Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group discussion
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ABOUT BOOKS AND READING
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What are you reading these days? (Part Two) (begun 12/11/08)
I finally finished reading _Gilead_ last week. It took me some time to read because I was busy with other things and the book wasn't compelling, although it did keep me coming back after all.Now I'm into some light reading, a mystery by Audrey Friend, _Red Hot_. I met Audrey at the Chronicle Book Fair in October. She was on a panel of mystery writers who call themselves the "Mavens of Mayhem".
Anne White was also on that panel. She writes mysteries centered around Lake George. Ed, my husband, has read several of them this week because his computer is no longer working and he must buy a new one soon. It's a good thing I had a pile of books from the library in the house! :) Ed loves to read.
I'm now reading two books: _The Story of Edgar Sawtelle_ and _The Master_.See them mentioned in separate topics in this group in the section called "Books by Title".
Below are cover-links to the books themselves:
I forgot to mention Anne White's _An Affinity for Murder_. I'm on page 50. I like to have a few books going at once.
Morrigan's Cross by Nora RobertsIt's the first in the Circle Trilogy. I choose this book because it is Celtic. I love ALL things Celtic. It sounds like it'll be a good and interesting book.
Nora Roberts is an easy read.
I've read some of her novels but I can't remember the titles so I don't have her on my bookshelves.
My MIL reads her a lot and I know she's given me some of her books.
I do remember the Eve Dallas character when NR writes as J.D.Robb in her '______ In Death' novels. Now they are very good. Eve is a homocide leiutenant in the future with a hot Irish husband, brogue and all (Roarke, who is always just on the inside edge of the law and completely loaded). Eve is a kick butt kind of girl. And tenacious, she does not let go until she catches the culprit.
Jackie, funny you should mention Nora Roberts. I went to a book club meeting this week where someone gave a short review of Nora Roberts' _Northern Lights_. She recommended it. I remember reading that book and it was an excellent mystery story. It was about the discovery of the body of a man found frozen in a cave. He was killed by an ax.Below is a cover-link to the book:
Thanks for telling us about Nora Roberts and her books.
I did so much work yesterday but the time I went to go to read, I only read a few pages and fell asleep.I'm on page 20 or so, and this is what I've got so far:
A thousand years ago, Lilith (Adam's first wife in some texts, also considered the first vampire in others) turned Hoyt The Sorcerer's twin brother into a vampire. Hoyt uses all the magic at his disposal but only succeeds in wounding Lilith and Cian.
Morrigan, the goddess of battle (in Irish Celtic legend) comes to him and recruits him for an epic battle to come on Samhain against Lilith.
Including himself, there must be 6 to complete 'Morrigan's Corss' in order to defeat Lilith. The five he must recruit are; a witch, a warrior, a scholar, one of many forms, and one Hoyt has lost (meaning Cian, his twin).
Morrigan tells Hoyt he must travel far, and in different times to get his recruits. She shows him a vision of modern-day New York City and tells him that is where Cian is, and Hoyt must go there.
That's as far as I got, but it has the promise of a good story to be told...
Jackie, Thanks for the details of the story. I checked the link you gave to the book (_Morrigan's Cross_ by Nora Roberts). The book descriptions says:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Belting out his grief into the storm, Hoyt Mac Cionaoith rails against the evil that has torn his twin brother from their family's embrace. Her name is Lilith. Existing for over a thousand years, she has lured countless men to an immortal doom with her soul-stealing kiss. But now, this woman known as vampire will stop at nothing until she rules this world--and those beyond it...
Hoyt is no match for the dark siren. But his powers come from the goddess Morrigan, and it is through her that he will get his chance at vengeance. At Morrigan's charge, he must gather five others to form a ring of power strong enough to overcome Lilith. A circle of six: himself, the witch, the warrior, the scholar, the one of many forms and the one he's lost. And it is in this circle, hundreds of years in the future, where Hoyt will learn how strong his spirit--and his heart--have become..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I can see you that the plot has pulled you in.
