WHAT ARE YOU READING AND WHY!! Showing 2,901-2,950 of 10,669

[Leslie]

I just started Growing Up Jung: Coming of Age as the Son of Two Shrinks - a touching, witty memoir, written by a friend of mine. The narrative weaves back and forth between family memories (parents' divorce, the black sheep sister) and elucidations of Jung's concepts. Just finished the first chapter and it's quite fascinating. Now I'm ready to start therapy again!

Ex Lit Prof
www.the-reading-list.com

[Bill]

I've just finished The Delicate Storm by Giles Blunt and enjoyed very much. It was a page turner, nicely tense when it had to be and also quite touching at times. I'm slowly getting into Dark Fire by C.J. Sansom and enjoying so far. I've now selected my new upstairs, beside the bed book, The Ugly American by Eugene Burdick. I read it many many years ago, like sometime in the '60s and remember enjoying very much. *fingers crossed* it will still provide the same enjoyment.

[Rick-Founder JM CM BOOK CLUB]

Leslie wrote: "I just started Growing Up Jung: Coming of Age as the Son of Two Shrinks - a touching, witty memoir, written by a friend of mine. The narrative weaves back and forth between family m..."

I love the title!!! pleasedo invite your friend to join our Group!!

[Gregory]

I've always been a devout F. Scott Fitzgerald fan, though this an inspiration to my choice not the author. Whenever posed with the debate between Hemmingway and Fitzgerald, I blindy sided with Fitzgerald without reading Hemmingway's work. I know he's a classic writer, but i've never picked up any of his work until now (The sun also rises), i'm also reading "meditations" by Marcus AuRelius, with dashes of "Welcome to the monkey house" by kurt vonnegut on the side.

[Rick-Founder JM CM BOOK CLUB]

Gregory wrote: "I've always been a devout F. Scott Fitzgerald fan, though this an inspiration to my choice not the author. Whenever posed with the debate between Hemmingway and Fitzgerald, I blindy sided with Fitz..."

Major Fitzgerald fan here too, Gregory- I love his short stories- I have both volumes- The Collected and Uncollected Stories
Editor Matthew Brucolli did a wonderful job of supplying anecdotes before each story- how much FSF got paid for the story- where it was published, when - what was happening in his life at the time- just priceless volumes.

[Gregory]

I haven't came across his short stories yet, my library's only got his novels. If only my book habit was funded....

[Curt]

Alexander of Macedon- by Peter Green. One of ancient history's most known unknown Colossus. The two movie versions of his life, the first with Richard Burton, and the weird second, couldn't do him justice. Adventures In Space and Time.- Classic collection of why Scifi still is viable.

[Barbara]

I'm reading The Pawn by Steven James.

[Stuart]

I am reading The Scar by China Miéville as the author has been widely praised.

[Jenny]

Just started re-reading the Harry Potter series, so I can finish those last two books at the end which I haven't yet read. :)

[Heather]

Jenny, that is smart! I have to work the day The Deathly Hallows comes out but will see it before work, by getting up at the crack of dawn, 8 am.

[Petra]

Heather wrote: "....... by getting up at the crack of dawn, 8 am."

Heather, my crack of dawn is 5:10am! I can only wish to sleep until 8 each morning. That's weekend talk!

I'm still reading The Children's Book and loving it. It's mysterious, historical, a family/friend saga, well written and thoroughly interesting.
This is the first book by A.S. Byatt that I've read. I'll have to look into her others now.

[Heather]

Petra, I knew I was going to get picked on for that! OK, I work swing shift so I don't get home until after 12 AM and I don't crawl into bed until after 1 AM (so if you see a post from me which makes no sense then I wrote it when I got home). So, getting up at 8 is the crack of dawn, LOL! When I worked day shift I got up at 4:15 AM, so I feel ya big time and I did that for 11 years! Ohhh, plus I will be working my day off, making $$ and dealing with large crowds..

[Ivan]

The Sweet Dove Died by Barbara Pym - such a beautiful story - so well told. This is my third time reading it.

[Jenny]

Heather wrote: "Petra, I knew I was going to get picked on for that! OK, I work swing shift so I don't get home until after 12 AM and I don't crawl into bed until after 1 AM (so if you see a post from me which mak..."

I feel your pain - for years I worked night shift and evening shift and then 12-16 hr day shifts. Glad I'm on a regular 7:30-4:00 shift now. :)
You might give me grief for this, but after the first movie, I really didn't watch them... preferred the books. So once I read the series, guess I'll have to watch the movies, too. :)

[Heather]

Hey Ivan! It's nice to know someone else knows my pain. Actually I love swing shift as it is the busiest shift and I can read after 9 PM.

