WHAT ARE YOU READING?

[Wes, Moderator]

THIS GROUP SEEMS A LITTLE SHY, WHY DON'T YOU TELL US WHAT YOU ARE READING AND WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT IT OR THEM SO FAR?

[[deleted user]]

I am currently reading The Patron Saint Of Liars by Ann Pachett. I Have enjoyed other books by her and this one is meeting my expectations. She has a wonderful style of prose. Not flowery, but says a lot with a deceptively simple style.
GiGi, Having grown up in Arizona I agree with you. The desert is far from infertile. My favorite is the Sonoran.
I will have to add Walking to my to read list.

[Lynn]

I just started Soulless by LG Burbank. I'm literally on page 1. The story sounds cool (Egyptian vampires, from what I gather). I'll let you know how it goes. :)

[Scott]

Just started reading 48 by James Herbert, so far not too bad the characters could be better, but lets see what the remaining pages bring.

[Ashley]

I am currently reading "Between Us: A Legacy of Lesbian Love Letters" edited by Kay Turner. I really like it. It is a nice short, quick, and interesting read. It goes to show how long lesbians have been around. :)

[Wes, Moderator]

I am glad to know that lesbians have been around us for so long.
:)

[Ashley]

I forgot to mention that the letters in the book I'm reading range from the time of mid 1800's to late 1990's.

[Tara]

I am a little late on this one, but I just finished The Kite Runner...I like reading the good ones after all the hype dies down!! Anyway - it was freaking awesome. I didn't think I would enjoy a book about that part of the world - The Middle East - but I totally enjoyed it. Such a fantastic story and gritty...not a lot of lipstick and bows, just real factual Taliban cruelty shit. Loved it.

[Ashley]

I'm now halfway through "Out of Love" by KG MacGregor.

[Lori]

I just finished A Scanner Darkly by Philip Dick.
And now I have two books by Jose Saramago. I started "All the Names", and once thats done I have "The Double". His writing style takes a little getting used to. So many run-on sentences, and no distinguishing marks when someone speaks.. but he pulls you in regardless.

Blindess and Seeing were the first two of his books that I read, and both have stuck with me long after Ive read them. Im hoping for the same experince now with these. ...

[Wes, Moderator]

WELL LETS SEE:

I AM READING EPITAPH FOR A DESERT ANARCHIST WHICH IS A BIOGRAPHY OF ED ABBEY A FAMOUS AUTHOR WHO WAS ANTI GOVERNMENT AND ANTI PROGRESS.

I AM ALSO FINISHING UP TEMPLE BY MATTHEW REILLY IT IS A LITTLE SILLY AND POINTLESS CUSSING.

I AM GETTING READY TO START
Education of a Wandering Man
by Louis L'Amour

AFTER TEMPLE I WILL START A Lesson Before Dying
by Ernest J. Gaines

sorry for caps.

[Dana]

Well, I just finished reading A History of Love by Nicole Krauss, which I really really liked A LOT. I'd been looking for a book to kind of fall into and this was definitely that. The story was lovely and there were these story strands that pulled together beautifully.

Right now I'm trying to work through A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah, I read about half of it initially and then put it down to read a couple of other things. Now I'm picking it up again to finish.

Also, I'm starting Those Who Will Save Us by Jenna Blum. It's supposed to be very heavy and sad, so I'm looking for a light and easy book to read while I'm reading it. I haven't figured out what yet.

[Erica]

I am reading The Boleyn Inheritance by Phillipa Gregory. I have always been interested in English History particularly around the time of Henry VIII and then Elizabeth's reign, but this one is from the perspective of the women. It is interesting so far. A lot about Anne of Cleves, who is one of the people that I didn't know as much about.

[Gary]

most of my reading has been related to manuscripts i'm working on so i'm now taking time out to read for pleasure again, and have been reading faulkner: as i lay dying the combination of a moving tale told from multiple points of view (writ in a couple weeks while he was working as a night watchman); sanctuary, lurid as it is; flags in the dust which is the original version of sartoris in which he discovers he can write real characters (it's largely based on real people he knew, as most of his books would hence be); light in august for which i didn't care, but glad i read it anyway; and now 5/7ths into absalom, absalom, which a friend of mine who's very knowledgable thinks is the great american novel [if it's not john dos passos' [book: usa] trilogy, or tom wolfe's web and the rock. it's now taking me an hour to read a page, but i'll get it done by the end of thanksgiving, and will probably give it a 2nd read before i put it back on the shelf: a life-altering book.

by the way, about abbey, : i remember that carroll ballard wanted to film his monkey-wrench gang novel, but the studios always nixed it, fearing the association (even back then) with terrorists.

