Spring 2012

[John, Moderator]

I'll start out by saying that at around 3/4 of the way through the 22-hour The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration, I find myself feeling forced to read it, so I'm going to call it quits; maybe, once the hoopla dies down, and there's less of a queue, I'll finish the print version. A terrific book, but it's just so loooooooooong. Robin Miles' narration is a huge plus.

[Janet]

I may have mentioned before but I am listening to The House At Riverton by Kate Morton and narrated by Caroline Lee. I too am about 3/4 through but I'm enjoying every minute. I found myself driving around the parking lot this morning after I got to work. With gas nearing $4/gallon, that's a testimonial...lol.

[MissSusie]

Janet wrote: "I may have mentioned before but I am listening to The House At Riverton by Kate Morton and narrated by Caroline Lee. I too am about 3/4 through but I'm enjoying every minute. I fou..."

She narrates all of Kate Mortons books so far and hope she continues to!!Love her narration she has fast become a favorite!

[Janet]

@ Susie...I see you are a fan of Davina Porter. Have you listened to her read Moll Flanders? I picked it up at HPB yesterday because I had a 50% off coupon but haven't been able to sneak a listen yet.

[MissSusie]

Janet wrote: "@ Susie...I see you are a fan of Davina Porter. Have you listened to her read Moll Flanders? I picked it up at HPB yesterday because I had a 50% off coupon but haven't been able to s..."

No I haven't I will have to add it to my list thanks!

[Wendy T]

Over the past week I've finished:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer. I enjoyed this YB and this new author for me. I look forward to continuing with this series. I gave this book 3 stars.

Falling Together: A Novel by Marisa de los Santos. I really enjoyed this book about friends. I gave this book 4 stars

Blue Nights by Joan Didion. I enjoyed this book. I have to say I enjoyed The Year of Magical Thinking a lot more. I gave this book 3 stars.

[Chrissie]

John wrote: "I'll start out by saying that at around 3/4 of the way through the 22-hour The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration, I find myself feeling forced to read..."

Finally, someone who doesn't think this book is the best book ever written! I gave up on it too.

[John, Moderator]

Other reviewers have said that they found it repetitive also. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea uses the technique of rotating stories, but manages to do so without feeling as though the reader is taking a step backwards, and going forward again as was the case here.

[Chrissie]

John wrote: "Other reviewers have said that they found it repetitive also. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea uses the technique of rotating stories, but manages to do so without feel..."

I kept feeling something was wrong with the book and guilty for not loving it. I think you have analyzed the problem correctly.

[Chrissie]

I am so annoyed that Nothing to Envy is not available in Europe as an audio. It is available on Kindle. Why all these stupid restrictions? I know, I know - publishing contracts. But it is the readers who suffer and particularly those who are restricted to particular reading forms.

[MissSusie]

Just finishedBlackbird Fly by, Lise mcClendon narrated by, Denise Stradling really good book about family secrets both author and narrator are new to me and would try both again!

I needed a Katherine Kellgren fix so am finally listening to The Mark of the Golden Dragon: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Jewel of the East, Vexation of the West, and Pearl of the South China Sea
by, L.A. Meyer

[John, Moderator]

I really liked Kellgren's narration of The Death of the Heart, for those interested in literary fiction.

[Kelly]

I finally finished The Pirate Hunter: The True Story of Captain Kidd. I really disliked it. I don't think the narrator was the problem. It was the actual book plus the recording was so slow. I had to speed it up to 1.5x to actually seem normal speed. Was very anxious for that one to be over.

Now I'm listening to What Happens In London.

[Heidi]

Susie wrote: "Just finishedBlackbird Fly by, Lise mcClendon narrated by, Denise Stradling really good book about family secrets both author and narrator are new to me and would try both again!

..."

Yay for Jacky!

[John, Moderator]

I'm so curious about this one, I think I'll ask my library to get it via Overdrive (it's in the catalog).

[Heidi]

John wrote: "I'm so curious about this one, I think I'll ask my library to get it via Overdrive (it's in the catalog)."

Which one John?

[John, Moderator]

The Overdrive master catalog of their entire holdings. A user at another site posted the link, which I promptly bookmarked ... on my regular computer, which I don't have access to right now.

[Heidi]

John wrote: "The Overdrive master catalog of their entire holdings. A user at another site posted the link, which I promptly bookmarked ... on my regular computer, which I don't have access to right now."

