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What books did you get from the library, bookstore, or online? ~ 2023
Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "I am now reading The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell and loving it. She is such a good writer. She's really bringing the characters, especially Lucrezia, to lif..."I recall you stating you were beginning it but not whether you were liking it. I'm glad to hear it's pleasing you, Kiki, after somewhat disappointing recent books.
If you are a Nella Larsen fan like I am. I really enjoyed her Passing. Amazon has her Quicksand on sale for Kindle 50 cents!
madrano wrote: "Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "I am now reading The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell and loving it. She is such a good writer. She's really brin..."I love it, Madrano, but I find little time for reading right now. I'm taking courses to become a Certified Health and Nutrition Coach and finally writing my third novel. I only read about a chapter a day of The Marriage Portrait, but it is a fabulous book.
Alias Reader wrote: "If you are a Nella Larsen fan like I am. I really enjoyed her Passing. Amazon has her Quicksand on sale for Kindle 50 cents!"
Terrific price. Much as i liked Passing, the second book called to me more.
Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "I love it, Madrano, but I find little time for reading right now.... I only read about a chapter a day of The Marriage Portrait, but it is a fabulous book...."I edited the above quote. Kiki, that is a sensible approach. The book i'm working on has me falling asleep every time i read it. At last, today, i managed to stay awake for each reading. Thank goodness.
It's A World Lit Only by Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance: Portrait of an Age--William Manchester. It's good history but just not the way i like my history told. Being busy beyond reading hasn't helped keep me awake, either, i must add.
John wrote: "My 2x Kindle beta purchase yesterday, recommended by a friend: Letters from Thailand."John, I purchased John Adams by David McCullough and forgot to get the reward first. Now I have around 600 points. :( Oh well, now I have to find another book to purchase. I feel like Al Pacino "Just When I Thought I Was Out, They Pull Me Back In! SCENE - The Godfather
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UneS2...
I'm generally looking for big books that I want to read along with audio. (History, non fiction, Biographies) Books that I don't want to rush through due to it being a library book. Also a book I want to use an audible credit for. Yes, I don't know if you saw, but I'm now an Audible member. I'll probably only stay for about a year. That should keep me for quite a while.
I can't locate on Amazon the exact date when my Kindle reward points expire.
John wrote: "My 2x Kindle beta purchase yesterday, recommended by a friend: Letters from Thailand."I see it was first published in 1969. It sounds interesting. Have you ever been to Thailand?
Alias Reader wrote: "John wrote: "My 2x Kindle beta purchase yesterday, recommended by a friend: Letters from Thailand."I see it was first published in 1969. It sounds interesting. Have you ever been to..."
Yes, 20 years ago, summer before starting grad school
Nice, John. Reading books about places you've visited always adds to the enjoyment.
I just used some of my Kindle Credits to purchase for $2
Healthy Brain, Happy Life: A Personal Program to to Activate Your Brain and Do Everything Better by Wendy SuzukiA neuroscientist transforms the way we think about our brain, our health, and our personal happiness in this clear, informative, and inspiring guide—a blend of personal memoir, science narrative, and immediately useful takeaways that bring the human brain into focus as never before, revealing the powerful connection between exercise, learning, memory, and cognitive abilities.
Nearing forty, Dr. Wendy Suzuki was at the pinnacle of her career. An award-winning university professor and world-renowned neuroscientist, she had tenure, her own successful research lab, prestigious awards, and international renown.
That’s when to celebrate her birthday, she booked an adventure trip that forced her to wake up to a startling reality: despite her professional success, she was overweight, lonely, and tired and knew that her life had to change. Wendy started simply—by going to an exercise class. Eventually, she noticed an improvement in her memory, her energy levels, and her ability to work quickly and move from task to task easily. Not only did Wendy begin to get fit, but she also became sharper, had more energy, and her memory improved. Being a neuroscientist, she wanted to know why.
What she learned transformed her body and her life. Now, it can transform yours.
Wendy discovered that there is a biological connection between exercise, mindfulness, and action. With exercise, your body feels more alive and your brain actually performs better. Yes—you can make yourself smarter. In this fascinating book, Suzuki makes neuroscience easy to understand, interweaving her personal story with groundbreaking research, and offering practical, short exercises—4 minute Brain Hacks—to engage your mind and improve your memory, your ability to learn new skills, and function more efficiently.
