What are you reading: February, 2011

[Kate]

Yesterday I finished Saving Ceecee Honeycutt which I really enjoyed especially as it took place during a warm summer in Savannah! The characters were very endearing. I then started Bad Things Happen a very different book which has also grabbed me.

[Jenn]

@Misty - I read The Count of Monte Cristo a couple of years back. I do have to say it took me quite a while to get through it, but I was always ready to pick it back up every night before bed. Some parts aren't as engaging as others, but I found it a pleasurable read - not too stuffy for a classic. :) Anyway, I would definitely recommend it. I really enjoyed it. It is captivating and different from the movies you may have seen of it in a myriad of ways. Go for it!

[Flora]

I, too, loved The Count of Monte Cristo. It was definitely a long read, but worth it.

I finished The Scarlet Letter last night and really liked it. Am just getting started on City of Glass and also Lavinia

[Amy]

Alexia wrote: "Not sure whether to start Russian Winter or The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake. Any thoughts?"

I've read both this year, and I honestly didn't love either one. I guess the Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake was a more novel concept to me, but I was dissappointed by the execution. Russian Winter was really good at times, but at others it was pretty slow.

[Lil]

Alexia wrote: "Last night I finished reading The Elegance of the Hedgehog and listening to Falling Free

I really, really loved Elegance of the Hedgehog, and the ending took my complet..."

Alexia, I loved The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake. It's also a fairly fast read. I haven't read Russian Winter, so no opinion there.

[Lil]

Started a new job, so have moved into default reading for stressful times...romance! Finished the new Susan Elizabeth Phillips (can't remember the title) and it was good, not great, but definitely hit the spot for me.

Just started listening to Mr. Toppit. A little confused so far, but it's darkly funny and I'll keep listening.

Attempting to read Winter of Our Disconnect, which is a memoir about a family that went screenless for 6 mos. It's interesting and well-written. Guilt inducing.

[cazdoll]

Becky wrote: "Catherine wrote: " but I haven't had time to read it yet, new author to me too :) hope to start tomorrow"

I have not read this one but I may make a suggestion....I wou..."

I found her first book the other day in a second hand shop I will be getting it next week when I get paid, can't wait to start it, thank you for de suggestion :)

[Becky]

Catherine wrote: "Becky wrote: "Catherine wrote: " but I haven't had time to read it yet, new author to me too :) hope to start tomorrow"

I have not read this one but I may make a sugge..."

Oh good!! The latest one is #16 I think, so it will be good for you to have some background because there are recurring characters....enjoy!

[Becky]

Just starting The Thirteenth Tale

[Alexia]

I had a hold on the ebook version of Await Your Reply and just got the notice that it's available. Since I only have it available to 21 days and can't renew it I'll be reading this for my "print version" book. My next audio book is Year of Wonders.

I'm also eagerly awaiting Borders to call me to tell me that my copy of A Red Herring Without Mustard A Red Herring Without Mustard has arrived. Thank you, Michael Kindness, for introducing me to the irresistible Flavia Deluce

[Callie]

Finally finished The Double Bind on audio, and I've downloaded Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly. I'm loving it, and flying through it. I'll definitely be picking up more of Anthony Bourdain's work, I love him on No Reservations, I love him on Top Chef, and apparently I also love him as a writer!

[Becky]

Callie wrote: "Finally finished The Double Bind on audio, and I've downloaded Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly. I'm loving it, and flying through it. I'll def..."


Anthony-yum yum!! Loved Kitchen Confidential & my husband & I saw him at a speaking event-great great time!! We met him after the show & he was a genuinely nice guy!!! Did you know that he has some novels also? Such as the one below....
The Bobby Gold Stories: A Novel

[Callie]

Becky wrote: "Did you know that he has some novels also? Such as the one below....
The Bobby Gold Stories: A Novel"

I had no idea, but I will definitely check it out! Thanks for the rec!

[John]

If you enjoyed Count of Mounte Christo try re-reading Kidnapped.

[Mis_Reading]

@Jenn: Sorry for late response! Sadly, that is what the review by another author says on the back, a double edged compliment/insult, that as hard as it is to pick it up and get into, it even more diffcult at that point to put it down. I'm really looking forward to reading it, the idea behind it is excellent, and I saw one of the recent movies about it, plus the anim version (which took a lot of artist liberity with it) and all of which were great, so I'm excited to read the original.

