Books on the Nightstand discussion
What Are You Reading: May 2011
I'm finishing up The Purple Emperor today, which has been a fun read. I think I shall be starting Jurassic Park next.
I just realized it has been a month since I posted anything so here it goes. I'm currently in the middle of Little Bee which I'm not sure what to make of just yet. I finally finished West of Here which I liked but didn't love. It was full of interesting characters but not much seems to happen to them. I also finished Minding Frankie.
On the audio front I have recently listened to The Reversal, The Camel Club, and Club Dead. Thanks to a tip from Tanya I am now listening to Death Masks with James Marsters reading. It's great so far
I am reading "A short history of tractors in Ukrainian" and will start 'the four stages of cruelty" soon
nancy wrote: "Started Mudbound..from the first few pages, it's great. Good story,and excellent writing."
I LOVE THIS BOOK, really one of the best books I've read in a long time
I've just finished Q and A by Vikas Swarup the book that was the basis for the film Slumdog Millionaire.It was interesting and I enjoyed it. Although there are some emotionally moving sections it was quite light for a book on such a subject and a quick read.
The film bears little more than a superficial resemblemce to the book and I'm surprised to that say although I liked the book I think actually I prefer the film.
I just finished a great (but grim) novel by David Benioff based on his grandfather's survival during the siege of Leningrad: City of Thieves. Riveting!Also reading The Book Thief & A Poetry Handbook as I'm writing a little poetry now, inspired by a class at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis! Spring is here, time for some poetry, right?
Julie -City of Thieves is one of my all-time favorite novels - and one that I recommended for the BOTNS retreat volume "Two Books I Can't Wait for You to Read". Glad you enjoyed it.
Ann wrote: "I am reading 
. I can't believe I've never read it. I'm really enjoying it so far."I recently read this (for the first time) too and really enjoyed. Looking forward to trying to catch the movie.
I just finished reading Water for Elephants and The Invisible Wall. Both were wonderful reads. After listening to the high recommendations on Books on the Nightstand, I began reading Unbroken. This is an amazing story of an amazing man. Laura Hillenbrand’s writing builds such imagery in my mind of Louis’ life. I highly recommend it.
Hi everyone! I just finished
A Hard Death: A NovelA solid 4* mystery/suspense read. I really enjoyed the story being told through a forensic pathologist's eyes.
Fast paced with interesting characters, grit, and suspense that I found I wanted to keep reading.
If you're interested I reviewed the book on my blog and it can be found here: http://wp.me/pTRJE-5q
Jknick wrote: "Leah wrote: "I am listening to a book called The Good Wife: A Novel and am debating on pulling the plug. (I really hate doing that.) It hasn't grabbed me, but it hasn't spit me out..."I am glad I didn't stop. I ended up liking it. Thanks for the encouragement!
Hello! I just finished an ARC of Jennifer Haigh's "Faith" which was fantastic. I'm now reading three books: Erik Larson's "In the Garden of Beasts," "The Moment" by Douglas Kennedy," and "My Name is Mary Sutter" by Robin Oliviera
I am just finishingA Visit from the Goon Squad which I really enjoyed and trying to decide what's next. Solar is one of my book club selections so I think I'll start it, but I just read a great blog aboutMatterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War and that is here and I keep thinking about reading it.
Jay wrote: "I'm currently in the middle of Little Bee which I'm not sure what to make of just yet">Need to start this for book group. My friend had to put it down because she just wasn't sure either...
Denise--Can you tell me more about "Faith" by Jennifer Haigh? I'm debating whether to buy the ebook. It's too soon for it to appear in my library.
I finished Jurassic Park which I loved and am currently 1/4 of the way into Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution
Amy wrote: "Jay wrote: "I'm currently in the middle of Little Bee which I'm not sure what to make of just yet">Need to start this for book group. My friend had to put it down because she just wasn't sure e..."
I just read it last week and found I couldn't put it down!!
Hi just finished reading the little stranger by Sarah waters great book so atmospheric and haunting very much about the changes in British society post war it's all woven in and she spins a great family tale of problems difficulties and destruction .. Plus a house which is very much part of the story and has a life of it's own .. I've got her other book night watch on my shelf so will be picking that up to read very soon happy weekend everyone ...
