Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group discussion
ABOUT BOOKS AND READING
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What are U reading these days? (Part Five) (begun 3/12/09)
Jackie wrote: "The library finally called, having received my copy of The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. In the meanwhile, I'm putting down [book:The Anubis Gates|14229..."
Your go with the Gates is the same as mine was, but I quit about 1/4 of the way through.
That's one thing that I don't like about myself: the inability to stop reading a book, even if I am not emjoying it. It'll take me a long time, but I'll finish it. And the crazy part is, they never get any better. My experience is, if I don't like it right away, I still don't like it at the end. I waste time this way, but I just can't help myself. I think it's the hope that'll it get better, but somehow, they never do.As you all know, I never read reviews, but someone commented on my review (which I haven't done yet) on The Time Traveller's Wife. Since Joy reads reviews, I thought, 'What the heck' and read page of them. Very mixed, it seemed people either really loved it or really hated it, but more seemed to hate it. I was apprehensive at first, thinking 'Oh no, not another Anubis Gates'. I'm pleased to report I fall into the Love It category. OK, not Love It, but really Like It.
I think the problem many people had is that it's more of a love story and less a sci fi novel. I don't go in for sappy love stories and this is not sappy at all.
And thanks to Doctor Who, I have no problem bouncing around in Time, LOL
I have The Time Travelers Wife in the TBR stack, and had in fact finally found it after 3 days of fruitless searching. But by the time I found it, the urge had passed. lol At least now I know where it is. heh
I read The Time Traveler's Wife several years ago, and enjoyed it quite a bit. I really should reread (or at least skim) it. With the movie of it, quite a few people I know are talking about it.I've finished Eclipse, and have started Breaking Dawn. I'm also going to be reading House of Leaves with a friend. :)
Jenni wrote: "I read The Time Traveler's Wife several years ago, and enjoyed it quite a bit. I really should reread (or at least skim) it. With the movie of it, quite a few people I know are talki..."Jenni, I'm still waiting for _The Time Traveler's Wife_. Glad to hear that both you and Jackie liked it. I can't wait to find out what it's all about.
Meanwhile, I'm enjoying reading the biography of actress Gloria Swanson, _Swanson on Swanson_. It reads like an exciting novel. It's fun peeking behind the scenes. The book is so well-written that I'm wondering how much of it was improved by her editors. If she wrote most of it, she must have been a talented writer as well as a talented actress.
Swanson lived from 1899 to 1983. The book was published in 1980. So she was over 80 when the book was written. The foreword, written by Swanson, indicates that she had a good deal of help with the research and the manuscript. There's so much detail in the book, much of it very personal. I'm wondering how she remembered it all.
Jackie wrote: "That's one thing that I don't like about myself: the inability to stop reading a book, even if I am not emjoying it. It'll take me a long time, but I'll finish it. And the crazy part is, they ne..."I'm like that myself, Jackie. I hate to give up on a book. It's got to be pretty bad for me to quit. :)
I have heard of more success than not with the shots. Good luck and hope you are among the successes. nina
Nina wrote: "I have heard of more success than not with the shots. Good luck and hope you are among the successes. nina"Thanks, Nina.
I'm not sure if I've mentioned _The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer_. I recently enjoyed the audio version of this book. I loved it! See my short review at: ====>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....
I'm glad I listened to the audio instead of reading the book. The various voices on the audio made it fun to listen to and probably added more to the story than if I had only read it.
I'm not sure if I've mentioned _The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer_. I recently enjoyed the audio version of this book. I loved it! See my short review at: ====>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....
I'm glad I listened to the audio instead of reading the book. The various voices on the audio made it fun to listen to and probably added more to the story than if I had only read it.
Sorry about the duplication above. My computer suddenly turned off by itself. I think it was overheating because I had a pillow under it on my lap. Anyway, in the ensuing panic, I somehow managed to post the same message twice because I hadn't realized the first one had reached the server in the split second before my computer shut down.
