THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB discussion
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YOUR TOP READS OF 2011- YES IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN!!
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Kim Marie wrote: "Rick, I'm one of those people who rarely go back to read the book when I've enjoyed a movie but I'm glad I did with Fried Green Tomatoes.....it actually helped clarify a question I had about one of..."I read the book after seeing the movie - and I loved them both.
Mod
there some films that just "Click"= Fried Green Tomatoes is one of them- Jessica Tandy and Kathy Bates made such a great team!
My best read for 2011 was A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, it really is a stand out novel. It was closely followed by Earth Abides by George R Stewart.
Mod
That is another book I keep planning on reading!
Maxine wrote: "My best read for 2011 was A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, it really is a stand out novel. It was closely followed by Earth Abides by George R Stewart."Ahhh! 'Earth Abides'. I first read it in 1970 as part of an anthropology class. So glad that, after 75 years in print, it still strikes a cord in people.
Mod
Ahhh! 'Earth Abides'...."
wow- you recall a book you read in 1970 so fondly and so well? must be great!
Call me biased if you like, but my top read for 2011 is A Life Lived Ridiculously.When a girl with obsessive compulsive disorder falls in love with a sociopath, she must fight for her sanity and her life...
A Life Lived Ridiculously will be released and available for sale, through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million and all other usual channels, from April 12th 2012.
Or you may pre-order A Life Lived Ridiculously through the website www.ridiculouslife.net/, and be rewarded by adding any link you like to the website…
All pre-ordered copies will be signed by the author and delivered to you immediately (More than two months BEFORE the official release date).
Dr Annabelle R Charbit
www.ridiculouslife.net
"11-22-63." by King. Not your "normal King"...and love it beyond any other: Hands down.
I've read far less than I wanted to this year and liked a lot of it less than I wanted to. The one book that has really stayed with me from my 2011 reading is Engine Summer by John Crowley, brilliant prose, fascinating ideas:http://www.goodreads.com/search?query...
Also liked:
A Dance With Dragons - George Martin
Miserere - Theresa Frohock
Among Thieves - Doug Hulick
Best picture books I read 
Best Ya I read
Best children's book I read
Best graphic novel I read
I typically prefer academicly-oriented cozy mysteries or sometimes quirky sci-fi. Here are my favorites of 2011:1. Academic Body
2. Murder in the Philosophy Department
3. Murder by Proxy
4. The Alto Wore Tweed
5. Love At Absolute Zero
Seasons greetings to you all!
Patricia Rockwell
The Ballad of Young Tam Lin
The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains Hugely divergent - the first, a top-flight fantasy romance, based on a traditional Scottish ballad. The second, non-fiction everyone reading this post should also read (be warned, not suitable for young children.)
The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains Hugely divergent - the first, a top-flight fantasy romance, based on a traditional Scottish ballad. The second, non-fiction everyone reading this post should also read (be warned, not suitable for young children.)
Mod
Maxine wrote: "My best read for 2011 was A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, it really is a stand out novel. It was closely followed by Earth Abides by George R Stewart."Jerry wrote: "Maxine wrote: "My best read for 2011 was A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, it really is a stand out novel. It was closely followed by Earth Abides by George R Stewart."
Ahhh! 'Earth Abides'...."
I'm actually reading, "A Prayer for Owen Meany" now. I have never read it, and while I thoroughly am enjoying the sensitive prosaic writing, it is a bit too sad for me. The characterization of Owen Meany is a marvelous feat, but his raw sensitivity is almost painful at times.
I think my favorite book of the year has to be "The Help," which has already been mentioned by others.In terms of creative nonfiction, I vote for "In The Garden of Beasts," which follows the surge of the Third Reich from the vantage point of the U.S. Ambassador to Germany.
Mod
and
I was hoping there would be a YA book on the list, but, unfortunately, I haven't come across a brilliant ..."
My immense respect for Fitzgerald compels me to give you, Alecia a big thumbs up on Gatsby!
I'd have to sayThe Given Day by Dennis Lehane
and of course, my debut novel ... not half bad I hope ...
