THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB discussion
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WHAT ARE YOU READING AND WHY!!
After two attempts to read The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo, I finally made it through the first third of the book...and then absolutely fell in love with the characters and story!So, I am torn: The Girl that Played with Fire or start on The Harry Potter series. I do like to live in a world for a while. So I'll probably finish Stieg Larson's Millenium Series.
What I love about Steig Larson's writing is that he does one of the most difficult things in writing-he makes you fall in love with this very unusual and odd. I didn't want her to be the main character and I didn't want to read a book about her. But by the middle of the book, she became one of my favorite literary characters, along with Mikael. And the dual plots were both brilliant! Hmmm guess I've sold myself on finishing The Millenium series!
i am reading Bruce Cattons book called the Civil War-before that one i read "Don't Know Much About the Civil War by Kenneth Davis--got interested in the subject when my son said he really enjoyed Ken Burns series on TV -but he didn't know anything about the Civil War--neither did i-so i looked up books on the subject--i must say you really have to have a good map and study the battles to understand--to just read to get an idea is what i am doing--it takes a lot of study to really understand--but i'ts interesting anyway
Bunnie wrote: "i am reading Bruce Cattons book called the Civil War."Shelby Foote's work is exemplary on the topic and offers a great deal of the personal recollections of the participants. I miss his commentary in the Ken Burn's series. I'll miss his drawl.
ken,give me time and i;ll get to that too
Reading The Tragedy of the Korosko by the great Arthur Conan Doyle, very interesting, with islamic terrorists and all. Clear colonialist sentiment is also fun to read in this day and age when that is so foreign.
Per, for scandal ridden colonialist sentiment & a loveable scoundrel, have you ever read any of the Flashman books, by G. M. Fraser?
Howard wrote: "Per, for scandal ridden colonialist sentiment & a loveable scoundrel, have you ever read any of the Flashman books, by G. M. Fraser?"No, I have not, but I've heard about them, and I'm going to have a look, thanks for reminding me.
Per, Doyle is also a favorite of mine.He wrote two books about one of my relatives.
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No, I have not, but I've heard about them, and ..."
Howard wrote: "Per, for scandal ridden colonialist sentiment & a loveable scoundrel, have you ever read any of the Flashman books, by G. M. Fraser?"
I have all the Flashman books and they are a riot!!!!!
Rick, me too, although I haven't read them in a while, but no one beats Flashman, first for being there (everywhere) & second for never failing to be himself (always at another's expense).My copies, being several decades old, look different, of course.
I love the ones with the Captain who quotes Latin.
All are great though & the idea of finding 'the papers' & he only editing them was a brilliant stroke by MacDonald Fraser.
Once you're past how dastardly he is, they are funny beyond belief, epically if you know history.
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My copi..."
Exactly- I have various editions- and he is very nasty!! but the wit is there and GMF wanted to push people's buttons- to see who could enjoy wicked wit and not be offended - Flashman is a most...um unique fella!! and love that he is unappologetic!
Howard wrote: "Per, Doyle is also a favorite of mine.He wrote two books about one of my relatives.
"I've read The White Company so far, quite enjoyed. Sir Nigel is on my shelf waiting to be read. Who was your relative?
Bill, since you asked, I'm Howard Loring & both books are about Sir Nigel Loring.My 1st immigrant ancestor was Deacon Thomas Loring, who came over on the 2nd English ship to America, the Mary & the Margaret, under Cap. Newport, in 1602.
He was a member of the 1st Virginia House of Burgesses & was buried in the 1st non-native cemetery in the country.
So, I beat those pesky Mayflower folks by 12 years.
I like the books, too.
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My 1st immigrant ancestor was Deacon Thomas Loring, who came over on the 2nd English ship to America, the Mary & t..."
facinating and great that you know your family history so well! I just know my Grandparents left Russia- Bialystok- for Agrentina and they came to Brooklyn
Brooklyn being a somewhat more welcome place for Jews then Russia!
Howard wrote: "Bill, since you asked, I'm Howard Loring & both books are about Sir Nigel Loring.My 1st immigrant ancestor was Deacon Thomas Loring, who came over on the 2nd English ship to America, the Mary & t..."
Now that's interesting, Howard. Thanks for that. I know next to nothing about my father's family, a bit more about my mother's, but not much before late 1800's..
Mod
My 1st immigrant ancestor was Deacon Thomas Loring, who came over on the 2nd English ship to Americ..."
amazing to be able to trace one's family so far back- also wonderful - I agree!
Rick & Bill, thanks but I can claim no credit there.The family history has been well documented from the beginning, nothing I did.
Cap. Newport was very famous, however & the ship in question was named for the sisters of Henry VIII.
Rick, I love poetry, and have begun reading The Complete Poems, 1927-1979 by Elizabeth Bishop. I'm enjoying it immensely and savoring every page!
