What I'm Reading - March/Apr 2024

[Lynn]

Leap Day is over and it's time to start a new thread for March and April. Please use this thread to continue your discussions of books you're reading right now. The old thread is now closed to new posts.

[Sheila]

Recommending a Danish thriller short series called Prisoner (Huset) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21867388/ set in a prison staring Sofie Gråbøl as a prison guard who many will have seen in the marvellous series The Killing.

[Lynn]

Did you mean to post this in the Movies, etc. at Home thread, Sheila? The IMDB link looks like it's not a book. :)

[Shirley]

My book club just finished Timothy Egan's “A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them.” We were all shocked by the story of the Klan's resurgence, especially in northern states, in the 1920’s. Indiana was a stronghold. Klan members held political office and infiltrated government, law enforcement, and the clergy of the Protestant Church. There was a plot to put a Klan member in the White House.
The first part of the book focuses on the growth of the clan and its mysterious leader in Indiana, as well as other northern states, and I felt it became a bit repetitive. But the second part deals with a shocking crime and and exciting court case. We were all glad we had read it.

[Sue]

That sounds good, Shirley. It’s on my list. Now to get to it.

[Sheila]

oops

[Barbara]

Thanks, Shirley. I'm interested too. I recently finished a great biography of Ulysses S. Grant by Ron Chernow. I was stunned by the total power of the KKK and other hate groups after the Civil War. We have Grant to thank for stopping them then but presidents after him didn't think it was a priority.

[Rachel]

Yes, the KKK held sway over many people in its day. They are not powerful anymore but there are many other such groups that would like to take America back to a past that never was.

[Ann D]

I recently finished Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano. The story revolves around 4 extremely close sisters who grow up in Chicago. They look a lot alike, but their personalities and challenges are definitely unique. I was totally absorbed by these young women and the people who are part of their stories.

This book really makes the reader think. What do we owe the people we love? What if we have to choose between them? How important is forgiveness? Is it necessary for a healthy life?

This was a 5 star book for me.

[Shirley]

That sounds interesting, Ann, with much more substance than I suspected. I'd seen it advertised, but the title put me off. Will put it on my burgeoning list!

[Shirley]

Barbara, the biography of Grant is now on my list. Going to have to live well beyond normal human life span to read all the great suggestions I find in this group!

[Barbara]

Shirley, Grant is a long book but worth the time. There is a good audiobook production that you can get from Libby at libraries.

[Ann D]

Shirley,
I can see why the title could be misleading. The phrase "Hello, Beautiful" is used by the girls' father. He's more concerned with inner beauty than their looks. He has the gift of loving his girls just the way they are and letting them know it.

Barb, the Grant biography sounds really good.

[Sue]

Shirley, I can add to Barbara’s praise of Chernow’s Grant. I found it very readable and full of history that I discovered I wanted to know. I love that combination.

[Rachel]

Ann D wrote: "I recently finished Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano. The story revolves around 4 extremely close sisters who grow up in Chicago. They look a lot alike, but their p..."

You are so right. I loved this book. Thanks for reminding me of it.

[Sue]

I’m adding Hello Beautiful too. I think the title led me astray and I never even read descriptions of the book. Thanks to all.

[Tamara]

Me, too, for Hello Beautiful. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Gina]

I had a difficult time staying with Hello Beautiful. Based on all the comments here, I'll try again. Maybe I just gave up too soon.

[Mary Anne]

I read The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel for my in person book club. I kind of liked it, but as time goes by, I am questioning my 4**** rating. I will be eager to hear what the group thinks.

I also reread Our Town by Thornton Wilder for our upcoming Classics discussion. Not easy for me to read.

[Sue]

Mary Ann, I haven’t read Our Town since high school and have only a vague recollection of it now. Probably saw it on stage about the same time.

[Rachel]

A Death in the Family
I am listening to this one.It takes place in 1915. The most striking thing about the work is how differently children were treated in those days. It seems like they were expected to behave and they did.

