You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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What are you currently reading and why? (CLOSED)
Alan wrote: "Michelle wrote: "I'm reading two books at once because one of them was on hold at the library and my name just came to the top of the queue. I am reading 
because I f..."I have a feeling that you won't be picking up the Fowler book again until you've finished The Book Thief. What a great book! Enjoy it!
Chrissie wrote: "I will now start On Hitler's Mountain: Overcoming the Legacy of a Nazi Childhood. I bought it. My husband grabbed it first, and he said I would like it. He even confirmed that the hist..."The book, How To Be Sick, sounds very interesting. I'm going to add it to my wishlist.
I've got three books on the go. I've been reading The Stand which is a paperback. I just started American Gods. I've been wanting to read something of Neil Gaiman's and it was recommended to me to start with American Gods. I also just started Alone in the Classroom which is our next book club's selection. It's an ebook. Three formats; three books on the go.Alan, please use the add book/author feature at the top of the comment box when naming a book. It gives a link to the book. Thanks.
Janice, How to Be Sick: A Buddhist-Inspired Guide for the Chronically Ill and Their Caregivers is certainly not just for sick people! Anyone would benefit from reading this book. This is the first Buddhist book that has made sense to me.
Janice wrote: "I've got three books on the go. I've been reading The Stand which is a paperback. I just started American Gods. I've been wanting to read something of Neil Gaim..."</i>Let me know what you think of
[book:American Gods - I was excited to read it but just couldn't get into it. I was kind of bummed, too. Haven't you finished The Standyet? :)
Michelle wrote: "Haven't you finished The Standyet? :)"Do you know how big that sucker is? LOL!
It's almost 1200 pages of teeny weeny writing. I know that people really love The Stand, but I'm losing patience. It's taking me forever to read it and I'm thinking, "Get ON with it!" I'm at 600+ pages and he's still building the background.
The redeeming feature for me is that I keep visualizing Gary Sinise whenever Stu is mentioned in the book. :)
Sarah wrote: "I am finally reading The Woman in White after hearing it mentioned in other books I'd been reading." Look forward to hearing what you think of it Sarah as I would love to read it too, have it on my to read list.
Janice wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Haven't you finished The Standyet? :)"Do you know how big that sucker is? LOL!
It's almost 1200 pages of teeny weeny writing. I know that people really love The Stand, but ..."
Yes, I know how long it is. It's funny that you think of Sinese - I read that book before it was made into a movie and then when they cast him I just couldn't see it at all. You are reading the unabridged version, right? I read the original version. If you decide you like it, try
The Passage sometime. That's the book I am reading right now - another 800 page book and the back cover says there will be a follow-up in 2012. I think I read 200 pages yesterday...I was so wrapped up in it! I love when a book does that to you!! Happy Reading!!
Michelle wrote: "Janice wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Haven't you finished The Standyet? :)"Do you know how big that sucker is? LOL!
It's almost 1200 pages of teeny weeny writing. I know that people really love The ..."
I really enjoyed the passage its a really interesting and strange book, a real page tuner.
I have picked up The Passage in a store and then put it back down several times. I'm drawn to it, but I remain unconvinced. After The Stand and The Hunger Games Trilogy, I think I'm going to need a break from Dystopia. I've put The Passage on my wishlist for future consideration.
I'm reading
because I've heard nothing but good things about the series and figured it was about time for me to jump on the bandwagon! I'm almost finished and really like it so far, it's got a lot of funny and smart dialogue which I really enjoy
Stuart wrote: "I am reading Room by Emma Donoghue"I loved Room. i found it slightly refreshing to read it from the little boys point of view, with the subject manor and all..
I'm going to start
today, sounds intriguing and creepy!
Autumn wrote: "Stuart wrote: "I am reading Room by Emma Donoghue"I loved Room. i found it slightly refreshing to read it from the little boys point of view, with ..."
I read the first chapter and thought the child was portrayed as much younger that the age he was purported to be. I decided it wasn't for me. Yet, I'm interested to hear others' thoughts about the book.
Kristina wrote: "I'm going to start today, sounds intriguing and creepy!"I've got that on my wishlist for the same reasons.
Janice wrote: "Autumn wrote: "Stuart wrote: "I am reading Room by Emma Donoghue"I loved Room. i found it slightly refreshing to read it from the little boys point..."
In all honesty i read it a few months back and have had quite a few books since then.. but i could understand him coming across much younger than he was, being sheltered the way he was.. believing there wasnt much beyond the room. He was just a sweet naive kid..
