What are you reading right now? (SEE NEW THREAD) Showing 7,251-7,300 of 7,588

[Lisa]

Chrissie wrote: "I am quite sure you will enjoy GoW, although I wish you could listen to the audiobook narrated by John Chance. Amazing."

I'll keep that in mind, Chrissie. It might be hard to do a buddy read that way though, and I don't have a good player for audiobooks.

[Chrissie]

Lisa, have you tried audiobooks? this one was in fact easy to listen to. there are not many different characters and there is no switching of time fames.

[Lisa]

Chrissie wrote: "Lisa, have you tried audiobooks? this one was in fact easy to listen to. there are not many different characters and there is no switching of time fames."

Not really. I listened to one years ago and remember loving it. Those were the days when I'd be walking or on exercise equipment for a couple hours a day, so that was a good time to read audiobooks. Most of my friends who read them read them in the car, but I'm rarely in the car for longer than 20 minute stretches. Now, I don't know when/how I'd listen. During noisy times in my apartment, audiobooks might be easier to read than paper books, as long as I had good headphones.

[Chrissie]

Lisa, that IS a great idea! Your library probably has audiobooks.

[Sylvia]

Chrissie wrote: "Lisa, I read The Pearl as a kid and I wasn't blown over. Glad I tried another. I also read Of Mice and Men; I maybe should reread it. I just went and bought Travels with Charley: In Search of Ameri..."

Hi Chrissie. Saw that you are going to read Travels with Charley: In Search of America. Did I tell you that one of our famous Dutch historians/journalists has made the same journey Steinbeck made, but in 2010. He wrote an extensive book about it: Reizen zonder John - Op zoek naar Amerika "Traveling without John", but you have to wait if it will be translated in English.

[Chrissie]

Sylvia, that is fun that the same journey was made!

[Lisa]

Chrissie, You have an edition shelved by a different narrator than the one you mentioned. Do you know how easy it might be to find your edition? (I'll probably end up reading the paper edition, hopefully the same one Diane has, though I might try other audiobooks.)

[Helena]

Chrissie wrote: "Helena, good!! Are you Swedish? We will be moving back to Sweden very soon. Home again! :0)"

Yes, I'm Swedish and live in Sweden! Wow, where are you moving? I'm in Malmö :)

[Gordon]

I'm currently reading Hugo's Les Misérables! :D

[[deleted user]]

Just started reading the third book in the Philadelphia Patriots series by V.K.Sykes, "Bigger Than Beckham" on Kindle

[Chrissie]

Helena wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Helena, good!! Are you Swedish? We will be moving back to Sweden very soon. Home again! :0)"

Yes, I'm Swedish and live in Sweden! Wow, where are you moving? I'm in Malmö :)"

We have to sell our house; then we are moving home, ie outside of Stockholm. My son lives in Göteborg.

Is it possible nowadays to borrow books from libraries other than those of your own commune? I have been gone so long I am kind of out of touch. Can one borrow audiobooks? Can one order books by the computer. All of this is available in the States, and I was thinking this is maybe also possible in Sweden now too? Thanks for your help.

[Chrissie]

I do recommend River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze, if you are at all curious about what it might be like to live in a remote Chinese town at the very end of the 20th Century. Not as a foreigner, but as a Chinese. Good book!

My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[[deleted user]]

Just started "Blue Skies" by Robyn Carr in paperback

[Chrissie]

I finished In This Hospitable Land.
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... Yeah, it was good. Somehow it feels like a YA book. It is written simplistically. You follow one event after another, and I did learn funny little things! Magnificent writing? No.

So now I have started another audiobook by Colum McCann: Everything in This Country Must. I listened to the sample and loved the Irish brogue of the first narrator. It has two novellas and a short story. I need to listen to something short, so I can stop very quickly b/c Simran, a GR friend, will be visiting me here in Belgium. This is the second GR friend I have met. YAY for GR. I don't think I will have much time to read! I am terribly excited!!!!! Oh, this is going to be fun.

[Jennifer]

Reading Case Histories . This is the first Kate Atkinson I've read. I was a little uncertain about it on page one, but by page three I was hooked. Good book!

[Chrissie]

I already finished Everything in This Country Must! Why couldn't it just last for one more day at least. As all of Colum McCann's writing is, this too was excellent. Four stars, and I don't like short stories! You get two short stories and a short novella. The setting is Ireland.
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I will start Birds, Beasts, and Relatives. I would have preferred to start with My Family and Other Animals, the first in the Corfu Trilogy, but I couldn't get it. I am not sure I will like it, but everyone raves about it so I must give it a go.

