Let's see how far I can get with my second set of 75 books.

1. Hana's Suitcase by Karen Levine. Recommended by Whisper1. An extremely interesting and thought-provoking story. Another book I am recommending to my niece who has just decided reading may not be so bad after all (thank goodness! I thought she was doomed).




First Thread

ETA a link to my first thread. Success!

Message edited by its author, Jul 3, 2009, 4:44pm.

Gotcha starred!

*Waves*

I think thought-provoking is the perfect word to describe Hana's Suitcase. There are not a lot of books on the Holocaust that are aimed at a younger audience, but this one certainly is. I hope your niece likes it! Oh, and if she is interested in the subject matter, Number the Stars by Lois Lowry is another book I would recommend.

Good luck with your second half of the challenge!

Just read the whole of your first thread and have now come here and can't believe I wasn't following your thread before. I am now!

Terri
Hana's Suitcase was powerful and beautiful. I'm glad you liked it.

And, I note from your previous thread that you read Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper. I've been out of town for a week and haven't had time to keep up with the posts. Therefore, I don't know if you are aware that there is a group read for Over Sea, Under Stone. I started reading this book on the plane this morning. I'm enjoying it tremendously.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/67054

#2 Hi, Lorie! Glad you're here!

#3 Cait, I couldn't think of any other words to describe it! Thus the short note about it. Very awesome. My niece is 14 and has always been a complete non-reader. She visited the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC this spring, so I talked her into reading The Book Thief. She's loving it, so while she's reading Hana's Suitcase, I'll be reading Number the Stars before foisting that one on her! I say whatever gets them reading.

#4 Well, I'm glad you found me, Luna. I've been following you!

#5 Linda, thanks for the recommendation of Hana's Suitcase. When I got to the part where her brother said she had got her wish to be a teacher, I bawled. VERY powerful. I did know about the group read, and was trying to pace myself, but I found it so enthralling, I finished it early! I'll have to read the rest of the series now.

Message edited by its author, Jul 3, 2009, 4:54pm.

I'm hoping to finish Dark Places this weekend. Like her first book, I'm finding it well-written, but tough going. Hard to pick up to continue reading, but hard to put down once I've gotten going.

I have you starred again! Good luck with the 2nd 75.

Argh, another thread for me to lose!! Oh, wait - I just put it in my 'Your posts' list. As you were. Ahem. Apologies for the interruption.

I am on my second 75.. or whatever it turns out to be, as well.
To be honest I am floored by how many books I have read. I never
kept count before and it is sort of shocking to think I have read over 80 books already this year.

I will (sheepishly) admit that I have a very bad habit of "dropping" the number of books I've read this year to anyone who will listen. "Goodness, Terri, when do you ever find time to read?" "Oh, here and there. I've read 75 books so far this year" with a toss of my head.

I am such a show-off. That's why I hang out with you guys. You keep me humble!

Terri
Funny you should mention "dropping" the number of books you have read this year. In the last few days I've talked about LT alot, and of course mentioned the number of books read.....................

I tell people about the catharsis of reading and how it calms me to set a goal, reach it and enjoy the journey.

Lol..........when you said 'dropping' I thought you meant LOWERING the number of books you had read this year...............needless to say, there was a very confused Luna-face at this end for a minute.

I am a number-dropper too. My friends (with a few exceptions) just cannot understand my obsession. In fact, I talk about books so much that whenever someone mentions that they love something, the inevitable sarcastic response is "do you love it as much as Cait loves to read?"

Sorry, Luna--"name dropping" was what I was trying to say, but couldn't come up with a better description!

Cait, I have the same problem with my family (except my sons--they've grown up with it!) and friends. I start talking about some great book I've read and they look at me like I've grown another nose. Although I do have to admit, I have one niece and one nephew who are like me about reading, and my most recent "best time" was on Father's Day, sitting at the kitchen table with the two of them, plus my middle son, talking for over an hour about interesting books we had read recently. It takes so little to make me happy...

2. Radio Priest: Charles Coughlin, The Father of Hate Radio by Donald Warren. Recommended to me by PhaedraB. Although not the greatest book I've ever read, it probably affected me as much as, if not more than, any other.

A very difficult book to rate. There is a lot of bouncing around in time, and the footnotes in the back are nearly overwhelming (40 pages, plus 15 pages of references). So from a writing style, I'd have to down-rate it.

From an importance standpoint, though, I think it should be required reading for everyone. This is the career of Father Charles Coughlin through the 30s and 40s. I had never heard of him before (which I am ashamed to say). Coughlin was probably one of the country's loudest anti-Semites, and he apparently had an oratorical style that was unmatched for the time. He also had a weekly radio show. Warren calls him the creator of the "lunatic fringe" and of "hate radio." I would call him an American Hitler.

I'm not so dumb as to think there was no anti-Semitism in the US during WWII, but I was surprised to realize the extent of it. All I could think of while reading it was how complacent I had felt while reading Roth's The Plot Against America, thinking it was a nice fantasy story. Turns out that we may have been closer to it than I thought we were.

Sometimes, maybe freedom of speech isn't such a great idea...

3. Why Do I Love These People? by Po Bronson. An interesting take on a self-help sort of book. Bronson tells the stories of individuals & families who have, in one way or another, sorted out issues they had with their familes. It was interesting, but I didn't find it particularly helpful or inspirational. It could be that I'm just not in that kind of a place right now.

>17 - Terri - Why Do I Love These People? is on my TBR shelf. I've picked it up a couple of times, but never gotten very far into it. Your review makes me think that I'll leave it there for a while longer.

4. Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian. I found this one to be disappointing. I know a lot of you liked it, but it didn't appeal to me. I don't want to say too much about it to avoid any spoiling, but the twists and unexpected ending just didn't do it for me.

If Double Bind is the book that used the Gatsby characters as a gimmick, I remember being disappointed as well. He is one of those authors like Joyce Carol Oates who usually delivers but sometimes just falls flat -- imo!

Btw, still waiting for Dark Places. There are 8 additional copies in processing. Maybe I'll go apply for a job at the library as they seem to be taking their sweet time about it.

Donna, that's the same book. I think "falls flat" is a good description--also, imo!

Dark Places is SO worth the reading! And I zipped through it rather quickly (okay, I couldn't put it down, but I had to and it was killing me!). I finally stayed up last night (thank God for rain--my Mom decided we shouldn't go to the Muny because it might rain) and finished it. Review below: in short, I loved it!

5. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. The Kill Club is a secret society obsessed with famous crimes. They offer Libby Day money (which she desperately needs) to re-connect with the players involved in the murder 25 years earliers of her mother and 2 sisters. Her brother Ben was convicted, on seven-year-old Libby's testimony that he was the killer. The more she investigates, the less sure she is that she was right.

I found this to be a wonderfully well-written book, moving back and forth in time and perspective, leading up to a surprising, maybe improbable but certainly not impossible solution that I found satisfying, and keeping me on my toes the entire time.

I do have to mention one little thing, though. On page 120, one character, in Emporia, KS, tells Libby to "drive west on I-70, just past Columbia." Columbia is east of Kansas on I-70. Driving west would take her (eventually) to Denver.

Aside from that, a compelling read. Highly recommended!

#22 I noticed that driving direction, and figured that Columbia, KS was a fictional town being used in the story. Then, when Libby took the drive towards St Louis, past Columbia, MO, I thought that I must have mis-read the original comment. Glad to know I'm not losing my mind!

I figured they were talking about Columbia MO because of her comment about "take a left into any of those strip clubs." LOL!

Not that I've ever been to one, but to judge by the billboards on that stretch...

sounds like a good one.....thumbed ya!

terri, I too have mentioned the number of books read this year.
Not often, but....

I did like Double Bind. Sorry it disappointed you.. he has a new book on its way out you know..

Secrets of Eden

Here is how the book is described in the Random House catalog:

A novel of shattered family ties, intimate secrets, and the nature of sacrifice, Secrets of Eden is written with Chris Bohjalian's trademark compassion and explosive revelations.

"There," says Alice Hayward to Reverend Stephen Drew, just after her baptism, going home to the husband who will kill her that evening before turning the gun upon himself. Drew, tortured by the cryptic finality of that short utterance, feels his faith in God slipping away and is saved from despair only by a meeting with Heather Laurent, the author of wildly successful, inspirational books about . . .angels. Heather survived a childhood in which her father murdered her mother and then took his own life. Stephen flees the pulpit to be with her and see if there is anything to be salvaged from the spiritual wreckage around him. But then the State's Attorney begins to suspect that Alice's husband may not have killed himself - and Alice herself had secrets that only her minister knew. Secrets of Eden shows how guilt can often overshadow truth and how morally ambiguous a life really can be.

The novel will be a Lifetime movie and foreign rights have already been sold in the United Kingdom.

ahem

sorry

I was just catching up on his blog and found this.. lol

http://www.chrisbohjalian.com/bohjalian-...

