What are you reading right now? (SEE NEW THREAD) Showing 4,451-4,500 of 7,588

[Maude]

Chrissie, I think "Savannah" will stick. She never even looked up when I called her Java!

[[deleted user]]

How nice to have rescued what sounds like a very smart and sweet dog. Good luck with the training; it's important. Have you posted any pictures?

[Olivia]

Jeannette wrote: "Provence Cure looks good, Olivia. I'm reading The Accidental Tourist"

Thanks, I'm enjoying it. I still have to read the Accidental Tourist. I've had it on my shelf for at least 20 years! Someday...

[[deleted user]]

Finally was convinced by one of my GR friends. It seems similar in basic plot to Provence Cure.

[Chrissie]

Maude, I like the name Java, but dogs no more than people like having their name changed unless they themselves choose to change it! She really does sound wonderful. I am waiting for a photo please.

[Clark]

Lee, I see that you really like the Daniel Silva thrillers. I really enjoy thrillers, and Silva is one of the very best. Coincidence: I'm in the middle of The Defector (which is a sequel to Moscow Rules), and I see that you are as well.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Clark, I love spy thrillers but don't find too many good ones anymore. I agree that Daniel Silva writes some of the best. I just finished The Defector and thoroughly enjoyed it. I think I missed a few books in the series because I read some of them before I found Goodreads and wasn't keeping track of my reading as well. I hope he keeps writing more!

[Clark]

Lee, The same in my case: I haven't read Silva's novels in any particular order. It doesn't seem to matter much, except in the case of The Defector, which is a sequel to Moscow Rules. But he puts a lot of background info in The Defector (I think too much) to remind readers of what happened and who did what in Moscow Rules.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

It's funny because I thought I hadn't read Moscow Rules but while I was reading the Defector it all sounded extremely familiar so maybe I have. Anyways, I'm not going to go back and read it now. I look forward to the next one in the series which is waiting for me at the library right now!

[Clark]

By the way, Lee, I've read at least one novel of Silva's that's not part of the Gabriel Allon series. Marching Orders has as background the "troubles" in Northern Ireland.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Hmmm, that title sounds really familiar. I may have read that one too. Sometimes the I think the more books I read, the less I retain. :-)

[Lee, Mod Mama]

I'm now reading the second in Kenneth Oppel's steampunk adventure series called Skybreaker. These are young adult books with great action sequences and a fun way to escape. My friend Kathryn turned me on to this series and I'm enjoying it immensely!

[Lisa]

I'm reading Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard by Liz Murray. The idea is to read it concurrently with my Harry Potter reread (I'm not that far into book 6) but I can't put it down. It reminds me quite a bit of another memoir I loved: Blackbird: The Story of a Childhood Lost and Found by Jennifer Lauck.

[Ivan]

Re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird. The great American novel.

[Lisa]

Ivan wrote: "Re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird. The great American novel."

One of my all time favorites. Something new to take away at every reading.

[Lisa]

Ivan wrote: "Re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird. The great American novel."

We had an unofficial discussion of it as a subgroup. Feel free to chime in/reactivate the thread if you'd like, Ivan:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/3...

[Don]

Ivan wrote: "Re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird. The great American novel."

I've just begun reading it for the first time. Somehow I missed it in high school literature. I can't get over how comical it is. Maybe it's just me, but I love Harper Lee's sort of Mark Twain tongue in cheek sense of humor. It reminds me a little of "Tom Sawyer". I haven't even gotten to the good stuff yet and already I'm loving it.

[Ivan]

Don wrote: "Ivan wrote: "Re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird. The great American novel."

I've just begun reading it for the first time. Somehow I missed it in high school literature. I can't get ove..."

I'd actually forgotten quite a bit of it - the small (but lovely details) like Scout sitting on Miss Maudie's porch, the fire, trying to pass Boo a note attached to a fishing pole - and so much more.

