What I'm Reading AUGUST 2014

[Alias Reader]

Sherry wrote: If anyone is interested, here is our discussion of In Cold Blood:
http://constantreader.com/discussions...

I have a hard time believing our discussion was twelve years ago! ..."

Thank you for the link, Sherry. It was fun to read everyone's thoughts. One person mentions the matter of fact telling adds to the books tension. I just posted the same thing in my book club, Book Nook Café. It's our group's read.

I just finished part one and it is chilling. I can only read it during the day as I don't want this invading my sleep. At night I'm reading The Girl You Left Behind.

I normally am a non fiction person but I am really enjoying the last few Jojo Moyes books I've read.

[Ann D]

I finished Ebert's Life Itself.
Despite my reservations about the very beginning it ended up being a 5 star book in my opinion.

The book covers so much more than just movies. It really is a meditation on his own life and human life in general. He spent the last 7 years of his life unable to eat, drink or talk, but he wasn't bitter and made the best of it. Fortunately, he had his beloved wife Chaz at his side - what a love story! He continued to develop his writing and his blog. Quite a guy - warts and all.

I am looking forward to seeing the documentary about his life.

[Portia]

Alias Reader wrote: "Sherry wrote: If anyone is interested, here is our discussion of In Cold Blood:
http://constantreader.com/discussions...

I have a hard time believing our discussion was twelve years ago! ..."

Tha..."

Alias, dd you read Me Before You? The idea of Pygmalion meets Paraplegic seemed interesting, but the ending made my teeth hurt.

I'm about halfway through We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves and know already I will be on the list of "Readers Who Wept at the Ending."

[John]

Alias Reader wrote: "I normally am a non fiction person but I am really enjoying the last few Jojo Moyes books I've read. "

I, too, read mostly nonfiction, but a few years back, I listened to Moyes' Peacock Emporium. I'm still on the fence about Me Before You

[Mary]

That Man, An Insider's Portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt

John Q Bqrrett is responsible for bringing this book to completion. In his introduction he explains how he came across Robert H. Jackson's draft chapters and notes for this book, written circa 1954. Jackson knew and worked with FDR from a young age. He was eventually Attorney General during FDR's presidency and was eventually appointed to the Supreme Court, from which he took a leave to serve as the American Chief Prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trial.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I appreciated its freshness and intimacy. Barrett did a stellar job of editing and compiling Robert Jackson's draft manuscript and notes and then fleshing it out with complementary material from Jackson's other writings and interviews. He also included biographical sketches and notes that were helpful.

[Larry]

Ann wrote: "Robert,
Having also been raised in Catholic schools. Ebert's account of his early education was fun and interesting for me.

I got bored with the list of all his relatives on both sides of the family, since the gist seemed to be that he didn't have many. However, I just wanted to alert other readers that the book gets much better. ..."

Anne, that's the crucial point.

Larry

[Alias Reader]

Portia wrote: Alias, dd you read Me Before You? The idea of Pygmalion meets Paraplegic seemed interesting, but the ending made my teeth hurt..."

Yes. It was the first Jojo Moyes book I read. I read it for my library group.

I enjoyed it very much. That's why I've continued to read more of her books.

[Alias Reader]

Mary wrote: "That Man, An Insider's Portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt

John Q Bqrrett is responsible for bringing this book to completion. In his introduction he explains how he came across Robert H. Jackson's ..."

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That Man: An Insider's Portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt
Thank you for the title. I'll put it on my TBR list.

My favorite FDR book is,
The Defining Moment: FDR's Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope by Jonathan Alter

[Jane]

Star of the Sea / Joseph O'Connor

[Mary]

Alias Reader, many thanks for the suggestion. I've added it to my TBR.

[John]

While we're talking presidential biographies, I'm in the midst of The Passage of Power, the volume of Robert Caro's LBJ biographies that covers the Kennedy years (late 50's to the Dallas aftermath). Seeing the story from Johnson's perspective is quite different; the 1960 primary campaign was rather like the 2008 one, where the establishment figure took a lot for granted while the young "upstart" got to work locking the smaller states early.

