Litwit Lounge discussion
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Welcome! Newcomers Please Read Number 1 First.
Hi Theresa! Welcome to our group of book lovers. 
Thank you Charly, Reggia and Callista : ) I look forward to the interaction. Right now, I'm reading "The Adventures of Huck Finn." It's for my literature clss. I don't like it. However... I am going to try to enjoy the rest of the book and view it through Twain's eyes.
And vernacular is something people seem to love or hate.
Sorta like cilantro? ;-) Love. :-)Speaking of Twain, I just read his Diary of Adam and Eve for a book discussion. Inadvertently, some of us had condensed versions of the short story. Anyway, has anyone read this? or familiar with the metaphors? I feel that they are sexually charged but haven't found anything to support it searching online.
Welcome Ben (my son has that name and he used to read, but now all he does is computers. He fixed mine finally tho.)
Heard I think it was Charly reading Joanne Harris. I liked her stuff.
Heard I think it was Charly reading Joanne Harris. I liked her stuff.
Welcome, Ben!I like your cilantro analogy, Reggia--though I like vernacular and don't much like cilantro! ;)
My son used to read and in elementary school he wrote a 7-page "novel" that got him to meet and hear reading by Jack Prelutsky. But he won't read any more. We used to talking writing because I saw a spark of interest when I worked with writers, but it's gone.
Your son no longer reads? Sad, tragic, horrible...!
Hi, Ben! so glad you joined us here. :) Please feel welcome to jump in any ongoing conversations or start new ones.* * *
My children, too, are no longer the voracious readers they once were. LOL, I remember struggling to get one of them not to read when going up & down the stairs. I think probably they'll get back to it as I recall I didn't read as much in my late teens and early 20s. Then again, I didn't have the distraction of the internet which has greatly reduced my own reading time.
Welcome Ben!My brother was not much of a reader growing up, but now he reads everything he can that is non-fiction and within his current topic of interest.
Hello! I'm such a book fanatic that I can't believe I missed out on Goodreads all this time!I'm 54 and work for a publisher in NYC (born and raised here). I love books in all forms--the real printed authentic book, my growing ebook library and the audio books I listen to on my commute.
Looking forward to chatting!
Welcome Lorra. Glad to have you hear. I used to be in the "writing" biz (planning conferences, running a writers' org. for years, published an article but never let my other stuff out except for part of a poem in my email signature!. Have met lots of editors and agents and writers over the 30 years or so (wow was it that long) and loved every (well almost) minute of it. Look forward to your comments.
Welcome, Lorra! It's great to have another booklover join our group.
I am a 40 something married mother of three. I love to read. This group sounds interesting and I look forward to contributing to the discussions I am new to goodreads.com, so I am still learning my way around the site.
Welcome, Michelle -- glad to have you join us!
Welcome to all. Been gone due to computer death last month. Now working on Notebook until son decides what to do with big one.
Welcome Athira! Just noticed you joined us here.
Hi: I'm new and although I spend a lot of time on my computer, I have never joined a group like this. I'm possibly the oldest in the group -- 70. Have 2 children who have 5 between them -- one in Chicago suburbs and one in the San Fran area. I'm a lifelong reader -- libraries have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mother was a huge reader. A day without reading is not a good day for me. Sometimes it is the last thing before turning off the light at night. Belonged to a book group for over 20 years until we moved from the area -- friends for life. Live now in the city of Chicago (part time) and in the Upper Peninsula (along Lake Superior) the rest of the time -- and yes, it does get cold there but I love it. We see wolves on the beach, eagles most days, owls from time to time, fox, porcupines, waterfowl, hawks and lots of mice and ground squirrels. I love walking and snowshoeing among many other hobbies. Looking forward to this group.
Welcome Judith. I'm 64 so you have someone close in age. My husband went to Michigan Tech and we spent 2 years up there in the late 70s. Never saw so much snow and steep streets. We lived in a big house on main st. west of the bridge. Beautiful in the summer. I have to read some every day too. But I guess it is a good addiction. My sister worked in libraries in DC area.
Hi Syra: You lived in Houghton then. That is a nice town. Our place is out in the woods and on the beach east of the little town of Grand Marais (halfway between Marquette and S.S. Marie. We had Jim Morrison (Legends of the Fall) as a resident for a number of years but I understand he has moved to Montana. Right now we have a woman (Ellen Airgood) who has written a book "South of Superior" which seems to be doing quite well and does give the flavor of our area of the UP. She was published by Penguin and has another book in the works for them. She and her husband run the local diner and she can be found most days serving up terrific sandwiches. The little town seems to attract writers -- we have quite a few. Am going back and read all messages so I have a feel for what is happening here. Thank you so much for responding. What are you reading at the moment?
