What are you reading these days? (Part ELEVEN (2015) ongoing thread for 2015 Showing 301-350 of 1,045

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Good luck with this one, Werner!

[Werner]

Thanks, Joy! We're definitely liking this one better so far. :-)

[Jim]

I just finished Lieutenant Hornblower, the first of the series that I've read. I was a bit worried, but wound up loving it. I gave it 4 stars here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jim wrote: "I just finished Lieutenant Hornblower, the first of the series that I've read. ....

Ah, C.S. Forester! His name is so familiar, yet I haven't read any of his works. However, I see that he wrote The African Queen which inspired the famous movie with Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart.

[Jim]

I checked my library for more of the Hornblower series in audio format. Even the first book is now available! I'm going to listen to it soon. I'm listening to One Drop of Blood, an interesting forensic mystery. It's fictional, but uses a lot of factual material I just read about in Dead Men Do Tell Tales: The Strange and Fascinating Cases of a Forensic Anthropologist.

For some reason, I thought Forester & the Hornblower books were older - Victorian. They were published in the 1950's though. I don't know why I had the incorrect timing stuck in my head. Maybe it's because they deal with the time around the Napoleonic Wars.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

I had no idea of which years C.S. Forester wrote. Wiki lists his dates as: 1899 to 1966. I was confused when the movie "Finding Forrester" (2000) came out but it had nothing to do with C.S. Forester. It starred Sean Connery.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181536/?...
I suspect they chose the name because it was so familiar and would attract people. I wonder about things like that sometimes.

[Werner]

Joy, I've read and really liked Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, the first book in the Young Hornblower omnibus volume (Lieutenant Hornblower is the second), and chronologically the first volume in the Hornblower series, though not the first to be written; and I've been planning to read the rest of the omnibus volume this summer. I don't know if it's the sort of thing you'd like, though. My review is here, if you want to check it out: www.goodreads.com/review/show/42029206 .

Several years ago, A & E produced a number of quality adaptations of some of the Hornblower novels, which I can personally recommend to fans of this type of movie. Ioan Gruffudd stars as Hornblower.

[Jim]

Given that a lot of names came from occupations, I don't see why you'd look for such connections. It doesn't seem that unusual to me. The movie was good, as I recall. Sean Connery generally is, though.

The Hornblower series doesn't seem like your usual reading, but you might like it. The life of a seaman is brutal, but Forester doesn't wallow in gore or anything. The historical perspective is very interesting as is the character.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Werner and Jim - I see that Netflix has several Hornblower movies. I think my husband would enjoy them as well as the books.

[Werner]

Yes, Joy, these might be more up Ed's alley than yours!

[Nina]

I miss the old A & E of late movies. Now, I never watch anythng on that channel.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina, I prefer streaming movies to watching them on TV. When streaming, I can pause whenever I want to.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Werner wrote: "Yes, Joy, these might be more up Ed's alley than yours!"

You're right, Werner! :)

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Joy H. wrote: "Nina, I prefer streaming movies to watching them on TV. When streaming, I can pause whenever I want to."

OOOPS, I answered my own post. LOL

[Nina]

Joy, I agree and that's why netlfix works for us.Although we do watch Hallmark Movie Channel quite a bit. And Masterpiece theater.

[Nina]

I ordered the Hornblower DVD's today.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina wrote: "I ordered the Hornblower DVD's today."

Nina, please be sure to let us know how you liked them.

[Nina]

I will.

[Jim]

A friend also recommended Patrick O'Brian's series to me since I liked the Hornblower book. It starts with Master and Commander which was a fairly recent movie starring Russell Crowe that I remember enjoying.

[Nina]

I once read Master and Commander as I got it for my husband for his birthday a few years ago. We both liked it. Did I ever mention my husband once thought about sailing around the world but after reading the book on Heavy Water Sailing he changed his mind;otherwise I might not be writing this tonight.