Taking us on an amazing journey inside the brain as never before, Suzuki helps us unlock the keys to neuroplasticity that can change our brains, or bodies, and, ultimately, our lives.
Sounds interesting! I sometimes have trouble figuring out how to use these credits.
John wrote: "Sounds interesting! I sometimes have trouble figuring out how to use these credits."You have to remember to redeem them before your purchase. I forgot to do that on my prior purchase. I thought it would automatically deduct like they do with those small under a dollar credits you sometimes get on particular books.
John wrote: "My 2x Kindle beta purchase yesterday, recommended by a friend: Letters from Thailand."The story sounds interesting, John. My daughter spent a month in Thailand a few years back and liked it. If she missed a spot, i don't know what it could be--beach, cities, forests and food. She's one who really liked exploring national foods, so i learned much from her.
While i've never been tempted by it, i suspect reading this book would illustrate differences most of us might not notice. His choices and comments sound wise and daring, at least that's my impression. I hope you enjoy it.
Alias Reader wrote: "I just used some of my Kindle Credits to purchase for $2[book:Healthy Brain, Ha..."I hope you learn much from the book, Alias. It sounds useful, particularly as the author is a scientist who learned much of this for her own life. Neat.
Elsewhere, Michele mentioned a book she read, The Windeby Puzzle--Lois Lowry. She stated it was really more for elementary students than a YA book and i agree. I'd say 5-7 grades. Being a lover of bog information, i liked it, nonetheless. For me, as a reader, a charming aspect of the book is that it is both fiction (historical) and nonfiction. In '52 a body was found in a bog, appearing to be a 13 or so year old girl, dated from first century. The idea tickled Lowry's writing mind and she created a story about how the teen got there--blindfolded and with half her hair sheared off. Good story, about females in such a society.
THEN, Lowry learned new facts that undercovered a separate story, the girl was really a boy. So, she wrote another story about those facts, using the same characters from the first story. Cool.
So, really, it's the points the author makes about the body & the writing of her story which called to me much more than the stories she wrote. The book ends with the following, which i appreciate.
“Each of them had a story of his or her own. So did each person in the next village, the next tribe, the next century, the next country to the north or west. So many stories! Hundreds of them . . . thousands . . . millions . . . billions. They intertwine, connect here and there, until they create the huge, sprawling mass of human existence and what we call history.
"Your story is part of that. So is mine.
"There is a saying that when people die, they continue to live as long as someone remembers them. I would add: “and tells their story.”
madrano wrote: In '52 a body was found in a bog, appearing to be a 13 or so year old girl, dated from first century. The idea tickled Lowry's writing mind and she created a story about how the teen got there--blindfolded and with half her hair sheared off. .."OMG. That's terrible. :(
I went to Half Price Books today and got 4 books.Big Boned
Doggie Day Care Murder
The Hawthorne Legacy
The Sky Weaver
John wrote: "Sounds interesting! I sometimes have trouble figuring out how to use these credits."I don't know how to use mine at all, John. I've got hundreds of credits, and I've no idea what to do with them.
Alias Reader wrote: "John wrote: "My 2x Kindle beta purchase yesterday, recommended by a friend: Letters from Thailand."John, I purchased John Adams by David McCullough and ..."
I intend on reading that one, too, Alias.
John wrote: "My 2x Kindle beta purchase yesterday, recommended by a friend: Letters from Thailand."Sounds really good, John. I, too, have been to Thailand - several times - and I loved it. Not quite as much as Bali, but almost. Hope you enjoy the book.
Lilli Gilliam wrote: "I went to Half Price Books today and got 4 books.Big Boned
Doggie Day Care Murder
The Hawthorne Legacy
The Sky Weaver"
Nice book haul, Lilli. Enjoy !
Lilli Gilliam wrote: "I went to Half Price Books today and got 4 books.Big Boned
Doggie Day Care Murder
The Hawthorne Legacy
The Sky Weaver"
Sounds full of neat ideas for books, Lilli. I hope they entertain you as well as they sound. Enjoy!
Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "John wrote: "Sounds interesting! I sometimes have trouble figuring out how to use these credits."I don't know how to use mine at all, John. I've got hundreds of credits, and I've no idea what to ..."