Yeah, I'll be giving you grief for not reading the books! At first I balked at reading the books but then I changed my mind after reading the first one. I ran out and bought the rest! IMHO, the movie version of The Goblet of Fire missed the mark at the end. I even lent my book to a friend so he would understand what I was talking about..

[Jenny]

Well, I just finished the first one - enjoyed it as much the second time as the first. I don't want to burn out on these, though, so I think I will read something else concurrently or in between the books in the series. :)

[Rick-Founder JM CM BOOK CLUB]

Jenny wrote: "Well, I just finished the first one - enjoyed it as much the second time as the first. I don't want to burn out on these, though, so I think I will read something else concurrently or in between t..."

I must plead guilty to have never read a Harry Potter book- I own the first 3- but have yet read them- no doubt I will enjoy the books- I believe the first one is #557 on my to be read list :>) so many books-so little time!!!

[Heather]

Jenny, that is very smart. It will be such a pleasure when you start the second one again..

[Emma]

I just got The Distant Hours, the new Kate Morton book, in the mail the other day and I am trying to pace myself through this wonderful historical mystery. I absolutely love her writing! The way she paints a setting is stunning. I am considering a re read of her other works, The Forgotten Garden and House At Riverton. This one does not disappoint!

[Kaaren]

I am reading Invisible by Lorena McCourtney on Kindle because it was free...only read a little so far so reserving judgement. I am listening to Sanderson's Way of Kings on iPod and vey much enjoying it. I have to listen to a different genre than I am reading to keep it all straight lol. I have a copy of Lee Child's new Reacher tale in HB but am saving it to savor later. Some authors I have to have in print!.

[Steve]

Just finished The Miracle Inspector by Helen Smith. Good stuff. If Patricia Highsmith wrote dystopian fiction but had more of a sense of humor, it might be something like this. I'll be reading more from her.

Also, just started Matterhorn, which so far reads like The Naked and the Dead but in Vietnam. Promising so far.

Happy reading,
Steve
Steve Anderson

[Classyreader]

I am reading City of Dreams and Nightmare by Ian Whates. I chose this one because I have really liked other books by this publishing company, The Angry Robot. I know. It is a weird reason to read a book, but it has been good so far.

[Shay]

Hawaii by James A. Michener. Haven't read it in almost 30 years. I have so many books going, but I kept seeing it on the shelf and finally couldn't resist.

[Vince]

Just finished . I wanted to read it before the movie reviews spoiled it for me, but I was too late. I still enjoyed it, but try to go into it cold if you can.
Just started because it's about time I got around to it. Maybe seeing the movie so often made it easy to postpone reading the book.

[Petra]

Shay wrote: "Hawaii by James A. Michener. Haven't read it in almost 30 years. I have so many books going, but I kept seeing it on the shelf and finally couldn't resist."

Ooohh, I remember really liking this one....and Alaska and The Source (which was my first James Michener book).

[Rick-Founder JM CM BOOK CLUB]

Petra wrote: "Shay wrote: "Hawaii by James A. Michener. Haven't read it in almost 30 years. I have so many books going, but I kept seeing it on the shelf and finally couldn't resist."
..."

Bennett Cerf,in his memoirs - wrote about his amazement when it came to James A. Michener and the enormous amount of research that went into each book

[Flora]

I just finished A Wizard of Earthsea and am looking forward to the rest of this series.

Am still reading The Moonstone and really like it so far. I am also reading Inkspell and The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon

[Ciara]

I am now reading Halo by Alexandra Ardonetto, and also started Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. Halo is okay, but I wouldnt pick it up to reread. I tried Beautiful Creatures before, but couldnt get past the 4th chapter because of boredom, but lots of people have reccomended it to me, so Im pushing through with my coffee pot handy. Next on my to-be-read list is Nevermore. A modern day take on the mystery of Edgar Allen Poe. It was kinda freaky because when I purchased Nevermore and Halo, I happened to be learning about Edgar Allen Poe in school, and in both books E.A. Poe is mentioned. His works are great, and my favorites are Annabel Lee, The Tell-Tale Heart, and The Black Cat. The Raven gave me nightmares.

[🥀 Rose 🥀]

Crime and Punishment, but admit I am struggling here. Not sure I'm a fan of Russian lit. I read Anna Karenina last year and was just meh about it.

[Gemma]

I've started The Elegance of the Hedgehog. i'm only about 60 pages in, but i'm not blown away with it so far.

[[deleted user]]

Next up for me is "The Gravedigger's Daughter" by Joyce Carol Oates. Why? Well, I love Joyce Carol Oates, and I'm sure I won't be disappointed.