[Helena]

Chrissie wrote: "Helena wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Helena, good!! Are you Swedish? We will be moving back to Sweden very soon. Home again! :0)"

Yes, I'm Swedish and live in Sweden! Wow, where are you moving? I'm in ..."

Yes to all, in fact. :) It's possible to borrow from other libraries, and according to my library's page, it's free to borrow within the Nordic countries. You can borrow audio books but of course the selection is more limited. And it's also possible to order a book online and them name the liberary where you want to pick it up.

[Chrissie]

Helena wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Helena wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Helena, good!! Are you Swedish? We will be moving back to Sweden very soon. Home again! :0)"

Yes, I'm Swedish and live in Sweden! Wow, where are yo..."

Helena, you have made my day. So do I go to the closest library to find out how to do all this? NONE of this is available in Belgium. Now I am wondering how many contemporary books are available in either English or translated into Swedish. Both are fine for me. How often do you find that books you see here at GR also are available at Swedish libraries? I guess it helps to be the "typical reader", which I am not, but still maybe some books will be available to borrow. :0)

[Chrissie]

I completed the audiobook Birds, Beasts, and Relatives. Yep, I am smiling and chuckling.
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

So now, having learned about the Durrell family, I have to read a book by Gerald's older brother, Lawrence Durrell: Justine, this being the first of the Alexandria Quartet.
I am telling you, the style is completely different, and I am NOT enthused with the narration by Jack Klaff. When the women speak they sound like dreary, sad but masculine beings. Can I stand all four of these books? I don't mind the book being complicated, there are two couples that have sex not only with their partners but numerous others, but the "profound musings" seem to me pure sophistry. I don't give up easily; it does create the exotic, sensual, multicultural atmosphere of Alexandria before Nasser arrived on the scene. Neither is the rendition chronological. Oh my.......

[Chrissie]

Finished the first book of The Alexandria Quartet, ie Justine.
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I complained an awful lot while I listened to this book. The audiobook version narrated by Jack Klaff, I would definitely avoid.

But now I am hooked. That does say something. I have started Balthazar, the next in the series of four.

[Chrissie]

I tried to listen to Balthazar, and I cannot do it. The narration by Jack Klaff is even worse in this one than in Justine. I changed my star rating of Justine down to two stars. Terrible narration can really wreck a book.

I will now start East of Eden

[Diane]

Chrissie, I just this moment finished The Twelve Tribes of Hattie and I know you ask me if it's for you or not...honestly, I can't say. I am glad I read it because I do like Oprah's selections and it's been awhile since I've read one; it is certainly not uplifting in any way; I think it was an excellent 'first' novel; if you decide on it, let me know. Sorry to be so indecisive on recommending.

[Chrissie]

I read you review, Diane. I think what worries me most is that the book is almost a collection of short stories, one chapter for each child. thanks for remembering me.

[Diane]

Chrissie, it's a bit more connected than short stories, as all the children are 'attached' to Hattie, the main character. So truly we follow Hattie's life throughout the book; but it's true that we don't necessarily get closure on all of the children.

[Chrissie]

Diane D. wrote: "Chrissie, it's a bit more connected than short stories, as all the children are 'attached' to Hattie, the main character. So truly we follow Hattie's life throughout the book; but it's true that we..."

Why do you hesitate to recommend it to me then?

[Diane]

It's not an uplifting read by any means. I wavered between 3 and 4 stars. Just not sure if it would be everyone's cup of tea.

[Chrissie]

Thanks, Diane.

[Priya]

I have just finished which was not comforting at all- I had to put it down and took it up again after a mystery break. I have also read which was more of a comfort read. Strangely both had to do with medical centers- one for de-addiction and the other for preventive cardiological care.I'm thinking of taking up counselling- I feel equipped!

[[deleted user]]

Finishing up while I am sick, "Bigger Than Beckham" and just started in Paperback by Jill Shalvis, "Serving Up Trouble"

[Lisa]

I just finished a marvelous book, A History of the Present Illness, though it definitely wasn't a comfort read for me, and I'm just about to start a reread of All-of-a-Kind Family.

[Manybooks]

Lisa wrote: "I just finished a marvelous book, A History of the Present Illness, though it definitely wasn't a comfort read for me, and I'm just about to start a reread of All-of-a-Kind Family."

