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Constant Reader
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What I'm Reading - May/June 2017
I am reading Commonwealth by Ann Patchett. I saw it in the New Books section of the library and couldn't resist. It has really pulled me along - and cost me sleep as I read just one more page....just one more....
Mary Ellen wrote: "I am reading Commonwealth by Ann Patchett. I saw it in the New Books section of the library and couldn't resist. It has really pulled me along - and cost me sleep as I read just one..."I almost nominated that for the list. Glad to know it's engaging, but what did I expect from Patchett?
I'm deep into May's book A Gentleman in Moscow. When I schedule books I usually just look at how long they are, but this time I should have paid more attention to subject matter. I find myself in Russia again, but in very different circumstances.
I'm reading A Gentleman in Moscow too - I'm enjoying it so far. I just finished Vanity Fair, which was a bit of a slog (really could have used an editor! Was he paid by the word?)
Finished The Sellout and had a lively discussion of it last night with my book group. My take: Hilarious, outrageous, thought-provoking, plot-free, problematic. In the fictional community of Dickens there's no black church, no wise grandmothers. The main character is raised by a (crazed) single father. Community rituals are gang related. Why this strangely negative portrait of an African-American community? Still, I don't hesitate to call it a brilliant and original novel that raises interesting questions.
Sherry wrote: "Mary Ellen wrote: "I am reading Commonwealth by Ann Patchett. I saw it in the New Books section of the library and couldn't resist. It has really pulled me along - and cost me sleep..."Such a good book! I think it would make for a great discussion, too.
Kat wrote: "Finished The Sellout and had a lively discussion of it last night with my book group. My take: Hilarious, outrageous, thought-provoking, plot-free, problematic. In the fictional com..."Agreed, Kat, it's brilliant, if demanding, challenging, even exhausting at times: like listening to Jonathan Winters or Robin Williams on an endless, manic riff onstage. Following NYR review by Daryl PInckney does good job of putting Beatty in context of tradition of black humor and "protest" writing.
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/2016/...
Sherry wrote: "Mary Ellen wrote: "I am reading Commonwealth by Ann Patchett. I saw it in the New Books section of the library and couldn't resist. It has really pulled me along - and cost me sleep..."I listened to this audiobook while driving back from Florida to Dallas. It really kept me entertained and I thought it was a great story.
Amy wrote: "I'm reading A Gentleman in Moscow too - I'm enjoying it so far. I just finished Vanity Fair, which was a bit of a slog (really could have used an editor! Was he paid by the word?)"I'm still #8 on the waiting list at the library. Hope it comes in time for the discussion.
Dad to the rescue! (Handy for Father's Day.) Delightful! 5★
Daddy Long Legs.https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I just finished reading All Over Creation by Ruth Ozeki. I almost gave up at about 100 pages but I'm glad I kept reading. It's a story of an evil corporation (Monsanto) engineering seeds for profit (above all), and a resistance group that fights them by small acts of sabotage. It's also about US agriculture being complicit with Monsanto. What I didn't like about this book was the main character (Yumi) being totally clueless and emotionally immature. However, the book really gives a person something to think about in regard to our farming practices and where we're headed.
I was reminded today that there are 2 more volumes to enjoy. :)Autobiography of Mark Twain: Volume 1, Reader's Edition. Great reading - nobody writes like Twain.
I asked for it for Christmas the year it came out and loved it! This is what I said then:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy – Rachel Joyce – 5*****
Oh, I love Queenie! She admits that her first instinct when faced with a difficult situation has always been to flee. Now, at the end of her life she faces the secrets she has been hiding, and hiding from, with courage and grace, and pours out her heart in a long letter of love and forgiveness.
LINK to my review
I'm reading The Little Red Chairs. I forgot how beautifully Edna O'Brien writes, how much I love her work. This one has some disturbing subject matter-the chairs refer to chairs hung To commemorate the slaughter in Sarajevo of almost 12,000 people. One of the books main characters is a war criminal posing as a healer in Ireland and the Irish woman who, not knowing his past, falls in love with him. The prose is so lush that it almost obscures the traumatic situation with Fidelma, the woman who falls in love and then discovers the war criminal's identity. Very well-written.
Ellie wrote: "I'm reading The Little Red Chairs. I forgot how beautifully Edna O'Brien writes, how much I love her work. This one has some disturbing subject matter-the chairs refer to chairs hun..."We discussed this remarkable book last November, Ellie. Here's a link: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Sherry wrote: "Ellie wrote: "I'm reading The Little Red Chairs. I forgot how beautifully Edna O'Brien writes, how much I love her work. This one has some disturbing subject matter-the chairs refer..."Thanks. :)
I'm reading "Imagine me Gone." I had never read anything by Haslett, but he is so good. Sometimes I just reread a sentence several times to savor it.