[Mary]

John, Caro's bio of Johnson is on my TBR. In fact the 1st 2 volumes are on my bedside table awaiting my attention, although it will be a while until I get to them. Just started McCullough's book on Truman.

[Ann D]

John,
I thought that The Passage of Power was outstanding. Great history and totally absorbing.

[Geoff]

Ismail Kadare's The Successor didn't live up to his amazing Chronicle in Stone. Good, but not something I'll read again.

[Cateline]

I've started The Last Ship: A Novel by William Brinkley. It's been favorably compared to On the Beach and Lord of the Flies.......interesting combination. hah
We may or may not end up watching the TNT series of it, but that advertising is what led me to the book.

[Portia]

Cateline, are you watching the mini-series? We are and like it very much.

[John]

I finished the latest Flavia de Luce book the other day. Definitely for series fans only!

[Cateline]

Portia wrote: "Cateline, are you watching the mini-series? We are and like it very much."

We don't have TV, except for our DVDs or streaming.....out in the country, and gave up cable/satellite TV five years ago.
I am fairly certain we will be seeing this one down the road by one of those methods. :)

[Book Concierge]

A Carrion Death by Michael Stanley – 3***
Audiobook performed by Simon Prebble. A human corpse, mostly eaten by hyenas is found in the Kalahari, and Detective David “Kubu” Bengu leads the investigation. This is a wonderful debut mystery with a great central character. He combines intelligence, education and sound police procedures with tenacity and a keen intuition. Kubu also loves opera, good wine and his wife. The plot is fast paced and complicated, with plenty of suspects and several plot twists that I did not see coming. Simon Prebble does a marvelous job performing the audio. I’ll definitely continue the series.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Alias Reader]

Mary wrote: "Alias Reader, many thanks for the suggestion. I've added it to my TBR."

You're welcome !

[Alias Reader]

John wrote: "While we're talking presidential biographies, I'm in the midst of The Passage of Power, the volume of Robert Caro's LBJ biographies that covers the Kennedy years (late 50's to the D..."

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Some that I have on my TBR list:

Nixonland: America's Second Civil War and the Divisive Legacy of Richard Nixon 1965-1972--Rick Perlstein

This author just came out with a new one that I want to read but I still have Nixonland on my bookshelf unread.
The Invisible Bridge: The Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan--Rick Perlstein

I was listening to the audio of the following book and enjoyed it so much I had to pick up a paper copy to read.
John Quincy Adams by Harlow Giles Unger

[Alias Reader]

Mary wrote: Just started McCullough's book on Truman. ."

The movie with Gary Sinise is terrific. I have the book on my TBR shelf.

[Book Concierge]

Ill Wind by Nevada Barr
3.5***
Book #3 in the Anna Pigeon series, has the national park ranger assigned to Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. When a child dies the new-age proponents attribute it to the upset spirits – Chindi – and predict things “will happen” with the summer solstice. But Anna is convinced that the real culprits are human. Anna Pigeon is a great character – intelligent, mature, physically fit and tenacious. The plot was a little slow to take off, but the many suspects really kept me guessing right up to the time that Anna unveiled the perpetrator. On the whole, this is a very satisfying mystery read.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Sue]

Book Concierge wrote: " Ill Wind by Nevada Barr
3.5***
Book #3 in the Anna Pigeon series, has the national park ranger assigned to Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. When a child dies the ..."

This was my introduction to the series and I've now read almost all of them. I do need to read the last 2 to keep up. I like Anna Pigeon and the way she, and Sara Paretsky's V.I. Warshawski (sp) both develop and mature over the course of their series.