Joy H. (of Glens Falls) wrote: "I'm not sure if I've mentioned _The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer_. I recently enjoyed the audio version of this book. I loved it..."I'm reading it now and love it. I have a favorite line but can't remember it so will look it up and put it in tomorrow.Everyone seems ga ga over Julia and Julie around me. i wish I could remember the title of the book I read last year about this food writer who couldn't cook who interviewed Julia Child among others. I wonder how she feels about someone else writing about her and getting a movie deal out of it? I really did like the book. I gave it to my ID daughter so will have to call her and see if she still has it. nina
Nina wrote: "... Everyone seems ga ga over Julia and Julie around me. ..."Below is the IMDb webpage for "Julie and Julia":
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1135503/
I can't wait to see the movie.
Seven of my girlfriends and I are going together to see "Julie & Julia" on Monday afternoon and then afterwards cooking a big Julia-inspired dinner to share. It's our first "themed" Girls' Night and we're really excited about it. Even if all the recipes go wrong, there'll be plenty of wine, cheese, fruit and good companions, so it'll be fun no matter what!Joy H. (of Glens Falls) wrote: "Nina wrote: "... Everyone seems ga ga over Julia and Julie around me. ..."
Below is the IMDb webpage for "Julie and Julia":
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1135503/
I can't wait to see the movie."
Finally have a minute here. We ran into a guy I used to work with and haven't seen in a few years. Him and his GF are coming for dinner, been cooking and cleaning all day. I can hardly wait!
Oops, this should have gone in What are U doing today. Oh well, sorry, I'm so rushed, please forgive me LOL
Margaret wrote: "Seven of my girlfriends and I are going together to see "Julie & Julia" on Monday afternoon and then afterwards cooking a big Julia-inspired dinner to share. It's our first "themed" Girls' Night an..."I notice that "Julie & Julia" is now playing at our local theater. I'm going to wait until Netflix has it. It's already on my Netflix queue with an "unknown" release date.
Enjoy your dinner, Margaret. Sounds like great fun.
Jackie wrote: "Finally have a minute here. We ran into a guy I used to work with and haven't seen in a few years. Him and his GF are coming for dinner, been cooking and cleaning all day. I can hardly wait!"Have a good time, Jackie.
Joy-I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society! I listened to the audio book, and enjoyed it so much! :)
Jenni wrote: "Joy-I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society! I listened to the audio book, and enjoyed it so much! :)"Yes, Jenni, I wish all the audios were that good. Today I went to our library and borrowed an audio of _The Time Traveler's Wife_ by Audrey Niffenegger. I'm hoping it will be just as good.
I had a really nice time. The food was great. I'm so tired right now, LOLJoy, I'm almost finished with TTTW, and I really like it. I almost don't want it to end. I think you'll like it.
Hi Margaret, My wife and I have an arrangement like that---three nights a week i go out with the boys, and then three nights aweek she goes out with theboys! just kiddin'--I hope)
Anyway, you can't go wrong with Mme. Streep in ANYTHING--and I hear she becomes Julia Child.
Enjoy!
Jackie wrote: "I had a really nice time. The food was great. I'm so tired right now, LOL Joy, I'm almost finished with TTTW, and I really like it. I almost don't want it to end. I think you'll like it."Jackie, I'm at the beginning of the TTTW audio and it's off to a good start. There are two different voices, the woman's and the man's. It takes me a while to finish the audios because I listen to them a bit at a time... just like I do when I read books, come to think of it! :)
Arnie wrote: " Hi Margaret, My wife and I have an arrangement like that---three nights a week i go out with the boys, and then three nights aweek she goes out with theboys! just kiddin'--I hope) Anyway, you can't go wrong with Mme. Streep in ANYTHING-- ..."Arnie, I also enjoy seeing Meryl Streep on the talk shows. She's full of fun.
How does anyone know what to save and what not to? I gave away my Julia Child book on French Cooking long ago as I knew I would never make anything that complicated for my starving family of eight. Now they are waiting in line to order it. nina
My favorite line from the Potato Peel Society was, "I know I shouldn't complain but I prefer whining to counting my blessings." Doesn't everyone feel that way at one time or another? nina
Thanks to the Food Channel, all I get is TV dinners these days!
