Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
ABOUT BOOKS AND READING
>
What are U reading these days? (PART SEVEN) (2011) (ONGOING THREAD for 2011)
Mary JL, I found an interesting GR review of _Uglies_. It's at:http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Excerpt:
=========================================================
"Uglies is the high school english teacher's answer to prayer when they try and assign 1984 to their tenth-graders and get all those complaints from parents about the "crap" their kids have to read in school.
"It's 1984 or Brave New World without all the really offensive stuff.
"Consequently, it's a little bit watered down, message-wise. But it's also fantastically detailed. Scott Westerfeld definitely thought this one out, what with the hoverboards (not quite like Back to the Future), space food, and interface rings."
============================================================
Finished Isolation, didn't like it that much. I promised a friend that if he read Dune I would read Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke so that's my latest choice.
Looks as if you're in for a treat with _Childhood's End_, Jackie. One of the GR reviewers says:"This was first published in 1953 and has always been labeled "classic sci-fi". I loved it. Not only is it well written and introspective, it is a real page-turner...
...it's the well-crafted story, and the surprise ending that leave you thinking after you finish."
FROM: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I've read it several times, although not lately. I really liked it.
I'm about 20% into it and so far, it's no page turner. I'm hoping it picks up because so far, it's a real snooze.
I tried reading Lord of Misrule, but didn't like it. I think the author knew the track & the people, but I hated the lack of proper punctuation. I wasn't sure half the time whether someone was speaking out loud or thinking to themselves. It's horrible when authors try to get poetic & just become confusing. I think there's probably a decent story in there, but it didn't seem like a happy one & was just too much like work to read it.I just started Earth Abides. So far, it's not very exciting, but it was written back in 1949, I think, so a lot of other post apocalyptic stories are based on it.
The basic idea is that a plague wipes man out & follows a survivor who wanders around the country documenting what he finds. So far, it's been well done. Short, italicized passages are told in an omniscient voice citing historical precedents. For instance, a rat that lived on a Pacific island & thrived for years was suddenly hit by a disease that made it extinct - the premise of the book.
The voice tells in other places about various animals & how they are faring in the new order. Some dogs can't survive without man, certain breeds or those that are penned up. Another is a brief description of cats going feral.
The hero has met some other people so far, but very few. One drinks himself to death, another has gone crazy. Two others are somewhat predatory, but there hasn't been any gun fights or anything.
Just took that off my To Buy List. I also read a few reviews by people who have similar tastes as myself, I don't think Earth Abides is for me, although the writeup sounded interesting. I'm looking forward to your final analysis and review.
Jim, I've heard of Earth Abides (of course, I'm fascinated by post-apocalyptic scenarios). I don't think it's actually listed on my official to-read shelf (I'm trying to contain that so it doesn't become so large that it shorts out the Internet :-) ), but I've thought for years that I might like to read it someday. So I'll be very interested in your review!
What did you take off your To Buy list, Jackie? Lords or Earth Abides?I'll be interested in what I think of it, too. I read a few goodies recently in the same vein; World Made by Hand, Alas, Babylon & On the Beach. The last two are from the 50's, I think. They both dealt with nuclear war ending our race.
"World Made By Hand" is pretty recent & shows our civilization dying due to a break down of civilization due to stupidity. Our reactions to the terrorist threat, stupid laws, & an economy that goes belly up. The author wrote a 'factual' book before this one. Occasionally I skim parts of it. He's a bit far out in the field for me, though. Interesting, in short doses, though.
I Am Legend is also based on the fall of civilization due to germs, but while a lot of people die, a lot get turned into something else. The last human is out of place, so there's a different thrust to that story.
I also started reading a real stinker -Out Of The Ashes. It is one of those tough guy goes around killing bad guys. I couldn't finish it.
This seems to be very well written & not very dated, so far. I'll let you know, though.
Jim, Earth Abides. I still have Alas Babylon to read and I've only heard good things about it. I almost picked it up to start the other day and then my friend reminded me of my promise to read Childhood's End.