[Larry]

I started Christopher Beha's The Whole Five Feet: What the Great Books Taught Me About Life, Death, and Pretty Much Everything Else. This is about Beha's attempt to read through the entire 22,000 pages on the The Harvard Classics in one year. Just a few pages into it, but it's quite enjoyable. I discovered that there is a Kindle version of the entire Harvard Classics available for $.99. I don't plan to read them all,but it's nice to have the entire collection available.

[Wendy]

just finished Cry No More by linda howard. I loved it, and screamed and cried and my heart broke when I read it. It is a very delicate subject, kidnapping of a womans son, though it is fiction, I can see it really happeneing.

[Sue]

I'm reading, and loving, my first audiobook. It's The Rosie Project. It is just so funny to hear this fish-out-of-water story and with the Australian accent and certain great cultural references. Just wonderful.

I still will use paper and my kindle as my primary reading sources, but I now see a place for audiobooks in my life, especially for books like this with a humorous edge.

[Mary Anne]

I'm reading Independent People by Halldor Laxness, which Ann Patchett says is her favorite book.

[Ruth]

Mary Anne wrote: "I'm reading Independent People by Halldor Laxness, which Ann Patchett says is her favorite book."

I liked it lots. Nominated it for tn list many years ago. Didn't make it. Did we read it later, though?

[Sherry, Doyenne]

Ruth wrote: "Mary Anne wrote: "I'm reading Independent People by Halldor Laxness, which Ann Patchett says is her favorite book."

I liked it lots. Nominated it for tn list many years ago. Didn't ..."

I don't think we've ever discussed it here. Seems like it's time to nominate it again.

[Lee]

Portia wrote: "I have trouble finding time to read in the run up to the Winter Holidays. I'll give The Luminaries a shot on December 26."

Portia wrote: "I have trouble finding time to read in the run up to the Winter Holidays. I'll give The Luminaries a shot on December 26."

Mary wrote: "Finished Roz Chast's graphic memoir, can't we talk about something more pleasant?, and recommend it to all of you who are watching and caring for your parents as they near the ends of their lives. ..."

[Lee]

I felt that The Luminaries was one of the worst books through which I had ever ploughed hoping for some redeeming feature.

The characters were not developed but simply narrated in a heavy-handed fashion, and then later acted in ways not compatible with the original description. The changes of voice were not credible and did not really contribute to anything to plot or character development. The writing was so ponderous and circular that I kept reaching for a red pen, and wondering where the editor had been.

These comments might suggest that I disliked this novel.

[Amy]

I'm working my way through The Luminaries now - I read in a review somewhere that it was an elaborately structured book, and I do not disagree with that. I'm about 1/3 of the way through, and I still struggle a bit with how to describe to others what it's about, which seems odd when you are 1/3 of the way through. So far, though, I am still enjoying the ride. So we'll see ...

[Book Concierge]

Enter a Murderer by Ngaio Marsh – 2**
Book # 2 in the Inspector Roderick Alleyn series has him witness a murder on stage when the prop gun is loaded with live ammunition instead of blanks. There are more than enough suspects from the sleepy doorman to the theater owner/producer. The action is told almost entirely in dialogue with little descriptive prose. I’m not sure why but I was left feeling rather “blah” about it, so only 2 stars.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Alias Reader]

Larry wrote: "I started Christopher Beha's The Whole Five Feet: What the Great Books Taught Me About Life, Death, and Pretty Much Everything Else. This is about Beha's attempt to read through the ..."
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I enjoyed that book a lot !

[Alias Reader]

Sue wrote: I'm reading, and loving, my first audiobook. It's The Rosie Project. It is just so funny to hear this fish-out-of-water story and with the Australian accent and certain great cultural references. Just wonderful.

I still will use paper and my kindle as my primary reading sources, but I now see a place for audiobooks in my life, especially for books like this with a humorous edge. ..."
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I loved The Rosie Project
I read it in paper form.

I enjoy audiobooks when I am at the gym or exercise walking. I used to have issues with focusing with audio books. I found, however, that is not a problem at all when I exercise.

