Suzan’s Comments (group member since May 22, 2020)

Suzan’s comments from the 2020 Big Book Summer Reading Challenge group.

Nancy wrote: "Recently finished A Woman is no man about a Palestian/American family. I had some issues with it, so decided to read more about Palestine. Reading [book:The Way to the Spring: Life and Death in Pal..."

Wow, that does sound like some heavy reading lately, Nancy, though it's fun when one book inspires you to learn more and continue reading about a subject!

Elinor wrote: "I’ve just started The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (that’s sort of on you Sue, really ;)), even though I’m already reading Becoming! I’m in one of those crazy phases where I read several books at a ..."

Wow, Elinor, you are really in the Big Book groove!

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was excellent - hope you enjoy it! And check out the movie afterward - the original Swedish one was a bit better than the Hollywood version, but both were good.

Jane wrote: "Just started my second big book of the summer, Devil's Brood, by Sharon Kay Penman - it's the second half of the Henry II/Eleanor of Aquitaine story. I love historical novels, and this is one of my..."

Sounds interesting, Jane - enjoy!

Victoria wrote: "Put this on your list for fall: The Once and Future Witches

Here’s my review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

Sounds good, Vicky!

Cheriee wrote: "I've finished my sixth big book of the summer!! Anthem by Deborah Wiles was 447 pages plus end notes. I have adored every book in this series. You can read my review here. https://www.g..."

Congratulations, Cheriee! Now that I know Revolution was the start of this trilogy, I want to read the other 2 books because that first one was sooo good!

Victoria wrote: "Catching up on my list. I’ve tackled 3 more books that happened to be over 400 pages.
Life of a Klansman: A Family History in White Supremacy
[book:Soul Full of Coal Dust: The True..."

Wow, 3 more Big Books! Way to go, Vicki! Good luck on Hamilton :)

Heidi'sbooks wrote: "Suzan wrote: "I just finished Big Book #7 - Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (Oxford Time Travel series) - winner of BOTH Hugo & Nebula Awards- I LOVED this outstanding book about traveling back in t..."

ha ha Thanks, Heidi! Some of my Big Books have been audios, so that helps :)

Doomsday Book was excellent - definitely in my top books of the year (and maybe ever!) - hope you enjoy it, too.

Pam wrote: "I just finished Big Book #3 for this summer - The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty. I had thought I was taking a break from 'big books' but found this one to be over 400 pages, so it counts!

Lov..."

Congratulations on finishing your 3rd Big Book, Pam! As I mentioned, I read my first Liane Moriarty novel this summer - Truly Madly Guilty - and loved it! So, I want to read more from her, too.

https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2020/...

Glad you enjoyed this one!

I just finished Big Book #7 - Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (Oxford Time Travel series) - winner of BOTH Hugo & Nebula Awards- I LOVED this outstanding book about traveling back in time to the Middle Ages, with epidemics in both time periods - intense suspense, great characters & fascinating history! I just want to shout from the rooftops: "You MUST read this book!" Had a nasty book hangover afterward :)

Here's my full review and a sample from the audio:

https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2020/...

Cheriee wrote: "Suzan wrote: "Cheriee wrote: "I have just started my 6th big book of the summer, Anthem by Deborah Wiles. (480 pages) It fits because of page length although some of these pages don..."

OH! I didn't realize it was a trilogy! I have to go dig up the other 2 - Revolution was SO good!

I can't remember if I mentioned it here or not, but I am currently reading my 7th (I think) Big Book - almost done now, actually:

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis, part of her Oxford Time Travel series, and it is SO GOOD!!!

Linda wrote: "Suzan wrote: "Linda wrote: "I don't know if I should count The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness 10th anniversary edition.
To listen to it was 20 segment..."

Ah, that explains it - it was a pretty short book to begin with! Can;t believe it's been 10 years already!

Cheriee wrote: "I have just started my 6th big book of the summer, Anthem by Deborah Wiles. (480 pages) It fits because of page length although some of these pages don't have a lot of text. That sa..."

I loved Deborah Wiles' Revolution! Enjoy!

Linda wrote: "Suzan wrote: "Linda wrote: "I think this was my 3rd big book, but I just finished "Author in Chief" about presidential writing. It also included a lot about the publishing industry history. Did you..."

Oh! Even more interesting!

Cheriee wrote: "I finished The Weight of Ink last Wednesday, but we have had the grandkids visiting so I haven't had time to post. I have hardly had time to think. (Good thing you can't see the me..."

ha ha my house looks like that all the time, especially this summer with both adult sons home and my husband working from home! Glad you enjoyed it so much, Cheriee - my book group gave it one of our highest ratings! I can't wait to read it, too. Now, get some rest!

Jane wrote: "Just finished my first big book of the summer, Men to Match My Mountains, by Irving Stone.
https://janegs.blogspot.com/2020/07/m...

As a Westerner and a lover of history,..."

Sounds like a good one, Jane! Glad to hear it's held up well.

Linda wrote: "I think this was my 3rd big book, but I just finished "Author in Chief" about presidential writing. It also included a lot about the publishing industry history. Did you know that Grant had trouble..."

Wow, Linda, that sounds fascinating! I had no idea Twain wrote Grant's memoirs. Sounds like an interesting book.

Heidi'sbooks wrote: "I finished my 2nd big book of the summer. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. Clocking in at 570 pages, it was a much easier read than my first big book. (My husband nicknamed that biography Gorbach..."

Congrats on finishing another Big Book! I loved The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah is always good for a cry!

And I love "Gorbachunk" - ha ha!

Karen wrote: "Starting Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo. coming in at 452 pages."

I haven't heard of that one before, Karen - hope you enjoy it!

Linda wrote: "I don't know if I should count The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness 10th anniversary edition.
To listen to it was 20 segments. That's a lot for an audio..."

Hi, Linda - sorry so late :) I read The New Jim Crow in print, and it was just 261 pages. I suspect all the extra page count is references, bibliography, resources, etc. It was well-worth reading!