EDIT:
and lol, this may sound like a funny question, but can we talk about cookbooks on here? I love to cook and just got a new cook book I am very excited about: Rachael Ray's Look and Cook . I love to cook and this one has lots of step by step photos, easy, realistic recipes from at home without a movie star's salary. I'll sit down with a stack of cook books like someone might sit down with a stack of magazines, and I'll just start flipping through them, making up menus and lists of ingredients to pick up. I love trying new things, and for me, cooking is very much like making art. I thinkit's absolutely fascinating to go from basic vegatables and such out of the garden or produce aisle and to turn around and make something great with it that is full of color, mouth watering to smell, and absolutely delicious to eat.

>///< I'm going to stop fangirling over cooking now.

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

Becky wrote: "Just starting The Thirteenth Tale"

can't wait to hear what you think. it's the next book in my stack!

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

i'm working on "someone knows my name" by lawrence hill

[Becky]

Misty wrote: "@Jenn: Sorry for late response! Sadly, that is what the review by another author says on the back, a double edged compliment/insult, that as hard as it is to pick it up and get into, it even more ..."

I love cook books!! My son sent me this for my birthday!
How to Cook Like a Top Chef

Rachael Ray is from my area & we watched her when she first started out on our local news, going into people's home, nice to see a small town girl do good!!

[[deleted user]]

Misty wrote: "Hm. I need to read something new. Was recently completely disappointed with American Gods (Eric, I think you said you're a big fan, but maybe it just isn't meant for women to read). I..."

Me? Or another Eric? As far as Neil Gaiman is concerned, I always steer people to the Sandman series. He has done his best work to date in comics form. My favorites of his prose novels are The Graveyard Book and Coraline, but I like American Gods okay. I rated it four stars here. I read it years ago, so I'd have to revisit it to look at gender issues.

[Mis_Reading]

@Becky: Oh wow, I bet that would be a great book so have, but perhaps more for events rather than just the weekly dishes. yes, it is good to see people from small towns succeed. I hear her name a lot, but actually don't watch very much TV. But yeah, I love to cook, and would love to go to culinary school.

@Eric: Yes, I meant you. Hm, I suppose I mistook you for a big fan of all his works, I knew I'd heard you mention him several times. I didn't even finish American Gods, though I did honestly try, but contant references to sex, nudity, genetailia, etc just wasn't amusing to me, making me think it was more geared for a male audience. Quinn sais she loved it though, so maybe it's just different strokes.

[Meredith]

Quinn wrote: "I've been working on The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay for a few weeks now - I like it, it just hasn't really grabbed me.

I started The Corrections last week, and ..."

I just finished The Weird Sisters and loved it. Keep at Kavalier and Clay. It's dense but delightful.

[Meredith]

Alma wrote: "Ann wrote: "Vanessa, I hope you are recovering OK from your fall!

Linda - sorry to hijack this thread, but I sent you a msg thru Goodreads a few days ago. Did you see it? Please email me: ann@book..."

Likewise looking forward to Ann's review of The Last Werewolf. I loved The Historian and have been looking for a similar kind of read. I just started Discovery of Witches. So far, so good.

[Melissa]

I just finished Good Omens, which was very entertaining. I currently have far too many books on my TBR pile, and work is piling up as well.

[[deleted user]]

That's one of the great things about giving books to non- readers--no negative feedback!

[Kate]

I finished Bad Things Happen which was just okay, feel free to skip it. I dove back into The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay which I am really enjoying. When finished I am going to go back and listen to the discussion with Ann & Michael and listeners.

[Amy]

Misty wrote: "I'll just start flipping through them, making up menus and lists of ingredients to pick up."

Me too! And I also like this new Rachael Ray cookbook. I haven't liked her cookbooks in the past, but I love her magazine so I decided to try this one out. Glad I did.

Also, Michael has a blog called Cookbooks on the Nightstand in case you didn't know.

[[deleted user]]

I just started Columbine(by Dave Cullen; narrated by Don Leslie.) It's the non-fiction account of what happened "that day," written by a journalist who reported contemporaneously to the events described in the book; but then spent another ten years doing further research. He discovered that much that went out for public consumption at the time of the shooting was incorrect and this book seeks to address the inaccuracies. This is a new-to-me narrator and so I'm having to adjust a little to his approach, figuring out how he approaches quotes, etc.

