WHAT ARE YOU READING AND WHY!! Showing 8,951-9,000 of 10,669

[Shelley]

Barbara: that seems like a good critique of Passage to India. I know that ever since I started reading Sherman Alexie, I always feel a similar unease when people (including myself) refer to American Indian characters but aren't themselves a part of that culture.

I just don't know if we know enough.


Shelley, http://dustbowlstory.wordpress.com

[Katie]

Love Faulkner. My favorite FAulkner book is The Reivers. Funny and poignant. Steve McQueen starred in the movie ages ago. As I Lay Dying is a masterpiece.

[Katie]

Barbara wrote: "A Passage to India by E.M. Forster; I'm re-reading this for a book club but it's always been a favorite of mine."

Shelley wrote: "Barbara: that seems like a good critique of Passage to India. I know that ever since I started reading Sherman Alexie, I always feel a similar unease when people (including myself) refer to America..."

I read Passage to India this August on the way to visit the Taj Mahal. I was completely immersed in the culture and found that though Delhi,Calcutta, Bombay and other big cities thrive and have moved on after the English departure, south India, Combatore and thereabouts retain the same colonial mentality.

[Fiona (Titch)]

I've finished Unlucky 13 - James Patterson and I am now reading Tragically Flawed - A.M. Hargrove

[Barbara]

I finished Saints of the Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin. John Rebus, previously retired, is once again a detective in Scotland, supervised by his previous subordinate DI Siobhan Clarke. They're investigating a car accident in which Jessica Traynor was injured. Jessica claims she was alone in the crashed car but the cops suspect her boyfriend, son of the Justice Minister, was driving. Meanwhile, Rebus and his former colleagues are being investigated for misconduct by Inspector Malcolm Fox. Fox is looking into a 30-year-old case in which a murderer, Billy Saunders, escaped prosecution because the shady cops mishandled the case. Rebus's former colleagues pressure him to deflect the investigation but Rebus feels compelled to find the truth. Before long a robbery leaves the Justice Minister in a coma, Billy Saunders disappears, illegal drugs get involved, and a mummified dead body appears. Good mystery with well-liked characters.

[Hazel]

Currently rereading The Last Hour of Gan by R. Lee Smith simply because I consider it my best read of 2013.

[KOMET]

During lunch hour today, I began reading "The Kennedy Curse: Why Tragedy Has Haunted America's First Family for 150 Years" by Edward Klein because of my deep fascination with the Kennedy Family. It is truly gripping stuff!

[Seeley]

It's an old one ('99) that was recommended to me recently. They call it Tartan Noir for the dark Glasgow setting. It's slower than an American thriller but deeper and with a grittier feel.

Peace, Seeley

[Fiona (Titch)]

I've just finished Tragically Flawed - A.M. Hargrove. Now I am about to read Tragic Desires - A.M. Hargrove.

[Lisa]

I am reading these 3 books, because they are all on the 1001 books list, & 2 of them are also on the banned books lists...

The Story of O

Tipping the Velvet

The Kitchen House

[[deleted user]]

Finally reading The Talisman. I've been waiting since I was 16 to read this book. It's brilliant in it's storytelling and vivid characters. King and Straub work well together.

[Rick-Founder JM CM BOOK CLUB]

Aaron{{REBLAST}} wrote: "Finally reading The Talisman. I've been waiting since I was 16 to read this book. It's brilliant in it's storytelling and vivid characters. King and Strau..."

Curious if it lives up to you expectations Aaron!!

[Rick-Founder JM CM BOOK CLUB]

. Still reading the very facinating techno thriller set in 2056. Alot of medical and tech jargon but the author does a great job making it accessible to the general reader. The ideas and advances proposed in this book do not seem that far fetched anymore. Humans having computer implants that allow for virtual internal "GPS and data communication" interface

[[deleted user]]

Rick wrote: "Aaron{{REBLAST}} wrote: "Finally reading The Talisman. I've been waiting since I was 16 to read this book. It's brilliant in it's storytelling and vivid c..."

So far it's awesome, Rick. Will surely let you know.

