What are you Reading this Month? ( April 2012)

I'm starting the month with a long listed 2012 Orange Prize book, The Translation of the Bones by Francesca Kay.

These are my planned reads for April:

The 12 Step Prayer Book by Bill P (a daily read)
1984 by George Orwell (Audiobook) (Completed April 11)
Alcoholics Anonymous: Large Print (a daily read)
Black Horses for the King by Anne McCaffrey (Kobo) (Completed April 20)
Daisy Miller by Henry James (Kobo)(Completed April 8)
The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz (Completed April 16)
The Fourth Deadly Sin by Lawrence Sanders
Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield (Kobo)
The Help by Kathryn Stockett (Kobo)
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace (Kobo)
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green
Love in a Nutshell by Janet Evanovich (audiobook) (Completed April 4)
The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence (Kobo - started in January and not yet finished)
Straight by Dick Francis (Kobo)
Twenty-four Hours a Day by Anonymous (a daily read)
War Horse by Michael Morpurgo (Kobo - started in March and not yet finished)
Why Dogs Are Better Than Cats by Bradley Greive (started in January and not yet finished)

I finished Sun on the Stubble and The thirty-nine steps on the first. I am now reading Wild America and some poetry (Sappho).

I'm reading a whole slew of non-fiction books and anthologies, and not making much progress. I'm also reading a novel, The Water Children, by Anne Berry, and hope to finish in the next day or so.

Playing catch up with Margaret Atwood and Lady Oracle.

I'm just starting Homesick, by Roshi Fernando. It's a series of short stories about Sri Lankan immigrants living in the UK, and together the stories form a novel.

I just finished The Chalk Circle Man by Fred Vargas, and haven't decided yet whether I really like this series and characters (new to me).

@7: I have to get back to Fred Vargas soon! The only one of hers I've read so far is Sous les vents de Neptune and I found it amusing because it was set in Ottawa-Gatineau.

Right now I am greatly enjoying myself with Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything, as well as juggling The Russia House and Air Farce: 40 Years of Flying by the Seat of Our Pants.

Just started The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller..only the first few chapters but so far so good!

Finished up The Translation of the Bones , a long listed 2012 Orange Prize book by Francesca Kay. Love it! I've created a review on the main page of the book, if you are interested.

I've read When I Kill You a great little thriller - easy one day read which is perfect for the coffee shop. I'm on to The Hunger Games for a bookclub. I'm having real trouble with the premise; everything seems so far-fetched (The Magus on the same theme is much much better); it's well-written, however, so I'll toil on with a smirk.

Finished Song of Achilles..beautifully done and well worth the read...

On to Vienna Blood by Frank Tallis an historical mystery which is okay but just not grabbing me.

I'm reading a collection of short stories China Dog: And Other Tales from a Chinese Laundry by Judy Fong Bates. I have read her novel, Midnight at the Dragon Cafe and loved it, so I thought I read her short stories as well.

I whipped through Anne Tyler's The Beginner's Goodbye and now I'm starting The Book of Fame by Lloyd Jones, author of Mister Pip which I found quite astonishing a while ago. I hope this one will be as good.

14: I would love to hear what you think of The Book of Fame when you are done.

I just borrowed a Kobo from my local library and am having my first try at ereading. I have been very against it up until I found some books online that I cannot for the life of me track down in paper. As such I am reading the first of the Bony mystery series called The Barrakee mystery by Arthur Upfield.

I've read Micro Fiction, edited by Jerome Stern and am currently reading Scenes and Studies of Savage Life by Gilbert Malcolm Sproat

I had always hesitated reading Sylvia Plath because I'm not big on poetry but after reading the first pages of The Bell Jar, I'm hooked!

I'm reading The Keeper of Lost Causes , a Danish Mystery/ Crime book by Jussi Adler-Olsen.

I'm reading Natural Flights of the Human Mind by Clare Morrall.

This weekend I participated in the Easter/Passover/April Readathon from Friday noon to Sunday midnight. I read from 12 different books as I am wont to do, and managed to complete one book, Daisy Miller by Henry James.

Granted, it is a novella only 48 pages long but I didn't think I would make it.

This is an odd little book. Written in 1878 it chronicles a young American girl’s willful yet innocent flirtation with a young Italian. She is outgoing and flirtatious and refuses to change her ways in order to fit into a culture and society to which she does not belong.

I understand that, for its time, it reflected absolutely scandalous behaviour on the part of this young woman and yet for today's time Daisy's behaviour is quite 'normal'.

As a social commentary, it doesn't fit with contemporary situations and yet is a very sad reflection on the concept of arrogance on behalf of those who believe that they are the arbiters of 'good behavoiur'. There are many today who would criticize those that don't fit in instead of applauding them for being such free spirits.