6. Sometimes Mine by Martha Moody. I received this from the publisher as an ARC.
Genie Toledo is a divorced, workaholic cardiologist. She has been having an long-distance affair with a basketball coach, Mick Crabbe, on Thursday nights for 12 years. This is the story of what happens when Mick is diagnosed with cancer.

So many things could have gone wrong with this story, and I expected every one of them. Thank goodness I was disappointed. This was a book with human characters, mistake-makers one and all, but they were believable in their actions and reactions, and NOT ONCE did I slap my head in disgust. We see how the situation affects Genie's relationships with her patients, with her family, with her daughter, and mostly with Mick. This is not a tear-jerker, it is not a bodice-ripper, it is a good solid read that I enjoyed very much. Recommended.

Message edited by its author, Jul 12, 2009, 1:37pm.

#25 Thanks Mac! It really is a great book

#26 And thank you, Kath! I will be on the lookout for it. I do generally like Chris Bohjalian, but Double Bind just didn't do it for me. I know you liked it; that's one reason I read it. His new one sounds intriguing, although sometimes I get put off by a book when I know there's a movie deal already in the works. I have put it on my list--if you read it first, let me know what you think!

#24 So true about the billboards. It's almost embarrassing sometimes just driving down the road.

7. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. I believe this was recommended by Linda (Whisper1) and also by my niece Alison. A few weeks ago, I found it at a garage sale, sitting by itself in a pile of clothes, for 10 cents. I was looking for a light read yesterday and picked it up. A delightful and thought-provoking story. If you could live forever, would you really want to? I especially liked Mr. Tuck's explanation to Winnie about why it would not be a good idea. It fit the bill perfectly.

Message edited by its author, Jul 13, 2009, 10:49am.

The Search for Delicious by Natalie Babbitt is really scrumptious as well, if you haven't read it.

I did read it earlier this year, when I found it while cataloging my son's books. Shortly after I read it, Linda read Tuck Everlasting and I put it on my list to read, then realized the author was the same! I thoroughly enjoyed it also!

8. The Greatest Gift: The Courageous Life and Martyrdom of Sister Dorothy Stang by Binka Le Breton. I read this for my church book discussion group.
Sister Dorothy Stang spent over half her life working with the poor in Brazil's Amazon region. She fought for the rights ot fhe small farmers against the loggers, ranchers, and speculators, for which she was murdered in 2005 at the age of 73.
This book is a history of her life, told in an odd form of interviews and stories. It is an interesting history, but the format was like reading a newspaper story, and it was distracting to me. It was interesting to learn about an area of the world that I have not known much about, and, although my (probably blasphemous) opinion about most martyrs is "What good did it do for you to die?" it appears that Sister Dorothy's death did rally the forces that needed rallying. Sometimes, that's what it takes.
I enjoyed the story, but not so much the writing.

9. The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly. A story of a young man whose mother has died and whose father has remarried and had another child. David's jealousy of his new brother conjures up The Crooked Man, who lures him into a different world, where he learns to overcome his fears (and his jealousies). He meets up with and is pursued by many odd creatures, along with some helpful friends, as he works his way to the King's castle to find The Book of Lost Things, which, so he is told, will get him back home.
I found this to be a fascinating story, one of my top twenty books this year. I recommend it, but you've got to like this kind of book. I can see where some wouldn't care for it.

Terri
I started to read The Book of Lost Things but it didn't hold my interest. I think I should pick it up and try it again. I liked your description.

#33: I read The Book of Lost Things earlier this year and was ultimately disappointed in it, probably because I was expecting to like it much more than I did. I did not hate it, I did not love it.

ditto stasia's comments

It was one of those books that went on to and came off of my list numerous times, based on widely varying reviews. I ended up enjoying it immensely, but, like I said, I can see where some would not. What a drag it would be if we all liked the same things!

agreed

Definitely! Boredom beyond boredom . . .

I've got The Book of Lost Things in my TBR pile--had been waffling due to mixed reviews, but will move it up again, Terry, based on your reaction!

#40

Personally, I think you'll like it but.............eh, what do I know?? (Of course, if I AM right then I'm a complete genius who knows everything).

I vote for the complete genius, Luna.

all who post here = genius!

#43: all who post here = genius!

Ain't it the truth?

It is indeed.

Now I have a bit of a favor to ask any of you who stop by here. My mother had a cardiac cath yesterday and was told she could not leave without a triple (possibly quadruple) bypass. The prognosis is very good, although we're all a little nervous. The surgery isn't until Monday though, and she's bored silly. She is a reader (where do you think I got it from?) although her tastes are way different from mine. She tends towards the Nora Roberts, Julie Garwood, John Grisham, none of whom I've read enough of to even begin to extrapolate into different authors.

Thus the favor:
1. Please send prayers (or if you aren't a pray-er, send positive energy) in the general direction of the Midwest.
2. Give me some reading ideas for her. I think she's already read everything by the above authors, and I know she wouldn't enjoy some of the more esoteric things I read. She's going to be on forced rest for quite a while, and since I'm refusing to iron my father's permanent press pants while she's gone, I want to have something else I can do for her to make her time a little less dull.

Help, anyone?

ETA: surgery Monday instead of Friday. now she really WILL be bored.

Message edited by its author, Jul 22, 2009, 4:27pm.

Prayers sent!

Scott Turow is very Grisham-like. Presumed Innocent may be a good choice. If she's into police procedural kinds of mysteries, I've heard good things about Child44 and it's high on my list. It's a murder mystery set in the Soviet Union during the Stalin years. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is very good, but may not be her cup of tea. Has she read the J. D. Robb "in Death" series by Nora Roberts under an alias? Starts with Naked in Death if I remember right.

Message edited by its author, Jul 22, 2009, 4:26pm.

Thanks, Jim! I'll check out the Turow. I read Child44 and loved it, but I'm not sure how she'd like it. I believe that she owns and has read EVERYTHING Nora Roberts has written under any name, except maybe one series that she tried and didn't like (did Roberts do a vampire series?).
I usually do a pretty good job of picking out books for people, but for some reason, not her. Wonder why?

Terri - if she wants to stick to the Nora Roberts vein, you might try her with Jayne Ann Krentz, who also writes historicals under Amanda Quick.

One of the best mystery series on the market and in that vein is Sue Grafton's Alphabet series. They are quirky and fun and well written.

And for another great series in the mystery genre, try Tony Hillerman. they are good solid mysteries and well written. Hillerman captures the Southwest and New Mexico like a native. His version of the Navajo and other Native Americans is a little rose colored.

Agree with the Doc on the Scott Turow recommendation, though Turow is a little darker and edgier than Grisham.

God Bless.

Lace Reader!

energy on its way.. what is moms first name?

More prayers on their way. I'm sure you'll do fine choosing books for her. Smiling at the mental image of ironing Dad's slacks! And positively grinning at the thought that she is probably worrying about things like that!

I, too, thought of Turow. Since that suggestion's already been made, I'll just send prayers for her safe surgery and speedy recovery!

Thank you all! I am so blessed to know such wonderful people!

Stasia, I'll look into the Krentz/Quick books. Can't say I've ever heard of them, but it's not a genre I hang out with too much.

Mac, I can't believe I didn't think of the Grafton series! I own them all, and they're some of my very favorites. I'll be she would like them. I've tried some Hillerman and not been overwhelmed, but they seem to be her style.

Kath, shame on you! I was hoping no one would recommend something that sounded good to ME. And her first name is Norma.

Thanks, Sandy. I am NOT smiling at the image of me ironing Dad's slacks. Although I can see where the thought would make others laugh...the one time I did it, there was a CurseFest galore!

Thank you too, tymfos. So glad that you've popped up on my radar!

I'll be on a hunt this weekend! I could just kiss all of you!

Terri, my mom's name is Norma, too. What a jolt - the realization of what you must be feeling. Take care of your mom, and your dad (wrinkled pants and all), but don't neglect yourself. More prayers for all of you.

Sending more energy to Norma and to Terri...
hugs too...

( you can't mean that you haven't read Lace Reader yet!!)

Terri.
I'm so sorry you are dealing with ever so much these days.

Prayers are sent to you, your mom and family.

Hugs
Linda

Prayers AND positive energy coming your way!

I've been out of touch for a few days and am now doing catch-up with threads. I'll send my prayers north to the St. Louis area for you, your mother, and your wrinkly-pants Dad. My mother used to iron my dad's undershirts and boxers!!!

Thank you all. And I want to make it clear that my father does NOT have wrinkled pants! They are permanent press, and they are perfectly nice right out of the dryer. This is his own personal obsession. As a child, I remember being so excited when my mother would let me iron his handkerchiefs. I have gotten over this insanity.

She is feeling well, and thus going crazy in the hospital. I tell her that the alternative is to go home, have a heart attack, and get CPR from my dad. That generally quiets her for a while.

