Book Nook Cafe discussion
2024- Book Prompt Challenge
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Michele's 2024 Book Challenge
Eighteen Days in October: The Yom Kippur War and How It Created the Modern Middle EastI'm hoping if you click on this link, it will take you to my review.
If you try it, could you let me know if it works?
This one was a book that takes place during a holiday. Actually, it was both Yom Kippur and Ramadan. I gave it 4+ stars.
Michele wrote: "Eighteen Days in October: The Yom Kippur War and How It Created the Modern Middle EastI'm hoping if you click on this link, it will take you to my review.
If you try it, could yo..."
Since we are friends, your review appears first ahead of all the other reviews.
If someone hasn't "friended" you. I think your review will appear by the most recent first.
That was a very good comprehensive review. Nice job !
Thanks. I'm ok with sending a link ----as long as the reader can choose to open the link or ignore it. I once signed up with Facebook somehow and my reviews on every book went to my entire family and every friend or acquaintance. Embarrassing for me and annoying for them.
I added two books in the past few days, mysteries chosen just for fun. I listened to Slow Horses by Mick Herron, which has been made into an Apple TV series. Cerebral, complex, British. You have to keep up and stay awake to follow this series about MI6.. 4 starsLong Time Gone by Charlie Donlea, which is a very conventional mystery involving a medical examiner and the law enforcement officials appropriate to the case at hand. From Kindle Unlimited, reading was free and it also involved an interest of mine, being based on genetic genealogy. Not very interesting to me as it turned out, but my husband is enjoying this one and the rest of the series. 3 stars.
I didn't write reviews of these books.
Thanks for the reviews, Michele. That is nice that your husband is also a reader. It must be nice to talk books with someone.
It’s wonderful to share stuff with your other half. We don’t like the same books, though, with rate exceptions like bios of sports figures.
Michele wrote: "It’s wonderful to share stuff with your other half. We don’t like the same books, though, with rate exceptions like bios of sports figures."Michele, has your husband read Open by Andre Agassi and ghost written by J.R. Moehringer ?
I thought it was excellent and that is from a person who has ZERO interest in tennis.
Michele wrote: "Not much of a review for not much of a book. It was basic and sometimes overly detailed look at the courtship and a superficial accounting of the royal marriage.. I learned that Elizabeth was the f..."I'm not much on the 20th century royal families, so what you've shared is news to me. Like you, i suspect we could learn plenty about their lives from the biographies written.
Thanks for sharing about this one, Michele.
Michele wrote: "I am noticing that I've virtually given up on my proposed book list and added a whole bunch of new books instead. I think I will keep reporting my books just to make a record for myself of the futility of planning more than a few months ahead (for me, anyway).,..."I like to reread my posts about the books i've read this year, so kinda use the boards for that, as well. This year (until this month, that is), most of my books have been for the Challenge. At least they'll all be in one place.
I think you are smart to continue writing about on this thread about what you've read, Michele. It keeps it all in one place, so that several years from now, you need only go to this thread to see the list & comments of books you've read in '24.
Deborah,
grateful you will continue to share with us!
Of course I will continue. Nobody else will listen to me discuss my odd book choices! Appreciate you.
My next book is The White LadyIt is a mystery that takes place between 1914 and 1950, and involves two wars. It is not a top notch mystery. In fact, I wouldn't even call it a mystery, and it is very unrealistic, especially after the war. 3 stars.
Sorry to hear this was a disappointing read for you, Michele. It sounds like it missed the mark on multiple fronts. I hope your next one is a winner.
Michele wrote: "My next book is The White LadyIt is a mystery that takes place between 1914 and 1950, and involves two wars. It is not a top notch mystery. In fact, I wouldn't even call it a myst..."
Pity, as it sounds interesting. The time period is ripe for exploring, as usual, too.
Thanks for sharing your opinion, Michele.
Books I read while it was raining all last week.