[Barbara]

I finished Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital by Sheri Fink. Memorial Medical Center in New Orleans did not have the resources to adequately care for patients following Hurricane Katrina. The air conditioning failed and temperatures soared, toilet facilities were inadequate and the building reeked, halls and stairways were dark, and the staff was sleep-deprived and exhausted. Sheri Fink describes the difficult decisions of several healthcare professionals to euthanize a number of patients who they believed would not make it out in time. Afterwards, state authorities initiated a murder investigation with plans to prosecute a doctor and two nurses who allegedly administered the fatal injections. Sheri Fink does a masterful job of describing the situation at Memorial during the crisis and the legal maneuverings of all parties - prosecution and defense - afterwards. It's hard to say I enjoyed the book since the subject matter was so depressing and horrific - but it was a compelling read. Highly recommended.

[Rick-Founder JM CM BOOK CLUB]

Aaron{{REBLAST}} wrote: "Rick wrote: "Aaron{{REBLAST}} wrote: "Finally reading The Talisman. I've been waiting since I was 16 to read this book. It's brilliant in it's storytellin..."

Excellent!!

[Barbara]

I finished The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. Thirteen-year-old Theo Decker's life changes dramatically when he and his mother stop by the Metropolitan Museum of Art on the way to a conference at Theo's school. While browsing the gallery Theo spots an elderly gentleman (Welty) escorting a teenage girl (Pippa) with whom Theo is instantly enthralled. Shortly afterward a terrorist bomb levels part of the museum, Theo's mom is killed, and Theo - shocked and confused - makes off with a small masterpiece, Carel Fabritius's painting "The Goldfinch". Theo's deep mourning over the loss of his mother, his illicit possession of the beautiful masterpiece, and his infatuation with the badly injured Pippa profoundly affect his ongoing story. To me the very last part of the book - where the author philosophizes about art and beauty and life - was slow and somewhat incomprehensible. For the most part, though, this is an excellent book with a good story, well-rounded, engrossing characters and enough twists to keep the reader interested. One caveat - the book is VERY long.

[Fiona (Titch)]

I've just finished the delightful but robust Tragic Desires - A.M. Hargrove. Now I am about to read Daughter - Jane Shemilt.

[Barbara]

I started Take One With You by Oak Anderson. I won this in a book giveaway on Goodreads.

[Gerard]

Just finished The Black-Eyed Blonde. Review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now starting

I loved Wilson's Lisbon and Seville novels, so looking forward to this new departure

[[deleted user]]

Im reading Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. I've been wanting it for a while, and I found it :)

[Barbara]

I finished Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. In this book Vonnegut presents caricatures of religion, the hubris of scientists, and the dangers of technology. Jonah, the storyteller of Cat's Cradle, learns that eccentric Dr. Felix Hoenikker - "father of the atomic bomb" - has invented a substance called Ice-Nine which causes water to instantly crystallize and harden. Moreover, the effect rapidly spreads, solidifying all water far and wide - a very dangerous phenomenon. Upon Dr. Hoenikker's death his children divide his stock of Ice-Nine to safeguard it. Eventually we find all the children on a Caribbean island called San Lorenzo for a wedding. San Lorenzo is a very odd place whose residents practice a forbidden religion called Bokononism, which has some strange customs (e.g. people press their feet together in lieu of sex). Jonah discovers that each of the siblings has given away a bit of their Ice-Nine to garner some advantage for themselves. With Ice-Nine on the loose all over the place can disaster be far behind? The book has an eclectic variety of weird, often funny, characters involved in a mildly engaging story.

[S.D.]

Just finished ALREADY DEAD by Stephen Booth. This series is set in England and is the 13th in the series. The latest installment of the Ben Cooper/Diane Fry series finds Ben still reeling from his near death experience in the last book which left his fiancée dead. In his absence, Diane is back at Derbyshire to solve the murder of what might be a drowning victim. While clues lead her team to conclude the death was no accident, the reader follows Ben on his personal vendetta to make those responsible for Liz’s death pay. His dreams and flashbacks torment him as he faces the realization that it may be left up to him to seek the justice they deserve. In a bit of irony, Ben appears to turn into Diane as his experience has left him a shell of a person lacking empathy while Diane is surprisingly morphing into a person who is actually conjuring up feelings. As usual, Booth doesn’t disappoint in yet another episode rich in atmosphere.