And I have been getting a little reading done:

10. I, Robot by Isaac Asimov. I'm not generally a science fiction reader, but I grabbed this off of a stack so I'd have a small book to keep in my purse to read at doctor appointments (yes, on top of everything else, my knee gave out. Luckily, all I needed was cortisone, the elixir of the gods). I was pleasantly surprised to find that I really enjoyed it (I did NOT see the movie, incidentally).
This was, in a nutshell, a collection of stories cataloging the progression of robots over the years, tied together via an interview with robopsychologist Susan Calvin. Considering that Asimov wrote most of the stories in the 1940s, I found his characterizations of the moral and psychological dilemmas strangely prophetic. It certainly gave me a lot to think about...

11. The Doll People by Ann M. Martin. A sweet little YA, recommended by Linda/Whisper. Very enjoyable, cute story of old-fashioned dolls living in a doll house, and their adventures when a modern doll family moves in. I absolutely loved the ending!

Message edited by its author, Jul 24, 2009, 3:54pm.

I am reading a book by a british surgeon...
Direct Red

There is a part where as a brand new med student.. she is in a position to need to use cpr to save a life. She doesn't know cpr. That shocked me!

I am glad you have a means to keep your mom where she needs to be :)

Ooh, that sounds interesting. I'll have to add it to the list. Maybe add it to Mom's list too!

I've worked in health care all my life, just never in the patient care part of it. I do know CPR, although I pity anyone who needs it if I'm the only one around! In the cardiac cath lab waiting room the other day, some people were talking about how their dad was in so much pain because his ribs were broken during CPR. That would be my luck!

It isn't uncommon... but broken ribs/ death... seems an easy answer.
I honestly think I could do it... I have been re-certified every year for 6 years or so. CPR/First Aid

I admit, that I have never been put to the test..havent't stumbled on a victim..

Terri - I'm just catching up on threads, but I wanted you to know that I'm sending prayers for your mom, and for you and your dad. I'm not sure that I have many more recommendations to add, but I have The Emperor of Ocean Park by Stephen L. Carter on my TBR pile, and I think that it sounds somewhat Grisham-like. I believe that Carter has a couple of more recent books too.

Hi Terri

I'm glad you liked The Doll People. I enjoyed the illustrations, which I thought not only augmented, but gave the book meaning.

It was cute and entertaining. Given the stress in your life right now, it sounds like it was a nice foray into mindless enjoyment.

Hang in there!

opps, Terri, I forgot to ask you if you laughed right out loud when the doll people were banging away at the piano in the doll house singing "sock it to me" "sock it to me" "sock it to me."

I simply thought the book was very creative!

#62 and #63

Breaking ribs is a sign that CPR has been done properly. It ensures you're pushing hard enough. Any less and its supposedly having no effect whatsoever.

Well, I'm with Kath--I'd rather have the broken ribs and be alive! The way those folks were going on, though, you'd have thought he had been abused!

Update if you're interested: Mom's surgery was today, and all went well. She ended up with 3 bypasses (one less than we thought!), and needed one pint of blood, but the doctor and her nurses were all very pleased with the outcome. She'll be in ICU for a day or two, wafting in and out of consciousness, but they expect her to be in a regular room by Wednesday or Thursday, so expectations are high! I thought she looked dreadful tonight, but then, how would any of us look after a 6 hour surgery on our heart?

Thank you all for the prayers, energy and book suggestions! She especially enjoyed hearing about all the book suggestions!

Love to all, Terri

#66 And Linda, I roared over the piano singing! They were so serious about it!

Terri, So glad to hear that the surgery went well! More prayers are going out from here for her super-quick recovery.

:D Glad to hear the surgery went well.. I bet she will look better today, and feel much better by the end of the week. Difficult time for all of you ~~~
*hugs*

Terri

After reading the first Doll book, I read the second. I know there is another and I'm going to read it before summer's end.

I'll continue to hold your mom, you and family in my prayers. My, but you are experiencing a stressful summer. I'm glad the news is positive.
And, I hope August brings some blessed relief for all of you.

Hugs
Linda

Terri, thanks for the update about your mom. Hang in there, girl!

Another update: They moved Mom out of ICU today. 2 days after open heart surgery. What's the world coming to? Anyway, she's groggy and in pain, but the doctor said she's progressing "remarkably well." I'm finally starting to breathe again.
Thanks once more for all the prayers. Hopefully, I'll get caught up on posts in the next few days! Then maybe I can start reading again!

The books will be there when you get back to them - spend the time you need with your mom. I am glad to see that she is doing so well!

happy dance for mom doing well!!!!!!!

hugs

Double happy dance! Mom's going home today! This morning she was only in a little pain, she's sitting up, the doc came in and said there's no reason she can't go home this afternoon. She's thrilled (as are we all). She told me this morning, "I keep nodding off to sleep." I told her she did that before her surgery, so she must be back to normal! I'll spend the weekend babysitting for her & Dad (since this was supposed to be Family Weekend at the Clubhouse, but I'm the logical choice to stay home), but I can do that.

Thanks again to everyone for prayers, well-wishes, and in general, a forum for me to vent. You can't imagine how much it means to me.

So glad to hear the good news about your mom, Terry!

#77: You can't imagine how much it means to me.

Yes, I can, and I know exactly what you mean.

I am so glad to hear that you mom is able to go home. What wonderful news!

Wow! Your mom must be a strong lady. I'm so thrilled to hear that she is already back home. I hope that her recovery continues progressing quickly.

hugs to you Terri!

I'm sending continued prayers that your mother's recovery goes smoothly and that you get a break from stress!

Linda

12. The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper. I read this for the Series Group Read we've got going on another thread. I enjoyed it very much, as I did the first. Except for the one character, it didn't seem to relate much to the first book, but as I recall, someone said that the series decision was made after the first book, and maybe they aren't supposed to relate. Doesn't matter--both were good, and I'll carry on with the series!
Fun times this afternoon. I went down to The Clubhouse to join my siblings for dinner, and found in the garage a large table piled high with books. Someone thought they were my uncle's, but I've no idea why he would be keeping them down there rather than in his own home. Regardless, it was the Mother Lode for me, and I ended up bringing several home with a promise to return them.

Third book pulls the first two together, and resolves the unfinished issue in the first book. Forge ahead, Terry!

Oh, don't worry Roni! I'm enjoying them immensely and have every intention of forging ahead!

Glad to hear of your mother's continued progress! (I've been off the boards for a few days with travel, and just catching up.)

I've also been traveling lately and not here to learn the latest news. Glad to hear about your mom's progress. I passed through St Louis a week ago, during the days before her surgery, so you and your family were on my mind and in my prayers quite a lot.

Good to hear your mum's recovery is progressing well - must have been a tough couple of weeks there.

Lost you for a few days Terri...

Glad to find your good news... and sending a hug your way :)

13. The Lost City of Z by David Grann. The author investigates the 1925 disappearance of Percy Hamilton Fawcett in the Amazon forest, and tries to re-create his quest for The Lost City of Z (or El Dorado). Fawcett's story is interspersed with Grann's findings. I found the Fawcett story fascinating. Grann's part was interesting, but only compelling in that it added to Fawcett's story. The ending wasn't as disappointing as I was afraid it would be. I liked the book, but it seemed to take me a long time to read it.
What was most interesting to me was that I read this book right on the heels of Book #8, The Greatest Gift: The Courageous Life and Martyrdom of Sister Dorothy Stang. That book also took place in the Amazon forest, and in fact, Grann mentions Sister Dorothy's death as having happened while he was actually in South America. It always seems so fortuitous to me when I am reading books that interconnect without having planned it!

I am reading Z now, but will have to look at Sister Dorothy... thanks ! :)

#89 Terri - I picked up The Lost City of Z months and months ago, with the sincere intention of reading it immediately, and then, like Percy, it disappeared; lost in a veritable forest of books. It has now become my own El Dorado!

Peter, I'm cracking up! I was just talking last night about Z & about how the jungle seems to swallow things up in rapid fashion, and your post sounds like your books are the same way! I haven't lost any lately, although I saw a book in my LT Library yesterday that I didn't remember I had. Usually, I can put my hands on them right away. Surely you don't think that means I have too many books???!!!

Incidentally, my church book group met last night to talk about the Sister Dorothy book. We had a great discussion (what really makes someone a martyr anyway, and does she really qualify?), but it was made even better with the insights I threw in from Z. So thanks to everyone who recommended it!

14. The Serpent's Tale by Ariana Franklin. The sequel to Mistress of the Art of Death. Many on here are reading or have read this, so I won't go into a lot of detail. I enjoyed it very much, but I didn't like it as well as I did the first book. I think that the reason I didn't is because Adelia is just too emotional. I know that sounds silly, but I think what I liked most about the first book was how she was able to keep her emotions in check in order to do what she had to do. In the second book, however, she's emotional to the point of becoming a caricature of women (irrational, "if you loved me you'd...", that sort of thing), and occasionally I'd wonder if I had slipped a chick-lit book in accidentally. I did like the book a lot in spite of this, however, and I'm anxious to read the third book.

#93: Your review pretty much sums up the way I felt about the book, too. I have heard very good things about the third book, though, and am really anxious to get my hands on it.

