WHAT ARE YOU READING AND WHY!! Showing 4,651-4,700 of 10,669

[Stuart]

I am reading Grave Peril by Jim Butcher as I am keen to see how the Dresden File series develops.

[Johnny]

I am just finishing up The Jungle by Upton Sinclair which depicts the non-stop bombardment of turn of the century immigrant struggles in the Chicago meat packing industry. Chapter 3 could turn a T-Rex into a vegetarian.

[Cheryl]

I'm currently reading The Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb. This is the first book of hers I've read and so far I'm enjoying it.

[Leslie]

Just finished reading Michael Ondaatje's Divisadero, a sprawling, somewhat confusing novel that I nevertheless found fascinating.... My review can be read at www.the-reading-list.com

[Diane]

RE: Message 4934 from Carol:

I am interested to know why you are reading about Polio for your next book. I am one of the founders of NAPPS (Nat. Assoc. for Post-Polio Syndrome). I am a polio survivor (no obvious disabilities). I was a patient at The Sister Kenny Institute for almost a year. If I can be of assistance to you, please let me know.

[🥀 Rose 🥀]

Johnny wrote: "I am just finishing up The Jungle by Upton Sinclair which depicts the non-stop bombardment of turn of the century immigrant struggles in the Chicago meat packing industry. Chapter 3 could turn a T..."

One of my top 10 favorite reads. If you read any food writing today by Pollan or Spurlock, you'll see things are back the Jungle days. The meat industry turned into one of the best industries we ever had after this book. My mom worked in it for awhile and said how good it was. But then came McDonalds and the rest is history.

[David]

Being a history addict, loving historical fiction, having met Mr. Crowel [which includes two autographed copies] and having lost my great, great grandfather in the conflict is why "CRY UNCLE, Sumbody" went to the top of the 'to read' list. 150th Anniversary is just icing on the cake[or diary]. On page 356 now.

[Rick-Founder JM CM BOOK CLUB]

Carol wrote: "I'm reading Polio: An American Story. It's part of research I'm doing for an upcoming novel.

I'm also reading The Daily Coyote by Shreve Stockton. I stumbled upon Shreve's web site 18 months ago w..."

SOUNDS LIKE A FACINATING READ- Polio: An American Story.!!

[Kerra]

Werner wrote: "Kerra, my wife and I are currently reading Eldest (having previously read and liked the preceding volume, Eragon), and are enjoying the second one just as much!"

:D So am I! I am loving that it went right back to where it left off. I can't wait to finish it and see where the story takes me.

[Judy]

I'm reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins because several fellow bookcrossers highly recommended it. It's a YA book, I think, so it's a quicker read than most, but pretty engaging. I'm also reading The Septembers of Shiraz because it is also highly recommended and I've been meaning to read it for several years.

[Jerry]

Had a 6 hour solo drive to endure so I listened to Tick Tock by Dean Koontz, an entertaining way to while-away the miles.

[Robin]

Reading The Moonstone, by Wilkie Collins, and The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

[Leo]

Hello, do you think you could recommend a book for my 21 year old sister? It is her birthday soon and i would like to buy her a book. The problem is i have no idea what book she might like.

As far as i know she isnt much of a reader and has said she struggled reading 'Pride and Prejudice' so perhaps a relatively easy book that would have a lasting impression.

Thanks for any help! :)

[Barbara]

I'm just starting Labyrinth by Kate Mosse.

[Monica]

I am currently reading: by Dave Pelzer, and a few others that I can't remember off hand.

[Carly]

Elephant Winter - Kim Echlin

A terribly poignant story about a woman who, in the process of looking after her terminally ill mother, gets involved with the elephant keeper at a safari property adjacent to their home.

In the process of the yarn as it unravels she becomes pregnant, by the elephant keeper, helps out with the care of the animals, starts studying and collecting material for a book on the language of elephants - and, of course, looks after the mother, her house and the pet birds.

