What I'm Reading - December 2012

[Carol]

Robert wrote: "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?"

No, but I like a funny book.

[Jane]

Larry wrote: "So ... on to the second Harry Bosch book by Michael Connelly, The Black Ice."

Larry,
I have read all of Connelly's fiction books and loved most of them. There were a couple that weren't up to his usual standard.

[Sherry, Doyenne]

I just finished listening to Nine Dragons and really liked it. I'm a little behind on the series, but what else is new.

[Cateline]

I just finished The Bayou Trilogy: Under the Bright Lights, Muscle for the Wing, and The Ones You Do by Daniel Woodrell, and while it was great writing, it left me a wanting a bit of a lift.
I finally found my copy of Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President, but will leave it for after the 1st I believe.

I think I'll next read Dick Francis's Dick Francis's Bloodline. His son Felix has taken over the franchise and is doing quite well so far.

[Joan]

I loved Daniel Woodrell's Give Us a Kiss more than any of his other fine books.

[Cateline]

Joan wrote: "I loved Daniel Woodrell's Give Us a Kiss more than any of his other fine books."

Looks most interesting Joan, thanks.
Woodrell first came to my attention, along with 50 million others, with Winter's Bone. Now, I haven't read that one yet, but saw the film. Really gripping.

[Rene]

Hi,
I'm new to this group and I am reading Anna Karenina. I have read 40% and so far I find this a great book!

[Sherry, Doyenne]

Welcome, Rene. Anna Karenina is one of my favorite books. Are you reading the new translation? We discussed it in our Classics section a while back.

[Kat]

Robert wrote: "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?"

Not me. Is it a novel?

[Gina]

Ann wrote: "Gina,
I like Russian novels, but they are a bit overwhelming when read alone. Maybe it is time to r..."

Thanks, Ann. I will go to Classics. I hadn't though of that.

[Rene]

Sherry wrote: "Welcome, Rene. Anna Karenina is one of my favorite books. Are you reading the new translation? We discussed it in our Classics section a while back."

Hi Sherry,
I'm reading the Gutenberg edition (last upated 2012). I think that will not be the latest translation (copyright). But imho the translation is good. Anyway, the book is so good that a translation could not spoil it.
This is my third Tolstoy. I have also read War and Peace and Resurrection. Both impressed me very much.

[Larry]

Marjorie wrote: "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"

Marge, I think you'll enjoy it a lot. Just finished Connelly's second Harry Bosch novel, The Black Ice this morning. It really surprises me how good Connelly's writing was at the beginning of this series. The only thing I wish he did more of was to give me a little more background on Los Angeles. But he does what he wants to do in his writing, and I admire him greatly for it.

[Robert]

Kat, Cuppy is like nobody else. He writes nonfiction pieces, with extensive footnotes that he uses as comic asides. I'm fairly sure Pratchett swiped that technique from him (I know i did lol)

[Larry]

Sherry wrote: "I just finished listening to Nine Dragons and really liked it. I'm a little behind on the series, but what else is new."

Sherry, that was one of few Harry Bosch books that I read before I started this methodical reading from the beginning. I thought that NINE DRAGONS was a little disappointing

[Cateline]

Robert wrote: "Kat, Cuppy is like nobody else. He writes nonfiction pieces, with extensive footnotes that he uses as comic asides. I'm fairly sure Pratchett swiped that technique from him (I know i did lol)"

Hah, I noticed the same tendency in Beat the Reaper and Wild Thing by Josh Bazell. His footnotes are both informative and funny.

[Cateline]

Beginning The Particle at the End of the Universe: How the Hunt for the Higgs Boson Leads Us to the Edge of a New World by Sean Carroll later today.

[Susan_T.]

I got the new Junot Diaz book of short stories for Christmas: This Is How You Lose Her. I'm looking forward to it! Meanwhile, I am taking a short hiatus from Far From the Tree, by Andrew Solomon. It's well-written and engaging, and so intense. I'll be back to it soon, though. I gave the new Grace Coddington (of Vogue Magazine) memoir to a friend, and hope to borrow it sometime in the future...