I think it was Richard who had posted that there was something about the book that he just couldn't put his finger on. I felt the same way, but I managed to put my finger on it--she just didn't seem in character through the whole book. I began to wonder if it was "that time of the month" for her!
For a woman, her behavior was normal (I don't like admitting it, but there it is--sometimes we do behave irrationally). That's probably why it didn't set so well--I wanted her to be better than me!

Men behave irrationally too... !

Just sayin... I haven't read the book :)

Z was good. I had some trouble with the abuse of animals, but it was brief and I passed it over as much as I could. Still. It did leave a bit of a bad taste. I know it wa s telling it like it was.. but I don't have to be rational, all the time.. right? lol

Of course not. You're a woman (or should I say, you're a human!).

I know very well that men behave irrationally too. Boy, do I know it! But it's a different style of irrational than women, if that makes sense. Ours is being much more emotional. Men's irrationality is usually from them being much less emotional.
A generalization, I know. I tend towards that a lot. In general.

Here's some generalization - Men's irrationality comes from their quest for power and place in the hierarchy. They think the outward signs of status make sense - the fancy car, the young woman on their arm (do they think she'd be interested if he didn't have some kind of power?), the "toys" they own, their address. To me, this is all irrational, but to many men, it makes sense because it gives them a status in the hierarchy of the male.
Women are more co-operative (generally) - we scorn those who try to create a hierarchy (hence the dislike of women who shove themselves forward in some way at the expense of their fellow women). As the designated child bearers and raisers (by Mama Nature, that is) we have to be co-operative for the survival of the group. Male survival can depend on their having power in the group.
I don't believe rationality is sex-linked - after all, for millenia men have been the ones to decide what is rational and what isn't - and they still do in many parts of the world. Emotion can often be based on rationality - to think something is unfair and react to it with emotion is not irrational - unless some man tells you it is, and you grow up believing it, and as women, that's what happens.
We're all human, and men and women, in general, have some differences. But women being irrational as a group - nope! And when our "time of the month" disappears, we don't turn into men, either, thank you Mama Nature!

Amen, Sister! Well put!

#98

I think part of the issue with the whole discussion as to the differences between men and women is that we cannot experience both sides. Its been scientifically proven that not only do men think differently, but they physically see, hear, smell, and taste things differently. Their entire brain is wired to different instincts.

I once read something by a scientist (and I can't remember who/where/the exact quote) that said a female human will have more in common with a female gorilla and chimpanzee (in terms of the way they think) than they do with a man. And the same goes the other way. So is it any wonder we struggle to understand the opposite sex??

That's interesting (and totally believable) about the female human having more in common with female primates than with male humans. I've believed for a long time that there will never be complete understanding between the sexes because we simply cannot get into each others' heads and see things the other way. I guess that's what makes it all interesting.
An interesting side note: years ago, when John Gray's Mars & Venus books were all the rage, I read one of them and absolutely hated it. I felt like he pointed out the differences (I could accept that), then told the women how to adjust to the man with nothing going the other way. Well, duh. He's a man. And I always found that men liked his philosophy more than women did.
Aren't we a fun species??? There has to be a God--I can't imagine anything this intricate being accidental!

15. Franny and Zooey by J. D. Salinger. I found this among a pile of books my uncle has at our clubhouse, and brought it home to read. It was on my TBR list, although I don't have it noted where I got the idea to read it. I really liked this book. I shouldn't have. It was kind of pointless and dated, and I'm not sure it can be described. I guess I would call it a day in the life of Franny & Zooey Glass. A particular day, though, in which they're both in a funk, and the day is spent in trying to help Franny out of hers. It was a compelling read, because through these efforts, we learn about the whole family: what their lives were like to this point, and why they're at this particular point anyway. It was a quick read, hard to put down, and although it ended abruptly, it seemed as though everything was going to be okay.

>101 Terri, I bet more women bought his book than men though.... even if you forget about the "nurturing, relationship-focused" sterotype, the surveys all show that women buy way more books than men (at least in the US). So it would make sense from a commercial perspective, if nothing else. Sadly.

>101: And what didn't receive much publicity was the fact that John Gray and his wife Barbara D'Angelis could both write self-help books on what makes men and women "tick" -- but they couldn't keep their own marriage together. Plus, no surprise, neither one is entitled to use "Dr." before their name. Between them, they have at least six marriages, so maybe they are indeed experts in their field.

I'm enjoying these posts re. male/female differences.
I'm sure we could go on and go and on about this topic and it would prove to be very interesting.

>103: Flossie, it's funny that you say that because one thing I intended to add but forgot was that so many of the single women that I knew used it as a Bible. There are (sadly) many desperate women out there who want nothing more than a man (ANY man). So that's what they get. I use that as my reason for staying single, although it's probably more accurate to say that I'm single because I'm honest to the point of tactless, intelligent, assertive, and managing just fine alone. Plus I never bought into the Gray thing, and it was too easy for men to find one of the desperate ones.

And Donna, I knew about Gray and his wife. When I would bring that up, though, no one seemed to think it was significant!

Linda, I could pontificate for hours! I'll accept your subtle hint now, though, and get back to books.

Terri
It wasn't a hint. I mean it. I think this is such an interesting topic.

One of my pet peeves as someone who was divorced in the 70's, was that somehow divorced women were called "divorcees!" (said in a pejorative, demeaning way.) Yet, I don't think there is such a word for men who were/are divorced.

I could go on and on.

John Gray makes my teeth itch.

ick

just sayin...

I have never read anything by John Gray and do not intend to start now - especially if he makes Kath's teeth itch! No telling what he would do to mine.

LOL Stasia... I never read him either.. his appearance on Oprah was enough to send me running in the other direction, and have serious doubts about Oprah!

I do not watch Oprah, so that is probably why I have never read his books. His appearance there would probably have made me run the other direction, too :)

Following the conversation with delight, but have nothing to add.

>107 I have a word for divorced men, Linda! But we probably don't want to hear it. And besides, it's just me generalizing. I've met some very nice divorced men. I've also met many NOT so very nice divorced men.

>108 I read the first Mars & Venus book because it was all the rage in the early 90's among my single friends. And although I would never have described it as "making my teeth itch," that's a fairly apt description of how I felt about it. I think I have another one of his books that a gentleman from a failed romance gave me (Mars & Venus in Love, I think). This book has never been read. I'd mooch it, but it has a mushy inscription in the front. I'm afraid if I had seen John Gray on TV, my TV would have a high-heeled shoe wedged in the tube.

>112 Sandy, your delight is all we need!

Sometimes it just baffles me that certain books are so bad yet sell so many...

16. Q is for Quarry by Sue Grafton. I just love these books. Once I start one, I have to sit still until it's finished. But I pace myself, so I have a few more on the shelf.

I read one of hers.. someone who used to sub where I work made me.. lol.
she thought Grafton and I looked alike.. ( well, we both have curly grey hair, but Sue is very pretty !) I did enjoy it, but never carried on with it..
it was a few years back and somewhere in the middle of the alphabet, I think :)
I may have to read more of them ...

I went kicking and screaming into these books. I always feel like it's a gimmick to get you to keep buying them. But darn it, even this far, she's managed to keep them fresh. Some are better than others, and there are occasional recurring characters, but each book stands alone in it's own right, and I've liked all of them. I think she's written up to "U" now. I tried to do Evanovich, but her books all started sounding the same and got unrealistically silly. These don't go that route.

And from the picture on your profile page, you do kind of look like Sue Grafton.

lol terri :D, kind of you :)

Just stopped by to say hi. (Your thread looked "lonely," no posts on it for the past few days :)

I hope your Mom is doing OK.

Aw, thanks, tymfos! Mom's doing great. Still a little slow and easily tired, but a lot better than I would have expected!
I was starting to feel the loneliness, too, but then I hadn't posted here either. I was trying to read In The Fall by Jeffrey Lent, but it was becoming a slog and when it's not enjoyable, I have to stop. So I did. It's not a bad book (I made it to page 75), but I have learned that I am just not cut out for books with too many incomplete sentences, and this book was full of them. And although the story had potential, I wasn't willing to sacrifice to realize that potential.

So I read something else.
17. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. I'm not sure why I never read this before, but I found it when I was cataloging my sons' books, and decided to read it. It was very good, although shorter than I expected. I did find it interesting to contemplate the effects of distilling your evil parts into another person. I'd have given up the experiment way before he did!

I've also been reading the Junie B. Jones books lately that my sister gave to me so I could save them for my granddaughter. Cute books, but I don't think I'll count them.

I guess I liked In the Fall a bit more than you did since I finished it, but it wasn't all that great for me either. Especially didn't like the ending.

I'll sometimes pick up a children's book and read it before I put it back on the shelf, and don't mention them in my threads either. Junie B. Jones reminds me of Ramona, got a chuckle out of them too, especially the first ones. Your granddaughter should love them. They're the perfect transition from those early readers (Henry & Mudge, Poppleton, Mr. Putter & Tabby...).

