THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB discussion
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WHAT ARE YOU READING AND WHY!!
Naseem wrote: "I am currently reading Murakami's The Wind Up Bird Chronicle.I love how he uses memories and dreams as a way of story telling. He makes it seem as if the quirky and most odd things seem normal.
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I've read almost all of his books he's one of my favorite authors. I think the Wind up Bird Chronicle is his best but I also really enjoyed, "Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World," and "A Wild Sheep Chase" I've heard that A Wild Sheep Chase is part of a trilogy but I haven't read the first two books because they are not available in the US. I found them on Amazon but they are about 25.00 a piece for paperbacks and I haven't wanted to fork out the cash for them but I have them as saved for later in my cart so one of these days i will.
Sounds interesting. I will have to check this author out. Thank you.
Still reading Wives and Daughters, now on Chapter 58, so close to the ending.
I'm just starting to read The Wight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf.This is for the book club that I belong to where I live. I have been told it is a good book. Looking forward to reading it.
Just finished reading Brick Lane by Monica Ali, which I'd been wanting to read for some time. What a beautiful story of desire and diasporic displacement! Nazneen's story of arranged marriage reminded me of stories that my Japanese grandmother told me about my great grandmother, who was also sent around the globe to marry a complete stranger. More musings on the novel can be read at www.the-reading-list.com
I'm currently 1/3 of the way into Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen and so far I like it ok.
Julie and Julia is a great book, read it two Christmases ago. The movie is good too.
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and really liked it. Thank you to all of you who said such wonderful things about Christopher Moore's books. He is certainly not my usual kind ..."I own about all of his books! love Fool!
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I am between books currently. Finished
Robin wrote: "Julie and Julia is a great book, read it two Christmases ago. The movie is good too."I agree, I've almost finished it and I've really enjoyed it. I certainly want to watch the movie now.
Today, I started The Judging: The Corescu Chronicles Book One, the first volume in a vampire series being written by my Goodreads friend Ellen C. Maze. (There will eventually be four books in the series, as I understand it.) I've been champing at the bit to read this one, so glad to be getting to it at last!
Currently reading The Peach Keeper: A Novel by, Sarah Addison Allen been waiting for a new book from Sarah for awhile and I recieved an early review copy so can't wait to dive into some great southern fiction with a splash of magical realism.
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Chore Whore by Heather H. Howard
The Chalice & The Blade by Riane Eisler
The Girl Who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Prescri..."
how are you finding Bulfinch's Mythology by Thomas Bulfinch - I always wanted to read that
Just finished Richard Herman's "Laszlo's Fire"...I don't find it listed on Goodreads, altho his earlier books are there. Fine story, good characters, great book! There are cops, explosions, Hungarian revenge taking place in Cincinnati - and in Laszlo's Fire, Richard Herman spins an excellent tale. Herman is a master at dialogue - you can almost hear and feel the various characters. You also can visualize the homes, offices and the excitement -- and feel the emotions, from joy to grief. It's a well-told story that makes you want to quickly dig into his previous dozen novels!
I also read James Harrold's "It Takes Two," last week. This book isn’t about a man and woman, as the cover suggests; it’s about a couple of interesting brothers and their politically-involved family.
The story takes the brothers from kindergarten through college traumas -- and their growing political involvement as it is outlined to them in a private suite at the Indy 500. James Harrold builds in plenty of excitement, as the family consulting firm becomes involved in the campaign to elect Ronald Reagan in the 1980s -- including national CIA security and their consumption-tax recommendation to the future President.
A two-week trip in Belize by the brothers and their wives consumes the middle of the book, with considerable detail about the islands, off-shore accounts, and food, food, food. Recipes at the end of the book make all this worthwhile.
Harrold concludes the book with some romping espionage and a radiation poisoning. The prologue only hints at what you will understand as you read page by page.
An interesting read!
The story takes the brothers from kindergarten through college traumas -- and their growing political involvement as it is outlined to them in a private suite at the Indy 500. James Harrold builds in plenty of excitement, as the family consulting firm becomes involved in the campaign to elect Ronald Reagan in the 1980s -- including national CIA security and their consumption-tax recommendation to the future President.
A two-week trip in Belize by the brothers and their wives consumes the middle of the book, with considerable detail about the islands, off-shore accounts, and food, food, food. Recipes at the end of the book make all this worthwhile.
Harrold concludes the book with some romping espionage and a radiation poisoning. The prologue only hints at what you will understand as you read page by page.
An interesting read!
I finished Fear of Knowledge: Against Relativism and Constructivism in the first quick reading. I am now doing a second reading highlighting and taking notes. It's one of those books that I have to do that, and I'm not doing it for a class, only for the joy of knowledge. Yes, I'm crazy. Not as fun as reading Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.I started listening to A Carnivore's Inquiry: A Novel. There was talk about cannibalism, complicated love/sex affairs, Italy, a chubby guy, history and art. I swear, I thought somebody stole my diary. I've never heard of this book before I became a cannibal. I'm gonna have to stop walking around with foil pyramid hats. I'm picking up all sorts of thought signals. Now that's my fun read.
