What are you reading or what books have you read or heard about? (Part TWELVE) Ongoing general thread. Showing 2,351-2,400 of 2,793

[Nina]

But know we are warm and cozy and outside looks like a Winter Wonderland. This reminds me of living in Milwaukee, WI where snows like this are common.

[Jim]

Glad you could get to your daughter's house! I guess the bit of snow we got was what remained of your storm. Glad it petered out before it got here.

[Jim]

Thrilling Cities by Ian Fleming is a nonfiction book of essays that he wrote about 13 cities around the world in 1959-60. I highly recommend it to anyone that likes the original James Bond books. I gave it a 5 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Thanks for posting.

[Nina]

Hooray for Jim's review of the "Thrilling Cities," as I have so enjoyed reading his description and also thanks to him I am reading with such interest some of those cities in the website. The descriptions by Ian Fleming so remind me of being in those places; not all, of course. But, some of his remarks so hit the mark.

[Jim]

Glad you liked it, Nina. You should read the book. I put a link to an online copy of it in my review.

[Nina]

I used your link and read some of the cities; Las Vegan, LA , Hawaii and Chicago. I'll read some of the others later. Ian Fleming a good narrator of places.

[Jim]

Oh! Now I understand. Super!

[Jim]

Rigor Mortis: How Sloppy Science Creates Worthless Cures, Crushes Hope, and Wastes Billions by Richard F. Harris has me terribly disappointed with our current biomedical research practices & glad there are folks trying to clean it up. I found it a bit repetitive, but it was pretty technical at times so that wasn't always a bad thing. I gave it a 4 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Thanks for posting, Jim.

[Nina]

Supposed to read, "Manhatten Beach," by Jennifer Eagan and all the reviews sound dreadful. Have any of you read it?

[Joy H., Group Founder]

RE: Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
Haven't read it, Nina.

[Nina]

I am anxious to read, "A Dog's Way Home," but Bruce Cameron. It is being made into a movie and is on the NYT best seller list. It was written by a young man who went to high school a few blocks from us.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina wrote: "I am anxious to read, "A Dog's Way Home," but Bruce Cameron. It is being made into a movie and is on the NYT best seller list. It was written by a young man who went to high school a few blocks fro..."

A Dog's Way Home by W. Bruce Cameron

Sounds good.

[Nina]

made a typing mistake; should be "by" Bruce Cameron.

[Nina]

Jim, You once suggested a book/might have been a children's but it had something to do with a dog and the word "rain" was in the title. I had written it down and was going to ask about it at B & N and unfortunately I lost the paper and I had already deleted your message as I thought I didn't need it anymore. Please if you know what I am referring to could you put the title on again? Thanks.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

NINA, BELOW IS THE POST:

Jim wrote: "The Art of Racing in the Rain is another, newer animal book with a TJ rating. It's also really good."

HERE'S MY REVIEW: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

GOOD BUT I DON'T LIKE THE WORD: heart-wrenching.

[Nina]

Thanks Joy. It sounded like a one to read.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

YOU'RE WELCOME, NINA.

[Linda]

Anyone reading any good books lately? My book club meets the 2nd week of each month. I'm looking for a book recommendation (again).

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Linda, here's a link to my favorite books at my book review area:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

[Jim]

Nothing great lately, but I am enjoying Under A Calculating Star.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jim wrote: "Nothing great lately, but I am enjoying Under A Calculating Star."

It seems to me that science fiction is more popular than any other genre.

[Nina]

Talk about history lessons that is what I am getting by reading "Prairie Fires" by Caroline Fraser. Mostly the first part is set in MN, KS, WI and the Dakotas. It is really a bio of the life of Laura Ingalls
Wilder. But, it goes beyond her life with the stories of hardship entailing tornadoes and grasshopper plagues, blizzards and heartrending poverty but through it all she and others survived; thousands didn't however. I wish it was a required reading in high school.

[Nina]

Linda, my favorite read of this past year was, "The Winter Sea," by Susanne Kearsley

[Jim]

Joy H. wrote: "It seems to me that science fiction is more popular than any other genre."

