What are you currently reading? June 2011

[Ann]

Shona wrote: "Kirsty wrote: "I'm reading House Arrest: A Novel by Ellen Meeropol. I was reading it in the hopes of joining in with the discussion that happened on Weds, but it took place at 1:30am..."

We're hoping to schedule a future chat at a time that's good for our European friends. But I'm bad at time zone conversions -- what time woild be good?

[nancy]

I missed it too..so if you schedule another one..I'd like to try to join.
Best, Nancy

[Kirsty]

England is 5 hours ahead of EST so ideally anything that finishes before midnight GMT/7pm EST would be good, although I know that's probably not good for people in the US that work full time. I'll try harder to stay awake next time :)

[Shona]

Ann wrote: "Shona wrote: "Kirsty wrote: "I'm reading House Arrest: A Novel by Ellen Meeropol. I was reading it in the hopes of joining in with the discussion that happened on Weds, but it took p..."

I honestly dont mind getting up I just need to get a better alarm clock!!

[Linda]

Am starting . If the first 9 pages are any indication (what I got to read while waiting for my son at the bank) this will be a great book.

[Ann]

Kirsty wrote: "England is 5 hours ahead of EST so ideally anything that finishes before midnight GMT/7pm EST would be good, although I know that's probably not good for people in the US that work full time. I'll ..."

I know not everyone works 9-5, so I think we'll try one in an afternoon slot here in the US -- that way our European friends can join and maybe some US listeners who aren't free in the evening. Not next month, but we will do it. Thanks!

[Kirsty]

Sounds great, thankyou :)

[Helen]

I am floundering trying to choose my next book. I recently finished book:House Arrest: A Novel|9561050] and got stuck and couldn't finish A Visit from the Goon Squad and now I just can't figure out what I want to read. I picked up Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void, The Revenge of the Radioactive Lady, and The Secret life of dresses last night at the library but I'm not super excited about any of them.

I hope something inspires me by the holiday weekend!

[Flora]

I'm about half way thru and so far I really like this one. I'm also reading and so far its ok.

[Bridget]

I just started The Shack by William P. Young. It has been on my "nightstand" for over a year. I'm not sure what made me pick it up now, but I did. It seemed short and an easy read. Everyone I know has read it, so it's time I drank the Kool-Aid.

[[deleted user]]

Just finished my seventh (?) reading of this book. This big shaggy bear of a story has become part of the architecture of my mind and I feel compelled to revisit it every five or six years.

I think part of the draw is the characters. They're some of King's best. I have a friend who has a problem with Tom Cullen, and calls him the worst thing that ever emerged from King's typewriter. Yes, the constant "M-O-O-N, that spells..." and "Laws, yes" get a little grating after awhile. I get that the payoff is supposed to be when he's in Vegas and sees the full moon, which is his post-hypnotic cue to get back to Boulder. He thinks "M-O-O-N, that spells moon", finally getting it right. But still, it's annoying. Yet Tom is lovable as hell, and the scene where he's under hypnosis is pure magic.

More magic moments: 1) the chapter written from Kojak's point of view. King has a handle on the dog-mind. He should write a novel with a dog as the lead character. "Cujo" doesn't count. 2) Glen's final stand, laughing in Flagg's face. (Glendon Pequod Bateman is my candidate for "Stephen King character you'd most like to have a beer with".)

Great set-pieces abound. Larry and Rita in the Lincoln Tunnel. Lloyd starving in the plagued-out prison. Trashcan Man's burning of Powtanville, Indiana. Frannie's mom's breakdown. The triumph of the women of "The Zoo". The final, contemplative journey of Judge Farris. Larry getting a stern talking-to on the beach by Wayne Stukey. The guy with his face eternally in a bowl of soup.

Harold. I always forget. The ultimate struggle between good and evil in the novel is Harold's, isn't it? Man, every time I root for him to embrace his "Hawk" side and realize his potential. Harold is one of King's best characters. I know, because I was once something of a Harold. The adolescent me, for a time, thought it would be a good idea to store away hurt rather than to open myself up to life. Happily, I have since become more of a Hawk.

