Earth's Children discussion
Introduce yourself...
Hi! My friend Jennifer (also here) informed me of this little group! I'm Jessica. I don't remember when I first read CotCB (Jenn would probably know though *grin) but it was awesome! Actually, honestly, as I read along, I was like, it's good, but wasn't really sure. The end though, no way, had to find out what happened next!!I need to reread though, I've only read each book once! Terrible, I know.
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Ive been her for a while but ill introduce anyway. Im Crystal and you may know I live in OZ, Im 27 and in love with books, oh and my partner but books will always be there for me. I pity anyone who doesn't read!!What sad unfulfilled lives they must have ha ha. I have a bunny and Im a Photographer at a Newspaper.
Oh and I have a bookclub and this months book is ...you guessed it, 'Cave Bear' Im really nervous to see what all of my friends and workmates think of it, I hope they like it, I may be a bit defensive if they say something bad about it. Grrr
I'm Kelly, from Goddard KS. I found CotCB about 5 years ago in the audio section in my public library. After that I was soooo hooked. I usually read my books but when I can find a great story on audio I'm estatic. Recently I purchased the complete series in mp3 format. I can't wait to dive back in. I've listened to the series once and read the series once. Jean Auel is not for everyone, I wouldent be suprised if you do hear some neg fb Crystal. Oh well though, some people have no taste.
What happened to everyone? Did you all go on holidays? Maybe the newies could introduce themselves
Hello my name is Jackie I actually saw the movie CotCB when i was a child, i never knew it was a book until high school. I was excited to continue the series and surprised that the book was SOOOO much better than the movie. when asked i list CotCB as my all time favorite book. why? because it is the only book i have ever read that after i finish the last page i can close it and re-read it all over again. I never get tired of the story.
Hello, I'm new to this group. I was posting a listing of my favorite female authors to another group and Jean Auel is one of my favs. I just got to thinking about whether or not she was still writing and I had no idea she was writing a sixth book! I'm so excited. Now I'll have to reread all of the books again. I think I own them all anyway.
Hi. I'm also new to this group. I've been an Earth's Children fan ever since my husband picked up Clan of the Cave Bear at an airport all those years ago. Have read all 5 to date but struggled with the fifth one. Hope the last one will be published soon.
Margaret wrote: "Hi. I'm also new to this group. I've been an Earth's Children fan ever since my husband picked up Clan of the Cave Bear at an airport all those years ago. Have read all 5 to date but struggled w..."It's been so long ago that I've read them, now I think I will re-read them all fairly soon in anticipation of the 6th book. Maybe when we have word of a release date. I own all of the books except
The Clan of the Cave Bear
It's been a long time for me too but doubt I'll re-read as they remain fresh. No idea with book 6 will be published; it's just as illusive as 5 was. Have just sent a copy of Clan of the Cave Bear to Australia via Bookmooch
Howdy all my name is Jessica as well and I am from Texas, I have every intention of moving to Wa within the next 3 years. I have three children ages 3,5,8. I first picked up Clan of The Cave Bear a year ago when I had to take time off of work to deal with a gastly diagnosis of cancer... after many surgeries I am fine for now, this gave me an oppurtunity to get aquainted with Ayla, Creb, Iza, Brun, Broud, and many more. I was so infatuated with the book that I went and bought the rest of the series the day I finished book 1 and within two weeks I had finished them and started to reread. I have now read them all 3 times and I pick them up while waiting for more books. I was so jazzed about book 6 (possibly 7) that I wrote the publisher so many times inquiring about the progress of book 6 and they eventually put one of my letters in front of Jean herself. She replied in much the same way as the letter posted further into the discussion and so now I wait impatiently for book 6's completion. I look forward to getting to know all of you and becoming better aquainted with my beloved charactors through your observations.
Hello all new members, hey Margaret Im interested to know why you struggled with the last one?
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Hi Jessica! Welcome to the group! I live in WA, where do you think you will be moving to?