Nina wrote: "My favorite line from the Potato Peel Society was, "I know I shouldn't complain but I prefer whining to counting my blessings." Doesn't everyone feel that way at one time or another? nina"I'm the biggest whiner there is. Ask my husband! :) It helps to whine. It's like a strange form of catharsis. :) Below is a paraphrased line from a great movie I just watched on TCM ("The Journey" with Yul Brynner):
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"We listen to folk music and we feel sad, which is the best way to feel happy."
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Go figure!
Arnie wrote: " Thanks to the Food Channel, all I get is TV dinners these days!"I'm OK with that... as long as I don't have to cook! I too gave away a good cookbook because I never used it much.
Nowadays, I read much more fiction than nonfiction; but I'm currently reading a nonfiction book, The Lost Gospel of Judas: Separating Fact from Fiction (Eerdmans, 2007), by two well-respected Canadian academics. It's a short book (120 p., plus indexes and bibliography), and written in a very clear style for non-specialists, so I expect to finish it in a few days.
I make it a point, daily, to be grateful for what I have. You'd be surprised how good I feel when I focus on what I have rather than what I don't. Years ago, in the newspaper comics, I saw something very profound. It was Hagar the Horrible, if any of you know Hagar, you'll know he's a rough, gruff Viking, well, he's walking along with his sidekick, Eddie, and he says: The secret to happines is to be happy with what you got. I cut it out, and it's been residing on my fridge ever since, yellow and tattered, but it's still there.Werner, that sounds like an interesting book you're reading, I saw a history channel documentary about Judas' gospel. You may be interested in the Nag Hammadi, which were found in Egypt, the earliest gospels ever found, by actual eyewitness accounts, gospels from Mary, Thomas, etc. Very interesting.
I finished TTTW yesterday and I really enjoyed it. When you've finished, Joy, we'll talk about it if you'd like.
I tried to go back to Anubis Gate but I just cannot get into it. It's the characters, I just don't care. I don't think I'm going to bother finishing it. Or maybe I'll leave it on my shelves and go back to it another time, because it's just not working for me now.
The Zelazny Group is starting the first book in the Amber series, so I'm going to start that. First, I love Zelazny. And I've been wanting to read the Amber series for so long, and it's been sitting there on the shelf, well, today's the day! Thanks, Jim, for reminding of the treasure already on my shelf!
Arnie wrote: " Hi Margaret, My wife and I have an arrangement like that---three nights a week i go out with the boys, and then three nights aweek she goes out with theboys! just kiddin'--I hope)
Anyway,..."
You're so right about Mme Streep. I'm a theatre casting director out here in Seattle, so I can say with a fair amount of confidence that there are very few actors about whom one can say they've never given a bad performance, but I think she's one of them. Even when the material is sub-par, she gives it her all and somehow makes it seem worthier than it is. And some of the stuff she does is just -- well, actors are magical to me anyway, but every now and then they do something that really blows my mind, like OMG that scene in "The Hours" where she's breaking egg after egg and then completely breaks down. Unbelievable. I also love that she's now the age that she is and is embracing everything that's beautiful and sexy and wise about that with such radiance and humor. An example to us all, ladies! (She would be at my imaginary dinner too.) I've heard the same things you have about her Julia Child and can't wait to see her/them!
Jackie wrote: "I make it a point, daily, to be grateful for what I have. You'd be surprised how good I feel when I focus on what I have rather than what I don't..."You are so right about that!
You're welcome about Zelazny. It's cool discussing him with others.
I cant wait to start, I'm rushing through my chores like a maniac, LOL. I'm making spaghetti sauce, been cooking since 10 am, and I'm making the pasta right now, just so it'll be done and no one can interrupt me. Do I seem anxious to get started? LOL
Hmmm, Jackie, thanks for the recommendation of the Nag Hammadi texts. I'm aware of them (we have an English translation of The Gospel of Thomas at the BC library which is based on the Nag Hammadi version); and because of my graduate major in Religion, I've read a fair amount of New Testament apocrypha, including various Gnostic "gospels." (The latter all have some basic similarities.) However, there's a vast difference in the perception of this literature in the academic world --and not just the Christian academic world, but the academic world in general-- where I'm coming from, and in the perception, based on sensational articles/ documentaries and popular movies and novels, that's widely held in the general public. (For instance, virtually no serious scholars even attempt to argue that any of these books were eyewitness accounts, or written by any of the attributed "authors" such as Mary Magdalene or Thomas.) The book I'm reading was written as an attempt to counteract some of the hype that's current in popular culture (one of my Goodreads friends wanted me to post a review here on Goodreads for the same reason, and I promised that I would :-)). So, while I didn't see the History Channel documentary you mentioned, I'm guessing that the two authors here probably take a different tack.