And the rock and roll! Every damn page riffs on a classic song lyric. Maybe next time I'll take notes and do a concordance, a compendium of the dozens and dozens of references.

There will be a next time. Because I love this book.

[Dawn]

State of Wonder
Will finish State of Wonder today. Waiting in my library pile are The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris, 1830-1900
Essex County Volume 1: Tales from the Farm
and
Literacy and Longing in L.A.

[Julie]

Bridget wrote: "I just started The Shack by William P. Young. It has been on my "nightstand" for over a year. I'm not sure what made me pick it up now, but I did. It seemed short and an easy read. E..."

Bridget, I'll be curious to see your review of THE SHACK. I read this last December and it made me bawl. And I am RARELY if EVER affected by that emotion while reading. Somehow it just HIT me, even though the book is somewhat (in my intellectual mind) rather
preachy or unbelievable. Or it could be my midlife hormones which often make everything seem extra tragic or emotional!

[Julie]

Dawn wrote: "State of Wonder
Will finish State of Wonder today. Waiting in my library pile are The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris, 1830-1900
[book:Essex County Volume 1: Tal..."

Dawn, Our local public radio station (Minnesota Public Radio) broadcast an interview with Ann Patchett on 'State of Wonder' recently. She was in St. Paul for an author event; her book is now on my TBR list. You could find the link to Kerri Miller's interview (the podcast) on MPR's website if you're interested.

[Mis_Reading]

How did I end up reading such a diverse set of books? Okay get this, currently reading three books, they are nothing alike so how did this happen?

Interview With the Vampire
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
The Lightning Thief

Wait. What?! I have no explanation.

Summary: Just started IWAV last night, picked it up to read on the plane this weekend. I remember trying to read it years ago... then my mother found it and took it away. SFatSF is good, not my favoirte kind of book, but it's my BFF's favorite book, so I want to read it for her sake, but I don't want to see Lilly end up turning heinous bitch on her best friend who certainly has done nothing to deserve it, God knows Snow Flower has gone through enough and had a crap life dealt to her. And Percy Jackson... can't really comment. I'm curious to see if they can balance so many characters and aspects and make it work. I'm strongly reminded of American Gods by Neil Gaiman because of all the deities and such.

[Flora]

Misty wrote: "How did I end up reading such a diverse set of books? Okay get this, currently reading three books, they are nothing alike so how did this happen?
[boo..."

I read [book:Interview With the Vampire|43763] not that long ago and didn't really care for it. It was a little too depressing for my taste. The Lightning Thief on the other hand I really enjoyed. It was much more fun to say the least.

I just finished which I really liked. And I am continuing . I don't know if I will ever get this one finished tho.

[Lil]

Recently finished listening to Cleopatra: A Life Stacy Schiff and really enjoyed it. The author does a wonderful job of sorting through the myths and prejudices against one of the most fascinating women in history.

Also finished reading Worried Sick: A Prescription for Health in an Overtreated America which is basically about how America is medicalized and being bamboozled by the medical industry. Thought provoking and very well researched, but I can't imagine it being interesting to the non-medical crowd.

Now listening to A Wizard of Earthsea and liking it ok so far. There is a little too much dramatic interpretation by the narrator for my taste.

Just started Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet on the kindle and really enjoying it so far.

[Nicky]

Hi,
I have just finished reading "Waiting for Columbus", lent the book on so I cannot remember the author's name. It was featured on "books on the night stand".
It was a wonderful summer read, I felt like I was in Spain and enjoying the mixed cultures, of Spain in the past and Spain in the present. Where I live, it takes 3 hours drive to get to the coast, which I miss very much. So this book took me there too, which was wonderful.
It was an easy read, just sit back and let the story unfold.
It has a very strange twist to the end, I really did not see that coming!
Thanks to Books on the night stand for featuring this book, I really loved it! Please can you feature more summer reads for those of us who are unable to get away!
Many thanks
Nicky Williams

[Lisa]

I just finished The Crimson Petal and White which I liked more than I thought I would and I am in the middle of In the Woods by Tana French which I am definitely enjoying.