I'm listening to cd of Tess Gerrittson Ice Cold. On my Kindle I'm reading 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea as part of our Classics Challenge (one a month). And I'm reading a book by Jack Bickham whom I met years ago at a writers conference. Great teacher and has written a great writers book that is a classic.
We have the same draw for writers in New Mexico: David Morrell, Roger Zelazny (before he died), Tony Hillerman as well, just to name a few. Taos, NM is a great artists' community for all the arts.
Glad you joined our group.
We have the same draw for writers in New Mexico: David Morrell, Roger Zelazny (before he died), Tony Hillerman as well, just to name a few. Taos, NM is a great artists' community for all the arts.
Glad you joined our group.
Thanks for the welcome, Charly -- think I am going to enjoy the people here. Syra: I was in Taos once years ago and it has always been on my short list of places I would like to live. Will check out some of the authors you mentioned. I am just starting "Atlantic" by Simon Winchester -- heard him interviewed on NPS and was hooked.
David Morrell wrote Fist Blood though the movie is nothing like it. He says he writes about his fears or what scares him as therapy. Nice man. Tony wrote Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee Navajo police mysteries set in four corners reservation. Roger Zelazny wrote sf/fantasy. Stephen Donaldson writes fantasy as well. Since I worked with writers and did conferences for 20 years, I've met quite a few. Donald Westlake's books are hilarious, though my engineer husband finds faults with his contraptions.
I knew Hillerman wrote mysteries but was not familiar with the others. Will definitely put them on my "check these people out" list.I wish I could read mysteries -- I have several friends who think that is the only genre out there. Have tried but find most are so predictable but have never tried Hillerman. Years ago I did read an Ann Perry mystery and did enjoy it but not enough to pursue the rest of her books. What is wrong with me?
Your job working with authors is enviable -- who was the most engaging of any that you met?
That is hard to answer. Eileen Dreyer was a hoot wanting to go to Irish pubs and sing all night. Ann Rule was the sweetest lady and gave the funniest presentations (writers hanging over their mailboxes waiting for an answer on their proposals), esp. since she worked with Ted Bundy at night on a crisis hotline. She writes true crime. James Lee Burke is the most gentle, quiet man who writes so rough parts in his mysteries. Guess he tries to be real. And Jeffrey Deaver (The Bone Collector, one of my favorite movies) is another favorite. Didn't like Lawrence Block; too New York for our western tastes I guess. Kind of arrogant and self-centered. I guess I could go on and on but I'll stop for now.
Hi everyone, my name is Janelle and I'm from Australia. I enjoy reading from a range of genres, but somehow can't abide Westerns or soppy romances. I'm hoping for some interesting conversations here at Litwit lounge.
Hi Janelle. Welcome. As you can see we have been a bit inactive here. However I would bet everyone has at least one book they are reading at the moment. What are you reading and do you live in Australia at the moment? What kind of books do you like?I just finished the new Catherine the Great book followed by Nicholas and Alexandra and now a re-read of Russka. There is a theme here. Have read other things too -- Professor and the Madman, Hunger Games -- about that book -- does anyone else find it a bit unsettling that this book is PG-13?
I turned my fireplace on this morning (yes, we turn ours on), got my first cup of coffee, and with my cat on my lap, watched a beautiful sunrise over Lake Superior. I love the mornings.
Judith, am I correct that the PG-13 rating would apply to the movie, not the book? (I haven't seen the former nor read the latter, though I do hope to get to the book later this year.)Janelle, welcome to the group; great to have you here! (Janelle and I have been Goodreads friends for awhile, and we share an Australian connection, since I have family there.) Hope you'll make yourself right at home.
Welcome, Janelle. We have a great bunch of people on Goodreads here in several different categories. I agree with your soppy romances but I've found some Westerns I liked. Worked with Norman Zollinger for many years and his books are different westerns. I'm going thru my Patricia Cornwell books (almost finished with Black Notice), listening to George rr Martin's Game of Thrones on cd (unabridged is almost 200 cds for the series), and The African Queen.
Enjoy! We take questions too and ask them.
Enjoy! We take questions too and ask them.
