Gardener's Group discussion
Overall Reading Goals&Book Chats
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What Did You Just Finish, What Are You Reading Now & What Books Have You Brought Home Recently? (Spoilers Possible)
About 1/4 done with "19th" and have discovered it's one of those story within a story within........Anyway, it's about the Latter Day Saints and is intriguing to say the least. I'm not sure how much of this is true, but one of our book club members is reading a true account of the beginnings of the Mormon Church so we will have some idea of what's fictionalized. Since most of us are Catholic or Lutheran we don't know didley about the LDS so we thought it would be a good idea.
Under the Banner of Heaven is the best book about the LDS (Mormon) church that I have read, and I have read a lot. Highly recommend it for everyone! Especially if one is considering voting for Romney if he runs. Secrecy about their beliefs is part of the religion, so it is important to learn the background!
Miriam wrote: "Under the Banner of Heaven is the best book about the LDS (Mormon) church that I have read, and I have read a lot. Highly recommend it for everyone! Especially if one is considering vo..."I used to work with a very nice lady who was a LDS. She had 5 kids one of whom passed away from leukemia when he was 8. She told me a little bit about their customs and that no matter where someone passes away eventually the family goes to Salt Lake City for some type of ceremony. Other than that, I didn't know much about their church and found this book fascinating. Can't wait to see what comes up in our discussion at book club. I still have many questions about the origin of this religion and would like to understand more about it.
I don't know if this is national, but for the past several months there have been many commercials on TV here extolling the Mormon religion. Everyone talks about it as no other religion does this. Some people think Romney is behind the ads, but that doesn't seem right to me.
I read this book by Martha Beck, a former LDS: Leaving the Saints: How I Lost the Mormons and Found My Faith. She is the daughter of deceased LDS scholar and apologist, Hugh Nibley. I found it to be very interesting, informative while also showing her humor. Whenever I'd find something out from her book, I'd check it with a friend who was raised in a Mormon household. Whenever I told him a point he would confirm it. (He's no longer a Mormon).
Cheryl, the TV ads are part of their missionary goals. The LDS church plans to be the only church in the world some day. That is why missionary work is almost mandatory for all to do for two years after high school. But I imagine there is also a link to Romney. They would love to have someone in the White House. Like all propaganda, the ads tell only one side of the religion. And there are good sides to the church or it wouldn't have survived. But there is also a very bad side in my opinion.
It's funny but when a couple of young missionary's came to our house to talk to my eldest son--they wouldn't give him specifics. He asked them if they believed that someday they'd have their own planet, or about the underwear, etc. but they denied these things. I find that very interesting. Why would you deny your own truths? I sent my son to talk to my friend who was raised a mormon to get the down-low. :)
BTW, he wasn't being disrespectful...he'd simply heard about these things and wanted to know the truth.
I don't want to rant from my soapbox about the LDS, but I will say it scares me.
I'm not sure if I posted it or not--but I finished Arctic Homestead. I did a very short review of it that you can find here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I don't want to offend anyone as I believe everyone is entitled to run their life as they see fit, however I have a problem with the origins of this religion concerning the gold plates. Where are they? Thanks, Miriam, for telling me these ads are to do with their missionary goals. I did understand from reading "19th" that LDS believe they are the only ones going to heaven, but other religions believe that too. I also know most wars have some religious component and millions of people through the ages have died in bloody wars because of it.
On another note I have to say "As The Crow Flies" is taking over my life. I like the characters so much and don't want to see anything bad happen to them and there is suspense everywhere I turn. I haven't read a book like this in a long time and I am enjoying it even if it is making me twitchy.
Sorry, I used the wrong title--It's "The Way the Crow Flies". I finished last night and am still thinking about it. It's just one of those books that really grabbed me, maybe because I was a child at about the same time as the protagonist and could easily identify with her feelings and references.Then a read "Rainwater" by Sandra Brown--a really fast read, but quite a good story 1930's era.
Now I'm reading "Bossypants" by Tina Fey for my memoir book club. So far I'm enjoying it and some parts are quite funny, but some are kind of raw so don't read it if you find that kind of thing offensive.
Thanks for the clarification Cheryl. I'll have to add it to my reading list. :)
Finished The White Garden: A Novel of Virginia Woolf and gave it 2 stars. Too much mystery and wild goose chases, not enough about the White Garden.
Just finished "Does the Noise In My Head Bother You?" the Steven Tyler memoir. I'm always fascinated by over the top characters and he certainly is one.Now I'm reading the latest Kate Shugak mystery by Dana Stabenow. I'm addicted to this series and have read them all. I'm about half way through and think this might be the best one yet.
