THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB discussion
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WHAT ARE YOU READING AND WHY!!
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Hi Anne- just got this text from James Rollins in reply to your question
"I do still work as a vet on a voluntary level. I sold my practice some years ago and now do volunteer work as time permits."
Direct message sent by James Rollins
I read Mistress Of Nothing by Kate Pullinger a few weeks ago. It is the fictionalized story of the lady's maid who accompanied Lady Duff Gordon on her trip down the Nile in the 1860's. The book was very interesting. Lady Duff Gordon is renowned for her letters home from Egypt to her friends and family which were published at the time. I became interested in Lady D-G, so I started reading Lady Duff Gordon's Letters from Egypt, and also Lady D-G's biographyLucie Duff Gordon: A Passage to Egypt by Katherine Frank. I am about half way through both of them. Needless to say, the version of the story that concerns her lady's maid is completely different than the version given in MON. I haven't gotten to that part in Frank's book, however.
CURRENTLY IM READING 11 BOOKS I WILL READ PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING
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WOW!!!
I was noticing the posts about James Rollins, Rick's good friend and prolific author ;) ... and I was thinking about about adding some of his books to my to-read queue. For those who have read his work, what do you recommend starting with? Thanks in advance!
Let's see...I'm in the works of the following books, all from the 1001 Books/Banned Books lists.Delta of Venus-Anais Nin
Blonde-Joyce Carol Oates
Moon Palace-Paul Auster
Tin Drum-Gunter Grass
Return of the Native-Thomas Hardy
Just finished Wise Children-Angela Carter
Lisa wrote: "Let's see...I'm in the works of the following books, all from the 1001 Books/Banned Books lists.Delta of Venus-Anais Nin
Blonde-Joyce Carol Oates
Moon Palace-Paul Auster
Tin Drum-Gunter Grass
Ret..."
Return of the Native was a banned book? I read it in high school.
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I enjoyed all his books....as I do ALL James Mason Member Writers' books! :)
You could read any of his Sigma Force books as they are stand alones though many of the same characters are in them
Here are a few of them
Rick wrote: "Zuzana wrote: "I was noticing the posts about James Rollins, Rick's good friend and prolific author ;) ... and I was thinking about about adding some of his books to my to-read queue. For those wh..."Thanks!
James Joyce by Richard Ellman. Because Joyce was a genius, led a fascinating roller coaster life and it is considered to be the best biography ever written. I concur. You feel you are right there living his complicated life alongside him.
i read anything i can get my hands on
I just finished reading The Snake Pit by Mary Jane Ward. This novel, written and published in the 40's, is about a woman's descent into mental illness, her institutionalization and eventual recovery. A classic.. excellent!
I'm reading "Fatal Fleece" by Sally Goldenbaum because I love her Seaside Knitters Mystery series.
im reading silence right now and i love it everyone should read these books they are amazing and i love them i recomend them to everyone who loves fallen agles and Patch cause hes awesome
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Superb film was made from that book too- I am thinking Olivia DeHavilland was star- made in about 1948 or 9-
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As I understand Joyce could be somewhat..well self-absorbed- his lady-friend was the one who put in much of the legwork in getting Ullyses published- always forget her name!!!
Currently reading Firelight by Sophie Jordan. Because I have an alphabetical system for reading my books. Otherwise I get distracted and never finish all the ones I have. And I'm also reading Clockwork Prince with a friend :)
Rick, Joyce's lifelong ladyfriend, whom he finally married late in life, was Nora Barnacle. From what I've read about his life, though, although she loved him deeply, she didn't really have much appreciation for his writing; and nothing I've read credits her with any effort to get it published (though she might have mailed his manuscripts and correspondence with editors and publishers for him). According to one revealing anecdote, on one occasion when she saw him sitting down to the typewriter with a new ream of paper, she asked "Are you going to waste ALL of that paper?" :-)
Resumed reading "A People's History of the United States: 1492-Present" today. I'm interested in exploring and examining the multi-layered dimensions of U.S. history. 
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LOL- quite interesting Werner! but did the Woman who started bookstore Shakespeare & Co. do most of the work getting Ullyses puplished?
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Just about done with THE BOSS- quite surpised at how much I enjoy it- a very fine- fast moving..and moving thriller
Rick, good question! I'd never heard of Shakespeare and Co., but you set me off on an interesting voyage of discovery. :-) (I'm a reference librarian, among other things, so digging up information is in my blood.)According to Wikipedia, American expatriate Sylvia Beach (1887-1962) started the Paris bookstore and lending library Shakespeare and Co. after World War I. It was a gathering place for a lot of the American and British writers of that era, including Joyce; and she published the first English edition of Ulysses in 1922, when nobody else would. Ironically, she lost money on this venture, and was nearly ruined when Joyce later decided (once he could) to switch to a bigger, more mainstream publisher. :-(
Rick wrote: "Carol wrote: "I just finished reading The Snake Pit by Mary Jane Ward. This novel, written and published in the 40's, is about a woman's descent into mental illness, her institutionalization and ev..."The film is outstanding. I have it in my movie collection.
