What are U reading these days? (PART TEN (2014) (ongoing thread for 2014)

[Werner]

Nina, what Joy and Jenni said! My thoughts and prayers are with you.

[Nina]

Thanks for your kind thoughts about our friend. We have some happy memories of our times together; one is of my husband and her having a water fight at the Trevi fountain. They were both wet and gleeful. We'll hold on to that memory among our sadness.

[Jim]

Condolences, Nina.

[Jim]

I listened to the The Golem and the Jinni finally. Not really my cup of tea, but it was so flawlessly executed that I kept listening. My review is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jim wrote: "I listened to the The Golem and the Jinni finally. Not really my cup of tea, but it was so flawlessly executed that I kept listening....

Thanks, Jim. A sample can be read here:
https://play.google.com/books/reader?...

PS-An audio sample can be heard here: http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/The...

[Werner]

Jackie made better time on our read of The Shadow Lamp than I did; I just finished it this morning. By coincidence, a book I'd been expecting in the mail, Clive Lee's Coral Hare: Atomic Agent (A WW2 Spy Novel) Inspired by actual historical events, arrived just yesterday, so I was able to start it today. Clive and I are both members of the Action Heroine Fans group, where he'd posted about his book; when I mentioned that it sounded intriguing, he generously offered me a free signed copy.

[Jackie]

I was laid up for a week, so all I had was time to read. Yet another great buddy read with Werner.
I also started, and am almost finished with The Third Book of Swords, an excellent series overall.

[Jim]

Hope you're all better, Jackie.

[Jackie]

TY, Jim. I'm much better, just a little bit more to go. At least I can walk on my own now.

[Nina]

Were you ill or having recuperation from surgery? Whatever glad you are on the mend.

[Jackie]

I did something to my knee, I have no idea what, it just started to swell and got so bad that I couldn't walk. I'm waiting on the surgeon's appt. Hoping I don't need another surgery. Thank you for you kind thoughts, Nina.

[Nina]

Ouch! not fun to be hurting.

[Werner]

Jackie wrote: "I was laid up for a week, so all I had was time to read." Every cloud has a silver lining, Jackie. :-) I always enjoy reading with you, too!

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jackie wrote: "I was laid up for a week, so all I had was time to read...."

Jackie, sorry to hear about your bad knee. I know how painful that can be. Hope your knee will improve quickly.

Meanwhile, I'm still coming down from the excitement of my 80th birthday party. We celebrated with over 60 close relatives at a restaurant. I planned most of the party myself because I knew just how I wanted it to be. My family helped but took the cues from me. It took a lot of coordination and I'm pooped. LOL But it was worth it!

I still can't concentrate enough to gather my thoughts about reading. I need to rest up.:)

[Jim]

Ouch, Jackie. Hope it gets better soon.

Joy, I'm glad you had such a wonderful birthday party.

[Nina]

Joy, you are blessed to have such a large gathering. Were they all relatives? Now, you have a wonderful memory to go back too when things aren't always happy.

[Jim]

Hidden Empire by Orson Scott Card was pretty good & an excellent listen.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Nina]

I am reading again, "The Namesake." I liked it once long ago and still like it. Joy, have you read, "The Red Leather Diary?"

[Nina]

It's a grass cutting; air conditioning day here/flowering trees and yellow tulips and a five dollar clematis vine to be planted from Aldi's. Steaks bar b que outside on grill. Another shot of colder weather is predicted next week. Here the weather is a roller coaster ride. Just had an essay published in a local newspaper/magazine; a memory of a street car era. Fun to be published and paid.

[Jim]

Congrats on being published, Nina. Yes, the weather is a roller coaster here, too. I'm hoping it will dry a bit & stay warm, although I should be transplanting while it's wet. Too much to do, though.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina wrote: "Joy, you are blessed to have such a large gathering. Were they all relatives? ..."

Yes, they were all descendants of me and my two sisters, one of whom had 9 kids and the other of whom had 8 kids. So that made it a big crowd, considering that the kids of the kids were there too! We had a DJ and there was lots of dancing.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina wrote: "I am reading again, "The Namesake." I liked it once long ago and still like it. Joy, have you read, "The Red Leather Diary?""

Haven't read it, Nina.
The Red Leather Diary: Reclaiming a Life Through the Pages of a Lost Journal by Lily Koppel

PS-Listen to an audio sample here: http://www.audible.com/pd/Bios-Memoir...

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina, who wrote "The Namesake"? There are several with the same title.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina wrote: "... Just had an essay published in a local newspaper/magazine; a memory of a street car era. Fun to be published and paid."

Congrats, Nina!

[Jackie]

Reading a complicated time-bender of a book and loving it: Man in the Empty Suit. I like when I get a string of very good books, and that's how it's been, a good 5 or 6 in a row!

[Nina]

Joy H. wrote: "Nina, who wrote "The Namesake"? There are several with the same title."Jaumpa Lahiri is the author of the book I am reading. Sorry, I didn't realize there were other books with that title. Our book for this month's book club is, "Someone," by Alice McDermott. Are you familiar with it? We had a great discussion yesterday about the book, "The Light Between Oceans." by Stedman. I am wondering if there are any reviews of that book on goodreads.

[Nina]

Joy H. wrote: "Nina, who wrote "The Namesake"? There are several with the same title."Joy, I can only find one novel listed with the title, "The Namesake." I am curious how to find the others.I googled Amazon and only came up with the one title I'm now reading.