I hadn't read for quite some time. A book here or there, the last one being Dan Brown's Lost Symbol. Once I got my iPad in April everything changed. I enjoyed Confederacy of Dunces and because I couldn't wait to find out what happens on Game of Thrones the rest of the Song of Ice and Fire by RR Martin.I'm an indie author myself so I also dabbled into indie authors a standout being Joshua Corey Mays Terra Incognita: The Abyss & The Other. It's not just because I do his covers, they're great old fashioned Robert E Howard and Lovecraftian horror/adventure.
Those were my standouts in the last year.
I did read more but that wasn't the question here.
Mod
I was reading a collection of classic ghost/horror stories- interesting how the editor used Lovecraft as the changing point (for lack of a better term) between the stories of MR James, Collins, Benson, Amelia Edwards ect and the new style...almost like Cezanne signaled the neo-impressionist movement in art.
I'm hoping the best of 2011 refers to the year in which we've read the book, rather than the date of publication.The Marching Season
I read the first Signet printing of this book by Daniel Silva. This one takes place in Northern Ireland and in England. It is connected to "the troubles" in Northern Ireland between Republicans (Catholics who want to merge with the Republic Of Ireland)Unionists or Loyalists (Protestants who want Ulster to continue being part of the U.K.)
This book is, happily what fans of Daniel Silva (I'm one of them) would expect. A great deal of political intrigue in which all is not what it seems, and violent action. It probably is trite to say this, but this really is a book you do not want to put down. It keeps you intently and excitedly reading, and produces tension and suspense, so that you cannot help wanting to know what happens next. CAUTION: Do not start before bedtime, because if you do, you will be reading long after bedtime, and will stop only when you can no longer keep your eyes open or when you've finished the book. The Marching Season
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• Published on January 03, 2012 11:08• Tags: england, ira, ireland, northern-ireland, political-intrigue, suspense, tension, thriller, ulster, united-kingdom, violent-action
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The Marching Season
I read the first Signet printing of this book by Daniel Silva. This one takes place in Northern Ireland and in England. It is connected to "the troubles" in Northern Ireland between Republicans (Catholics who want to merge with the Republic Of Ireland)Unionists or Loyalists (Protestants who want Ulster to continue being part of the U.K.)
This book is, happily what fans of Daniel Silva (I'm one of them) would expect. A great deal of political intrigue in which all is not what it seems, and violent action. It probably is trite to say this, but this really is a book you do not want to put down. It keeps you intently and excitedly reading, and produces tension and suspense, so that you cannot help wanting to know what happens next. CAUTION: Do not start before bedtime, because if you do, you will be reading long after bedtime, and will stop only when you can no longer keep your eyes open or when you've finished the book. The Marching Season
0 comments
The Marching Season
I read the first Signet printing of this book by Daniel Silva. This one takes place in Northern Ireland and in England. It is connected to "the troubles" in Northern Ireland between Republicans (Catholics who want to merge with the Republic Of Ireland)Unionists or Loyalists (Protestants who want Ulster to continue being part of the U.K.)
This book is, happily what fans of Daniel Silva (I'm one of them) would expect. A great deal of political intrigue in which all is not what it seems, and violent action. It probably is trite to say this, but this really is a book you do not want to put down. It keeps you intently and excitedly reading, and produces tension and suspense, so that you cannot help wanting to know what happens next. CAUTION: Do not start before bedtime, because if you do, you will be reading long after bedtime, and will stop only when you can no longer keep your eyes open or when you've come to the last page, and can breathe again.
Mod
The Marching Season
I read the first Signet printing of this book by Daniel Silv..."
Indeed the thread is for best books read last year- regardless of publication date.
Happy you mention The Marching Season- a great book!
Most now think of Silva for his superb Gabriel Allon books- yet he wrote some excellent books prior to the series- loved The Marching Season and REALLY loved The Accidental Spy
A surprising good read for me was Far From the War. It's described as dystopian, but I consider it more of a PA novel. I learned about it from a goodreads giveaway (I did not win a copy). Despite my misgivings regarding the horrible cover art and the YA tag, I gave it a shot and boy I was glad that I did. Here is my review.