Werner: The movie came out PG-13 but there was quite a discussion on how they could do justice to the book and not make it R. I was transferring the rating to the book which does not in and of itself have a rating. Would be interested in hearing what you think of it when/if you do read it.
Hi everyone, thanks for your warm welcome.Hi Werner, nice to see you here.
Judith, I have lived in Australia all my life except for a few years in PNG. Its hard to pin down what I like to read, as I like to dabble a little, but my favourite genre is sci fi. At the moment I am trying to read a few books at once, something I tend to do so I have something to choose from, depending on my mood. Some of the books I'm reading at the moment are Loves Labours Lost, The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel and a book of performance poetry.
Syra, you sound like your're like me and read a few at a time too.
Re the Hunger Games, the movie is rated M here in Australia, which is probably similar to PG13. I've read the book, and while they did make a big effort to make the violence less graphic, there really is no escaping it. I saw it with my 15 year old daughter. But i don't think it's suitable for anyone under 14, even though lots of kids that age are seeing it.
Well this has been the longest post of my life, so I will live it there, otherwise you will all think i am a chatterbox.
Oh, and hi to you too Charly. I missed your greeting as it was on a different page.
Judith, I'll try to remember to post a link in this group to my review of The Hunger Games whenever I finish it. Right now, I'm tentatively planning to read it in November.
Welcome, Janelle! Thanks for joining our group. :) I missed the Hunger Games read with my local book group but still considering as a read (just hope it's not too violent). And by all means, please chatter away!
Janelle, we have a member named Callista who reads almost nothing but sf (they get picky about being called sci fi over here. She writes a lot of reviews also. I know her in real life.
Hi Reggia thanks for the welcome. I think in regards to the violence in the Hunger Games it depends what you're used to. I found the book to be too violent for my taste, but I'm sure there is a much worse out there. My daughter didn't see an issue with it. Not sure whether to be concerned or grateful about that. I haven't yet decided whether or not to read the sequels. Does anyone know if they are more or less violent than the Hunger Games?Thanks Syra for that bit of info. I'll remember to call it sf from now on.
Janelle: PNG -- Papua New Guinea? I probably didn't spell that right. I read Hunger Games because a friend was sure I would love it -- and it was a fast read but disturbing. But no question there is a huge market for this kind of book for young adults. Thanks for sharing on this -- always tinteresting to hear other opinions.
Hi Judith, yes PNG is Papua New Guinea.Disturbing is a good word to describe the Hunger Games. I'll have to remember it when I am trying (in vain) to explain to my daughter why I have issues with it.
Hello! I was invited by Callista. I'm Nikki, I'm a postgrad student in English Literature, but I promise I'm not a snob about books. I love scifi and fantasy, some literary fiction, crime fiction and mysteries, historical fiction, science and history non-fiction, and lately I've even been getting into Mary Stewart's romances. I usually study medieval work, or its 'afterlife' (as my tutor puts it), i.e. its influence on modern books. Which gives me a nice excuse to dabble in everything.I'm supposed to be busy writing my dissertation, but I much prefer playing the latest Assassin's Creed game, and finding a warm spot to curl up with a book.
Hello all !Thank you for the invite to your group, Charly ! It seems like a nice relaxed place to chat about books.
As for me, I love to read. I tend to read more non fiction than fiction.
Well, looks like I just finished the game, so Assassin's Creed has no more hold on me...I'm doing plenty of classics as long as by 'classics' you're thinking Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Chaucer, Boccaccio, Chretien de Troyes, Robert de Boron, Sir Thomas Malory, Geoffrey of Monmouth, Njal's Saga, The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki, the Vulgate Cycle... Shakespeare's getting a bit too modern for me. *grin*
I'm studying at Cardiff University, in Wales.
Hi there, I’m Melanie- aka Helena Handbasket, and I was just invited by Charly. This look like a nice, relaxed place to chat about books.
I read a huge variety of books from classics to contemporary, essays, non-fiction and I’m open to just about anything (apart from bodice-ripping romances, not a fan of those). Thanks for the invite Charly!
Nikki, Alias, Helena... Welcome to Litwit Lounge, one and all!
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Books mentioned in this topic
The Second Common Reader (other topics)The Death of the Moth and Other Essays (other topics)
To the Lighthouse (other topics)
Little Gidding (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
Charles Dickens (other topics)Susan Coolidge (other topics)
Thank you for starting this group. I look forward to participating. : )