Very affecting. 4+ stars Prompt: book about space
Clear and understandable description of what those lawyers were doing during all that time, and why it didn't amount to anything at the end. Not totally their fault. 4 stars. Prompt: Book about lawyers and the law
A linguist explains how to recognize a cult, and how to tell the harmful from the just goofy. Funny and useful. 4 starsBook about psychology
Very well done on the three prompts, Michele ! The books you selected really fit those prompts. I'm glad to see they were all 4 stars for you.
Congratulations on three very interesting selections. Each sounds informative, as well as appealing. Happy for you!
I believe my reviews are coming up for those of you who want them, so I will continue to record what I've read this way and let you read them or not. I've been trying to read lighter books for a while, but the Trump stuff keeps coming up and I can't let it go by. Don't forget to vote. I sent in my absentee ballot yesterday.
The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: My Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World. Interesting book about Arab Jews from Aleppo and Cairo fleeing Nasser and the increased warmongering in the Middle East. True story by a prize winning author.
Interference: The Inside Story of Trump, Russia, and the Mueller Investigation. Good basic primer on what the special counsel actually did and why. This under prompt re Government
Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father's Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success. Donald's multi-generational crime family and child abuse factory explained.
Prompt: True Crime
White Horse Native American magic and horror along with The Shining and a pretty simple murder mystery that really isn't a mystery and never was.
Mystery, or Native American prompt
Thank you for continuing to share with us the books you've read and the reviews, Michele. Your ratings were all pretty good. 3+. I also like that you used the phrase "This was a dog's breakfast " The first I heard this phrase was by some British person on TV. :)
"It's British slang term that means something is messy or poorly done." I've used that for people who mix up and mash together the food on their plate. Not very appealing to the eye !
Yes, it's certainly important to try and be informed and registered to vote !
Michele wrote: "I believe my reviews are coming up for those of you who want them, so I will continue to record what I've read this way and let you read them or not. I've been trying to read lighter books for a wh..."Thanks for keeping us informed on what you've been reading, Michele.
Something must have changed, as i though i've seen your reviews in the past, when i click on the title. I'm not seeing them now but still see Rachel's. Have i misremembered? By that i mean, have in not "signed up" or something? I'd like to read your opinion on these.
Ditto on registering to vote and performing the act!
madrano wrote:Something must have changed, as i though i've seen your reviews in the past, when i click on the title. I'm not seeing them now but still see Rachel's. Have i misremembered? By that i mean, have in not "signed up" or something? I'd like to read your opinion on these.
If you "friend" Michele, and if she posts her review on GoodReads, it will appear first before the other people who posted reviews.
I see her reviews at the top of the reviews.
Excellent that you have completed a prompt.
Thank you, Alias. I guess that's why i see Rachel's & a few others. Odd, that, i thought i just saw what our group posted. Duh.
Hitlerland: American Eyewitnesses to the Nazi Rise to Power. A survey of the experiences, opinions and written evaluations of Germany between 1922 and 1941 when many Americans were rounded up and sent home. The author delves into the thoughts, diaries and formal declarations, written and spoken of ambassadors, military figures, journalists, Americans in Germany, wives of the men in important positions, American and German, and members of the Nazi apparatus, government and military. Some saw through Hitler immediately, some never did. Most were somewhere in between. The Nazis and other Germans loved Americans and treated them well, with privileges not afforded people of other nationalities. Americans generally liked the Germans. They were neat, friendly and educated. Most noticed when persecutions of Jews and socialists began, all noticed when the war actually started and food began to be rationed. The Gestapo became more active as HItler invaded Russia, but everyone finally became aware when America got into the war and knew that Germany had already lost. Interesting, not vital reading. Every new book fills out the picture a little more for me, and I am still quite interested in WWII, although there are so many things to worry about nowadays. 3.5 stars. FYI if you care about technicalities. My short review is here because Goodreads will not let me include Hitlerland in My Books, though it is on my Kindle like all the others. Computers. They're great until they're not. Maybe it will change its mind later.
Michele wrote: "Hitlerland: American Eyewitnesses to the Nazi Rise to Power. A survey of the experiences, opinions and written evaluations of Germany between 1922 and 1941 when many Americans were ..."I purchased Hitlerland back in January. I've not been able to read it yet. So I appreciated reading your review.
