Connie ’s
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(group member since Nov 11, 2013)
Connie ’s
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from the Reading with Style group.
Showing 1,081-1,100 of 1,905
15.2 Awards by CountryThe Return: Fathers, Sons, and the Land in Between by Hisham Matar
USA-Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography
Task total: 15
Season total: 110
10.5 Civil WarMorningstar: Growing Up With Books by Ann Hood
Ann Hood grew up in a big Italian family in the Rhode Island mill town of West Warwick. While there were not many books around their home, her large extended family entertained each other with storytelling.
"Morningstar: Growing Up With Books" is a memoir that uses books to tell the story of her early life. Hood was an early reader, and was taking adult books out of the library as a ten year old. She learned about emotions, war, sex, other cultures, and the world through fictional books. Although other books are mentioned, she concentrates on the ten books that were especially meaningful to her. This book did not have the "warm conversation over tea" feeling that I enjoyed in some "books about books". But I remember the same historical events, and I had read many of her favorite books so it was a fun trip down memory lane.
+10 task (Hood)
+10 combo 10.3 Scrabble, 10.8 Megafinish
+10 review
Task total: 30
Season total: 95
20.4 NefertitiThe Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict
Hedy Lamarr had an amazing life, and was much more than a beautiful actress. She lived with her Jewish family in Vienna when Hitler was threatening to invade Austria. She married an older, wealthy man, Fritz Mandl, who manufactured munitions. During her marriage she overheard conversations between military and political leaders from Austria, Germany, and Italy. They were unguarded in some of their conversations because they only saw her stunning beauty, and didn't realize she also had a brilliant mind. Hedy escaped from her controlling husband before the Nazis invaded Austria, and eventually came to Hollywood. In addition to acting, Hedy invented the concept of a torpedo steering system (using frequency hopping) with the help of George Antheil. She also supported the cause of the Allies by selling millions of dollars of war bonds.
This work of historical fiction is a fascinating look at a talented woman who had both beauty and intelligence. It also showed the plight of the Jewish Austrians who were targeted by Hitler, and Hedy's survivor guilt that she could not do more to help. "The Only Woman in the Room" covers a ten year period in Hedy Lamarr's life. I wished it had been longer to find out more about this interesting woman.
+20 task
+10 review
Task total: 30
Season total: 65
10.8 MegafinishA Touch of Stardust by Kate Alcott
"A Touch of Stardust" takes us to the Hollywood sets of the spectacular movie "Gone with the Wind". A fictional character, Julie, is hoping to break into screenwriting. She gets a behind-the-scenes look at movie making when actress Carole Lombard hires her as an assistant. The lively, outspoken Carole is romantically involved with actor Clark Gable (who plays the unforgettable Rhett Butler).
Producer David O. Selznick keeps tight control over the production of "Gone with the Wind", and Julie's boyfriend, Andy, works long hours for the demanding producer. Meanwhile, war is brewing in 1939 Europe, and Americans are worried that the United States will be pulled into the battle. Andy fears for his Jewish family members living in Europe. One sees the contrast between the glamour of Hollywood, and the reality of prejudice and war.
The book was a bit unrealistic in portraying Julie spending so much time on the "Gone with the Wind" sets when she was supposed to be first working for Carole Lombard, and later writing screenplays. The making of the movie was fascinating from the scenes of the burning of Atlanta to the meeting with Margaret Mitchell, the author of the famous book, at the movie's premier showing. The romances of Scarlett and Rhett on-screen, and Carole Lombard and Clark Gable in real life are legendary. I found this to be a light, enjoyable book which brought back good memories of reading "Gone with the Wind" and watching the movie years ago.
+10 task
+10 review
Task total: 20
Season total: 35
10.8 New AuthorsChronicles, Volume One by Bob Dylan
+10 task
+10 aged (age 77, born 5/24/41)
+ 5 prizeworthy Audie Award for Biography/Memoir 2005
Task total: 25
Season total: 935
Thank you to the moderators for another enjoyable season!
Kazen, using my high school French, it says that the award is originating in Paris, France.