Then I'm glad I didn't manage to finish it, if the ending stinks. I find that the books I like best have a story and are well-written. At this same time, I'm listening to the audiobook of A Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin. It's 22 CDs long (!), and it was very confusing for me at the beginning, but his writing is so beautiful and compelling that I didn't want to stop listening. With In the Fall, the story wasn't compelling enough to cover up for the sentence fragments, and I just have too many other books to read! (especially all those Junie B. Jones ones!)

I finished In the Fall and thought it was just OK. I didn't care for the first part, but the middle bit, about the son was better. The last section - the grandson - I didn't really like so much - he seemed to be rushing to finish the writing as much I was anxious to finish the reading, but the racial attitudes interested me. The ending was pretty lame. You didn't miss much.

Yeah, sjmccreary said it well. The ending didn't stink, but just didn't like that part of the story as much.

Bonnie, I was looking at your profile, and you mentioned your childrens books that weren't cataloged. I found it worth the money to open a new account for all the childrens books I have (see member LoefflerKids). There are so many people on LT touting YA books that I needed a method to quickly see if I already had them!

I don't know how I managed to post the above comment under my childrens account name. I swear it was me who posted. I think I've been reading too many bizarre posts tonight. Must be time for bed.

I actually had 2 accounts but recently merged into one account, but with separate collections. Each to his/her own method, I guess! :-)

I wouldn't want anyone else's books with mine, collections or not.
I would also keep a second account for the kids.. these days though, all the books in the house are mine.

*Waves * Terri, I was missing you .. hope all is well..

#125-128 I've been thinking of giving my son his own account . . . he's old enough, and computer-savvy enough, to LT now. But is there any way to "transfer" the books that are already cataloged from my account to his? I don't want to redo them, and he won't have the patience to.

I don't know the answer to that one, tymfos. You would think so, but it would take a techier mind than mine to tell you how. Some of you young-uns out there? How about it?
I have actually opened 4 LT accounts: mine, Craig's, Keith's, and the kids books. The only reason Kevin doesn't have an account is because he doesn't have internet access at his house, and I can't get him to write down all his books for me to enter for him. It's awesome, because those boys have books I had no idea they had. I didn't realize until I started cataloging that their paternal grandmother allowed them to bring books home from her house to keep. She was a fourth-grade teacher for 30 years, and I think she had every Scholastic book ever printed!

Kath, good to hear from you! All is well here. I've been following your adventures. You've had a time of it, haven't you? The sort of things that I am happy to experience only vicariously...

Glad all is going well with your mom, and glad to see you back posting again!

I'm also glad all's going well with Mom. And I'm glad to be here. I was getting DTs from withdrawal. The downside? All my current posts are novel length. Sorry!

18. The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman. I can't remember who suggested it (Kath, probably, being the Hoffman fan that she is). It was a very enjoyable book. It kind of went in several different directions, but they segued well and the writing was lyrical. Good stuff.

Hoffman has a knack for that imo :)

19. Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley. Recommended by dozens of you, and now by me. A delightful little book (I say that a lot--highest praise) that I finished in an evening and enjoyed every minute of. The Haunted Bookshop is on reserve at the library as we speak.

Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite authors. She writes with such wonderful magical poetry. Kath...yet another thing we have in common!

I haven't read her latest -- The Third Angel. Have you Terri? Kath?

The Haunted Bookshop did not measure up to Parnassus in my opinion....but I would certainly say to read it.

I have not read a Hoffman in a while.. I think I have missed the last two. I will catch up someday :)

I agree with Kath about The Haunted Bookshop. I preferred Parnassus on Wheels.

I haven't read The Third Angel Linda, but it seems to have some mixed reviews. I think I'll wait until someone here raves about it before putting it on my list!

I'll let you know which Morley book I like best soon--I'm in the midst of The Haunted Bookshop right now.

I haven't had much time for reading lately, and it's making me really angry.

#139

"I haven't had much time for reading lately, and it's making me really angry."

Hear hear.

I've just been diagnosed with ME/CFS and the research I've been doing and the knowledge I am unlikely to feel better any time soon has really wiped me out. Its not so much the time as that I keep falling asleep every time I try and read!

Stasia's method of reading so much will clearly not work for me......

Sorry you haven't had so much time!

Oh, Lunacat, I'm sorry to hear that. I guess it would cramp your style quite a bit. I've always prided myself on saying I've never fallen asleep while reading--it would be devastating to me if I started, so I can imagine your frustration. I'd say that I hope you feel better soon, but you seem to think that's not likely, so I'll say I hope you feel better eventually!

I have tried Stasia's method of staying up all night to read, and I love doing it, but the problems start when I have to get up in the morning--I've not mastered the 4 hours of sleep part yet!

Lol...........I think very few of us have, she is unique in far too many ways!

Yeah, the prognosis for complete recovery from ME/CFS after 5 years is about 5%, so its not looking likely! I shall keep hoping however :), and try my best to stop falling asleep. I've been told caffeine is really bad for people with my illness though, hence the falling asleep when reading! Highly frustrating....grrrrrrr

I'm so sorry to hear that, Jenny.

Hi, Terri! I've starred your thread... I think it's really cool that you've started another 75 on top of your first. Can't wait to hear about what you read next!

20. The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley. I enjoyed this book. Not better or worse than Parnassus on Wheels but about the same. Just fun and silliness and a lot of books mentioned. I think a few actually made it on to my list! Since I read Parnassus first, it was fresher, but I really did like them both.

I'm looking forward to getting my hands on Parnassus on Wheels. Don't know when that will be, but I'm sure I will at some point!

21. Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez. I read this for my Book Discussion Group. This is the story of an American woman who goes to Afghanistan, originally on a humanitarian mission, but eventually starts a beauty school and salon in Kabul to help the women there overcome their oppression by giving them a livelihood. The stories of life in Kabul and the treatment of women are startling--I know that these things occur, but I'm still taken aback to hear firsthand accounts. However, I didn't find the book very compelling. Rodriguez' expectations of "the way things should be" and the foolish chances she took came across as less brave and more show-off. The incidents recounted were disjointed, and difficult to follow. Her impetuous marriage and later sulking about the first wife (whom she was aware of from the beginning) just sounded peckish. Overall, I was unimpressed. Also, I found the subtitle, "An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil" to be inaccurate and pretentious. So there.

The plot thickens. In preparing for our book discussion Wednesday, I found out that all is not as it seems in Kabul-Beauty-School-Land. Verrrry interesting....seems there was some backlash in certain circles regarding the accuracy of some of Ms. Rodriguez' narrations. I just knew there was something about the book that didn't sit well with me.

21. Greenwitch by Susan Cooper. Finished (early) for our upcoming Group Read. I was glad to see the first two books come together here, and it was a quick and enjoyable read, although not up to the first two. I think the 3rd book in a series is like a 3rd date (where, according to rumor, the decision is made as to whether or not the relationship will be consummated). The stage is set, but no one knows yet which direction things will actually go.

Someone mentioned Bunnicula on their post yesterday, and it reminded me that I still have a few left in the series to finish, so I read The Celery Stalks at Midnight this morning. More silly fun.

Aw, I love the Bunnicula books!

I loved reading that series to my oldest. He giggled so much, especially during the reading of Howliday Inn. Of course, it may have been my atrocious French accent.

I think that kids enjoy books more when we read with accents and exaggerated expressions. My granddaughter has taken a book out of her fathers hands and put it in mine when he was just "reading." I never just "read" to her. It's all acted out!

22. Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin. There are so many things I want to say about this book, that I don't know where to begin. First off, I loved it. I don't believe I've ever read a book that touched me on so many different levels. I can't really say what it was "about." It begins as the story of Peter Lake, who falls in love with the daughter of the man whose home he is attempting to rob. Then it travels over dozens of other lives, in and out of time, turning into a fantasy story that might not really be fantasy. It's the story of love lasting through time, but different kinds of love. And it is without question the most beautifully written story I have ever read. The language, the descriptions, the conversations--absolutely masterful. I went to a book reading by Mark Helprin once, and found him to be a very colorless and dull conversationalist. He must save it all up for his writing. To top it all off, I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Oliver Wyman, who did a fabulous job with the reading. Every character (and there were a ton of characters) had a distinctive, recognizable voice that doubled my enjoyment. It kept me enraptured for 22 CDs over 3 months. When I finished, I didn't want to read anything else.

I've been disappointed too, sometimes, when listening to an author read his/her own books. Other times, it makes the books so much better when I hear the author's voice in my head (David Sedaris comes to mind).

Winter's Tale sounds amazing!!! Onto the wishlist it goes. :)

I remember reading with my mouth open (almost) because of the absolute perfection of Helprin's descriptions in Winter's Tale. Have you read anything else by him?

Great review. Thumbs up!

One of my wife's English professors said of that phenomenon that "Writers are often better read than met."

#157 Donna, I did the same thing. Sometimes, I lost track of the story just listening to the words (if that makes sense, and I suspect it does to you if you read it). I have a copy of Freddy and Fredericka (signed, no less) which I'll be moving up on my list, but Winter's Tale was the first of his I read. I actually pushed the book back after meeting him, because I couldn't imagine it would be that good. I guess Mac's wife's professor is right!