1) google term Kindle Rewards to get to your page
2) Click Redeem
I don't know whether accounts greater than 600 points can redeem (nearly) everything at once, or whether redemptions are only done 300/$3 at a time?
Good question, John. I had a bit over 600 points. However, the book I purchased was only $2.
Since it's a 2x Kindle Rewards day, I bought one from an author about whom I've been curious: The Priory by Dorothy Whipple. Triggered a $3 credit!A while ago I'd gotten a similar book that I'll probably read first: The Mighty and Their Fall by Ivy Compton-Burnett.
John wrote: "Since it's a 2x Kindle Rewards day, I bought one from an author about whom I've been curious: The Priory by Dorothy Whipple. Triggered a $3 credit!A while ago I'd go..."
Thanks for the reminder, John. I have a credit that I can use.
John wrote: "Since it's a 2x Kindle Rewards day, I bought one from an author about whom I've been curious: The Priory by Dorothy Whipple. Triggered a $3 credit!A while ago I'd go..."
I'm not familiar with this author, John. Thanks for pointing the way. Sounds as though i've missed a prolific female writer.
John wrote: "Since it's a 2x Kindle Rewards day, I bought one from an author about whom I've been curious: The Priory by Dorothy Whipple. Triggered a $3 credit!."I had points for a $3 credit and also another $1 credit on Amazon. Also today, as John noted, was 2x Kindle Rewards day. So I decided to get The Storyteller by
Jodi Picoult
I know some of you may recall after the last few disappointments from this author I said into the penalty box she goes for a while.
Then Florida and their governor decided to start banning books. Picoult had 20 of hers removed from school libraries. One in particular was The Storyteller. This is a book about the Holocaust. The notion of banning a book about the Holocaust in 2023, what can I say. I'm speechless and angry. So this purchase is my small way of supporting her and my vote against banning books.
If you are not familiar with this insanity, here are a just a few newspaper links. She has also been on TV and the radio being interviewed about this.
Jodi Picoult Holocaust novel banned from school in 'inappropriate' books row
https://www.thejc.com/news/world/jodi...
Jodi Picoult doubles down against Florida book bans in new op-ed
https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know...
Another reason I decided to get the Kindle book is my library only has the audio and I prefer to read this novel.
Alias Reader wrote: "Then Florida and their governor decided to start banning books. Picoult had 20 of hers removed from school libraries. One in particular was The Storyteller. This is a book about the Holocaust. The notion of banning a book about the Holocaust in 2023, what can I say. I'm speechless and angry. So this purchase is my small way of supporting her and my vote against banning books...."This is extremely sad on several levels, the biggest of which that it hearkens to the Nazi censorship. To my mind, it is lazy parenting which decides they'd rather no one read the books than to do so themselves and deny their offspring the option.
The woman who objected mentioned that every book she selected had explicit depictions of sex. Why not just a warning on the label? Sorry, but this is exhausting. I don't think she is a prude but i do think she is denying other parents unique opportunities to talk with their older children about sensitive matters.
I understand why you bought the book, Alias. Here's hoping it is a rewarding book for you.
Picoult has pointed out that her books she does " not write adult romance. The majority of the books that were targeted do not even have a kiss in them,” “What they do have, however, are issues like racism, abortion rights, gun control, gay rights, and other topics that encourage kids to think for themselves.”
The one person complaining even admitted she did not even read the books she wanted banned. The problem is once the books go on the to be banned list for review it can take a few years for them to be put back on the shelves. So many kids will miss the opportunity to read theses books while they were in school.
I'm not a fan of the sticker idea. Read, learn, discuss. Don't ban ideas.
Stephen King
Alias Reader wrote: "I'm not a fan of the sticker idea. Read, learn, discuss. Don't ban ideas...."Thanks for the King quotes. As he's popular with young people, i hope they follow his advice.
As for the sticker idea, this comes along the same line as the "trigger" moments we mentioned elsewhere on this board. From what i read from the article quoting Picoult about the concentration camp book was that it described rape in those camps. I would want a sticker along those lines, so parents/readers are aware. Of course, you will recall i am the woman who wants "No Spoilers", either, but odds are, i wouldn't look at the stickers.