I read a World Made by Hand because it's set nearby. It was good but not great.
I only gave "World Made by Hand" 3 stars, Jackie. It wasn't great, as you said. The others are, but they're so sad, except "Alas, Babylon". That shows hope."Earth Abides" is quite a bit longer than any of the others. My biggest fear is redundancy.
Werner, my TBR pile wouldn't short out the Internet, but it might fall over & kill me one night. So many books, so little time...
;-)
I recently listened to the audio version of King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian (first published 1948) by Marguerite Henry. It won the 1949 Newbery Medal, an award given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.This fictionalized story is based on fact. The Godolphin Arabian is the ancestor of the finest thoroughbred horses. The story tells about a swift and spirited Arabian horse named "Sham" who is sent by the Sultan of Morocco as a gift to Louis XV of France. Sham eventually sires a colt which is the beginning of the Goldolphin Arabian breed.
Although this is a book for young readers, it's an interesting, touching, well-told tale which appeals to older readers as well. A customer review at Amazon says:
==========================================================
"Marguerite Henry's fictionalized biography of the Goldolphin Arabian, one of the three founding thoroughbred sires, follows the horse Sham and his mute groom Agba from the stables of the Sultan of Morocco through hardship in France and England to celebrated triumph at stud. ... Agba, who never speaks a word, is one of the most absorbing characters in children's fiction. ... it's a must for horse lovers."
===========================================================
Marguerite Henry also wrote Misty of Chincoteague (1947), about a pony. In 1961, it was made into a movie which is streamable from Netflix:
"Misty" (1961)
http://movies.netflix.com/Movie/Misty...
Jim's review of the Misty book is here:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
PS-My thanks to Werner whose post originally led me to this story.
See his message #44 at: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/4...
I recently completed Hattie: The Authorised Biography of Hattie Jacques and Childhood's End. I finished 9 books in January for the Fantasty Aficionados 'Making a Dent in Our TBR Shelves' topic. Yet, my bookshelves haven't gained much space. I must have had them really stuffed in there, lol
Now I'm currently reading The Blank Wall and Star Gate.
Wow, Jackie! I'm still reading Beauty. Almost at the end. :) I find certain parts interesting, but other parts lose my interest. I guess that's called uneven pacing. :)
I pushed myself because I wanted to give it an earnest try. I also chose 75 books for another challenge for the year. I only read 52 books last year; granted, some were really long, but I wanted to improve that number. While it's cold out and nothing to do, I figured I'd get a good amount in now...so I can slack off later when the nice weather arrives.
I'm sticking with _Beauty_ because sometimes the protagonist makes insightful comments about life and the human condition. Unfortunately I haven't copied them down. I just mentally nod in agreement and read on.Sometimes she makes me wonder about things. For example, what it was it like to live in the time when there were no clocks.
BTW, Jackie, good luck with your book challenges! My biggest challenge is to find a book which compels me to read it. :)
One thing I lack that many other readers seem to have is the desire to analyze. I recognize insightful commentary but rarely stop to think about it overly much. Mostly I get caught up in the fantasy and enjoy the ride. Part of me would like to take the time to analyze but the greater part of me doesn't want to to stop. I always intend on thinking about it later, but it doesn't happen too often, only if something is particularly striking to me.
Joy, you're right, the challenge isn't the amount of books, it's finding the right books!
Jackie, there's nothing like a good story or plot, but what often holds my interest is writing which explores the inner thoughts of the characters, thoughts which show that the character is a thinking person who mulls over his/her observations of human behavior. That's probably why I enjoy first-person narratives.I also enjoy good, sharp dialogue.
I am surprised no one has mentioned reading, The Steig Larsson books. I couldn't put the two I have read so far, down. I agree with the review that they are sleep dripriving. Yet, they are gruesome at times so I wouldn't recommend them yet, at least one has been on the NYT best seller list for the past year so as I said I wonder that no one in our goodreads says anything at all about them. nina
I'm reading Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach. I just started it at lunch & it's great so far. It's a nonfiction book that looks into the people aspect of space travel, specifically what type of people will make the trip to Mars & how they are picked.Being an astronaut sounds glamorous, but the reality is something else. Having bad breath or snoring can get you cut from the program, no matter what other skills you have because you just can't live comfortably with others in very cramped, boring conditions. Makes sense when you think about it, but she's ferreting out a lot of the little bits that never make the newspapers or TV.
