Member: dreamreader

Hi, Roni - Happy Labor Day. Terri and I went to matinee today of Julie & Julia and just loved it! So what if there were only 9 people in the theater. I laughed so hard at Meryl Streep's Julia (and, psst, I think I'm in love with Amy Adams). Terrific film. Afterwards we did some shopping and I found a pb copy of Child's memoir, My Life in Paris - which looks very good. I didn't read the Powell book, but I think I will read this one. Her "collaborator" on the book, written just before she died, was a great nephew of her husband Paul, I think. Right now I'm reading a really fascinating memoir by Mary Clearman Blew called BALSAMROOT, about her time looking after a maiden aunt who was fading into dementia. Very sad, but beautifully and honestly written. I read Blew's other Montana memoir, ALL BUT THE WALTZ, some months back, and this one is just as good. - Tim

posted by TimBazzett at 8:39 pm (EST) on Sep 7, 2009

Hey, Roni - Sorry you didn't love Elephant Winter, but then you're always taking a chance when you recommend a book. Oh well - plenty of good books out there to discover. Would have gotten back to you sooner, but my son's family has been here for the past 5 days and just left this morning (to go back to PA) - a 4 yr-old and a one and a half yr-old. Kept us running to keep up with them. Both my wife and I are sore and exhausted, but sure had fun with all of them. Seems especially quiet here today, but I think our two dogs (12 and 9) like it better this way. Just vacuumed and cleaned house this morning. Now we'll prob have a much needed "day of rest." Currently I'm reading Horizontal World, a ND memoir by Debra Marquart. Pretty good stuff. We plan to make one of our rare trips to the movies soon. My wife enjoyed the book Julie and Julia, and we're going to see the film version w/ Amy Adams and Meryl Streep. - Tim

posted by TimBazzett at 12:07 pm (EST) on Aug 6, 2009

P.S. I got a chance to explore Boston back in 62-63 while stationed at Ft Devens, which is, I understand, gone now. I did enjoy my time there. Had some family friends who lived in Harvard, MA, on Bear Pond, which wasn't far from post. Ayer was the base town, where I roamed a bit too. Minny minny years ago, as George Gobel might have said. Wrote all about it in my book, Soldier Boy. Hope you enjoy Elephant Winter. I did. - Tim

posted by TimBazzett at 9:25 pm (EST) on Jul 13, 2009

Roni, Was just looking at some of your reviews and saw Wm Boyd's Brazzaville Beach, a book I read years ago. In fact I've read 4-5 of Boyd's books and enjoyed all of them. His Our Man in Africa is classic. I hadn't thought of him in several years. May have to see what he's been up to lately. Right now I'm reading Curtis Harnack's memoir of a year in Tabriz, Iran, as a Fulbright prof waaaaay back in 1959. It's called Persian Lions, Persian Lambs. I'm finding it quite intriguing, because you see Iran 50 yrs ago, as compared to today's mess - although perhaps the rural areas haven't really changed that much. And I was stationed with the Army in northern Turkey just a few yrs later (1963-64), and see a lot of parallels. I've already read Harnack's Iowa farm memoir, We Have All gone Away, and just loved it. I will definitely look for the sequel to that, The Attic. Have exchanged a couple emails w/ Harnack too, a very interesting guy who lives in NYC now. - later, Tim

posted by TimBazzett at 9:21 pm (EST) on Jul 13, 2009

Water for Elephants I wasn't crazy about. An "elephant book" I enjoyed much more some years back was a novel called Elephant Winter. Look it up; you'll enjoy it.

posted by TimBazzett at 7:40 pm (EST) on Jul 5, 2009

I just read your brief review of Thomas Savage's The Power of the Dog, an author and book I only recently learned of thru another LT friend, Schmerguls. What a terrific novel, huh? I've got Savage's The Sheep Queen in my Amazon cart now. I loved Olive Kitteredge too, as well as Strout's Amy and Isabelle. I read mostly memoirs since I turned 60, but still enjoy a good novel now and then. Enjoy your reading. - Tim

posted by TimBazzett at 7:37 pm (EST) on Jul 5, 2009

Hi Roni,

Thanks for the recommendation. I will check our Russell Banks. I actually just bought his book The Reserve. It looked interesting.

posted by momom248 at 10:33 pm (EST) on Apr 13, 2009

Hi Roni,

I finally finished Tortilla Curtain. Although I really liked the book and the story--I did not like the ending. It was very unfinished. I can surmise what happened but you just don't know for sure. The baby dies and America & Candido survive. I am assuming the hand Candido grabs is Delaney's??? I'm a sucker for a happy ending or at least a finished ending where you know what the end results is. I'm anxious to read more of T.C. Boyle. Enjoy the holiday weekend!

posted by momom248 at 10:56 am (EST) on Apr 12, 2009

Hi Roni (Dreamreader),

I am enjoying Tortilla Curtain very much. It was our most recent book club pick. I am still reading it-- about 1/2 way through. We went to a popular Mexican restaurant in Hartford for our meeting to discuss the book--had to get in the atmosphere. I have to back off reading until I get my new bifocals next week. Unfortunately the print in this book is very small. This is my first T.C. Boyle but I do have The Women in the TBR stacks. I will definitely check out Continental Drift. Thanks for the message--have a great weekend!! Maureen

posted by momom248 at 6:52 pm (EST) on Apr 4, 2009

Yep. Sent it yesterday.

posted by cmtusa at 8:42 pm (EST) on Mar 30, 2009

Thanks Roni. I'll send out a signed copy in the morning. Hope you like it.

posted by cmtusa at 9:32 am (EST) on Mar 20, 2009

Oh, if you don't have a Kindle, I can send you a signed physical copy. I wouldn't expect you to read the book on a laptop :) Would you be willing to post your thoughts here and on a few of the other book review sites (amazon, goodreads, etc.)?

Chris

posted by cmtusa at 9:22 am (EST) on Mar 20, 2009

Hi,

Was wondering if you'd be interested in reviewing my new novel and posting your comments here as well as a few other book-related sites. Saw you liked Paris Trout, and thought you might like my novel since it's also southern and a bit dark (in the same vein as Paris Trout). I could e-mail you the novel in an e-book format if you'd like. Let me know if you're interested. Here's a link to a summary in case you're interested:

http://christophertusa.com/blog/?page_id...

Thanks,

Chris

posted by cmtusa at 10:09 am (EST) on Mar 18, 2009