What I'm Reading JANUARY 2015

[Gina]

I just finished War by Sebastian Junger. Junger was imbedded with the troops in the Korengal Valley, which was the most dangerous outpost in Afghanistan. For 15 months, he followed a single platoon capturing the fear, the honor, and the trust among men in an extreme situation whose survival depends on their absolute commitment to one another. Through the experiences of these young men at war, he shows what it means to fight, to serve, and to face down mortal danger on a daily basis. I also watched the movie, Restrepo, that was based on this book.

[Robert]

Two biographies about George Washington, the multi-volume ones by Douglas Southall Freeman and James Flexner. Sorry I haven't been around -- the last month involved much reading, editing, writing, movie research, and bronchitis.

[Book Concierge]

The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony (with Graham Spence) – 4****
I really enjoyed this memoir of the author’s time spent with a herd of wild elephants on his game reserve in South Africa. There are moments of humor as well as harrowing tales of danger. What really comes across his is deep love for these magnificent animals. While the elephants are central to the tale, he also includes details of the Zulu culture in post-apartheid South Africa and information about other endangered species. Simon Vance does a superb job voicing the audio book; I felt as if I were sitting around a campfire in the bush hearing Anthony recount his adventures.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Book Concierge]

Gina wrote: "I just finished War by Sebastian Junger. Junger was imbedded with the troops in the Korengal Valley, which was the most dangerous outpost in Afghanistan. For 15 month..."

Hubby and I went to see/hear Junger when he was on the tour for this book.

[Larry]

Barbara wrote: "Wow, are they free, Larry?"

Barbara, Sue nailed the price on the Delphi art books ... the Kindle Apps for the four museums are either $1.99 or $2.99 and each has from about 940 to 2,400 paintings. One really bizarre thing about them is how the paintings are organized ... by century, by genre, and alphabetically ... but it's the artist's FIRST name that is used in the alphabetical listing. Made me wonder if it were done in Japan or China, where the family name comes first. I guess I'll end up knowing a lot of first names of painters that I didn't know before.

[Sue]

Larry, that's strange about the museum apps, and a bit of a negative unless I just want to wander through as I would through galleries at an unknown museum. Even there, though, I usually look up my favorite artists.

[Kat]

Finished My Brilliant Friend, which I thought was fabulous. Now I'm reading All Our Names, which I'm enjoying, though it's not right down my alley in the same way.

[Larry]

Robert, I've only read the one volume abridged version of Flexner's biography of Washington, but it was great.

[Barbara]

Wow, I just bought the National Gallery HD app and I am very impressed. I'm off to look at the Delphi books now.

[Barbara]

And I just bought the one on Monet. This looks very promising. Thanks, Larry!

[Sue]

Barbara wrote: "Wow, I just bought the National Gallery HD app and I am very impressed. I'm off to look at the Delphi books now."

Is this the National Gallery in DC?

[Barbara]

Sue wrote: "Barbara wrote: "Wow, I just bought the National Gallery HD app and I am very impressed. I'm off to look at the Delphi books now."

Is this the National Gallery in DC?"

Yes, it is from the National Gallery in D.C. There is also one from the National Gallery in London which says that.

[Larry]

Sue wrote: "Barbara wrote: "Wow, I just bought the National Gallery HD app and I am very impressed. I'm off to look at the Delphi books now."

Is this the National Gallery in DC?"

Sue, the National Gallery is in London. There is a separate app for the National Gallery of Art, the art museum in DC.

[Barbara]

I'm sorry. The one I bought was from the National Gallery of Art. Should've added those last 2 words.

[Sue]

Thanks Barbara and Larry

[Mary]

Hillenbrand's Unbroken. Appreciated the readability of her writing style. Grateful for the insights into a POW's experience of WWII with and in Japan. I doubt I'll go to the movie. .

[Portia]

Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End

[Joan]

Just finished A Clubbable Woman. I became interested in this series after viewing the Dalziel and Pascoe programs on BBC. A Clubbable Woman is the first book and I’m not disappointed. I see that the film follows the book religiously; the characters are well-drawn and the writing is intelligent. I intend to pursue more of Hill’s books.

[Cateline]

I'm reading Raymond Chandler's The High Window, and The Man Who Would Not Be Washington: Robert E. Lee's Civil War and His Decision That Changed American History by Jonathan Horn.

[Robert]

As always, you folks make my reading list get even longer :)

[Ruth]

just finished Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. Excellent book. And especially important for those of us nearing the end of the ride.

[Barbara]

Ruth wrote: "just finished Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. Excellent book. And especially important for those of us nearing the end of the ride."

It is definitely on my list and moving closer to the top with your good review, Ruth.

