You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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What are you Reading and Why
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Chrissie
(last edited Aug 24, 2013 06:43AM)
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Aug 24, 2013 06:42AM
Nancy, read We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance! I swear by it. So farInto Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster is blah in comparison. They are completely different. Why in the world do people put themselves up at such high altitudes when it is physically and mentally dangerous? What it is that makes people get hooked on this sport should be made clear by the book, but it isn't?
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Chrissie wrote: "Nancy, read We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance! I swear by it. So farInto Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster is blah in comparison. They are completely differen..."Ok - I'm going to get a copy of this book. It does look good.
As for why people put themselves in harm's way is beyond me. Life is hard enough without challenging oneself that way but these folks say it's the thrill. Me, I like land below my feet.
Nancy wrote: "As for why people put themselves in harm's way is beyond me. Life is hard enough without challenging oneself that way but these folks say it's the thrill. "Exactly.
Chrissie wrote: "Nancy, read We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance! I swear by it. So farInto Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster is blah in comparison. They are completely differen..."You made me do it, Chrissie. I just downloaded this book. I'll let you know what I thought when I read this book.
I finished The Bone Doll's Twin on the plane and likely wont be reading any more of the series. It didn't really grab me enough to continue. I'm about half way through my "L" selection for the ABC challenge, Last Night in Twisted River and I think John Irving and I are going to have a parting of the ways. He keeps recycling themes, characters, and events.
Will be starting The Ocean at the End of the Lane as soon as I get out on the highway.
Nancy wrote: "You made me do it, Chrissie. I just downloaded this book. I'll let you know what I thought when I read this book."
And now of course I am nervous. I always react this way. DO let me know, please!
Chrissie wrote: "Nancy wrote: "You made me do it, Chrissie. I just downloaded this book. I'll let you know what I thought when I read this book."
And now of course I am nervous. I always react this way. DO let me..."
Don't be nervous. I love suggestions from other readers and this title looks like a good one too.
Toppler books! I think that covers it for all of us today!?!
Nancy wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Nancy wrote: "You made me do it, Chrissie. I just downloaded this book. I'll let you know what I thought when I read this book."
And now of course I am nervous. I always react th..."
Well, I DO hope you like it. It portrays real life but STILL is going to make you smile.
I finished Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster. My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I know I ought to now read The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest but I don't want to.
Have started the beginning of A Century of Wisdom: Lessons from the Life of Alice Herz-Sommer, the World's Oldest Living Holocaust Survivor and am enjoying it so far. I like what I am learning about Kafka, a friend of the Sommer family. Probably I will have to pick up a biography on him after this! Already I am looking at his books with different eyes!
Just finished my toppler and am not sure what I will read next. I have some wonderful titles both from the library, on my I PAD and in my book closet. But since I am a mood reader I will have to see where my mood takes me.
I started reading The Lightning Thief, because I was looking for something fun and easy my previous book. Also, I might be able to use it for the Just Because challenge. After reading the first chapter I was worried that the book would be too much aimed at children for my liking. But, after a few more chapters I got intrigued by the story and now I'm curious to read on.
I started Neverwhere today as part of the toppler (although I didn't manage to finish it within the allotted time) and I have just been online looking at what Neil Gaiman book I want to read next as I'm really enjoying his style.
Janice wrote: "I'm about half way through my "L" selection for the ABC challenge, Last Night in Twisted River and I think John Irving and I are going to have a parting of the ways. He keeps recycling themes, characters, and events. ..."You may be interested in this Discussion.
Somewhere in there is a reference the repetitivenes of using the last name, Baccio. It was never "Danny said " or "Dominic said", but "Danny Baccio" said or "Dominic Baccio said". It got to be pretty irritating.
Now that the toppler is over so I am back to my buddy read and my O book. I am also listening to The Golem and the Jinni, which i started during the toppler.I am on vacation for 2 weeks so i expect to be able to get the alphabet moving....
I am at a standstill now that the toppler is over. I'm no sure what I want to read so I hope my mood will steer me to the right book.
Almeta wrote: "Janice wrote: "I'm about half way through my "L" selection for the ABC challenge, Last Night in Twisted River and I think John Irving and I are going to have a parting of the ways. He keeps recycli..."I read some of the discussion. I'll go back to it once I finish the book.
There are so many similarities between this book and A Prayer for Owen Meany! Death of mother at young age. Raised by father figure. Mother dies by being hit on the head by baseball/Injun Jane dies by being hit on the head with cast iron skillet. Owen cuts off his friends fingers so he doesn't get drafted to Vietnam/Ketchum wants to cut off Danny's fingers so he doesn't get drafted to Vietnam. Teachers. Writers. Bears... and on and on. In One Person was also a carbon copy of Owen Meany. It's like Irving just keeps telling the same story over and over with different characters and scenarios.