[Kat]

Ann D wrote: "I recently finished Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano. The story revolves around 4 extremely close sisters who grow up in Chicago. They look a lot alike, but their p..."

Thanks for the reminder, I really want to read this book. I loved her novel A Good Hard Look, which imagined the life of Flannery O'Connor and the people around her.

[Kat]

Rachel wrote: "A Death in the Family
I am listening to this one.It takes place in 1915. The most striking thing about the work is how differently children were treated in those days. It seems like t..."

I read this novel years ago. What I remember about it is that I was struck by how the author chose the perfect details to help us visualize the homey scenes. I found myself wondering if writers still take the time to show us how things look, or whether the omnipresence of screen images makes them assume that we already know how things look. Anybody have an opinion, or a writer they like who spends a lot of time on appearances?

[Rachel]

Do you think description now takes 2nd place to different points of view and moving forward and backward in time? The style of story telling has certainly changed.

[Kat]

Rachel wrote: "Do you think description now takes 2nd place to different points of view and moving forward and backward in time? The style of story telling has certainly changed."

Sounds right to me. I remember being in grad school (a few decades ago) and during a critique of one of my stories someone said, "It doesn't do anything interesting with time." I was really startled. But since then I think many readers (I'm not excluding myself) have grown to crave the speed of those changes, both in time and in point of view. Although there's something about more leisurely 19th century novels that still attracts me, and I sometimes slip into one as though into a hot bath after a long day.

[Sue]

Have to admit that, while I now the increased time element in much that I read, I still crave the descriptive in the fiction I read, actually in everything I read. Occasionally I read a book that is much less descriptive but catches me completely and carries me along. I’m thinking of The Sentence as a novel that was somewhat different from many that I love but is so good.

[Rachel]

Kat wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Do you think description now takes 2nd place to different points of view and moving forward and backward in time? The style of story telling has certainly changed."

Sounds right to ..."

I finished A Death in the Family today and listening to the remainder after your comment about the detail the author put in the book. Made me feel like I was watching the characters. Also, the son, Rufus, Mr. Agee captured the child's perspective perfectly.

[Kat]

Rachel wrote: "Kat wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Do you think description now takes 2nd place to different points of view and moving forward and backward in time? The style of story telling has certainly changed."

Soun..."

Yes, I think people in our book group commented on that.

[Shirley]

I read “A Death in the Family” about 40 years ago, and I’ve never forgotten it. (I apologize, I’ve never found instructions on how to manage this site, so I don’t know how to begin by referring to a previous post.) I remember being blown away by the author’s ability to describe what goes on in a child’s mind. I looked for more novels by Agee, but found very little, nor did I find much in the way of criticism or reviews.
By the way, can anyone direct me to information on how to manage mechanics of Goodreads?

[Lynn]

Shirley wrote: "I read “A Death in the Family” about 40 years ago, and I’ve never forgotten it. (I apologize, I’ve never found instructions on how to manage this site, so I don’t know how to begin by referring to ..."

I don't know about a set of instructions for the mechanics of Goodreads, but if you want to include the text of a specific post in the text of your reply, click on "reply" at the bottom of that post (next to "delete" and "flag").

[Shirley]

Lynn wrote: "Shirley wrote: "I read “A Death in the Family” about 40 years ago, and I’ve never forgotten it. (I apologize, I’ve never found instructions on how to manage this site, so I don’t know how to begin ..."

Lynne, Thank you. I see what the problem is. Those options don't appear on iPad or Phone versions. I just found them on my laptop version, which I rarely use. Thanks again!

[Tamara]

I re-read Independent People by Halldór Laxness; translated from the Icelandic by J.A. Thompson. Laxness won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1955.
The novel is an absolute masterpiece. I re-read it to prepare for an upcoming group read.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Sue]

Oh Tamara, I have had that book on my list for so long and I actually own it too. I have no excuse.