She, due to circumstances that evolve, ends up being the elephant keeper and the mother of her predecessor's child.

It's a wonderful story - in my opinion, a piece of art.

I highly recommend it.

.............

The Yacoubian Building - I'm almost finished up with that one - it is being discussed here at GR with the Africa/Middle East group.

.............

This afternoon, Jeff and I are going to begin reading The Night Gardener - like Elephant Winter, it's a book that's been sitting on my own shelves and I've been meaning to read it. Hope we have as much luck as we did with Echlin's book.

.............

Jeff has just prepared a long winded notice to hang on the lobby doors explaining that we really ARE getting a new superintendent as of June 1st, and he WILL continue as acting super, for EMERGENCIES only and hopes there is no part of the word 'emergency' that is MISUNDERSTOOD!

BTW - he and I resigned as 'superintendent couple' of this building as of December 31st but due to a 'rogue' superintendent who took over and had to be ousted, we've been on-the-job again for the past few weeks.

About the notice - I did read it - sorta' ... it's the kinda' long-winded thing I'd rather wait for the movie, y'know?

I'm order up some better reading from the library - just going over the listings here at the GR groups to see what I can get. I tend to look for audio versions - lazy these days.

[Rick-Founder JM CM BOOK CLUB]

Danny wrote: "Hello, do you think you could recommend a book for my 21 year old sister? It is her birthday soon and i would like to buy her a book. The problem is i have no idea what book she might like.

As far..."

interested to see what some recommendations are !!

[Robin]

Does she like Jane Austen books. Who are her favorite authors, does she like poetry, give us more clues.

[Petra]

Danny wrote: "Hello, do you think you could recommend a book for my 21 year old sister? It is her birthday soon and i would like to buy her a book. The problem is i have no idea what book she might like...."

That's a tough question. What interests her?
Let's see...for a younger person who hasn't read much and who's still looking for what they'd like to read, I'd perhaps suggest:

Heartsick - good crime series. This installment is a bit graphic. If your sister likes it, the other 3 books are just as good and not as graphic.

Christopher Moore: his books are sarcastically witty. Maybe Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal or Island of the Sequined Love Nun or The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove

Set This House in Order: A Romance of Souls is a warm look at a person with multiple personality syndrome. It's amazingly done and all the personalities are balanced.

Books based on historical times/figures:
Clara and Mr. Tiffany
The Blood of Flowers
Mary: Mrs. A. Lincoln

Sci-fi type books (space travel; dystopian):
The Sparrow
Oryx and Crake & The Year of the Flood (side-by-side stories)
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

I'm not sure if one of these genres sounds like your sister would enjoy but I'd recommend the books.

Let us know what you decide to choose for her.

[Leo]

Thanks for the recommendations petra. After a lot of thought however i have decided on: Never Let Me Go

I hope she likes it.

[Bunnie]

Danny wrote: "Hello, do you think you could recommend a book for my 21 year old sister? It is her birthday soon and i would like to buy her a book. The problem is i have no idea what book she might like.

As far..."

[Bunnie]

danny--why don't you give her a gift certificate to a book store--then she can pick out a book according to her own tastes.

[Robin]

Bunnie That is a great suggestion. I would rather get a gift certificate than a book.

[Leo]

That is a great idea wish i had thought of it. The book is already bought and wrapped (with a ribbon) though.

[Robin]

Oh, good so glad that you found something for your sister. Hope she likes the book.

[Bunnie]

danny--that's ok she might just like the book--next time try the certificate.

[Frank]

Try Frontier Justice 1835. If she doesn't like it I will give you your money back. It is about a 15 year old boy who has to leave Indpendence, Missour in a hurry in in 1835 one jump ahead of the sheriff on an 800 mile Journey up the Santa Ffe trail, alone, through the Inidian nations to Santa Fe which was then in Mexico.