I meant which book are you interested in? I love the Overdrive search! I check it sometimes when I want audiobooks.

[John, Moderator]

Oh -- I was referring to Blackbird Fly.

[Ellen]

I've heard about overdrive but never used it. Is there someway you could get us that info, John?

Thanks,
Ellen

[John, Moderator]

Overdrive is a "middleman" supplying downloadable audio and ebooks (as well as videos) to public libraries. What specific info are you looking for?

[MissSusie]

Ellen wrote: "I've heard about overdrive but never used it. Is there someway you could get us that info, John?

Thanks,
Ellen"

Ellen check with your local library..every overdirve selection is different depending on who is doing the ordering for your library so just because someone in another state has a title available on their overdrive doesn't mean it will be available on all. I am a librarian raising money to get this service for my library!

[Heidi]

I just type in overdrive search in Google and click on the Overdrive website (the general one -- not my libraries Overdrive) if I want to see if Overdrive even has certain material (if my libraries Ovderdrive does not have it. http://search.overdrive.com/

[Frances]

Janet wrote: "I may have mentioned before but I am listening to The House At Riverton by Kate Morton and narrated by Caroline Lee. I too am about 3/4 through but I'm enjoying every minute. I fou..."

Great....I've already got that one on my ipod ....probably give it a listen next

[Ellen]

Hi Susie and Heidi,

Thanks for the info. I don't know if my library has it. I'll check out the link Heidi posted though. :)

[Susan]

Just finished In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson, narrated by Stephen Hoye. It was okay, and I gave it two stars. I read it for my real life book club. The narration was fine, but I just could not get into the story, despite my interest in WWII. I could not get into Larson's other book The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America either. Everyone I talk too loves both those books, but I guess that author and I just don't mesh.

[John, Moderator]

Not just you - I gave up on The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America fairly early on myself!

[Susan]

I'm glad I'm not alone. Although I just realized that I read Larson's Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History several years ago and liking it, and Thunderstruck sounds familiar as if I might have read that, too. Oh, well, maybe Larson and I have just had a falling out.

[Bxrlover]

I am sad to have come to the end of Unaccustomed Earth. It was the best audiobook that I have read to this year.

[Barbara]

John wrote: "Not just you - I gave up on The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America fairly early on myself!"

I haven't been able to read it either. A friend gave a print edition to me, sure that I would love it, and I stopped after 100 pages or so.

[Bxrlover]

Started A Short History of Nearly Everything and the jury is still out. I didn't expect it to be so scientific ( despite the blatantly obvious description and cover graphic...).

[John, Moderator]

I was leery of that book for that very reason, but Bryson's At Home: A Short History of Private Life was a terrific read!

[Barbara]

Bxrlover wrote: "Started A Short History of Nearly Everything and the jury is still out. I didn't expect it to be so scientific ( despite the blatantly obvious description and cover graphic...)."

I loved it. The production I listened to was abridged which I don't often do, but it worked for this. Bryson made it all just interesting enough that I learned and enjoyed, a winning combination. And, I'm not a science buff.

[Kirsten]

I am currently about 85% through Sense and Sensibility. I'm enjoying the storyline, but the narrator (Nadia May, I believe)'s voice for the whiney Marianne Dashwood is driving me crazy! lol

[Jess]

I'm nearing the end of A Brief History of Montmaray (I've already read it in print, but somebody - maybe in this group? - recommended the audio and I'm enjoying it). Going on a road trip in a few days and we've got Wicked : The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and A Clash of Kings lined up to listen to in the car - the trick is finding things that my husband and I both want to listen to!

[MissSusie]

Finished The Mark of the Golden Dragon: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Jewel of the East, Vexation of the West, and Pearl of the South China Sea by, LA Meyer narrated by the always wonderful Katherine Kellgren you can read my review here in which I contradict myself http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....

I am now listening to A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty: A Novel by, Joshilyn Jackson read by the author I am always a little leary on authors as narrators but she is doing a pretty good job.

[Kelly]

Bxrlover wrote: "Started A Short History of Nearly Everything and the jury is still out. I didn't expect it to be so scientific ( despite the blatantly obvious description and cover graphic...)."

That sounds right up my alley, I will have to check it out.

I finished What Happens in London. I really enjoyed the narrator. I didn't care much for the book but she made it a fun listen.

Now I'm listening to The Geography of Bliss and hoping I finish it before my library gets Catching Fire. (It shipped 2 days ago and I've been stalking the library website watching for it to arrive already!)

