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What I'm Reading - December 2012
I just read Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality just because it was available at the library and I thought maybe I'd pick up a new tip or two. Hey, you get better service if you aren't really rude to the staff and if you tip. Now you don't have to read the book.
Lyn wrote: "I just read Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality just because it was available at the library and I thought maybe I'd pick up a new tip or two. Hey, you g..."Thanks for the chuckle.
Ruth, your book recommendations always go on my list and the part about Russia alone would attract me. Thanks.And, Lyn, that's a very funny note.
Lyn wrote: "I just read Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality just because it was available at the library and I thought maybe I'd pick up a new tip or two. Hey, you g..."Hilarious
Heh heh. Heads in Beds! The title alone makes it worth reading (but not buying!) Actually, maybe i should; I'm a bit like Larry David when it comes to tipping: Who? How? How much? A mystery to me. I'm reading All Souls' Rising: A Novel at the moment; it's not anywhere near the category of "light" reading, but I am absolutely enthralled by this evocation of the Haitian slave uprising in the late 18th century. Atrocities abound on all sides but the author Madison Smartt Bellhas a very penetrating and mesmerising style.
He says to tip the front desk staff at check-in (like a $20), as they have power over what room you get and can send you free wine. Of course, he works as a front desk guy. Currently in the middle of The Light Between Oceans and it's a great winter read.
Lyn wrote: "I just read Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality just because it was available at the library and I thought maybe I'd pick up a new tip or two. Hey, you g..."I just read it as well -- basically, I thought the author an immature jerk.
I just finished reading THE MARSEILLE CAPER by Peter Mayle The Marseille Caper. What a disappointment! The plot is silly and the writing is clunky. The only reason I gave it two stars is because of the description of some of the food that the characters ate.
Ruth wrote: "Finished up A Partial History of Lost Causes by Jennifer Dubois. Here's the review I posted.The writing in this book is beautiful, assured and smooth, sometimes even skirting close to poetry in i..."Ruth,
I'm so glad you also enjoyed this book. I thought the writing was exceptional too. The ending brought closure, but for me there wasn't anything happy about it.
I read that the author's father developed Alzheimer's when she was 12, so that is probably why she got so much about dementia right.
Jane wrote: "I just finished reading THE MARSEILLE CAPER by Peter Mayle The Marseille Caper. What a disappointment! The plot is silly and the writing is clunky. The only reason I gave it two stars is because..."I read the previous one A Good Year He should stick to nonfiction.
Ann wrote: "uth,I'm so glad you also enjoyed this book. I thought the writing was exceptional too. The ending brought closure, but for me there wasn't anything happy about it.
"
Are you the one that recommended this? Thank you.
I don't mean Irina's ending, but the chess player's.
Halfway through R.A. Dickey's Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity, and the Perfect Knuckleball. Although I'm a Christian myself, I shy away from Christian inspirational books. All too often, I find that genre allows for truly bad writing that gets excused by an audience that forgives all because of the message. The Dickey book, however, is really good. He's a survivor of child sexual abuse and an alcoholic home. Still, unless you're a baseball fan the book probably won;t be of great interest, But if you're a baseball fan, it's a great book.
Ruth,I recommended A Partial History of Lost Causes most recently, but it got on my list because of other reviews here on CR.
Thanks for clarifying your thoughts about the ending. I see what you mean, but without giving anything away, I liked it. Unexpected good things happen in real life too.:)
Incidentally, I think the parts about Putin are very accurate - unfortunately.
Larry wrote: "Halfway through R.A. Dickey's Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity, and the Perfect Knuckleball. Although I'm a Christian myself, I shy away from Christian inspirational books. All ..."Laryy,
I'm glad to hear the Dickey book is a good one. I got it for my son for Christmas. I have heard the author interviewed on NPR and he very articulate.
Finished up the Henry Fonda biography, The Man Who Saw a Ghost, by Devin McKinney. Curious mix of brilliant insight with occasional idiocy -- he has such a grasp of the mythic issues surrounding celebrity and the movies, but then he asserts interior thoughts without the slightest scrap of evidence to support them. This isn't the definitive Fonda biography, but for the commentary about the films, and a general set of insights and perceptions, quite good. I just wish an editor had forced him to provide evidence, or deleted those passages in which Fonda's mental processes are presented as if McKinney knew what he was thinking.
On to The Last Greatest Magician in the World: Howard Thurston Versus Houdini & The Battles of the American Wizards, by Jim Steinmeyer. I've read everything I could get my hands on about Houdini, especially when I was younger. At 13, I had a spate of time when I had my friends tie me up so I could escape. No, this had no impact on my dating life...
Just finished a very good short book (145 pp), TWO OLD WOMEN; AN ALASKA LEGEND OF BETRAYAL, COURAGE AND SURVIVAL by Velma Wallis.The story is based on a legend told the author by her mother. Two old women are reluctantly left behind as their small band of people are starving and struggling to survive in a very bad winter. The old women are angry and startled at first to be left behind, but eventually decide to "die trying to live." And amazingly they do.