[Jim]

Quite a few people have sailed around the world by themselves or in small groups on relatively small boats. Doesn't strike me as a fun way to spend my time, but I'm happy that they're happy. My son thought about doing it a while back after his divorce. He went so far as to buy a sailboat & live on it for a while, but the boat had issues & he met another girl...

I doubt it would be as much fun in these crazy, crowded times. Donald Hamilton's Cruises with Kathleen is about sail boating in the 1970's & that was crowded enough. They've probably legislated all the fun out of it now. That was quite a good book, though. Joy, I think you were going to order it for someone in your family. Did they ever read it?

[Werner]

The full title of the Russell Crowe movie that Jim mentioned is Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World; we had some discussion of it back in August 2013, on the movies/DVD thread for that year. It's based on The Far Side of the World, the tenth novel in O'Brian's Aubrey and Maturin series (which begins with Master and Commander). I'm not sure why the filmmakers picked the tenth novel, rather than the first, for their first O'Brian adaptation. Some people, including my son-in-law, feel that the first book is boring (he's an avid Hornblower fan, so he likes fiction in this setting, and that wasn't the problem) but not having read it myself, I don't have an opinion on that.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jim, I bought a used copy of Donald Hamilton's _Cruises with Kathleen_ in 2013 and my husband read it. I still have it.

[Nina]

Joy, long ago when we were sailing about I read a book titled, "The Expectant Mariner," and loved it. I think the lady was pregnant and had a cat aboard the boat.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina wrote: "Joy, long ago when we were sailing about I read a book titled, "The Expectant Mariner," and loved it. I think the lady was pregnant and had a cat aboard the boat."

That was a perfect title, Nina. A friend of mine who was a real estate agent wrote a book and called it something like: "Old real estate agents never die, they just get listless." :)

[Nina]

Joy, my mom had her own Real Estate business and she would have loved that quote. Thanks for sending it. Once long ago when people used public transportation in our city(I know it is common in NYC) my daughter was learning the Our Father in school and because she was often at my mother's office this is what she came up with: "and lead us not away from transportation."

[Joy H., Group Founder]

That's cute, Nina. Here's one (although it's a bit irreverent):
Scene at a burial in a cemetary: A priest (or a little boy) finishes his prayer by saying: "In the name of the Father, the Son, and into the hole he goes."

My sister and I got giggling over that one and we couldn't stop! LOL

[Nina]

Yes, that is a funny one.

[Jim]

One Drop of Blood by Thomas Holland was pretty good & very well read. I gave it 3 stars here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Thanks for the link, Jim. I wish I enjoyed mysteries more. There are only a few that I've ever enjoyed. I remember enjoying the mysteries of Lawrence Sanders and Robert B Parker.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

PS-Here's a better link for Robert B. Parker:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

[Nina]

Here's a quote I like. I am going to use it as a forward to my memoirs that I am writing for my family. NO confession type like the movie star children write about their miserable parents etc. Here's the quote: "Every step you take is supported by a thousand ancestors." Anon...

[Nina]

I used to like to read Daphne Du Maurie. I Probably didn't spell that right. Wasn't she considered a mystery writer? And I loved watching the Poirot mysteries on Masterpiece Theater. Or Morse..in Oxford.

[Werner]

Nina, I think du Maurier would usually be classified as a historical fiction and Gothic writer, more so than as a straightforward mystery writer; but there's no question that her more Gothic works, like Jamaica Inn, have elements of mystery. (That's the only one of her books that I've personally read, but it got four stars from me.)

I always used to love the Mystery! adaptations of the Poirot books and stories, and the Inspector Morse series, too! Judging by a Goodreads friend's reviews of several of the latter books, Morse's character as played by John Thaw in the adaptations is a lot more winsome than Colin Dexter's literary incarnation, and I'm not really interested in reading any of the books. But I've usually liked the Poirot books and stories I've read, and hope to read more.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina, that quote is perfect for your memoirs!

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Another good mystery which I enjoyed is The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Nina]

I'll add, "The Thirteenth Tale," to my book list.

[Jackie]

The Thirteenth Tale held my interest all the way through.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jackie wrote: "The Thirteenth Tale held my interest all the way through."