[Rick-Founder JM CM BOOK CLUB]

I am reading by Robin Cook It is actually very good. I was worried as his last book was horrific with no ending and a despicable leading character

[Barbara]

I finished Deadly Stakes by J.A. Jance. Gemma Ralston, stabbed and parazlyzed, dies a horrible death in the desert. Teenager A.J. Sanders - looking for buried treasure - happens to be on hand at the end of Gemma's life. The teen texts for help then flees the scene of the crime. Turns out Gemma was the grasping, money-grubbing ex-wife of Dr. Chip Ralston, and Chip and his girlfriend are arrested for murder. Soon afterward the body of A.J.'s dad is found in the desert. Are the crimes connected? Police investigate as does journalist/amateur detective Ali Reynolds. Familiar series characters make an appearance, including Ali's mom, boyfriend, cop friends, and computer hacker Stuart Ramey. To me, scenes of Stuart's data mining and illicit hacking are boring but computer nerds may enjoy them. Ali carries on detecting, has her life threatened by bad guys, and eventually solves the crime. This is an okay escapist mystery.

[Barbara]

Rick wrote: "I am reading by Robin Cook It is actually very good. I was worried as his last book was horrific with no ending and a despicable leading char..."

I've read several Robin Cook medical thrillers and usually felt like he had a kind of minimal plot that he "padded" with a lot of extraneous detail. I tended to skim large parts of his books and then I stopped reading them. Since you say Cell is good maybe I'll give it a try.

[Barbara]

I finished Take One With You by Oak Anderson, which I won in a Goodreads giveaway. Charlie and Sarah, two disaffected teens, anonymously develop a website called "Take One With You" (Towy). Towy encourages people who are going to kill themselves anyway to first kill a dreg of society who has evaded conviction (e.g. rapist, murderer, pedophile, etc.). Charlie and Sarah even publish the names of candidates to be taken out. Pretty soon people all over the world are 'taking one with them'. A task force is assembled to track down the creators of the website, including Detective Thane Parks and Officer Anita Hellstrom. During the story the teens develop romantic feelings as do the two cops. I thought it was unrealistic that married Officer Hellstrom would fall for loutish, chauvinistic, unlikable Detective Parks who views women as sex objects - so this romance fell flat for me. Oak Anderson intersperses his narrative with news reports, scripts from television interviews, government records, and so on - which adds interest to the story. The author describes several 'bad guys' who deserve to die and 'good guys' who take them out which helps us understand why Towy would catch on. Overall I enjoyed the book and would read more from this author.

[Miriam]

I am reading a couple of books the wizard of oz and Dewey's 9 lives

[[deleted user]]

@Rick

The Talisman was epic! I got really involved with the Twinners and the Territories. One of King's best works, IMO.

Jack Sawyer is one character I won't ever forget.

[[deleted user]]

I'm currently reading Dead Man's Grip. Peter James is an awesome writer.

[Barbara]

I finished Love Life by Rob Lowe. In this second memoir by the actor he talks about being a husband and father, TV shows and films he's made, partying as a young man (he's a recovering alcoholic), and more. He tells a moving story about sending his first-born son off to college and a hilarious tale of inadvertently "fooling" an audience - including President Clinton - with his fake saxophone playing. Some of my favorite anecdotes are about the craft of acting. I listened to the audio version of this book (narrated by the author) which is a treat because Lowe skillfully mimics the voices of some featured celebrities. Some of the stories fall a little flat but there are plenty of good ones. I enjoyed the book and recommend it.

[Malina]

Just started and

[Barbara]

Malina, how do you like What Alice Forgot . I started it a couple weeks ago and read a few chapters; I thought it started out with an interesting premise but then I thought it seemed pretty obvious where the story was heading. So I lost interest... abandoned the book.

