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What have you just read? Opinions, recommendations & reviews
If you have a dog, then I heartedly recommend you read The Genius of Dogs: How Dogs Are Smarter than You Think. It offers the latest on scientific studies about dog cognition. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Heather wrote: "Evelyn, I've just started that book and am so intrigued by the plot twist. I don't know if I will like it but everybody is mentioning it on the group read and I'm desperate to find out!"Lol, you can't miss it, that's for sure!
Heather wrote: "Evelyn, I've just started that book and am so intrigued by the plot twist. I don't know if I will like it but everybody is mentioning it on the group read and I'm desperate to find out!"I will be starting today and I too am curious about that :)
After a few poor books, I managed to read a couple of winners. I gave 4½★ to both Brideshead Revisited and Jingo. Though they are pretty different, they both made me think and were great reads.
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I found it really boring: too many things. I know it was meant to be ironic, but it ended up in a terrible mess for me!
I had a very hard timer figuring out why I thought Effie: A Victorian Scandal was just OK. I knew my gut reaction, but why? Writing the review helped me understand. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Leslie wrote: "After a few poor books, I managed to read a couple of winners. I gave 4½★ to both Brideshead Revisited and Jingo. Though they are pretty different, they both made me th..."I read Brideshead Revisited years ago and am now hunting down a copy of the film.
I have the Masterpiece Theatre production but it will take hours to watch, so I am saving it for when I have some free time between Christmas and New Year.
Finished Century of Progress: A Photographic Tour of the 1933-34 Chicago World's Fairhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Tom wrote: "Finished The Murder House by James Patterson and David Ellis - 2 Stars"I tried that one Tom, I only made it through 3 chapters. Glad to hear I didn't miss out on anything.
Loved this one Mean Streak, finished this morning and looked forward to writing my review all day! Here tis':https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I definitely think you should read Passing. It is short and packs a punch. It is considered a modern classic. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
If you are at all interested in reading about Malcolm X I recommend: Sterling Biographies®: Malcolm X: A Revolutionary Voice. It is short, but clear and concise. VERY good. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I finished a cozy mystery set in the town of Boring, Indiana (another state for me to check off) - Death of the Couch Potato's Wife. The author shows promise but this first book had a few too many little problems for me to give it more than 2½*…My review explains in more detail: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Patricia wrote: "Tom wrote: "Finished The Murder House by James Patterson and David Ellis - 2 Stars"I tried that one Tom, I only made it through 3 chapters. Glad to ..."
It was easy reading, but unfortunately a one trick pony.
Just finished this one. Really liked it. :) Here is a review by Tracey: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Chrissie wrote: "If you are at all interested in reading about Malcolm X I recommend: Sterling Biographies®: Malcolm X: A Revolutionary Voice. It is short, but clear and concise. VERY good. My revi..."
Thanks for your review Chrissie. That reminds me that a printed copy of The Autobiography of Malcolm X has been sitting unread on my bookshelf like forever!
Alice, I recommend reading it soon. I am wondering if his change of heart after his trip to Mecca in 1964 is included.
Just finished House of the Rising Sun: A Novel. Great read!Here is my review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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I read it when in "middle school" - around 14 years of age - and liked it even if it chocked me in places. I studied it in a course of black american autobiography - along with Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and Black Boy - and understood it more deeply. A book to recomend, definitly. It is a good insight into black life in USA in the second half of last century, especially for us in Italy where these topics are not so known and now of real importance
Nora Webster bored / irritated me. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Bette, you were curious about how I would react to this one. Is this what you were guessing?
Alice wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "If you are at all interested in reading about Malcolm X I recommend: Sterling Biographies®: Malcolm X: A Revolutionary Voice. It is short, but clear and concise. VER..."The Autobiography of Malcolm X is a very good and enlightening read. I read it recently as part of my brick and mortar book club and found it thought provoking and insightful.
Tom, was it published after his assassination? I was wondering if his change of view after his Mecca experience is included. He became more willing to work with Whites and other civil rights leaders.
Chrissie wrote: "Nora Webster bored / irritated me. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Bette, you were curious about how I would react to this one. Is this what you were ..."
Yup, right on the knocker. Although I think Toibin is a masterful writer, I knew this book would not sit well with you. Nothing much of personal, worldly or historical facts for you to muses over. I knew it wouldn't feed your brain cells.
