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What books did you get from the library, bookstore or online ~ 2022
John wrote: "Great that it worked out so well for you! Novella is the perfect length for Fitzgerald's style, as I think I'd find a full-length story of hers to feel dragged out."I agree 100%.
Jennifer wrote: "Oh enough already Alias, I already put the book on my TBR. You don't need to sell it anymore.... LOLOLOL"What she wrote! ;-)
I'm with you, i really like it when such details are included. I don't have to tell you how seldom that happens in Presidential bios.
madrano wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "So, from the small world file ---- I actually live in Gainesville, which as you probably know is 10 miles from, and in the same county as, Cross Creek. Marjorie, in addition to w..."
I love that film also. You know her real widower had a bit part in that film, right? Norton Baskin was in a cameo role seated in a rocking chair in front of one of the buildings in Micanopy that served as the local business district in the film. He outlived her by more than 40 years, dying in 1997.
Jennifer wrote: "Oh enough already Alias, I already put the book on my TBR. You don't need to sell it anymore.... LOLOLOL":)
Coincidently, I just spoke to my sister and she also got the book but hasn't read it yet. :)
Jennifer wrote: "Norton Baskin was in a cameo role seated in a rocking chair in front of one of the buildings in Micanopy that served as the local business district in the film. He outlived her by more than 40 years, dying in 1997 ..."I vaguely recall hearing that years after i saw the movie. Thanks for the reminder.
Tonight i finished reading Turtle Diary, which Barbara reviewed recently. It's a short novel with very short chapters, for the most part, but for some reason i was antsy reading it. Perhaps because the characters seemed at a bit of loss in their own lives? Not sure.Regardless, i learned this is one of only two novels Russell Hoban wrote which have not fantasy element (magical realism, science fiction, cartoons) in them. In this case the story is about two middle-aged people in London who find themselves uncomfortable with three sea turtles being confined in an aquarium. Somehow they want to rescue them.
There is much thought shared about loneliness and the way many mid-aged people examine their own lives and the lives of others. This is a short book with each of two characters alternating chapters. I liked it and was satisfied with the ending, albeit there was a sad note there, too.
I see it was made into a film starring Glenda Jackson and Ben Kingsley, too. Interesting.
I just purchased the eBook Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey by Jane Goodall
It's on sale at Amazon for $3.
It's an older book and not available from my library in eBook format.
In celebration of her birthday! Enjoy!
I loved Turtle Diary. It was recommended to me by another GR friend. It is not a book I would have ever picked for myself but there you go.Turtle Diary
Ditto, Rachel. I wouldn't have thought to read it without positive comments here. Another Plus for this group!
Turtle DiaryI never heard of the novel. I see two publishers name it a classic.
Thanks for bringing it to my attention !
Turtle Diary (New York Review Books Classics)
and
Turtle Diary (Penguin Modern Classics)
Rachel perfectly described the book in post #32 here--https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...My thoughts were quite similar. I am surprised by it's classic designation, however.
I've been reading Ivory Vikings: The Mystery of the Most Famous Chessmen in the World and the Woman Who Made Them and liking what i've read. However, Nancy Marie Brown is not a direct storyteller and it's beginning to wear me down. Each of her chapters are around 90+ pages and her facts jump around medieval times, from Scotland, Norway, Iceland, France, Italy and beyond. She throws much out there in making her case in telling about chess pieces and the woman she believes made the Lewis Chessmen. Much as i like it, i've decided to put it aside for awhile. Other books i've been awaiting are now in. Trodding through the mishmash histories takes more time than i want to spend now when there are more tempting "others". Just thought i'd share that because i mentioned somewhere on these boards i was reading this book.
madrano wrote: "I've been reading Ivory Vikings: The Mystery of the Most Famous Chessmen in the World and the Woman Who Made Them and liking what i've read. However, [author:Nancy Marie Brown|35336..."90+ page chapters ! Yikes. Nope. That wouldn't work for me at all with any book.
Alias Reader wrote: "madrano wrote: "I've been reading Ivory Vikings: The Mystery of the Most Famous Chessmen in the World and the Woman Who Made Them and liking what i've read. However, Nancy M..."</i>[book:The Master by Colm Tóibín Summary & Study Guide
and just readThe Magician
I am listening to The Master and it is wonderful. Having just finished reading The Magician, The Master is wonderful and The Magician was quite reductive I see now. The Testament of Mary I read a number of years ago and quite enjoyed it.
Alias Reader wrote: "90+ page chapters ! Yikes. Nope. That wouldn't work for me at all with any book..."To be fair, there are a few breaks with subtitles, although not many at all.
Rachel, i have heard great things about Colm Tóibín's work. That you're familiar with his writing would help. I hope it's a good one. It's a daunting task to go "inside" a known personality and i'm hesitant to join authors in that journey. I'm eager to learn what you think of this one and Henry James afterward.
madrano wrote: "Alias Reader wrote: "90+ page chapters ! Yikes. Nope. That wouldn't work for me at all with any book..."To be fair, there are a few breaks with subtitles, although not many at all."