[Clark]

Lee wrote: "Hmmm, that title sounds really familiar. I may have read that one too. Sometimes the I think the more books I read, the less I retain. :-)"

Lee wrote: "Hmmm, that title sounds really familiar. I may have read that one too. Sometimes the I think the more books I read, the less I retain. :-)"

Lee, I made an error in the title. The actual title is The Marching Season.
Lee wrote: "Hmmm, that title sounds really familiar. I may have read that one too. Sometimes the I think the more books I read, the less I retain. :-)"

[Clark]

To anyone who has tried to contact me recently. I've had to be away from the computer from last Saturday until this moment. I found over 300 emails waiting for me. So, please forgive me. I'll be getting back to people slowly.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

No problem Clark. I hope everything's okay.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

I'm reading Starclimber, the third in Kenneth Oppel's adventure series. These are fantastic comfort reads and written for young adults so easy going.

[Chrissie]

I just finished The Observations. It is a light, entertaining mystery. Even I liked it, and I usually cannot read mysteries! Please remember that for me three stars IS a good book to read! Here is my review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....

I also recently finished Blessed by Thunder: Memoir of a Cuban GirlhoodBlessed by Thunder: Memoir of a Cuban Girlhood which I could not complete, but wish I could have. This I gave four stars to! My spoiler free review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Now I will read The Last Station: A Novel of Tolstoy's Last Year. I will next year attempt to read 52 books from 52 different countries. I have too many "must read" books for the Russian Federation, so I will take one from the list now. Doesn't it look interesting?!

[[deleted user]]

I just watched the movie adaptation, and it was quite enjoyable. I think it strayed a bit from the actual story, but the actors made it fun.

[Pamela]

Read The Lantern when you have time to kick back and enjoy an good mystery set Provence. 5 stars.

[[deleted user]]

Pamela wrote: "Read The Lantern when you have time to kick back and enjoy an good mystery set Provence. 5 stars."

That one looks so good!

[Lauren]

Currently reading The Debutante

[Lee, Mod Mama]

I'm finally continuing with Patrick O'Brian's wonderful series and The Mauritius Command.

[Pamela]

Christine wrote: "Pamela wrote: "Read The Lantern when you have time to kick back and enjoy an good mystery set Provence. 5 stars."

That one looks so good!"

It is ;-) I'm still thinking about it...

[Beth]

just breathe by susan wiggs

[[deleted user]]

Beth wrote: "just breathe by susan wiggs"

How is that one?

[[deleted user]]

Pamela wrote: "Christine wrote: "Pamela wrote: "Read The Lantern when you have time to kick back and enjoy an good mystery set Provence. 5 stars."

That one looks so good!"

..."

I'm adding it to my list.

[Khairu]

i m reading HUMAN.4

[Laura]

Chrissie wrote: "I just finished The Observations. It is a light, entertaining mystery. Even I liked it, and I usually cannot read mysteries! Please remember that for me three stars IS a good book to ..."

Have you read 100 years of solitude by Garcia Marquez?

[[deleted user]]

I just started George, Nicholas and Wilhelm: Three Royal Cousins and the Road to World War I. The resemblance physical resemblance between George and Nicholas is startling. They look like brothers.

[Lauren]

Currently reading Hourglass

[Lisa]

I'm reading Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife for my October book club, and it's not a book I'd normally have picked up, even though I loved Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers and might be interested in reading Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void, but so far it's interesting, and she's really funny.

[Darkpool]

Lisa, I'm reading Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void right now, and 60-odd pages in I'm already wondering about her other books. I do love her writing style - a bit like having a chat with a friend at a wine bar.

[Lisa]

Darkpool wrote: "Lisa, I'm reading Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void right now, and 60-odd pages in I'm already wondering about her other books. I do love her writing style - ..."

I think she's hilarious. I love her writing style. She makes science completely accessible. I like science but I'd bet even those who don't will like her books.

[Chrissie]

I have just completed The Last Station.It is historical fiction that stays close to the known facts. I am glad I read it,and I found it interesting. My review explains why I rated it as I did: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Now I will start Death in the City of Light: The Serial Killer of Nazi-Occupied Paris. This is not fiction, but it reads as such! I am already drawn in, rapidly turning page after page. I received it from NetGalley.

[Chrissie]

Simran, I am enjoying every minute of it, at least so far. I do not know if a movie is planned.