[Janet]

I got a kick out of The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World...perfect for when you need a light, amusing read.
I'm struggling with The Book Thief...I find my mind wandering a lot while listening. Is this one of those books that's better in print? Or maybe I need to listen twice to catch everything.

[John, Moderator]

Janet -- I recently listened to Weiner's new book Man Seeks God: My Flirtations with the Divine, if you liked the first one you'll probably enjoy that one, too.

[Kelly]

Janet wrote: "I got a kick out of The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World...perfect for when you need a light, amusing read.
I'm struggling with [book:The B..."

The Geography of Bliss is very good. He is retreading a lot of the science I recently read in The Happiness Hypothesis, but I like hearing of his travels. He's just about the leave Bhutan, his descriptions and encounters were very interesting!

[Chrissie]

I just finished Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness. I loved it. I highly recommend it. I was doubtful that it could be as good as the same author's book Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, but it was. Here are my reviews on both books: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... and http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....

I have already begun listening to The Art of Racing in the Rain! I love it. I hesitated to read this book when my last curly coated retriever, Skye, was very, very old. Now I have Oscar and I can read this book. ;0) I know, I know it's schmaltzy......

[Janet]

Thanks John...I'll put it on my list.

[Susan]

Janet wrote: "I got a kick out of The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World...perfect for when you need a light, amusing read.
I'm struggling with [book:The B..."

I loved the Book Thief in print. I'm now waiting for the audio book from the library. I am wondering how it parts of it will translate to the spoken word.

[Bxrlover]

Bxrlover wrote: "Started A Short History of Nearly Everything and the jury is still out. I didn't expect it to be so scientific ( despite the blatantly obvious description and cover graphic...)."


Couldn't take one more minute of this one. Waaaaaaaaaaaay too academic and dry for my liking. If it appeals to anyone other than scientists I would be surprised (I am a big Bryson fan AND an RN who is fascinated by science!!). Oh well.

Switched to The Piano Teacher instead.

[Alisha]

Bxrlover wrote: "Started A Short History of Nearly Everything and the jury is still out. I didn't expect it to be so scientific ( despite the blatantly obvious description and cover graphic...)."

I found this book fascinating and I'm no scientist! haha

[Heidi]

Janet wrote: "I got a kick out of The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World...perfect for when you need a light, amusing read.
I'm struggling with [book:The B..."

Stick with the Book Thief! I got into it when Max appeared.

[John, Moderator]

For those of us who like some escapist stuff (I hesitate to quite say "fluff"), consider Second Sitting. I got it on impulse during the last "spend 4 credits, get $10" offer, and it's turning out better than I'd thought. Casey's the entertainment director on a cruise from Britain to the Caribbean, with more-than-random-pattern deaths. She's pretty bright (there's mention of A levels), and resisting the attentions of the hunky ship doctor without swooning (although she need not remind us of that fact at every turn, we get it already). The "chick-lit-y" aspect that's lost on me are the frequent description of clothes. I've never been on a cruise ship before, so the details of her job, and life onboard in general, are fascinating from an employee point-of-view. The plot isn't overly contrived, although the incidents will need to be wrapped up well to avoid disappointment. Narrator does a great job, except for mangling a few place names - Curacao, Oaxaca, etc. Depending on the ending (I'm about 75% through), I'd consider listening to the sequel.

[Javasapien]

Janet wrote: "I'm struggling with I'm struggling with The Book Thief...I find my mind wandering a lot while listening. Is this one of those books that's better in print? Or maybe I need to listen twice to catch everything. "

I listened to the audiobook and thought it was great.

[Javasapien]

Just finished Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken. It was a great story, though sad, and I learned a lot. The narrator, Edward Hermann, was great too.

[Javasapien]

Bxrlover wrote: "Bxrlover wrote: "Started A Short History of Nearly Everything and the jury is still out. I didn't expect it to be so scientific ( despite the blatantly obvious description and cover graph...

Couldn't take one more minute of this one. Waaaaaaaaaaaay too academic and dry for my liking. If it appeals to anyone other than scientists I would be surprised (I am a big Bryson fan AND an RN who is fascinated by science!!). Oh well.
"

I loved A Walk in the Woods and since I love science I thought I'd love A Short History of Nearly Everything too. But I agree that it felt too dry for my audiobook listening pleasure. I gave up fairly early on.