Just finished
and found it a disappointing read.Also finished and reviewed
and found it lacking in substance and a little predictable but having said that a nice easy read and can see why some people will love it and others will find it an ok read. Rated it 3 stars.I am now reading the
Janice wrote: "I have picked up The Passage in a store and then put it back down several times. I'm drawn to it, but I remain unconvinced. After The Stand and The Hunger Games Trilogy, I think I'..."I enjoyed the Passage - but wish I'd bought it on kindle as I practically had carpal tunnel from holdng it up!
The movie "The Count of Monte Cristo" was on tv last night.
Judy wrote: "Stuart wrote: "I am reading Room by Emma Donoghue"What do you think of it so far? My friends either love or hate it, there doesn't seem to be a middle ground."
So far I might be in the middle ground. Well believe it not I don't love or hate marmite...
Autumn wrote: "Stuart wrote: "I am reading Room by Emma Donoghue"I loved Room. i found it slightly refreshing to read it from the little boys point of view, with ..."
So far I am enjoying it.
I have now downloaded Gyula Krudy's Sunflower. I read the beginning and was terribly intriqued by the author's prose style. I felt that what I read was dreamy, macabre, and erotic all rolled together, just as the book description describes the writing. And I do like reading a story that takes place in Hungary. I just hope it is as good as others have said! I finished this morning, On Hitler's Mountain: Overcoming the Legacy of a Nazi Childhood. I highly recommend it. Here is my spoiler-free review. Everyone is reading In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin. I have chosen to read this instead. It is all about how the Germans felt about Hitler and WW2, before, during and after, seen through the eyes of the people in one family. That little girl on the cover is the author, and she sat on Hitler's lap when she was three. She and her family lived next door to his retreat in Bavaria. Here is my review of this book: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/.... I gave it four stars.
I'm going to add it to my wishlist. I have heard that many Germans are embarrassed by what happened during the war. Did she concur with that?
Janice wrote: "I'm going to add it to my wishlist. I have heard that many Germans are embarrassed by what happened during the war. Did she concur with that?"Hi
I have been to Germany and Poland and many of modern Germany don,t believe it happened the way it did.
In Poland German people are made very welcome it is the Russians who are not that welcomed.
Best wishes
Alan xx
Alan wrote: "I have been to Germany and Poland and many of modern Germany don,t believe it happened the way it did."Your comments make me even more interested in reading the book. I've been to Germany as well (though not Poland). I asked my friend who is German and lives there about the history of the war. He was the one that told me that people don't talk about it because they're embarrassed. Like everyone, they would have differing opinions.
I finished reading The Stand tonight and will start on Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter tomorrow. I won this book on Giveaways and should be a fast read. It's about a 1/4 the length as The Stand which was close to 1200 pages.
Alan and Janice, the Poles have hated the Russians for centuries. History explains why. This antagonism is similar to that seen between the Chinese and the Japanese. Remember after WW2 the western border of Poland moved westward into Germany. The Russians and the eastern border moved westward into Poland. What happened to the Poles and Poland at the conclusion of WW2, partticularly given their active support to the allies, is really quite shocking. I don't think they have ever forgiven Roosevelt and Churchill. Polish hatred toward the Russians is equally understandable.
Having dumped Sunflower, I have now started Far to Go by Alison Pick. I have read several books about Czechoslovakia during the war. This has as a central theme the Kindertransport and the life of a family of secular Jews. It is historical fiction, but based on the author's grandparents' lives. My review explains why I didn't like Sunflower: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Janice wrote: "I finished reading The Stand tonight and will start on Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter tomorrow. I won this book on Giveaways and should be a fast read. It's about a 1..."Congrats! I just finished The Passage last night. So....how many stars for The Stand for you? I am giving The Passage 5 stars and waiting anxiously for the next book in the triology. (Didn't know it was a trilogy until I read the author interview at the end of the book.) Happy Reading!
Judy, I really enjyed the Glass Castle!
Michelle wrote: "Congrats! I just finished The Passage last night. So....how many stars for The Stand for you? ..."I gave The Stand 4 stars. I thought the ending dragged out a bit too much. You can read my review here if you're interested.
How did you like The Passage?
Judy, I have not rad Half Broke Horses. I had the opposite opinion, that the former was better!
So i havent posted here yet mainly cause i blow threw books the way ppl go threw underwear.. this week i read Amaryllis in Blueberry it was kinda boring, The Ghost of Greenwich Village slightly enjoyed this, The Violets of March: A NovelLOVED IT, and now im reading Don't Breathe a Wordim only 40 pages in and im feeling iffy about it.. i have a 50 page rule though because im an avid user of the library ive usually got a back long of 10 books not to mention the hundreds i know and have yet to touch.. Oh so the rule is if i keep glancing at the page number and i have yet to hit 50 when i do finally hit it i toss it.. i used to feel guilty about that but now im at peace with it..