I'm currently between books and don't know what to read. I just finished listening to 'Mary Barton' by Elizabeth Gaskell. I ought to read my I book as I'm behind on the alphabet. But because I know I've got to read it I just don't want to!!!
I have decided to read The German Suitcase by Greg Dinallo and will also be listening to The Witches by Roald Dahl.
Snoozie Suzie, well I gushed over We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance, but maybe you don't want a non-fiction book? It is exciting and true and leaves you happy!
I started The Whip yesterday. It's based on a real-life stagecoach driver Charlie Parkhurst who, although living as a man, was actually a woman.That has me reading 3 books now!
I have finished The Light Between Oceans which has just been chosen as one of September's group reads. I loved it and gave it a 5 star rating. Here is my review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...I am now going to start reading Ivanhoe. I thought it was about time I read another classic and this was the one that really jumped out at me.
Janice wrote: "I started The Whip yesterday. It's based on a real-life stagecoach driver Charlie Parkhurst who, although living as a man, was actually a woman.That has me reading 3 books now!"
Sounds like an extraordinary story. I'm always intrigued by people who manage to get away with such major things. I added it to my list. Are you enjoying it so far?
Chrissie wrote: "Shanon, so today I will start Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster! Then I can continue with The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest, as you recommended. I think you would r..."Thanks Chrissie, I have added it to my TBR mountain!
Chrissie wrote: "I finished Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster. My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I know I ought to now read The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everes..."
Chrissie, I didn't really like Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster - it actually made me mad but I did like The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest but you probably need a break from all that high altitude.
BTW, "the thrill" has absolutely nothing to do with why I have mountaineered or why I enjoy it. I love the physical challenge, the incredible landscapes and how it can be so meditative as you put one foot in front of the other. It also keeps you in the present moment. There is also an element of comraderie that is unrivaled given how everyone must depend on each other given the ever changing conditions.
Peggy wrote: "Sounds like an extraordinary story. I'm always intrigued by people who manage to get away with such major things. I added it to my list. Are you enjoying it so far?"Yes, very much so! I'm about half way in and at the part where she makes the decision to live as a man. I was surprised that she was almost 40 when she made the change.
Janice wrote: "I started The Whip yesterday. It's based on a real-life stagecoach driver Charlie Parkhurst who, although living as a man, was actually a woman.That has me reading 3 books now!"
Reminds me of a guy who use to whitewash barns. He did our barn and his name was Frank then a year later no one could understand why they couldn't get a hold of him to white wash and I'll be damned next thing you know there he is on the 6 o'clock news as Francine talking about his sex change operation.
Travis of NNY wrote: "Reminds me of a guy who use to whitewash barns."That must have been a bit of a surprise!
I'm not sure at this point of the book that Charlotte/Charlie was a transgender. She lived the first half of her life very much as a woman.
What drew me to the book was that there was a tv program called The Young Riders about a group of young men who rode for the pony express. One of the characters was a woman who dressed and acted like a man so that she could work as a rider. When I saw the premise for the book, I wondered if Louise/Lou was modeled after Charlie.
I'm still reading The Lightning Thief, about halfway through now. I'm not sure what to think of it. I like the concept and I learned a bit about Greek mythology in school many many years ago, and it's fun to see if I can guess who characters are based on their description, before their identities are revealed. However, I think the book is too much geared to children for my liking. Percy annoys me a bit because he really doesn't see through anything, and everything is so obvious all the time. Believe me, I never know things until they happen, either in books or movies, I'm very easily surprised, but this book doesn't manage to accomplish that.
Did anyone read the whole series? Do you know if it gets better in later books, maybe more complicated and surprising?
Janice wrote: "Travis of NNY wrote: "Reminds me of a guy who use to whitewash barns."That must have been a bit of a surprise!
I'm not sure at this point of the book that Charlotte/Charlie was a transgender. ..."
I'm sure throughout history there has been many women disguised as men in order to survive in a mans world as sounds the case in your book. There are probably no similarities between your book and what I described but when I read the post that was the first thing that popped into my head.
Decided to read The German Suitcase at another time and instead I began Is This Tomorrow by Caroline Leavitt , an author I've read in the past. I continue to listen to The Witches by Roald Dahl and expect to finish it today.
Having read Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West I decided to read The Native Americans: An Illustrated History. I want to know more about Native American culture, art and history.....before it was destroyed. Both North and South American tribes are covered and it goes back 20.000 years. Published in 1993. Very comprehensive and great art work.I finished Abundance: A Novel of Marie Antoinette, which I really enjoyed. This is how I like historical fiction to be written. I like to get into the heads of historical people and see how they saw the world and events that happened around them. I like how this author writes - intelligently, beautifully and with empathy for the characters.