I'm being pulled into _The Master_ by Colm Toibin. (See book-cover link below.)====>
I feel compelled to keep going back to get into the atmosphere which the book creates around me. I love it when this happens!
That is an excellent feeling. I like when I feel as if I'm there watching the story happen.
I'm in the middle of several books: the Edgar Sawtelle book, _The Master_ and a mystery by Anne White. I'm trying to read a bit of each and it's really slowing my progress down.I want to finish _The Master_ in time for the discussion at the library this month.
I used to read multiple books, especially when I was working, so if I forgot the book in work, I wouldn't have a meltdown, LOL.It seems that once I get to that 'must know' part of the story, then that book takes precedence. I'm just doing one book at a time now, unless I'm reading something that doesn't really grab my attention, then I'll pick up something else.
It makes it faster to read the book I'm on.
Sometimes I just need a change of scene. So I switch to the other book. But it's true... if a book is really good, it "takes precedence". That's a good way to put it, Jackie.I can tell you've always been a reader, Jackie. You're very articlate. I've had to work at being articulate. So I've become a word "junkie". :)
Eddie is very articulate. Too bad he doesn't talk much. (lol)
I am still plugging away with The Outlander-I don't "hate" it & I am curious as to where it is going but not sure if I really care, if that makes sense. I have been busy so I am not reading as much as I normally would but I am looking forward to finishing this & starting a new one.....
Yes, Becky, I often get to that point where I don't care anymore if I know where the story is going. There are too many other good books waiting to be discovered. But I hate to give up on a book. You never know when it's going to pick up again and get interesting.And yes, this is such a busy time of year, we don't have as much time for reading as usual.
Good luck with The Outlander.
Below is a cover-link for those who might be curious: ====>
Joy H. (of Glens Falls) wrote: "Yes, Becky, I often get to that point where I don't care anymore if I know where the story is going. There are too many other good books waiting to be discovered. But I hate to give up on a book. Y..."Joy-that isn't The Outlander that I am reading LOL
The one I am reading is by Gil Adamson...someone else I know thought I was reading the book you posted, also!!
I seem to be the odd woman out, even if I'm hating a book, I will finish it. Not quickly, but I will finish. I believe I can't say I hated a book if I didn't finish, and I keep hoping it gets better. They rarely do though. My friends tell to put it down and move onto something else but I have a hard time doing that. I have no idea why. Joy,
I love words. When I was little I'd go through the dictionary for fun. I still do it sometimes. But what I REALLY have a passion for is etymology.
et·y·mol·o·gy [ èttə mólləjee :] (plural et·y·mol·o·gies)
noun
Definition:
1. study of word origins: the study of the origins of words or parts of words and how they have arrived at their current form and meaning
2. history of a word: the origin of a word or part of a word, or a statement of this, and how it has arrived at its current form and meaning. An etymology often shows the different forms the word has taken in passing from one language to another, and sometimes shows related words in other languages.
I find it highly interesting how words evolve over the course of time, how words mean something completely different today than what they originally meant.
I can't believe I hadn't thought to tell you of this, Joy, but there's a site I visit often:
http://wordsmith.org/
They have A Word A Day, gives pronunciation, definition, etymology, usage AND Thought For The Day which is a daily Quote! You can sign up for the newsletter and have it delivered to your email daily.
You'd love the quotes!
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
To be nobody but myself -- in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else -- means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting. -E.E. Cummings, poet (1894-1962)
Ooops, Becky, I'll fix it (The Outlander book). I wondered about that. :)
Joy H. (of Glens Falls) wrote: "Ooops, Becky, I'll fix it (The Outlander book). I wondered about that. :)"I had to go see what the other Outlander was LOL!!! Sounds .....interesting & maybe I would have finished it by now!!!!!
Jackie,That E.E. Cummings quote is one of my favorites! Funny that you knew I'd like it.
Here's another one to match it:
"Remember always that you have not only the right to be an individual; you have an obligation to be one. You cannot make any useful contribution in life unless you do this."