The b/w photograph in my comment is of poet Elizabeth Bishop.
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Rick, I love poetry, and have begun reading The Complete Poems, 1927-1979 by Elizabeth Bishop. I'm enjoying it immensely and savoring every page!"
WILL for sure put on TBR- thanks!!!
I just finished reading "Dirt" by S. L. Dwyer, a wonderfully written novel about two youngsters who have to make it on their own during the 1930s Great Depression. Couldn't put it down.
I usually read several books at once, often mixing fiction with non-fiction to keep things interesting. At the moment, I'm into HYSTERICAL by Rebecca Coffey, WRITING WHILE BLACK by Wendy Coakley-Thompson and THE HAJ by Leon Uris.
The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins. Fabulous. Why am I reading it? Curiosity!
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I am reading The Ruins of Lace- amazing book about 17th Century and how France's ban on lace affected so many - very facinating and intense read
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I finished -Strange Case of Mr. Bodkin and Father Whitechapel: A Companion Novel to Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde-
Loved it!! very original take on the classic..in a modern setting..and loved that it is a flip book so it had original RLS version included as well!
Rick wrote: "I am reading The Ruins of Lace- amazing book about 17th Century and how France's ban on lace affected so many - very facinating and intense read"
It does sound interesting, Rick.
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I am reading The Ruins of Lace- amazing book about 17th Century and how France's ban on lace affected so many - very facinating and intense read"..."
very impressed by the book Bill!
I put this on my future reading list, Rick. It sounds fascinating!
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It really is..three amazing books in a row for me!
posted reviews for each
I am reading Devil at My Heels: A Heroic Olympian's Astonishing Story of Survival as a Japanese POW in World War II by Louis Zaamperini.
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My Goodreads friend Jackie and I have started our long awaited buddy read of Stephen Lawhead's The Skin Map, the series opener for his Bright Empires series. It's premised on the idea of interdimensional travel by means of ley lines.
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I recently read Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption - about Louis Zamperini. Astonishing tale of hardship and survival.
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It really is..three amazing books in a row for me!
[bookcover:Strange Case o..."my reviews for each book sre posted posted- amazing books!
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Werner
I have his three volume Hood series- have not read it yet
Rick, Jackie and I did a buddy read of the series opener for that series (technically, it's called the King Raven series) a couple of years ago, and liked it so well we went ahead and read the whole trilogy together, back to back!
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great to hear!! love that one book is called Tuck- my favorite character in Robin Hood saga
I'm reading the Grapes of Wrath right now, because it's a gap in my classics. I am enjoying it thoroughly. I went to a bookstore once to pick up a copy of Crime and Punishment because I had never read Dostoyevsky (sp?) and the bookstore owner asked me if I was taking a class-- What was I reading this book for? I simply said "for erudition." I'm not sure the book seller knew the word.
Adam, tell us what you think of the ending.Not like the movie.
Sharing a wonderful history book that’s been on my bookshelf for twelve years. The original plastic cover was still on it!Remembering Slavery
African Americans Talk About Their Personal Experience of Slavery and Emancipation.
Edited by Ira Berlin, Marc Favreau, and Steven F. Miller with a foreword by Robin D.G. Kelly
THE NEW PRESS--NEW YORK in association with the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Published in conjunction with the Library of Congress and as a companion to Smithsonian Productions’s radio documentary.
© 1998 by Ira Berlin, Marc Favreau, and Steven F. Miller
A brief portion of the FOREWORD:
“Racial slavery has shaped virtually every aspect of our nation’s history. Slavery provided one of the essential legs upon which modern capitalism was built. Slavery shaped the development of the American political structure, from its peculiar form of federalism to the astonishing, and continuing, disproportional influence of Southern legislators. Today’s various racial constructions—whiteness, blackness, and an Other category that persistently renders nonwhites and nonblack invisible—are obviously rooted in the history of slavery and Jim Crow.”
–Robin D.G. Kelly
I'm searching for the real facts about U.S. President Lincoln. What I've learned so far is that I'm looking for my view of this historical era. Nevertheless, I'm trying not to allow objectivity block subjective information by the many writers.
Minnie E Miller
Writer, Essayist & Humanist
Along the same vein, I'd recommend THE HISTORY OF WHITE PEOPLE by African-American scholar Nell Painter.
Both must-read books but not big-six releases in the latest catalog, hence the lack of awareness by the bookstore clerk.
A delightful cozy mystery MR. TEA AND THE TRAVELING TEACUP by Leslie Matthews Stansfield. In this book, Mr. Tea is a mascot at a teahouse--a psychic macaw who makes predictions about all the customers. It's fun!
Minnie wrote: "Sharing a wonderful history book." "
Just from the forward, a person can tell this is certainly an objective view of the topic.
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THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB
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I've been looking at The Innocent. Looks intriguing.