[Malina]

Barbara wrote: "Malina, how do you like What Alice Forgot . I started it a couple weeks ago and read a few chapters; I thought it started out with an interesting..."

Barbara, I just started so I'm not sure yet, will let you know :), a few of my friends really liked it

[Dawn]

I'm reading COMMUNION by Whitley Strieber. I read it a long time ago, and it creeped me out so much, I decided to read it again. I want to watch the movie again, too.

[Shelley]

I was thinking about George R.R. Martin but after what happened recently on the show (I only read about it), I don't want to support that kind of attitude about violence, or specifically violence against women.

Shelley
http://dustbowlstory.wordpress.com

[Barbara]

I finished The Last Precinct by Patricia Cornwell. Dr. Kay Scarpetta - Virginia's Chief Medical Examiner - has maimed the deformed serial killer Jean-Baptiste Chandonne ('the werewolf') in self-defense. Kay believes Chandonne killed the corrupt former police chief Diane Bray but - in a twist - Kay herself is being investigated for Bray's death. As usual in the Scarpetta novels Kay is the target of various malevolent individuals who wish her harm (in Cornwell's books being a medical examiner is a very high risk job). Part of the book is devoted to Kay examining her life in talks with her psychiatrist/friend Anna Zenner and much of this self-examination comes off as whiny and complaining. The book's best parts revolve around the investigation of a couple of bizarre torture murders that are labeled hate crimes and, towards the end, a young boy's suicide. As usual the scenes of autopsies conducted in the morgue are graphic and the forensic analyses of evidence is interesting. The book is okay but not one of the best in the series

[Jay]

Does non-fiction count? At the suggestion of my editor I've been reading a book on screenwriting (even though I'm not a screenwriter), THE WAY OF THE SCREENWRITER, by Amnon Buchbinder. An excellent guide to screenwriting, and writing in general.

[Raymond]

Pest On The Run by Gerry Burke – Book Review
Reviewed by Raymond Mathiesen
4.5 out of 5 stars


Big trouble and light hearted investigations…

A beautiful stage show star, come whore house madam, is suddenly foully murdered, despite her apparent gangster protection. A disgruntled Japanese business tycoon hires a hit man to assassinate Australia’s Prime Minister. An unbeatable game show contestant takes a recreational bungee-jump, only to have her rope break in what her friend thinks is dubious circumstances. Enter the low-life world of Paddy Pest, sometimes Private Investigator and sometimes secret agent for Australia’s spy bureau ASIO. Pest is based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, though is very frequently an international traveler. He is a master of dubious disguises, and often manages to solve the case despite his shortcomings. Here is a world where virtually everybody has a rancorous underbelly, and where murder is a common life event, but where good will eventually win out (even if by fluke). These humorous short stories will beguile you, entertain you and make you chuckle. Gerry Burke’s Pest On The Run: More Humorous Short Stories From The Paddy Pest Chronicles (iUniverse, c2012) is ideal for the lover of crime and murder mystery tales, but will also suit busy people looking for a witty amusement to fill a free hour or two.

http://goo.gl/pfzodA Pest On The Run (Book ed.)
http://goo.gl/PJDHzw Pest On The Run (Kindle ed.)
http://goo.gl/rxzUnD Gerry Burke’s Facebook Author Page
http://goo.gl/QisYTm Gerry Burke’s Web Site

For the full review please click:
http://raymondmathiesenbookreviews.bl...

[Jennifer]

I'm reading THE BLONDE by Anna Godbersen because I got a review copy of it for my classic movie Examiner column and personal blog. Sadly, I'm not loving it. It's an imaginary revision of Marilyn Monroe's life in which she's recruited by the KGB to have an affair with JFK so that she can extract secrets from him. It's very dark, very grimy, and not really to my taste at all, even though I generally love books about classic Hollywood figures.