-Eleanor Roosevelt
Thanks for telling me about wordsmith.org, Jackie. I checked it out just now and I've subscribed to A.Word.A.Day. I had never come across that website before. I like it because it's not too cluttered. Each word lesson is short and sweet... and the quote at the end is like the icing on the cake.
Jackie, you must be a very disciplined person, to stay with a book until the end, whether you like it or not. Everytime I give up on a book, I feel a little guilty, like I'm letting a friend down. Imagine the guilt I live with! (lol)
I think there have only been a few I have not finished-I can think of 3 off the top of my head....I have read some books till the end that I really did not like at all....The Corrections comes to mind!
Oh, Becky, there are a lot of books I haven't been able to finish for one reason or another. I never finished _Wild Swans_ because it just wasn't compelling enough. Finally, it was overdue at the library and I had to return it. I had intended to borrow it again, but I never did.
I knew you'd like that site, Joy.I think I waste my time reading a book I'm not enjoying. Enjoyment is the whole point of reading.
The next book I have that isn't good, I'm going to try to put it down. That can be my New Year's Resolution.
Yes, I read for enjoyment too. If I happen to learn anything, that's a bonus. :)As for New Year's resolutions, I'm going to try to go to Curves more often. Right now, there's no time for it and the weather is bad.
I see that today's "Word A Day" is still "taramind". Below is the link. ====>
http://wordsmith.org/words/today.html
Wasn't that yesterday's word? Didn't they change it?
Ah, yes, isn't it a cozy day... as much as we complain about the snowy weather, it has its advantages. We have an excuse not to join the hustle and bustle.Interesting comment on Cormac McCarthy's "mingling of motifs". I do love ruminations on life, but I can do without serial killers in that life.
I read McCarthy's _All the Pretty Horses_ several years ago. He overuses the word "and" and gets away with it. In fact, he seems to make it part of his breathtaking style. Here's a sample from _All the Pretty Horses_:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
p. 235 - "He said that those who have endured some misfortune will always be set apart but it is just that misfortune which is their gift and which is their strength and that they must make their way back into the common enterprise of man for without they do so it cannot go forward and they themselves will wither in bitterness. He said these things to me with great earnestness and great gentleness...and I knew that it was my soul he wept for."
-Cormac McCarthy, _All the Pretty Horses_ (p. 235)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Some of McCarthy's descriptions, using lots of "ands", took my breath away.
(I posted the above to a message board years ago and saved it in my quotation file.)
I've never read anything by Frederick Forsyth. The gaps in my reading are deplorable. But then again, I was never a fan of thrillers... except for Ian Fleming's James Bond books. :)
Read most of 'em.
As for the good ole days of the hand-stamped card in the sleeve in the back of a library book, that truly makes me nostalgic... because as a student, I worked in the Yonkers Public Library checking books out. I was young then. :) Had to take a trolley to Getty Square... but now I'm really wandering into the land of the past. Seems like a fantasy now.
Paul wrote: "McCarthy has his charm; he seems to capture something essentially American although I can't say I was moved to find something else of his."I felt the same way after I read _All the Pretty Horses_. There was something ambiguous about the whole story. I've never learned to tolerate ambiguity.
I like your M&M's/Forsyth analogy. It brings the point home.
As to change, life these days is better in some ways and worse in other ways. Seems to have been a matter of trade-offs. We can never have it all.
Bertand Russell put it this way:
"Change is one thing, progress is another. 'Change' is scientific, 'progress' is ethical;
change is indubitable, whereas progress is a matter of controversy."
The only thing I read by McCarthy was The Road and it was awful. Maybe if I'd read some of his other work, I'd have appreciated it more.I saw the movies of All the Pretty Horses and I liked it, have yet to see No Country for Old Men. but it's on my rental list.
I missed the movie, "All the Pretty Horses". I don't go to the movies much, or rent them much either. Maybe with our Movie-Meet group, I'll be motivated to go out and see more movies.I used to watch the classic movies on AMC and TCM, but it seems I've seen them all by now. I mean the real oldies, which I love... the screwball comedies, etc.
