You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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What are you currently reading and why? (CLOSED)
Chris wrote: "Donna wrote: "Recently started The Girl Who Played with Fire and it is every bit as good as the first, perhaps even better."Wait till you get to The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nes..."
I agree the trilogy resulted in many late nights reading:-)
I am currently reading: - Nikolai Gogol's Dead Souls (I first came across Gogol a few years ago when I started studying Russian history and his work had quite an impact on the way that Russian society was presented. Now that I'm on break, I can actually read the book---yay! It's pretty funny so far)
- Thomas Bokenkotter's A Concise History of the Catholic Church (for the longest time I've been meaning to pick up a book that traced the history of the Catholic Church because it's witnessed so much and evolved over time)
I'm also re-reading:
- Louise May Alcott's Little Women (because I read it many years ago but I think it was an abridged version or something so now I'm reading it properly, lol) =)
Hi, new here. Looks like a broad range of interests and a great place to get recommendations.Picked up Friday Night in Beast House by Laymon at the library today. So far it's just so-so but the thunderstorm we are having is helping.
Just finished The Bear Went Over the Mountain and now I am going to start The Trail to Seven Pines; Louis L'Amour's Hopalong Cassidy novel.
I have just started Three Day Road for my in-person book club. It was my suggestion as I had read Through Black Spruce for this reading group and really enjoyed it. Three Day Road is the first book in the loose trilogy.
I'm reading The 1981 Annual World's Best SF with my husband. I read a few pages a night to him in bed of books we're both interested in reading. We used to read novels like Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, but we're getting older and tireder and can't read enough to keep track for that long....
I'm currently reading Terry Pratchett's Going Postal. It's been a while since I've read a Discworld novel and this one was recently made into a miniseries so I hope to finish it before I see it =) I'm also reading Timothy Ware's The Orthodox Church: New Edition given my studies in Russian history and my interest in the developments in the Orthodox Church after its split from from the Western Catholic Church. =)
Ooh... Going Postal was our accidental introduction to Discworld... it really impressed us, and though the series as read in order isn't always fun going (in our opinion) I can't wait to catch up to GP and to read it again in its proper place!
I've just started Love finds you in Lahaina because I won it on Good Reads!!
Chris, would you tell us what you like and don't like about this book. There are very few reviews. It looks interesting. Is it predominantly fiction or fact? Does the writing style pull in the reader? Thanks!
I promise I will as soon as I finish, I literally just started it. So far there is a lot of Hawaiian background and culture of which I know nothing so it's interesting!
Chris, that sounds good! My Hawaian knowledge is zero too. I have Shark Dialogues sitting here and maybe will also readMoloka'i, unless I get sick of the subject....
Cheryl wrote: "Ooh... Going Postal was our accidental introduction to Discworld... it really impressed us, and though the series as read in order isn't always fun going (in our opinion) I can't wait to catch up t..."That's cool that you're going through the series in order! I just read a few of them in a random order (my favourite character is Death so I read the books featuring him, lol). I hope to get around to the others at some point, lol.
I am currently reading Arturo Perez-Reverte's The Club Dumas and Thomas More's Utopia at the moment =)
Eclectic taste - you never get bored do you?I'm currently reading a first-reads giveaway,
Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error, because I want to post a review as a thank you asap. So far it's pretty interesting, and though kinda slow, plenty easy.
I've just started Black Cherry Blues: A Dave Robicheaux Novel by James Lee Burke.The descriptions of the Gulf coast of Louisiana are very vivid especially with all the news about the oil spill in the Gulf.
I'm currently reading Eating Animals. Picked it up because I really enjoyed Foer's fiction books, and wanted to see what his non-fiction would be like. Plus it's an interesting topic. So far I'm pretty appalled - mostly at the industry, but partly at myself, because I can't/won't give up eating meat. I'm hoping (probably in vain) that somewhere in the book there are suggestions for eating meat ethically, but we'll see. Everyone seems to have a really wide taste in books - I'm looking forward to getting some recommendations and stepping outside my normal comfort zone when it comes to which books I pick!
I'm currently reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower, as to why well I needed something off the young adult shelf that I hadn't read before and I had this one lying about. All I can say is I'll be glad when it is finished and I think I should have picked The Mysterious Benedict Society instead.
Ally wrote: "I'm currently reading Eating Animals. I "enjoyed" this book. Highly disturbing. I couldn't give up meat, either but I do apologize between bites. Drives my husband up the wall:-)
I just caved and started reading
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Honestly, the plot doesn't sound interesting to me at all and it's not something I would ever typically pick up to read. So many people I know have raved about it, though, that I thought I would give it a try. It remains to be seen if I actually stick with it!