Rick wrote: "Clark wrote: "I'm hoping the best of 2011 refers to the year in which we've read the book, rather than the date of publication.The Marching Season
I read the first Signet printing of this book ..."
Rick wrote: "Clark wrote: "I'm hoping the best of 2011 refers to the year in which we've read the book, rather than the date of publication.
The Marching Season
I read the first Signet printing of this book ..."
Rick, Yes, The Accidental Spy was a great read too. In fact, I haven't read one book of Silva's that I did not love. I've read a great many of his Gabriel Allon series, and they're terrific too.
I didn't get much reading done until the fall, so my list is short, but they are definitely standouts.
Robopocalypse was a huge surprise and a welcome one.
The Hunger Games might actually be my favorite read of the decade. I tend to start gushing when customers at the bookstore ask me about it.
For me, it had to be Luka and the Fire of Life. It's a sequel, two decades later, to Haroun and the Sea of Stories, perhaps the greatest fantasy novel ever written. This one wasn't quite as great, but darn close. Almost a YA feel to both these novels.
I also agree with Jim. The Given Day was a great read. I've read Lehane's other stuff, which is great, but I think that may have been his masterwork. Gasp! A mystery/thriller writer writing historical fiction? Just proves that a great writer can write in any genre he or she chooses.
Mod
The Marching Season
I read the first Signet printing ..."
The Gabriel Allon books are my brother Michael's all time favorites
Mod
Robopocalypse was a huge surprise and a welcome one.
[bo..."
My nephew Alex is reading The Hunger Games- loves it so much, my sister ordered the other two books in series!
Mod
Word of Honor. Another masterpiece by Nelson DeMille. It certainly stands out as one of the best novels I've read last year.[bookcove..."
any book about a dog must be great!! major dog lover here!
Mod
Word of Honor. Another masterpiece by Nelson DeMille. It certainly stands out as one of the best novels I've ..."thanks for tip! will read for sure!
loved Marley and Me- book and film!
Mod
Red."looks great- any relation to Big Red? recall seeing a film with Walter Pidgeon- think it was a 1960's Disney film
Mod
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055793/ ((Big Red, 19..."
Walter Pidgeon was magnificent
Mod
http://www.imdb.com/title..."
I agree- I would also recommend How Green Was my Valley- Pidgeon, Donald Crisp, Sarah Algood,Barry Fitzgerald and a very young Roddy Mcdowell terrific in a real classic film!
Whiskey River by Loren D. Estleman was a joy to read in 2011. For anyone who loves reading crime fiction, this one is a winner. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The first novel in the 'Detroit Crime Series' in which the city is treated as an organic entity through various decades of the 20th century, "WHISKEY RIVER" spans from the Prohibition Era to the late 1930s.
Constantine ("Connie") Minor is a Detroit-based journalist who has made a name for himself covering the crime beat in the late 1920s/early 1930s. This was a time in which bootleggers and mobsters carved out Detroit into spheres of influence over which they exerted and established firm control over, not only, the illegal importation of alcohol, but also the numbers rackets, and prostitution. Many of the city's cops often looked the other way, picking and choosing what crimes to solve or ignore (courtesy of a bribe). All the while, Detroit's industrial might (as evidenced by the auto industry) continued to grow, giving the city a dazzling prosperity soon to be tempered by the ravages of the 1929 stock market crash and resulting Depression.
Minor has cultivated a variety of contacts with the city's underworld elements (e.g. Jack Dance, a bold and impetuous bootlegger building his own criminal empire in the city and "Joey the Machine" a powerful and ruthless criminal overlord who will tolerate no challenges to his authority). He brings the reader into the frenzied, at times dangerous, chaotic and colorful lives of the crime bosses, syndicates, police and politicians.
One of the most exciting scenes in the novel is when Minor accompanies Jack Dance and his associates over to Canada one night to pick up several cases of alcohol and convey them back to Detroit across the stretches of the frozen-over Detroit River during the winter of 1930. Amid a flurry of machine gun fire, they barely evade the Prohibition Squad of the Detroit Police Department. In Minor's own words: "... bullets were still hitting the ice. As we sped away from the Packard, having veered too close to its gun for comfort, I watched the battered black Lincoln following our original path with Lon Camarillo standing on the running board, bracing himself with an arm hooked around the window post and pumping away with what looked like a Browning Automatic Rifle at the center of the network of cracks. His face in the moonlight with the buttstock against his cheek looked like the Grim Reaper's...