[Rick-Founder JM CM BOOK CLUB]

Gemma wrote: "I've started The Elegance of the Hedgehog. i'm only about 60 pages in, but i'm not blown away with it so far."

I have that book- ordered it from Amazon- and have it on my TBR list- seems like such a facinating novel!

[Rick-Founder JM CM BOOK CLUB]

Rose wrote: "Crime and Punishment, but admit I am struggling here. Not sure I'm a fan of Russian lit. I read Anna Karenina last year and was just meh about it."

I enjoy Russian Lit- but prefer the short stories more- the very long names tend to confuse me!
I recommend Gorkey, Gogol and especially Babel

[🥀 Rose 🥀]

Rick wrote: "Rose wrote: "Crime and Punishment, but admit I am struggling here. Not sure I'm a fan of Russian lit. I read Anna Karenina last year and was just meh about it."

I enjoy Russian Lit- but prefer..."

Someone also mentioned their poetry is quite good. Me too, Rick, it's not just the long names all the versions of their names, like their pet names versus formal, etc. Aaarrgg, keeps me confused. :)

[Petra]

Yeah....if only the Russians used Bill or Bob or Joe. It sure would make it easier to follow the story...or at least got rid of the pet names and other variations.
That said, I really enjoy Russian Lit. It's so beefy and cold and mysterious and just plain good.
Their poetry is good, too. I haven't read much of it yet and would recommend Eugene Onegin.

[🥀 Rose 🥀]

Jo wrote: "I'm reading The Scorch Trials"

I love, love, loved the Scorch Trials. A very excellent YA series!

[Bill]

Petra wrote: "Yeah....if only the Russians used Bill or Bob or Joe. It sure would make it easier to follow the story...or at least got rid of the pet names and other variations.
That said, I really enjoy Russia..."

You might like to try some of Alexander Solzhentsyn work, such as The Cancer Ward, The First Circle, A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch; all really good books.

[Petra]

Agreed. I've read Cancer Ward and One Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovich and enjoyed both. The First Circle and other Solzhenitsyn books are on my bookshelf, waiting to be read.
I enjoy his writing.

[Betsy]

Reading World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War because a friend recommended it. I'm liking it so far.

[Joan]

I am reading Chancellorsville, a book I got for my husband as we both had great-grandfathers who were killed in this battle on the same day. So far, a fascinating well-researched and well-written read.

[Joan]

William wrote: "Next up for me is "The Gravedigger's Daughter" by Joyce Carol Oates. Why? Well, I love Joyce Carol Oates, and I'm sure I won't be disappointed."

[Joan]

I also love Joyce Carol Oates and think "The Gravedigger's Daughter" is one of her very best novels. That said, I like her short stories the most.

[Jan C]

Joan wrote: "I am reading Chancellorsville, a book I got for my husband as we both had great-grandfathers who were killed in this battle on the same day. So far, a fascinating well-researched and well-written r..."

I am reading this too, off and on.

Wow! What a coincidence.

I had a great-grandfather escape from Libby Prison.

[Joan]

This was one of the largest, if not the largest battle count of casualties in the Civil War. My great-grandfather fought for the confederacy and my husband's for the union.

[Ivan]

Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown - I'm already half way through and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

[Shay]

I'm reading Shanghai Girls by Lisa See. I'm only about 10% through, but I think it's one of those books that people want to think well of because it features minorities or disabled people, so it's thought of as better than it is. Thus far, it's really a mediocre, overly melodramatic book. I'm not sure I'll be able to finish it.

[Marialyce]

Shay wrote: "I'm reading Shanghai Girls by Lisa See. I'm only about 10% through, but I think it's one of those books that people want to think well of because it features minorities ..."

I so agree with you Shay. I thought it was a fair book nothing special at all. I have not read her other books, so perhaps this one is not the best to judge her by. I did finish it though and then wondered if I had missed something.

[Shay]

Marialyce wrote: "Shay wrote: "I'm reading Shanghai Girls by Lisa See. I'm only about 10% through, but I think it's one of those books that people want to think well of because it feature..."

I don't know if I'd be willing to try another book of hers. The problem I'm seeing in the book is with her "style" as a writer- she's a teller not a shower. She doesn't seem to let things develop well, she'll tell you, "Asian families don't display affection through touching or hugging." But, she doesn't let it develop by touching her father on the shoulder and having him flinch or get up and walk away. I understand that she may have to explain things, but she explains things at the expense of showing things.

[Bill]

Betsy wrote: "Reading World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War because a friend recommended it. I'm liking it so far."

I really enjoyed it too. I liked the style, how he made it seem like a history book sort of. It reminded me somewhat of Whitley Streiber's Warday (except for the whole zombie thing, of course.