You're welcome, Joy (message 113). When I find out that I've pointed somebody else to a book that he/she liked, it makes my day!
Jim, Have you read Mary Roach's Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers? It's on my TBR list; I've heard great things about it. It's of special interest to me with the family business and my interest in organ donation and medical research on cadavers.
Nina wrote: "I am surprised no one has mentioned reading, The Steig Larsson books. I couldn't put the two I have read so far, down. I agree with the review that they are sleep dripriving. Yet, they are gruesome..."Too gruesome for me.
Nina, the Stieg Larsson books have been mentioned at our group several times. You can find those comments by typing the title of the book in the search box of our group where it says "search discussion posts".
Jim wrote: "I'm reading Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach. I just started it at lunch & it's great so far. It's a nonfiction book that looks..."Sounds interesting, Jim. I'm curious about a lot of the details involved, but somehow I'm not interested in reading a book about them. I think the reason is that I'm turned off by the claustrophobic aspects of traveling in a space capsule.
Maybe I'll get the book from the library for Eddie. It might be interesting to him. Then at least I might peek at the book. :)
Jackie wrote: "Jim, Have you read Mary Roach's Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers? It's on my TBR list; I've heard great things about it. It's of special interest to me with th..."I'm too squeamish for that book! :)
I imagine it'll be pretty gross in some places.
Werner wrote: "You're welcome, Joy (message 113). When I find out that I've pointed somebody else to a book that he/she liked, it makes my day!"Werner, I know what you mean. It's as if one has done a good deed in pointing the way toward the enjoyment of reading. :)
Jackie wrote: "Jim, Have you read Mary Roach's Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers? It's on my TBR list; I've heard great things about it. It's of special interest to me with th..."That was the first book of hers that I read, Jackie. I loved it. 5 stars & I highly recommend it. What happens to our bodies after we die is a tough subject to handle gracefully, but she managed it. I went on to read Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary Forensic Lab the Body Farm Where the Dead Do Tell Tales by Bill Bass, the founder of the Body Farm. That was good, too.
I have & read all her books (well, I'm reading the last now). Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife didn't click quite as well, but Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex was just as good. I think the problem with Spook was that I just don't have much connection there. Death, sex & space, I do, though.
Actually, I've followed her writing for years. She used to do a 2 page essay in Reader's Digest that was always fun.
Jackie, I'm glad to see you liked Childhood's End & that it survived the test of time. I haven't re-read it in years & probably should.Joy, "Packing for Mars" is about the people of the space program, not just about their claustrophobic living conditions. What kind of people can live together in such conditions & how? The first couple of chapters are discussing that.
She briefly describes how she went to Japan & got to see a test where they were narrowing down 10 final contestants to the two that would get to go up to the ISS. How they did it was very interesting. One way was getting them to fold 1000 origami birds in a week & put them on a string. The shrinks kept count of what number each was on at a given time & the birds were dissected to see how well they were done throughout. Were they better or worse when the toilet was on the fritz? Did they get bored & sloppy, etc..
The cool thing about her writing is that she doesn't go into laborious detail at all stages, but brings to life odd facts & interesting anecdotes through out her investigations. IOW, she brings to life the deathly boring science. She puts human faces on the facts.
I read "Stiff" during lunch hours. I'll admit that some of it wasn't for meal times, but she didn't make anything grosser than it had to be. Even the descriptions of the Body Farm (Death's Acre) weren't bad & that's a couple of acres in TN where Bill Bass started the forensic investigation into the decomposition of the human body. What types of insects get into the body & when under what conditions? Pretty gross stuff, but she kept it interesting, not gross.