[Book Concierge]

Emma – Jane Austen
Book on CD read by Michael Page. Portable Audio PlayAway performed by Juliet Stevenson
4****

Emma Woodhouse is one of the most exasperating lead characters in the English cannon, but I love her.
Smart, rich, and accomplished, she seems to have every advantage, but Emma acts based on her misinterpretation of social cues, resulting in disappointment. Not to worry – this is Jane Austen, after all. Everyone will be happy in the end. I like Emma, the novel, though I am less enthralled with Emma, the character. To me, she behaves in an infuriatingly superior manner towards everyone. The audio version performed by Juliet Stevenson is just marvelous.

[Joan]

I just finished one of the best books of poetry that I've read in ages--Dead Wendy--here's my review: These are powerful and stunning poems; surely the best I’ve read in a long while. The sequence is told in three voices, in three sections. The most haunting is “The Boy’s Version” which limns a passionate fury of loss as he addresses dead Wendy in the various guises with which he invests her. An example from XI “the nectar of my flowers was gasoline/and I loved the fresh atoms of detonation/loved the cataclysms of government falling/the thrown bricks—loved reporting the story;/ I loved my amorality, hellish Wendy/having nothing else to love.”
The voice of the boy ranges from sorrow to rage as he addresses Wendy, and whether these amazingly inventive poems are based on life “up to my knees in concrete/I have all the necessities and cogwheels of life”, “our sequined vagrancy and the black-tie moon”, or whether they are constructs of an eternal triangle is immaterial.
Section 2 gives the response of Dead Wendy. The voice becomes strict, a little spare, instructing how the living must relinquish the dead. “If you could only let me go/you would not find me so inscrutable”. She addresses his obsession “I hate your interventions/and the busy signal on the red phone/and the cattle falling out of my ears” and later “Cut your hair. Use your head. Live.”
Section 3 introduces the old man, who has been referenced briefly in the earlier poems. He is a rival for Wendy’s affections. He says “I abhor the boy’s clandestine life--/and desire it.” And then “I go to the castle of winter to starve/without Wendy.” His reverence for Wendy is heartbreaking “Wendy was never old/but always a terrible blue flower unfolding/patient as a cat, quiet as a book.”
The persona of Wendy moves the poems across a valley of time and circumstance, and the intensity of emotion that underscores them is nothing short of hair-raising.

[John]

I listened to that version of Emma with pretty much the same reaction.

[Wendy]

Finished The Monsters Of Templeton yesterday. Gave it 4 stars. I thought it was very original. I am not a very good reviewer because I think I tend to focus on the feelings a book evokes in me, rather than an objective point of view. I end up saying not much of anything in my reviews, haha.

But for what it's worth, here is mine: "This book drew me in at the beginning, lost me somewhere in the middle, and then drew me back in again. In the end, I liked it. I liked the story of Willie, searching for her father's identity. I liked the storyline of a small town girl returning home. I liked Vi, the mom, alot. She was unapologetic about herself, and loved her daughter to pieces.

As I said, the book lost me for awhile somewhere toward the middle. I got to a point where I wasn't sure I really cared, but then the story got interesting again and I read the second half with great interest. Since I like stories with family history/mystery, this was right up my alley. Some of the writing seemed a bit contrived or something. I didn't mind the chapters skipping around through many different view points, but sometimes it was a little tedious to try to remember who the characters were.

Overall, a good book with a cast of interesting characters. I recommend it." ~Wendy

[Barbara]

I picked up Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel from the library today. This is my Christmas vacation (until Jan. 7th) so it's an orgy of reading. If anyone wants to read this one with me, I'll set up a separate thread.

[Marjorie]

Just finished two mystery/thrillers, both very good:

THE RACKATEER by John Grisham. One of his best and one of the best mysteries I've read in a long time! I wonder how long it took him to think this one up. Great story!

THE SNOWMAN by Jo Nesbo. Wow!! Scariest book I've read in a long time. I'll have to have time to recover before picking up another of his books.

Marge

[Gina]

Rene wrote: "Sherry wrote: "Welcome, Rene. Anna Karenina is one of my favorite books. Are you reading the new translation? We discussed it in our Classics section a while back."

I plan to tackle War and Peace when I finish The Brothers Karamazov. Let's hope it doesn't take forevere.

[Ann D]

Barb,
My library doesn't have Beyond Black - darn. Let me know when you get into it if it is really good. I could be tempted to make a Kindle purchase.

[Barbara]

Ann wrote: "Barb,
My library doesn't have Beyond Black - darn. Let me know when you get into it if it is really good. I could be tempted to make a Kindle purchase."