>147 Terri, if you haven't already, you MUST MUST MUST read Ann Jones' Kabul in Winter, which has some powerful things to say about American projects for women. Really an amazingly powerful book - one of those that, ironically, I never wrote a proper review of because there is just so much in it that to review it feels like it would be to diminish it.

Oh, Flossie, shame on you. You know how susceptible I am to the power of suggestion. And it's sitting on the shelf at the library. Sigh. Not for long...

Suggestion?? Were we on the same continent I'd be physically pressing it into your hands! Really - it's tough reading but so worth it.

I promise, I'll stop on the way home from work tomorrow.

I copied this from wunderkind's thread, and thought it was interesting. Made me wish I'd read some different books this year, though. I only cheated once (because I'm in the process of reading it).

Using only books you have read this year (2009), answer these questions. Try not to repeat a book title.

Describe yourself:
The Elegance of the Hedgehog/Muriel Barbery

How do you feel:
Dreamers of the Day/Mary Doria Russell

Describe where you currently live:
The Road/Cormac McCarthy

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society/Mary Ann Shaffer

Your favorite form of transportation:
Parnassus on Wheels/Christopher Morley

Your best friend is:
The Greatest Gift/Binka LeBreton

You and your friends are:
Wild Things/Patricia Corrigan

What’s the weather like:
Songs of St. Louis Summers/Judith Newmark

You fear:
The Serpent's Tale/Ariana Franklin

What is the best advice you have to give:
Let Your Mind Alone!/James Thurber

Thought for the day:
Not Quite What I was Planning/Larry Smith

How I would like to die:
Feeding A Yen/Calvin Trillin

My soul’s present condition:
The Law of Love/Laura Esquivel

edited to clean up some spaces

Message edited by its author, Sep 10, 2009, 1:56pm.

Love your answers! Love this quiz!

Terri

ditto what bonniebooks said. You are very creative!!

That quiz is fun. I tried it, too, on my thread. But your answers are better than mine! :)

>167: No, I liked yours too! It just depends on the books you've read this year, along with how you're feeling that day.

See, that was the fun of it! Trying to work in books you read and get an answer out of it! I kept thinking, Maybe I'll wait and fill this out after I've read this or that book...
I'd rather do something like that than just list favorite/non-favorite books!
And yours was great, tymfos! I see you cheated a little too. ;-}

Just stretched the rules a little! :)

Would love to try your quiz.. but so maybe later.

Been There. Done That.

Love the graphic!

23. Porgy by DuBose Heyward. I saw this at our library sale this year and had to snatch it up. I've always loved the Gershwin operetta, and I was curious about the book it came from. Fascinating book, some things different than Porgy and Bess. I can see how it would have been easy to imagine this acted out. The dialect was a little hard to decipher, and I'm of two minds about it. One, I guess in today's world it sounds racist (considering Heyward was white), but on the other hand, it gave a more authentic and descriptive view of the time it was to have taken place. Overall, I liked it a lot.

24. Odd Thomas by Dean R. Koontz. Koontz is one of those writers I avoided like the plague, simply because they are far too prolific for me to keep up with and still fit in the reading that I really want to do. But so many people had recommended this book (and, of course, the series) to me, that when I found it at my son's house while rooting through his shelves for books of mine, I brought it home and read it. Unfortunately, I really liked it. Couldn't put it down. Stayed up till after midnight to finish it. Damn. Now I have to read the rest of them.

#173 Unfortunately, I really liked it. Couldn't put it down. Stayed up till after midnight to finish it. Damn. Now I have to read the rest of them.

I know exactly how you feel . . . ;)

#173: I am currently reading the Odd Thomas series, too, so I feel your pain :)

My work here is done...8^)

Yeah, I was pretty sure you were the culprit, Jim. Shame on you.

25. The Muny: Songs of St. Louis Summers by Judith Newmark. I have been attending the Muny Opera in St. Louis for as long as I can remember. It is the most exciting part of my summer: dressing up (okay, not so much any more, but we used to!), buying a Pepsi and Cracker Jack from the cute vendors, the enormous fans, watching musical theatre outside under the stars, reading the program and marking off all the shows I've seen over the years...maybe only appealing to a St. Louisan, but that's what I am. So this book, mostly pictures with little narration, is one that will sit on my coffee table forever. The history of the Muny, pictures from the first show in 1917 all the way through 2006, backstage pictures, pictures of young Red Skelton, Cary Grant, Gretchen Wyler, memories of shows I've seen--absolutely marvelous.

And that is my 100th book this year. Very exciting!

Got this from Roni who got it from Tad:

Message edited by its author, Oct 1, 2009, 10:28am.

Congrats on hitting 100, Terri!

Great work!

Terri - Since moving away from St. Louis, I miss the Muny (and the Fox) so much! I saw a great production of Evita at the Muny. I'll be on the lookout for the book.

And congrats on 100 - a great reading year already!

I probably saw that same production!

I've been going to the Muny since I was very young, and my Mother has been going since she was a teenager and took the streetcar with my aunt. Last year was the very first time either of us ever sat in the free seats. I cannot believe I skipped that all these years! Not just the free part, but the different atmosphere!

Good times!

I love how your satisfaction with reaching your goal came together with such a satisfying read. Aaah, memories! Those sound like great ones! Congratulations!

passing through to say hello, and trying to catch up with you.
100 Yay!

I'm not too hard to catch up with these days, Kath. One of my old arthritic knees has flared up good & proper and I can hardly walk! I couldn't run away from a snail!

Thanks for the shout-out...

Oh, I'm sorry Terri. Take care of yourself. Put your feet up and read!

Hope you feel better soon, Terri!

Hope your knee feels better soon, Terri! Rest up and read lots of good books. :)

Terri

Ouch, ouch, ouch...this sounds painful. I hope you are pain free
SOON!

So do I, but I'm not holding my breath. Doc says I still have some joint space, so he's not quite ready to do a replacement (which I suspect is inevitable. My younger sister had both of her knees replaced last year. Seems to be genetic). We're starting Synvisc injections this week, but no guarantees they'll work. I generally have a fairly high tolerance for pain, but this one's putting me under the table. I'm having what I think he called "reflexive pain" all the way down my calf, and I am not a happy camper.
However, it has been a great excuse to sit and read more frequently...
;-)

terri...

you have my sympathy.
i had a torn somthingscis in one of my knees years ago
injured other knee after surgery
now arthritis in both... ouch!

Pain is pain is pain... i hope the flare goes away soonest....
ouchies

#190: I am sorry you are having such pain, Terri. I hope you recover soon.

Kath, we must be twins! Same thing: torn meniscus in one knee, had surgery, later fell & banged up other knee, now arthritis in both...stinks to get old, I say. Well, it also stinks to be uncoordinated, but I prefer not to dwell on that. Ah, well, as long as it doesn't keep me from reading...which it hasn't.

26. Kabul in Winter by Ann Jones. Read at the insistence of Rachael (FlossieT). I do not know where to begin. Maybe because I'm not sure what the point of the book was meant to be. I really hope I don't offend anyone by what I say, but I have to be honest. First of all, I am thoroughly ashamed of our government. My suspicions were validated, that what we do in the name of "help" more often ends up to be self-serving. Second, I don't feel that I have as much sympathy for the Afghans as perhaps a "good Christian" should. And third, why does helping a country like that mean teaching them English and forcing them into a democratic society? I am a woefully ignorant student of world history, so I'm sure that anyone could argue me up against a wall in no time, but it would seem to me that a lot of the issues in Afghanistan are caused by other nations saying their behavior isn't "right," even though the Afghans (both male & female) accept if for what it is--their interpretation of their religious document. This is coming out way worse than I had hoped it would, but this book, definitely well-written and thought-provoking, left me saying "Perhaps we should just leave them alone." I don't have a problem with foreign aid, but it doesn't appear to be working here, either the way we want it to or the way they want it to.

Whew. Now what's the next book in the Bunnicula series? I need a break.

#193

I'd be interested if there is an example of foreign aid actually working and helping a country. I can't think of one.

That was my thought, Jenny, although I felt like I was sounding a bit tough. I kept channeling Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs--why are we teaching these people English when they have no safe place to live? You aren't going to be able to change a culture until you've covered the lower level needs first.

Rant Off.

Terri...
I agree with your assessment of intervention under the guise of assistance. Adding my two cents to the comments, I volunteered at a local homeless shelter for fifteen years and assisted in the community. I know first hand that this country needs to help our own...NOW! We stick our pinkies in the air, looking down on other countries, refusing to believe the poverty that exists here.

AMEN.

amen again!

>193: Have you read Three Cups of Tea, Terri? I think it is an example of one man making a difference in a country without trying to proslytize (I'm positive that is spelled wrong, but I'm too tired to look it up!). Because of Greg Mortenson's tenacity over 24,000 children in Pakistan are being educated, and most of them are girls. His humanitarian efforts are now moving into Afghanistan. I just reviewed the book, but again, I'm too tired (lazy) to put in the link.