[Clark]

« Carlos Fuentes' Aura: A Jewel of a novelette
I read this in the original Spanish, and then in a bilingual (Spanish-English, facing pages) version. This short novel, or novelette, is a jewel. It is packed with the feeling of an unbreakable, relentless destiny in store for a young man in Mexico City. Felipe Montero, a public school teacher, answers a want add in the newspaper because the description of the person being sought for a much higher-paying job seems to be an exact description of Montero, as though it were specifically reaching out to him and no one else. The feeling of implacable fate, expressed symbolically in many ways, is backed even by the grammar: the story is told in the present and the future. A statement like, "You will move a few steps..." in the future tense makes one feel it has to happen, there is no choice. (Unfortunately, this feature is lost in the English translation of the facing bilingual edition I've read.)

His employer is an extremely old woman (Consuelo) in a big old house sandwiched among modern building and businesses. It seems out of place in the commercial district of downtown Mexico City. There are no electric lights in the house, the drapes are always drawn, so that the house, even at noon, is in a deep darkness. Except for the old woman's bedroom which is lit by multiple candles.

Felipe does not want to live in that house, but it's part of the deal. He is about to refuse, it seems, when Aura, a beautiful young girl appears. He stays.

An unusual technique used in Aura is the point of view of the second-person singular. The constant use of TU (YOU)as the subject draws the reader into the fictional world, or conversely, pulls the fictional world out into the reader's world. The reader --with the suspension of disbelief-- becomes Felipe Montero, the protagonist, and carries out and will carry out, is fated to carry out, the action of the plot.

The novel is filled with highly poetic, metaphorical language as well as symbolism, especially color symbolism, with magic and sexual passion. Depending on one's interpretation, the novel may contain witchcraft and magic, or hypnotism or transmigration of souls. Whichever the explanation you choose, it is a fast-moving, page-turning, fascinating book.
Aura: Bilingual Edition

[[deleted user]]

Almost done with The Paris Wife

[Beth]

heart shaped box!! by Joe Hill! very spooky! everyone who told me that was totally right :) get goosebumps sometimes! loving it!

[Chrissie]

Death in the City of Light: The Serial Killer of Nazi-Occupied Paris is a nonfiction book I just completed. It is set in France and is concerned with the Petiot murders that occurred in Occupied Paris during WW2. The qutestions are many. Who exactly did Petiot murder? Why? How?

I appreciated that fact and speculation are differentiated. That was the goal of the author, and I think he did it very well. The research is thorough. The epilogue ties all the strands together and expresses what the author speculates to the questions that remain unanswered.

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

I gave it four stars rather than five because sometimes I stumbled among the facts. I could not keep absolutely every event and person straight, Although I think that is more my failure than the book's.

I will now start The Last Van Gogh. Why? Well, because i enjoyed the author's book Swedish Tango: A Novel and I enjoy getting inside the heads of artists. Sunflowers wasn't bad either. Will this be better?

I adored Arrogance, but that is about Schiele. All of these artist books are historical fiction. Check out The Painted Kiss too. I am only mentioning these because so few people seem to know of them and I really liked them. You will find my reviews. If you don't and you want them, just ask me.

[Chrissie]

Simran, yes! I very much enjoyed The Agony and the Ecstasy: A Biographical Novel of Michelangelo. I gave it four stars. I am a tough one with my stars.

Wow, The Lives of the Artists covers 36 different Renaissance artists. Thank you for the tip.

[Joseph-Daniel Peter Paul Abondius]

At the moment I am reading The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks.Disney after Dark, Two-Minute Mysteries collection, and The Best American Short Stories 1989.

[[deleted user]]

I am reading A Guide to the Birds of East Africa. More than just a romantic tale, I think I will be learning some interesting things about Kenya, too.

[Lisa]

Jeannette wrote: "I am reading A Guide to the Birds of East Africa. More than just a romantic tale, I think I will be learning some interesting things about Kenya, too."

Jeannette, I suggested that book and my book club is going to read it for our January 2012 selection. I'm excited, especially if you end up liking it.

[[deleted user]]

Half way in, I do like it. Lee is reading it, too. And Kathryn is hovering. :)