Comfort Reads discussion
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What are you reading right now? (SEE NEW THREAD)
Pure by Andrew Miller. It is about a young man charged with clearing the bodies out of Les Innocents in 1700s Paris.
Georgina wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Georgina, Nabokov really outdid himself with this one!Lauren, Bel Canto is Patchett's best!"
Agreed!"
Oh, I read Bel Canto years ago. It is definitely a good book. I even heard the author give a reading at Tulane University here in NOLA back in the 1990s.
Covingtoncat73 wrote: "[i]Pure[/i] by Andrew Miller. It is about a young man charged with clearing the bodies out of Les Innocents in 1700s Paris."I have been considering Pure too! Please let us know what yo think. Do you like it from the start?
Chrissie wrote: "Covingtoncat73 wrote: "Pure by Andrew Miller. It is about a young man charged with clearing the bodies out of Les Innocents in 1700s Paris."I have been considering Pure too! Please let us ..."
I about 14% in and I am really enjoying it. I also thought Andrew Miller's other book, Ingenious Pain, was quite good.
I've finished reading The Client by John Grisham last night and now I'm reading Island of Lost Girls by Jennifer McMahon.
Covingtoncat73, did such a cemetery exist? How much of the plot is based on fact? Is there an author's note that explains this? Thanks for helping me. I guess the tone is very creepy. It sounds good.
I'm currently reading Tell The Wolves I'm Home: A Novel and Sugar Rush. I won Tell the Wolves I'm Home in a GR giveaway. I love it so far. It's a really moving story about a young, lonely teen in the 1980's who loses her uncle to AIDS. He was her closest confidante. She meets his partner (I'm assume he's his partner) and they strike up a friendship over the mutual loss.Sugar Rush is a contemporary romance that is part of the Cupcake Club series by Donna Kauffman. I borrowed the second book in the series, Sweet Stuff, from the library and decided to buy the first a few months back. So now I've finally gotten around to reading it. It's ok. It's about a chef who loves to a small town in Georgia to get away from the cutthroat culinary scene in NYC. She's pursued by a British chef whose restaurant she use to run. He has his own TV show and decides to film some episode in the town where she currently lives. It has a little more drama than previous one I read but it's not bad.
I have finished A Golden Age and started The Blood of Flowers. Hasn't Amirrezvani written a new book? I certainly have to read this one first to decide if I should add the new one. My short review of "A Golden Age": http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Since my last update:Finished:
Worth Dying For,
61 Hours and
Persuader, all by Lee Child. On a Reacher roll, always like Reacher, but I have to admit reading his later books all in a row brings his recurrent formula of "town in trouble" into stark relief. I'd probably like them a teensy bit better if I spaced them out and didn't notice that so much. Hasn't stopped me from starting another one, though-- in my "currently reading," below.
The Rose GardenI liked this more than I thought I would-- I was just on the point of thinking she was going to wind it up as a typical time-travel romance when she changed it up at the end in a couple ways I never saw coming. Good book!
Finished
The Ghost and the Dead Deb -- I just love the ghost. And I like how the author has sort of cleverly expanded his abilities. Be reading more of these. 
Absolutely, Positively which I was able to read without a pang now that I know the series isn't ending and the new one is out!Currently reading:
11/22/63 which is enthralling although I'm taking it slow and reading other things alongside,
One Shot -said I was on a Reacher trip... And
The Poet which I think I read about 14 years ago but have no memory of. I'm enjoying it but I think I might like Bosch better. We'll see.
I just started Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison, which so far is interesting and easy to read, but I don't know if I'll get a good feel for typical women inmates.
I've finished reading Island of Lost Girls by Jennifer McMahon and now I'm a couple of chapters into Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James.
I just finished The Blood of Flowers. Great historical fiction. Yup, I went ahead and bought it. So many of you liked it. My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I will now start The Question of Bruno: Stories. I hope I like it; I am a little worried because it is made up of stories and I don't ussually like stories. But they are interconnected! I have heard it has really good writing.
I am still listening to Skeletons at the Feast, which I love. Wonderful writing that grips you. You are right there in the middle of it all. Very moving. Thanks Barbara, for recommending this to me. And you other guys too. I cannot name everybody.
I'm all over the place after attending the Book Passage Children's Writers & Illustrators Conference. So, I was already in the middle of
and still am, but now I'm immersing in YA like
and
.
I have started When the Elephants Dance, which is historical fiction, although it is based on the author's father's and grandmother's life experiences during WW2. It is filled with magical Philippine tales too;her grandmother was an adept storyteller. I am expecting a lovely blend of fact, fiction and insight into Philippine culture.I finished The Question of Bruno: Stories. I hated the shorter stories but I did like the novella. They are all in the same book. My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
And really, what I didn't like was not just the short story format.
I am half way through "Mr. and Miss Anonymous" by Fern Michaels. Interesting mystery regarding sperm and egg donors.
Becky wrote: "I am half way through "Mr. and Miss Anonymous" by Fern Michaels. Interesting mystery regarding sperm and egg donors."Sounds intriguing, Becky. I'll check it out. Thanks!
I just finished a wonderfully, unbelievably fantastic book. No question. It gets five stars. Many of you have probably already read it. It is better, even much better than The Invisible Bridge, and we all know how good that was! Right? READ or LISTEN TO Skeletons at the Feast.