So far one of the best books on this topic that I've read is
The Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany---Thomas ChildersIn fact, I first purchased the eBook. After reading it, I thought it was so informative I purchased the hardcover edition for my library.
Michele wrote: "FYI if you care about technicalities. My short review is here because Goodreads will not let me include Hitlerland in My Books, though it is on my Kindle like all the others. Computers. They're great until they're not. Maybe it will change its mind later ..."I appreciate your review, Michele. Many people only know about those US citizens who embraced Hitler early on, such as Anne Morrow Lindbergh & Charles Lindbergh.
Your comment about Computers rings too true, right? Thanks for the note on that front.
I finished War by Bob Woodward which reports the Biden administrations efforts to contain the wars in Ukraine and in Israel. It recounts the stories of the personnel who were most responsible, the president who set the policy goals, and the reactions of the men who were our partners and/or adversaries. Woodward says that his previous books, especially those on Nixon and Trump, involved finding out what the bastards wee hiding. This one was pretty straightforward. He was let in to the deliberations and the rationales, and concluded that unlike Nixon and Trump, the Biden administration was composed of men who cared about the people who would be effected and worked tirelessly to prevent the escalation of the conflicts. He also points out that Joe Biden has a red line - he will not send American troops to fight the wars of others, even when the cause is a good one. There are no Americans currently fighting on the ground in Ukraine or the Middle East, and we are still fulfilling our policy goals. 4+. This book is not yet recognized by MY BOOKS on GR, so there is no review there.
Michele wrote: "I finished War by Bob Woodward which reports the Biden administrations efforts to contain the wars in Ukraine and in Israel. It recounts the stories of the personnel who were most responsible, the ..."Nice review, Michele.
I've read other Woodward books and enjoyed them. I also like his writing style.
Michele wrote: "I finished War by Bob Woodward which reports the Biden administrations efforts to contain the wars in Ukraine and in Israel. It recounts the stories of the personnel who were most responsible, the ..."Thank you for sharing about this book, Michele. Learning that Biden and his cabinet do not want to send US citizens to fight on the soil of other nations is encouraging. Would that this stopped wars!
I read another book of historical fiction, Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan, which the author estimates as being 80-90% true. This is not a book I would have chosen, but was highly recommended by my sister, who was married to and is the mother of an American -Italian man who actually lives in the area described in this book. It is the story of Pino Lello of Milan who had improbable adventures between the Nazi arrival in his city in 1943 and the end of the war in Italy in 1945. I liked the characters and the plot was full of incident and adventure, with a twist or two. The author also told what happened to the major characters after the war. It was in the style of Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand, but a little less believable. I liked it pretty well. 3 stars filling historical fiction prompt. PS Also has a romance novel vibe.
Beneath a Scarlet Sky--Mark T. Sullivan.Usually i can use Wiki to find a bio of such a person. In this case, i found this--
https://en.everybodywiki.com/Pino_Lella
I've not heard of everybodywiki but learned it is a for-profit offshoot. ANYway, they don't get into specifics of what was real & what not.
This sounds like a good novel, though. Thanks for sharing about it here, Michele. And, congratulations on fulfilling this prompt!
Re: Beneath a Scarlett Sky by Mark Sullivan with Chapter by Chapter AnalysisMichele wrote: "I read another book of historical fiction, Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan, which the author estimates as being 80-90% true. This is not a book I would have chosen, but was highly recommende..."
Well done on the prompt, Michele.
If I recall correctly, this book is in my TBR notebook.
2 more books added: Q: A Voyage Around the Queenand George V: Never a Dull Moment
Both are under biography/memoir. George V filled a big gap in my knowledge of the royal family since Queen Victoria, whose marriage removed all doubt about whether the English royal family is more German or more English and set the stage for family dysfunction on a major scale.
I liked both, the first being a popular, lighter style, the second a real history of pre WWI and depression England.
Michele wrote: "more German or more English and set the stage for family dysfunction on a major scale.I liked both, the first being a popular, lighter style, the second a real history of pre WWI and depression England...."
Thanks for this info. I know little about those pre WWI years, other than literature, so this sounds like a good start.
LOL on that family's dysfunction!
