Next Book

[Craig]

I would like to suggest "Strength in What Remains" for an upcoming book club read.

[Lisa]

I am new to this group. How does it work? do we all agree on a book and then pick a date to talk about it? What is the book you suggest about?

[Craig]

I am new, too, so I am not sure.

The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of the modern classics Mountains Beyond Mountains and The Soul of a New Machine returns with the extraordinary true story of a young man and his will to survive

In this remarkable book, New York Times bestselling author Tracy Kidder once again delivers the masterful story of a hero for these modern times.

Deo grew up in the mountains of Burundi, and survived a civil war and genocide before seeking a new life in America. In New York City he lived homeless in Central Park before finding his way to Columbia University. But Deo’s story really begins with his will to turn his life into something truly remarkable; he returns to his native country to help people there, as well as people in the United States.

An extraordinary writer, Kidder has the remarkable ability to show us what it means to be fully human, and to tell the unadorned story of a life based on hope. Riveting and inspiring, this may be his most magnificent work to date. Strength in What Remains is a testament to the power of will and friendship, and of the endurance of the soul.

[Lisa]

It sounds interesting. I will look for it at the library. How do we know that the group has adopted it as a book?

[Craig]

I don't know.

[Lisa]

I just finished reading The Strength Of What Remains. I enjoyed reading Part 1. It was certainly an amazing story. When I got to Part 2, I was less enthralled finding this part somewhat repetitious.

[Jen]

How many people are in this group? I mean, that contribute regularly? Is it just us three? (I'm new, so I guess I don't really count yet.)

Oh, and Lisa, I agree with you on The Strength of What Remains. I forgot to add that to my list, but it seemed to lose steam.

[Lisa]

Hi Jen, I don't know how many people are in this group but there seemed to be quite a few. If you want to know how many people are in it, you can go to groups and then look up this one. It will give you all the information about it. I'm curious myself.

[[deleted user]]

I guess I'm one of them - not sure how unique that makes me

[Lisa]

Hi Sitatunga, Welcome to the group. I joined rather recently myself. There are a fair amount of people in the group. What book do you recommend. I just finished reading Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and was blown away by it.

[[deleted user]]

You'll see Dirk Bogarde is on my pages

[[deleted user]]

Hi Lisa - I think I mentioned the Bogarde book - but his autobiogs (about 7 of them) are best

[Chrissie]

Hi, I am in this group too, but I do not get the emails as I should be...... I highly recommend Eleni andAndrew Wyeth: Autobiography. The first is utterly gripping and the second has intruguing bits about the artist and beautiful art.

[Paul]

Hi everyone. I am new to this group also. I live in Auckland, New Zealand.
I mostly read thrillers, but also enjoy the occasional biography/auto.
I need to decompress from all the thrillers I've been reading lately. so thought i would read . I've always loved his witty sense of humour & like many people, i enjoyed his stories as a child.

[Lisa]

Hi Paul, Welcome to the group. My husband and I visited New Zealand in 2011 and absolutely loved it. We had a fabulous time there.

[Elizabeth]

I am new to the group as well, but I would like to suggest Dead End Gene Pool by Wendy Burden, about growing up as the estranged child of the Vanderbilt family. It is an amazing read!

[Tom]

That one sounds wonderful, Elizabeth. Thanks for mentioning it.

[Jacqueline]

I'd like to recommend Tolstoy and the Purple Chair by Nina Sankovitch. It's about a woman who reads one book every day for a year in order to deal with the grief over the loss of her sister. A great book for serious readers!

[Paul]

Started reading the other day.

About the life of Jim Thompson (obviously), the writer of some seriously twisted Noir/Hard-boiled novels written in the 1930's-40's. 10 pages in & it's absolutely gripping.

[Martin]

Hallo, my name is Martin Beck Matustik. Originally from Czechoslovakia, I live in the US where I teach philosophy at Arizona State University. Actually, this year I am on a sabbatical leave that I am spending in Chiang Mai, and I just completed my post-Holocaust and post-Communist memoir with its own public as well as personal history and my philosophical-historical angle on times and places I lived through.That work will probably tell you more about me than an introduction like this one should, but I am not supposed to self-promote here... I find reading outside of my specialty really enriching... Thank you

MM

see http://www.newcriticaltheory.com/
Martin Beck Matustik