[Ashley]

I'm now reading a book called "Unstrange Minds:Remapping the World of Autism" by Roy Richard Grinker

[Wes, Moderator]

I finished Temple by Matthew Reilly and now have added "A Lesson Before Dying" to my "currently reading" list.

[Jeannie]

Just discovered Ed Abby ! I can not believe that I haven't read something by him before, I was a flower child, a patcholli wearing, hip hugger/bell bottom sporting soul child of the sixties. Where the heck was my head at ? Oh wait, maybe we don't all want to know ! It WAS a fun time.

I love Abby, I am enjoying him a lot. I am also reading a book titled "Joe" by Larry Brown. Very dark, very Faulknerish. I read Brown's latest and last "A Mircle of Catfish" and fell in love with his gritty characters.

We read "A Lesson Before Dying" for one of my face2face groups. It was one of those books that was enjoyed by all.

[[deleted user]]

I just finished The Worst I've Ever Done by Hegi. While I did not like it as much as Stones in the River I did enjoy it. Complicated people and relationships.

[Bob]

I'm reading crime and punishment for the first time and I'm really enyoing it. This classic that probably every one here have read shows a realistic picture of the miseries of the 19- century society. What Dostoevsky book would you recomend me to read next?

[Cody]

I am currently reading...

'Garden Of Eden' by Hemingway
'Happier' by Tal Ben-Shahar
'Why I Left Orthodox Medicine: Healing For the 21st Century' by Derrick Lonsdale
'True Believer' by Nicholas Sparks

I'll probably finish those up within the next week at the most. I JUST finished re-reading Plato's 'The Republic', and Bruce Alberts 'Molecular Biology Of The Cell'

[Rachael]

I am reading The Almost Moon.

[Dana]

Sarah- Unfortunately, I haven't read any Foer yet. You are the second person within the last couple of days to mention Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close...I really want to read it now!

[[deleted user]]

I am currently reading....

Season of the Witch--about an information theif who gets drawn in to magick and murder. Quite a page turner.
I dreamed I married Perry Mason--I picked this book because it looked like a fun mystery to read, and, I was write.

[Wes, Moderator]

lol kathy

[Shari]

I have to agree with Lisa on this one Kathy lol... but hey stranger things have happen. I am reading infidel, better off single than sorry and lemon meringue pie murder. I really enjoy the food mysteries. I also check worldcat.org for an extended library. I really think this is a neat online library. I have found books that I couldnt find in my library.

[Lisa]

I just finished reading "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee and now I am reading "Farewell to Arms" by Hemingway. I am in a classics mood right now with the thought that I wanted to re read some of the ones I hadn't read for a while, and also that I wanted to read Hemingway because I had never read any of his work, and he is such a force of his time. The sentence structure sometimes gets to me with Hemingway. It is so simple and sometimes rambles, but despite that I am really getting into it. For me this is a unusual read because I don't usually get into a war story.

[LJ]

I just finished "Road Kill" by Zoe Sharp. It's not my favorite book of her series. I am now reading "The Cruellest Month," Louise Penny's new book, which I am enjoying very much.

[Courtney]

I am reading "Lessons" by Kim Pritekel at home and "A Woman of Means" by Peter Taylor at lunch while at work. Lessons is a fluffy girl romance, but at least it has a supposedly happy ending, so I am pleased. I am actually enjoying it a great deal. While her writing isn't the greatest thing since sliced bread, the story is constructed well and very honest and sweet. But mostly, I am happy it doesn't end badly!

[Wes, Moderator]

Jeannie,
A tidbit of info,
The Monkey Wrench Gang (2008)
Director:Catherine Hardwicke

Yes they are coming out with a movie of Edward Abbey's book.
This movie was made back in the 70's and it was a hit, but hollywood (which never supported the film) stripped it out of the theaters quickly to not encourage possible anarchy.

A remake of an original that was never fully released.
I may be mistaken though because the changed the title the sequel is Hayduke Lives maybe it was a movie on that. Hmmm.
Should be pretty good. I just ordered a copy of the book. So that will be an up and coming to read for me..

