Katy’s
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(group member since Aug 04, 2010)
Katy’s
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from the Reading with Style group.
Showing 781-800 of 1,216
10.6 Lit Map Crosstalk by Connie Willis
If you are a fan of Connie Willis, you should definitely give this one a try. It's lighter than some of her Oxford Time Travel books (definitely lighter than Doomsday Book or Blackout/All Clear!) but Willis is just as good with lighthearted as she is with serious. One of the things I love about her writing is her voice -- you can instantly tell that you are reading her work. It's witty, lots of dialogue, clever scenarios, and so on. In this particular (standalone) book, she tackles the benefits and drawbacks of instantaneous communication in our world via cell phones (and, in her world, via implanted technology!). It doesn't read as an anti-technology book by any means, but it will make you think.
+10 task (on the Arthur C. Clarke map)
+5 jumbo (592 pages)
+10 review
Task Total: 25
Grand Total: 270
Kate S wrote: "From Post 395Katy wrote: "15.1 HnH, A-M, men, no repeats
Black Man, White House: An Oral History of the Obama Years by D.L. Hughley
Letters used: D, L
Task To..."
Ha, no wrench in my plans, I just apparently can't read the alphabet consistently :)
15.2 HnH, A-M, men, no repeatsTrue Evil by Greg Iles
Letters used so far: D, G, I, L
Task Total: 15
Grand Total: 245
15.1 HnH, A-M, men, no repeatsBlack Man, White House: An Oral History of the Obama Years by D.L. Hughley
Letters used: D, L
Task Total: 15
Grand Total: 230
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Our annual library book sale is coming up in a couple of weeks. I was thinking I might visit the mystery/thriller table for a change. Are there authors you think I'd like more than others? More "li..."Sharon Bolton who also writes as S.J. Bolton -- highly recommend, gorgeous writing.
Would As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride count? It is by Cary Elwes "with" someone else but the someone else's name is much smaller on the cover...would Cary Elwes count as the author here?
20.8 J.D. SalingerSacrifice by S.J. Bolton
This was bittersweet only in that I've now read all of Bolton's published work so I have to wait until the next one comes out! I am in love with this woman's writing -- each time, I look at the synopsis and think, ehhh, doesn't sound amazing. And each time, I am blown away by the story and the writing. She is great at building tension and suspense. And she's amazing at creating a sense of place (something I probably wouldn't have thought about without that RWS task a few seasons ago!). The setting really is a character in her books. In this case, the setting of the Shetland Islands is a huge part of the story -- it's dark and beautiful and dangerous and isolated. If you like literary mysteries at all, definitely check out Bolton's work.
+20 task
+10 review
Task Total: 30
Grand Total: 215
10.9 Next The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
low lexile, no styles
+10 task (Shades of London series)
Task Total: 10
Grand Total: 185
20.10 Vera BrittainThe Nurses: A Year of Secrets, Drama, and Miracles with the Heroes of the Hospital by Alexandra Robbins
Alexandra Robbins has at this point made a career out of long-form journalism that make secret worlds visible -- secret societies, sororities, high school...and now nurses. I find her books interesting because I like the genre. I like being drawn into a world that feels foreign to me (or in the case of high school, something that at the time I was just getting through, not analyzing!) but makes me think differently about the worlds I do inhabit. Some of what she revealed about nursing were like that -- things that I could relate to in my own job, like lateral aggression and the impact of burnout. Other things were particular and eye-opening, like the ways that nurses are often treated distinctly worse than other medical professionals at the hospital (paying for parking when no other employees have to, or being written up for medication mishaps ordered by doctors).
+20 task (shelved in the 610s at BPL here)
+10 combo (10.8, 20.6)
+10 review
Task Total: 40
Grand Total: 175
20.1 Veterans7 Days by Deon Meyer
I'm slowly working my way through all of what Deon Meyer writes (and given the combos/Nonwestern points, what a great season to be working on this!). I like his style, and his translator is good. Having taken my dream trip-of-a-lifetime to South Africa last summer, it's also fun to sometimes know the places and situations he refers to. This book, more so than the others I've read of his, would be a bit hard for a reader unfamiliar with a good bit of the history and politics of South Africa to jump in to. And even having that knowledge, this installment of ex-alcoholic detective Benny Griessel was harder for me to get into than the others. I think in this case it was because the root of the crime seemed to be in high finance, which is less interesting to me than other contexts. Still, it was a good read and I highly recommend the whole series.
+20 task
+15 combo (10.2, 10.9, 20.6)
+10 nonwestern (Meyer was born and still lives in South Africa)
+10 review
Task Total: 55
Grand Total: 135
How about Deon Meyer? His GR bio states that he became a writer "after military duty." (Actually, looks like he also worked as a reporter! Should I post this in the reporter thread too?)
10.9 Next?A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir
low lexile
+10 task (#2 in series where #3 and #4 are planned and show on GR)
Task Total: 10
Grand Total: 80
10.3 George Orwell An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
+10 task
low Lexile, no styles
Task Total: 10
Grand Total: 70
20.5 John Dos PassosThe Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain
James Cain is an author I probably wouldn't have read without this group, so that's another win for Reading with Style! As an avid mystery reader, it is fascinating to see the evolution of the genre. Cain is all about devious and clever plots, in this case a plot by a drifter and a woman he meets to kill the woman's husband to pave the way for their love. Character development, setting, theme, and anything else takes the backseat to clever plot development (though there is some morality embedded, usually suggesting that lies and deception rarely end as planned). But Cain's noir style is also notable here -- as I read it felt like I could almost hear the sounds of a black and white detective movie. I didn't like this one quite as much as Double Indemnity, but still worth reading.
+20 task (born 1892)
+20 combo (10.4 - 1934; 20.1; 20.2; 20.6)
+10 review
+10 oldies (published 1934)
Task Total: 60
Grand Total: 60
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Katy wrote: "Will Chinelo Okparanta count as non-Western? She was born in Nigeria and seems to still be a citizen of Nigeria despite living in the US for quite some time."She app..."
Thanks Elizabeth!
Will Chinelo Okparanta count as non-Western? She was born in Nigeria and seems to still be a citizen of Nigeria despite living in the US for quite some time.
Here's a few I'm looking at: Asne Seierstad - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%85s...
Chris Cleave - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_C...
Mark Pryor -- "newspaper reporter" in GR bio
Greg Toppo - http://www.ewa.org/profile/greg-toppo
Justine van der Leun - in this article she is described as "a young journalist"
Joel Brinkley - "Pulitzer prize winning reporter" in GR bio
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Joanna wrote: "I tried not to list ones that have already been approved, but if one slipped through, sorry for the duplication:Arthur C. Clarke (with E) - Connie Willis
C.S. Lewis ..."
Just jumping in -- I think both Eggers and Palahniuk are on Vonnegut's map, not Vidal's. :)
OK, I have a few! From Edith Wharton -- John Wyndham, Jhumpa Lahiri, W.B. Yeats
From Kurt Vonnegut -- Neil Gaiman, Margaret Atwood, Philip K. Dick, Haruki Murakami, David Sedaris
From C.S. Lewis -- Dorothy Sayers
From Elizabeth Moon -- Elizabeth Peters, Robin McKinley
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Katy wrote: "John Wyndham should work - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wy...What about Ishmael Beah? He was a child but was in the government's ar..."
Ha - thanks! Just figured out that Beah was the inspiration for the task :) Took me a minute to figure out the theme!!!