If we want to talk in detail about movies, we should probably use the Movie section at this group. But there's no law about going off-topic. There are no off-topic police here. (lol)
PS - I always find it interesting to compare books to the movies adapted from them. That would make an interesting topic here in the Reading section... or the Movie section too. It doesn't matter.
Hhi,After finishing an easy read by Maeve Binche which took me to Greece and kept me wondering what happened to those people??? I once went to Greece to a wedding and before leaving part of our luggage, airline tickets and camera and all that were "stolen" by the trash pick uppers.Too long of a story to go into but I did win a prize for the worst horror travel story and it was printed on the front page of the travel section of the Kansas City Star.
Well, after my reading sojourn to Greece I am into the book my granddaughter gave me and already I love it. By the same author as "The Namesake," Jhumpa Lahiri and her new book is, "Unaccustomed Earth," and here is a quote on the forepage..Is that the right spelling? Here goes: Human nature will not flourish, an more thna a potato, if it be planted and replanted, for too long a series of generations, in the same worn out soil as their fortunes may be within my control, shall strike their roots into unaccustomed earth. Nathaniel Hawthorne, "The Custom House," My advice, "Try it, you'll like it."Nina
Paul wrote: "...the book is always better!!".Hi Paul. I've always agreed with your statement above, most of the time. Whenever I've seen a movie after reading a book, I've always felt that the book was better. However, there are two exceptions I'd like to mention.
The first one wasn't really a book, but a screen play. I had seen the movie, _The Piano_. Then I borrowed the book from the library. It turned out to be a screen play. I found out that a screen play lays flat on the page. The stage directions don't help much and the dialogue by itself didn't come to life for me, even after seeing the movie.
The second example is a partial exception. I read _Atonement_ by Ian McEwan. Then I saw the movie. The story had an unusual ending. I felt that the movie did a better job of explaining the ending than the book did. When I had read the ending in the book, I said to myself: "Wha?" I searched back in the previous pages and tried to figure what the ending meant. When I saw the movie, already knowing the ending, I could see that it was clearer in the movie.
However, my sister saw the movie and misinterpreted the ending. So what can I say?
As for the rest of the movie, Atonement, it was good, but I preferred the book.
There have been many times in my life when I gave a great deal of thought and time to comparing the book vs the movie. Unfortunately, I can't recall the details at all. I only know it's fun to do.
When I read _Nobody's Fool_ by Richard Russo, I pictured Jack Nicholson as the main character, Sullivan. I was so disappointed when Paul Newman was cast as Sully in the movie. I love Paul Newman, but I felt the character needed to be more devilish like Nicholson, not laid back as Newman depicted him. This book was the only book in my life in which I immediately imagined a specific actor in the part of the protagonist. I went around asking folks if they thought the same as I did. Nobody did. I was so disappointed! It seemed like the most obvious casting in the world to me. That's when I realized how VERY much we all think differently. It was a lesson to me.
By that I mean, that I no longer assume that everyone is thinking the same thing in a situation. I used to hold back my comments because I thought they would be so obvious that they didn't even need to be said. Gradually, I've come to find out that my thoughts don't always come naturally to other people. So I'm more apt to speak up now.
One of the things that came fairly naturally to me when I was younger was writing poems. I was shocked when a friend said to me that she couldn't write a poem in a million years.
It's the same with people who can sing harmony. They think everyone can do it because it comes naturally to them. Not true. I can't sing harmony no matter how I try. I have to learn the part by rote and I can be pulled off easily even then.
How did I manage to go off topic so quickly? Hope you followed me into the tangent. :)
Nina, thank you for the reviews. Congrats on having your story in the paper!Glad to hear you're enjoying the book your granddaughter gave you. Below is the cover link for those who want to read more about it: ====>
Movies always leave something to be desired for me, in comparison to the book. Books give me a better feeling for the characters, written details are more in depth than seen details. And it's impossible to put everything from a book into a 2 or 3 hour movie with sacrificing something. So we lose a lot. But what really irks me is when they change the story; that drives me mad. And poor casting. When I see such obviously wrong casting I wonder if these people even read the book at all. I prefer books over movies anytime.