[Tamara]

Sue, it is amazing. I think it is one of the best novels I've ever read. After reading Independent People, I read a couple of his other novels. They're all good, but this is by far the best.

I watched a short video of Ann Patchett on Youtube claiming it as her favorite book. So you know it must be good!

[Rachel]

Tamara wrote: "Sue, it is amazing. I think it is one of the best novels I've ever read. After reading Independent People, I read a couple of his other novels. They're all good, but this is by far the best.

I wa..."

Independent People is a great work. Thanks for reminding me of it.

[Tamara]

You're welcome, Rachel.

[Donna]

I also have Independent People on my shelves, unread. Time to remedy that, I think.

[Ruth]

I’ve read it twice

[Tamara]

Ruth wrote: "I’ve read it twice"

I'm about to begin a third reading of it for the group read. I got a lot more out of it the second time around and enjoyed it more. I'm a bit of a soppy fool and cry like a blithering idiot each time I get to the end of that novel.

[Sue]

I actually bought a copy for my kindle because I realized the print in my paper copy was so small….I was going to add “now” though of course the print size hasn’t changed!

[Ruth]

Sue wrote: "I actually bought a copy for my kindle because I realized the print in my paper copy was so small….I was going to add “now” though of course the print size hasn’t changed!"

LOL!

[Book Concierge]

Ripley Under Ground – Patricia Highsmith – 3***
This is book two in the series, featuring psychopath Tom Ripley. Highsmith was a talented writer, and she could craft a chilling psychological thriller. In the first Ripley book we met a charming, somewhat socially inept, closeted gay young man with ambition. But THIS Ripley is a drudge. Still, lies and killing come naturally to him. As the bodies pile up and investigators get closer to the truth, Ripley’s ability to charm his way out of things is taxed to the max. By the end, he seems to be completely unraveling, The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. But I suspect Highsmith just ran out of steam and decided to stop.
LINK to my full review

[Tamara]

Based on the rave reviews I got here after reading my first Wallace Stegner, I read Crossing to Safety. A quiet, meditative book about the enduring, four-decades long friendship between two couples. There is a subdued quality about Stegner's writing that I really love. It reminds me a lot of the novels of John Williams--one of my favorite authors.
Thanks to all for the recommendation.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Barbara]

Oh, I'm really glad you liked it, Tamara! I usually feel pretty safe recommending that one

[Tamara]

Thanks, Barbara. I've got Angel of Repose on my TBR. Hope to get to it soon.

[Rachel]

Tamara wrote: "Based on the rave reviews I got here after reading my first Wallace Stegner, I read Crossing to Safety. A quiet, meditative book about the enduring, four-decades long friendship between..."

Thanks for the reminder of what a talent he was.

[Book Concierge]

The Song of Achilles – Madeline Miller – 4****
Miller turns her remarkable talent to Greek mythology in this retelling of events leading up to and including the Trojan War. The novel is narrated by Petroclus, a young prince who has been exiled to the court of King Peleus, where he meets Achilles. Of course, I knew the basic storyline of the Trojan War going into the book, but Miller makes this such an intimate tale that I felt I was first hearing this story. There are two young men learning about life, honor, duty, and love. I was initially taken aback by Miller’s choice to have Petroclus narrate the tale, but I quickly came to love his point of view.
LINK to my full review

[Rachel]

Your review has made me want to read or listen to the book. I thought it would be dry and or hard to keep track of. So on my list it goes. Thanks

[Lyn]

I just finished We Are the Light for a local book club. It was interesting in that it was constructed as a series of letters from a man who lost his wife in a mass shooting to his former Jungian analyst. A former student and brother to the shooter takes up residence in his backyard. It investigates the emotions following such an event, so as such can't be seen as enjoyable reading, but the community depicted is a nice one.

[Tamara]

I read another Claire Keegan, her collection of three short stories: So Late in the Day: Stories of Women and Men.
Three stories illustrating varying degrees of male misogyny. The stories are as good as her novels. I'm a big fan of her writing.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...