It is funny but I never notice how many chapters there are or even when I come to a new chapter. For me it is story, story, story.
Rachel, i suspect that the scattershot telling in the book (Ivory Vikings) is what led me to see how long the chapters were. I needed more reprieves (or, ending spots) than i was getting, due to the massive amounts of new-to-me material presented. Once through the first long chapter, i checked the others. Oddly, though, i do seem to notice extremely short-chaptered books almost immediately. I'm sure it has something to do with the perspective of taking a break at the end of a chapter.
I think you are right. Plus it is reading styles. I am a long haul reader; having ample time to do it. Other people, I think like to read in shorter segments. I get excited by a nine hundred page book, while many other intelligent people groan. It is just a matter of taste and maybe a bit of reading speed.
This is true. Are you a fast reader, Rachel? I've always read each word in my head, so i'm rather slow. While a 900-page book is daunting to me, i have read a few because i am caught up in the characters and storyline. My husband speed reads but only began to "really read" upon retirement. As the years pass, he is reading more & more. He also does something that never called to me--wanting to read ALL of an author's books. Not exactly nonstop but it's his goal to read all Patricia Highsmith novels and is now well into Agatha Christie works (although he did finish all the Poirot mysteries).
I cannot recall where i was headed with this. But i'll let it stand. He is a fast reader and, much to my consternation, he remembers much of what he's read. The Bum.
madrano wrote: "This is true. Are you a fast reader, Rachel? I've always read each word in my head, so i'm rather slow. While a 900-page book is daunting to me, i have read a few because i am caught up in the char..."I am a fast reader but I forget as quickly as I read. Lately I read a paragraph and then stop and say to myself what I just read and it seems to help. If I could be somewhere between fast and slow I think it would be better. Only occasionally do I savor the language and it is a disservice to the author who, I think, works to make each sentence just right.
Neat technique, Rachel. I've been taking more time to record what i read, chapters instead of just a quote i liked. Overall, though, not all of it sticks now that i'm in my dotage. :-)
Yes, the memory part is hard. Really, I read for the story and at this point as long as the story is good while I am in the middle of reading it, I don't care so much about remembering it. The last book I read is Stella Dallas. It was published in 1923. It is definitely melodramatic BUT the plot and the story were linear and I was able to keep track of who was who. That style of writing has gone out of fashion. Now most stories are written with multiple narrators and timelines.
Rachel wrote: "Yes, the memory part is hard. Really, I read for the story and at this point as long as the story is good while I am in the middle of reading it, I don't care so much about remembering it. The last..."I usually have to write down all the characters names and one sentence to jog my memory.
I also highlight all names in the pink color on my kindle fire. I use the other highlight colors for different things.
Rachel, i do like reading a linear, one narrator novel. They are tough to find now, it seems. Olive Higgins Prouty wrote Now, Voyager, which is another oldie i liked. Presently i'm read The Book of Cold Cases--Simone St. James. I'm 1/3 into it & there are two narrators and timelines thus far. As it is about a murder mystery, i suspect more narrators will arise in the second part, as well as updated timelines. For some reason i can keep them straight (for now) and i am liking the story.
I am going to look and see if the library has Now Voyager. The movie I remember quite well. Women were so constrained before the 1970s. Sometimes I wonder why we put up with it.
John wrote: "St. James does suspense well."John, i read it in no time flat, i must say. I liked the premise and story but it was presented to me as horror. I read it for the 100 Challenge, as a result. I wasn't horrified but i imagine i would have been in my youth.
This book almost seemed as though it could be the first in a series, with its base of a blog about cold cases. I don't see that St. James does series, however, so time will tell. But, as i say, i was drawn in quickly and it kept me reading!
Rachel wrote: "I am going to look and see if the library has Now Voyager. The movie I remember quite well. Women were so constrained before the 1970s. Sometimes I wonder why we put up with it."Conformity. We needed an era where more than a few small groups of women questioned decisions made by the previous generations. The 70s offered just that. My opinion, of course.
My mother told me that in her era if you were not married and having children by 22 or so people thought that was weird.
I was 25 when we had our first child. I was the "old lady" on the floor. My roommate just had her 4th that day! (And, true horrors, in my opinion, she intended to have another because the previous 4 were all female & her husband wanted a son!!) It surprised me because we lived in Phoenix and i presumed people waited longer.By the time my second child entered kindergarten, i was 35 and there were grandmothers my age picking up their grandkids. This was the Dakotas, so i should have anticipated this. But didn't!
I'm thinking of purchasing the eBook of 
A Memoir - Education of a Wandering Man by Louis L'AmourThe book was published in 1989.
Has anyone read this book ? If so, I would appreciate any feedback.
The book was mentioned in the comments section of an article about, Mrs. Clark's Reading List.
Here is the reading list.
https://www.rd.com/wp-content/uploads...
Here is the article about the list from Reader's Digest.
https://www.rd.com/article/mrs-clarks...