10.9 State Your NameBellewether by Susanna Kearsley
+ 10 task
+ 5 combo 10.2 GR authorized
Task total: 15
Season total: 910
20.9 Long Nights, Long BooksOutlander by Diana Gabaldon
+20 task
+20 combo 10. 2, 10.3 pub 1991, 20.1 Winter birthday 1/11/52, 20.5
+15 jumbo 850 pages
+10 prizeworthy RITA Award, Puddly Award
Task Total: 65
RwS Finish Bonus:100
Season Total: 895
20.5 Nevil ShuteBefore We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
+20 task Historical Fiction 2,608X
+ 5 combo 10.2 GR author
+ 5 prizeworthy Goodreads Choice Award for Historical Fiction
Task total: 30
Season total: 730
10.6 MLKThe Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
+10 task
+5 combo 10.3 Gerald Durrell (pub 1963)
Task total: 15
Season total: 700
It's great having you here on Goodreads, Elizabeth! Congrats on your 10 year anniversary.
10.10 Group ReadA Very Long Engagement by Sébastien Japrisot
+10 task
+10 combo 10.3 Gerard Durrell pub 1991, 10.8 New Author
+ 5 prizeworthy Prix Interallie
Task total: 25
Season total: 685
Thanks for finding a 1923 list, Beth. I've read a couple articles about books coming into the public domain and wondered what had been published in 1923.
20.6 Edith WhartonNew Year's Day by Edith Wharton
+20 task
+10 combo 20.1-Winter Birthdays 1/24/1862, 20.10-Over and Under 3.95/45
+10 aged (died 6/1/1937 at age 75)
Task total: 40
Season total: 660
20.7 Charles DarwinEndurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery by Scott Kelly
+20 task
+15 combo 10.8-new authors, 10.9-state your name KS, 20.1-winter birthday Feb 21
Task total: 35
Season total: 620
Some possibilities:Australia-Miles Franklin Literary Award 1992 Cloudstreet or
Australia-Queensland Premier's Literary Award for Fiction The Spare Room
Belgium-Humo's Gouden Bladwijzer 2006 The Shadow of the Wind
**Canada-Arthur Ellis Award for First Novel 2006 Still Life by Louise Penny DONE 15.6
**Finland-Mikael Agricola-palkinto 2001 All the Names or DONE 15.10
Finland-J.A. Hollon palkinto 2017 Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
**France-Prix Femina for Etranger 1993 The Child in Time or DONE 15.7
France-Prix Emmanuel-Robles 2011 The Confidant by Hélène Grémillon
Germany-Leipzig Book Award for European Understanding 1998 Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster or
**Germany-Welt-Literaturpreis 1999 Flights of Love: Stories by Bernhard Schlink DONE 15.5
** Iceland-Icelandic Literary Prize for Fiction Hotel Silence DONE 15.3
India-Crossword Book Award 2008 Sea of Poppies
Ireland-Irish Book Award 2009 The Secret Scripture or 2012 Ancient Light or 2006 The Sea
**Italy-Premio Grinzane Cavour for Narrativa Straniera 2000 The Hours DONE 15.9
Poland-Nagroda Literacka Nike 2008 Flights
**South Africa-Exclusive Books Boeke Prize 1999 The Reader DONE 15.4
**Sweden-Nobel Prize for Literature 2017 Kazuo Ishiguro (Never Let Me Go) DONE 15.8
** UK-Costa Book Award 2006 The Tenderness of Wolves or DONE 15.1
UK- Man Booker 1998 Amsterdam by Ian McEwan or
UK-Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2017 Days Without End by Sebastian Barry
USA-Spur Award for Best Western Historical Nonfiction 2018 Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI or
USA-Weatherford Award for Fiction and Poetry 2007 Strange as This Weather Has Been or
USA-Edgar Award for Best Novel 2017 Before the Fall or
** USA-Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography 2017 The Return: Fathers, Sons, and the Land in Between by Hisham Matar DONE 15.2
I'm very sorry for your loss of your sister, Coralie.
