What I'm Reading - March

[Marialyce]

Just started Remarkable Creatures and Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal.

[Sue]

Marialyce wrote: "Just started Remarkable Creatures and Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal."

I'll be curious how Little Princes is, Mar1alyce.

[John]

For anyone interested, a review of Northrop Frye's "The Great Code: The Bible and Literature":

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

[John]

Interesting, John. I've appreciated New Thought writers who use the Bible as symbolism - the robbers on the cross representing Past and Future, etc.

[John]

Thanks, John. It's definitely some of the best criticism that I've read in a while!

[John]

My Biblical reading has been along the lines of Bart D. Ehrman and Jaroslav Pelikan.

[John]

I have my problems with Ehrman, but I've been a longtime fan of Pelikan. His multi-volume history of the Church is still, at least for my money, the best out there.

Interesting choices for someone who claims to be a philosophobe!

[John]

I read Pelikan a long time ago - recall that the book was interesting. Ehrman I like but he has a nasty habit of repeating the same thing slightly differently, which gets frustrating on audio.

[John]

You've pretty got it spot-on, John. You might appreciate someone who's not as much of a popularizer (a taboo word for me) as Ehrman is. It's one of my interests, so let me know if you ever need any recommendations ... as if you needed new things for your TBR list.

[John]

I just sent back a book yesterday that seemed quite interesting, but I knew I wouldn't get to it in two weeks: The Traveller's Tree: A Journey Through the Caribbean Islands. So, yeah, I do have TBR "issues".

I do admire Ehrman for being a recovered Fundie though.

[TheGirlBytheSeaofCortez]

I'm reading The Postmistress.

[Sheila]

Just finished Black Water Rising by Attica Locke , a very good atmospheric thriller ( my review)

Just starting Lyrics Alley by Leila Aboulela which just got on the Orange Prize Longlist

[Sara]

Sheila, thanks so much for the link to the longlist. Some of these are already in the TBR mountain, but a lot of the others I haven't even heard of, so it will be a fun exploration.

[Charles]

I've just started JG Farrell's The Siege Of Krishnapur, a piece of historical fiction which won the Booker Prize in 1973. I'm curious to see how it compares with the Raj quartet. I don't usually read historical fiction -- 'usually' is an overstatement == but I bought this by accident. You'll laugh, but I poked the wrong button on my Kindle. Actually the second time I've done this. The other one was pretty good, so maybe I should recommend this method of choosing your reading. And actually, it's not so different as what people sometimes do in libraries, is it? Except that they don't pay $10.

[Charles]

Also reading this month Travels In China, Tartary, and Tibet by Evariste Huc, a French Jesuit, published in the mid-19th century. The first time I read this I borrowed it on inter-library loan and they sent me a wonderful octavo in three volumes and bound in red half-leather, which I took to the hospital with me to have my wisdom teeth out, in the days when they kept you three days for something like this. I don't suppose too many people have fond memories of dental surgery.

[Sherry, Doyenne]

I've done the same thing, Charles--bought things by accident on my Kindle--but there is a "have you bought this by accident?" button, that I have pushed and received credit. Of course, then I don't get to read the book. But that's all right. I have a kazillion books to read.

[TheGirlBytheSeaofCortez]

Charles wrote: "I've just started JG Farrell's The Siege Of Krishnapur, a piece of historical fiction which won the Booker Prize in 1973. I'm curious to see how it compares with the Raj quartet. I don't usually re..."

I'm going to read that one next, Charles. I received a Kindle for Christmas from my husband, but I've never use it. Maybe I'll use it for this book.

[Jim]

Sheila wrote: "Just finished Black Water Rising by Attica Locke , a very good atmospheric thriller ( my review)

Just starting Lyrics Alley by Leila Aboulela which just got on the Orange Prize Longlist "

I am reading BLACK WATER RISING - it really gives the reader a feel for being a black activist in the 60s and 70s plus how the atmosphere changed by the 90s.

Not many books give such a full feel for the expereince others go through like this book plus it's a good thriller.

[Carol]

I started The House of the Spirits she is one of my favorite authors. The book has not disappointed me so far.

[J10]

Kitty wrote: "I started The House of the Spirits she is one of my favorite authors. The book has not disappointed me so far."