The story of the Alaskan author herself is a remarkable one, told at Amazon. She left school at age 13 after her father died, to help her mother with her five siblings. She went on to earn her GED high school equivalency degree. She then moved to the wilderness and lived off the land for several years by herself, much as the two women she wrote about. She has received several awards for her writing.
Marge
Just started Faulker's "This Side of Paradise". He's my author du jour, and I find him much more enjoyable than Hemingway.
Book Concierge wrote: "Marjorie wrote: "I just finished SWEET TOOTH, the latest book by Ian McEwen, one of my favorite authors. Somewhat different from his previous books...."I'm also a fan of McEwan. I loved both Sa..."
Just started "Atonement," which I've had on the to-read list for a long time.
Finished Murder At Madingley Grange which was only mildly amusing in the P.G. Wodehouse mode. Nowhere near the level of Graham's later Midsomer Murder series.
Jane wrote: "I just finished reading THE MARSEILLE CAPER by Peter Mayle The Marseille Caper. What a disappointment! The plot is silly and the writing is clunky. Well darn it! I wish I'd seen your comment this weekend. I just bought a copy for my sister and another for my sister-in-law. Oh well, it did get a good review in the Washington Post.
Ann wrote: "Larry wrote: "Halfway through R.A. Dickey's Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity, and the Perfect Knuckleball. Although I'm a Christian myself, I shy away from Christian inspiration..."And I just finished it. Really, really good. Dickey stays true to his Christian roots throughout, but he throws in a little Socrates, Lao Tzu, and some haiku that he wrote also. And it all fits. There are a lot of jerks in baseball. Dickey isn't one of them.
Marjorie wrote: "Just finished a very good short book (145 pp), TWO OLD WOMEN; AN ALASKA LEGEND OF BETRAYAL, COURAGE AND SURVIVAL by Velma Wallis...Loved that book! My bookclub read it a few years back and had a great discussion about it.
Sneaking in a guilty pleasure withBring Up the Bodies . I want to savor the story, the writing and the subject. I am fascinated with historical books about that era. I am also intrigued by Elizabeth I , and how strong of a leader she was. Was it genetics that made her strong and astute? So I need to read more about her mother and her mother's family. Then I can fantasize all I want.
Joan wrote: "I just finished Carry the One which I liked a lot more than I thought I would. My review follows:I like Anshaw’s ironic tone, her smart-ass worldview, and the quality of her prose, as well as astu..."
I was very interested to read what you wrote about this novel which I'm intending to read, but could have used a spoiler alert about the fate of the drug addict! (Unless this info is included right at the start of the novel.)
Katy wrote: "Jane wrote: "I just finished reading THE MARSEILLE CAPER by Peter Mayle The Marseille Caper. What a disappointment! The plot is silly and the writing is clunky. Well darn it! I wish I'd seen ..."
Katy,
Will they tell you if they didn't like it?
I just finished A Lesson in Secrets, part of Jacqueline Winspear's Maise Dobbs series, in an audiobook production. I posted that following review:As this series continues, I find that I'm reading it primarily for the excellent history that Winspear includes and her characters. Her plots require me to suspend disbelief at intervals and the characters often wrap things up by telling what happened rather than showing it in the course of the book.
Jane,Regarding The Marseille Caper, my sister will probably tell me; my sister-in-law, probably not. I'll borrow it and read it anyway. Katy
Finished THE ART OF FIELDING. I really enjoyed the reading experience, but wouldn't give it the kind of rave reviews it has gotten from some--it wasn't either sufficiently stimulating or sufficiently moving for that. Speaking just for myself, of course.
Kat wrote: "Finished THE ART OF FIELDING. I really enjoyed the reading experience, but wouldn't give it the kind of rave reviews it has gotten from some--it wasn't either sufficiently stimulating or sufficient..."I'm with you, Kat. Left me wanting.
Kat wrote: "Finished THE ART OF FIELDING. I really enjoyed the reading experience, but wouldn't give it the kind of rave reviews it has gotten from some--it wasn't either sufficiently stimulating or sufficient..."Same here not as great as I thought. Glad I didn't buy it.
I agree, Barb, about the later Maisie Dobbs book. I think it's hard to keep a series fresh. Maybe Winspear should branch out.As for The Art of Fielding, I liked, but didn't love it. Sometimes too much hype can lead to a bit of a letdown.
Barbara wrote: "I just finished A Lesson in Secrets, part of Jacqueline Winspear's Maise Dobbs series, in an audiobook production. I posted that following review:As this series continues, I find that I'm readin..."
I haven't read the latest yet, but since the beginning I've mostly been interested in what happens with the characters, rather than the "mystery". I sense that Winspear wants to move the series up to (and possibly through) WW II, but I think she needs to pick up the pace.