Michele wrote: "2 more books added: Q: A Voyage Around the Queenand George V: Never a Dull Moment
Both are under biography/memoir. George V filled a big gap in my knowledge of t..."
Well done, Michele !
Both books sound very interesting.
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris WhittakerIt took me forever to read this book, though I did like it. That's because it was 500+ pages long (totally exceeded all need) and because the author made sure to confuse the reader whenever possible to add to the suspense.
I liked this author's first book, and I gave this one 4 stars in spite of what I think of as the author's overindulgences. Characters were good, plot just enough twisted, other aspects not quite as necessary. Would have preferred more on the puzzle aspect. The prompt was Crime Fiction and/or Families. It could also have been about a handicap, and it was published in 2024.
GR is giving me trouble about the way I want to add to My Books, so I don't think anybody will automatically see my review from here. Apologies, but I don't want GR knowing every book I buy at Amazon, etc. I'm looking for a solution, but I don't know how it will go in the future. Happy Thanksgiving. I know you all have voted early!!!
All the Colors of the DarkAll the Colors of the Dark Chris Whittaker by Chris WhitakerMichele wrote:
It took me forever to read this book, though I did like it. That's because it was 500+ pages long (totally exceeded all need) and because the author made sure to confuse the reader whenever possible to add to the suspense..."
Sorry to hear that, Michele. I good editor should have helped the author clarify things and do some cutting.
Michele wrote: "I know you all have voted early!!..."Believe it!
Thank you for sharing about the book. Some mystery authors can offer complicated hints without confusing their readers. Others, need a good editor, as Alias suggested.
Regardless, we appreciate your post.
The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror StoryHorribly boring and a disappointment from this prize winning author. I must have missed something. I Star. Prompt: horror
Michele wrote: "The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror StoryHorribly boring and a disappointment from this prize winning author. I must have missed something. I Star. Prompt: horror"
Sorry to hear this is a disappointment. As soon as I read the synopsis I thought about The Magic Mountain. The premise sounds interesting. It's a shame it fell short of expectations. :(
Michele wrote: "The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror StoryHorribly boring and a disappointment from this prize winning author. I must have missed something. I Star. Prompt: horror"
The idea is neat, so that's a pity. Thanks for the warning, though. Is this the first Olga Tokarczuk work you've read, Michele? I read her Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, which i liked but at times i wondered about it &/or the author, unsure where she was heading.
I finished 
It is written by an attention-seeking, super narcissistic person who demonstrates many behaviors attributed to sociopaths (who no longer exist except under the rubric of 'antisocial personality disorder. It is thought that the psychiatrists who write the DSM and classify psychiatric disorders are trying to combine sociopathy, psychopathy and other things on a spectrum, similar to autism.)
The problem is that the author is an obvious narcissist with a penchant for lies and the ability to divert others with a torrent of words that are ultimately a way to disguise rather than explain. I am not convinced this book is sincere, but it may be helpful to professionals who try to treat people who do not feel or relate, but who have no guilt or remorse, either. I gave it 4 stars for that. It can fulfill the prompt for memoirs and books about psychology.
Michele wrote: "I finished It is written by an attention-seeking, super narcissistic person who demonstrates many behaviors attributed to sociopaths (who no longer exis..."
I appreciate your thoughtful comments, Michele. It can be a challenge to maintain one's own sanity when reading words attributed to people you've described. And it can be quite draining.
Thank you for you review, but also the reminder of its ability to fulfill a prompt.
Michele wrote: "I finished It is written by an attention-seeking, super narcissistic person who demonstrates many behaviors attributed to sociopaths (who no longer exis..."
I agree with your assessment, Michele.
I read the book back in August. This was my review.
------
I decided to read this memoir after Rachel read and reviewed it. Thanks, Rachel !
It was an interesting look at sociopathy. Though the author makes clear, repeatedly, that this is no longer a diagnosis in the DSM. "The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is a reference book and handbook that provides a common language for mental health professionals to diagnose and communicate about mental disorders." It's sort of a spectrum disorder that is lumped with psychopathy and now called antisocial personality disorder.