I'm ashamed that state legislatures have made it so easy for bigots to claim a moral high ground they do not truly have. This is where we are now. Better parenting can avoid this but that is not what those banning folks want, they want control.
I must say i am pleased to see so many well known authors standing up to these bans. It is what is needed. Perhaps someone who felt Judy Blume books as a kid will listen/read her comments about the banned books in Florida and other states. Cheers to them all!
Lilli Gilliam wrote: "I got Little Fires Everywhere, A Cowboy's Justice, and Friends Like These"I really liked Little Fires Everywhere. I gave it a 4/5 rating. Exceeded my expectations. I hope you enjoy it, too.
Lilli, that's a range of novels you have. I hope they live up to your plans of enjoyment.
John wrote: "Another Kindle Rewards offer: 200 bonus points for spending $10 (April 12 - 18)."Thanks for the heads-up. I didn't see that. I'm only 76 points away from 300.
My library doesn't have the eBook, so I purchased for $2 The Last Man on the Moon: Astronaut Eugene Cernan and America's Race in Space by Eugene Cernan
Just came home from the library with a load of books that I want to read all at once- "Madrid Again" by Soledad Maura which I can't put down- "Some Trick" by Helen Dewitt (just finished her "The English Understand Wool" and was delighted!) "Dead End Memories" by Banana Yoshimoto (one of my fave authors and I didn't know she had a new book out!), and "Gardening with Less Water" and "Complete Container Herb Garden" for my outside hobby....
Patti wrote: ""Dead End Memories" by Banana Yoshimoto (one of my fave authors and I didn't know she had a new book out!).."Nice book haul, Patti !
Dead End Memories"
First published in Japan in 2003 and never before published in the United States
I look forward to your review on this one.
Introducing Jung: A Graphic Guide by Maggie HydeThis looks like a simple graphic book. If you have Amazon Prime it's free. I thought I might use this for the 100 Challenge.
Patti wrote: "Just came home from the library with a load of books that I want to read all at once- "Madrid Again" by Soledad Maura which I can't put down- "Some Trick" by Helen Dewitt (just finished her "The En..."Patti, thanks for sharing the titles. I'm sold on Dead-End Memories: Stories--Banana Yoshimoto. It sounds very good. I hope all the selections are good reading for you.
Alias Reader wrote: "Introducing Jung: A Graphic Guide by Maggie HydeThis looks like a simple graphic book. If you have Amazon Pri..."
It's got to be better than the graphic i read. Although i suspect mine had better art. :-) Enjoy, Alias.
Deb, this will be my second graphic book. The other one I read I enjoyed. On Tyranny Graphic Edition: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century--Timothy Snyder
madrano wrote: "Patti wrote: "Just came home from the library with a load of books that I want to read all at once- "Madrid Again" by Soledad Maura which I can't put down- "Some Trick" by Helen Dewitt (just finish..."I haven't read anything by Banana Yoshimoto for so long, and I love her writing! Thanks for reminding me of her work.
Alias Reader wrote: "Introducing Jung: A Graphic Guide by Maggie HydeThis looks like a simple graphic book. If you have Amazon Pri..."
Okay for me to read it, too? I know nothing of graphic novels other than I want a short one.
Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "Alias Reader wrote: "Introducing Jung: A Graphic Guide by Maggie HydeThis looks like a simple graphic book. I..."
Of course ! It's free if you have Amazon Prime.
Alias Reader wrote: "Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "Alias Reader wrote: "Introducing Jung: A Graphic Guide by [author:Maggie Hyde|1..."Thank you, Alias. I do have Prime, and I've been searching for a graphic novel.
Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "Alias Reader wrote: "Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "Alias Reader wrote: "Introducing Jung: A Graphic Guide by ..."FYI- I think this is aimed at young adults,
Alias Reader wrote: "Deb, this will be my second graphic book. The other one I read I enjoyed. On Tyranny Graphic Edition: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century--Timothy Snyder"You are smart to go with nonfiction, imo. Those are the graphic efforts i've enjoyed best. Still, i keep hoping to see why the graphic novels are as popular as they are.
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The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million by Daniel Mendelsohn
A New York Times Notable Book • Winner of the National Jewish Book Award • Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award • A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist..."
This sounds absorbing, doesn't it? I hope it is as good as it sounds. Your review will tell us!