Just finished Vlad: The Last Confession. Started on The Monsters Of Templeton.I am also slowing working my way through Wine for Dummies and Don't Know Much About Mythology: Everything You Need to Know About the Greatest Stories in Human History but Never Learned a chapter here and there. I have never read a Dummies book before. I like the way the info is presented so far. I am not very far into the mythology book, but downloaded it out of curiosity on my kindle (it was free). It is an area I don't know much about, so how perfect is that?! :)
I'm reading Cucina Povera: Tuscan Peasant Cooking by Pamela Sheldon Jones. A couple of weeks ago I went to a cooking class where she's promoting this, her latest book. And yes, I read cookbooks, almost as if they were novels. This one's particularly interesting as she includes lots of stories told to her by Italians about the food prepared during times of hardship.
I just finished Michael Connelly's first Harry Bosch book, The Black Echo. After having read his most recent Bosch book, THE BLACK BOX, I decided to go back and start the series from the beginning. I never read any of the first ones anyway. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the THE BLACK ECHO was written. I enjoyed it all the way to the end.
Love reading through this thread. I am reading The Book Thief, Jailbird, and An Unsuitable Job for a Woman. I am taking advantage of the free time in between classes!
I am reading Sharp Objects, my 3rd Gillian Flynn this year. I really like her books and twisted characters. Looking forward for her next book...anyone knows when?
In December, I've read:Starting Out in the Evening (which I didn't particularly like)
A Visitation of Spirits (tragic story)
Cloud Atlas (Missed discussion - didn't get from library in time)
Sometimes a Great Nation (loved it)
Now I'm reading Destiny of a Republic for our upcoming discussion. I'm still reading Outliers and The Brothers Karamazov a little bit at a time. Russian novels are so challenging for me.
Gina,I always like Malcolm Gladwell's books. I found Outliers: The Story of Success very interesting.
I like Russian novels, but they are a bit overwhelming when read alone. Maybe it is time to revisit some of them on Classics Corner.
It's not too late to add to the Cloud Atlas discussion. I'd be interested to read your reaction.
Ioana wrote: "I am reading Sharp Objects, my 3rd Gillian Flynn this year. I really like her books and twisted characters. Looking forward for her next book...anyone knows when?"Gone Girl hasn't been out all that long, has it? I've read the first two, but not that one yet.
Gina - I saw the movie of Starting out in the evening, but haven't read the book. Frank Langella did a terrific job in the lead role.
Larry, my favorite fictional detective is Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch. Have his latest, Black Box,on hold at the library--can't wait.Marge
I'm about 40 pages into The Orphan Master's Son and liking it quite a bit so far. It's set in North Korea (and written by an American), which means it's almost entirely imagined--and pretty impressive so far.
Fast becoming one of my favorite mystery series are the Charles Lenox mysteries written by Charles Finch.Set in the Victorian era, Lenox is a Member of Parliament, and formerly a private investigator. In A DEATH IN THE SMALL HOURS, he is invited with his wife, their baby daughter, and their governess to visit his uncle's estate in a small English village where scary things have been happening -- rocks thrown thru' shop windows with dire warnings attached. What I like most about this series, along with the mysteries, is that you get so enthralled with Lenox's family and friends, and learn interesting things about that era. Finch, a graduate of Yale and Oxford, is a very good writer.
Marge
I found the novel STARTING OUT IN THE EVENING flawed, but enjoyed it anyway. The issues touched on really resonated with me.
I wasn't real thrilled with the sideplot regarding the daughter, but the main action with the protagonist and Heather was interesting.
Reading Will Cuppy, The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody. Funny book from a writer who was quite well known in the Thirties and Forties. Anybody here ever read him?
I just finished A Fearsome Doubt, the 6th book in the Ian Rutledge series by Charles Todd. It kept me turning pages and I will keep reading the series, though I can't identify what, precisely, keeps me going. The sentences are well written, and I keep cheering for the main character, who is (like so many detectives) kind of a mess, but trying to do his best and be a decent human being. I enjoy the settings as well and glimpses into life in Between The Wars England for the not-so-well-to-do.
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Constant Reader
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S.J. Watson (other topics)Madison Smartt Bell (other topics)
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The writing in this book is beautiful, assured and smooth, sometimes even skirting close to poetry in its startling use of metaphor. I loved it. The story was interesting, mixing real characters and fictional ones. With the chess player based on mostly on Gary Kasparov, and Vladimir Putin as himself, I often wondered how much was real and how much could just as well be real.
I had to suspend my disbelief in the protagonist’s rush to contact the chess player after learning she would most certainly come down with Huntington’s disease, but Dubois writes almost well enough to convince me.
Once we get to Russia, though, I was in for the long haul. The book was fascinating, and quite an indictment of Putin’s Russia.
This book was even good enough that I can forgive Dubois for the Deus ex Machina at the ending, where she solves the problem of Irina’s looming Huntington’s. But I can’t forgive the neat happy little bow she ties things up with at the very end. Nevertheless, it was a wonderful read.