I haven't read it yet, Donna, but my niece belongs to a book group and they plan to read it soon (and when she remembers, she invites me to join them!), so it's fairly high on my list. I've heard a lot of good things about the book, so I know I need to read it. I'm counting on Trisha to force me!

BTW, Donna, I just linked via the touchstone and your review was right on top!

27. Life is Good. Simple Words from Jake and Rocket by Bert Jacobs and John Jacobs. A short, sweet book of one-line philosphies, acted out in illustrations of Jake and his dog Rocket. Life is Good donates "100% of its profit from the sale of this book to the Life is good Kids Foundation, established to help children facing unfair challenges." I spent an hour at the store where the book-signing was held, watching members of the group playing catch with a huge beach ball and performing guitar music and eating cookies, then had my book signed by the most ruggedly attractive young red-headed man with the largest smile I have ever seen (John Jacobs). A stunning experience. Even though it was an extremely short read, I am counting it because I loved it.

28. Dracula by Bram Stoker. I'm trying to read what I can from Mac's Halloween Reading List, and this was first. I can't believe I've never read it before. I found it much more interesting than I had expected. Not much to say that hasn't been said, but I think for it's time and it's subject, Stoker did a great job of opening up the genre. I'm glad I finally read it.

Terri

I'm simply dropping by to see how you are feeling today. Are you pain free?

Thinking of you,
LInda

>193 Terri, I'm glad you got there, even though it sounds like perhaps it left you feeling a bit more, um, "mixed" than me. I thought the whole 'cascade of need' was one thig she was very good at highlighting - that there are certain things that need to come first, and those things are often not aligned with foreign aid box-ticking budget goals. Plus the whole idea of fundamentally needing to deliver aid to a country in a way that either aligns with or subverts its existing social structures - you can't just bulldoze in and try to impose Western values. I read it very close to Three Cups of Tea and I think the two books do make a very thought-provoking pair.

#204. Thanks for checking in with me, Linda. Unfortunately, I think it's spreading up to my hip (probably because I'm limping and throwing my hip out of joint!). Doc says the shots don't usually give relief until after they're all finished, so I guess I've got a few more weeks to go. I hope it's better soon--I've got a class reunion coming up and I will NOT go in there with a cane!

#205--Rachael, I certainly don't regret having read the book! I think it just made me mad at the whole system. Maybe just the whole world. I've read enough history to know that everything cycles around, but darn it, why doesn't anyone ever learn?
Sorry. Just me and my little fantasy of a sensible world...

29. Murder With Peacocks by Donna Andrews. I really needed a fluff read, and this recommendation from Richard fit the bill perfectly. Sometimes I get too bogged down in "classics" and "literature" and forget how much I enjoy a silly little mystery. This was great, and now I'll have to carry on with yet another series, but such is the way of the world!

30. A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck. This was a great little audiobook that I listened to on my li'l MP3 player at work while I was doing mindless tasks. It worked out perfect. Stories of Chicago kids visiting their grandmother in the "country" every year, and the adventures they had with her. I chuckled, remembering my summers with Grandma. Not quite as adventuresome, but still, memories I cherish.

31. Grave Goods by Ariana Franklin. The third in the series that began with Mistress of the Art of Death. In this book, Adelia is sent to prove that the bones found at Glastonbury are those of Arthur and Guinevere. The stories about her forensic adventures are still interesting, although with each book, I find myself getting more irritated with Adelia's personal behavior. It also seems that Franklin uses Adelia's full name far too often ("she, Vesuvius Adelia etc.") and it sounds pretentious. More than once in a book is too much, IMHO. The foreshadowing is starting to bother me too. I'm reminded of the Saturday Night Live skit with Steve Martin as the medieval doctor/barber ("maybe someday.....naaaah"). I sound kind of persnickety and I don't mean to. I enjoy the books very much. Just a few minor annoyances.

Terri

I enjoyed a Long Way From Chicago. It was deserving of the Newbery Award.

I believe you were the one who recommended it, Linda! It was a great little book.

I have enjoyed several of Richard Peck's books this year, too, Terri, so I recommend you read more of his :)

32. The Island of Doctor Moreau by H. G. Wells. I read this on DailyLit.com for the Halloween read. I didn't really care for it that much. There was nothing that really compelled me to read on; it wasn't very frightening or mysterious; I really didn't care about anyone in the book. Oh well. It's read!

message 214 -- Good! Finally a book that is listed on your thread that I don't have to add to the ever growing tbr pile.

And, by the way, I hope you are feeling much, much better.

Hugs,
Linda

tl, I haven't gotten to it yet but I quite enjoyed The Time Machine two years ago for Halloween. Wells doesn't always hit the mark for everyone but he has so many stories you are bound to find one you like if you keep trying, which I recommend you do.

Thanks, Mac. I know the boys have some Wells' books in their libraries. I may have to pull them out!

33. A Separate Country by Robert Hicks. I planned to read this with the Highly Rated Book Group, but I ended up being fairly high up on the reserve list at the library, so I got it and had to finish it before it was due back. It was an interesting story, as near as I could tell, a fictionalization of the later years of General John Bell Hood. After a slow start, I enjoyed it very much. Starting with the death of General Hood, and told in the form of memoirs written by the General, his wife Anna Marie, and Eli Griffin, a man who once tried to kill General Hood, and has now been asked by Hood (from his deathbed) to gather up his memoir and "take it to a man who can judge my humility." I was not aware until after I finished the book that General John Bell Hood was a real person, and that much of the book was not fiction, and I think I liked it better that way. The character of Eli Griffin kept waffling between perfect speech and countrified speech, and I found that distracting, but overall, it was a long book that I read fairly quickly, and that I stayed up late to finish, so it had a lot of redeeming qualities to it. I will say that the part I found most interesting was the city of New Orleans. Katrina was not the first, or even among the first of the disasters sent down on New Orleans, and yet there remains some kind of spirit in that city that never dies. It's one of my favorite places in the country.
If I were to rate this book, I'd give it 3.5/5, mostly because it really isn't my style, but I liked it anyway.

#218: I will give that one a try since it sounds like something I would really enjoy. Thanks, Terri!

Okay, this is my third try to get this message on here. Someone there is who doesn't want me to post my books...
34. The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt. Recommended by Linda/Whisper1, with good reason. I listened to the audiobook, and Joel Johnstone did a fabulous job of channeling Holling, a seventh-grader in Long Island during the 1967-1968 school year. I was in 6th grade that year, so I could relate to everything that was going on. The juxtaposition of his school- and life-angst, along with the Vietnam War and everything else doing on in those years, with a shot of Shakespeare thrown in, made this one of the best "coming of age" (if you can even call it that) stories I've ever read. I really wanted to slap his father, though, almost as much as I wanted to hug some of the other adults in his life. Excellent reading!

35. The Grey King by Susan Cooper. This is the 4th book in The Dark Is Rising series, and the action is picking up. I thought it started slow, but it really picked up in the second half, and I ignored everything else to finish it. If the library had been open, I would have gone straight over there to get the next book, because I won't be able to wait for the group, even for a week.

36. The Wood Wife by Terri Windling. I pulled this one off of Blackdogbooks' Halloween thread, and I'm glad I did. Again, it started slow, but when the fantasy began, I was mesmerized. Romance doesn't seem to be her forte, so those parts were awkward, and naming the rabbit "Thumper," I mean, really. But the fantasy parts were compelling and believable, and I enjoyed it a lot.

Terri
Since I gave such a high recommendation, I had hopes that LT folk would enjoy the book. I'm happy to know you really liked it.

I hope you are feeling better!

#220/221: Dodging bullets (in the form of books) - already read all 3 of those :)

Glad to see you won out over whoever did not want you to get The Wednesday Wars review posted, lol.

BTW - I join with Linda in hoping you are feeling much better.

Message edited by its author, Oct 13, 2009, 12:26pm.

37. Q & A: A Novel by Vikas Swarup. This is the book that the movie Slumdog Millionaire was made from, and I think they've changed the name of the book to Slumdog Millionaire (ah, see, the touchstones work for that one!) which always irks me. But my son and a co-worker both insisted that I watch the movie, so after I did, I felt compelled to read the book. I'm glad I did. I liked the premise of the movie, but it seemed too short, and the book, although slightly different, was much more satisfying. Ram Mohammed Thomas, a waiter in India, wins a billion rupees on a game show, and is arrested for cheating. A lawyer bails him out and reviews the tapes of the show with him to discover how an uneducated waiter knew the answers to these questions. What follows is his life's story where, through fate or luck (good and bad), his experiences coincide with the questions on the show. I listened to the audiobook, read extremely well by Kerry Shale, and I think I applauded loudest of all at the end. Very good!

#224: Yet another book on Planet TBR that I have not made it to yet :(

Ditto what Stasia said. While my TBR has not yet reached Planet status, I'm pretty sure it could crush me to death.