One movie I thoroughly enjoyed was Peter Jackson's Lord of The Rings trilogy. Granted, much had to be left out for the time factor alone, but his vision was awesome. It was just as I pictured it from the books. I have the extended versions, approximately 3 1/2 to 4 hours each. I do a marathon at least once a year and I'm still in awe everytime I watch it.This is the exception, though. Jackson directed this movie out of a deep love for the books, a completely different outcome than when Hollywood makes movies strictly for the money they'll make. I understand it's a business and it would be pointless not to make money, but still, I feel they can do a much better job if they want to. And the truth is, most people do not read the book, they just go and see the movie so what do they care, they have nothing to compare it to.
When my son was younger, and I knew a movie from a book was coming out, I'd make him read the book first. If he didn't read it, he couldn't go to the movies. Eric doesn't like to read, and it was my way of making him read something. And even he agreed that the books were always better. It's the details that are so important, and that's what gets left out of a movie.
Paul, you're the first person who has agreed with me about the casting of Paul Newman in _Nobody's Fool_. It's not that he didn't do a good job in his interpretation of the character, but it's the fact that I didn't see him as my idea of Sully.As for _Cider House Rules_, the name of the book was the same as the movie. I loved the book. The movie didn't do as much for me in getting across the pros and cons of abortion. In any case, I do love Tobey Maguire!
Jackie wrote: "When my son was younger, and I knew a movie from a book was coming out, I'd make him read the book first. If he didn't read it, he couldn't go to the movies."Jackie, what a good idea for motivating your son to read! Good mother!
Jackie wrote: "And it's impossible to put everything from a book into a 2 or 3 hour movie with sacrificing something."That is so true!
BTW, I didn't enjoy the _The Fellowship of the Ring_. I didn't enjoy the movie either. They say that people either love or hate those books in the trilogy. After a while, the huge number of strange-named characters overwhelmed me and the plot was just one episode after another... no real plot to speak of, IMO. Just a big chase or search, one after another.
In the beginning I was drawn in by the excellent mood that J.R.R. Tolkien created, but the story didn't seem to go anywhere that was interesting to me, even after a while. So I gave up on it. I never read the next books in the trilogy.
About the making of movies, I recently finished reading William Goldman's two book about the screenwriting trade. They were the following: _Adventures in the Screen Trade_ and _Which Lie Did I Tell_.Goldman writes in a conversational manner and the book contains numerous anecdotes which demonstrate how difficult the screenwriting trade is and how "iffy" the plans for movies are. He describes the disagreements which have taken place between writers, directors, and producers about specific films. It's a wonder how any movies get produced at all!
William Goldman's big chance came when Paul Newman liked his screenplay for "Harper" and agreed to star in the movie. Goldman is also famous for writing _The Princess Bride_. But there were many times in his life when he experienced disappointments and frustrations as a screenwriter. I found both books fascinating.
Paul mentioned John Irving's book about the making of "Cider House Rules" into a movie. That must have been an interesting book as well.
Paul wrote: "...but speaking of bad casting, Tobey Maguire, uh no!"Paul, I never thought about casting someone else besides Tobey Maguire in the part of Homer Wells in _Cider House Rules_. Is there anyone else you might have preferred?
It always fun speculating about which performer we see in a certain role. In fact, the job of casting must be a daunting one, especially if the performer doesn't want to make the film.
In all honesty, that was the ONLY way to get Eric to read. I wasn't happy that he didn't have a choice because I believe reading should be done for the love of it, the fun of it. But he won't do it on his own. I tried to let him find his own genre but he wouldn't even try. He'd only read what he had to in school. I even bought comic books and we'd choose characters and read their parts out loud together, in accents and different voices. It was fun, but still no spark of his own for reading. It bothers me, well, not so much anymore.Joy, about LOTR, yes, I've heard that, love it or hate it. It's not an easy read, which I think is part of the problem. All three books are one continuous story, unusual for the time in which it was published. Once I started to know the characters, I fell in love with some, hated others, and that emotion is what kept me going in the bleakest of moments. It has such a dark side to it, but it is a classic good-vs-evil theme which I do love, because in a book good always wins in the end.