Last week I listened to Poirot Investigates: Eleven Complete Mysteries (by Agatha Christie; narrated by David Suchet, the actor who portrayed Poirot in the television series.)It's a collection of eleven short stories features the Belgian detective. The stories themselves aren't much for the whodunit enthusiast, but altogether, they add a bit of dimension to the characters of Poirot and Hastings themselves. David Suchet does wonderfully portraying Poirot and Hastings; but his women are terrible and his Americans worse :-/

[Katie]

I've just finished A Passage to India which I had never read. E. M. Forster's writing is brilliant, the themes are universal and modern--especially given our propensity to want to meddle in other countries' affairs--the portrait of cross-cultural misunderstandings, suspicions, and inability to communicate still hold very much true today.
I'm also racing to finish by tonight the totally fascinating book Final Jeopardy: Man vs. Machine and the Quest to Know Everything when IBM's machine WATSON takes on Jeopardy champions Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. The book is currently only available in e-book form, and is missing its last chapter until the outcome of the match is determined. Once the several day Jeopardy contest is over, e-book readers will receive the update wirelessly. My understanding is the hard print copy is scheduled to be released Feb. 17. I thought this was a fascinating new way to use e-books!

[Sherri]

I'm reading Cloud Atlas. Anyone else read this one? It's unlike anything I've ever read before.

[Callie]

Sherri wrote: "I'm reading Cloud Atlas. Anyone else read this one? It's unlike anything I've ever read before."

I tried it back in high school, but couldn't really get into it. I still own it, and have always wanted to give it another go.

[Katie]

Kate wrote: "I finished Bad Things Happen which was just okay, feel free to skip it. I dove back into The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay which I am really enjoying. When fini..."

I loved Amazing Adventures of K & C and really enjoyed the BOTNS discussion. It was fun to all share our views.

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

I just finished "The Thirteenth Tale" today, and really loved it. . I'm starting "The Bells" next.

[Becky]

Shruti wrote: "I just finished "The Thirteenth Tale" today, and really loved it.. I'm starting "The Bells" next."


I am currently reading
The Thirteenth Tale & enjoying it very much

[Linda]

I started Mudbound for my book discussion tomorrow night.

I've been getting bogged down trying to finish 3 tomes - I'm over halfway in two of them. I meant to take all year.

[Jennifer]

Callie wrote: "Sherri wrote: "I'm reading Cloud Atlas. Anyone else read this one? It's unlike anything I've ever read before."

I tried it back in high school, but couldn't really get into it. I still own it, and..."

Cloud Atlas is absolutely one of my favorite all time books. Mitchell creates a Russian Doll structure with different styles of plots from historical fiction to thriller to science fiction. It's really brilliant. Callie, when you are finished there is a great podcast interview with David Mitchell on the Guardian Book Club (I'm pretty sure its Guardian - otherwise its the BBC World Book Club) where he talks about writing Cloud Atlas. It was a great follow up to hear him talk about the process and discover a few things about the story connections etc that I didn't catch while I was reading it.

[Victoria]

Tanya wrote: "I just started Columbine(by Dave Cullen; narrated by Don Leslie.) It's the non-fiction account of what happened "that day," written by a journalist who reported contemporaneously to ..."

I thought Columbine was an excellent book - one of the first things I read on my phone! But very interesting if a bit disturbing, just given its subject matter. Well worth the time though.

[Marné]

Sherri wrote: "I'm reading Cloud Atlas. Anyone else read this one? It's unlike anything I've ever read before."

I loved Cloud Atlas, the whole structure of the book is so interesting, like nesting dolls, with one story inside another. I really like David Mitchell, I've read everything by him except his latest, The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, which I hope to get to soon! It took me a few attempts to get into it, but it was such a satisfying read in the end.

[[deleted user]]

Tanya wrote: "I just started Columbine(by Dave Cullen; narrated by Don Leslie.) It's the non-fiction account of what happened "that day," written by a journalist who reported contemporaneously to the events described in the book; but then spent another ten years doing further research. He discovered that much that went out for public consumption at the time of the shooting was incorrect and this book seeks to address the inaccuracies. This is a new-to-me narrator and so I'm having to adjust a little to his approach, figuring out how he approaches quotes, etc."

