THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB discussion
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WHAT ARE YOU READING AND WHY!!
Bill......I have read Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883 by Simon Winchester and enjoyed it. There is probably a little too much technical information about tectonic plates (or at least for this layman) but it is still a fascinating read.
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Jill wrote: "Bill......I have read Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883 by Simon Winchester and enjoyed it. There is probably a little too much technical information..."I have found that with the other books I have read by Winchester, Jill. I've read the books about the first Oxford English Dictionary as well as about the fellow who made the first geographical map of England (my terminology is probably wrong there) and found them somewhat technical, but that didn't take away from the underlying story. I hope this is as interesting.
Finished The Boy Who Taught the Beekeeper to Read - Susan Hill. Now going to start Bad Guys - Linwood Barclay.
Fiona (Titch) wrote: "Finished The Boy Who Taught the Beekeeper to Read - Susan Hill. Now going to start Bad Guys - Linwood Barclay."I read and reviewed Bad Guys some time ago. I really enjoyed Linwood's style. I gave it to my hubby to read, and though he doesn't read much fiction, he liked it too.
I am reading The Summer Book by Tove Jansson as it is for my offline book club. I am also curious as my mother is Finnish and Tove Jansson was as well.
Right now, I'm reading Robin Hobbs' Assassin's Apprentice. I've read other books by her, but I'm told the Farseer Trilogy is one of her better series.
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Being a Francophile and knowing Balzac's reputation as one of France's fines..."
I have that book in paperback- also Balzac' collected works on Kindle- curious as to your opinion!
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Robert Dugoni
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Being a Francophile and knowing Balzac's reputation as..."
haha- well I said I "have" alot of his books- but havent gotten to read most of them yet! so you are not alone- enjoyed the few stories of his I did read!
Finished Robots Beyond. Onward to Nation by Terry Pratchett because his work are such great reads, I feel I can't stop myself from reading them!
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really enjoyed recently reading The Truth!
I am reading Frankenstein - Mary Shelly as part of a challenge from another group to read 8 -10 books between June1st - Aug.31st.Here is the list and criteria. Any suggestions to the list that don't have book titles next to them would be great!
1. Book turned into a major motion picture - "The Road" Cormac McCarthy. DONE!!!
2. A book set in a place that you would like to visit. I want to visit greece - Any suggestions?
3. A book written by an author from your home country , region, or with your ancestral background who lives in a foreign country. - Suffrage of Elvira
by V.S. Naipaul
4. A classic novel. - Mary Shelly - Frankenstein (reading)
5. A book from the BBC list Rebecca - Daphne Du maurier
6. A novel by a first time author.- Oodumay - Shane Porteous(may change this)
7. A biography/autobiography/memoir about someone you admire.
8. A book about the environment
9 & 10 are free choice
Rick wrote: "Suzanne wrote: "Jennifer*Thank you for admitting to 'Twilight'. It receives great scorn and derision here in GR.All I can say is, to my absolute astonishment, upon opening the first book in the..."
Totally agree!! I am a recent lover of several Young adult series. I have read almost all of the Morganville Vampire series! There I said it. I have loved vampire stories since I was very young and I plan to read The Twilight series as well.
I'm actually listening to a new audiobook version of Henry James' "The Golden Bowl." I'm doing reviews now for Audible.com, so I'm getting in to the whole audiobook thing.
Just finished Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel-I read it in 2 days. I could hardly stop, I loved it so much. I found it sad but fascinating. So much to think about. I see it as a book that a reader would either love or hate. Not room for a lot of middle range feelings.
Morphidae wrote: "Renee wrote: "2. A book set in a place that you would like to visit. I want to visit greece - Any suggestions?"I'd suggest My Family and Other Animals. It's humorous essays about a n..."
Thank you! I will add this to my challenge list!
Renee wrote: "I am reading Frankenstein - Mary Shelly as part of a challenge from another group to read 8 -10 books between June1st - Aug.31st.Here is the list and criteria. Any suggestions to the list that don..."
For Greece, The Magus by John Fowles is set on a Grecian isle.
I'm reading "Strange Tales of Horror" by Norgus Press because I have a story in their next anthology and wanted to explore the format and editing. It's quite good I might add. Of course, being a horror anthology buff helps too.