I get my audio books from Overdrive through my library system.

[Sue]

Libraries are definitely the best!!! And overdrive is great whether for mp3s or ebooks.

[Kholod]

I'm Reading The Five People you meet in heaven for mitch albom , Till now I think I learn lessons with eddie with every single person he meets in heaven , I like it by far , I'm nearly about half of the events ..

[Sherry, Doyenne]

I used to use Overdrive and the library for audiobooks, but my system only gives you one week to listen to it. There used to be no limit. I don't usually finish in one week, so now I have an Audible subscription. I get two books a month, and that's about right for me.

[Larry]

This is not a comment that is meant to defend The Luminaries, and I ,in fact, have been persuaded by the people who have posted here that I probably wouldn't like it. But I do find it odd that it won the 2013 Man Booker prize and has accumulated all the critical acclaim that it has and yet is disliked so intensely by a number of people (and not just those people on the Constant Reader). It is by no means unique to have achieved that. I do have a feeling that a lot of the copies that were bought were never finished.

[Gina]

I listened to the audio book Audition: A Memoir by Barbara Walters. Walters is an interesting person who shared a lot of personal information in this memoir, talking about struggles with her daughter, parents, husbands, etc.

[Ann D]

Larry,
I think we should have a good discussion of The Luminaries here on Constant Reader next January.

[Carol]

Larry check your email here at goodreads, I sent you one.

[Carol]

Ann wrote: "Larry,
I think we should have a good discussion of The Luminaries here on Constant Reader next January."

I think so Ann.

[Mary]

Gina, I too enjoyed Barbara Walters memoir. I read - or listened I think - several years ago. She is very interesting and was faced with many choices and decisions and challenging experiences throughout her life. Even though I recognize that memoirs are often self-serving I really appreciated a peak at her history as she sees it.

[Ann D]

I saw The Temporary Gentleman by Sebastian Barry at the library. Remembering how much I liked The Secret Scripture when we read it here on CR, I checked it out. I got 2/3 done, and then I quit. The writing is beautiful, but I couldn't bear to watch the the main female character deteriorate any further. Lots of depression and alcoholism. The narrator husband is an interesting character. I didn't hate him, but he could win a bad husband of the year award. Ultimately, too sad for me.

[Sue]

Ann wrote: "I saw The Temporary Gentleman by Sebastian Barry at the library. Remembering how much I liked The Secret Scripture when we read it here on CR, I checke..."

Oh! That's on my list too. I do plan to try it. Hopefully forewarned is forearmed.

[Ann D]

Sue,
Have you read any other Sebastian Barry books? I think he's a wonderful writer, but I can't do any more totally wasted lives right now. The horrible alcoholism got to me too.

[Sue]

Ann wrote: "Sue,
Have you read any other Sebastian Barry books? I think he's a wonderful writer, but I can't do any more totally wasted lives right now. The horrible alcoholism got to me too."

I've only read The Secret Scripture. I have The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty, A Long Long Way and On Canaan's Side on my shelves waiting for me. I keep getting diverted from these books. A Long, Long Way will definitely fit in with the World War I group I'm in and Eneas McNulty might also. We are all reading as and what we want but have a wonderful library of related books set up.

Perhaps we can read Barry together at some point although I doubt any can be considered "happy." I remember when I visited Ireland in the early 70s as a tourist. One night my friend and I went to the village pub. We were traveling alone. A young man I met there wasn't drinking and told me he's taken the pledge. Alcohol has a terrible history in Ireland. Actually it has a terrible history among most impoverished peoples where there is no hope and little to no power over their own lives.

So much Irish literature reflects this. Then it has become a stereotype.

[Gina]

Mary wrote: "Gina, I too enjoyed Barbara Walters memoir. I read - or listened I think - several years ago. She is very interesting and was faced with many choices and decisions and challenging experiences throu..."

I really connected with your comment about authors of memoirs telling their history as THEY see it.