Ana wrote: "I'm reading "Imagine me Gone." I had never read anything by Haslett, but he is so good. Sometimes I just reread a sentence several times to savor it."This is one of the books that are going to be on our next Reading List. I've read it, too, and agree with you wholeheartedly. I hope you come back when it's being discussed and join in,
Ana wrote: "I'm reading "Imagine me Gone." I had never read anything by Haslett, but he is so good. Sometimes I just reread a sentence several times to savor it."Oooo I really liked Imagine Me Gone! I hope you all enjoy it when it's discussed later! I did review it (no spoilers).
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I knew I'd love it and I did! Elizabeth Strout is one of my favourite authors, and her latest book, Anything Is Possible, is another winner.
Great stories about vulnerable people. My review
5★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Rocket Boys – Homer Hickam – 4****
Homer Hickam Jr (a/k/a Sonny) grew up in Coalwood, West Virginia – a “company town” in built and owned by the mining company for whom his father worked. In his memoir, Hickam brings the residents of Coalwood to life. He shares stories of growing up, of high school football, a beloved teacher, unlikely allies, young love, and his mother’s determination that her boys would NOT go into that mine.
LINK to my review
Lyn wrote: "I just got Anything Is Possible from the library; it's up next!"ENJOY! I just read and reviewed it myself - loved it!
Just finished The Dressmaker by Aussie author Rosalie Ham. A peculiar book, I thought. Wonder what Kate Winslet's like in the film.4★ My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Ana wrote: "I'm reading "Imagine me Gone." I had never read anything by Haslett, but he is so good. Sometimes I just reread a sentence several times to savor it."Oooo I really liked [book:Imagine..."Your review was right on the mark. A bittersweet book, really, about a family that is so much like many other families.
Ana wrote: "PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Ana wrote: "I'm reading "Imagine me Gone." I had never read anything by Haslett, but he is so good. Sometimes I just reread a sentence several times to savor it."."Your review was right on the mark. A bittersweet book, really, about a family that is so much like many other families. "
Thanks, Ana. Bittersweet is a good word for it.
One Leg Over, a tell-all autobiography by Robin Dalton, now 95, describes her amazing life, mixing as a personal friend with the likes of the Kennedys, PMs, artists, singers, and oh yes, Prince Philip and the royals. 
4★ My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I just finished Anything Is Possible, and recommend it. When I encounter good writing, I always try to analyze it and see if I can learn something about how to write well..., and with Elisabeth Strout I just cannot. She brings ordinary people to life somehow, and her writing seems to always hum along quietly and smoothly, a reader quickly becomes involved in a simple human encounter and wants to keep reading to the end of it. After, a reader feels as if they've gained entry and insight into the lives of her characters. The prevailing tone is sadness, but it is always grounded, realistic, and human.
Lyn wrote: "I just finished Anything Is Possible, and recommend it. When I encounter good writing, I always try to analyze it and see if I can learn something about how to write well..., and wi..."She really is a wonderful writer--so subtle and yet so completely on point. As soon as I finished
Anything Is Possible, I went back to The Burgess Boys, which I'd not been able to get into before. It is an amazing book. Highly recommended.
Sara wrote: "Lyn wrote: "I just finished Anything Is Possible, and recommend it. When I encounter good writing, I always try to analyze it and see if I can learn something about how to write wel..."I love Elizabeth Strout's books, too. I must look for The Burgess Boys also.
Really enjoyed Feel Me Fall by James Morris.Exciting YA (but fun for this adult, too) - teens desperate after plane crash in Amazon jungle.
4.5★ My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
It is lovely but rainy in Oregon now, perfect marathon reading weather!I finished Lincoln in the Bardo today, but will withhold thoughts about it for when we discuss it together. I hope many will read it!
i finshed Two Little Girls in Blue Harriet Carter
Eligible – Curtis Sittenfeld – 4****
The subtitle is all the synopsis you need: A Modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice. This is the fourth installment of the planned retellings that comprise The Austen Project, wherein contemporary authors tackle one of Austen’s works and reimagine it in a modern setting. All told, I found it entertaining and fun. Definitely helps if you’ve read the original, though it spoils any surprises as you anticipate “when will they …?” or “how will she include …..?”
