call that genre "fictionalized history"? Would you call it non-fiction? I wish the book ads would identify genres. I can never tell if a book is fiction or non-fiction from the title.

Sounds like a good horse book, similar to _Seabiscuit_ which I enjoyed reading.

I just finished Beautiful Jim Key: The Lost History of a Horse and a Man Who Changed the World. I did a lengthy review on it, too.

I just started a book by Walter Scott. It's called 'A Grandfather's Tale; the History of Scotland' or something like that in the edition I have at home. The edition that I have of this book is very old. It has no ISBN or published date. The binding has come off of the spine on the top, there is a partial document showing about the metric system. Looks like it was used as the underbinding of the book. Kind of cool. The pages are very thick.

There is nothing on the spine to tell me what the book is. It's one of those old ones you see by the hundreds on the back shelves of book stores where you can't get to it easily & soon tire of pulling each one looking for a treasure. I don't recall if that is how I found this one or if it came from my grandfather. Either of us were likely to spend an hour doing something like that, though. Anyway, I'm finally getting around to reading it.

It is Sir Walter Scott writing a history of Scotland to his grandson. He tells the story from the Roman occupation splitting the isle, then MacBeth's story. Now I'm reading about how Longshanks, Edward I, decided to get Scotland for his own.

I like to read a fact & a fiction book at the same time. This is my 'fact' book right now. As he says in the introduction to his grandson, telling a good story is a good way to spark the interest & it can be followed up with study at a later date.

That sounds like a different approach for a plot, Jackie, ...ghosts as substitute parents. Interesting.

No, it's more of a young adult novel, nothing scary to me. The first chapter open with the murder of Bod's family and that can be disturbing. But the rest of it is kind of sweet, the ghosts in the graveyard take him in and raise him.

Is it as "chilling" as they say in the book description, Jackie?

I'm reading The Graveyard Bookby Neil Gaiman. I liked his Stardust, this is a bit different but I'm enjoying it, an easy read.

I used to call the category: "not finished", but then I saw the more sophisticated wording: "read partially" at someone else's bookshelf and I adopted the idea. The words: "half-read" wouldn't be good for me because sometimes my books are: "10% read". :)

I believe I have a "half_read" category myself. Sometimes those are short story collections or poetry collections, other time novels that were partially read.

Becky wrote: "No Joy-I gave up, I figure there are so many books out there that I really want to read, why struggle with one that I was getting nowhere with....."

I hear ya, Becky. I often feel that way too. But then sometimes my curiosity gets the better of me and I plug on.

I've created a category at my Goodread's bookshelf called "read-partially". Also have one called "not-so-hot". :) I suppose I should have one called "couldn't-get-into-it". :) Each category denotes a different feeling.

Some of the partially read books had to go back to the library because they were overdue and I never borrowed them again. As you say, we want to keep moving forward.

Joy H. (of Glens Falls) wrote: "Melissa and Becky,
I'm glad to hear that other folks had trouble getting into _Beloved_. I always wonder what's wrong with myself when I can't get into a book which other people seem to love, espec..."

No Joy-I gave up, I figure there are so many books out there that I really want to read, why struggle with one that I was getting nowhere with.....

Melissa and Becky,
I'm glad to hear that other folks had trouble getting into _Beloved_. I always wonder what's wrong with myself when I can't get into a book which other people seem to love, especially if it's an award winner.

Melissa, the fact that you loved it after getting into it, does encourage me to try again.

Becky, did you finally finish reading _Beloved_ after the hard time you had with it?

Jim wrote:
I may whine about it, but I love having such tough choices to make. Imagine, too many good books to read. What a horrible problem!!!

LOL! Yes, Jim, we should always be so lucky. :)

Nancy, I read Richard Paul Evans _The Locket_. He tells a good story. Let us know what you think of _Grace_.

I guess I read his book _The Letter_ too, because here's a quote from the book which I put in my quote file:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Love is Eternal" [a book title:]... "love... will always be enough ... And, as the starlight knows no boundary of space or time, so too, our illumination will shine forth throughout all eternity, for darkness has no power to quell such light. And this is a lesson we must all learn and take to heart - that all light is eternal and all love is light. And must forever be so"
-p. 335, _The Letter_, by Richard Paul Evans, 1997.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I must also have read his book _The Last Promise_ because I found the following in my quote file:
========================================================
"Love is blind. Marriage restores one's vision." -Italian Proverb
[Found in book, _The Last Promise_ by Richard Paul Evans, p. 27:]
========================================================

I am currently reading The Outlander...I am only on page 67 but I feel I could just walk away from it, I won't but I just don't feel like I "like" it yet....

I too had a very hard time with Beloved & could not get past a few pages-I very rarely do that with a book....

Joy H. (of Glens Falls) wrote: "Debra - I tried _Beloved_ a while ago, but couldn't get into it. Maybe I should try again.

Joy, I would really recommend that you do try Beloved again. It is one of my all time favorite books. I have read it several times (however, not in a few years). The characters and plots are amazing and very well written. I think the first time I read it (HS) it took me awhile to get into it, but once I did I really loved it.

Jackie wrote: "Jim,
Did you see that end coming? I didn't. I was completely stunned."

No, I can't say I saw that end coming. Sue had been building the tension & showing the situation oscillating further out of control, so I knew some major events would happen. Exactly what they were & the logic behind them were a surprise though. Not the perpetrators, though.

I can't say more here without making it a spoiler. Let's discuss in the other topic.

I got Werner A. Lind's book, Lifeblood last night. I really wanted to start it, but Jon had sent me a copy of The Best of Robert E. Howard: Crimson Shadows which I've been dying to read, so I started it instead. Tough choice, though. Werner's been a good friend here on GR & started the Supernatural Fiction Readers group. He's up next.

I may whine about it, but I love having such tough choices to make. Imagine, too many good books to read. What a horrible problem!!!

Right now I'm reading Grace by Richard Paul Evans. I've read a few of his books and just love them. Its taken me awhile to get into this one. I'll let you know what I think when I'm done.

Note: This topic is still open for posts but I am going to start a topic named "What are you reading these days? (Part Two)" simply because there are so many posts here and the thread may become unwieldy after a while for those who don't like to reverse the order of the messages.

I'll rename this topic "What are you reading these days? (Part One)".

Please feel free to post to either topic.

Debra - I tried _Beloved_ a while ago, but couldn't get into it. Maybe I should try again.

Jackie and Jim - You're getting more reading done than I am. Getting the house ready for Christmas and for the company I had tonight have taken up a lot of my time. I think I'll spend tomorrow relaxing with _Red Hot_, the book I'm currently reading. It's a light mystery about the theft of a work of art.

Jim,
Did you see that end coming? I didn't. I was completely stunned.
Shaihen Heritage: Book 1: Cloak of Magic was one of the better books I've read in a while.

I'm supposed to get an hour for lunch, so when I occasionally stretch it over that, it's not a big deal. Often I feel guilty, but today I was just absorbed. So much going on in those last pages! Whew! I can't wait for the next book to come out.

Jim,
I knew that 30 minute lunch wasn't going to do it, LOL
I happy you enjoyed it as much as I did.

I just finished Shaihen Heritage: Book 1: Cloak of Magic by GR author S.A. Rule. I was very pleased. I've been reading fantasy since I was little & it's hard for me to find a good, new writer. Sue is certainly one, though. I highly recommend it. I wrote a review on it
Jim's review "The Cloak of Magic