Werner, Now I'm really interested in the book you are reading. That's the problem with ancient things in the modern world, it's individual's take on them and how they present them as fact. I'm going to have a get a copy of The Lost Gospel of Judas Separating Fact from Fiction.
Thanks for telling me about it :)
Werner wrote: "Nowadays, I read much more fiction than nonfiction; but I'm currently reading a nonfiction book, The Lost Gospel of Judas: Separating Fact from Fiction (Eerdmans, 2007), by two well-respected Canad..."Werner, I found the following (about the Gospel of Judas) at Wikipedia:
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"The Gospel of Judas, on the other hand, portrays Judas in a very different perspective than do the Gospels of the New Testament, according to a preliminary translation made in early 2006 by the National Geographic Society: the Gospel of Judas appears to interpret Judas's act not as betrayal, but rather as an act of obedience to the instructions of Jesus. This assumption is taken on the basis that Jesus required a second agent to set in motion a course of events which he had planned. In that sense Judas acted as a catalyst. The action of Judas, then, was a pivotal point which interconnected a series of simultaneous pre-orchestrated events."
ABOVE FROM: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_o...
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Does the book you're reading confirm this?
Jackie wrote: "I make it a point, daily, to be grateful for what I have. ... Hagar the Horrible ... The secret to happines is to be happy with what you got.... I love Zelazny..."
I still have Roger Zelazny's _This Immortal_ on my To-Read Shelf. I really should get around to reading it soon.
BTW, In my quote files, I found another bit from Hagar the Horrible:
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Hagar to mountain-top guru: "What is the key to happiness?"
Guru: "Abstinence, poverty, fasting, & celibacy."
Hagar: "Is there someone else up there I could talk to?"
-From Hagar the Horrible :)
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Yes, that sounds more like Hagar, LOL
Joy, you should read it with us in the Zelazny group.http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/2...
I'm not sure when we'll read it, but you might find some other tidbits about him that you like.
Jim wrote: "Joy, you should read it with us in the Zelazny group.http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/2...
I'm not sure when we'll read it, but you might find some other tidbits about h..."
Jim, let me know when your group will be reading Zelazny's _This Immortal_. I'll try to follow the discussion. I've put in a request for it at our local library.
Right now I'm about to tackle _1776_ by David McCullough. Our afternoon library group is reading it for September's discussion.
I'm also continuing to listen to the audio of _The Time Traveler's Wife_ by Audrey Niffenegger. I'm still trying to decide whether I like it or not. I can't believe they were able to make a movie of it. It seems so disjointed as it hops from one time period to another. Sometimes I can't tell which character is talking on the audio. Perhaps the book is clearer. Anyway, I find that it drags at times.
I'm still enjoying _Swanson on Swanson_ by Gloria Swanson. Am near the end of the book now. It's kept me reading and I'm glad about that.
I've got so much on the back burner that it's hard keeping up with myself. :) My Netflix movies claim a lot of my time too. Since I can't spend a lot of time on my feet (due to knee and leg problems), I'm thankful for books, audios, and movies. (But I hate to think of all the healthy exercise I'm missing out on. Oh well. As Jackie says Hagar says, I should be happy with what I've got.)
There's one thing I'm glad I DON'T have. I'm glad I don't have a job! LOL
Read it at any time you want, Joy. Don't wait for us. Many of us have read it & there will be a general & spoiler topic for all novels, eventually.I've just made sure that I have all three versions of the book. It was originally published as a serial novel called "And Call Me Conrad" before being published as the novel, "This Immortal". Then pieces were left out of it, first for the serial & later as an oversight in the 1966 novel edition. I plan on reading the editions closely because I'm only familiar with the Ace 1966 version, I think.