I'm about 50 pages in, Ann, and, so far, I like it a lot but it's very different from Wolf Hall or Bring Up the Bodies. It's about a spiritualist and her assistant. I chose it because it's the most recent one that my library owned other than those last two. Also, the New Yorker interview with her led me to believe that she feels that she hears the voices of spirits as well. It's the same great writing, but in a contemporary time period.

I wish I had coordinated our library availability with you now though!

ETA: I just noticed on Amazon that it was a New York Times notable book of the year and the Kindle edition is 9.99 (now I'm trying to entice you...).

[Ann D]

The enticement is working :). My son and family are on the way into town for a weekend visit, but I should be able to catch up with you next week. Kindles are so great for instant gratification.

[Larry]

Just finished the third Harry Bosch book, The Concrete Blonde, by Michael Connelly. I enjoyed it even more than the first two. And in this book, he really does evoke a sense of what Los Angeles was like in this time. He does that without giving up anything in terms of plotting or characterization. Time to read some non-fiction. Started Walter Isaacson's American Sketches: Great Leaders, Creative Thinkers, and Heroes of a Hurricane.

[Sara]

Barbara wrote: "I picked up Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel from the library today. This is my Christmas vacation (until Jan. 7th) so it's an orgy of reading. If anyone wants to read this one with me, I'll set up ..."

I just got it for Kindle, Barb, so I'll start reading tonight. Have wanted to read it for a while.

[Barbara]

Oh, hooray! I've been stalled a bit for the last few days because of home responsibilities, not because of the book. Will open a discussion thread tomorrow.

[Ruth]

I've startedWhen You Were Olderby Catharine Ryan Hyde. This book was a Christmas gift, not sure I would have picked it on my own. I'm only a little way into it, but already the story seems predictable. The writing is serviceable, but not beautiful.

[[deleted user]]

I just finished The Housekeeper and the Professor, which I liked very much, despite my aversion to math. I'll be looking forward to our discussion.

Next up for me is The Uninvited Guests and then Shine Shine Shine.

[John]

Tina -- I have "Housekeeper" planned for an upcoming trip.

[Lyn]

Thanks to someone here for recommending Two Old Women: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival. Not great literature or writing, but a nice tale with a sweet aftertaste you can easily read in one sitting. Hilarious author note about commas at the end.

Currently reading a local physician's book, a doc who got burned out on the bureaucratic medicine treadmill that are current system often is, who held town meetings asking patients what they wanted in a clinic, then created it. Oddly enough I'm not enjoying reading the book all that much, but generally like her ideas and attitudes. (Book not listed on Goodreads, but called Pet Goats and Pap Smears, by Dr. Pamela Wible.

I think I'm ready for some good literature next!

[John]

There's a book about my parents' doctor Island Practice: Cobblestone Rash, Underground Tom, and Other Adventures of a Nantucket Doctor, available as an audiobook as well; rumor has it that the story has been optioned for a TV series!

[Larry]

John wrote: "There's a book about my parents' doctor Island Practice: Cobblestone Rash, Underground Tom, and Other Adventures of a Nantucket Doctor, available as an audiobook as well; rumor has it that the stor..."

Years ago, I took my wife and son and my wife's good friend and her son to see the movie, FIELD OF DREAMS. (One of the few movies that I liked just as much as the book, that it was based on Shoeless Joe). At the end, as we left the theater, my wife's friend told us that Moonlight Graham (the character played by Burt Lancaster) had been her doctor when she was a child.

[Joan]

Just finished Death in a Prairie House: Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Murderswhich I found boringly academic. The author focused more on Wright's father's history, than on the murders which are not even introduced until the middle of the book. He obviously concentrated on what was researchable and the "notes" comprise close to a third of the book. Quite disappointing.

[Ruth]

Joan wrote: "Just finished Death in a Prairie House: Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Murderswhich I found boringly academic. The author focused more on Wright's father's history, than on the murders which a..."

I read this a couplemof years ago. Agree with your assessment.

[Sue]

I'm currently reading Destiny of the. Republic for the January discussion. Like it very much. Also have begun Wolf Hall which so far seems to merit all the praise.

[Carol]

Just finished "Bring Up the Bodies". What a treat, I am now wondering if Mantel will write one last book about Thomas Cromwell, The Queen Maker and Breaker. Wouldn't that make a great title.

