You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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What are you currently reading and why? (CLOSED)
Thanks Connie. If you want to know the real story of Joan of Arc, Twain's book is perfect.
Yay! I'm on to The Prisoner of Heaven! Finished up She's Come Undone, and it annoyed me until almost the very last page. But, maybe because she was always so in her own way the way I view myself as being in my own way, you know?
I have just started "The Story of a Life" (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57...) by Aharon Appelfeld. This is the only book link I could get to work! I have completed Dreaming in Cuban. I highly recommend this to those of you who are interested in the Cuban Revolution and enjoy magical realism. My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I have also begun listening to The Mill on the Floss, having completed an audiobook version of Prairie Nocturne. Doig is up to form with his writing but the story let me down: my review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Judy wrote: "I am currently listening to Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. I've never read anything about extroversion vs. introversion before so am finding this book educationa..."I just started this, too.
I have Quiet sitting in my TBR pile too. It looks very good.
Judy wrote: "Hey, Susan and Eileen great minds think alike!Or maybe its just us introverts. LOL!"I want to get to know my people.
Finished up The Prisoner of Heaven - I liked it, but, it was frustrating in that it opened more questions then it answered - wish Zafon had just written the rest of the story in this book, as it will be a number of years before he writes the next, and it is translated into English by Laura Graves. I read The Angel's Game a while ago, and, the time lines he presents in the stories don't match up, which is annoying, because he doesn't resolve why he did so in this third "mini" book installment. I love Fermin - so getting more of his back story and finding out some of how he was related to Martin, Isabelle and Daniel's father was insteresting, it didn't quite satisfy me a the end. I just want MORE.With that, I couldn't decide between starting Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, or Broken Harbor, so I'm starting both.
Finished Gone Girl which waS HORRIFYINGLY GOOD for a book-read here.I started 11/23/1963 for rather lighter reading.
Judy wrote: "Betsy wrote: "Finished Gone Girl which waS HORRIFYINGLY GOOD for a book-read here.I started 11/23/1963 for rather lighter reading."I'm taking you mean "lighter" in terms of not as much thinking, ..."
:D,and also if only for the nostalgia factor,a little less scary, I hope.
Kimberly wrote: "I'm reading 
"Do tell!! We want to hear all about it. :)
I finished Still Life With Crows, Dancing in the Shadows of Love, and (a few pages left) The Fey while on vacation. I started The Black Company on the way home from the airport today. I may have to pass it up and move on to another audiobook. I restarted it a few times. I will restart it one more time and if my mind keeps wandering, I'll return it to Goodreads.
I will be starting Yes, Chef: A Memoir tonight.
Janice wrote: "I finished Still Life With Crows, Dancing in the Shadows of Love, and (a few pages left) The Fey while on vacation. I started The Black Company on the way home from the airport today. I may hav..."
I started Yes, Chef: A Memoir a couple days ago but put it to the side to read later on :) I like the tone he uses though.
Janice wrote: "Kimberly wrote: "I'm reading "Do tell!! We want to hear all about it. :)"
It was a good read :) Too bad I have to hold off on reviewing it for a few month though.
I am finally in the last 5% of A History of England in 100 Places: From Stonehenge to the Gherkin. Got it for Christmas and have been dipping in & out for ages. 95 places down, 5 to go...
There's been a bit of a glut of books of this type, a trend started by A History of the World in 100 Objects - a book I also got for Christmas and haven;t started yet. I suppose it fulfills the desire to list things - top 10 books, greatest *** and so on. but it's easy to get bored of the list made book after a while unless there's some really good theme to hold it together.
Something different next...
There's been a bit of a glut of books of this type, a trend started by A History of the World in 100 Objects - a book I also got for Christmas and haven;t started yet. I suppose it fulfills the desire to list things - top 10 books, greatest *** and so on. but it's easy to get bored of the list made book after a while unless there's some really good theme to hold it together.
Something different next...
Judy wrote: "I listening to 
."Oooo - I debated about downloading that book, but couldn't decide. I'm looking forward to your review.
Janice wrote: "Judy wrote: "I listening to ."Oooo - I debated about downloading that book, but couldn't decide. I'm looking forward to your review."
It's on my library list, too. Wondering what you think.
I am reading 2 books simultaneously...
and also
'Jaal' is a fantasy in the Indian Sub-context...I am personally interested in the fantasy genre and since I have not come across too many good Indian authors who write this genre, I though it would be worth trying a new author...The authors background is strong and she has had exposure to various cultures all across the globe...I thought that gave her an edge over the other writers and hence I choose 'Jaal'. I read this book when I am at home, after dinner, when it's my 'ME' time...
'Clear Line of Fire' is more of a thriller...a light read, much in the league of a Ken Follet or Jeffery Archer...I liked the concept, and since I have not read a thriller in some time now, I wanted to give this a try...