So what would you rate the S. Tyler book? He really is over the top--but very likeable. Did you see his duet with Carrie Underwood the CMA's a month or so ago? They sang Walk this Way and it was incredible! I never would have pictured those two singing together but it was Great!Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbbIvG...
He comes on about the 1:40 mark. Half the pleasure was the surprise of the audience when he came out.
I just finished "What does God want" a very interesting read--kind of a spiritual philosophy book. It's given me a lot of food for thought. I'm definitely going to have to read it again. BTW, has anyone seen The Rabbit Hole here? I have it on my Nexflix list of movies to watch--it's the next one in line. It's with Nicole Kidman and looks like a tear jerker.
Haven't seen it! (Or heard of it for that matter lol)Reading The Grapes of Wrath and Louisa May Alcott The Woman behind Little Women.
Jo: I added the LMA book after seeing you were reading it. It sounds really good! Grapes of Wrath is in my TBR pile. No matter how fast I read, that pile seems to multiply like two rabbits in a cage.Speaking of which, I don't know if you'd want to see The Rabbit Hole. One of the previews showed parents at a group meeting--it looked like a support group for parents who had lost a child. One parent says something to the effect that her child had to leave because God needed another Angel. To which Nicole Kidman's character says "Why? Why does God need another Angel? Why can't he just MAKE another Angel. He is God after all."
That's about all I know about it.
Thanks for the head's up! I've gotten to the point where I can read novels that deal w/child loss (emotional yet comforting) but movies... I'm not quite there yet!
I can certainly understand that Jo. I've finally gotten to the point where I can read stories about people with Alzheimer's (my dad had it) but I'm not sure how I'd react to a movie about it. Just depends on how it's portrayed I guess. I'm weird in that I love tear-jerkers. Any movie that provokes strong emotions from me, I figure it's a good story and great acting. For example: I LOVED Splendor in the Grass with Natalie Woods and Warren Beatty. My best friend was so mad that I had her watch it with me. She thought it was a good story but too gut wrenching. The only movie that I cried throughout the whole movie and I DON'T want to see again was The World Trade Center movie with Nicolas Cage. The wound was just too fresh.
But dealing with the death of a child is an entirely different matter.
Just finished reading "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet". What a great book -- really touched my heart. It reminded me a little bit of Amy Tan's style.
I'm hoping to get to that one this summer Beth, glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Beth: I just read that a few weeks ago. Loved it! Very troubling in places. Made me think about how some Muslims must feel here in the U.S. I hadn't read much about Japanese internment during WWII and I was SHOCKED by how much they lost. I didn't realize the scope of it. They must have felt very persecuted. Very sad to think that happened here, in my own country.
I just saw a book in the Hamilton Book sale catelog with Dorothy Lange's photos (not sure i got that name right)of the J.A. internment camps. Made my bad-girl-buying-more-books list. She did such moving photos of the depression.
Hmmm...another book to add. Never heard of her, I'm going to have to check out her photos.
Terri wrote: "So what would you rate the S. Tyler book? He really is over the top--but very likeable. Did you see his duet with Carrie Underwood the CMA's a month or so ago? They sang Walk this Way and it was..."I think I gave it 4 stars with a warning about all the profanity. It's very readable and he came over as honest about his lurid past. I do admire his musical ability. I think he is one of those gifted people who march to a different drummer (Dylan, Lennon etc come to mind) and even though I don't admire their lifestyle I can appreciate their talent.
Finished "Sarah's Key" about a Jewish family during WWII. Friends had highly recommended it and it was okay but seemed a bit contrived to me. Maybe I was expecting too much do to everyone raving about it and also I've read a lot of WWII stuff in the past.Before "Sarah" I finished the Kate Shugak novel and think it is my favorite in the series. Really good mystery.
Now I'm re-reading an old Amelia Peabody mystery from another series I really enjoy. Elizabeth Peters is the author of this series about a British family involved in Egyptian archeology in the early 1900s. Good mysteries with well drawn characters and a generous amount of humor thrown in. Fun lite reading for summer.
Cheryl: I agree with you, I don't condone the lifestyle but I do appreciate their talent. Plus I'm always intrigued about what drives creative people. Sorry to hear about Sarah's Key. I have it on my TBR list. It has been very pumped up--now that I've read your review, I won't expect much and maybe I'll like it. Ha!
Terri wrote: "Cheryl: I agree with you, I don't condone the lifestyle but I do appreciate their talent. Plus I'm always intrigued about what drives creative people. Sorry to hear about Sarah's Key. I have i..."
I wish I hadn't had expectations for "Sarah" either, but will keep that in mind the someone tells me to read a book they think is the best ever.