B the BookAddict wrote: "Yup, right on the knocker. Although I think Toibin is a masterful writer, I knew this book would not sit well with you. Nothing much of personal, worldly or historical facts for you to muses over. I knew it wouldn't feed your brain cells. "Absolutely right! I was in the beginning interested, but soon became bored to death. It made me crabby. Seriously, warn me in the future. In the group we have that monthly thread on what we plan to read each month. IF I put something there for a coming month, please warn me. Hopefully, I will have not yet bought it. Anyhow I returned Nora Webster to Audible. I think it is totally wonderful that you are are allowed to return books there. This is a huge advantage.
Finished this young adult novel last night Adrift, unfortunately I'm not the right audience for this one! My review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Recently finished Saving Anna
the follow up to
. While I didn't enjoy Saving Anna as much as Visiting Lilly, it is still a good read, but you do need to read Visiting Lilly first. Here is my review of Saving Anna https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Bette, I was thinking more about Nora Webster. I have to let off a little steam. In a book I need not only good writing, the writing wasn't bad here, but there was no content. I wouldn't call it luminous prose as others do. It really annoys me when authers write about topics that are popular nowadays. Of course we are supposed to adore any book about AIDS or homosexuality or the strength of women. I am so sick of this. If you really believe in the equality of the sexes and one's right to whatever sexual configuration you want then you don't have to write about it or blab about it. It is obvious.
After reading the book I discovered that shortly before joining GR I had read another by the author: The Blackwater Lightship. That too I gave two stars but wrote no review so I remember nothing.
Do I give the author a third try? I have been eying The Master, but now I am terribly hesitant.
Chrissie wrote: "Tom, was it published after his assassination? I was wondering if his change of view after his Mecca experience is included. He became more willing to work with Whites and other civil rights leaders."It is. It's part of what makes the book so remarkable. Makes me wonder what sort of person he would have become had he survived.
Alex Haley's epliogue is quite good as well.
Chrissie, both these books are on my tbr and will be my first forays into Toibin. After two strikes, I probably wouldn't attempt a third but having having said that, I have heard only good things about The Master. The subject, Henry James, is a man of great interest to me as I love his work but it might be different for you.
I definitely recommend While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age During the Civil Rights Movement. If you are religious, if you have faith, you will give it a higher rating than I could. For everybody it is worth reading. You do have to be interested in the history of racial conflict in the US. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
B the BookAddict wrote: "Chrissie, both these books are on my tbr and will be my first forays into Toibin. After two strikes, I probably wouldn't attempt a third but having having said that, I have heard only good things..."
After my dislike of Nora Webster I of course wish I had chosen The Master! I don't think I dare now though. My initial idea was that if I read that one I would at least be learning about Henry James'life.
Chrissie, The Master was chosen for me in the Recommendation Swap thread. Although I love James' writing, I'm not sure I would have normally read the book. I'm still waiting for my copy via inter-library loan so can't comment on it yet.
Bette, I'll read your review when you read it, but I really don't think I dare read it.
I've just finished Play It as It Lays which was so disturbing, I needed a little palate-cleanser. So now I'm reading the gorgeous special edition of The Complete Alice which I bought myself for Christmas.I'd forgotten all the wonderful irony in Alice in Wonderland; it is definitely a book for adults as well as children!
Finished Louisiana Saves the Libraryhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Can't get used to this new font.
I just finished The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy and I'm happy to found this kind of books, it change and correct our ways of thinking, it's the first time that I discover this super power of my subconscious mind, I remembered some experiences on the past and I discovered that I used it without knowing, the author describe the ways that can help us on life in everything to reach our goals and dreams and with many real examples, this power exceed the imagination and can cure the hardest diseases in this world, can help us to succeed in our professional life, family, relations with people, our weaknesses... and more and more, I'm sure that I will read it more other times...
Diane S ❄ wrote: " Can't get used to this new font."Me neither! I'm sure it's harder to read.
Diane S ❄ wrote: "Finished Louisiana Saves the Libraryhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Can't get used to this new font."
Me too Diane. I'm normally on the app, so rarely see it, but noticed it straight away just now.
I use the app on my phone & iPad mostly. I'll have to take a look .
Oh my The Penguin Lessons surprised me! I thought it was just going to be funny. It offered much more than just that: My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
In paragraphs with this font all the words seem squished together. Anyone else see this?Finished Landfall
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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All About Books
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The Song of the Bird by Anthony de Mello
Really a lovely book. It's a collection of parables from different religions. I rated it 3,5 stars.
My Italian/English review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...