Judy, me too. Pls tell us about The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.I have had a terrible experience. I am trying to broaden my reading scope, so I tried a classic of Victorian literature: The Mill on the Floss. I knew when I started that I usually have a very hard time with Victoriana. I knew that there was romance in the novel, but since I like memoirs and this was Eliot's most autobiographical piece, I wanted to try. And everybody likes this book, I had to like it too. I thought...... My reviews states only my personal opinion, but I do give quotes so you will clearly see what I am talking about. I listened to an audiobook with excellent narration. My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Back to something that is more to my normal choosing: Birdsong: A Novel of Love and War by Sebastian Faulks. It is part of a trilogy, but the books do not have to be read in order. The Girl at the Lion d'Or was the first written, but the second in the chronological order of the trilogy. The third is Charlotte Gray. They are books of historical fiction. I am completely in love with the prose style, the plot drew me in immediately and the audiobook narration by Firth is fantastic. I love it when songs are sung by the narrator. Please let my contentment continue.
I continue reading the DTB by Aharon Appelfeld: "The Story of a Life" (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...). It is autobiographical. Very good writing.
I realize now that style is more important to me than content.
Sohini wrote: "I am reading 2 books simultaneously... and also 'Jaal' is a fantasy in the Indian Sub-context...I am personally interested in the fantasy genre and s..."
Welcome to our group, Sohini. Both books you are currently reading look interesting. I like fantasy myself.
Kimberly wrote: "I started 
Relic by Douglas Preston. I like it so far."You're in for a good read. Have you read him when he pairs with Child in the Pendergast novels?.
Betsy wrote: "Kimberly wrote: "I started Relic by Douglas Preston. I like it so far."You're in for a good read. Have you read him when he pairs with Child in the Pendergast novels?."
This is the first Pendergast novel with Lincoln Child. First time reading anything by either of them but I'm almost halfway through.
Kimberly wrote: "Betsy wrote: "Kimberly wrote: "I started Relic by Douglas Preston. I like it so far."You're in for a good read. Have you read him when he pairs with Child in the Pendergast nove..."
Opps,guess I should start to re-read these. :D
Eileen wrote: "Finished up The Prisoner of Heaven - I liked it, but, it was frustrating in that it opened more questions then it answered - wish Zafon had just written the rest of the story in this book, as it wi..."Question for you Eileen....I have read The Shadow of the Wind. The only one by him. So which one do I read next? I am confused if all his books are a part of a series, or I can just read anyone next. Can you help me out?
I have finished the DTB by Aharon Appelfeld: "The Story of a Life" (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...). My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...It was good, but different in content than that which I had been expecting.
Now I have begun the DTB The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier. I wanted to try another book by this author, having adored Girl With a Pearl Earring.
Chrissie wrote: "I have finished the DTB by Aharon Appelfeld: "The Story of a Life" (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...). My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...It was go..."
I've had The Story of a Life on my Kindle for a long time Chrissie - your review has given me more insight into the actual content, which is not what I would have expected it to be about, so thank you!
Kat, I too found the book description to be a bit misleading. Glad I could help.How in the world did you get the book link to function? When I type in the title it is not listed! You see how I had to put it in in a peculiar way!
I've noticed it on that link before - in the search function I typed 'the story of a life aharon' - it does come up on page 4 of results for 'the story of a life' but I'm too impatient to scroll that far!
The books are interrelated, and Prisoner of Heaven occurs immediately following The Shadow of the Wind, AND current to some of The Angels Game, as it spans both stories, so I would recommend reading them in order. I'd actually recommend reading them back to back if at all possible.
AmyK wrote: "Reading [bookcover:World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War]"Yeah, zombies!
I'm reading Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison
, which is not exactly what I expected, but imagine knowing you are going to prison for six years before you actually start your sentence!
Reading The Story Sisters by Alice Hoffman for another GB group. Not one of my favorites by AH. Also, The Girl Who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson on augio. Not nearly as good as A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty, unfortunately. No Apology: The Case for American Greatness by Mitt Romney. Very good points.
I've made a start on The Interpretation of Murder for my "real" book group. I've discovered quite quickly that it's not a bedtime read! this one's for daylight only...
Kat wrote: "I'm reading Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison[bookcover:Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison], which is not exactly what I expected, but imagine knowing you are g..."That one looks like an interesting read.
Kimberly wrote: "Kat wrote: "I'm reading Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison[bookcover:Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison], which is not exactly what I expected, but imagine knowi..."It is quite interesting! Although I expected a bit more intensity, it's set in a minimum security prison and the relationships are interesting to read about.
I gave up on The Black Company. For some reason, I can't seem to get into fantasy on audiobook. I don't know what it is.I started reading Fishing for Stars last night instead. Take a look at the cover and you can figure out why...
. LOL!
Janice wrote: "I gave up on The Black Company. For some reason, I can't seem to get into fantasy on audiobook. I don't know what it is.I started reading Fishing for Stars last night instead. Take a look at t..."
Possibly for the same reason I'm reading
Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison Janice? Just don't tell me it's not orange enough!
That book smacks orange to me, Kat! LOL!
Janice wrote: "That book smacks orange to me, Kat! LOL!"Thank goodness! If I'd had to start from scratch again I may have cried!
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You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
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I am so sorry to learn about your loss of your mother. I know that is really difficult. I am very happy about your darling little granddaughter!
What a joy!
I am going to get the Joan of Arc book by Mark Twain because of you. Thank you for mentioning it!