I've had that happen so many times with movies and then I'm disappointed. I find when I don't expect much, I'm usually pleasantly surprised. Our imagination is hard to live up to I guess.
Terri wrote: "I've had that happen so many times with movies and then I'm disappointed. I find when I don't expect much, I'm usually pleasantly surprised. Our imagination is hard to live up to I guess."I like that!
This is the exact reason why I have never seen any of the Harry Potter movies. My imagination was scarey enough!
Been rereading and enjoying several books in the Amelia Peabody series. I had read so many emotionally draining memoirs I think I needed a break to just relax and enjoy.
I love the Harry Potter movies but not as much as I love her writing!
Last night I watched the foreign version of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo". I'm not much for movies with subtitles, but since I liked the book I wanted to see the movie. It's been a while since I read the book, but as far as I can remember the movie was pretty close to the story. I was most interested to see how Lisbeth Salander was portrayed and felt she was true to character.
Jo wrote: "I love the Harry Potter movies but not as much as I love her writing!"I enjoy this series and am mostly impressed by how many kids around the world got interested in reading because of it. My grandkids are not readers and it kills me, but they're just not the type to sit still long enough to enjoy a book. I am grateful, however, that they're not couch potatoes and prefer to spend their time playing sports, fishing, camping etc.
Cheryl S. wrote: "Last night I watched the foreign version of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo". I'm not much for movies with subtitles, but since I liked the book I wanted to see the movie. It's been a while sinc..."I saw it in London last year. I thought the actress Noomi Rapace was amazing. In fact, I thought all the acting was amazing. It was a change to see real people with lines and pores on the screen.
Yes, Cheryl, I worry about my grandkids not being readers. My Idaho daughter in law is studying to be a elementary teacher, and is working with the kids to teach them reading and writing (3 and 4) so that is encouraging, but they don't have the example of a parent who reads for enjoyment. My Iowa daughter in law reads to the kids every night before bed, and that son reads some, but he is a big TV addict too. So at two that grandson had a tv in his bedroom. It is frustrating.
I am currently reading Liberty's Exiles, about the Loyalists in the American Revolution and afterwards. I had to stop and reread a self-published memoir/ history of my maternal grandmother's family, since they were Loyalists who were refuges to Canada after the Revolution. Interesting juxtaposition. But I just picked up some fiction, so I may take a break from the brain work for the evening.
Petra X wrote: "Cheryl S. wrote: "Last night I watched the foreign version of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo". I'm not much for movies with subtitles, but since I liked the book I wanted to see the movie. It's..."That was an eye opener for me too! I thought it was perfect for the gritty feel of the film. I know this is being made into a film in the US too and I bet all the actors will have pretty faces! LOL!
Miriam wrote: "Yes, Cheryl, I worry about my grandkids not being readers. My Idaho daughter in law is studying to be a elementary teacher, and is working with the kids to teach them reading and writing (3 and 4) ..."My daughter and son-in-law read to my grandkids all the time when they were little, but for some reason they didn't make the transition to reading for themselves. They laugh at me because I still give them books every year for Christmas. I try to find stuff they will peak their interest (usually about sports) and also one year tried "Kids' Sports Illustrated" and "Kids' National Geographic". When I asked them if they wanted subscriptions again next year, they said "Not really". Little Buggers, at least I tried. On a positive note, my girls didn't read much when they were kids either and now they love it, so maybe there is hope!
I'm basically wallowing in my A Peabody detective stories and am on the 5th book in the series. No deep thinking required! I've got some heavier stuff coming up for my book clubs, so I think I needed this break.
Cheryl S. wrote: "I'm basically wallowing in my A Peabody detective stories and am on the 5th book in the series. No deep thinking required! I've got some heavier stuff coming up for my book clubs, so I think I ne..."The commercial fictions are great for a brain break. I find I escape in them when life is tough.
I'm under a lot of stress here, what with sickness in the family, staff problems etc so I'm reading about a book a day. It's a good escape.
Petra X wrote: "I'm under a lot of stress here, what with sickness in the family, staff problems etc so I'm reading about a book a day. It's a good escape."One of the ways I survived a horrible childhood and some pretty awful things as an adult was to temporarily live someone else's life in a book. Between my animals and my books, I am a survivor! And I would not be here without either of them.
Gardener's Group
Books mentioned in this topic
The Hare With Amber Eyes: A Family's Century of Art and Loss (other topics)The Hidden Half of Nature: The Microbial Roots of Life and Health (other topics)
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A Garden with House Attached (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
D.E. Stevenson (other topics)Margaret George (other topics)
Bernd Heinrich (other topics)
Adriana Trigiani (other topics)
Konrad Lorenz (other topics)
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