"... The driver of the Packard was spinning his wheels in a white blur now, frantic to back away onto a better footing. His engine whined, but the car only subsided into a drunken tilt, spoiling the aim of the gunner in back and thrusting its armored prow farther out over the shoal.
"A wheel broke through the car stumbled, then went down on both knees as the ice collapsed under the other front wheel. White floes stood up in shards and slid under the black water. The Packard teetered, rear wheels turning in empty air, a scaled-down Titanic suspended on a cloud of exhaust."
All in all, a very exciting, well-crafted novel.
I thought Patti Smith's memoir Just Kids was very unique and atmospheric and a very interesting story of love and friendship.
My top reads in 2011 were: On the Soul of a Vampire by Krisi Keley; Norah Loft's Madselin; Masterpieces Of Fantasy And Wonder; The Oxford Book of Twentieth-Century Ghost Stories; City of Bones, the first book in Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments trilogy; and The Bandit Of Hell's Bend by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
authors that stood out to me in 2011 are james patterson: the quickie, toys,
charlaine harris: sookie stackhouse series, aurora teagarden series
j.k. rowling harry potter series
genres i picked up on in 2011
romance
suspense
fantasy
old genres i like to read
horror
humor
trends i picked up on in reading
this past year i noticed a lot of vampire literature being put in mainstream big one was twilight the movies suck but i could only watch 2 minutes of kristin stewart before turning off the tv and going to the books because books are free and open to imagination movies are someone else's interpretation
Mod
Habe not read Oxford's 20th Century Ghost stories- usually prefer 19th Cebtury - any stories stand out Werner?
Rick, good question! Some of my favorite stories in this collection were: Jane Gardam's "The Meeting House," M. R. James' "The Diary of Mr. Poynter," F. Scott Fitzgerald's "A Short Trip Home," Joanna Russ' "The Little Dirty Girl," H. Russell Wakefield's "Blind Man's Buff," Robert Aickman's "Ringing the Changes" (which I'd read before), and Walter de la Mare's "The Quincunx." But the overall quality of the book is outstanding; there were very few stories I didn't like. If anyone's interested, here's the link to my full review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... .If you like 19th-century ghost stories, the sister collection, The Oxford Book of English Ghost Stories, has quite a few excellent ones!
One of my favorite books from last year wasOne Day by David Nicholls
I LOVED THIS BOOK.
From the moment I read the initial chapter which features the bedroom scene with Dexter ("Dex") and Emma ("Em") on the night after they both had graduated from university (July 15th, 1988), I WAS HOOKED. I developed such a deep empathy for both of them, though I was especially partial to Emma, who came from a humbler background compared to Dex.
Nicholls' plot device of focussing on the lives of both Dex and Em through the prism of July 15th from 1988 was very clever. I liked being able to see how both their lives developed over time.
As someone who graduated from college in the 1980s, I strongly identified with Dex and Em, because they are roughly of the same generation as myself. (There was one song that played itself in my mind like a refrain as I read deeply into this novel --- and it was, "SOMEWHERE IN THE WORLD (Someone's Thinking of You)" by the UK band Swing Out Sister.)
"One Day" is representative of the best novels that evoke a welter of emotions that will make the reader hearken back to his/her salad days and smile.
Mod
great list! Love MR James (second to EF Benson)
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THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB
Books mentioned in this topic
The Help (other topics)One Day (other topics)
The Oxford Book of English Ghost Stories (other topics)
Madselin (other topics)
On the Soul of a Vampire (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Kathryn Stockett (other topics)David Nicholls (other topics)
Loren D. Estleman (other topics)
Kathryn Stockett (other topics)
Jo Nesbø (other topics)
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As the old saying goes one man's trash is another man's treasure."
WELL SAID!!