[Nina]

Joy H. wrote: "Nina wrote: "Joy, you are blessed to have such a large gathering. Were they all relatives? ..."

Yes, they were all descendants of me and my two sisters, one of whom had 9 kids and the other of who..."Can you believe I have a son with nine kids?

[Nina]

Still curious about the other Namesake novels. Could you list some of the authors of these other Namesakes?

[Jim]

I finished the second Andy Carpenter book today, First Degree by David Rosenfelt. Short & very well read, it was better than the first, Open and Shut. My review is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina wrote: "Still curious about the other Namesake novels. Could you list some of the authors of these other Namesakes?"

Nina, check out the following links:
The Namesake
The Namesake
The Namesake
The Namesake
The Namesake
The Namesake
The Namesake: A Portrait of the Film Based on the Novel by Jhumpa Lahiri

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina wrote: ".... Our book for this month's book club is, "Someone," by Alice McDermott. Are you familiar with it? We had a great discussion yesterday about the book, "The Light Between Oceans." by Stedman. I am wondering if there are any reviews of that book on goodreads. ..."

Check these links out, Nina:
Someone
The Light Between Oceans
The Light Between Oceans by Faisal 2015

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jackie wrote: "Reading a complicated time-bender of a book and loving it: Man in the Empty Suit. I like when I get a string of very good books, and that's how it's been, a good 5 or 6 in a row!"

Jackie, I wish I could say that! :) If I find one, I'm lucky! I think this rough winter has taken away my enthusiasm (and also my energy).

[Jackie]

I have those times too, a string of bad books; it's so depressing. I just finished The Man in the Empty Suit but haven't chosen a new one yet.

[Jackie]

Mentats of Dune is my next book. It didn't take any thought at all, it was the first book my eyes landed on, easy choice. I love the Duniverse and will always go back. And I also know that I will love it before I even start it. The Dune books are always excellent. My favorite scifi series of all time; it'll never be displaced, it's firmly lodged in my heart.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jackie, below is a link to Audible's page re the first "DUNE" book:
http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fant...
I will listen to the audio sample there. It was thru you that I first heard of the author, Frank Herbert.

[Nina]

Thanks, Joy for posting the Namesakes and the reviews of The LIght of the Oceans and Someone. It is interesting to read what others think. Mostly quite favorable and some very much not.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

You're welcome, Nina.

[Mary JL]

I am in the middle of another science-fiction book--In the Company of Others. I am on page 328 and am enjoying it very much.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Glad to hear it, Mary JL. Today I started reading The Shoemaker's Wife. Fingers crossed that I'll like it.

[Nina]

The story is based on the author's grandparents'lives. I hope you do like it. I did. "The Shoemaker's Wife."

[Joy H., Group Founder]

So far, so good, Nina! Thanks for the info.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

I finally finished reading Pearl Buck's Pavilion of Women. It was very slow-paced but her beautiful writing was rich with wisdom. My review isn't finished yet but I'll get to it sooner or later. Dentist today! :-(

[Nina]

Going to the dentist is what I call not a fun day. I go next week. I bought ten herbs to plant this morning. My husband calls them my "herbies." Also got two huge geranium plants and a lavendar. Lots of planting to keep me busy. I am presently reading, "The Goldfinch," only because it won the Pulitzer this year.

[Jim]

Some friends of mine read "Goldfinch" recently & liked it a lot, Nina. Doesn't sound like my kind of book, though. I went to the dentist yesterday, but it was just a regular cleaning. Took forever, though. 15 minutes late starting & then I waited that long for Ray to come check my teeth quickly. He didn't spend long doing that, but we wound up talking about books for another 15 minutes.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

The dentist definitely was NOT fun! I had a cap put in after I had broken a molar about a month ago. Of course it took several visits. I'm a big baby at the dentist!

I've decided that I'm going to have less plants in the future. I just can't keep up with all the mess that goes with them.

I have finally found a book that's keeping me reading! Sue Miller's Family Pictures. The author always provides psychological aspects to her writing. That's what keeps me reading.

[Earl]

Graphic novels. Anyone else been running into these? I don't seem to be able to recognize them as such when Goodreads advertises them. I recently was disappointed by two 'books' I requested/picked up at the library.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

These are two authors I like. But NOT when poured into a comic book! I wondered if anyone else is running into this problem.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Earl, that's an interesting point. Thanks for focusing on the topic of "graphic novels". I haven't run into the problem you mentioned but you made me curious. So I went to Wiki and found the following:
======================================================
"A graphic novel is a book made up of comics content. Although the word "novel" normally refers to long fictional works, the term "graphic novel" is applied broadly, and includes fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work. It is distinguished from the term "comic book", which is used for comics periodicals."
FROM: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphic_...
=======================================================

Until now I hadn't sorted out the difference between a "graphic novel" and a "comic book". Now I see that it's the difference between a book and a periodical. Guess I should have realized this, but I had never thought about it that much.

As for your question, it's a good one. They certainly SHOULD indicate in GR ads that a book is a "graphic novel".

[Nina]

I forgot what Sue Miller wrote but seem to remember liking it. Did you finish, "The Shoemaker's Wife?"

[Nina]

About Mr. Banks movie; I used to walk past the grade school that Walt Disney attended. Interesting that he made such a big deal out of delivering newspapers as a boy. My husband delivered them from the time he was twelve and in Milwaukee WI where the winters are much colder and longer than in KC. And he never complained about doing it.