On the Southern Literary Trail discussion
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General Bookishness
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Retired: What are you reading?
message 1101:
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Ann
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Jul 06, 2015 08:49PM
Leanne, so sorry about your dog. We get so attached to our four footed companions. My cat of 19 years died in Jan and I still miss him a lot.
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So sorry Leanne, I know our pets become part of the family.Finished South Toward Home: Travels in Southern Literature
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Leanne, so sorry about your dog . Also hope that your shoulder is improving . Shoulder surge is pretty painful, to say nothing of the physical therapy . Take care .
Diane wrote: "Tom, like you, I keep putting off reading The Sparrow because it's sci-fi and I tend to avoid that genre. But it's been recommended to me several tines, and I've loved everything else I've read by..."PThis book made me sob my eyes out. It is so very good! Maybe it will be your bridge to science fiction too. Just because something is set in space doesn't mean that is what it is about.
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Laura , I fully understand how you feel . No need to be sorry . Not all books are for everyone and I think this one in particular is not for everyone . Happy reading to you too ! I'm about to start Language Arts by Stephanie Kallos .
A Tree Born Crooked Has anybody read this one yet ? It is SLR choice for July I have not got a lot of time to read this month but checked it to read after the 14th ;)
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which is due out next month and begins with:The person who interviewed her had no face. Under other circumstances- if the job market hadn't been so bleak for so long, if the summer hadn't been so glum and muggy - this might have discouraged Josephine from stepping through the door of the office in the first place. As things were, her initial thought was: Oh, perfect, the interviewer's appearance probably deterred other applicants.
It sounds a bit Kafkaesque.
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Once again I’ve managed to finish two very different books in relatively short order.
The Beautiful Bureaucrat
is an ARC that I read to review for Amazon. It is a short and oddly whimsical tale that is not unlike what you would expect if Franz Kafka and Jose Saramago had a daughter who worked for the government and wrote a memoir about it. If you think what I just wrote is odd, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The movie version of the Argentine mystery The Secret in Their Eyes
was awarded a well-deserved Oscar for best foreign language film. The book is even better. Don’t miss it.https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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I have a hold on it at my library. Sounds good.
when will the new harper lee book comes out?
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Angela M wrote: "Leanne, so sorry about your dog . Also hope that your shoulder is improving . Shoulder surge is pretty painful, to say nothing of the physical therapy . Take care ."Thanks very much!
☔Diane S. wrote: "So sorry Leanne, I know our pets become part of the family.Finished South Toward Home: Travels in Southern Literature
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
Thank you, Diane.
Ann wrote: "Leanne, so sorry about your dog. We get so attached to our four footed companions. My cat of 19 years died in Jan and I still miss him a lot."Wow - your kitty was long lived and I'm sure long LOVED. Thank you for the note!
Current events seem to have an effect on my reading choices, and the fly-by of Pluto was no exception. I recently read what I'd consider a young adult book, The Martian, and found that the profanity probably made the book better for older teens. Aside from the profanity, this would be an excellent book for youngsters interested in the sciences, engineering, or technology - and adults, too! The main character is stranded on Mars and has to use a temporary habitat and equipment to survive hundreds of days before a mission to rescue him can be launched. The science is extremely realistic, and the marooned astronaut is self-deprecating, funny, and sarcastic in his audio logs. There is a movie version coming out later this year, and it should be terrific.
As for other current events, yesterday was Hemingway's birthday, and although I'd planned to re-read The Sun Also Rises, I now see that one of our upcoming nominees features Hemingway coming to the rescue after a hurricane hits Islamorada. Hurricanes are familiar territory to me having grown up in South Florida and now resided in New Orleans for nearly three decades. This will be a good one for Katrina's tenth anniversary. Under a Dark Summer Sky
Leanne, just a note on The Martian.I worked for Lockheed/Martin for several years, and there were some technical problems I caught while reading the book. It didn't detract much from my appreciation of the book though, and most people won't even notice the problems I found.
Also, I wonder about the movie. It'll be fun, I'm sure, but the Martian should have been an unknown actor, not a famous one. I wonder how much I'll like the movie because of it. It would have been a wonderful entry into stardom for the unknown actor! Matt Damon is too good looking, too well known for the book character. JMHO
I did write a review if anyone is interested. :D
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Dear all, I was wondering if any of you could recommend non-fiction books on the history of the South? I'd like to expand my knowledge :)
Ok, I just realized that's much too general ;) I'm specifically interested in the Civil Rights movement and racial issues.