im reading Silence and Inheritance also City of Lost Souls and Clockwork Prince i had a bit of a hard time getting started i was super busy but its summer so lots of reading and fun plus im finding a new job its been a busy few months
I've started reading Prime Suspect by Lynda La Plante so I can watch the British series that is Finally available on netflix!
thats interesting i like mystery and suspense and fanasty books but im up to reading anything
I'm almost finished with Timothy Hallinan's new Poke Rafferty Bangkok thriller, The Fear Artist. Tim is one of my favorite authors and his Poke Rafferty series gets into the nitty gritty with an unconventional family in Thailand. This one gets a bit more graphic than the earlier books, with a character from Vietnam's Phoenix Project who is as sadistic as they come. The story plays out among some of the weird types who inhabit the shady bars of Bangkok.
Elaine wrote: "James Joyce by Richard Ellman. Because Joyce was a genius, led a fascinating roller coaster life and it is considered to be the best biography ever written. I concur. You feel you are right there l..."Elaine, you might like Irish novelist Frank Delaney's podcasts deconstructing Ulysses a few sentences at a time every Wednesday for the next 20 years or so at http://frankdelaney.com/re-joyce
Rick wrote: "Rick wrote: "I always read two books at the same time! Usually a current thriller or mystery and a classic- Right now I am just finishing up- The Elusive Pimpernel- the sequel to The Scarlet Pimper..."My husband's reading The Scarlet Pimpernel at the moment.
I'm reading A Perfect Woman by L.P. Hartley, first published in 1955 and never since. I can see why. Dealing with the life of a bourgeois accountant, it's as boring as its subject matter. I'm half-way through but determined to finish it; surely a writer as distinguished as Hartley will pull a few rabbits out of the hat soon?
I'm reading Warmth of Other Stones and The Angel's Game. I needed something to lighten up a little so started Year of Living Biblically - just what I needed for an occasional break.
Just started
and am enjoying already. Jeffery Deaver does kick start a novel.
I'm reading The Hanging Shed by Gordon Ferris because I've never read any of his books and he's always high amongst the best selling thrillers, so I thought I'd try him. I'm not disappointed and will review shortly.
sounds like a good series i jusst finished silence it was amazing cant wait for the forth book to come out
'Deep Politics and the Death of JFK' by Peter Dale Scott is the latest in my 'conspiracy schmiracy' reads.Next year is the 50th anniversary of the coup d'etat that history still attaches to Lee Oswald.
The Mary Ferrell Foundation hosts a petition to release JFK assassination files by 2013...I hope you sign it...I hope you get a break! (No green card required.)
A look into the the theory and world of God's Grace. A book that is for those that have been Bedraggled, Beat Up and Burnt- Out. Quite an interesting read. I am on the second chapter.
Finished The Bodies Left Behind and enjoyed even if it was a bit over busy with plot lines.. Half way through
by Armistead Maupin. Not my normal reading but it reminds me of Even Cowgirls Get the Blues which I read in my university days.
I just finished a page-turner, Julie Kramer's Shunning Sarah. If you're interested in the Amish or just want a good thriller, I highly recommend this one. My review
Some time ago, I ran across a remaindered copy of How to Read a Novel: A User's Guide on sale cheap at one of the local dollar stores. Now, I've been reading novels for over 50 years, enjoy it, and (I think) read with a good amount of perception as it is. But, aside from high school and college English classes, I've never done much formal study of literature appreciation; so I didn't think it would hurt to see what insights Sutherland can bring to the table. So, I snapped the book up, and just started it today. (I figured it was about time to do that --before I read any more novels. :-) )
I@m reading everything, because literature demands it! Currently though I'm reading the Prague Cemetery!
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Among books I am reading is new thriller RED CELL
Finished both Wise Children & Blonde. Am still currently hacking my way through Return of the Native, The Tin Drum, started & have nearly finished Claudine's House-Collette, & started Moon Palace-Paul Auster, late last night. That one is looking like it's going to be an easy read, as is Claudine. Delta of Venus is not what I expected, but it's ok. Certainly not as shocking as I'd heard...
Just finished Angel's Games and while I think it's no doubt the most depressing book I've ever read it was intriguing and I had to find out how it ended.
Thomas wrote: "I@m reading everything, because literature demands it! Currently though I'm reading the Prague Cemetery!"How is it, so far? I think I need to read some more Eco. Loved both Name of the Rose and Focault's Pendulum.
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My brother - who is visiting told me yesterday that this was one of the best books he ever read- curious if any others have read it?
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THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB
Books mentioned in this topic
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Monica Rodden (other topics)Lisa Unger (other topics)
Natalie D. Richards (other topics)
Maureen Johnson (other topics)
Gretchen McNeil (other topics)
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I agree. Loved the 1st book, liked the 2nd, and the 3rd one just didn't live up at all to the other two. The last one seemed to leave out so much that could have been put in. Not enough about what happened to Gail and some other characters. Seems like the author wanted to get it over with.