I'm in the middle of this audiobook now. A couple days ago I was looking for pictures of Klebold and Harris and came across an odd video titled, "The Boy in the Window." It showed Patrick Ireland being rescued from the second floor library of the high school. What makes the video odd is that there is clearly something wrong with Patrick; but there is no commentary or caption that might explain exactly what. Today, I listened to the section of the book about "The Boy in the Window." Now I know what is wrong. And no, I'm not going to tell you; but suffice it to say that I was in the car and I had to pull over. The video and the audio combined in my mind and I was staggered. And crying.

[Meredith]

Jennifer wrote: "Callie wrote: "Sherri wrote: "I'm reading Cloud Atlas. Anyone else read this one? It's unlike anything I've ever read before."

I tried it back in high school, but couldn't really get into it. I st..."

It's been on my "To-Read" list forever. I recently read Black Swan Green by Mitchell and loved it. Based on your recommendation, I'm going to move Cloud Atlas up in the queue. Love the Guardian Book Club!

[Mis_Reading]

@Melissa: If you liked Good Omens, or actually, even if you thought it was just okay, I suggest reading Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, which he wrote several years later. It was a little hard for me to get into at first because I had to get use to his writing style, but I absolutely LOVE this book. So many great characters, the Marquis being my favorite.

@ Amy: No, I didn't know that, but I will have to check it out! ^_^

[Robin]

Readinf The Swan Thievesby by Elizabeth Kostova. Waiting, long book. I liked The Historian.

[Kevin]

Just finished Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. I thought this book was outstanding!

[Flora]

Just finished Lavinia and also City of Glass and really liked both of these. Just now starting Worlds of Exile and Illusion: Three Complete Novels of the Hainish Series in One Volume--Rocannon's World; Planet of Exile; City of Illusions and also Kraken

[Mis_Reading]

@Flora: I love the Mortal Instrument series! I read the Clockwork Angel as well, but didn't like it nearly as much, but i suppose it depends on the person reading. I'm still very much looking forward to City of Fallen Angels.

[Ellen]

Sherri wrote: "I'm reading Cloud Atlas. Anyone else read this one? It's unlike anything I've ever read before."

I've had it on my TBR list forever as well. I get along in it for a bit fine & then-I don't know. I get stuck. I feel inspired to try again, though. Thanks.

[Zuzu]

I started A Tree Grows in Brooklyn last night. This is a second read for me; I read it long long ago and loved it. Recently, Writers Almanac featured an excerpt from the book on Betty Smith's birthday that captivated me again. Shortly after that, I heard the podcast of BOTNS in which Ann raved about the book. Ah, said I, the universe is telling me to pick it up again, so I did.

[Flora]

Misty wrote: "@Flora: I love the Mortal Instrument series! I read the Clockwork Angel as well, but didn't like it nearly as much, but i suppose it depends on the person reading. I'm still very much looking forwa..."

I'm hoping to read Clockwork Angel soon. I've been wondering alot about it. I love prequels :) and I too am looking forward to City of Fallen Angels.

[Becky]

Zuzu wrote: "I started A Tree Grows in Brooklyn last night. This is a second read for me; I read it long long ago and loved it. Recently, Writers Almanac featured an excerpt from the book on Betty Smith's bir..."

We reread this in my other book group last year, it has been one of my top 5 books & it still is!!

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

Zuzu wrote: "I started A Tree Grows in Brooklyn last night. This is a second read for me; I read it long long ago and loved it. Recently, Writers Almanac featured an excerpt from the book on Betty Smith's bir..."

I read that book for the first time last month, and I absolutely loved it. One of the best books I've ever read!

[Mis_Reading]

Finished reading Vampire Kisses: The Beginning: This book amuses me greatly. She's a complete and utter shojo manga-esque fangirl for vampires, rather than the dark brooding emo goth you would expect. Yes, she's all gothed out, but she's as much of a sparkly eyed fangirl as they come, and I find the change of pace from expected hilarious. It's very light hearted and cute, as I think it was intended to be. Very much for adolescences, but enjoyable for all ages, IMO.