Joy, I tried to post this earlier in answer to your question, but the computer had "a problem in saving" my comment. Yes, the book I'm reading does confirm that the Gospel of Judas portrays Judas' act as a meritorius fulfilment of Jesus' wishes. It has Jesus telling him, "you will sacrifice the man that clothes me." Gnostics in general believed that the body (and the material world in general) was inherently impure, defiled and disgusting, unfit for association with the true God; only the nonmaterial "spiritual" could be pure. Jesus' death, in Gnostic thought, was not a sacrifice for sin, followed by a physical resurrection, but rather a shucking off of his contaminated, imprisoning body, so his spirit could be fit to move on to a higher plane. The Gnostic writer pictures Jesus as telling Judas that by helping to effect this, he will "exceed all of" Jesus' other followers, and eventually rule over the twelve disciples.Jackie, you're welcome! If you do find a copy of the book, I hope you find it a rewarding read.
Jim wrote: "Read it at any time you want, Joy. Don't wait for us. Many of us have read it & there will be a general & spoiler topic for all novels, eventually.I've just made sure that I have all three vers..."
Jim, our library catalog shows the following info re their copy:
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This Immortal / by Roger Zelazny.
Publisher, Date: New York : Ace Books, 1966. Edition: Book club ed.
Description: 184 p. ; 22 cm.
Series: Garland library of science fiction.
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It's interesting the way your Zelazny group has a separate section for "Spoiler" comments. That's a good idea for that group, which is so specialized.
Werner wrote: "Joy, I tried to post this earlier in answer to your question, but the computer had "a problem in saving" my comment. Yes, the book I'm reading does confirm that the Gospel of Judas portrays Judas'..."Werner, thanks for answering my question. I had no idea about the fact that (as you wrote): "Jesus' death, in Gnostic thought, was not a sacrifice for sin, followed by a physical resurrection, but rather a shucking off of his contaminated, imprisoning body, so his spirit could be fit to move on to a higher plane." I found that very interesting.
BTW, I know how frustrating it is to lose one's post before it's saved. Sometimes, after I've spent some time typing a post, I do a "select all" and "copy" before I try to save it to Goodreads. That way the post isn't lost and all the effort isn't in vain.
Started reading Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen - reading with library- the Tuesday Afternoon group (Joy belongs to, also). Someone mentioned its about a circus, and I don't have much need for such! I've read the Prologue and Chapter One - got hooked. Appears to be much more than about the circus. For this, I am glad. :)
Linda wrote: "Started reading Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen - reading with library- the Tuesday Afternoon group (Joy belongs to, also). Someone mentioned its about a circus, and I don't have much need for such! I've read the Prologue and Chapter One - got hooked. ..."Glad you got hooked, Linda. Stay with it. The story gets better and better.
Water for Elephants
I finished listening to the audio version of _The Time Traveler's Wife_ by Audrey Niffenegger. It's a strange story about a man who moves involuntarily from one time period to another, suddenly disappearing from one location and time period into another location and time period, sometimes many years apart. The writing is intelligent and thoughtful. I was compelled to keep listening. However, there were parts which lagged for me; I wish they had been edited out (e.g., art work and strange dreams). (I hate dream sequences.) I also wondered where the story was going at times. There were some sad parts that were a bit difficult to get through. All in all, it was a fascinating story.I'm wondering how they were able to make a movie out of it. That's one movie I want to see.
I plan on renting it when it comes out on DVD, maybe we can watch it together. I like Rachael McAdams (who plays Clare) and I like Eric Bana (who plays Henry) sometimes. She was in The Notebook and he was in Troy, two more of my favorite movies. I sure have a lot of 'favorite' movies, LOL
Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group
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Pontalba, thanks for mentioning those books and for providing the links. I'm always on the look-out for new books to put on my To-Read list.
BTW, I was able to access the GR link to _Dancing After Hours Stories_. I see that it's a short story collection.
I have recently been reading _The Women_ by T.C. Boyle but got bogged down around page 208 in Part II of the book. I'll go back to it later. Boyle is such a great wordsmith that I enjoy reading his prose, but at times the book lags. The pace is uneven.