I don't know. It's popular, but I would think fantasy & mystery-thrillers were more popular.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Good point, Jim.

[Jim]

Wild Man Island by Will Hobbs was excellent & appropriate for almost any age from 7 or so up. I gave it a 4 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I highly recommend Will Hobbs's books for everyone.

How 7 Went Mad is a very short story by Bram Stoker. A very short, humorous kid's story about the number 7. It's a bit weird, but a lot of fun. Highly recommended for all ages if for no other reason than to prove Stoker's range as an author. He's not just 'The Dracula Guy'.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

THANKS FOR POSTING, JIM.

[Nina]

Couldn't finish one of the worst books I've read/really not read all the way through as took it back to the library after the third story. "What It Means when A Man Falls From the Sky," I don't recommend it.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

THANKS FOR POSTING, NINA.

[Mary JL]

Belated greetings and good wishes to all. Sorry I've been gone a while. I started the year 2019 with a visit to the emergency room on January 2nd. Then four days later on antibiotics for a sinus infection. Sick off and on thru January. Stuck in the house a lot; freezing cold most days. Oh, also had apartment flooded twice on our floor. Thankfully minimal damage as I am on the farthest end of the hall!

Missed you all. Now somewhat better and hoping to post and visit more often. And catch up on some reviews.

[Mary JL]

Omaha eagerly awaiting a high of 24 degrees tomorrow! Last week, bone chillling cold with the wind chill index at -35!

[Jim]

We're down to 12 this morning after getting up into the 70s a couple of days ago & the week before that we were down below zero. Ugh. Up & down. Can't get used to any temperature. While it was warm, we also got a few inches of rain into our already saturated ground, so I'm sure the fields are full of spikes of mud.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Mary JL, sorry to hear what you've been going through. Hope things will go better for you from now on,

[Nina]

Cold some nights zero or below. Then ice storm and snow on top; most schools cancelled for two days. My husband tried walking on grass en route to the bird feeder then fell; thankfully nothing broken just bruised.

[Jim]

Glad he's OK. Stay warm! It wasn't too bad here today even though it gone down to 11 before the sun came up. Never made it out of the 30s & the wind was wicked cold, but we had a lot of sunshine. I moved a load of hay & was plenty warm in the barn out of the wind.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

17°F here.

[Nina]

We are marooned due to ice covered everywhere.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

How awful. Hope it melts soon, Nina.

[Jim]

Brain Bugs: How the Brain's Flaws Shape Our Lives by neurobiologist Dean Buonomano was fascinating, although a bit deep & repetitive at times. He looks into some of the physical structures of the brain, how they evoloved, & why they're causing us issues in our new environment. I gave it a 4 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Thank you for posting, Jim.

[Nina]

Today fifty four degrees and tomorrow very cold with two to five inches of snow predicted but OILA I received a beautiful hard back book, "The Library Book," and can't wait to read it. Glowing reviews in NYT>

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Thanks for posting, Nina.

[Jim]

I rarely give a fantasy book 5 stars since they don't have anything to do with real life, but Endgames, Modesitt's latest (last?) book in his Imager series, is an exception. Rex (king) Charyn faces an industrial revolution with High Holders trying to keep their traditional roles. The emerging middle class (traders & manufacturers) have become a power to be reckoned with while the crafters & laborers are in an economic crunch. It's a messy time, so there is plenty of action & thought as Charyn tries to ride the tiger.

His thoughtful trends & meticulous attention to detail is appreciated. I'm reading another popular fantasy book now that has a neat system of magic, lots of action, & keeps stepping on itself with plot holes & nonsensical actions. None of that in this series. Highly recommended. I even want to go back & read the first 3 books in the series now since they take place 350 years after this one. That's pretty amazing.

Here's my 5 star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Reminds me of Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. It was terrific!

See my review at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jim]

I guess it's the name, because the stories are nothing alike, different genres, too. Both good, though.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

I see.

[JAKe]

I'm currently reading the short story, The Crow. I don't have the author name in front of me but I believe there is a clock on the cover of the book.

[Nina]

Joy, "The Library Book," sounds like a book you'd enjoy reading. I think I will.