My currently-reading book is Blood and Bitter Wind, the last novel Western writer Earl Murray wrote (he died just before it was published). I gave my wife a copy for her birthday last year (she's an avid Western fan), and thought I'd try it, since she liked it and recommended it.
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interesting- who is doing the vocals? what a perfect combo- James Mason reading Henry James! alas- never to be!
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new name for me Werner- thanks!
Rick, don't get too excited about Murray as a writer of Western fiction --this particular novel is decidedly third-rate! (Although I'm continuing to read it.... :-( ). But his nonfiction book, Ghosts of the Old West, is fascinating (if you're interested in that sort of thing).
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I do enjoy a good "dime novel" be it western, mystry ect! Have a bunch on my Kindle- the non fiction book does seem quite interesting!
Just finished the great Blood Atonement - Dan Waddell. I am now about to start Shadow -Michael Morpurgo
A little more than a week ago, I finished reading Père Goriot
When I began reading "Père Goriot", I wasn't sure I would like it, because for the first dozen pages or so, Balzac let the narrative voice run riot. Granted, the narrative voice has its place in terms of creating for the reader setting, mood, and characters. But once those elements have been established, I prefer that the narrator step aside and let the main characters have their say.
Thankfully, Balzac spared me further agonies upon introducing the young Rastignac (a rube and law student from Southern France keen to make his mark in genteel Parisian society), the wily and mysterious Vautrin, Goriot himself, and a few of the other characters in Madame's Vauquer's boarding house. They, together with their friends, lovers, and rivals, made this novel well worth reading.
Simply put,"Père Goriot" succeeds as a morality play on French society in the immediate post-Napoleonic era
Finished the delightful Shadow - Michael Morpurgo. Now I am about to start Dread Pirate Fleur and the Ruby Heart - Sara Starbuck.
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When I began reading "Père Goriot", I wasn't sure I would like it, because for the ..."
thanks KOMET- very well done review- definatly gives me a better understanding of book- also hate when narrator goes on and on!!
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The new Planet of the Apes or the great Roddy Mcdowell Planet of the Apes!
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I'm reading Shadow Blade by Seressia Glass. My interest was sparked by the reviews I had seen and it's turned out to be a very good read so far!
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sounds like a great plot Andrew!!
Kira's day job is as an antiquities expert, but her true calling is as a Shadowchaser. Trained from youth to be one of the most lethal Chasers in existence, Kira serves the Gilead Commission, dispatching the Fallen who sow discord and chaos.
Rick wrote: "Andrew wrote: "I'm reading Shadow Blade by Seressia Glass. My interest was sparked by the reviews I had seen and it's turned out to be a very good read so far!"sou..."
Hi Rick. Definitely a nice plot and it is set in modern Atlanta!
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nice- I lived in Atlanta for two years!
Right now, I'm reading John Jakes' The Seekers and Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon. I love John Jakes' books and start The Kent Family chronicles (The Seekers is #3) last year. So, I read a few each year. Avalon is one of those books I've always meant to read but never got around to it. But then my wife began it and raved about it, so I finally started that one too. Both are excellent.
I'm about 2/3 through Botchan: A Modern Classic by Kin-Nosuke Natsume. Over a century since it was written & it feels so fresh & contemporary.And funny. I thought this would be a "read it, it's 'good' for you" but it's a "read it, it's so much fun" book!
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I'm reading The City Of Bones because someone told me it would be a good book to read. So far it is good.
I'm now reading
by John Brunner as my new downstairs book. I've enjoyed the other Brunner books I've read before and this one sounded interesting as well.
Finished the great Dread Pirate Fleur and the Ruby Heart - Sara Starbuck. Now I am reading Doctor Who: The War Machines - Ian Stuart Black.
Latest book
Just completed this wonderful new book by Edgar Award winner,John Hart.
Please check out my Amazon book review
http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-r...
Thanks,
Mike
I stayed up late to finish Caleb's Crossingwhich I liked very much. There was some excellent characterization. It's a touching but tragic story.Now I am about to start A Famine of Horses: A Sir Robert Carey Mystery, the first in an Elizabethan mystery series that was recommended to the F2F mystery group I attend by the owner of the bookstore where we meet.
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THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB
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I have really taken to the story so far, Gail. It's one of those books that draws you in and keeps your interest up. I like the character of Harry Hole and his ex-partner Ellen. I can't wait to see what happens next.
I also picked my bedside table book now that I'm back from travelling back east. I've picked