We are glad to have you. Poke around our little group and comment wherever you like!
Hi everyone! I'm Shay! I first started these books as a teenager and have read them over and over and over again! My favourite is defenitely Clan of the cave bear, but when I read Plains of Passage ... I think I was actually sore from helping them over the glacier!!
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When I re-read, I usually don't bother with the last one!
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Hello I am new to goodreads. Just signed up! My soul purpose was to come and find Earth Children Friends. I watched the movie when I was younger (the movies is sooooooooo bad compared to the books of course) and my mom bought me the book. Funny thing is she bought it for me when I was 15. I just now turned thirty on Sunday. So almost 15 years later I picked it up and decided to read it. Why on earth I never did before I have no clue. I absolutely love them!!!!!! The only thing is when I read them I see Ayla as being Daryl Hannah and I can't help it. LOL!
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Hello everyone, Im new to this group. So I thought I just comment on how awesome this book is! It was my cousin who gave me the first book 10 yrs ago? i think, but since then Ive read and reread them all. Many times. Its my place to escape. It would be hard to pick one favroite. Sooooo excited waiting for book 6 thou.
oh and just to add Im from Canada, Victoria British Columbia.
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Welcome to the group!
It is difficult to pick a favorite, I agree. It is much easier for me to say which one I liked the least (Plains of Passage). I think we can all agree that we are waiting on pins and needles for book 6. Rumor has it that it will be coming out next year. I have my fingers crossed.
Thanks for the welcome Neighbour Rachel. I wanted to read again,. so started with Valley of Horses. and gotta say that any book I start with I can get right into the story. I loved the part where she learns about the 'firestone' I can actually put myself in her spot and just see all that happen.
I've seen a few updates for this group, but since I haven't re-read the series in years, didn't think I should join. Now, I plan on re-reading at least the first few this year, and would love to discuss them. I read CotCB when I was 12, so not long after it came out, and looked forward to each new installment. I have to say they went a little downhill for me, but I just loved Ayla so much I had to keep reading.
I've never seen the whole movie, just bits and pieces. I was afraid it was going to ruin my image, because the parts I saw looked silly. I DID however, think Daryll Hannah had the right look for Ayla. I agree with Rachel, that if they were to re-make the movie today, it could be spectacular. If we're gonna dream, let's dream big, and hope Peter Jackson could direct.:)
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Mine may be closer to the ditch, but we are certainly within shouting distance.
Hi all I love this series of books, as it was the first adult books I got into as a young girl. Ayla is the name of my Kindle! My name is Joanne, and I wanted to drop in and say hi. I live in GA, and I am a mom of a little 1 year old boy.
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Hello, I'm Kimberly and I'm in Dallas, TX. I think I didn't read CotCB until after the movie came out. I think I owned it for several years before I actually read it. It wasn't my usual genre, but once I got into it, I couldn't put it down and have waited impatiently for each book. Like most I usually start with Valley of Horses when I reread them. I didn't realize that there was going to be a 6th book and now possibly a 7th. Yippee!!
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We are all excited about future books. I have heard tell that book 6 might come out this year. It has been about 8 years since the last one came out, so it is about time. I don't know if Jean will survive to write a 7th, considering the amount of time she usually takes between books. lol
Hi, I just found this group when I posted my review of The Plains of Passage. I first read Clan of the Cave Bear back in the 80s when I was in high school and really liked it, but never pursued the rest of the series until running across the Valley of Horses at a library a couple years ago. When I started reading, it was like I had just put down Clan of the Cave Bear even though it had been nearly 20 years! Ayla is such a powerful and genuine character, I can't forget her or stop thinking about her.
Anyway, I just finished the Plains of Passage and will start The Shelters of Stone at some point. Plains of Passage took a while for me to read. I know its draggy at the start, but otherwise brilliant. I actually had to put it down for half a year because my family was moving across the country (including the pets) and all that stress was hitting home too much when I read Plains of Passage because Ayla was always so concerned about the horses and Wolf. Auel is a genius writer and Ayla will forever be my hero.