But I think I ought to pick up Perdido Street Station, since I've been talking about reading China Miéville forever. It's also Fantasy Aficionados' March read. I just finished The Blade Itself. That should complete what I owe them, right? I can go into that forum with my head held high? Just saw Miéville's picture. He's a handsome looking bald guy. I've been dating bald guys lately. Of course, the last time I dated was with my stbx when I was in my early 20s. Not too many bald guys around that age group.
and Richard "A." Herman just let me know that Laszlo's Fire is his FIRST novel, altho not his first book. Another author is Richard Herman, a fighter pilot... but that doesn't detract from my enjoyment of Laszlo's Fire, one bit!
I'm reading Pump Six and Other Stories by Paolo Bacigalupi. Science fiction, gorgeously written, depressing and though-provoking. Great stuff!I just finished Once Upon a Time in Space by Heather Massey. Raunchy, high adventure in the sea of stars, pulpy - and did I mention raunchy? Fun read!
Has anyone read Dead Simple by Peter James? I got it from the library because I like his books....but then saw it was about someone being buried alive. Being slightly claustrophobic, I'm not sure I can deal with it. Any comments that go beyond the reviews on GR?
haven't read it, and I don't like the buried dead alive scenario either.
Now I don't feel so bad that I took it back to the library unread.
I am reading The Daedalus Deception by Richard Helms, because I like mysteries and I've met him. Just wish I could figure out a way to get a Kindle edition autographed.
Just finished Beyond Varallan, what an ending! I'm reading Endurance because I've got to find out what happens next.
Just finished Cutting for Stone a truly wonderful read. I like how seemingly innocuous scenes earlier in the story reappear with additional weight later on; just like life. After several page-turners in a row (which I also love), I usually reach for something a little meatier. This was a 5 course meal, with desert!
I am reading How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn, Mr. Darcy broke my Heart, and North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell.
Stuart wrote: "I am reading The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga as it is this months read for my offline book club."
That is a great book. Are you enjoying it?
That is a great book. Are you enjoying it?
Robin wrote: "I am reading How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn, Mr. Darcy broke my Heart, and North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell."How Green Was My Valley will also break your heart for different reasons. It is a wonderful book.
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How Green Was My Valley will also break y..."
the film was quite wonderful
I put off the sequel for a while to read other things, but now this weekend I'm finally starting The Girl Who Played With Fire... there's a lot to be learned for writers by reading a female character as specific and dynamic as Lisbeth Salander... she's simply a glorious creation of modern literature!!
I'm halfway into The Warsaw Anagrams by Richard Zimler. An elderly Jew tries to solve the grisly murder of his young nephew from within the Warsaw Ghetto in 1940. It sounds grim and is but it's also compelling after a somewhat slow start. Recommend it so far.Steve
Steve Anderson
I'm reading The Girl Who Played With Fire. Read the first one about six months ago and finally needed another Lisbeth Salander fix!!
I'm reading The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths, the second in the mystery series about forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway. A body is found under the doorway of a house in an ancient Roman excavation, but at its stage of decomposition it's obviously modern. I like the archaeology setting. I'm also liking the characters and the dialogue.
Just finished Robert Ludlum's THE JANSON DIRECTIVE.. enjoyed his usual in-depth knowledge/research into government conspiracy, terrorism and character development. An exciting read! Liam www.terminalpolicy.com
I started to read 9/11/11 by Rocco Leonard Martino. I got this from Goodread. Has anyone read any of Rocco Lenoard Martino's books. Also reading The Wight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf. A read for the book club I belong to. This is our March reading.
I finished The Picture of Dorian Gray this morning. I'm still working through Sleepyhead and quite enjoying the pace and mystery. I've pulled Burning Chrome by William Gibson out of my TBR book shelves for my bed time book..
Sonia wrote: "Stuart wrote: "I am reading The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga as it is this months read for my offline book club."That is a great book. Are you enjoying it?"
I did enjoy it.
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell,
by Richard Llewellyn.
I just started Wading Home: A Novel of New Orleans, (Kindle edition). I'm trying to read more stories that AREN'T mysteries; I think I overdo it in that category. :-)
First few pages are nicely written. I hope that continues.
First few pages are nicely written. I hope that continues.
I'm currently rereading The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco & am more than half-way through
by Eleanor Brown. I've just started
(John Dunning) and am very slowly working my way through
by Ann Radcliffe. I took a little break & read a couple of easy but fun/interesting books:
by Seth Godin, which I like a lot, &
by Rachel Cohn which was not memorable but I enjoyed.I'm getting ready to finish off
by Angela Carter and
by Henry Green, both of which I'm about half-finished & want to finish off for my group reading challenge.And then... hehehehe
Well, toooo many I think. But I finished The Weird Sisters last nights & put some more time in on Blindness. That one is going so slowly that if it weren't on my challenge I'd give it up. Same thing for Nights at the Circus. *sigh* That's why I put them on my challenge.
Finally finished Kraken *happy dance* am so glad that's done. I've just gotten started on Incantation and so far I like it.
A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin - I'm two-thirds through and intend to start
The Boys from Brazil by the same author next.
Just finished an audio version of A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg - pleasantly surprised. I thought for sure it would be a soap opera, like a lot of Christmas stories are - but it didn't come across that way.I enjoyed it immensely.
HI Guys I have just finished A distant echo Val mac Dirmid
Gripping stuff
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THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB
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This is an amazing tale of five young men and their journey into the Niagara Gorge. You will find how this adventure and the wall of pictures will changes their lives for ever.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone
I love the Odd Thomas series. I have come to really enjoy this series. Not the usual book I would read.