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One I'm looking forward to reading is Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America, a book which is currently being considered for the August group read.
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The problem with Matt Damon is that he's too old for this role.
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Diane wrote: "I agree about Matt Damon, but Hollywood has a mind of it's own when it comes to star power. All the technical stuff went right over my head, but it didn't lessen my enjoyment of the book any."I knew as much, Diane,
Diane wrote: "The Mind of the South by W. J. Cash."Thank you, Diane! I have actually browsed through this at the library a while back, I'll give it a shot :)
Tom wrote: "Astrid wrote: "Dear all, I was wondering if any of you could recommend non-fiction books on the history of the South? I'd like to expand my knowledge :)"One I'm looking forward to reading is [boo..."
Thank you, Tom! It sounds interesting :)
Astrid wrote: "Diane wrote: "The Mind of the South by W. J. Cash."Thank you, Diane! I have actually browsed through this at the library a while back, I'll give it a shot :)"
I LOVE this book it is my Southern Bible
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I recently read
and was blown away by it.
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Astrid, if you're specifically interested in the history of the Civil Rights Movement, there are wonderful choices. Carry Me Home: Birmingham, Alabama: The Climactic Battle of the Civil Rights Revolution by Diane McWhorter. THE bible of the history of the Civil Rights Movement is the trilogy by Taylor Branch: Parting The Waters: America In The King Years 1954-63, Pillar of Fire: America in the King Years 1963-65, and At Canaan's Edge. This is massive, but fascinating. I'd put my toe into the McWhorter. For an intensely personal look, check out Leaving Birmingham: Notes of a Native Son by Paul Hemphill. I especially recommend the documentary film "Four Little Girls" by Spike Lee which depicts the events surrounding the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in 1963 in Birmingham, Al, by Ku Klux Klansmen. It WILL move you.
Tom wrote: "Astrid wrote: "Ok, I just realized that's much too general ;) I'm specifically interested in the Civil Rights movement and racial issues."I recently read [bookcover:Just Mercy: A Story of Justice..."
Listened to this on audio, the author was the reader. Very good reader and a memorable book.
Tom wrote: "Astrid wrote: "Ok, I just realized that's much too general ;) I'm specifically interested in the Civil Rights movement and racial issues."I recently read [bookcover:Just Mercy: A Story of Justice..."
Thank you! I added it to my to-read list, sounds good!
Mike wrote: "Astrid wrote: "Ok, I just realized that's much too general ;) I'm specifically interested in the Civil Rights movement and racial issues."
Astrid, if you're specifically interested in the history ..."
Tom wrote: "Astrid wrote: "Ok, I just realized that's much too general ;) I'm specifically interested in the Civil Rights movement and racial issues."
I recently read [bookcover:Just Mercy: A Story of Justice..."
Mike, thank you so much for this list! I believe I'll have to visit the library ASAP :)
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After I responded and during my morning walk with The Beast it occurred to me that I should have suggested Parting the Waters: Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement 1954-63. It's no big surprise that I returned to find that Mike had already beat me to it. Seriously, if you find yourself stuck on the Edmund Pettus Bridge and you are allowed only one book, make sure it's Parting the Waters.
Totally off topic, however...if you were going to be in a movie scene, flying on a plane w Mark Wahlberg circa April, 2010, which book would you LOVE accidentally flashing at the camera? Im thinking of faux reading Serena or City of Thieves, just because I love them. My son and I do background (extra) work occasionally and got a casting call for the BP oil spill movie. Shooting is next Wednesday. I thought the book could be our secret club HOWDY Y'ALL when the movie comes out :)
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Either would be good. Looking at my 2010 reading list the two that stand out are War bySebastian Junger and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
1 out of 5 stars.
never got in to the book
review of
coming in a day or so
coming in a day or so
Just finished Lonesome Dove, what a phenomenal book! Highly recommended even if you don't like westerns.Also blew through Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man’s Fight for Justice written by Bill Browder who made a ton of money with his Hermitage Captital group speculating on Russian stocks after the fall of communism. While there is plenty of the financial aspects early on in the book it shifts gears as he and his employees try to expose corruption in the Russian government. Really compelling and read like a fast paced thriller.
Not on the trail but definitely south - I finished The Marriage of Opposites . 4 stars . My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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On the Southern Literary Trail
Books mentioned in this topic
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Happy Land (other topics)
Happy Land (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Bennett Parten (other topics)Wes Browne (other topics)
Hubert Skidmore (other topics)
Mark Twain (other topics)
Delia Owens (other topics)
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