[Jay]

Finished The Death and Life of Bobby Z. I enjoyed it but didn't get as much out of it as some other Don Winslow stuff that I've read. Maybe he finally stretched believablity a bit too far this time. I've got mulitple books going at the moment. The main one is North Dallas Fortywhich was written around the time I was born and besides being a sports novel an interesting time capsule of pop culture in America during the early 70's.

I have 2 non-fiction books going

Rich Dad, Poor Dad and Sex at Dawn: The Prehistoric Origins of Modern Sexuality both have captured my interest and I'm hoping to put big dents in them over the holday weekend on the beach.

I also just finished listening to The Fifth Witness. I enjoyed it but not as much as the previous ones in the series. Although the housing crisis is topical, I didn't find it as compelling as the previous books in the Mickey Haller series.

[Andrea]

Eric wrote: "

Just finished my seventh (?) reading of this book. This big shaggy bear of a story has become part of the architecture of my mind and I feel compelled to revisit it ev..."

The Stand has always been my favorite Steven King novel and the one that I revisit every so often also. A friend at work introduced me to the comic collection (written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and illustrated by Mike Perkins)a couple of months ago and I'm anxiously waiting for the next installment "No Man's Land" due out in August.

[Heather]

Julianna wrote: "I made a pact with my best friend from school to read classics this summer. #1 was Gone With the Windwhich she has finished and I need to finish by July 1st, the day before my birthday..."

Gone With the Wind has long been on my TBR list and I'm determined to read it this summer. I'm not super attached to the movie like some people are, I've just heard it's a classic that should be read. It's turning 75 years old this month!

Right now I'm finishing up with In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson. It's much darker than The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America, mostly because there is no lighter side to Nazi Germany like there was an alternate story to tell about building the Chicago World's Fair. I'm enjoying it, but really looking forward to my next book being lighter in tone.

[Paul]

I'm reading "Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Friend" by Christopher Moore. I'm about 1/4 of the way through. Rolling on the floor laughing.

[Trish]

Just finishing Snømannen and hope to start State of Wonder this weekend, both audio. Snowman was as spicy and horrifying and convoluted as Ann said it would be...A good example of Scandanavian mystery fiction. Lots of snow, lots of sex, lots of really despicable crimes...not as much coffee as I would have expected :)

[[deleted user]]

I´m reading for a review and I quite like it.

I´m also listening (if that counts to and enjoy it. When I´ve finished it´s time for some Orange/July reads...

[Esther]

I finished The Book Thief and it left me crying which was embarrasing as I was on the train to work at the time.
Then I cheered myself up with Sapphique the sequel to Incarceron. I enjoyed both books greatly and was satisfied with the ending.
I continued in a YA vein with Shiver and Graceling. Both were good but not quite good enough to have me eagerly scrambling for the sequels.

And now I have started A Thousand Splendid Suns which I hope to finish before my trip as I don't want to haul around such a large book.

[Karen]

I'm currently reading my 'Big Summer Read" Sisterby Rosamund Lupton. This book is a page turner! Planning on reading all weekend long!

[Dennis]

I am currently reading Rabbit Redux . This is the second book in the Rabbit series by John Updike. So far it is interesting how different it is from "Rabbit, Run" and how Updike seems to capture a very different cultural attitude than the first book did.

[Janny]

I'm reading Solar by Ian McEwan. Great novel.

[Jknick]

Karen wrote: "I'm currently reading my 'Big Summer Read" Sisterby Rosamund Lupton. This book is a page turner! Planning on reading all weekend long!"

I won this one but haven't received it yet. Looking forward to it!!!

[Karen]

Just finished Tiny Sunbirds, Far Away, brutal and enlightening and The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party; a series that never disappoints! Now I'm picking up "The Upright Piano Player" by David Abbott. Am excited to try a new author with this one.

[Heather]

Paul wrote: "I'm reading "Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Friend" by Christopher Moore. I'm about 1/4 of the way through. Rolling on the floor laughing."

I really loved "Lamb." What I didn't expect was to be touched by it. I'm not a very religious person, but the sacrifice was so touching that I cried! Prepare for the poignance, my friend.

[Paul]

Heather, how right you are! The humor is terrific. The fact that the novel is so touching is an unexpected bonus. I wonder if people react to this book in different ways depending on their religious beliefs. Like you, I'm not very religious.