I am currently reading HORNS by Joe Hill (son of Stephen King). I read his debut, Heart-Shaped Box, and wasn't all that impressed. Horns is GREAT so far. I love it.
Stephanie wrote: "I just started The Friday Night Knitting Club...its starting out really slow. Does anyone know if it gets better?? The last book I read was awful so please HELP!"Stephanie, I read the Friday Night Knitting Club for a church book club discussion. I did NOT like the book, and no, it doesn't get better. Actually the ending is sad and depressing. If I were you I would quit while you're ahead and find something else to read.
Jaime wrote: "I just caved and started reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Honestly, the plot doesn't sound interesting to me at all and i..."Jaime, I just recently finished it. There were several times I thought of just giving up but I thought, SURELY it would get better, because it has gotten so much hype and I had heard only great things about it. Well, it didn't get better. I finished it but would not recommend this book to anyone. The author seems to have a fixation on sex and violence towards women. Really not a feel-good (or even enjoyable in any capacity) kind of book.
Jo wrote: "I'm reading Norwegian Wood"This is on my to-read list, I'll be interested to hear if you think it's any good!
Nancy wrote: "Jaime wrote: "I just caved and started reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Honestly, the plot doesn't sound interesting to m..."Nancy, I find it interesting that you didn't enjoy it. Do you normally read books of this genre? I really enjoyed the whole trilogy, and though some of the scenes were a little graphic, I generally felt the purpose of the scenes that were violent towards women were condemning such acts rather than condoning them.
I agree that it's not a feel-good book, but I'm not sure it was intended to be!
Nancy and Ally,I haven't gotten very far into the book and haven't encountered any of those scenes yet. However, it is just BORING so far. Mind you, I'm only about 30 pages in. So far, I can't focus on it. It's going over the whole AIA/Wennerstrom thing. I am assuming this is just needed background info. for the plot that the reader must know. Surely it gets more interesting, right?
Jaime wrote: "Nancy and Ally,I haven't gotten very far into the book and haven't encountered any of those scenes yet. However, it is just BORING so far. Mind you, I'm only about 30 pages in. So far, I can't ..."
The background for Wennerstrom becomes slightly more important later on, so it's useful to know (although still not really the main thrust of the book). I think that it does get more interesting, although I found the pace of the book didn't pick up until later on.
Ally wrote: "I'm currently reading Eating Animals. Picked it up because I really enjoyed Foer's fiction books, and wanted to see what his non-fiction would be like. Plus it's an interesting topic..."hi Ally, haven't read the book, but there are ethically ways to produce meat. I live in Hampshire & buy all my meat from the local farmer's market, that way you talk to the people actually producing it. also much better than supermarkets. another book to look at is
The River Cottage Meat Book, looks at both intensive and ethically ways of meat production and some superb recipes as well!
Keith711 wrote: "Ally wrote: "I'm currently reading Eating Animals. Picked it up because I really enjoyed Foer's fiction books, and wanted to see what his non-fiction would be like. Plus it's an inte..."Thanks for taking the time to reply Keith :) I used to live in Hampshire, but live up in the Midlands now. I was planning to look into local farmers markets and see what I could find. The recipe book looks good - thanks for the recommendation!
I am trying to get through The Sound and the Fury right now. It's a very hard book to read. I picked it due to a recommendation on another site. I also ordered Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates, Blindness, and Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woofe. But the reason I happened on this forum was because I saw the TV movie of The Stand the other day and was again awestruck with the story and characters (especially the "in between" ones). The reason I chose Sound and Fury was because I have never read anything by Faulkner and I'm told this is his masterpiece. It is not what I expected. I usually read something heavy then alternate with something light. Comments?
Patsy wrote: "I am trying to get through The Sound and the Fury right now. It's a very hard book to read. I picked it due to a recommendation on another site. I also ordered Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates, Blindnes..."I'm afraid I can't comment on The Sound and the Fury as I've not read it, but I just wanted to say I really enjoyed Blindness (assuming you mean the book by Jose Saramago). His writing style takes some time to get used to, but it's an excellent story.
Jo wrote: "Ally wrote: "Jo wrote: "I'm reading Norwegian Wood"This is on my to-read list, I'll be interested to hear if you think it's any good!"
I found it a little hard to get into but i..."
I've read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicleand Kafka on the Shore, both of which I absolutely loved. I really like Murakami's writing style, and he seems to come up with fantastic stories.
Jo wrote: "The only other one i have read was Kafka on the Shore. I think you will like Norwegian Wood!"Thanks :) I might move it up my TBR list... we'll see.
Jaime wrote: "Nancy and Ally,I haven't gotten very far into the book and haven't encountered any of those scenes yet. However, it is just BORING so far. Mind you, I'm only about 30 pages in. So far, I can't ..."