Patrik seems to cling to this diagnosis and enjoys telling everyone she meets that she is a sociopath. At times I felt maybe she was a narcissist seeking the spotlight and enjoyed the reaction she got when she said it.
I didn't think she did anything really outrageous that one would typically associate with someone called a sociopath or psychopath. Definitely odd and troublesome though. As a kid she stabbed a bully with a pencil. As a kid she stole minor trinkets that she kept in small box. Her mom was a real estate agent and she would go into the empty homes that were for sale. Sometimes she would go into abandoned buildings. A few times she went into homes when people weren't home.
It does seem odd to me that wealthy homes in her area wouldn't have cameras or even lock their doors which she would find unlocked and go in to explore. In college she would take the keys of drunk students and go for a joy ride in the cars but then return them. She had one women who was blackmailing her with compromising photos of her dad. But really all she did was stalk the women. She would go to her yard and look at her through the windows at night. Weird yes. But sociopath? I don't know. She says that psychopaths have brain abnormalities, but sociopaths are different. They can learn to correct their antisocial behavior.
She leads a privileged life and has a wealthy father. Her father hired her to be a music manager. She appears to have unlimited funds for years therapy. She also was able to fund schooling to get a PhD. I thought she became almost obsessive in her study of psychology in her quest to define sociopathy. Her dissertation was on sociopathy and how it is accompanied by anxiety.
She does go on to get married and have two children.
There were some very thoughtful lines that I did like. For example, You don't have to accept delivery of other people's projections. "
The book is certainly an interesting take on sociopathy and the insights about how they operate. Still, if it wasn't so darn repetitive I would have rated it higher. I gave it a 3/5 rating. That is good.
Be warned. There is some controversy about the veracity of her story. There is some question about the quality of the school she went to. Was it a degree mill or legit. She says she was a therapist, though when I looked online she no longer appears to be one. She does note on page 341, "Unlicensed and unorthodox, I welcomed the misfits nobody else wanted to see." So she was an unlicensed therapist? Was this just the period when she was working towards her degree? That's sketchy and illegal ! I would hope trainees would be working along side a professional and not out there on their own !
She first got attention for an article she wrote back in 2020 in the NY Times titles, He married a sociopath: Me.
[https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/16/st...
I thought the book started off well but got bogged down in semantics and was extremely repetitive. Notwithstanding that, she does have a talent for writing and she does seem very intelligent.
She is attractive and her look reminded me of Elizabeth Holmes, who I read about in the excellent book
[Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...)
Holmes, I think, some might consider a sociopath.
Holmes
Patric
Alias, thanks for the update. Now i remember your comments on the book, as well as Rachel's. Pass.
Too tame, too ponderous, very old-fashioned.
Michele wrote: "Too tame, too ponderous, very old-fashioned."
Sorry it wasn't a good one, Michele. I hope your next read is a 5 star read.
Great summation for our group, Michele.The cover art is the sort which draws me in too often. In your GR review, you mention old Christmas traditions & bits. I'm a sucker for those!
So, i'm going to find a copy of this, for the first story only. Thank you for the comments here & your review. And congrats on completing another in your mystery category. Did you read them in order? If so, you've finished this category altogether. Brava!
I read this unusually detailed and researched book about a plot to disrupt a county fair-type dairy show in very rural France by a relatively ineffective group of environmental activists. It's funny, interesting, depicts a female psychopath very well, and captures the futility of most protest actions and also of the self-appointed masters of the universe who plot to alter our futures. 3.5 or more stars. I have a feeling this one will stay with me a while.
Book Nook Cafe
Books mentioned in this topic
Remarkably Bright Creatures (other topics)Remarkably Bright Creatures (other topics)
The Twyford Code (other topics)
The Twyford Code (other topics)
Creation Lake (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Olga Tokarczuk (other topics)Chris Whitaker (other topics)
Mark T. Sullivan (other topics)
Anne Morrow Lindbergh (other topics)
Charles Augustus Lindbergh (other topics)
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I added the link because if one wants to search for the book or your post on the book later on, I'm told that providing the GoodRead link helps the search engine.
That said, the GR search engine isn't the best.