I can't say that this is going to go down in history as a great read but I am glad that I read it.

I was in the mood for some classic British humour so I pulled down my copy of Three by P.G. Wodehouse which includes Leave it to Psmith, The Code of the Woosters, and Pigs Have Wings. I'm starting with Leave it to Psmith.

Yet another mystery series selection: V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton

I joined the Endless Europe challenge so my current read is naturally European. I'm in Bosnia, with The Cellist of Sarajevo by Canadian author Steven Galloway.

Ah, Steven Galloway lives in my neighborhood. Every time I walk by his house I think, "I really must read his book soon!" And it's supposed to be so good! Too many books . . . too much time on the internet!

Too many books . . . too much time on the internet!

Too true!

You must make time for The Cellist of Sarajevo. It is exceptional.

I have a bit of an eye infection, can't read or even watch TV for more than a few minutes. (Fortunately the weather is good enough for cycling.)

>24, 25, 26: Yes Nickelini, you must read it. It is excellent. Especially as he is a neighbour. What if you run into him? Yikes! I'd feel obliged to make bad excuses - too many holds at the library, out of stock on Amazon, etc. etc.

I too would have trouble being separated from books and computer screen. loosha, you have my sympathy.

Starting to listen to David Copperfield by Charles Dickens on my MP3... so far so good!

I'm excited to be starting Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje. I was holding out until the paperback is published this summer, however, it's my book club's selection for next month, so I found an audiobook copy at the library. His Anil's Ghost was one of my all time favourites.

In regular books, I'm reading another story about Sri Lankan immigrants: Homesick, by Roshi Fernando. It's very good, but the writing style demands the reader to actively participate in the book. No sitting back and just being entertained.

I am about half way through The Sheltering Desert.

I've finished The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman which I loved. I'm now almost 1/2 way thru Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult.

I finished the gruesome Women Scorned by Angela Alsaleem as an early review book - can't say satanic rituals and zombies are my cup of tea; I'll be more careful about what I choose next time...

I've also finished The Sleepwatchers by Dr Dement, a researcher in the sleeping mind. He taks of everything from REM sleep and circadian rhythms in a very straightforward way - fascinating!

I'm back into Miss Seetoh in the World by Signapourian Catherine Lim. I'd put it aside, but I'm really enjoying it (especially after the zombie book).

Finally I'm continuing my explorations of the mind with The Instinct to Heal by David Servan-Schreiber which has been highly recommended as a way to treat stress and anxiety without drugs.

Just finished One Good Turn: A Jolly Murder Mystery by Kate Atkinson

I"ve begun reading The Detour by Gerbrand Bakker. We are doing it as a group read, so if anyone would like to join us, you can get the book on your kindle or kobo, if you have one. I just loved The Twin by the same author.

I'm reading a second book at the same time , so that I don't read too fast with The Detour. My small brain cannot normally manage more than one plot at a time , so we will see how that goes. My other book is a new book written by a Canadian, Patient Number 7. Really a fascinating look into Austria just around the rise of the Nazi's. Very interesting .
@33 - oh - dont you love Kate Atkinson ! :)

I just finished Started Early, Took my Dog by Kate Atkinson. She certainly seems to be popular on this thread right now!

@34: Yes, Deb, I really like Kate Atkinson's novels , too!
I just finished The Betrayal of Trust by Susan Hill. It's quite a while since I read anything by Susan Hill, and years since I read a Simon Serrailler novel, but now I'm remembering how much I like her work.

Well, I hope you enjoyed The Betrayal of Trust36. It was dark read, but very thoughtful and engaging, I thought.
I've finished off The Detour and very much enjoyed it, but as I am still discussing it in group read, I'm not yet ready to give it a star rating. It's a complex book and I'm glad I'm reading it with a group of people.

I've started another Helen Dunmore, The GreatCoat. It seems very interesting so far...

Just finished another Susan Hill novel-The Various Haunts of Men. I'm pretty sure now that I've read it a long time ago, as I very quickly (quickly for me, anyway!) figured out who the murdererer was, but I enjoyed reading it anyway.

I have finished The Mercury Fountain by Eliza Factor which I really enjoyed as a utopia gone wrong - although I like to think it's only redefined. I also finished The Trenches: Billy Stevens, my third in a series for young adults about WWI and WWII. So far all the books have been compelling.
I have started Underworld by Don Delillo which I'll be reading for a while (700 pages), but I love it!

I just finished The Halifax Connection which my daughter lent me. It's historical fiction, and for those of us who have lived in Halifax, it was so easy to picture. Set in the 1860s, it was about the effect the Civil War in the US had on a major Canadian port as both sides were trying to involve the British. It was also the time of the Charlottetown Conference discussing Canadian Confederation. It's was a spy story, a love story, and great history story. Writing style was a bit clunky but not enough to keep me from enjoying it.