I found it pretty dry myself. I just couldn't get into it. There was the occasional interesting and engrossing passage but I found about 80% or so of the book to be uninteresting and not worth reading. It's up to you to finish it or not. I just know that I felt like you do even that early on and I finished reading the book ONLY because it was so hugely popular and I thought it would get better. It didn't.
Ally wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Jaime wrote: "I just caved and started reading 
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Honestly, the plot doesn't sound in..."Hi Ally, I normally stick to general fiction, and am not sure if this book would fall into that category. I agree that all the violence towards women is not really glorified, but I still just didn't like reading about it. Same thing with the casual sexual relationship between Mikael and the married Erika, or the relationship between Mikael and the much-younger Lisbeth. Those are some themes/elements I considered rather unsettling and inappropriate. If I liked the book as a whole I may not have minded them so much, but as it was I just didn't care for the book so those parts of the story just turned me off that much more. Glad you enjoyed it, I just REALLY didn't.
My husband reads mysteries, thrillers, sf. He said The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was not great and he'll only read the other two if they fall into his hands at a bookcrossing meeting or something.
Thanks Cheryl...I appreciate hearing that I am not the only one who was unimpressed with it!
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has certainly come up in discussions here. I may have to see if the library has a copy. I can usually handle disturbing themes in books. Does anyone here read Ruth Rendell or Walter Mosley novels? Another book that I've read recently that made a big impression on me is The Curious Case of the Dog in the Nighttime?
I *loved* The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time! (Note, it's incident, not case, after a key line in a Sherlock Holmes story.) But then I'm a big fan of Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant, Lottery, Flowers for Algernon and anything else I can find that addresses issues of mental health and what it means to think differently. As far as Curious I., I am recommending it to my husband who prefers the plot-driven books.
(Recommendations welcome!)
Oh, and: A Mango-Shaped Space and Temple Grandin
Cheryl wrote: "I *loved* The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time! (Note, it's incident, not case, after a key line in a Sherlock Holmes story.) But then I'm a big fan of Born on a Bl..."</i>I too, loved [book:The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, and Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant is on my to-read list.
If you like books related to mental health, you might enjoy: Madness Explained: Psychosis and Human Nature, An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness, Dibs in Search of Self.
Also, this book on synaesthesia is on my to-read list: The Frog Who Croaked Blue: Synesthesia and the Mixing of the Senses
Thanks Ally - every one of your rec's is now on my wishlist!
ooh, my husband and I both loved Lamb - I don't often re-read but I think I want to read this again Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
I also like books with characters who suffer from mental illness. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time instilled an innocence and alienesque, logical quality to my thinking as I was reading it. That shows great writing! The book I mentioned by Faulkner (the Sound and the Fury) takes this a step or two beyond that feeling to a point that I'm not sure I understand what's going on and no amount of re-reading paragraphs or sentences clarifies it. I decided to just keep reading (like my English professors told me to do) with hopes that it will eventually make sense. I would love it if anyone on this forum that has read it would share their experience. It is not really a fun read but I am slowly getting through it. Will start Blindness soon though just to have a break from this tortuous novel.
I'm reading Bwana Game by George Adamson. I'm reading it because his name was mentioned in an animal Planet special I was watching and names tend to stick with me so I was browsing my favourite used book store and saw it on the shelves...plus I'm obssessed with Africa.
I finished reading Eating Animals today, and it gave me a lot to think about. I would definitely recommend it (and will be recommending it to whoever I can).
I'm starting Schopenhauers Telescopelater tonight.
I've never read Faulkner. I tried once and got so very confused I decided I didn't care enough. Other fish in the sea, y'know?I like what you said, Patsy, about The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. I do love books that affect our minds like that - if I can also just plain enjoy them. So, for me, no Faulkner, or Joyce, or even thrillers.
Ally, wow, two intense books in a row. I have no interest in subjecting myself to either of them - I admire your strength.
Have you ever read anything by Sue Miller, Cheryl? Her current book is The Lake Shore Limited and it's not her best but she also wrote The Senator's Wife, While I Was Gone, The World Below and The Good Mother (which was made into a movie starring Diane Keaton). Her stories aren't particularly heavy, very little violence but strong messages and very good descriptive writing and character development. You might like her books.
My sister recommended Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
and loaned me her copy--I just finished it and enjoyed it. (I'll post my review tonight) I'm now reading The Girl Who Chased the Moon
, as I'm ready for some lighter reading! I pre-ordered this one and have been waiting to read it, as I really liked her other two books! (Garden Spells and The Sugar Queen) So I'm looking forward to this one.
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You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
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Wait till you get to The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest - that's even better!