[Melissa]

I am currently reading "You Suck" by Christopher Moore. I am struggling to get into it. It is a funny vampire love story involving some interesting activities like turkey bowling and putting blood in coffee.

[Meghan]

In honor of Norman Mailer I am reading "The Executioner's Song." (So far, it's absolutely brilliant.)

For my in-person book club, I've started "The Miracles of Santo Fico" by D.L. Smith.

For the Rory Gilmore Book Club, I've read "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger. And I'm struggling through "The Time Machine" by H.G. Wells.

For my Beijing Book Club, I have to read "The Kite Runner."

I also had started "Foucault's Pendulum" by Umberto Eco and "Made in America" by Bill Bryson.

Seriously, I need to stop joining book clubs. It's beginning to get a little out of control. Or stop starting books over 600 pages each. Argh.

[Ashley]

I stopped reading "Unstrange Minds" cuz it was getting boring for me and it started to seem more like a textbook to me. So now I am reading "Wasted" A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia" by Marya Hornbacher

[Beth]

Just finished "Madame Bovary", reading "A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder: How Crammed Closets....Make the World A Better Place" (Good bathroom book). About to begin "The Dog Listener" and "The Little Ice Age: How Climate Made History". Looking to be a non-fiction month, I will start the Bookaholics selection soon, too.

[Cody]

Kathy I agree that Season of the Witch is quite the page turner.

And LOL at the Perry Mason.

[Norman]

Bob, if you've enjoyed Crime and Punishment, try The Brothers Karamazov. It is a longer, more complex work, but stunningly brilliant overall.

[Wes, Moderator]

Beth, Glad to hear you are going to join us on reading Education of a Wandering Man by Louis L'Amour. I hope others can join us in the read also.

[Lori]

I am still struggling my way thu All The Names by Jose Saramago... Its not a bad book by any means. Its about this obsessive and nuerotic clerk who works in the Central Registry ( where all the birth and death certs are files) and he collects info on famous ppl. Then he accidently comes across a card for an unknown woman and begins a search for her that sometimes puts him in dangerous and illegal situations.

The authors writing style is very unique (ive read two of his other books before so i am quite farmiliar with it) but in this novel he is dragging on and on about things that could quite easily be written in fewer pages. I keep picking it up only to put it down within the half hour, just to give myself a break.....

Any one else read any of his novels, or this one in particular? I fully intend to finish this one, and I have one more of his novels waiting to be read next.... Im just really having a hard time here... Ugh.

[Summer Rae]

I just started Out of Africa on the bus this morning, and I loved the first page so much I had to close up the book and wait to read until I got home. It felt private, I didn't want to be around creepy strangers with it. I get very territorial when I am enjoy a book.

[Kate]

Stopped into Borders this weekend and picked up a copy of "Cry of the Dove." The book is about a Islamic woman who gets pregnant out of wedlock and is condemned to be stoned. She manages to escape without her daughter and years later goes back for her. IT is a page-turner so far.

I have also picked up The Ministry of Special Cases and I am so excited to start it. But one book at a time, so.....

[[deleted user]]

I am struggling through Mila 18. I was really enjoying it at first but at a part I need to get through then I heard it picks back up.

[[deleted user]]

For fun I'm reading Bitchfest by Lisa Jervis & Andi Zeisler and for school I'm still plugging away at reading the DSM-IV-TR.

[Angie]

Just started to read Life of Pi by Yann Martel, Iread this book a few years back and really enjoyed it.

[Jeannie]

Just started reading "Breakfast with Budda" by Roland Merullo. Not far enough into the book to have formed an opinion.

[Jim]

reading a conspiracy of Paper by David Liss - set in 18th century London - good fast read and enjoyable so far

[Mary]

I'm reading:

Middlesex
Wait Until I See You Again
Suite Francaise

[Meaghan]

Right now I'm reading Sex with the Queen by Eleanor Herman. I read her other book, Sex with Kings and it was excellent, and so far so is this book. It's a history of European queens and their lovers, and it full of juicy details!

[[deleted user]]

I have just started The Club Dumas by Perez-Reverte. I have really enjoyed his other books. Education of a Wandering man is on its way from Amazon and I will read that next.

[Wes, Moderator]

Sandra is on board with the group on reading Education of a Wandering Man glad to hear.

[Wanda]

Pajo by Karl L. Kruger

[Stephanie]

i just started innocent in death by j.d. robb today. i love that series.