Thanks, Joy for the info about SEARCH for the Steig Larsson books as after I found it I was happy to read what my son and grandson thought of those books. nina
Jim, I'm sure I'll find it interesting. I won't read it while eating, that's for sure. I don't want to get it out of the library because it's one I want to keep.
Jim, I've ordered the book, Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void, from the library as well as an audio DVD of it. So I will get to hear what you're talking about, even if I don't read the book itself. I suppose there will be photos in the book which will be interesting too. I'm sure Eddie will enjoy reading the book. He's big on non-fiction.As for the origami test, that's one test I would NOT like to take! :)
Yesterday, I started on Taliesin by Stephen Lawhead, the February common read in the Lawhead fan group here on Goodreads; it's the series opener for his Arthurian fantasy series.
I read the first four of the Pendragon Cycle. I think you're going to like it. Lawhead is an excellent author.
Kansas City is declared by the mayor to be in a state of emergency. So far there is 10/15 inches of snow; forty mile an hour winds and more snow for the next four hours. It is expected to be zero by morning. I have fed the birds twice so far. nina
I don't recall seeing any photos in the book, Joy.Our temp was supposed to get to 50 today, but it was 35 most of the day, now it's almost 50. Later than what they thought, but I'm happy that it is. All that snow & ice is going north of us.
Jim wrote: "... All that snow & ice is going north of us. "Jim, you're so lucky missing this storm! Our snowfall was fairly light today, but I'm dreading tomorrow (Wed.).
About the photos in the book, I'm sure the text will be interesting enough.
I have just finished Uglies today. I have now started reading book 2 of the trilogy, Pretties and so far am enjoying it.Btw, we did not get much snow here--about five inches--but the wind chill is -17!! Lots of ice under the snow also--we had freezing rain first.
I think the freezing rain is the worst. We aren't supposed to get it, but the folks further south in NY will.BTW, that "Uglies" trilogy by Scott Westerfeld sounds like a very unusual story!
Thanks for the links.
It's down to 27 & windy here today. Still no snow, though, thank goodness.Mary JL, that sounds interesting. Somewhat similar to Logan's Run - party until you're 21, then die.
JIm: The "Uglies" trilogy is basically a dystopian novel aimed at young girls ages 12 and up. It is getting rave reviews in the YA section. Basically, it is popular with teachers because it does not have the overt vilence 1984 does---the oppression is more subtle.***spoiler**** The operation to make you pretty, mandatory at age 16, makes you docile. You live a normal lifespan actually--thought population is controlled. But everyone is subject to propaganda that being pretty is SO great--every alike, etc etc--that few resent the mandatory operation.
Although YA is the primary audience, I am not bored with it at all. Bascially another modern re-working of standard dystopian themes. Reads pretty quick if youwant to try it, JIm.
I don't think so. My TBR pile is threatening to fall over & crush me one night.;-)
True, true, true, JIM. Like a kidin a candy store I see book after book that I'd like to read but I will never get them all read.
In a way it is nice--I have no worries about running out of good books to read.
However, anyone who has teenagers interested in SF--this trilogy is very well done--I am 66 pages into the book and I just started last night.
Joy, "Packing for Mars" does have pictures at the beginning of each chapter, but you won't be missing too much. Mary Roach floating in the plane they use to give the weightless experience is cute, though. FWIW, she describes herself as a 'humor writer'. She does inject a fair amount of humor into the very well researched facts.
Jim, I've ordered (from the library) the print copy of the book as well as the audio version. The print copy is for Eddie. So I will be able to browse those pictures.
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group
Books mentioned in this topic
Great Expectations (other topics)Understanding Cultural Differences: Germans, French and Americans (other topics)
Never Cry Wolf: The Amazing True Story of Life Among Arctic Wolves (other topics)
Bel Canto (other topics)
State of Wonder (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Edward T. Hall (other topics)Ann Patchett (other topics)
Andre Norton (other topics)
Dean Koontz (other topics)
Andrea Mitchell (other topics)
More...
so far, I like what I have read.