Enjoy! I think it's her best.

Meanwhile - it's national book week here in the Netherlands. If you buy a novel, you get an extra novella for free - written especially for the occasion, by a noted Dutch writer. So, I splurged in the bookshop - bought myself Vaslav (about Russian ballet dancer Vaslav Nijinski). The special novella this year is by Kader Abdolah. I'm looking forward to both of these.

[Sue]

Jantien, what a wonderful tradition!

[John]

I've started John Mortimer's (he of Rumpole fame) Summer's Lease, a comedy (farce?) about a London family's holiday in Tuscany. Terrific audio narration by Martin Jarvis!

[Sheila]

Jim, Glad you are enjoying Black Water Rising - I was very impressed by it.

Kitty, I adored The House of Spirits when I read it when it first came out, enjoy it. I think my favorite of hers is Eva Luna.

Jantien, What a great idea! The nearest the UK has to this is this year's World Book Night

[Geoff]

Read 10 pages of Jennifer Egan's The Keep and gave up. 120 pages into Tim Winton's Cloudstreet and trying to decide whether to set this one aside too. Anyone else read this one?

[Sue]

Sheila, just read the description of World Book Night--what an idea.

Around here, some cities and towns are getting together and all reading the same book at the same time, then discussing it in various groups. It seems to be happening sporadically across the states.

[Dvora]

John, I loved Summer's Lease. It starts out as one of those stories about Brits who go to Italy (on vacation) and turns into a bit of a mystery. I also have the BBC mini-TV series on DVD and have watched that more than once. It's got Sir John Gielgud playing the old father. Fabulous!
John wrote: "I've started John Mortimer's (he of Rumpole fame) Summer's Lease, a comedy (farce?) about a London family's holiday in Tuscany. Terrific audio narration by Martin Jarvis!"

[Al]

Geoff: You did not miss anything by giving up early on The Keep. I think she is way overrated - I did not love her highly acclaimed A Visit from the Goon Squad either.

I'm listening to Home and have really been enjoying it - I am almost done.

And I am almost finished with Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef - it took a little while for me to get into it, then I could not put it down and now I'm sort of ready for it to be over. So, "bones" was my favorite part by far. But I am excited to eat in her restaurant when I go to NYC next month.

Next up, I have The Tiger's Wife from the library - the reviews have all been so positive for that one, I hope my expectations are not too high.

Shelia and Jim: The audio of Black Water Rising is waiting for me at the library - I think I will dive right into that once I finish Home.

[John]

Dvora wrote: "John, I loved Summer's Lease. It starts out as one of those stories about Brits who go to Italy (on vacation) and turns into a bit of a mystery. I also have the BBC mini-TV series on DVD and have..."

I didn't realize it'd been filmed until after I started the audiobook. I plan on watching it at some point, though not right away.

Al wrote: "And I am almost finished with Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef - it took a little while for me to get into it, then I could not put it down and now I'm sort of ready for it to be over. So, "bones" was my favorite part by far. But I am excited to eat in her restaurant when I go to NYC next month."

My library has it as both an ebook and an audio version - I didn't care for the audio sample of her reading her own book, so am looking forward to the ebook.

[A.J.]

I haven't been around much, partly because the task of catching up on what everyone is reading has scared me away.

Anyway, I'm reading Niceman Cometh, by David Carpenter, an under-recognized Canadian writer.

My habit of reading obscure writers makes it hard to talk with me about books. ;)

[Sherry, Doyenne]

Why don't you nominate one of your favorite obscure books for our next list? I'll start taking nominations sometime in April.

[Dvora]

I'm reading Toast by Nigel Slater and Fabled Shore by Rose Macaulay. Ever heard of either?

[John]

I listened to Toast with Slater narrating - interesting, but I don't think it's a memoir-for-all ... shall we say. I also listened to him read Eating for England: The Delights and Eccentricities of the British at the Table, a bit UK-centric in his reminiscences, but I got the idea (most of the time).

A. J. --

I read a lot of obscure books, mostly non-fiction, but mention some of them here feeling perhaps the occasional title might strike someone as interesting.