[Barbara]

I finished How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny. In the 9th book in the series Chief Inspector Gamache is a troubled guy: his best homicide detectives have been transferred out of his squad and he's been saddled with a bunch of lazy losers; his former mentee Lt. Jean-Guy Beavoir is not speaking to him and is once again abusing drugs; he's still trying to ferret out corrupt individuals in the Sûreté du Québec (police department) and in return the powers that be want him gone; and he's landed a homicide investigation involving elderly Constance Oullet, the last member of the once famous Oullet quintuplets. Gamache simultaneously investigates the Oullet murder and works to foil an evil plot hatched by the above-mentioned corrupt individuals. All this leads to an excellent, exciting conclusion. Good book.

[April]

I finished Parallel to Paradise by Laura Newman. This is a collection of short stories. I'm not as familiar with short stories as I am with the epic novel, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. Laura is an excellent author, her writing is fantastic, her stories seem real, her characters might be like someone you know. I recommend!

[KOMET]

A few days ago, I finished reading "Sparky and Me: My Friendship with Sparky Anderson and the Lessons He Shared About Baseball and Life" by Dan Ewald. This is one of the best, most endearing books I've read so far this year. I'll always be grateful to Sparky Anderson for the happiness he gave me, as a lifetime Detroit Tigers fan, when he led us to the World Series Championship in 1984.

[Barbara]

I finished The Crush by Sandra Brown. Dr. Rennie Newton is the foreman of the jury that acquits psychotic assassin Ricky Lozada of murder. Unfortunately for Rennie, Lozada becomes infatuated with her. He sends her flowers, stalks her, and "does her the favor" of murdering a rival doctor. Rennie is a suspect in the murder and Detective Oren Wesley starts a campaign of surveillance and harassment to convict her. For assistance Oren calls in his suspended former partner, Detective Wick Threadgill. Here the book becomes a cliche romance novel. Wick is attracted to Rennie who tries to brush him off. Lozada is enraged with Wick's attentions to Rennie and decides to take action. This is a predictable book with no surprises and characters that are not especially likable. Wick is an an arrogant dude whose goal is to have sex with Rennie; Oren is a lazy cop who makes no attempt to find the real killer; and Rennie is two-dimensional and hard to care about. If you're a hard core romance fan you might like this book. Otherwise, skip it.

[Fiona (Titch)]

I am around, just not been reading much as I have had a bad case of thinking I liked a book and it turned out I didn't. Then there is my eldest son who wanted to move to Scotland and now isn't and my fridge/freezer blowing up and having to fork out £100 (GBP) for a new fridge lol.

On a good note, I am reading Exquisite Betrayal - A.M. Hargrove which I am enjoying.

[Barbara]

I finished The Last Dead Girl by Harry Dolan. David Malone - a house inspector in Rome, New York - makes the chance acquaintance of law student Jana Fletcher. Malone falls hard for Jana but she's soon murdered and Malone decides to investigate. He discovers that Jana was working on an "innocence project", trying to prove that Gary Pruett, a jailed high school teacher, didn't kill his wife. During Malone's investigation he finds that a police detective may have suborned perjury to convict Pruett and that other people in Jana's orbit have been attacked or murdered. Pruett himself claims that a couple of former students - one dead and one missing - killed his wife. As the story moves along we learn that many people have shocking secrets that explain the local "crime spree". This book's intricate structure and startling twists puts it a step above the usual mystery novel. Highly recommended.

[Barbara]

Fiona (Titch) wrote: "I am around, just not been reading much as I have had a bad case of thinking I liked a book and it turned out I didn't. Then there is my eldest son who wanted to move to Scotland and now isn't and ..."

Fiona, I know what it's like when kids and appliances cause anxiety! I recently had washing machine troubles that put me in a big funk (and cost 200 bucks to fix) :)
Hope you get hold of some more good books soon!

[Barbara]

Right now I'm on the 2nd book of the series "Sword of the Stone" by Terry Goodkind. My son is reading it and he wanted me to read it too. I"m listening to it on audio book.

I'm reading "The Possibility Dogs" by Susannah Charleson cause that's one of our group reads for the group called "All About Animals" here on GR's.

[Barbara]

Oops! called Sword of Truth not Sword of Stone.

[Paul]

I'm reading Conquests and Cultures by Thomas Sowell. The subtitle could be: Geography is Destiny, IMHO. It's a well-done informative look at the world. Conquests And Cultures: An International History