I'm looking forward to my reread of All-of-a-Kind Family as well (I also would really love to read the sequels, but while the first book is readily available, the sequels are not even all that available on Amazon or Indigo, sigh).

[Lisa]

I'm not sure I have ever read the sequels. I might read them too this year if I have time, and just the ones available at the library. I hope that's all of them.

[Manybooks]

Lisa wrote: "I'm not sure I have ever read the sequels. I might read them too this year if I have time, and just the ones available at the library. I hope that's all of them."

Our library only has the first book, and even on Amazon and Indigo, the sequels are only available used and often at crazy expensive prices (I might have to try ILL, sigh, but I would rather own the entire series, it is the kind of series I would love to own).

[Andrew✌️]

Yesterday I finished The Master and Margarita and I liked it very much. It's not perfect and the story could have been developed in a better way, but is funny and always maintains high your attention.

[Jennifer]

Gundula wrote: "Lisa wrote: "I just finished a marvelous book, A History of the Present Illness, though it definitely wasn't a comfort read for me, and I'm just about to start a reread of All-of-a-Kind Family."

I..."

I loved those books when I was a kid!! Haven't thought of them in years. You should look for Crystal Tree and others by her if you like the Sydney Taylor stuff-- I think you'd like the Lindquist too.

[Lisa]

Thanks, Jennifer. I'll check them out.

[Lisa]

It looks as though the first book is The Golden Name Day and the Crystal Tree book is a sequel to it.

[Jennifer]

Lisa wrote: "It looks as though the first book is The Golden Name Day and the Crystal Tree book is a sequel to it."

Sounds right. Been 35 years since I read them!!! Did you ever read Jean Little when you were a kid? She wrote some good ones also.

[Manybooks]

Jennifer wrote: "Lisa wrote: "It looks as though the first book is The Golden Name Day and the Crystal Tree book is a sequel to it."

Sounds right. Been 35 years since I read them!!! Did you ever read Jean Little w..."

Jean Little is great. I especially love From Anna, its sequel Listen for the Singing and The Belonging Place. Her contributions to the "Dear Canada" series are also wonderful.

And you should read her autobiographical/biographical books as well, Little by Little: A Writer's Education, Stars Come Out Within and His Banner Over Me (about Jean Little's mother's childhood).

[Lisa]

I've been dying to read Jean Little. I think I have most/all on my sagging to-read shelf.

[Manybooks]

Lisa wrote: "I've been dying to read Jean Little. I think I have most/all on my sagging to-read shelf."

I think you would really enjoy her work.

[[deleted user]]

Reading "Serving Up Trouble" by Jill Shalvis in paperback and just starting on Kindle, "Chocolate Magic" by Kayla Russo

[Janice]

Reading . Love it!

[Lisa]

Gundula wrote: "Lisa wrote: "I've been dying to read Jean Little. I think I have most/all on my sagging to-read shelf."

I think you would really enjoy her work."

Gundula, I am sure I would/will.

[Chrissie]

Janice wrote: "Reading . Love it!"

Would I? Everybody says this is worth reading but I just cannot be sure if the glamorous show business is my cup of tea. Italy draws....

[Beth]

im reading

[Chrissie]

I finished East of Eden
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

and will now read another by Steinbeck: Travels with Charley: In Search of America

Even if the first is not one of my favorites, it was OK. I do know few authors write masterpiece after masterpiece, and I do know that I enjoy his writing style. I have begun the latter, and I immediately feel much more comfortable. This is more to my taste!

[Andrew✌️]

I started and , two totally different genres.
I'm not used to read two books at time, this is a unique case.

[Manybooks]

Andrew wrote: "I started and , two totally different genres.
I'm not used to read two books at time, this is a uni..."

I always end up reading lots of books at the same time and usually having trouble both finishing and not getting distracted, sigh (but that's the way I read).

[Janice]

Chrissie wrote: "Janice wrote: "Reading . Love it!"

Would I? Everybody says this is worth reading but I just cannot be sure if the glamorous show business is my cup of tea. Ita..."

I'm not quite finished, the story is interesting and some characters are in the movie business, but it's not a glamorous, "Hollywood" type story - it goes back and forth between different eras, characters and their lives. I've been reading some dark, heavy stuff and this is the perfect buffer. I'm totally enjoying! Maybe you will too!