LINK to my review
I just finished The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff. This was an okay read, but I couldn't buy into the friendship between the two female protagonists. They vacillated between mistrust and "I would do anything for you" lines. The book seemed to hover close to melodrama, but I felt no emotional closeness to either character. It was a disappointing read.
Stumbled across this unusual short illustrated book in the library. The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains by Neil Gaiman. 4★
My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Good conversation starter. Are You a Boy or Are You a Girl?
.Kids are kids! Great illustrations and questions to ask yourself or your kids or your class.
4★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just read The Paying Guests, coming up for an in-person book club. To sum it up, I thought it was okay, not bad, it had its moments, but ultimately could have used an edit and maybe some restructuring of the pacing. I gave it 3 stars.
In The Best of Adam Sharp, Aussie Graeme Simsion, author of The Rosie Project, tackles the question:Is it possible to rekindle the love of your life a couple of decades later? (nothing to do with Rosie)
My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I am taking Conversation in the Cathedral by Mario Vargas Llosa back to the library today. I'm sure this is a great book - everyone says so. But for some reason, I decided not-to-finish after reading about 20%. I don't like for a book to get the better of me, but this one did.
Death in the Clouds – Agatha Christie – 3***
Christie’s Belgian detective has become my go-to comfort read. I never tire of watching Poirot exercise his “little gray cells” to the amusement and astonishment of fellow investigators, suspects, innocent bystanders, and, of course, the culprit.
LINK to my review
Book Concierge wrote: "Death in the Clouds
– Agatha Christie – 3***
Christie’s Belgian detective has become my go-to comfort read. I never tire of watching Poirot exercise his “l..."
This wasn't one of my favorites but I'll read anything with Poirot! He is also my "go-to comfort read."
Just finished The Little Red Chairs. Very interesting and also disturbing. Edna O'Brien's writing remains as gorgeous as ever and her exploration of the problems of "innocence" and small town narrow-mindedness also remain fresh.I am now indulging in an Agatha Christie read, After the Funeral, featuring my favorite Hercule Poirot. My challenge read right now is Broken English: Poetry and Partiality a series of essays about contemporary poetry.
I'm reading The Betrothed, by Alessandro Manzoni, written in the early 19th century and set in the early 17th. It moves along well as the author has good storytelling skills, though the characters--especially the virginal heroine--aren't as interesting as I'd like. It's over 700 pages so I'll be on it awhile. Also reading Evelyn Waugh's Scoop, about tabloid journalism, which is pretty funny when it isn't being offensive.
Kat, when I was taking an adult ed Italian class about 12 years ago, our teacher talked about The Betrothed - I Promessi Sposi in Italian, IIRC - and what a classic it is. I had the impression everyone in Italy read it in high school (though maybe a generation or two ago...). Seven hundred pages ... quite impressive, though it makes me wonder how many students ever got through the whole thing!
Listened to The Revenant by Michael Punke on audiotape. This book is full of adventure and the dangers of the prairies. Freezing temperatures, Indians, and deceiving and murderous mountain men become part of the story of Hugh Glass, a real life frontier fur trader. Some sections are not for the faint of heart.
Kat wrote: "I'm reading The Betrothed, by Alessandro Manzoni, written in the early 19th century and set in the early 17th. It moves along well as the author has good storytelling skills, though t..."Aren't they reading this book in A Room with a View? I have this memory of Cecil talking about it...
I also finished Shades of Blue: Writers on Depression, Suicide, and Feeling Blue compiled by Amy Ferris. It is difficult to read about debilitating depression, extreme sadness, and thoughts of ending one's life. However, I found comfort in this book in reading about the struggles to overcome depression; and to feel respect for the authors that were brave enough to tell their stories.
Just finished The Rose Rent by Ellis Peters, because I do enjoy Brother Cadfael. And this is one of the few times when I completely agree with the television version of a book/character. I think Derek Jacobi was the perfect selection to play Cadfael and now when I read it, I picture him in the story.Just before that I finished Station Eleven, a book that I have had on my Kindle seemingly forever. It gets such great reviews here on Goodreads, but I am afraid that I don't share the love. I hate it when my opinion is so contrary to the overall rating because it makes me think I'm missing something. I tried to like it (as a rule I really enjoy dystopian fiction) but no.
Currently reading A Gentleman in Moscow along with a bunch of y'all. Enjoying it so far!
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Constant Reader
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I am currently reading The Yard by Alex Grecian and The Vegetarian by Han Kang. The latter is strange but riveting. The Yard is pretty good, so far.