Flora wrote: "I finished Jurassic Park which I loved and am currently 1/4 of the way into Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution"Would love your review of Madame Tussaud - I am reading The Scarlet Pimpernelnow, which was also set in the French Revolution and it is pretty interesting.
Shona wrote: "I just finished Finn which was AMAZING and am starting The Secret History"I've really been wanting to read The Secret History let us know how you like it.
I'm currenlty about half way thru Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution as well as World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War and so far I really like both of these.
Elizabeth Gillies' 'Happens Every Day.' I picked this up because the author is also the actress who played Detective Stabler's wife on 'Law and Order-SVU.' (My guilty pleasure TV show. An honest memoir - I cannot relate at all to the author's lifestyle/family/role but I was with her every painful step of the way: the disintegration of her marriage and her dislocation in the world after she moved back to her home in NYC from Ohio. A testament to Gillies' powerful writing. I felt soooo sorry for her young sons and so mad at her poetry professor husband who fell in love (lust?) with a young colleague at Oberlin College. I wondered how many rewrites she did - she ended up being quite charitable toward the situation - kind of a 'love must have its way' attitude--probably acquired when she met and married her second husband, 'the love of her life'.
Sidweena wrote: "Amy wrote: "Jay wrote: "I'm currently in the middle of Little Bee which I'm not sure what to make of just yet">Need to start this for book group. My friend had to put it down because she just w..."
I'm pretty sure I will be able to finish it but I have not been compelled to go out of my way to read it.
I just finished
A Conflict of Interest and even though it is a debut author, Mitzner's writing will no doubt cement him into the world of legal thriller writers. Fast paced, full of twists and turns, and completely engrossing. A solid 4* read.
If you're interested I reviewed the book on my blog and it can be found here: http://wp.me/pTRJE-5y
Am halfway through biographer Gale E. Christianson's Writing Lives Is the Devil!: Essays of a Biographer at Work and about 40 pages into a collection of Manny Farber's 1940s-'70s movie reviews, Farber on Film. Next up, once I finish the evening projects that have been eating away at my reading time, is the two-book collection of William Woodruff's memoirs, Nab End and Beyond: The Road to Nab End and Beyond Nab End. Am waiting impatiently for the publication of Terry Pratchett's new Discworld/City Watch novel, which has the unfortunate title Snuff.
So I had to put down The Windup Girl for now. I know I will enjoy it at some point, but I'm just not in the right mindset for it right now. Aka, I've been "reading" it for 3 weeks or so, and I'm only ~60 pages in.Instead, I grabbed something that had been a bookseller rec @ Northshire (as well as a recommendation from my friend Katrina), Soulless, and it has grabbed me right from the start. It's a vampire/werewolf book, but with a main character who very much reminds me of Amelia Peabody. It's funny, light, and exactly what I need right now- maybe when the weather stops being so dreary, I'll be ready for a heavier read!
After this will be Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven, for book club. We'll see if I enjoy it as much as I liked our last pick, Mudbound.
I'm reading squat. Whenever I'm in a play, my desire to read stops cold around tech week and doesn't come back again until the show ends. And I may be going directly from "Dead Man's Cell Phone" into "As You Like It".
I just finished Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution and I loved it. I hated to see it end. I'm still finishing up World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War which has been really good too.
Mod
last night. I'm really enjoying it looking forward to my book discussion tonight about it.
I am now reading
after a great deal of consideration.ger
Linda wrote: "Started listening to last night. I'm really enjoying it looking forward to my book discussion tonight about it."Linda -
"Zeitoun" is one of my favorite books (and Eggers is one of my favorite authors). There will be much to discuss , I'm sure. I was dismayed that such an event could happen in the U.S.
I just finished Zero Day. I haven't read a book that quickly in a long time. It's a thriller: terrorists use computer viruses to attack America. The technology is all correct, so it is very scary. The author is a well known expert in the field of cyber security. And can write suspense!
I just finished Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin.I'm reading it for the Historical Fictionistas.