38. The Real Wizard of Oz: The Life and Times of L. Frank Baum by Rebecca Loncraine. Someone on the 50-Something Library Thingers group was reading this, and had commented on how it was a good snapshot of the times, so I got it from the library. It was an excellent snapshot of the time, Baum's life having spanned pre-Civil War to World War I, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about a life during a time that I'm not sure we think about much. Unfortunately, the story wasn't particularly well-written, and that took quite a bit away from it. Baum led a fairly interesting life, but it didn't seem to be very well documented, so the book contained (IMHO) WAY too many "might haves" and "could haves" and "probablys" to the point of distraction. The descriptions of the times, and the landscapes, and the history of the time was fabulous, but I came away with very little sense of the person L. Frank Baum. So I don't consider it a wasted read, but it didn't live up to my expectations of a biography.

#227 Terri, it sounds like it might have been better written as novel based on the life of Baum than a straight biography. Then she could have provided a look at the period, and the man, without stumbling over all those disclaimers.

I agree, Sandy. I think that would have been a much better use of her writing abilities.

39. Silver on the Tree by Susan Cooper. I couldn't wait for November 8. I had the book, I had the time, I had to read it. All tonight. Sigh. Great ending to a great series.

#230: I will be reading it soon, too. I am glad to hear that it is a great ending to the series.

40. Kipling's Choice by Geert Spillebeen. A fictionalized account of the death of John Kipling, Rudyard Kipling's son, during World War I. The story begins with the end, then moves between Kipling's dying thoughts and memories of his life. This is a very, very sad book, made more poignant by the fact that his father pulled so many strings to get him into the war, and he experienced only one battle (although, from recent accounts that I've been reading about World War I, one battle would have been quite enough). It's interesting to see how John goes from being a spoiled young man to being a fairly well-respected lieutenant. This was a quick read, and although I can't call it enjoyable, I am glad I read it.

And now, for something completely different...

41. 250 Tips for Making Life With Arthritis Easier by Shelley Peterman Schwarz. I was surprised by this book. It wasn't filled with "exercise," "lose weight," etc. It was filled with helpful information on ways to actually make one's life easier (not just for arthritis--the author has MS) when you're dealing with an aggravating condition. Common sense things, like bagging your groceries in a different way, and RESTING BETWEEN TIRING TASKS, something that some of us need to have hammered into our head. I felt that it gave me permission to take things slower and easier, and although the book is somewhat dated (1997), some of the ideas presented are going to be implemented immediately!

#232: I already have Spillebeen's book in the BlackHole, but thanks for the mention of the Schwarz book. I have degenerative joint disease and am always looking for ways to make my life easier!

Stasia...Kipling's Choice is one of my favorite books of 2009 thus far.

Terri..You captured it beautifully!

42. Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani. Ave Maria Mulligan is the town pharmacist/spinster (her words, not mine--I hate that word) in Big Stone Gap, VA. When her mother dies, she leaves a letter telling her big secret, which changes everything Ave Maria always knew about herself. This is a fun little story of life in the mountains, with all the attendant personalities. Sometimes Ave Maria acts stupidly, but she realizes it eventually, and of course there's a happy ending. This was a good book to read when I found myself in need of a little fluff.

#235: I will look for that one when I am in need of a little fluff :)

Terri

My early childhood was spent in a small NE Pennsylvania town near Roseto. Adriana Trigiani writes of thie town in her books. She has a very accurate portrayal of Italian life in that small community.

If you haven't read Queen of the Big Time, I recommend it.

43. Good Night, Mr. Tom by Michelle Magorian. I didn't write down who recommended this author, but I'll find out and give credit where credit is due. I loved this young adult book. It's the story of Will Beech, a child evacuated out of London in WWII and sent to live with a "grouchy" old man in the country. As you would expect, they both end up changing the other, but the situations in which they find themselves are alternately delightful, poignant, and downright sad. This was a book that I was anxious to sit down with every night, and I even broke some of my OCD rules to read it even when it was another book's turn!

For any of you interested in my "health" (or lack thereof), my biopsy results came back normal, and my leg problems seem to be stemming from a spinal nerve issue (still pending MRI results). So I guess I'll live. It's been a rough week, but I have felt the extra energy, and I appreciate it!

ETA: It was Lunacat (Jenny) who recommended the Magorian! Thank you!

Message edited by its author, Oct 30, 2009, 3:29pm.

OCD? One word: Addition. Glad to hear the good news regarding your medical tests. So....how many books are you going to go buy to celebrate?

Okay, I'm not THAT bad. It's just that the kitchen table is for reading newspapers and magazines, and books are confined to the living room. I read this book at the kitchen table. At least I don't read in the shower, like SOME people I know...

As far as celebrating by buying books (and I actually did buy one today), I think I celebrated enough in advance at the Library Book Sale last week, which I visited three out of the four days (took off work to go the first day), and brought home 40 books. My son just shook his head.

44. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. I listened to the audiobook, read by Bianco Amato and Jill Tanner. A famous writer is dying, and she invites a young biographer/bookshop assistant to write her story. For once, she is going to tell the truth. This is a book about stories: Vida Winter's story, Margaret's own story, the story of a house, of a fire, of a dysfunctional family, of twins, of ghosts. It weaves in and out of all these stories like a maze, with many puzzles and surprises. I was utterly swept up in this book, and kept making excuses to drive places (because, you see, audiobooks are for the car). A great story.

Oh that's right, you got all those books. I love those library sales! If I didn't have a big stack of unread books from past library sales, myself, I'd be jealous. LOL! Poor lunacat, aka "shower girl". I think I started all that by giving kidzdoc a hard time, but then somehow she got in there and stepped on her own tail, I'm thinking! I loved it! Thanks to her confessions, we can all feel more normal than we really are! ;-)

"At least I don't read in the shower, like SOME people I know........."

Now who on earth would do such an insane and compulsive thing as that. I've never heard of anything so ridiculous ;)

Terri, glad to know the medical news is good! I hope the MRI results are as well.

>243: LOL! Ah...sigh! That felt good!

Kipling's Choice sounds good - but am a little hesitant to read it as it is fictionalized. What did the author use as sources?

The bibliography only lists 2 books: My Boy Jack? by Tonie Holt and Rudyard Kipling by Andrew Lycett. The fictionalized part was the "thoughts" going through John's head as he lay dying. Otherwise, from what I've read and seen, I think he got the basic facts of the younger Kipling's life right.

45. The Next Queen of Heaven by Gregory Maguire. Leontina Scales is a thrice-married (and divorced) mother of 3 sullen teenagers. She is a devout member of the Radical Radiant Pentecostals, who share a parking lot with the Roman Catholic church next door. One morning, having forgotten to bring milk for the after-services coffee, she sneaks over to the basement of the Catholic church to borrow some, and is conked on the head by a falling statue of the Virgin Mary. When she wakes up, her behavior and speech have changed dramatically, but since the clinic can find nothing particularly wrong with her, they release her to the care of her children.

Jeremy Carr is the gay music director for the Catholic church, trying to get over the love of his life, to care for Sean, a friend with AIDS, and to find a rehearsal spot with a piano so he can win a competition in New York. Sister Alice offers him the use of the music room in the Motherhouse of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mysteries, currently used as a retirement home for the nuns.

And the story begins. This is a wild ride, and I alternately laughed hysterically and cried like a baby. It is a small town, and everyone's lives cross back and forth between each other. The Catholics feel responsible, the Pentecostal Pastor worries that they are trying to convert Mrs. Scales while he tries to seduce her 15 year old daughter Tabitha, who goes from being the town brat/slut to having to care for her mother (in spite of her own worries), and there is an absolutely fabulous conversation between the musicians and the retired nuns, comparing the gay life to the cloistered life.

Gregory Maguire is one of those authors that you can't pinpoint, because all of his books are different. This one is great. Each person and each institution is equally lauded and denigrated, and I just came away from it feeling like we all have our own demons to fight, so let's just get along. Highly recommended (although there is some "bad language" if that's offensive to you).

>248 I've always put Gregory Maguire in the pigeonhole marked "not for me", but this sounds hysterical! Off to have a nose through the work page with a view to adding to the list...

#248 I agree, it does sound hysterical. I've never heard of Gregory Maguire, but I'm putting this book on the wishlist to give him a try. Great review.

ETA - well, darn, I can't get the "add books" function to work right now, but at least I figured out who Gregory Maguire is - I've never read him, but I've at least heard of Wicked

Message edited by its author, Nov 2, 2009, 6:28pm.

I just came away from it feeling like we all have our own demons to fight, so let's just get along

A good message to take away and funny too! I'll put it on my wish list for when I want a fun read. Thanks!

>250: I couldn't either. That's so weird when somebody else already has it in their LT library, but we can't get it.

I had to add it manually, but then the correct cover came up after I did. It was very odd.
And this was nothing at all like Wicked so if you didn't like that book, don't let it keep you from this one!

46. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving. I was bored, and it was short, so I read it online. I don't believe I've ever read it before. I enjoyed it.

Starting a new thread. It's late in the year for that, I know, but it's just getting so long. Here I am (if I do it right):

Thread 3

Message edited by its author, Nov 2, 2009, 11:08pm.