[Dvora]

AJ, I like to see what you and others are reading. I also like to post what I am reading for reasons similar to yours. I too dig up books to suit my personal taste, some of them are not well known but I think they are wonderful, so I want others to know about them. You don't need to belong to a book group to hear about books like The Girl with all those Tatoos.

[Flora]

Finally finished Kraken *happy dance* I am so glad that one is done and over with.

Getting ready to start Incantation

[A.J.]

Dvora, you reminded me of this:
http://arts.nationalpost.com/2011/01/...

[Dvora]

A.J., this is probably funny, but not having read the series, I'm afraid it is lost on me. But if it's parody, I'm all for it. These Tatoo Girl books are like the hoola hoops of 2010.

[Flora]

Dvora wrote: "A.J., this is probably funny, but not having read the series, I'm afraid it is lost on me. But if it's parody, I'm all for it. These Tatoo Girl books are like the hoola hoops of 2010."

I've read the first 2 and thought they were ok but I just haven't been able to make myself start the last one.

[Sheila]

So for one reason and another I'm on a North African spell of reading this month, Secret Son kicked me off and now 2/3 of the way through Lyrics Alley - a slow starter but settled into it now.

I had a blitz online and also bought the following ebooks

In the Country of Men by Hisham Matar

Swallows of Kabul by Yasima Khadra

The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany

So vast the prison by Assia Djebar

Sunset Oasis by Bahaa Taher which won the inaugural Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2008 i.e. the Arabic Booker - the 2011 winner was just announced this month

[Melissa]

Sheila, some local friends of mine are reading The Yacoubian Building, and though I don't have the time to read it yet myself I'll be interested in seeing what you think.

[Sheila]

Philip, I read about half of it a couple of years back and didn't get it finished because it had to go back to the library as I was off travelling in the days before ebooks! I was reminded about it recently and checked its availability as an ebook and lo and behold it was there. From memory I liked the feel of the book, full of characters who live in or have some connection with the building, the different things happening on each of the different floors, the different lives, the different sectors of society, all connected by the building. We'll see if my memory serves me well :) I've not yet decided in what order to read my latest acquisitions but will post when I do.

[Susan_T.]

Sheila, thanks for that list. I marked Sunset Oasis as To Read. I really like that feature on GoodReads; I was able to buy a couple of books at the store recently by consulting my the list on my iPhone.

This is my year of reading more translated fiction. I really, really liked Per Petterson's I Curse the River of Time, set in Norway and Denmark, but have to say I felt chilly for days afterward.

[Sue]

Sheila, another thanks for the list. I'm going to check back later and look into each of them more closely.

[Marialyce]

I am reading The Cellist of Sarajevo. Sheila, I do so want to read Swallows of Kabul.

[Jim]

reading L.A.REX by Will Beall - high energy and engrossing
Beall is an LA policeman and if this fiction book is at all close to describing what goes on the LA world of gangsta versus police, it's a very tough world that very few people have a clue about.

[Ruth]

Jim wrote: "reading L.A.REX by Will Beall - high energy and engrossing
Beall is an LA policeman and if this fiction book is at all close to describing what goes on the LA world of gangsta versus police, it's ..."

Get Netflix? Watch the series The Shield.

[Denise]

I checked out all of the available Tai Chi books at the Rapid City Library. I had this idea that I would review them for our local Tai Chi group. I can't seem to read any of them cover to cover. I keep jumping around through all of them. Such an inability to focus at a given moment can be referred to as "monkey mind."

[Denise]

Marialyce wrote: "I am reading The Cellist of Sarajevo. "

I bet it was here somewhere that I first saw that title mentioned...it looks interesting. What do you think of it?

[Ruth]

I'm well into A Visit from the Goon Squad. At first I didn't like it, but I think it's growing on me.

[Marialyce]

Denise wrote: "Marialyce wrote: "I am reading The Cellist of Sarajevo. "

I bet it was here somewhere that I first saw that title mentioned...it looks interesting. What do you think of it?"

I am not that far, Denise, but I have liked what I have read.

[Marialyce]

Ruth wrote: "I'm well into A Visit from the Goon Squad. At first I didn't like it, but I think it's growing on me."

Odd book, Ruth. I will be anxious to see what you think at the end.