Jackie, Eric may come around. My oldest, James, never liked reading as a kid & still doesn't like much fiction, but he reads a ton of other stuff. The rest of us; me, Marg, daughter Erin & son Brandon, can't keep our noses out of books. Our parents were all big readers (all gone now but my mom), so from an environmental & genetic stand point, James should also be a reader, but he isn't.
Jackie wrote: "Joy, about LOTR, yes, I've heard that, love it or hate it. It's not an easy read..."I didn't think_The Fellowship of the Ring_ of LOTR was such a hard read, but you had to like the plot or it became boring. I found that the plot didn't go anywhere for a long time... it just meandered from one crisis to another. There was no resolution for a long time.
I think that those who liked the book really got into the mood created by the author. Also, they became attached to the characters in a way that I didn't.
Jackie, about kids who don't like reading, perhaps they have so many other distractions which give them more immediate pleasures, that they're not inclined to spend time getting into a printed story.I wonder if the love of books is in the genes, like so many other things we hear about. For example, I've read that the characteristic of being "risible" (disposed to laughing easily) is in the genes. They did a study of twins, separated at birth, which suggested that was true.
Jim wrote: "My oldest, James, never liked reading as a kid & still doesn't like much fiction, but he reads a ton of other stuff."Jim, you've brought up a good subject. What makes some people prefer fiction and others prefer non-fiction? I myself prefer fiction, but have enjoyed some non-fiction when motivated by a group reading list.
I wonder that also. I'll read non-fiction if the subject interests me, mostly that means science. I read for the escapism.I learned a new word today: risible. Cool.
I do think part of the reading aversion of the younger generation is the instant gratificiation they get with video games, movies. Eric feels why should he read a book for hours when he can watch a movie, get the same story in less time. Personally, I prefer the suspense, the wanting to know what happens and enjoy the time it takes to get there.
Jackie, yes, escapism! :)Re: Instant gratification:
I'm afraid that with the speed of the Internet, we're all becoming accustomed to instant gratification. I love being able to research every little curiousity which comes into my mind. Years ago that was absolutely impossible and we remained in ignorance of so many things.
I even enjoy reading the external movie reviews at IMDb.com. Often, I'll read several reviews (from magazines and newspapers) of the same movie. We had no access to that sort of thing years ago.
The Internet is a great big candy store!
As for the age old movie versus book debate I would like to mention two movies I thought equally as good as the book; One was Dr. Zivago and the other was, The World According to Garp. nina
Nina wrote: "As for the age old movie versus book debate I would like to mention two movies I thought equally as good as the book; One was Dr. Zivago and the other was, The World According to Garp. nina"Good point, Nina. IIRC, the casting was good in both of those movies.
Below are links to the casts of those two movies: ===>
Doctor Zhivago (1965):
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059113/
The World According to Garp (1982):
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084917/
Memorable.
(If *I* remember them, they are indeed memorable.) (lol)
Interesting story about Robin Williams, Paul. I often wonder what he must be like in person. I wonder if he ever calms down.I think John Lithgow is always terrific. A webpage at IMDb.com says that both his parents were in show business. Below is a link to that webpage: ===>
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001475/bio
The webpage includes some interesting comments by Lithgow. (See "Personal Quotes".) He speaks about the cancelling of the TV sicom in which he starred, "3rd Rock from the Sun".
Wondering if there are any goodreads today as none came to me. let's see if this goes through
I just finished reading, "Sarah's Key," and it was a bit too grim for me. Not that I didn't think it interesting.
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Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group
Books mentioned in this topic
Einstein: His Life and Universe (other topics)The Sister (other topics)
Unaccustomed Earth (other topics)
The Outlander (other topics)
The Master (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Poppy Adams (other topics)Nora Roberts (other topics)
Please feel free to post to either Part One or Part Two.