I haven't read L'Amour's memoir but it sounds good. I cannot see comments for Clark's list, so i don't know what else was written. From the GR comments, it looks valuable & has its own book list at the end. Neat.In the last century i read three of his westerns, The Haunted Mesa, To Tame a Land and The Trail to Seven Pines, and didn't like them much. Possibly Mesa was disappointing as a western/science fiction novel, all i know was i decided against reading further. Then, somehow, i purchased a book with the first three novels of his Sackett series and have read two thus far. I like them very much. The first, Sackett's Land, is set in Ireland while the second (&, i think, all the rest), To the Far Blue Mountains, was set in North America. They have kept my interest, as well as have me planning to read more.
(As an aside, i do recall that in Trail to 7 Pines the main character liked to read. Shades of L'Amour?) ANYway, as it is short and about books, i think i will read it. If you decide to purchase it, Alias, we could read it together, if you like.
I liked reading the story of Mrs. Clark & her reading list. While i didn't have a teacher hand out such a list, i recall getting one from the school library. I can't seem to find it now & it's possible i coalesced title lists, as i collected several over the years, mostly from libraries.Looking at Clark's i was struck by the fact that on the first two pages i'd read the vast majority of them. Cheating a bit, as i haven't read ALL the Holmes mysteries and only 3 of the 5 Longstocking Tales. However, on pages 3 & 4, i found i'd only read the equivalent of one long column. I suspect the reason for the difference was that the first two pages had more pre-20th century classics, which many of us probably read. Still, it's neat to see one's accomplishments in this manner.
Thanks, Alias.
Re: Education of a Wandering Man-Louis L'Amourmadrano wrote:ANYway, as it is short and about books, i think i will read it. If you decide to purchase it, Alias, we could read it together, if you like...."
Thanks, deb. I'll give you a heads-up when I can fit it in. Right now I am almost done with Remarkably Bright Creatures and then I have a library eBook waiting for me a book I believe you read, The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin by Masha Gessen
After that I could fit in the L'Amour book for a Buddy Read, if that works for you.
If anyone else would like to join in, your more then welcome.
I'll try to give a firm date a week before. However, with all our buddy reads, you read at your own pace.
Deb, when I downloaded the book I noticed the intro is written by Daniel J. Boorstin
* Note: the eBook is currently on sale at Amazon for $5
Sounds good to me. Didn't we read Boorstin's The Discoverers: A History of Man's Search to Know His World and Himself together? I liked that book very much.Yes, i read the Gessen book about Putin. I felt as though i understood him a bit better but after this Ukraine mess, less so. I'll never understand that!
Putin was very influenced by the fall of the Soviet Union. It seems he is trying to get back the glory years (in his mind, I think).
I suspect that is a result of his years with the KGB. It must be tough to give up that power.
Also not just personal power but world power. The Cold War were two big powers flexing their muscles remotely and after the fall Russia went through such a dark period with the collapse of the economy, ruble and world dominance.
I tend to agree with that but i've taken to wondering how much world power is fueled by the egomaniac in the highest seat of a country. When i see nations teaming up again, not unlike the Axis Nations in WWII, i just see power hungry individuals seeing how much they can manipulate the world, leading in an unfortunate (for those of us who consider ourselves sane) direction.
I have started reading quite a few books from the Project Gutenberg site, that has free e book versions of copyright expired books.Quite a few books on Alexander's invasion of India and the Marine exploits in WW2
Prosenjit wrote: "I have started reading quite a few books from the Project Gutenberg site, that has free e book versions of copyright expired books.Quite a few books on Alexander's invasion of India and the Marin..."
Nice. Kindle also usually has free version of many copyright expired books.
Alias Reader wrote: "Prosenjit wrote: "I have started reading quite a few books from the Project Gutenberg site, that has free e book versions of copyright expired books.Quite a few books on Alexander's invasion of I..."
Absolutely!! Also You can go on the Project Gutenberg site- download kindle versions for free directly from Project Gutenberg site, also read online or in word/text/PDF/Epub version.
True. There ate so very many sites which offer older books and even speeches. For me, this is why the Internet was invented!
In Book Buddies here on GR we are reading The Wings of the Dove and I downloaded it for free on Amazon.
Just an FYI that many out-of-copywrite books have been recorded by volunteers, available for free, at Librivox.
John wrote: "Just an FYI that many out-of-copywrite books have been recorded by volunteers, available for free, at Librivox."I'm not familiar with Librivox. Thanks for the heads-up, John !
Rachel wrote: "In Book Buddies here on GR we are reading The Wings of the Dove and I downloaded it for free on Amazon."I hope you enjoy the Henry James novel, Rachel. For me it was a mixed bag, as i recall.
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Marjorie, in addition to writing her books,..."
Delightful story, Jennifer. Small World, indeed. We liked that area more than expected, mostly thanks to Marjorie. Her book about the area, Cross Creek, delighted me but the depiction in the film of the same name was wonderful. Indeed, for years i named it my favorite film for all the movie and its actors presented. Mary Steenburgen, Peter Coyote, Rip Torn (an actor i hadn't previously liked) and Alfre Woodard. Perfect.