[Barbara]

Carol wrote: "Just finished "Bring Up the Bodies". What a treat, I am now wondering if Mantel will write one last book about Thomas Cromwell, The Queen Maker and Breaker. Wouldn't that make a great title."

Carol, there is definitely one more book in the series, but I haven't heard the title yet. I loved Bring Up the Bodies as well. I had a hard time reading anything else after because I liked her writing so much. It is such genius to look at that period through Thomas Cromwell's eyes.

[Carol]

Good , because I wanted more. I will be following "Beyond Black " discussion. I will see if the library has it, if so I might pick it up on Monday. I am ready for a contempary book.

[Jennifer]

I'm about 2/3 through The Four Ms. Bradwells: A Novel which I'm both enjoying yet feel like I'm slogging through.

Finished Target Underwear and a Vera Wang Gown: Notes from a Single Girl's Closet and Not Quite Dead Enough earlier this week. Enjoyed both.

[Ann D]

I finished Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson. It is about a woman who suffers from amnesia; every day she wakes up not remembering who she is, although she is able to retain short term memories during the day. All is not well in her life and she needs to uncover some dark secrets. It kept me turning the pages and I didn't guess what was happening until close to the end. As usual with suspense and mysteries, I finished with just a touch of disappointment. The build up of tension generally exceeds the payoff.

Onto Mantel's Beyond Black.

[Ruth]

Just scooted under the wire with book 61 for the year, When You Were Older by Catharine Ryan Hyde. Darned if I can figure out how my husband came up with this one to give me.

This book is written serviceably, but so simplistically that I kept thinking perhaps I’d strayed into young adult territory. Russell misses being killed on 9/11 by being late for work because he gets a phone call that his mother died, and he must come and take care of his brain-damaged brother. Back in Nowheresville, where he definitely doesn’t want to be he falls in love with an Egyptian girl who has 9/11 troubles of her own. Everything is just too neat and tidy in this story, especially the nice big pink ribbon which ties everything up with an improbable happy ending for all. I did read it all the way through, just to see how everything turned out, and it was a fun read, but this is not great literature by a long shot.

[Sherry, Doyenne]

Ruth wrote: "Just scooted under the wire with book 61 for the year, When You Were Older by Catharine Ryan Hyde. Darned if I can figure out how my husband came up with this one to give me.

This book is written ..."

Sometimes it's good to read just-for-fun stuff.

[[deleted user]]

Ann wrote: "I finished Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson. It is about a woman who suffers from amnesia; every day she wakes up not remembering who she is, although she is able to retain short term memories d..."

Funny, I also read Before I Go to Sleep yesterday. I did not find it very suspenseful, probably because I figured out the mystery very early. I think I read too many reviews promising a huge surprise at the end, so I was looking for it and that spoiled the anticipation.

[Joan]

Ruth wrote: "Just scooted under the wire with book 61 for the year, When You Were Older by Catharine Ryan Hyde. Darned if I can figure out how my husband came up with this one to give me.

This book is written ..."

Ruth, you and I are in a Dead Heat as I've just started #61 of 2012--a reread of Oates Wonderland. I think of books like the one you cite as "palate cleansers" and surely we all need that as a break from more serious reading (I know I do). I seem to average just over a book a week (plus trying to keep up with The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, Time, Harpers, The Atlantic et al). The year I broke my femur I read 152 books which says something for forced immobility. Not a choice I'd make again.

[Ruth]

I didn't count the books the year I was laid up with a ruptured disk, but it was sure plenty.

[Book Concierge]

A Wedding in December – Anita Shreve
3.5***

Twenty-seven years after they graduated from high school, seven former schoolmates meet at an inn in the Berkshires to celebrate a long-overdue wedding. During this reunion some astonishing revelations will be made. I like character-driven novels that explore human emotions and motives. Shreve does a good job with her four narrators – Nora, Harrison, Agnes and Bridget. But we learn little about the other three friends, and their interactions with the group are relatively fleeting.

Shreve also includes a novel / story that Agnes is working on – set in 1917 Halifax. Even more than the story of the wedding/reunion, the story of Innis Finch and the two Fraser sisters completely captured me, and I would really have liked to read THAT novel. I did like the way she finally dovetails the novel-within-a-novel with the story of the seven school friends, showing that while the circumstances may be different the human emotions are the same.