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
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I've started The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax and am not sure I'm going to love it as much as I'd hoped.
Chrissie, I just added that book to my on-deck shelf. It's been on my to-read shelf for 4 years.Lee, I've heard wonderful things about the Mrs. Pollifax books. I'll be curious what you think about it when you've finished with the book, or can't finish it.
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Just started "The Prairie Prince" by Marcia Lynn McClure on Kindle and "Hot Ice" by Nora Roberts in paperback
Lee, I thought I would add that to my shelves too. Dated, huh?! Well, I was joking with another friend that I was no spy, so I couldn't relate to spy novels but I thought I could try this. Maybe?Lisa and Lee, I really loved listening to Skeletons at the Feast. I was thinking about every sentence and there was so much to consider. It is shorter than "The Invisible Bridge". I liked it even better.
Lee wrote: "I'll keep reading but it feels very dated. And I'm not sure about the writing. I'll let you know."Thanks, Lee.
Chrissie wrote: "Lisa and Lee, I really loved listening to Skeletons at the Feast. I was thinking about every sentence and there was so much to consider. It is shorter than "The Invisible Bridge". I liked it even better. "You and your review have convinced me, Chrissie, and, as I said on your review, it's been on my to-read shelf for 4 years. So, hopefully I'll now read it sooner rather than later or never.
Oh gosh, I just read Address Unknown, a very short story, told via letters, that packs quite a punch. Really great story.Back to Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison, which I'm really enjoying.
And the picture books, art books, and vegan cookbooks, etc. I have at home. A plethora of riches, with more books quickly coming from the library. Too many riches?
I want to read your review of Orange!
Chrissie wrote: "I want to read your review of Orange!"I'll write one, of course, but I'm not sure how good/useful it will be. I'm loving the book, more than I thought I would. So much is infuriating about the world though. The American prison system is ridiculous, for many that is.
I have begun Perla on my Ipod. It is about the Dirty War of Argentina. I grabbed it since I very much enjoyed the author's The Invisible Mountain, which is set in Uruguay. This author has a knack with magical realism. It is not too unbelievable; similar to Allende's in The House of the Spirits. Well, I hope it is as good as "The Invisible Mountain".
I finished When the Elephants Dance, and here is my final review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/.... Now I will start Primo Levi's If This Is a Man / The Truce. Two books in one. Supposed to be a fabulous author. Everybody has read him except me!
I've finished reading Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James earlier today and now I've started The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
I completed the audiobook Perla.My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I have begun another audiobook: Sipping from the Nile. So far I love this memoir that starts with the author's childhood in Cairo. I enjoy how she expresses herself.
Sylvia wrote: "Just started to read one of my volumous books I've got for my birthday last year: Pompeii"Oh, that one is on my to-read shelf and I'm really eager to read it.
I just started Pushing the Bear. I'm interested in the subject but I think I'd rather be reading a non-fiction book.
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Finishing up "Brooklyn" by Colm Toibin and just started " The Charm School" by Susan Wiggs.
I'm trying to read two books right now,they are
!
I'm reading
in English (Kindle edition and
in Dutch.
Lisa wrote: "Sylvia wrote: "Just started to read one of my volumous books I've got for my birthday last year: Pompeii"Oh, that one is on my to-read shelf and I'm really eager to read it.
I just started Pushi..."
Lisa, my arts teacher recommended it. She was very enthousiastic about the story. I've read some three chapters now and I like the way it is written.
I've finished reading The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne this morning and now I'm about to start Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner.
I am currently reading Where We Belong,
. Won this as a Goodreads giveaway. Publication date July 24, 2012. Hard to put down.
I am currently reading The Kalevala (am taking my time with this, I highly enjoy the stories in it) and have also started reading Elizabeth Edmondson's The Villa in Italy for a bit of light reading--it's pretty interesting so far! =)
I've just finished reading Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner and I'm planning on starting Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich next.
Just started Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. It was given to me passed down so I'll see what its all about and if its like 50.
I am currently listening to Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall. It is good. Not dry, the author's personal reflections on what she is told and sees and learns adds to the historical facts. You get involved because the people's experiences are so horrible.
Having finished If This Is a Man / The Truce(my review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...)
I will now read Regeneration. This is historical fiction about real people.
Thank you Dawn for giving this to me AND thank you Jeanette for bringing it to my door! What great friends!!!! And now Jeanette has met Oscar! He sends a woof.
None of these books are typical "comfort reads", except that the people survived. Primo Levi's strength and wisdom is wonderful. Sooooo comforting in a strange way.
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Comfort Reads
Books mentioned in this topic
Forever (other topics)The Big Sky (other topics)
Anil's Ghost (other topics)
Burial Rites (other topics)
Goodbye Sarajevo: A True Story of Courage, Love and Survival (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Michael Ondaatje (other topics)Wendell Berry (other topics)
Robert K. Massie (other topics)
Edmund Morris (other topics)
Susan Fromberg Schaeffer (other topics)
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My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Today I finished the audiobookScribbling The Cat
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
(ETA: the topic is scarcely "comforting"!)
Many will enjoy the former, but me, I absolutely ADORED the latter.
Now I am reading A Golden Age, historical fiction about independence of Bangladesh, and I think I will start the audiobook Skeletons at the Feast. I want to try the author Chris Bohjalian.