It was a good read and interesting but not really gripping. I easily guessed 'whodunnit' but I did like the historical aspect particularly a couple of cameo appearances by Henry II one of my favourite English kings.
I think it was probably recommended to me because of the Jewish aspect. Being set in 12th century it was bound to involve Blood Libel and therefore the murder of children, which made it more disturbing.
I'm not sure I would make a great effort to read another of her books.
Eric wrote: "I'm reading squat. Whenever I'm in a play, my desire to read stops cold around tech week and doesn't come back again until the show ends. And I may be going directly from "Dead Man's Cell Phone" in...""squat" One of my favorite books.That's what i read for about 10 years.ger
I just finished Mudbound and really loved it. Started The Paris Wifeand it seems like it'll be terrific. Based on Michael's recommendation I'm looking forward to listening to BossyPants on tape.
I'm reading Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks. I've loved her other titles. This one is hard to get into but I'm moving along with it. I'm listening to How to Talk to a Widowerby Jonathan Tropper. It is hilarious.
The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone is the books I'm reading to my kids right now. It is amazing how quickly they get ready for school in the morning with the promise of hearing a chapter before school. All three of us are enjoying it.
Ann, my eight-year old son just finished The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens. It was in his Easter basket. He loved it and passed it on to a friend of his after school yesterday.
I just finished
Tabloid City: A Novel and have to say that it was amazing! Easily a best book of 2011 for me.
The story has something for everyone - it's somber, exciting, fast paced, and a great read.
I think what won me over on this book was Hamill's characters. They stayed with me long after I put the book down.
You're welcome to read my review here: http://wp.me/TRJE
Just finished The Stand: American Nightmares and The Stand: Soul Survivors. I read the first in the series, The Stand: Captain Trips about a week ago. The Stand has always been my favorite Stephen King novel and a friend introduced me to the graphic series a couple of weeks ago. It's been a blast from the past to relive the novel but in graphic form. The artist really brings out the "creepiness factor" of the book. It's been amazing to re-enter the world of The Stand. I can't wait for the next one to come out!
I just finished The Seven Sisters by Margaret Drabble. Am working my way through Virgil's Aeneid as part of a iTunes University course and am reading Empires of the Indus, a travel/history of the areas around the Indus River following its course backwards from the sea in Pakistan up to its source in Tibet.
I finished Little Bee. It didn't live up to the hype in my opinion. The book jacket did it's job and made me want to read the book but the story itself couldn't back it up. I also finished off a couple of comics. Jonah Hex, Volume 6: Bullets Don't Lieand Nova Volume 6: Realm Of Kings TPB. Jonah Hex is great if you like westerns at all and if you want stories that wrap up in one issue. There really isn't much better comics on the market. Nova is good if you like space opera type stories but is more difficult to just pick up.
I am starting Little Children. I have been reading all of Tom Perrota's works over the last couple of years and so far he has never failed to make me think and to entertain me. This book looks like it will be no exception.
Hi!I just finished A Passage to India by E.M. Forester and now probably have to go back to Lord Foul's Bane by Stephen Donaldson. I do not know why Stephen Donaldson's books are so marvelous to read but so hard for me to get into.
I finished The Telling and really liked it. I'm currenlty about 1/2 way into The Twelfth Insight: The Hour of Decision and so far I just don't care for it.
I am finally out of my book slump! I read Tethered. (Thanks for the suggestion, Ann!) I am almost done with Juliet, Naked. And I've been starting to dip into The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers.
I'm planning to begin Matthew Pearl's The Poe Shadow this evening. I heard Pearl read/speak at the Newburyport Lit Fest and was sufficiently impresssed to try one of his works.
Continuing the "Song of Ice & Fire" series with
. These books are addictive.
Books on the Nightstand
Books mentioned in this topic
The Pillars of the Earth (other topics)Death of a Charming Man (other topics)
Death of a Nag (other topics)
Soulless (other topics)
The Master and Margarita (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Camilla Läckberg (other topics)Banana Yoshimoto (other topics)
Ellen Raskin (other topics)
Marianne Malone (other topics)
John Stephens (other topics)
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Picked up The Bride Collector on audio, will be starting it this afternoon.