[Joan]

Finished The Women To my mind, no novel can compete with the fine biographies of Frank Lloyd Wright, especially “The Fellowship” which covers his productive life rather than simply the personal like “Loving Frank” which focuses on his murdered mistress Mamah—and which also is not as good as “The Women.” Boyle is an exemplary writer and he concentrates a good deal on Wright’s often overlooked second wife, the histrionic, drug-addicted Miriam who turned into a figure of vengeance after Wright left her for Olgavanna. Miriam hired lawyers, sheriffs and thugs to attempt to take possession of Taliesen, to destroy Wright’s always chancy reputation, to have Olgavanna deported, to wrest Wright’s fortune, such as it was, away. Public opinion eventually turned against the woman scorned, and luckily for Wright, her death halted her ongoing crusade to ruin him. “The Women” is narrated from the viewpoint of a Japanese acolyte of Wright’s, which is an effective way of portraying the architect as a genius of experimentation, a moral cypher (a teetotaler and workaholic who avoided paying his bills and virtually enslaved his assistants). The novel concludes with an account of the murder of Mamah, her children and other associates by a deranged servant.

[Carol]

Joan, I enjoyed the book. I have always been fascinated with his life. He was the archtypical bad boy.

[Lyn]

Ruth wrote: "just finished Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. Excellent book. And especially important for those of us nearing the end of the ride."
I have this on hold at Library2Go for my Kindle.

Just finished The Unspeakable: And Other Subjects of Discussion, which I picked up just because I loved the title. Daum's essays are interesting; I liked the one about Joni Mitchell and the one about dogs the best.

[Larry]

Halfway through Jerome Groopman's How Doctors Think. It's really about how doctors diagnose and then make decisions in treatments. The book can help you to be a better patient in working with your doctor to help them treat you. The book may also scare you, but it's a price worth paying. I love Groopman's humanity and his wisdom. Stealing from a reviewer's comments, "Jerome Groopman is the chief of experimental medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, teaches at Harvard Medical School and is a writer for the New Yorker."

[Larry]

Ruth wrote: "just finished Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. Excellent book. And especially important for those of us nearing the end of the ride."

Ruth, I thought Gawande's The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right was an amazing book. I have his Being Mortal on my Kindle and will eventually get to it.

[Carol]

I tried reading the hardcover of Fall of Giants, but too darn heavy, so I switched to the Kindle version. I couldn't read the hardcover at night, because I didn't want to disturb my husband. I find I am reading on the Kindle more than paper and ink.

[Larry]

Carol, I find that I am reading more and more Kindle books even as I buy more and more used books. And the weight of a book makes a difference to me also.

[Sue]

Carol wrote: "I tried reading the hardcover of Fall of Giants, but too darn heavy, so I switched to the Kindle version. I couldn't read the hardcover at night, because I didn't want to disturb my ..."

Totally agree Carol, though I still enjoy switching back and forth.

I'm currently reading the Davis translation of Swann's Way in paper and Peter Ackroyd's Tudors on my Kindle. I really enjoy the mix.

[Gina]

Read Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok. I enjoyed this book more than I expected to. It is a quick read. I had trouble getting into it, I thought the first half of the book was weak, but I was drawn into the story by the second half. The story is about determination of a young Chinese immigrant fighting against many odds to succeed in life.

[Barbara]

When I shopped for The Luminaries, it was the first time that the weight of a book influenced which edition I bought. The book was so lovely when I took it off the shelf. But, I knew that weight was going to bother me.

[Sue]

If A Suitable Boy had existed in Kindle format, I definitely would have chosen that. Over 1400 pages was very difficult to manage especially after I reached about 1000 pages.

[Carol]

Yeah, Sue it was a door stopper. I had the hardcover also. I gave it away and opted for the paperback.

[Frank]

Well as much as I am enjoying Dream City, which is about Marion Barry's rise to power in Washington DC two books of fiction just arrived via the gods at Amazon So now I have to choose between The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters and All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr What an excellent dilemma right?

[Sue]

Carol wrote: "Yeah, Sue it was a door stopper. I had the hardcover also. I gave it away and opted for the paperback."

Yep--I had the paper copy. Can't imagine how heavy the hardcover must have been!

[Nicole]

Sue wrote: "If A Suitable Boy had existed in Kindle format, I definitely would have chosen that. Over 1400 pages was very difficult to manage especially after I reached about 1000 pages."

It's so worth it, despite the unwieldiness. (Plus also my copy is signed now so I can never give it up.) I think I spent a lot of time lying on my tummy propped up on my elbows in order to read the book.

[Donna]

A Suitable Boy is on my short list.

Right now I'm reading Swamplandia! which was a Christmas gift. Sharp writing.

[Barbara]

Frank wrote: "Well as much as I am enjoying Dream City, which is about Marion Barry's rise to power in Washington DC two books of fiction just arrived via the gods at Amazon So now I have to choose between The..."

I loved All the Light We Cannot See. Am interested in that book on Marion Barry as well. All I knew about him while he was living was the bad stuff. I learned a lot from his obituaries. Is the book balanced in its portrayal?