Autumn wrote: "Oh so the rule is if i keep glancing at the page number and i have yet to hit 50 when i do finally hit it i toss it.. i used to feel guilty about that but now im at peace with it.. "I have a similar rule. Too many good books to read - why bother with the iffy ones?
Autumn wrote: "So i havent posted here yet mainly cause i blow threw books the way ppl go threw underwear.. this week i read Amaryllis in Blueberry it was kinda boring, The Ghost of Greenwich..."</i>Finding an old diary or old letters seems to be a popular theme. I've read a couple books, [book:The Hatbox Letters and The Wednesday Letters. I quit reading the first one because it was beyond interesting. I would have quit reading the second, but it was for our book club so I slogged my way through it.
I think I'll add The Violets of March to my wishlist. I do find the idea intriguing. Who wouldn't want to find an old diary that holds a fascinating tale or mystery?
I just finished Far to Go. It was worth 4 stars. This is a perfect example of how historical fiction can best be put to use. You fill in the missing parts when you only know some of the facts! Here is my spoiler-free review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... I had a hard time putting it down. I will now start W.G. Sebald's Austerlitz. Just as Far to Go was about a child who left Czechoslovakia via Kindertransport to Britain, this book too has the same theme. It too is about our need to remember, understand and not forget the past. It will be intereting to compare the two. I hope I like the style of writing. The book description put me off a bit, but I have the book, so I will give it a try.
Autumn wrote: "So i havent posted here yet mainly cause i blow threw books the way ppl go threw underwear.. this week i read Amaryllis in Blueberry it was kinda boring, [book:The Ghost of Greenwich..."Hi Autumn
I have read your small review of don,t breathe a word sounds brilliant so i,ve put in my list as to read
Many thanks
Alan xx
First of all let me say that I changed my rating on Far to Go. I changed it from four to three stars. I explained why in my review. The link is up above.I have decided not to finish Austerlitz. I disliked that it lacked paragraphs and correct punctuation. I found the writing too dam erudite for my tastes. To appreciatee this book you must be very knowledgeable about European cities and architecture, European history and battles and natural sciences and medical procedures. When there were pages and pages on moths, I started to look for when the chapter might end and discovered there were no chapeters! What is good is that the photos make the book utterly believable. It says here is a photo of X's office. When you look at the photo you think that this person just has to have existed, but it is all imaginary. Here is my spoiler-free review:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I will start something totally different: Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History
Just finished
and I love historical fiction and especially books on Russia but unfortunately found this book lacking and only a 2 star read for me. Just started
by George Orwelland finding it intriguing so far.
I just finished Child 44. I would only give it 2 or 3 stars. If I didn't own, I probably would not have finished it. I always feel compelled to finish a book I invested $$ in - anyone else feel that way? I will now start Let the Great World Spin. I am excited to delve into this one since I loved the documentary about Phillipe Petit called Man on Wire. Such an amazing story - if you haven't seen it, DO SO! :)
I would be more prone to finish a book that I borrowed. If I owned it, I'd put it aside thinking I'd come back to it someday.
I have completed Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History. Here follows my spoiler-free review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/.... This is an excellent book filled with the science of weather, the politics behind the Weather Bureau and the dramatic recounting of one terrible hurricane in Galveston, Septimber 1900. I will now start Swedish Tango: A Novel. I am drawn to read this because the characters come from different cultures: Chilean, French and Finnish . They live in Sweden as foreign exiles, so Swedish customs will alos be part of the picture. The status of foreign exiles in Sweden is sure to be an interesting subject. Furthermore it concerns the overthrow of Allende in Chile, and Pinochet's subsequent rule. Finally, I simply very much liked that style of writing found in the sample.
I started reading Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. A Goodreads friend mailed it to me as a loan.
Janice wrote: "I started reading Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. A Goodreads friend mailed it to me as a loan."Sounds like a really interesting book Janice, looking forward to your review on it.
I've just started The Girl On The Landing - Paul Torday because I've read his other books and really enjoyed them.
Just finished 
and found it an intriguing book. and just started
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You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
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Hi Michelle
I,m reading two books at once the first one was seventy seven clocks by christopher fowler.
On thursday whilst in the local library I found the book thief now I can,t put it down,what a fantastic read.
The reason for this reply is because of the two books at once,I,m glad someone else is doing it also.
Many thanks have a good day
Alan xx