Glad to hear that, Jackie. Hope Nina will enjoy it too.

[Nina]

"The Thirteenth Tale," is now #4 on my reading list. First I must finish the third book in Ken Follett's triology. I don't recommmend it to Joy as it is maddenling trying to keep the characters straight but I am determinded to finish it. Then, I must read, "Lost for Words," by Edward St.Aubryn as that is my book club selection this month and then my priest friend who loans me books gave me, "A Map of Betrayal." by Ha Jin. The latter one looks fascinating. Have any of you read it?

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Haven't read "A Map of Betrayal", Nina.
I just finished the following but still have to finish my reviews:
How Do I Love Thee? by Nancy Moser
and
Washington's Lady also by Nancy Moser.

Both were interesting but they took me a while to get through because, although they were interesting, they were not page-turners.

[Nina]

I read "Washington's Lady," and enjoyed it because of the history involved and learned some things I'd never known before that but I agree, it wasn't a page turner. I haven't read the other one. I'll check it out.

[Nina]

I read your website for "How do I love Thee," and am wondering if the story is about Elizabeth Barrett Browning? I think I did read a novel involving her and her husband. Now I have forgotten the name of the book. Weren't some fathers back then mean? Not another word to describe them. Makes me grateful for mine but I alwasys have been.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina wrote: "I read your website for "How do I love Thee," and am wondering if the story is about Elizabeth Barrett Browning? ..."

Yes, it is, Nina. I've completed my review. See it at:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review is short and in part of it I said:
"Elizabeth's father forbade her to marry and that caused her much heartache. However, Robert Browning convinced her to marry him and that story is interesting."

[Nina]

Joy, this is another comment about Jane Austin. I just read in a bulletin about her writing that I thought was so interesting and I'll that I'd pass it along. In a critique of her writing style this was noted: She used very little description of clothing or rooms, furnture or setting outdoors or indoors. Most of her story line was about dialogue and her characters and yet her work has last centuries. And so often you will find a Jane Austin reference in so many things that I read. I think the author I am now reading, Ken Follett could take a lesson from her: I sometimes get weary of reading exactly what this person is wearing when all I want to know is what happened next.. Do you agree with me that a little goes a long way?

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina, I certainly do agree! I don't need a lot of fancy description. It's interesting to note, as you said, that Jane Austin "used very little description" of things. I like stories that concentrate on relationships and tell of the characters' inner thoughts.

[Nina]

Finally finished the Ken Follett trilogy starting with "The Fall of Giants," and it sort of kept my interest but I decided I didn't like the author. Have you ever felt that way?

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina, why didn't you like the author?

I've never disliked an author but sometimes I dislike an author's writing.

[Werner]

While I wait to start a common read in one of my groups, I'm filling in the time by reading in Did You Say Chicks?!, the second installment in the Chicks in Chainmail series of anthologies of sword-and-sorcery stories, edited by Esther Friesner. (The use of the term "chicks" isn't intended disrespectfully in any way.) I read the first collection six years ago, and gave it four stars (my review is here: www.goodreads.com/review/show/16090294 .) The series has some similarities to the late Marion Zimmer Bradley's many Sword and Sorceress anthologies, but here the focus is on warrior women to the exclusion of sorceresses, and the tone of most of the stories tends to be lighter and more humorous (the humor isn't sexist, however).

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Werner, thanks for the info. Your reference to "warrior women" in your review reminds me of how I used to enjoy reading "Wonder Woman" comic books. :) We never thought about "women's lib" back then. We accepted the fact that women were expected to be stereotype housewives (or teachers or nurses) but we also accepted Wonder Woman, without thinking about how different she was from the stereotypes.

Another thing we didn't question was how silly it was for the "Donna-Reed"-type housewife to always be perfectly dressed up (with perfect hair) while she was doing domestic chores. Evidently she never had a "bad hair day". LOL In a way, that gave us impossible standards to live up to. We only realize that now, as we look back.