[David]

I'm enjoying Michael Bradley's "IT HAPPENED IN THE CIVIL WAR". Very interesting facts, features, personalities, and events that are almost unknown to the average 'CW' buff. A 'CIVIL WAR PRESERVATION TRUST' Fourth Printing.

[Bunnie]

for those of you that are into early american history i watched the cspan2 channel-it is the book channel and the author was Harlow Giles Unger who was giving a talk on his latest book "American Tempest" it's about the first Tea Party--the Boston one. the history that we are taught in school is far from the truth--the identies of these INDIANS that boarded the ship in the boston harbor were kept secret for decades -but they were prominent business men and the reason for the raid was not as important as we are led to believe. read and find out what it really was--not the tax on TEA.

[Robin]

I am sure that what we were taught in school was nothing that happened in the annals of history.

[Courtney]

I read because it takes me into a new world i can picture of what i read it really intertaning. Like a book im reading right now "Afterlife" it a sequal to evernight its a really good book. I recomend it to each and every one of you but start at the beging then work your way up. like Evernight,stargazer,hourglass and afterlife recommend each off these books. can but them down kind of excitment it even a romance. i love these books

[Courtney]

what kind of poems do you read?

[Courtney]

Tod wrote: "What type of book club, Catamorandi? I'm interested in how book club discussions are formatted and how they choose books.
try the everniht sequal there really good.
Thanks - Tod"

[Tyler Banks]

I picked up Boneshaker due to the fact that it was written around a post disaster Seattle, and I am a Fish out of water as far as that city, I am fighting tooth and nail to get back there and never to have to leave again. Also picked it up due to the great coverart and the overall concept of a city taken over by Zombies... I will admit, I am one of those, I AM ONE OF THE UNDEAD MASSES! UUHHHHHHHH look, a good Novel! ;)

[MissSusie]

I am reading Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's by, John Elder Robinson pretty good so far.

Also listening to The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by, Rebecca Skloot quite the facinating subject sometimes a bit to much science and not enough Henrietta but still very interesting.

[Petra]

Susie, I listened to "Look Me In The Eye" and read "The Immortal Life of HL"; exactly the opposite of you.
I enjoyed both. Robinson's story was quite humerous at times, I thought. So was his brother's story. Both were sad, too.

I'm reading The River Ki, a multi-generational story of women in Japan. It's very good so far.

[Rick-Founder JM CM BOOK CLUB]

Courtney wrote: "what kind of poems do you read?"

I am very partial to John Donne

[Leslie]

Rick wrote: "Courtney wrote: "what kind of poems do you read?"

I am very partial to John Donne"

I love John Donne, too! "The Good Morrow" is one of my favourite poems.... I read it at a friend's wedding, and it perfectly captures for me the way that upon falling in love, the world of coupledom momentarily, blissfully, blots out the real world.
More recently, I have been reading some new contemporary poetry by Rishma Dunlop, "Metropolis Redux," which also moved me. More reflections can be read at my blog, www.the-reading-list.com

[Ivan]

I'm in the middle of an Agatha Christie (The Body in the Library), an Arthur Conan Doyal The Coming of the Fairies and Elizabeth Von Arnim's The Enchanted April. I don't usually read more than one at a time (and in fact I'm pretty much locked into the Christie at the moment). However, these are on my nightstand.

[Bunnie]

Leslie wrote: "Rick wrote: "Courtney wrote: "what kind of poems do you read?"

I am very partial to John Donne"

I love John Donne, too! "The Good Morrow" is one of my favourite poems.... I read it at a fri..."

[Rick-Founder JM CM BOOK CLUB]

Bunnie wrote: "Leslie wrote: "Rick wrote: "Courtney wrote: "what kind of poems do you read?"

I am very partial to John Donne"

I love John Donne, too! "The Good Morrow" is one of my favourite poems.... I r..."