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Peggy wrote: "I'm still reading The Lightning Thief, about halfway through now. I'm not sure what to think of it. I like the concept and I learned a bit about Greek mythology in school many many years ago, and i..."Hi Peggy, I have listened to the whole series on audiobook as well as the Kane Chronicles and they were perfect for that because I didn't have to pay super close attention. I think they are geared towards tweens. I certainly know a good # of 9 -12 year olds who love them. I don't recall them changing very much in character development or complicating the plot. The The Kane Chronicles which are are very similar but Egyptian gods adds a bit more of a love interest (actually a triangle) but otherwise are fairly similar.
Thanks Shannon! I can imagine kids of that age loving the books. But if they stay like this, I don't think I will read any others.
Shannon wrote: "Peggy wrote: "I'm still reading The Lightning Thief, about halfway through now. I'm not sure what to think of it. I like the concept and I learned a bit about Greek mythology in school many many ye..."Peggy, I tried to read the Lightning Theif and could not get into it, but I did start on The Kane Chronicles and liked it a little better. I have not read them all though.
I finished it. I gave it 2.5 stars, my review is here http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...I have no idea yet what I'll be reading next.
I finished The Witches last night. It was an OK read for me. Now I am reading After Her by Joyce Maynard, an author I always enjoy. I am also going to begin listening toDream Lakeby Lisa Kleypas, a romance book by an author who is new to me. I seldom read romances anymore there wasn't all that much available in audio at the library and I thought why not.
Having finished A Century of Wisdom: Lessons from the Life of Alice Herz-Sommer, the World's Oldest Living Holocaust Survivor,(My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...)
I will soon start Goodbye Sarajevo: A True Story of Courage, Love and Survival. Atka Reid & Hana Schofield. These are both audiobooks.
For my paper book I am reading The Old Capital, but I am not terribly thrilled with J. Martin Holman's translation, and it is his second of the same book!
Finished listening to The Expats earlier. I found the narrator really annoying, didn't really like any of the characters and not a huge amount happened. that said, it did keep my interest (3 stars). Next, I am listening to A Secret Rage which is one of Charlaine Harris early books so I'll be intrigued to see what it's like. I use my local libraries audiobook system and they don't have a huge selection of books (or at least not a huge amount that are on my TBR) so I am just working through ones which sound better that the rest. I've found some good ones while others are ok to fill the silence (and bus journey to work).I am also reading Fevre Dream as it's by George R.R. Martin and I liked the Game of Thrones series (it's nothing like Game of Thrones though but it's good so far).
I finished The Whip and really enjoyed it. Now I have to google Charlie Parkhurst and read more about her. The appendices contained the actual obituary and some newspaper articles about her. Very interesting!Next up on audiobook is The Supernaturals: A Ghost Story. I keep waking during the wee hours of the morning and not being able to go back to sleep. Maybe a good horror story will have the opposite effect. LOL!
I'm now reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. It's been on my list for a while and I can also use it for the 51-states-challenge I'm participating in. I read the first two chapters, and I think it might a book that needs my full attention for me to be able to understand. I am intrigued by what I read so far though.
I finished Still Life for my real life book club. Next up on ebook... hmmmm, I have The Forgotten Highlander: My Incredible Story Of Survival During The War In The Far East listed for my Around the World challenge.
Janice, compare The Forgotten Highlander: My Incredible Story Of Survival During The War In The Far East with Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. I bet you will find that The Forgotten Highlander is much better than Unbroken. At least that is what I thought.
I finished Practical Magic and I'm waiting for my "Q" book (Quattrocento) to arrive at my library, so I started a book that's been sitting in my Kindle for a little while. Sort of a Just Because book but I doubt I'll finish it by the end of the month. I'm reading Shadow of Oz. Poor Dorothy thinks she going crazy.
I have heard so many people say they like Ian Rankin that I have just begun reading, "Knots and Crosses." I am only on chapter 1 so I don't know if I like it yet.
Peggy wrote: "I'm now reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. It's been on my list for a while and I can also use it for the 51-states-challenge I'm participating in. I read the first two chapters, and I ..."
I was never able to read this author - way too out rhere for me sooooooooooo
But as for dealing with the aftermath of 9/11, I suggest reading
The Usual Rules by Joyce Maynard which I thought was beautifully written and very poignant.
Thanks for the suggestion Nancy! Another book to go on my TBR :)This is my first Jonathan Safran Foer book, I heard so much about him and I was curious. I think I'm about 25% through now, and it's a bit weird. Both the writing style and the story. I don't dislike it so far though, but I'm not really sure what I think. I read in one of the reviews that there's some important revelation coming that clears things up, we'll see..
Roz wrote: "I finished Practical Magic and I'm waiting for my "Q" book (Quattrocento) to arrive at my library, so I started a book that's been sitting in my Kindle for a little while. Sort of a Just Because bo..."Ohh! Your Q read sounds interesting. I've been wondering what to read for Q so I might check this out!
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You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
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