@40: I read that one a few years ago and yes, it was quite clear she'd done some good research.

Not getting much reading done in the past couple of days... Got up to page 40 or so of The Forest, by Edward Rutherfurd, and listened to the first disc of The ABC Murders, by Agatha Christie.

I'm reading Why Men Lie by Linden MacIntyre.

I've been busy reading since my last post: In a Strange Room by Damon Galgut, The Believers by Zoe Heller, The Murderer's Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers, Player One by Douglas Coupland and Tide Road by Valerie Compton. I'm nearly finished The Last Woman by John Bemrose, after which I think I'll turn to some nonfiction.

I have been listening to The Accident by Linwood Barclay which I am about a third of the way into and so far it hasn't grabbed me. I am also reading Random Passage which is a bit slow but I am really enjoying the whole Newfoundland frontier experience.
#42 Loosha, how are you enjoying Why Men Lie? I've had my eye on it but I'm waiting for a little feedback first.

Stick with Random Passage, Iudita. It literally made me jump out of my chair at the end. But, skip the sequal.

Feeling overdosed on fiction, so am reading The Essential Gnostic Gospels by Alan Jacobs

#45 - Thanks for the advice Lynn. I'm about half way through and I will definately stick it out now that I know the ending picks up.

I just started Kit's Law by Morrissey. Not bad so far!

Also reading:
Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark for the 75 Books Challenge Take It or Leave It Challenge #24 to read a book by Muriel Spark
Things Fall Apart for the 12 12 Challenge Group read for April. Will finish them by the end of April hopefully!

I'm still feeling over-dosed on fiction, so chose another nonfiction book: The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doidge

>49 LynnB
I have two friends who have been reading Doidges book, The Brain that Changes Itself. I look forward to hearing your take on it.

Finished a wonderful historical fiction book, by a Canadian author - Patient Number 7. The review is on the main page, if you are interested it. I found it very fascinating!

44 - The Accident didn't really grab me either. It was okay.

I'm reading Wild Geese by Martha Ostenso. First published in 1925, it is ow recognized as an early example of a realist movement in Canadian writing.

I finished The Cat's Table, by Michael Ondaatje, a few days ago, and I'm still not sure what I want to say about it. In summary, it's a bildungsroman about a per-pubescent boy's unsupervised ocean voyage from Ceylon to England in the 1950s. On the way he meets a wide cast of interesting characters, and the story veers off into many amusing vignettes (my favourite was about the wealthy man going to England for rabies treatment). This was a sophisticated, charming book and I recommend it highly (5 stars).

I listened to this on audiobook, and while I enjoyed hearing the author read his own book, I would have liked to read some of the passages and ponder the ideas and language. Sometime in the future, I will pick up a paper copy and reread it. But it was a good audiobook all the same--many have questioned how much of this book is autobiographical (he insists not much--I think this is more the adventure he would liked to have had!)--however, the narrator of the book is an adult looking back on his adventure, and so hearing the author read it makes it seem that it must have been true.

I don't recommend this for readers who want a linear, plot-driven book, or prefer things spelled out for them. I find that to enjoy an Ondaatje book, I have to be in the mood to spend time in reflection. And then they are wonderful experiences. If that makes any sense.

#54-Nickelini - I also read The Cat's Table and I was a bit bored with it but I think your review was dead on, both about the book and the author's work. Ondaatje is very talented but you have to be in the right frame of mind to really appreciate the writing. You said "I don't recommend this for readers who want a linear, plot-driven book, or prefer things spelled out for them. I find that to enjoy an Ondaatje book, I have to be in the mood to spend time in reflection. And then they are wonderful experiences. If that makes any sense." I think this is very true and very well worded. Great review.

Just finished a non fiction book, for a change: Cruising Attitude by Heather Poole. I was interested in this topic because my daughter recently took a job as a flight attendant and I wanted to know more about this very crazy career. The writing isn't great, not very cohesive, but Poole has a light, humourous tone and a lot of interesting stories to tell.

@55 - Yes, I was a bit bored by The Cat's Table too. It was okay. I think he's one of those authors that you love or you are not keen about.

I finished The Outlander by Gil Adamson and it was a good enough read, but I felt held at arm's length from the characters, as well as finding the first 188 of 388 pages to be very slow going.

I've just started White Nights by Ann Cleeves.

I finished April with L'Armée furieuse by my favourite mystery writer Fred Vargas and Strengthsfinder 2.0 by Tom Rath. I'm now finishing up Moonwalking with Einstein about memory and what it is capable of.