I am always so touched when I read "Death be not Proud" by Donne

[Charles]

I am reading my first Jose Saramago novel entitled, Death With Interruptions. Its a what if? novel about how the world deals with an unusual occurence, when suddenly no one dies but remains alive regardless of medical condition. I just noticed the book cover displayed at the window of a small bookstore in NYC and I picked it up by pure impulse.. What is interesting is that Mr. Saramago does not use quotation marks, just commas and his sentences are long.. Its a challenge but I am enjoying the story.

[Melissa]

Charles wrote: "I am reading my first Jose Saramago novel entitled, Death With Interruptions. Its a what if? novel about how the world deals with an unusual occurence, when suddenly no one dies but remains alive r..."
My first Jose Saramago novel was Blindness. I loved it, and I've read several of his other novels. The lack of punctuation takes some getting used to, but his books are well worth the effort.

[[deleted user]]

Right now I'm reading The End of the Affair by Graham Greene, which I'm almost finished but find hard going because I just can't buy into the intensity of the religious debate.

I'm also reading The Weirdstone of Brisingamen by Alan Garner as part of a nostalgic revisiting I'm doing of books I absolutely loved as a kid. Which is a lot of fun!

[Steve]

Naomi wrote: "Right now I'm reading The End of the Affair by Graham Greene, which I'm almost finished but find hard going because I just can't buy into the intensity of the religious debate.

I'm also reading T..."

Naomi, I hear you. I'm a huge Graham Greene fan. He's a master. Writing like his inspires me to do better. But his religious themes haven't worked for me so much either. I get it, but it's just not my deal.

[[deleted user]]

Steve wrote: Naomi, I hear you. I'm a huge Graham Greene fan. He's a master. Writing like his inspires me to do better. But his religious themes haven't worked for me so much either. I get it, but it's just not my deal. "

This is the first time I've read any of his work, and I am loving the language, so I think I'll try another (after a suitable break). Feels like I've endured 100 pages of being lectured to, but I'm not sure of which side of the argument I'm supposed to be convinced!

[Worst grammar ever in the above, I am well aware but too lazy to fix :) ]

[Robin]

I am reading The Moonstone, by Wilkie Collins, The Red Garden, which is a good book.

[Charles]

Steve wrote: "Naomi wrote: "Right now I'm reading The End of the Affair by Graham Greene, which I'm almost finished but find hard going because I just can't buy into the intensity of the religious debate.

I'm ..."

Hello Steve.. Have you seen the film version of The End of The Affair? It stars Julianne Moore and Ralph Fiennes. Its a good movie, the editing takes some getting used to as they go back and forth in the story. Great score by Michael Nyman

[David]

Is what the youth are now being taught honest??? A few years ago at a minor flood event, several high school students were talking. I had to interupt, as they needed the truth of some of the history they were being taught. They wanted to know where I got such incorrect facts of our history. When we talked about my first hand on the scene viewing, they were astounded to what they were being taught. Hopefully, they now know to verify history.

[Ellen]

I'm listening to the audio version of Memoirs of a Geisha in the car just because I saw it at the library & I've been curious. It's long-I don't drive enough for the length, lol, but I'm enjoying it.
I'm still reading the eponymous Slash which I downloaded to my pc from the library. It's a rock and roll self-destruct story but I'm liking it a lot, although I've bogged down a bit around page 250. And Wolf Hall on my Kindle for another group. I love it although it's another long haul. And Dermot McEvoy's Terrible Angel: A Novel of Michal Collins in New York which is a fantasy of Michael Collins (the Irish Easter Rebellion leader & crafter of the first treaty with the English, assassinated 10 days after he was elected the 1st prime minister of the Irish Free State & played by Liam Neeson-I believe-in the movie of that name) in which he comes back 70 years after his murder & comes to New York to try to earn his way into heaven.
I'm reading that because I'm fascinated by the rebellion, in honor of my Irish roots.

And I am so beyond excited, I just got my library copy of David Foster Wallace's posthumous work, The Pale King. I'm reading that because I love David Foster Wallace & I have been waiting for its release.