[Frank]

Barbara
Yes I can't wait until I start reading it. My daughter bought me the Dream City book and she told me Marion Barry did many great things but 100 and some pages into it I haven't found anything and he's been actually more corrupt than we heard he was but I trust my beautiful daughter and will report back with my findings of all the great things Barry did to revitalize DC

[Barbara]

Frank wrote: "Barbara
Yes I can't wait until I start reading it. My daughter bought me the Dream City book and she told me Marion Barry did many great things but 100 and some pages into it I haven't found anyth..."

From the little bit I read, Barry was outstanding before he became mayor, one of the original civil rights fighters. I think being mayor may have been part of his undoing but I speak from almost total ignorance.

[Book Concierge]

Friends, Lovers, Chocolate by Alexander McCall Smith – 3*
Book # 2 in the Isabel Dalhousie series has our philosopher investigating mysteries of the heart – both literally and figuratively. I enjoy the philosophical / ethical / moral dilemmas (both real and imagined) that Isabel contemplates. And I really like her relationship with the various characters. But it is a gentle, thoughtful read with endearing characters and some food for thought. Davinia Porter does a fine job performing the audio.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Frank]

Barbara wrote: From the little bit I read, Barry was outstanding before he became mayor, one of the original civil rights fighters. I think being mayor may have been part of his undoing but I speak from almost total ignorance.
2 hours ago
Prior to being elected mayor he did some good work with SNCC, The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, but even then he was a notorious womanizer and very shady often changing his personality to suite his own purposes. The chapter explaining how he put together the right constituencies and got the backing from the Washington Post to get elected is enlightening and he started his first term with the best of intentions. However it's tough to be a successful mayor when you're hanging out with prostitutes and you have a straw in your nose snorting cocaine. On second thought I'm sure many politicians have done it we just didn't hear about it

[Sue]

Nicole wrote: "Sue wrote: "If A Suitable Boy had existed in Kindle format, I definitely would have chosen that. Over 1400 pages was very difficult to manage especially after I reached about 1000 page..."

Yes, definitely worth it!! I'm really glad for my forays into Indian literature over the past few years and I want to make more.

[Ann D]

I am going to join Sheila in recommending The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber. The book is nothing like Faber's The Crimson Petal and the White. I love writers who can switch genres so creatively.

This book is really different and I liked it a lot. It is science fiction, but is not so much action based as a meditation on religion, what makes us human, and the nature of love. There was enough going on plot wise to fully engage me, and the story took some interesting and unexpected turns. I am sorry there is no more to read.

A huge multi-global corporation establishes a base on the planet of Oasis, which is very different from earth. The corporation recruits Peter, a minister, to work with the native population (these people/creatures were really the most interesting part of the book for me). Peter is separated from his beloved wife, Beatrice, with whom he can somehow communicate by email. While he is enjoying his success in spreading the good word, she is overwhelmed by what is going on in her life on Earth.

What is really going on here? Lots of mysteries, lots to think about.

[Barbara]

Ann wrote: "I am going to join Sheila in recommending The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber. The book is nothing like Faber's [book:The Crimson Petal and the White|40200..."

I heard this novel get a great review on the New York Times Book Review podcast and have been interested ever since. The description initially sounded sort of like science fiction which I generally avoid, but the reviewer said it is so much more than that. Now, with recommendations from you and Sheila, I need to look into it.

[Book Concierge]

The Bartender’s Tale by Ivan Doig – 4****
Ivan Doig has a way of exploring the everyday events of a person’s life and making them seem epic in scope. In this marvelous novel he gives us a precocious, if worried, twelve-year-old narrator who hero worships his father. Rusty is a great observer and while his imagination can get ahead of the facts, he can also be pretty astute when judging character. I loved reading about these two and the family unit they create. I really love the way Doig paints the landscape; the sense of place is so strong that the setting is practically a character.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Lyn]

I'm about halfway through Ann Patchett's essay collection, This is the Story of a Happy Marriage. It's thoughtful, straightforward writing, and I especially liked her words about the process of writing.

[Ann D]

Barb,
I think you would like THE BOOK OF STRANGE NEW THINGS. I very seldom read sci-fi, but this is not your typical sci-fi book. I also remember liking The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell - also not traditional for this genre and involving a missionary in outerspace.

Like Faber, I am no longer religious, but I still have respect for those who truly try to practice Christianity and sometimes envy them their certainty.

[Sheila]

Donna wrote: "A Suitable Boy is on my short list....."

I loved The Suitable Boy when I read it, its length was not a insurmountable obstacle. I just today finished Neel Mukherjee's The Lives of Others another epic family saga but only 505 pages in hardback it is perhaps a more appealing size :) I am now a huge Mukherjee fan. I found his writing eloquent and very stylish, his grasp of the topics around which the story is found is impressive and it was set in the state adjacent to where I lived for two years and which has much of the same sociopolitical history which forms an intimate part of the storyline - no wonder it was shortlisted for the 2014 Booker. I definitely recommend it for anyone interested in this part of the world.