P.S. My dog and cat got across the country OK along with the rest of the family.
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Thanks, Rachel. I'm looking forward to reading the Shelters of Stone. But from reading comments here I discovered there is another book in the works, so I'll be in line waiting for that one I guess. I'll probably save Book V for a while to give myself something to look forward to.
Hi! My name is Angi and I'm in South Carolina. I love, love, love this series. I am an avid reader...I always find myself coming back to old favorites. I only purchase books that I absolutely love..and these have a prized spot on my bookshelf. I am happy to have found this group!
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Thanks Kandace and No biggie, Rachel. Nice to be here, too!
Hi All! My name is Jennifer in Savannah, and in my head, there are times when I am Ayla. I love this series! Hands down one of my favorite series.
Hello, my name is Kirby, and I am 25. I first read Clan of the Cave Bear when I was around 12, and it immediately carved out a niche in my heart. I've read it so many times that I pretty much have the first and last sections memorized, even now when I haven't read it in probably 5 or 6 years. Also, ever since I first read it, I have planned on naming my daughter (assuming I ever have one) Ayla. I quickly moved on to the sequels after finishing the first one, and was quickly disappointed. While I did like The Valley of Horses, I guess the bar had been set pretty high by the first one, and, for me, none of the others ever cleared it. I liked each one a little less than the one before...they sorta started seeming like romance novels, and I didn't like the way that Ayla turned out to be so perfect. I already loved her at the end of the 1st one, so I found it unnecessary and aggravating how she invented EVERYTHING...you know, she was the 1st one to tame horses, and lions, and she invented the spear thrower, and the sewing needle, etc...I do suppose, however, that I would have enjoyed the sequels better had I not compared them to the original. Anyway, so even though I don't love the sequels as much as you guys, I do love the original just as fervently.
Hi! i think i'm probably one of the youngest members of this group at the age of 15, but i love the series just as much as you guys! :) I'm from England and first read Clan of the cave bear at the age of 13 or 14 ( i cant remember for sure). My grandmother recommended the series tome, and i didnt really have high hopes about it, not thinking much of her description about the storyline. But boy, was i wrong! I fell in love with the first two books an was hooked, i finished them both within a week i think. Then the third book came to me, and it honeslty dissapointed me. It was the worst in the series in my opinion, and i felt like ripping my hair out everytime Ayla left Jondalar for Ranec. The fourth and fifth books were great after that though, and i am awaiting the last book with mixed emotions.
The first two still remain my favourite books from the series, and I hope Ayla and Jondalar stay together and happy in the next book, i love them as a couple :)
Welcome Tierney. I love your name:D I agree with you about the third being frustrating, to say the least! I love when a young person really gets into a series, especially one as detailed and rich in information as these.
It was nice reading your comments Tierney. Yes, it was difficult when Ayla was Ranec's lover. But I think it was necessary for Ayla's development as a character. She had never made love to other men except for Jondalar so it would have been hard to continue the series with her not being tempted by other men if she had never been with another guy. Her experience with Ranec let Ayla learn how special Jondalar was. When a young woman is only with one man she'll always wonder about other men. That's just natural. When I was reading The Mammoth Hunters I wasn't sure if I could stand Ayla going with Ranec either, but I decided I loved Ayla so much that I would stay with her no matter what she did.
I believe that the first time I picked them up I was around 14 or 15 years old. I know that it was some time before I was 16 because we moved to a new city just before my birthday and I remember finding my first copy of Clan of the Cave Bear while trolling the shelves of a 2nd hand bookstore near my old house. After that, it was true love. I cannot honestly say how many times I have read the books, but it is a lot. When I need a good escape, that is usually the first place I go, though I often start with Valley of Horses because CotCB is too depressing.
As your moderator I am so happy to see our little group growing! If you know anyone who really loves the books, send them our way!